I’m having a tough time deciding between the two. I want to major in wildlife, focusing on biology, and they both seem to be good for it. For my tastes, A&M is too big and the culture intimidates me since it is said to be like my high school, which I don’t like. Oregon State doesn’t have the same network that A&M has, but its culture is better suited for me and it’s smaller. Which should I value more?
Do you live in either state? Which one is more affordable?
I live in Texas, so A&M would be about $22k a year and OSU would be about $42k a year.
Can your family afford to pay for an out-of-state college? Your cost estimates look a little low to me, but let’s say the difference is $20,000 per year (excluding travel expenses to Oregon). That’s an extra 80K over 4 years. Is Oregon State’s program worth an extra $80K? Are your parents willing to pay $180K for an undergrad education? That’s the first thing you need to find out.
Going to TAMU would not be like high school, IMO. Being so large, you may rarely run into your high school classmates. Once you are in your major, your classes will all be in the same area, so the campus will seem much smaller.
My personal opinion is you are fortunate to have such a great in-state option. If money is no object, however, then you have the luxury of picking the one you feel suits you best.
Thank you for your insight! TAMU will stay #1 on my list, but I’ll tour to make sure it’s a good fit.
Good luck! My last piece of advice is to not listen to other high school students. Tour the colleges you’re interested in, and make your own decision. Remember, your peers have never been to college, either!
If you have the opportunity to go to TAMU on a regular class day, please do so. Although with the end of the Fall Semester coming up, you may have to wait until Spring Semester. On a regular class day, you can get a better idea of what a typical day is like. A game day can be a lot of fun but also chaotic.
Before you visit campus, schedule an official campus tour, schedule a dorm tour if you think you might want to live on campus, schedule a meeting with an adviser in your major and while scheduling that meeting, ask if you can sit in on a class in your major. Then also make sure that you have lunch somewhere on campus. Drive around CStat so that you can see how the campus fits into the city.
I am sure that you will have a wonderful experience. CStat is the friendliest place!
My oldest daughter is TAMU Class of 2016. My younger daughter (HS Class of 2017) also had TAMU on her list, and even though she had spent some time visiting her sister and going to football games, I wanted her to make sure that she wanted to be an Aggie for herself, not just because her sister was an Aggie. So we scheduled all of the above on a Friday. While we were having lunch, she told me that she could really see herself as a student at TAMU. And she was very thankful that I had made all of the appointments so that she could see if she felt like she really fit in there. She is now a very happy Aggie in Aggieland, as a Sophomore on Blinn-TEAM. 
You will most likely NOT see anyone from your HS. TAMU is a HUGE school! Although there are a few other students from our hometown, my daughter rarely, if ever, sees any of them. She has made wonderful friends at TAMU. You will most likely make friends with people who share similar interests, whether it is a Greek society, a special interest group (there are a lot of these), a volunteer opportunity or at a job. There may be job/volunteer opportunities associated with your major. You might not make friends with people in your classes as they may only be in one class for one Semester. Although my daughter met a friend in one of her classes in her first Semester who is still in her friend group so it does happen!
With your major, TAMU is a great fit. And if you want to stay in Texas to raise your own family, the Aggie Network is a real benefit. My older daughter was offered a job at her first interview well before she graduated. The Aggie Diploma and Aggie Ring are well valued in Texas.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I cannot imagine paying OOS full pay for Oregon, are you sure this is actually a choice you have?