Anyone know about UT Dallas?

Parents Forum
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<p>My son is one of those kids who will very likely have UTD on his college list, primarily for the reasons you named, Montegut.</p>

<p>He does like the school. We agree that it’s on a flat, open plain in a suburb, with few full-grown trees. It’s not exactly “pretty,” in our opinions. But we don’t really think it’s ugly either. To us, it looks like a big corporate complex, not a college. It looks “professional.” It doesn’t look like a typical college campus, by any stretch – unless it was maybe a large community college. I don’t know – something about it. But we also noticed all the latest plantings. Bunches of new trees, and Texas-hearty landscaping, and fountains and sidewalks. My son has visited twice and says each time, while on campus, “This is so cozy!” He really seems to like the feel of it. It feels kind of relaxed and personal and homey to him – though we both also see it as kind of sterile and professional at the same time. It is a very unique state university, we think. The dorms and apartments are super nice. It’s not the typical campus, but that doesn’t make it bad – to us. We like it.</p>

<p>My son is also attracted to it for its amazing merit aid. Incredible. The McDermott Scholars program? Really appealing. The people we met that were affiliated with that program and the other honors program – wow. We were impressed.</p>

<p>So we’re with you. There are things about UTD that are appealing.</p>

<p>My son also likes the technical expertise at UTD, paired with the relatively small, personal feel. A lot of engineering colleges are behemoths, and my son is just not interested in a gigantic university. He is also not into partying or sports, though he does like a full social life. The things ignatius listed on this thread, a page ago, are perfect for this son. He is smart, very social, and low key. He likes simply hanging out with friends, playing pickup basketball, orchestra, movies, reading, playing video games, and hanging out at the bookstore or library … that sort of thing. So he’s not intimidated by the supposedly “limited” social life. </p>

<p>I have another son at SMU. Both TCU and SMU are very generous with merit aid. My whole family loves both of those campuses. My SMU son couldn’t be happier with his college experience. Great professors, fascinating honor courses, small classes, great fitness center, nice kids, excellent cultural arts and lecture series, great dorms and food. He is very, very happy.</p>

<p>The two colleges, SMU and UTD, do seem to have little in common. And yet, my high school son likes both of them a lot.</p>

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<p>mdcissp, I’ll admit that I know NOTHING about the Jewish religion or even what a Hillel is. I (sorry) didn’t bother to look it up, either. BUT, the day after I read your post on CC, I saw an article about this new Reform Jewish Congregation that is opening in UTD’s neighboring community of Frisco, TX. This is not the article I saw, but rather one that I just now googled. Too busy to do too much researching for you, but wondered if you heard about this at all. Of course, I have no idea if it meets your son’s needs or desires. I just thought I’d post it in the off-chance that it helped!</p>

<p>Reform Jewish Congregation Opens in Frisco
By Jane Sirkis Przada
Published: Saturday, April 24, 2010 4:08 PM CDT
True to its meaning, Shir Tikvah, the Reform Jewish Congregation of Frisco, is bringing a “Song of Hope” to families in Collin County.</p>

<p>The congregation’s first Shabbat worship will take place on Friday night, April 30th at 7:30 PM at Cornerstone Community Center (C3) 7700 Main Street, Frisco, Texas 75034, under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Jordan Parr. Steve Roth, President of Shir Tikvah, states, “There are many Jewish families in Frisco and the surrounding cities in Collin County that are searching for a synagogue. Everyone is so excited that Frisco now has a Reform congregation, led by Rabbi Parr, and the words we hear from family after family are. . . It’s about time. How do we get involved?”</p>

<p>Rabbi Jordan Parr is a nationally-respected innovator in Jewish education and congregational leadership. For over 20 years, he has been a Rabbi and Religious School Principal in Reform Congregations in Texas and Georgia.
Shir Tikvah will offer Shabbat evening services with Rabbi Parr as well as life cycle events, religious school enrichment, children’s activities and community outreach programs.</p>

<p>To learn more about Shir Tikvah, or for information about membership, call (972) 370-9393 or visit Shir Tikvah at [Shir</a> Tikvah Frisco | the Reform Synagogue of Frisco, Texas](<a href=“http://www.shirtikvahfrisco.org%5DShir”>http://www.shirtikvahfrisco.org).</p>

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<p>^Silly me. I didn’t even notice until posting that the article above is all about the new congregation. If you click the link, you’ll also see another link about the new Shir Tikvah Frisco Religious School “for the whole family” – which was actually the subject of the article I recently read. NOT the new congregation, but the new religious school.
Hope this is somehow helpful. But knowing the NOTHING I know, I realize that it might not be! :)</p>

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<p>Thank you for your post Simplelife but UT Dallas is in Richardson, TX. I wonder if this is a different synagogue which you mention because the location is different?</p>

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<p>^No, mdcissp, I meant this particular synagogue and religious school in Frisco. Frisco is north of UTD via 2 fast-moving tollways and not much traffic.</p>

<p>I didn’t research the exact location of the Frisco synagogue. It might be too far for your son, if it’s towards the north side of Frisco. The southern side of Frisco is about 15 minutes away. The northern side, maybe 20 minutes away, if your destination is near the Dallas North Tollway. If your Frisco destination is nowhere near either the 121 tollway or the Dallas North Tollway, then it could be more like 25 minutes.</p>

<p>All 3 tollways – George Bush, 121, and Dallas North, move along very quickly in that part of the metroplex with not much traffic, whereas there is a whole lot of traffic towards SMU, especially on 75 Central Expressway.</p>

<p>There are also several links about the Dallas Jewish Community, etc on the website that my link takes you to. I just thought of you when I saw this. That’s all. I had no idea if it’d be helpful.</p>

<p>Here’s the little blurb I read the day after reading your CC thread. </p>

<p>August 26, 2010
Comments | Recommended<br>
Frisco synagogue opens religious school<br>
7:00 AM Thu, Aug 26, 2010 | Permalink
Jessica Meyers/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips </p>

<p>Frisco’s first Reform Jewish Synagogue will celebrate the opening of its religious school tomorrow, a testament to the growth of Collin County’s Jewish community. </p>

<p>The Shir Tikvah Religious School will offer weekly Hebrew classes and tutoring. Officials intend the school to draw families together for the Shabbat. </p>

<p>The synagogue will host an open house and explain the genesis of the Shabbat Family Learning Program tomorrow at 7 p.m.at 7700 Main St. Parents will have the opportunity to register children following services.</p>

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<p>Thanks. I would like to know did UT Dallas start a Hillel this year? When we visited, someone at the school said that was a possibility. I think the Frisco synagogue is too far away particularly since I am not buying my son a car in college.</p>

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<p>Ah. Yeah, Frisco would be way too far away – impossible actually – without a car.</p>

<p>So would SMU. Obviously.</p>

<p>Have you asked anybody at UT Dallas if they’ve set up a Hillel? AJ Garcia was very helpful in answering all of our questions. He’s the Undergraduate Recruitment Coordinator. I think he handles prospective National Merit Finalist applicants. (Not certain of that, though.) He could probably get you an answer.</p>

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<p>There are much closer synagogues than Frisco. You would still need a car.</p>

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<p>mdcissp, UT Dallas does not have its own Hillel. It participates with some other colleges/universities in greater Dallas - which would very strongly/likely mean your child would need a car to participate.</p>

<p>Hillel International estimates, based on the Dallas Hillel information, that there are 100 Jewish students at UT Dallas. See here: [University</a> of Texas, Dallas](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17931]University”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17931). </p>

<p>UT Dallas says they have an enrollment of 15,783 students. FWIW, this means that Hillel estimates that 0.6% of UTD students are Jewish.</p>

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<p>I know that a Jewish Student Organization was present during the Welcome Week activities this past weekend. Someone (a group of students :)) heads the student organization and could easily (and probably happily) answer your questions. You might try to find that contact and ask the relevant questions.</p>

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<p>Id just like to add in my 2 cents here, while im taking a break from studying for my biochem exam heh.</p>

<p>In a couple of years, UTD is going to be very well recognized. Once all the construction clears up, campus is going to look so much better. New buildings, better landscaping. The demand for on campus housing is increasing so much, they have started building another residential hall that will open next fall. In a time where many public schools have to cut back because of budget issues, UTD is trying its best to expand and grow. Our neuroscience program has added so many new faculty members recently. There are more and more students coming from out of state, which is a good thing.</p>

<p>Some of you mentioned the McDermott program. If you have any ques about it, feel free to ask. </p>

<p>Getting on the US News ranking is just the first step. It is going to keep climbing up from there. Does UTD have its negatives? Sure, but the positives and potential outweight that.</p>

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<p>Anyone know the requirements to get a $1000 UT Dallas merit scholarship?</p>

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<p>I don’t think you submit an extra application for scholarship.</p>

<p>The advantage of getting the $1000 merit scholarship:</p>

<p>

</p>

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<p>the $1000 scholarship shouldnt be too hard to get</p>

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<p>just to give some details about some of the improvements done on campus. it’s pretty legit</p>

<p>[Points</a> of Interest - Campus Enhancement - UT Dallas](<a href=“http://www.utdallas.edu/enhance/points.html]Points”>http://www.utdallas.edu/enhance/points.html)</p>

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<p>I grew up down the street from UTD. There is a Synagogue down the street, and a Jewish school, if there is not a Jewish campus organization someone should start one. From what I hear UTD does not give the same experience as schools like TAMU, UT, Tech, TCU, Baylor, or SMU. For me that is a blessing, the last thing I need or want is a bunch of people throwing parties, vandalizing property, disrupting class, or selling drugs. I go to college to learn, and I don’t have time to be wasting my life doing the things that are common at colleges (all the things that happen when kids finally get away from their parents). That stuff does happen here but it is toned down significantly. I believe it’s because most people here value their education and influence others to feel the same way. When I visited A&M there were a large number of bars bordering campus and when I would walk out of my sister’s condo I would see everyone partying at the bars and hear the live music, I could not help but go in and see what was happening I always ended up having a beer. At UTD for fun I go to the Linux User Group, or Computer Security Group, there are so many things to do on campus I can’t make all the events I want to (I get an email for Sophomore CS students that has all the events for the week). I miss events every day it seems like, my point is everything is what you make of it, for me it is never like there is nothing to do. I used to take the DART and it was fine. DART is better than other public transit systems I have used, but if you are going somewhere it will usually take an hour and a half to get there, unless it’s on the path of the UTD shuttle. The UTD shuttle goes to Tomb Thumb, Sprouts, Target, BOA, and many other places. If you go to the Dart website it can tell you the travel time to your destination. The pool was pretty busy during summer, people were playing volleyball, and the basketball court were always busy, in the student Union people seem to always be playing pool or ping pong. There seems to be a lot of overseas students. But I guess those statistics are available online. It seem like there are lots of recruiters on campus but not many people know about it, it’s important to register for IPP if you want an internship.</p>

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<p>That says a lot. Seriously, I’m not criticising, but I feel like UTD is great for a certain type of person that may not be the typical college student.</p>

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<p>^^ I agree. My objection is to the portrayal of the school as providing the type of college experience MOST (not all, by any means) students are seeking. A</p>

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<p>Not every school is for everyone.</p>

<p>The fall enrollment at UTD is now about 17,000.
On top of all the construction of the last few years, there is talk of even more expansion.
There is also talk of a more restrictive admission policy for undergraduates.</p>

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<p>Sorry to bring this back up, but I feel like I should say something to this. When I was researching UTD before coming here, all I found were opinions of parents and kids who did not attend the school. Now, I respect your opinions, but like I’ve mentioned before, they are based on assumptions and are outsider opinions.</p>

<p>I’ve been here for a semester now. Everyone who has said that there’s no traditional college life here needs to go here for that statement to matter to me. I’m in a fraternity, and I think I’ve lost count of how many parties I’ve been to in the past 2 1/2 months. We throw parties every week, for sure. But it’s not just my fraternity; there are non-Greeks, other fraternities, and just random people having fun. There are bus parties, house parties, theme parties, formals, and all are attended by at least 100-150+ people.</p>

<p>Even if you take Greek life out of the equation, social situations are around every corner. If you want the traditional college experience of partying, those happen all the damn time. If you just want to hang out with a few friends, maybe chill around campus, or go play some pool, that happens all the time. You do what you want to have fun. That one kid who likes Linux or whatever? He has fun with it, so he does it. You want to find a group of people to relax and drink with? You’ll find that. You want a party every week? You’ll find that.</p>

<p>I don’t think people realize this, but a key part of your social life is making friends. If you make the right friends, you’ll have that “traditional college experience” that all these parents are talking about. Don’t downplay a school’s campus life if you don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not saying UTD is comparable to UT or a big school’s social life, but everything is there. Sure, there are kids here who look at me weirdly if I just say “what’s up” as I see them. There are kids who have their noses buried in books at all times. However, I’ve made more friends who are into partying and less into academics than vice versa. That’s just how I am; I like to have a good time, and if your kids do too, then you don’t have to worry about them not having fun here. I know enough to balance my social life (which, if you haven’t been able to figure out, is amazing right now) and UTD’s great academics; I’ve had an awesome time here so far and am making a 4.0.</p>

<p>Oh, and to quote what MomOfWildChild said:</p>

<p>UTD is trying to make up for that in the math/science areas. There are reasons to choose it and I don’t doubt that it is a good fit for some kids. Just don’t pretend it is something it is not.</p>

<p>That’s bull. The only person making it out to be what it’s not is you. If you don’t go here, I suggest you stop making comments on things you don’t know. You can talk about the school’s academics, sports programs (or lack thereof), or things that you can prove based on experience or fact all you want. But if you haven’t experienced the social life like a UTD student, your statements are baseless and cannot be backed up by fact. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I only see you downplaying UTD in terms of campus/social life when there really is no reason to.</p>