<p>Rice v Baylor Pros and Cons please.
I was all set to go to Baylor on a NM tuition plus 4K scholarship. I just got accepted to Rice and it will cost 10k a year LESS. Not sure of major (not medicine) probably law school. I would appreciate any help I am O/S.</p>
<p>^Rice will cost $10K LESS than Baylor?? Snowbound, there IS no decision here! Definitely, without a doubt, you should attend Rice.</p>
<p>Rice is unquestionably the more “prestigious,” more well-respected school of the two. Rice is without a doubt the more selective of the two. You will be surrounded by other top students at Rice. Baylor has a wider range of accepted students. Rice is definitely in a better location than Baylor – MUCH more to do in Houston than in Waco! Houston will be more convenient in terms of air travel, too. Baylor will take at least 2 stops. Rice has a more representative cross-section of the population. Baylor has a lot of people who are from similar backgrounds with similar beliefs. Christianity is a big part of the Baylor experience. Not so with Rice.</p>
<p>My son applied to both and was accepted by both as well. I certainly don’t want to knock Baylor. It’s a nice school. But seriously, there is no comparison! Particularly since Rice is CHEAPER for you!</p>
<p>Have you visited both? We’ve been to both several times. There is nothing that would have anyone in my family choose Baylor over Rice if Rice were cheaper. (Is attending a school that has a very Christian influence very important to you? If so, that is one thing that might point you towards Baylor over Rice. That’s the only thing I can think of.)</p>
<p>Good luck to you! Sounds like you’ve got some good choices.</p>
<p>I agree with a lot of the things SimpleLife said. Imo it comes down to which school is the best fit for you and what the most important factors of college are for you. I’m from Waco and have had some great experiences with Baylor. Both colleges are very opposite imo though. Baylor is a large, conservative university, while Rice is a smaller more liberal university. If prestige is important to you then Rice is obviously the more well known institution. If going to a Christian university is what youre looking for Baylor is probably more your style. There are a lot of things to consider as far as which place fits your personality. From what I’ve collected from people at both places, there is a great time to be had at both. No doubt. And if your worried about being in Waco, keep in mind that it is a totally different city from the college student perspective. If I were you I’d visit; it’s the only way to really tell which one feels right. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Man, this is a no brainer. Christian University or not, Baylor is not even in the same sentence as Rice when it comes to prestige. Baylor is ranked number 79 in US news and is in Waco, TX.</p>
<p>Paying more to go to a significantly less prestigious university is not a good idea at all.</p>
<p>lol this is like asking if you should go to Yale or New Haven University</p>
<p>^It’s kind of more like asking if you should go to Yale for free, or New Haven University for $10K a year.</p>
<p>But, I do know a lot of people who place a whole lot of value on the Christian aspect of their options. Whether anybody else agrees with that philosophy or not, it is a reality for some people. I would still recommend Rice though, Snowbound.</p>
<p>Ya, I’m with you guys. With everything I have said, I live in Waco and would have never considered Baylor over Rice. Ever. But, It isn’t as important to me to go to a Christian university and for some people that’s a major determining factor. Plus, living in Waco for 18 years already I’m biased to get the heck out. Again, it’s about where you see yourself living for the next 4 years and what your future goals are.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help. I did visit both schools and liked Houston much better than Waco. Both schools had very nice campuses. I am not Baptist so the Baptist part was going to be new to me. Baylor would let me graduate with a BA in two years because I have a lot of dual enrollment/AP credit so that was part of the draw. They also have an honors residential college so I thought I’d be with similar peers. I was very impressed with Baylor’s honors opportunities. Rice would take me four years to finish, maybe three. My parents say there is no need to rush through college, especially since I am uncertain about grad school plans. I am from MI so most kids with good stats go to U of MI or east to the Ivies if they can get in. I also got in to Dartmouth, but, I really love Texas and would like to get away from the cold winters. I hate the idea of going in debt to go to a lesser ranked school. People seem to really love Rice from what I’ve read and the financial aid is amazing. Is it a benefit to finish a Bachelor’s in two years or should I spend the full four years in undergrad at Rice? I am certain I will go to grad school or law school but not medical school. Is an Honors Residential College make up for the lower ranked school?</p>
<p>Why speed through undergrad if finances aren’t an issue? In a lot of ways, the experiences I had and confidence I gained from the various activities I took part in during my four years at Rice are a lot more important to me than what I learned in an academic sense. And also, college is fun! Don’t rush to get it over with.</p>
<p>^I agree. I don’t see any benefit in rushing through college and finishing in two years. Just finish in four, and use your time at Rice to explore new things. If Rice takes the equivalent of roughly 3 years to finish (thanks to transfer credits), take courses you never thought you’d take, or double major in something that’s always appealed to you.</p>
<p>I do NOT think the Honors Residential College at Baylor trumps Rice. I am pretty familiar with it. My son was going to apply too – until he learned that Baylor engineering majors are not able to enroll in the highest level honors program there; he applied to their really nice Engineering Living and Learning program instead along with their “lesser-ranked” honors program. Nevertheless, Rice has more to offer than either of those Baylor options.</p>
<p>Especially given the fact that you might be able to take it a little easier than most at Rice (because of transfer credits), Rice is the better choice.</p>
<p>One negative thing that has bothered my family about Rice, though, is its reputation for a lot of drinking and partying. You seem to be quite a serious student. My kids are too. I know a lot of serious students go to Rice. But, I keep hearing all this stuff about their drinking culture. Particularly lately. I think that’s because the administration is suddenly more outspoken about trying to change it. I don’t want to get flamed by the Rice kids for mentioning this “stereotype.” But fair is fair – the reputation is out there. I’m not claiming to KNOW there’s a problem. But I am claiming to know that I’ve heard and read unsettling things about all the drinking.</p>
<p>Anyway, Snowbound, if I were you, I would make it a point to attend Owl Days and check out Rice more closely. Hopefully, you’ll leave there convinced that it’s the school for you! :)</p>
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<p>Not at all. A few years after you graduate, people will forget what your GPA is and whether you had honors. All that will be remembered is whether you went to Rice or Baylor.</p>
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<p>It is a big problem. In years past, the administration has trusted us to behave ourselves and be smart enough and in return we would not be micromanaged and policed in regards to alcohol. Now, things got pushed to a breaking point. </p>
<p>I don’t know if I would call it a drinking “culture”. Just that it is readily available if so desired.</p>
@Snowbound17 where did you go? We are in the same boat thinking of the two…and we have a family friend that has been looking for a job for 9 months…with a degree from Rice. So, it’s not magical. I was reading the thread hoping you chose Baylor. 