Is it better to go to UT Austin without the Honors College or Purdue with the Honors College?

State Forums
1

My boy wants to study chemistry with an eye to research and post graduate study.
Like most others - his grades, classes, AP exams and SAT’s are all excellent.

So far - he has been offered the following

Purdue - With the Honors College
UT Austin - WITHOUT the Honors College
and
GA Tech - but only if he comes in his sophomore year with a 3.3 GPA with 2 classes each of Calc, Physics, Chem and English from some other school (very do-able but scary)

BUT

HERE IS THE QUESTION

I am reading that UT Austin is an excellent research school and that the honors program provides excellent opportunities for research - IF you are in the Honors College.

If you are not? Is it worth it to go there and not have the same opportunities?
Is Purdue better in this case then?

Unlike others writing in this forum - we are not from Texas and tuition is going to cost more than my house - $52K+ a year.

I was a music major when I went to school - so I have no clue about this BUT it seems to be a significant obstacle to pay more and possibly not have equal opportunities

2

It’s not worth the extra money to go out of state for a bachelors degree, especially when they’re not offering anything. I would go for the Honors college with Purdue.

3

DEFINITELY HONORS COLLEGE AT PURDUE. Many people hate to admit this but being in the Honors College puts you miles ahead of students that are not … it’s a great advantage that others not in the college must work extra hard to get.

4

UT OOS without honors college isn’t worth it.
So your two real choices are the GTech pathway and Purdue Honors. Are both options affordable?