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. 