<p>I don't know a thing about RPI, but the others I do.</p>
<p>BU is a different sort of place. A very unconventional, urban campus, "parked" right alongside the "T" transit line, just a few blocks from the epicenter of New England, Fenway Park.
UT, on the other hand, is not a conventional campus, either. The city has grown up around it, and it feels cramped, confining, compared to most college campuses. In essence, the university's growth has ruined what was once a beautiful campus. The enrollment is huge, of course, and it's somewhat intimidating for freshmen who didn't go to a huge high school.
Austin is Austin. If you want to drink your four years away, follow Willie Nelson's advice and get smashed at UT. But BU is in Boston, one of America's great cities. At UT, you'll meet people in bars who want to talk about...duh....duh...the Longhorns football team! At BU, you'll meet people in bars who, sure, like the Red Sox, but they're also likely to be from Harvard, MIT or BC, and they'll engage you.
For an educational experience, I'd go to BU. For a margarita, I'd go to UT.
You asked about the tennis team. If you're not going to UT on scholarship, forget about walking on. Ain't gonna happen.</p>