<p>Texdad, not sure what your issue is with me, but you are not correct in analyzing my posts. S will most likely end up at one of the larger Ivys. He will look at some of the LACs, and did, in fact, like Colgate on our visit there. It might not be strong enough in his sport. He does feel that some of the top LACs would feel too small to him after boarding school. He will probably apply to Indiana (business school direct admit) as well as UT for his safeties. You have no idea why my son attends boarding school. It's a long story and the path has not been smooth, but where he is now is perfect for his sport and his academics. He is a very independent kid and will be an older graduate. He would be just fine at a large university, but is a kid who likes to spend time with his teachers, and might find that a smaller school provides more opportunity for that.<br>
As I said, I have always loved Austin. I realize Texas Relays is a high-traffic weekend. My friend who was there for Capitol 10000 the week before said it was horrible that weekend as well. In fact, there are usually big events in Austin on the weekends- football games etc. This might be great for many students. I have never liked Houston. Rice was a pleasant surprise and a real oasis. My D is a "diva" and complains about many things. She swore she would not go to college in Texas. She loves Rice and she loves Houston. She doesn't complain about the traffic. It simply doesn't really affect the students at Rice. The traffic and growth in Austin has more impact on UT.</p>
<p>We're talking about a decision that is absolutely a shade of gray. There isn't any place that will be perfect. Yes, Austin is growing and on certain days, traffic can be terrible, but the students aren't affected much by it unless they commute in their own cars. Yes, tuition is a bargain for the in-state student, but the classes are huge and you will have some classes that are taught by graduate students. Any way you look at it there will always be two sides to every issue.</p>
<p>I worked for several years at UT at Austin, and I think there are some students who will really like the environment and do well. My own daughter will be attending an LAC rather than UT at Austin this fall, partly at my suggestion, but I think that was because I know my daughter and know what kind of environment will bring out her potential.</p>
<p>Doing well at ANY large public university requires a good deal of courage, competitiveness, agressiveness, patience, focus and strength to not succumb to the many inherent distractions of various sorts. That's not to say these aren't good qualities for students in any college, just that they're more important at large publics. If a student can manage working in this system, it will only strengthen his/her already substantial character. I believe parents know quite well what type of environment their kids will thrive in...there will be better choices for some. Personally, I have no doubt about my son's capabilities in this regard. As a matter of fact, I would be a bit concerned about him loosing some of his strengths at place where he might be coddled or in which there's a very controlled environment that he has less control of his own destiny.</p>
<p>Regarding large classes, well, that's everywhere. My son just returned from visiting MIT. He sat in on a freshman math class with over 200 students. That happens in the first couple of years in the very best of schools. Advanced classes sizes go way down in most disciplines at UT just like everywhere else.</p>
<p>Traffic??? pshaw! UT Austin consistently ranks at or near the top of multiple rankings for the most desirable "non-academic" opportunities. Do a little google'ing on this matter. UT is more than just a "good deal" for an education, although it is indeed that.</p>
<p>ColoradoKid, first of all, I think are agreeing with what I just said, that the choice of which college must be made on an individual student's strengths and weaknesses, and that there is not going to be a right or wrong choice. Second, I'm afraid I don't understand what you meant in your last paragraph concerning traffic. I used to commute in Austin traffic, and I can tell you that it can be bad on I-35. My commute was 18 miles long and it routinely took an hour each way. That's not to say Austin doesn't have a lot to offer! We moved to Dallas 18 months ago, and I can say in all honesty that I greatly preferred living in Austin. There is a unique attitude in Austin that is just the coolest thing. As they say, "Keep Austin Weird".</p>
<p>I wasn't refuting your post, SmartGirlsMom. Just making general commentary on what may be implied by the general theme of the OP's post.</p>
<p>Regarding traffic, I lived 12 miles from my office in Houston. It took me 40 minutes to get there on an average day using all my shortcuts (much bother). I'm sure it's worse now, 14 years later. I have been in Dallas and San Antonio many times...they don't have anything on Austin in the traffic department, either. Boston, Chicago, LA and the bay area also have much more traffic and you have to deal with more aggressive (putting it very nicely) drivers. Anyway, my point was that traffic isn't a big enough deal in Austin to be a significant factor in choosing whether or not to go there. I guess traffic would be under the category of "local atmosphere" or "quality of life" and UT always ranks way up there in these categories so most other people don't consider it a big deal either. It certainly is less of the quaint little state capital it was 25 years ago when I was first there but with that growth has come more culture and opportunities so it's not all bad.</p>
<p>My point was not that Austin traffic is worse than Houston, Dallas, NY etc. Austin should not even be comparable to those cities- that is what was always so wonderful about Austin. I am not an Austin-basher! I have always loved it. I am just disappointed in the changes and I think it has really changed in the last 5-10 years and has lost much of what made it unique. There are still wonderful things about Austin- running at Town Lake, the beautiful neighborhoods out in Westlake, Freebirds (although they have those in Houston and Dallas now), Amy's (also in Houston and S.A.), the Capitol building, Mexican food...... Y'all got a little defensive! I was just disappointed last weekend that Austin seemed so un-Austin!</p>
<p>MoWC - not defensive, just in love with Austin ;-)</p>
<p>Hahaha....</p>
<p>As a current USC student who is planning on going to UT for law school (from Houston orginally) I can't help but laugh at how bad you all perceive the traffic to be. Both Los Angeles and Houston have much more terrible traffic that Austin could even muster on its worst days. </p>
<p>Now, the idea that it is "ruining Austin" is a totally different issue, but really, I would rather live in Austin and have bad traffic than spend even one more year in L.A. Austin is still one of the greatest cities in the country. </p>
<p>Try sitting on the 610 in Houston or the 405 in Los Angeles and then come tell me how FABULOUS Austin is.</p>
<p>Prevention magazine online lists Austin as one of the top ten best cities in it's population category for walking in the US</p>
<p>So what's so great about Austin life? I heard a lot but I don't know specifics. Enlighten me. =)</p>
<p>I have lived in Austin my entire life, and it has changed very much. however, i wouldnt say that downtown has changed that much at all, just mostly the surrounding areas (tech boom brought in thousands upon thousands of employees here)</p>
<p>UT is a wonderful school and Austin is my 2nd favorite city in the United States, everyone who goes to UT loves it. i think Austin is a little too bike friendly, but if i was a college student i would love it</p>
<p>Momofwildchild, i think your son should go to Colgate, they need more texans up there. does he currently go to St. Stephens? thats a great school</p>
<p>what's your #1 favorite city?</p>
<p>what are the main attractions in austin?</p>
<p>parks and lakes, 6th street :p</p>
<p>Maybe the fact that you're away from home makes it attractive? Haha I hope so.</p>
<p>From the purely general viewpoint, here are some good things about Austin. The weather: The summers, though typically quite warm, have very few days of over 100 degree weather, and the humidity is usually between 40 - 50%. Summer begins in April and goes to early October, and the winters are never awful. Even if a day starts out cold, it almost always warms up in the afternoon. It's a rare event to have a stretch of below 50 degrees for more than a day or two.</p>
<p>Things to do: Sixth Street is a really cool entertainment district. Austin encourages the live music industry and has been the jumping off point for many national musicians (Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan). Lake Travis is a short drive from downtown. There is sailing, diving, jet ski, water skiing, fishing, nude sunbathing...yep, in a state run park, there is a clothing optional beach called Hippie Hollow. One of the prettiest places in Austin is Zilker Park, home of Barton Springs Pool. The pool is a natural spring fed body of water that stays 72 degrees year round. There are grassy banks all around it and diving boards. I think it costs $1.50 to get into. The city hosts quite a few events at Zilker Park, like the kite festival, music festivals, fireworks, a big Holiday display, etc.</p>
<p>The real allure of Austin is difficult to pinpoint. The major attraction in my mind is simply the attitude of the people. People in Austin try hard to make life fun and unusual. There is a definite lack of pretension in most folks. You will be socializing with millionaires, and they would be the last person in the room to let you know they had money. </p>
<p>There are some unusual characters in Austin, too. Leslie is a cross-dresser who hangs out downtown. He is usually wearing a mini-skirt, halter top and heels in the summer. He was a write-in candidate for mayor a few years ago. I think he actually got quite a few votes! And, he is really pretty well-spoken. He advocates for people who choose to live on the street rather than in houses. Another guy, Max Nofziger, is a former city council member and he used to sell flowers on 6th Street. Speaking of 6th Street, go hang out there on a weekend evening, or better yet, go see the show at Esther's Follies.</p>
<p>my favorite city is San Diego</p>
<p>and i couldnt have described the good things about Austin better myself. oh, its also an athletic person's dream. theres the Hike and Bike trail which is many miles long right on the lake, beautiful. so much to do here</p>