<p>Hello, I'm a senior this year, and I'm applying to UT, TAMU and UH. I am a Texas resident from the Houston area. My top two choices are UT and TAMU, I am in the top 8% so I'm not worried about getting in. I don't know which school would be a better fit for me.
I am Hispanic, but I speak with a Southern accent. I really am a Southerner, I do speak Spanish at home and the like, but really I'm an All-American guy, except for the fact that I'm Hispanic, and bisexual. Nobody here knows that I'm bisexual, while I have been with women and enjoyed it, I have a strong urge to be with men.</p>
<p>The reason I am applying to UT is because of the social atmosphere. Since UT is more liberal and accepting, I'm hoping my sexuality won't be a big issue there and people will see me as I am. Also of course, I hope there will be other attractive masculine guys with same-sex attractions.</p>
<p>On the other hand, TAMU has that Christian feel, which is something I really consider because I am a die-hard Pentecostal, and often I've been bashed by atheists and liberals for my beliefs. Politically, I consider myself to be independent and moderate. Another reason I like TAMU is because of the community. The traditions unite everyone, and I hear it's very easy to make friends here, and that people here trust each other.
I really don't mind College Station, since I used to live on a ranch before moving to the suburbs. The Southern hospitality is a huge plus, and of course, Southern Belles drive me mad!!!!
The only thing that worries me is my sexuality. I don't want to receive a lot of hate and prejudice for it!</p>
<p>I plan to study political science. I'm not really worried about rankings since they're both top schools. </p>
<p>College Station is an AMAZING college town…but UT is very liberal and I feel like they’re more accepting, like you said. I would go to UT if I were you, just so you could feel more comfortable. Have you visited both of theM?</p>
<p>Thank you!
I haven’t yet. I’m not sure I’ll like the liberal atmosphere at UT. One of my teachers said she attended UT her freshman year and hated it because it was so fast-paced. Also I hear that A&M is laid back.</p>
<p>It depends what you like. I’m pretty sure (from what I hear) that UT is a lot of constant partying, but it’s also extremely fun. You won’t get to know everyone, but it’s easy to find a group of friends. </p>
<p>TAMU is very laid back, and when I visisted, everyone was very friendly. It is a smaller school though, so it may be harder to find your group of friends.</p>
<p>It’s a hard choice. Do you knwo where your friends are goign?!</p>
<p>Many of my friends are going to community college or UH. Some are going to UT, but few want TAMU. (Aggies have a bad repuatation here.) I’d really like to get a fresh start in college and make new friends. Did you visit UT also?</p>
<p>Yeah Aggies have a bad rep at my school too, haha. Nope, I haven’t yet! Probably when I was in 6th grade I did but I didn’t really care back then…
if it matters to you, A&M is beautiful and UT is not. Haha.</p>
<p>I like Austin, being from there and all, but I don’t think it’s as good as a college town. I don’t think you’d have a hard time finding a group of friends here, enrollment is only 2k less at A&M than T.U. and there are probably more commuters at T.U.</p>
<p>Being an Aggie is incredible the camaraderie as oppose to the lack of it at T.U.</p>
<p>i was in the exact same situation as you (A&M, UT, and UH)</p>
<p>ultimately i picked A&M, and i have yet to experience any prejudice and i’m quite liberal, i’d say the only thing people really don’t like here is UT and 2%'ers but thats about the extent of any disdain i’ve witnessed.</p>
<p>but yeah, A&M is reallyyy laid back, and the atmosphere is so much better than UT (they are notorious partiers, to the extent of just being way too much sometimes) plus, you are a stone’s throw away from houston (i visit pretty much weekly since its right there, or when i feel like it) and i’ve never seen as many flowers, trees or animals at UT (and no, cows don’t walk about or anything >.< )</p>
<p>a fair amount of my friends went to UT because of the brand basically, and i come from houston as well and there is contempt for A&M where i went to school, but A&M is just so much… nicer, for a lack of better words. the southern kind of hospitality here is wonderful!</p>
<p>I think either school will be more accepting than you anticipate. Be yourself, students will be generally unconcerned about your sexuality and religious preference. </p>
<p>If you are somewhat outgoing I think you will have a fine experience at either school. If you are a little more reserved, A&M might be a better fit as the students tend to be overtly friendly. Check out the UT thread regarding all the “lonely” students struggling to find friends…this is not apt to be an issue at A&M.</p>
<p>Institutional biases aside, I think it depends on what you plan to major in in addition to the social involvement that you are planning on. I am a UT business school graduate. My daughter is going to A&M. Contrary to the “shock and awe” that some might have over this, I think A&M is a better fit for my daughters major. I think each institution have academic strengths and weaknesses. Neither school is “top dog” across all curriculums</p>
<p>Based on my business school experience, I will say that the business school is as competative as (I would assume) A&Ms engineering and vet/med programs. One thing that does impress me about A&M is the amount of help (i.e. tutoring/supplemental instruction) that is available for students wanting to keep on top of things.</p>
<p>The UT greek system is laden with social activities. For that reason, I didn’t join. Can’t speak to the “social” opportunities in College Station but Austin full of them. It is up to you to decide on how much of a distraction they will be towards your goals.</p>
<p>Now that I have finished giving you an honest and sincere impression of both schools, if you are studying sports, go where the #5 football team is…</p>
<p>"Now that I have finished giving you an honest and sincere impression of both schools, if you are studying sports, go where the #5 football team is… "</p>
<p>Or go watch an exciting team on the rise - and a school that supports their team the same win, lose, or draw. where you never lose, you just run out of time.</p>
<p>"Or go watch an exciting team on the rise - and a school that supports their team the same win, lose, or draw. where you never lose, you just run out of time. "</p>
<p>There was never a suggestion that it doesn’t occur at either school. Is that the only criticism of my post? Perhaps you can offer some additional insight to the OP regarding college station.</p>
<p>And David, perhaps you can leave out the irrelevancy of Austin’s better football team. There is no one in college “studying sports”. Sure a few study sports management or other similar majors, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the better academic program accompanies the better sports team.</p>
<p>All of that aside, visit both schools and determine which place fits you best. Just because College Station is largely conservative doesn’t mean people with other views don’t exist. With 38,000 undergrads you are bound to find a little bit of everything.</p>
<p>I’m currently a freshman here at A&M, and from what I have observed, we’re not really as conservative as most people claim.</p>
<p>I’ve seen plenty of Flying Spaghetti Monster (a internet joke about religion being as silly as a Flying Spaghetti Monster that got popular) bumper stickers.
I’ve met people who are openly gay, and others who are openly liberal.</p>
<p>During our New Student orientation we even had a diversity training exercise where the speaker would ask a question and if it pertained to you, you would stand up.</p>
<p>When the question, “Do you have any friends who are LGBT” was asked, a little more than half the room stood up.</p>
<p>I’m guessing the social conservatism rumors come from the large Corps of Cadets presence that act as the “face” of A&M.
However, they are also very respectful of other people and in no way discriminatory towards anyone (except maybe Freshman in the Corps).</p>
<p>And the fact that compared to most other universities, TAMU is very conservative. Take it from someone who did his undergrad somewhere else, TAMU is a very conservative school. That doesn’t mean you are going to get ostracized for being different or that you can’t find any more liberal people, it just means that the average ideology of the students is much more conservative than most other public schools.</p>
<p>The problem is, conservative does not necessarily mean closed-minded or hostile.</p>
<p>In the end, I do not think that being conservative/liberal should make a difference when comparing these schools. There are much more important things than political affiliation. The bottom line is: when you walk up to someone on campus, are you going to look them in the eye and say “hey are you a liberal?” or will you shake their hand and say “hey my name is ____” and commence in a general conversation? When you are hanging out with friends, do you say “hey man are you for obama’s health care?” or do you have a good ole fun time? It really shouldn’t be a deal breaker, and at TAMU I have yet to see anyone get called out for their political/religious beliefs. We really are more accepting here than many would believe, but yes we are for the most part conservatives. This is one of those things that from the outside looking in, it is hard to understand and easy to make assumptions.</p>
<p>There are all kinds of people at A&M. For some reason Aggies have gotten a reputation for being prejudiced or judgemental… I’ve been here since the start of school and I can tell you that that rep is utter crap. There are probably a few judgemental people here, I haven’t met many, but that’ll be true wherever you go.</p>
<p>This might just be bias against t.u., but I’d venture to say you’ll run into more prejudice there from being a Christian than you will here for being Bi.</p>
<p>Also, Conservative does not equal judgmental. I know it’s been said, but I thought I’d say it again. It’s pretty accurate that the only people we really don’t like are t.u. and 2%'ers. (even the UT thing is mainly just our school spirit… outside of school we respect them as a… reputable… institution) ;)</p>