<p>I am a high school junior, yet college is all I seem to think of lately. I really want to go to Texas A&M because of its traditional college reputation, however, I have been hearing a lot of good things from my peers about UT Austin. Based on such hearings, I'm beginning to--slightly--reconsider my choice of college.
For the record, I am speaking primarily in regards to each school's social scene seeing as recruiters from each and more have already assured me that my high PSAT scores, GPA, and AP grades are exceptional in their selection process.
Anyway, I want to major in English, perhaps with a Creative Writing bachelor, so I can become an English university professor--maybe American Literature?--at least, that's the gist considering how long I will need to attend school and the event of getting my PhD.
My problem is this: apparently UT has a "superior" reputation regarding their Liberal Arts college, and I'm afraid that this may be true and that TAMU's Liberal Arts college may be less of so. Does anyone know this as fact? And if it is, will my attending TAMU be detrimental for my career?
Also, I plan to join a sorority, so which of the two schools has a larger presence of Greek life? I cannot for the life of me explain why that would be important, but I find something very intriguing about such organizations making some kind of imprint on the school. Does anyone have any firsthand experience in either's Greek life?
That also goes for the general social scene. I know UT has a lot to do in Austin, but what about the, I guess you could say general air? Does it feel like a college, or is it as distant as some make it's people out to be?
Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>I’m an English professor. UT is generally thought to be the stronger department, but the difference btw any two English departments is not so significant that it will affect whether or not you go to a strong graduate program. And that is your goal: a graduate program so strong that it can pay you to go there, full ride for three years at least. There are a couple dozen of these programs, and it is to these that you want entrance because of cost and because graduating from one of these school will make it more likely that you will find tenure-track work after graduation. There are a lot of PHDs in English who do not find work in the field or who find work only by piecing together a couple comp courses here and a couple comp courses there, never having enough hours to get benefits. This is no way to live, yet thousands do so. You probably would prefer to have a tenure-track job and have the opportunity for the security and benefits such a job brings. So it’s the graduate school you attend and not the undergraduate that matters. Go to an undergraduate college where you will excel, and then go about learning what you need to learn in order to excel. </p>
<p>I cannot speak to the greek life at either, but the social life at UT is thought to be pretty good. </p>
<p>Finally, I would never recommend a student pursue a career as an English college professor unless he or she absolutely had to do it. So follow that career path with the utmost caution. Educate yourself along the way by talking to the comp instructors, the tenure-track profs, the newly tenured profs, and the old timers like me. Know what you’re getting into. It is a risky business. Very few of us are as lucky as I have been.</p>