Is University of Texas Austin an excellent college?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey guys, I'm a senior this year and will be graduating in 2012. I am thinking about attending UT Austin because it does not cost that much as private schools, and several of my classmates want to go there too. My mom's co-worker's daught, who's rank 3rd few years ago, attended that college. </p>

<p>However, when I tell my friends about UT Austin, they keep saying that it is a BIG party school. I want to go to an university to further my education and not to party my life away. I know since it is in a very populated city, of course there will be more party-goers. This thought have been engraved deep in my mind and ruins my opinion toward UT Austin. </p>

<p>So I want to know how good is UT Austin. Is it distinguished? I like schools that have great reputations, but not as difficult as universities like Harvard, and Yale.</p>

<p>I'm planning to major in the medical field.</p>

2

<p>First are you a TX resident? If so you have a shot at UT if you are in the top 8% of your class. It is a great school. One of the top public schools in the US.</p>

3

<p>UTexas is a solid state research school. Fun location, BIG time sports, very Greek/party place. If you want top academics, look at Rice and their peers. It is what it is, nothing more, nothing less.</p>

4

<p>Of course it is; I’m applying there!</p>

<p>Seriously though, I’m in the same situation you are. I’m not a partier by any means, but the school is so large you’ll find people you identify with. College is what you put into it. If you party all the time, yeah, that’s not great. If you work hard, then, success should follow.</p>

5

<p>I attended a program about two months ago that highlighted their honors colleges and programs, and from all the students I spoke to (which was actually quite a few), there are definitely big time party people mostly involved with the Greek frats/sororities, but it’s quite easy to find your niche through clubs, intramural sports, honors dorms, etc., so if partying isn’t for you, you won’t feel alone in the school at all.</p>

<p>As for its academic reputation, you’re not going to get much better in Texas except maybe Rice, and it is an excellent institution.</p>

6

<p>It’s a great school in a great college town. Having said that, what are your other options?</p>

7

<p>Its a good school, but I’m not sure what parties have to do with that.</p>

8

<p>I was thinking Baylor University. Other than that, I have noooo clue. I want to pursue in the medical field -nursing, maybe.</p>

9

<p>Lots of well ranked schools are party/football schools.</p>

10

<p>UT-Austin is one of the gems of public higher education in America. It is a highly ranked research university with excellent departments across every field of study and has top-notch teams in all 3 major sports (football, basketball and baseball) nestled in one of the economically fastest growing and lively cities in all of America, Austin.</p>

11

<p>You will find partiers on every campus, including Baylor. You can carve out your own group of compatible peers who aren’t into partying. </p>

<p>One way at any school is to get involved in interest-specific groups, whether academic, pre-professional or just fun. When you said medical field, I immediately thought of three at UT, the first two are by application and honors is a very competitive admit, the last (FIGs) is pretty much your choice:</p>

<p>[Health</a> Science Honors](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/honors-scholarships/health-science-honors]Health”>http://cns.utexas.edu/honors-scholarships/health-science-honors)
[Freshman</a> Research Initiative](<a href=“http://fri.cns.utexas.edu/]Freshman”>http://fri.cns.utexas.edu/)
[First-year</a> Interest Groups | School of Undergraduate Studies](<a href=“First-Year Interest Groups | TEXAS Undergraduate Studies”>First-Year Interest Groups | TEXAS Undergraduate Studies)</p>

<p>Have you visited to learn more? See [Prospective</a> Students](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/prospective-students]Prospective”>http://cns.utexas.edu/prospective-students)</p>

12

<p>EVERY School is a party school, except for Bob Jones probably. What YOU make of your time there determines is the important thing. UT Austin is a great school, with business and computer science programs to rival those of UMich and Carnegie Mellon. It is a big school, with a diverse campus, and game days are HUGE, so there may be some partying, but like anywhere you go, you have to be able to make the right decision. I’m also graduating this year, and was already accepted to Texas, and I am really excited to go.</p>

13

<p>UT Austin is pretty expensive if you’re an out-of-state resident.</p>

14

<p>UT Austin is hugely expensive if you are oos. On the other hand, their biomed engin program is excellent. Would seriously consider it.</p>

15

<p>It’s a great school. If you get in, you’re in-state, and you get a scholarship, I think it’s silly to go anywhere else.</p>

16

<p>“UT Austin is a great school, with business and computer science programs to rival those of UMich and Carnegie Mellon.”</p>

<p>Ross>McCombs. I’ll give Texas cs though. ;-)</p>

17

<p>Yes, UT Austin is a very good school…obviously.</p>

<p>Almost all of UT’s programs are ranked inside the top 20-25 and about half are top 10. I can’t really think of anything that UT isn’t known for, other than possibly SOME of the liberal arts programs, which are just good and not excellent. Even UT’s law school is top 14.</p>

<p>Austin is also the #1 college town in America. It’s not a city in the middle of nowhere (like Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill and South Bend) where the Greek scene would dominate almost all of the serious parties. At the same time, it’s not a college in a huge city (like NYU, USC and Georgetown). Austin is just perfect.</p>

<p>

All of the programs (except MAYBE SOME liberal arts programs) at UT rival (if not exceed) those of UMich’s.

Overall yes, but not by that much. They’re both top 8 or 9 at the undergrad level. Also, McCombs is better for accounting and MIS.</p>

18

<p>“Austin is also the #1 college town in America. It’s not a city in the middle of nowhere (like Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill and South Bend)”</p>

<p>I agree Austin is a great city, but to say Ann Arbor is in the middle of nowhere is really ridiculous. It is just west of a metropolitan area of over 4.5 million people. Also any city with over a million people sourrounding it is not the definition of a college town to me. A college town is, in my opinion, where the college/university really dominates the city. Austin is much more than a college town. It is currently the 14th largest city in the United States.</p>

19

<p>“All of the programs (except MAYBE SOME liberal arts programs) at UT rival (if not exceed) those of UMich’s.”</p>

<p>UCLA and Michigan mirror each other the closest. Texas isn’t quite there, but certainly not too far behind.</p>

20

<p>

Texas may not be totally on par with Michigan and UCLA in terms of liberal arts, but most all other programs are (especially engineering and CS).</p>