<p>CAP -> UTAustin
pro:
Friendly environment for minorities
Better Post Graduation Job Market
Auto into Computer Science
enormously better city + culture
knock out irrelevant classes at CAP at easier level
marginally better education and preparation
better for graduate school</p>
<p>con:
year late = hard to make friends (and less networking)
rigor jumps enormously
extra year of college likely
no engineering likely
too difficult?
last choices on campus (as transfer)
life ruining if I flop
would be the stupid kid at UT
more expensive
poor benefits(housing, parking, class picking)
CAP has a cap on how many move on
ominous 50% stay behind, but I hear its voluntary</p>
<hr>
<p>Texas A&M
pro:
auto accepted, easily engineer
very safe bet
would be a snugger fit academically
could potentially transfer?
more familiar with A&M policies
sort of better for networking(instate)
con:
terrible city
disagree with values(I'm gay, atheist, arab, liberal, democrat..)
plus potentially ostracizing or closeting
probably stuck in state</p>
<p>Anything to add? What do you think I should do?</p>
<p>UT Austin is a much much better college than Texas A&M academically and socially. It seems like you won’t get into engineering program there but you can always transfer. Texas A&M is your safety college since you have extremely high R+M score. </p>
<p>“I’m gay, atheist, arab, liberal, democrat…”</p>
<p>Then trust me, you don’t want to be at TAMU. Texas A&M goes by this stereotype “full of conservative hick’s and rednecks”, don’t know how true that is as I am not a TAMU student.</p>
<p>I posted a reddit thread that got a decent amount of feedback here : /r/aggies/comments/1b4ryn/possible<em>aggie</em>is<em>am</em>really<em>that</em>bad_towards/
(are reddit links not allowed…?)</p>
<p>The thread seems to have been implying a don’t bring it up policy, which I don’t like at all. My sister and my best friend both know people who go to a&m who resolutely warn me not to go there with all that baggage against me. So, sigh… </p>
<p>I am okay with spending 5 years at UT if i have to, but I’m also worried that it might be too difficult for me (I mean, I didn’t even really get in). Plus I keep getting inconsistent information on if Computer Science is covered under CAP’s Natural Science admittance. It also bums me out I won’t get the freshman experience, and the accompanying friendships with the novelty of newness shared.</p>
<p>I’m so happy you think A&M is a safety school for me, at the beginning of the year I thought it would be so incredible if I get in, I had already given up on UT, and wrote off CAP.</p>
This is arguable. Better – yes; “much better” – no. UT is ranked 46 overall and TAMU is ranked 65 (not a significant difference, IMO). For electrical engineering, UT is ranked #10 and TAMU is #16. Both schools will provide very strong networking opportunities albeit predominantly in the south. I would choose TAMU direct admit in a NY minute over a UT cap program. Do you really want to spend a year of your life at a commuter-type school while others actually enrolled at UT are progressing ahead? It simply doesn’t make sense to me. As far as the social climate is concerned, though, I’d agree…you’re a better fit for UT.</p>
<p>Colleges don’t see the CAP program bit, and at the commuter school you can take the core curriculum, although I would still be at least half a semester behind if not more. Its not really a big deal that kids are progressing ahead of me, I mean, why would that even be a problem. I’m still learning, just taking a longer road, its not like its a race to finish with my now dispersed class(although a huge chunk will both be at a&m and UT). It is admittedly embarrassing a little to think about, but not enough to choose a worse education and experience I think.</p>
<p>As for what XtremePower and jc40, I did say /marginally/ better education.</p>
<p>The academic difference in terms of Engineering will, as you mentioned, be very marginal.
A&M is indeed very conservative. The engineering school is much more diverse than the overall demographic. Plenty of Arab (Egypt, Saudi etc.), Nigerian, Asian students enroll in the engineering programs, and there is plenty of inter-ethnicity interaction (I’m Indian-Asian myself).A vast majority of students do indeed have nothing against, and in fact support gay students. Sadly, the students on campus who don’t support are more outspoken, and that reflects on the university as a whole. You should be fine making friends at A&M however. </p>
<p>Austin is, admittedly, a much more “fun” city than college station. Pick based on fit. In your case, I think you may prefer UT more.</p>
<p>Yeah i think I agree. I’m chill with cap and emotionally hate conservative environments. Even if i won’t get sneered at, a&m still sounds very confrontational on the kind of person I am from so many angles. the big points i’m still contending is:</p>
<p>-if i do cap, I basically have to do computer science (which I like, but I have less freedom of choice)
-i don’t want to miss the friend making moments of freshman year, but I could also make friends at cap. And as noted, Austiner are more likely to share interests.
-the commuter year at CAP might suck. (although even those towns seem to have a decent amount of things to do) I hear cap schools are also conservative.</p>
<p>all of those points aren’t that big a deal, but the alluring safety of A&M calls to me… but this is 4 years of my life. and maybe 5. Did I mention I love urban environments and diversity?And hate tobacco/ cigarettes/ sports/ traditions? A&M is almost hilariously a negative to my values…but… anyways, please continue to make your points and give advice, just wanted to update on my sentiment. I haven’t even visited the campuses yet.</p>
<p>Hi jasseraid! I too am a Texas high school student who’s dream is to go to UT. A few months ago I wouldn’t have considered A&M even as a backup school. My stats and situation are very similar to you, and I was afraid of the “conservative” status of A&M.
After reading more about A&M and coming to terms that UT was definitely not a safe bet, I decided to visit A&M. </p>
<p>I was absolutely blown away. My expectations were completely wrong. Yes, the school takes pride in its traditions. Yes, there is less diversity than you would probably find at UT. But I don’t think you will have any trouble fitting in. The students there are extremely nice and welcoming, and the entire campus seemed very relaxed and laid back. With 50,000+ students, I have no doubt that you would find a clique that suits your personality. </p>
<p>Personally, I know of someone who went the CAP route and didn’t get into their major of choice. Its not as safe as A&M. Ranking wise, I think that you have equal opportunities at both schools as long as you use the available resources at both schools. I would definitely suggest visiting both campuses (primarily A&M!) to dispel any misfounded stereotypes.</p>
<p>You make a fair point, But computer science is within natural science, which is automatically admitted if i make a 3.2(1 A and the rest B’s). I will be sure to visit both campuses this summer! Weirdly I started out reverse, I never would have considered UT. I thought cap was a ploy to take money while rejecting you and that I had zero shot to get into UT normally-so I never really considered it. I was all for A&M until recently. You also have to keep in mind my minorital statuses (which you may not share)as they are a large part of my decision making.</p>