So I recently had to choose between UT Austin and Rice, and it was a near-impossible decision. I ended up choosing UT Austin, and immediately after I started freaking out and stressing about whether or not that was the right decision. I’m wanting to study English/Psychology so I felt that because of UT’s size (and Rice being known more for the applied sciences) that I would be able to get more out of what I want to study at UT/be exposed to more opportunities. I was admitted into Liberal Arts Honors at UT and have been named a Dedman Scholar. At Rice, I was given about 2 years fully paid and got into Century Scholars (which I heard isn’t so much of a program, rather just another scholarship) so I would be able to pay for it and be able to graduate with no more than $8,000 in debt, so the financial situation isn’t really that much of a consideration. I’m just freaking out because the thoughts keep creeping in that, “You should’ve picked Rice.”
I love Rice. I love the college system and the strong sense of community there. I feel like all the hard work I’ve put in throughout high school would be validated by an elite school, which I realize is an incredibly stupid reason for picking a school. There really isn’t much that makes me say no to Rice. However, I had the opportunity to participate in a fly-in program at Rice and ended up having a really great time, but I noticed that I could only talk to a few people (who aren’t even going to Rice). I’ve heard that Rice has a reputation of attracting the nerdy/kind of awkward people who I don’t really have a problem with, they’re just not that similar to me, so I found myself gravitating toward the few I could relate to. The size kind of worries me - I don’t want to feel like I’m stuck in a rut after a couple of years. Also, I’m worried that since English is obviously a smaller program at Rice that I won’t be able to get all I can out of the subject.
I also love UT. I love the opportunities, that there is no limit to the amount of people I can meet and that there is so much more outside of academia that fuels the school, which is something extremely important to me. Also, at an event I went to at UT, I found myself able to talk to nearly everyone there and have extremely engaging conversations (a lot of whom are going to attend UT) so I would go in having a lot of great friends. I suppose the main thing that worries me about UT is the fear that I’m “settling,” which also isn’t really a great reason, but also that I’ll be missing out on something at Rice that will haunt me for the rest of my life. I also plan on going to grad school, so financially UT makes more sense as I’ll be able to save up thanks to my full scholarship.
Basically, I found in my numerous google searches that I was looking for good things about UT and bad things about Rice, which I took as my subconscious trying to tell me something. However, as I’m prone to overanalyzing everything, I feel in a way that I’m betraying Rice, even though I know I will be getting a great education either way. I don’t know - UT has near-limitless opportunities and a social scene that I feel I would love and be able to have a lot of flexibility within, but Rice has the college system that I absolutely adore and a reputation as a leader in academics. I’ve gone through periods of being absolutely ecstatic about UT and not being able to wait to go to Austin (already ordered a lot of gear) and staying up until 3 AM feeling like I may have made the biggest mistake of my life. Any advice is appreciated!
Under no circumstances are you settling at UT Austin. I am from the east coast and even I know that is a good school. If you have sent a deposit in, then put Rice out of your mind. You will do great no matter where you go!
There is a saying here on CC: “Bloom where you are planted.” Take advantage of all the classes and professors and clubs that UT has to offer…and learn the traditions and such and have a blast! Make those friends! Be a Bevo and be proud.
It’s good problem that you had a difficult choice between two great schools that you liked. What matters most is what YOU do in college. Pick the college where you will thrive. Sounds to me you already have. Good luck.
I agee with @bopper . It really should be about what school is best for YOU knowing what you know about yourself. If your gut instinct is telling you that UT Austin is the best fit for you and what you want out of the experience, that’s where you should go (in my opinon). You’ll likely do better where you’re happier, and you sound like you are pretty tuned into what will make you happier. Some kids just don’t know yet and that makes it a more difficult decision for them, especially if they are unable to visit and get a sense of the campus vibe.
You might be interested in this thread where a girl is making the same decision between Rice and UT Austin.
She feels like maybe she should go to Rice, especially since they are basically giving her a full ride, but she just feels like UT Austin is a better fit for her (for some of the same reasonse you do) even though they are giving her less FA and she’ll need to take out loans. I (and others) encouraged her to take another look at Rice because of the full ride. If not, take out the loans and go to Austin. In your situation, I’d already be packing my bags for UT Austin.
OP I think you should trust your gut instinct. There is a reason /there are reasons you chose UT. You articulated a lot and your points all made sense.
While money is not the deciding factor for you, the school you felt was the better fit is also the more economical. You are in a very very fortunate position.
Rice is prestigious and sounds amazing so it is not surprising that you have second thoughts. But you can only attend one school and you seem to have chosen well. Congrats!
Life is filled with forks in the road. All you can do is pick which path you feel is the best for you at a given time, and try not to look back over your shoulder at the one you didn’t take. It’ll drive you crazy, and you know what you want. Trust your gut, keep looking forward, and you’ll be fine.
@1Dreamer This really helped. I suppose it will be best to focus on what I will be able to do as opposed to what I won’t, otherwise my next 4 years could be horrible.
My heart goes out to you, because I see you really struggling with and overthingking your decision, but rest assured that you made the right decision for yourself. As wonderful as Rice is, U of Tx has a great rep throughout the US. More people have heard of it over Rice. Fit is really important in my opinion, and you chose a school that you felt was the right fit for you. That was smart. Relax, and get excited about the next 4 yrs, which will be everything you were probably hoping for in the college experience
@bwulv24 glad it helped. It’s the philosophy I used to keep from driving myself crazy, so I thought I’d share it with you. You are going to have an amazing experience. Time to start getting excited.
Read and re-read post #10. You have done your homework. You have visited. You have analyzed. Your gut instinct just happens to be the school which is giving you more money. You have done well, and you will continue to do well. You will have other options for grad school later. Right now, breathe deeply and thank your lucky stars. Yes Rice is fantastic and you came pretty close. But you can only attend one school next year. Move on. Get excited.
Thank you all again. As of now, I’m feeling better about my decision and can’t wait for August. While I knew there was no wrong choice, trying to pick the better of the two definitely hurt. I am still getting the occasional pangs of sadness about Rice, but hopefully they will subside. I suppose I will always be sad about Rice - it truly is such a unique undergrad experience - but it’s not like I can attend two colleges at once. However, knowing that I have a full-ride, a position in a great honors college/scholarship program, and a lot great friends that I’ve made already going to UT, I can be happy. I’m already excited for Dedman Scholars Finalist Weekend next year when I get to meet the next crop of students and convince them to come to UT!
Also, I’ve learned that at UT I would get a different kind of diversity than I would get in the traditional racial/ethnic type just from the sheer size, and while the people at Rice were great, a lot of them fit into the same kind of “overachiever, perfectionist” type that I am. I love those type of people, I just don’t think I would constantly want to surround myself with clones of me, especially in such a small environment. And Rice’s nerdy vibe can be pretty charming, but it’s just not a vibe that matches up well with me. Oh, well - give and take, I guess. The thing that hurts the most is the residential college system - it’s just so cool! But, as a lot of y’all have told me, I really will never know the whole truth until I attend the school, so a lot of this is a leap of faith.
Just out of curiosity, can anyone with any first-hand experience tell me how Rice and UT compare in what I want to study, particularly English? I know both would be great, but a hopefully unbiased student’s/past student’s experiences would be awesome. I went to Vision at Rice but did not sit in on an English class, yet just from the list we were provided of available classes, there was a puny amount of humanities classes available compared to all the hard sciences…
Also just heard that one of the friends I made at Rice has now decided to attend (after saying he would be attending elsewhere), and one of my friends I made at UT has now decided on Vanderbilt, with another UT friend on the fence between UChicago and UT. The universe just loves to throw curveballs…
Thanks for the update! Where they are choosing may be right for them, but from everything you described as to what you are looking for, I think you’ve made the perfect choice. Maybe not for them, but for YOU. That’s all that matters, and I don’t think you’ll have one regret once you get to UT.
If it helps, I chose a large university in the middle of a large city for undergrad and loved everything about it. I didn’t need or want any hand holding or the family environment of a small school, which to me sounded too much like high school. I loved having larger classes, having endless people to meet and things to do with a diversity of people you’ll never find at a small school. I really feel I learned more about people in that environment that has helped me in life than anything I learned in class, but I also feel I thrived there academically because it was such a great fit for me. There was just an energy in the air all around me every day that made me feel more alive than I ever had before.
I then went to a small, private grad school in a more suburban environment similar in size and diversity to Rice. I know that environment is a perfect fit for some, but for me it was like a massive culture shock, and it wasn’t long before I started feeling suffocated. I survived, but I don’t feel I thrived. I just existed, got through it, and wished those years away. It definitely cemented my belief that I made the right decision for undergrad – for me.
Anyway, thought I’d give you a little pep talk as well as a bump, hoping others with firsthand knowledge of your major at those schools would chime in. You might get more traction with a new thread naming the schools though?
OP, I have a friend who is just graduating from UT-A with a degree in English (Plan II). She turned down some pretty fancy places to go to UT (did you know that they have 3 Shakespeare First Folios?! she got to see them, up close & personal). She has had a wonderful experience, and is going on to do a Masters at UC-Berkeley.
@1Dreamer’s advice is really good, not just for this decision but for many more to come (I just posted it to one of my D’s who has 2 fabulous summer internship opportunities and can’t figure out which is ‘best’- thanks, 1Dreamer!).
