<p>I am posting this on both Rice and Austin's boards, and know responses from each threads might be biased towards whatever school's thread I'm writing on, in the case, Rice's. But, I really would appreciate some honest advice and devil's advocate discussion from both sides, ESPECIALLY, since I'm not even from Texas! Go figure, a Midwest girl narrowing it down to two great Texas choices. Spent time at both schools, so I know a little bit about their locations, populations, etc.....</p>
<p>Any opinions?</p>
<p>P.s Please leave out cost as a weighting factor, since the difference I would pay isn't that great.</p>
<p>Rice is "cozier". At Rice, you will have a big wide academic and social world available to you, and opportunities galore, but if you get sick or need help picking up medicine or need counseling or just a place to go because you feel like you are not sure what's going on, you will have support services. There will be people who know you and there will be personal attention and flexibility if you need it. You won't fall through the cracks. Your college masters will be there - not that you need parents on site - but they are there if you need them, and they will know you... and if your mom decides she wants to get you a cake for your birthday long-distance, your college coordinator knows where to order one (and in our case, even stopped by the store to pick it up and deliver it to DD on her birthday several years ago!), and if you need something from the store and don't have a car, probably your o-week advisor (a kid a year or two older than you, who has bonded with you through a week of intensive and fun activities) will take you along when he/she makes a trip and might even drop you off at the airport if you need a ride, and your profs will be accessible and they might even (like several of my DD's) invite you into their homes, make you dinner, introduce you to their kids, hire you as a tutor or editor or research assistant, and your res college will be a home away from home, and you'll probably be able to leave some of your junk there in summer storage instead of shlepping it all home... and I could probably go on for hours in a similar vein. UT Austin Plan II is a very fine program, and I am very familiar with UT. But for an out-of-state student particularly, Rice is a better place to be and you will be surrounded by students from all over the country and the world, instead of just from Texas.</p>
<p>Always wanted to be a doctor - no question about it, although I'd like to go about my pre-med studies in a non-conventional way - i.e. Spanish or Education, with a Biology minor (or double major). Why these two schools? Went to a Speech camp for two summers at UT, and fell in love with the "texas vibe." (The cold can make the Midwest's extra dreary - case in point, they're predicting snow in Chicago over this weekend. IT's APRIL!) But was afraid UT would be just too large for me, so hence, Rice. Lo and behold, I got into Plan II, which leveled the playing field a little in terms of size. From what I hear, Plan II really makes you feel like you're part of a small community. Can you see the dilemma?</p>
<p>Yes, I can. You have two great options. If I have to offer an off the cuff opinion, then go to Rice University if you want to do a traditional pre-med type curriculum. If not, then consider Texas.</p>
<p>Interesting advice above, but I don't understand the rational and don't agree... Rice doesn't have a "traditional pre-med type curriculum". If you want to be a doctor, Rice will guide you to a series of courses required of all med school applicants, but besides those, you get a major in whatever you want. Rice offers unparalleled opportunities for students interested in med school; you can literally walk across the street to the largest medical center in the world and volunteer/practicum/internship/research opportunities are great. UT is not near any research hospitals and Austin does not even have a med school.
[quote]
All 46 of institutions of the Texas Medical Center are not-for-profit, and are dedicated to the highest standards of patient care, research, and education. These institutions include 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions, two medical schools, four nursing schools, and schools of dentistry, public health, pharmacy, and virtually all health-related careers. It is where one of the first, and still the largest, air ambulance service was created; a very successful inter-institutional transplant program was developed; and more heart surgeries are performed than anywhere else in the world.
<p>I agree with above: Rice is an excellent place if you want to pursue a non-traditional route to med school. You have to take the required pre-med classes (orgo, anatomy, whatever else it is that all med schools require you to have taken) but then you can major in whatever you want (pre-med is not a major). I've known several history premeds, sociology premeds, and art history premeds. I don't know about our current adviser, but the previous premed adviser in academic advising actually encouraged many students to take somewhat less traditional majors as undergraduates.</p>
<p>Lots of study abroad opportunities (including work abroad/ internships/ exchange programs) at Rice. No IR per se but DD went to Nicaragua for free through a Rice program, also spent 5 months in Chile, and month in China, ten days in Mexico during her 4 undergrad years, and has met profs/students from many countries at Rice. (Also has assisted w/research for a Prof from another country, and has received a post-grad travel scholarship from Rice.) Rice is very generous with study abroad scholarships and has many opportunities for global awareness, especially through the Beyond</a> Traditional Borders and other initiatives. Econ and Pol Sci are very good at Rice, as are all academics. I suggest your D chooses which university is a better fit in terms of full experience. Majors change!</p>
<p>Thanks, anxiousmom. After visiting WUSTL 10 days ago, and Plan II last Friday, DD is at Owl days today and tomorrow (all sans parents, by design). We are hoping she decides by Wed/Thurs. </p>
<p>I don't know how to change my screen name! I chose it when graduating senior daughter was a junior in High School, back when I was still worried about the whole getting-into-college thing. Now, I worry about other things (like my daughter traveling to Armenia this summer and Turkey in the fall!) I hope your daughter likes Rice. It's rather a stressful time on campus now, since the kids just have 2 more days of classes, and then finals. Lots of papers being written, tests to study for, etc. But I hope she gets a feel for the place. :)</p>
<p>I don't think you can change your screename, anxiousmom, unless you find a friendly administrator who's willing to dig into the admin control panel and do it for you. Or you can find a nerdy looking 13 year old wearing a WoW shirt, and chances are he will know how to do SQL injection to change the name for you.</p>
<p>DD has picked Rice over Plan II and WUSTL. Really liked all 3, came down to subtle differences. Did not like that Plan II has mandatory class requirements, esp Physics. WUSTL and Rice were almost equal, but felt more comfortable at Rice. Loves the residential college concept. For us parents, the bonus is Rice costs ~8K less/yr than WUSTL. That played no role (I think) in her decision :-)
The biggest difference throughout the process was how heavily WUSTL markets itself to prospects and their parents, whereas Rice does no marketing at all. Even Plan II did more marketing than Rice!</p>
<p>I'm also having to choose between rice and plan II at UT!! I've lived like 10 minutes away from rice most of my life and I've visited both schools so I know what kind of environments they have. But I can't seem to decide which school would be better for what I want to go into <advertising art="" marketing="" with="" an="" interdisciplinary="" study="" focusing="" on="" business="">. I also have to consider that UT will be less than half the price of Rice. :-/
any suggestions?</advertising></p>