Turning my back on Rice for NYU! (Am I being rational?)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
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<p>Rice was my number one choice for quite some time, unless of course I got into my Ivy reaches (which I knew probably wouldnt happen). So when I was rejected from Wharton and Columbia College I knew that wanted Rice badly, I really wanted that acceptance letter.</p>

<p>Well I got the waitlist.</p>

<p>And while it never hurts to have more options, I plan on accepting a spot on the waitlist and sending in supplements/reccomendations/updates to make myself more convincing.</p>

<p>But I considered the other day, could I honestly say to Rice (should I decide visit or talk to my rep) in words or writing "If Accepted to Rice I ensure you that I will withdraw my deposit and enroll at Rice."</p>

<p>I mean my primary interests are law and business, and I got into Stern at NYU! </p>

<p>I could go with a Finance Major with an International Business Co-Major... both of which are Stern's star majors, topping the charts in both fields (except for Wharton), and Stern also has a pre-law advisor and a pamphlet suggesting how to go about preparing for a future in law while attending Stern.</p>

<p>So with a nice $15,000 scholarships thrown in the mix... what reason DO I have for picking Rice over NYU besides non-academic things like a campus, community, etc....</p>

<p>I feel like if I did enroll at Rice I would be sacrificing a strong foundation in business and networking that would seriously help me get into an elite Business Grad School, and if I exhibited success at Stern and prepared for the LSAT's and did as well on them as I have most other standardized tests... what possible advantage could Rice give me towards a law degree?</p>

<p>It feels awkward saying that I would accept NYU over my long-time first choice Rice, which is considered by most to provide an over-all better education and is more prestigious than NYU, but why does that matter when the school I am attending in NYU specialized in my interests?</p>

<p>It just feels strange, a month ago it would have been Rice... no questions asked, but now, even if I did get off the waitlist, Im not sure if I would attend... </p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

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<p>stern is more prestigious for business, and overall, nyu is a great school. NYU and Rice are very different even though they're both in major cities. Rice is considerably smaller and has a campus, whereas NYU really doesn't have a campus and without one might make you feel like you're living in nyc while attending school. There are lots of interesting and incredible people at NYU and of course living in nyc, there are also some very diverse and interesting people at rice.
You should really go visit to see which one you fit better at.</p>

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<p>sogui, funny you should say this. i was in a similar situation to you. i applied to both schools and got into both schools. i want to major in econ/poly sci so definitely fit in with nyu. people deem rice to be solely science/engineering based which is just not true. i have yet to visit rice (OWL weekend i will), but i visited nyu less than a week ago and i must say IT WAS NOT FOR ME!. right in the middle of the biggest city in our country with no unity and spirit. I wasnt impressed by the living conditions and the lack of spirit/unity was a definite turnoff.</p>

<p>on the other hand you have rice. the harvard of the south as one once told me. a small, tight community with a lot to offer and a strong focus on undergrad studies. no matter what you major in at rice, people in the south will respect you very much. houston is a huge, growing city with tons of internships and jobs waiting out there for graduates. </p>

<p>hope that helps a bit</p>

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<p>A bird in the hand..... you are in at NYU with a nice scholarship! Congratulations! If you would not attend Rice w/no merit scholarship over NYU with a scholarship - don't even bother with the waitlist. It is for you to decide. Good luck and congratulations again!</p>

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<p>Have you visited both schools? I would do that before making any decisions.</p>

<p>My take: NYU-Stern is a good school for what it does, but business? C'mon, major in an academic subject that interests you. I know that "ibanking" sounds really cool and prestigious to you right now as a high school senior and you've probably read a couple of articles about it in Forbes, but the reality is that it is a time consuming and social irrelevant job. NYU-Stern would put you in a good position to get one of these jobs, but from what I hear, there is a harsh curve on classes, meaning you could end up with a less than impressive GPA. That doesn't help for law school. What will matter when you apply to law school are your GPA and LSAT score. One school will not help any more than any other. Rice's advantages over NYU are that it is a small research institution that provides a superior overall undergraduate education and would give you a strong background in an academic discipline. From there, you could pursue anything.</p>

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<p>It's interesting what your saying about iBanking, but NYU also specializes in International Business which would definitely be a career dream of mine.</p>

<p>Yea, but on the flipside, if I do pursue law I'm going to have to go all out at Stern to keep my GPA afloat so that I can get into a top-tier law school... I have confidence in my ability to do this (though my HS class rank certainly doesn't reflect that ability), but im still worried that if I should fall behind the curve it would hurt my chances at any top grad school.</p>

<p>As for comments on the schools themselves, I really don't have strong feelings about campuses and school spirit, while I do give points to Rice for the tight community and great campus... its certainly not a deal-maker/breaker for me.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the responses so far!</p>

<p>EDIT: I guess I am being a bit silly since I might not even get the opportunity to go there, should I decide that Rice is still my dream school and visit the campus, assure them that taking me off the waitlist would = acceptance, and update them with new rec's and new awards and achievements, I still might not get in... which would move Stern to default winner, unless UT makes a suprise move....</p>

<p>Still, I feel strongly about picking one of these schools, and expecially with the last reply feel uncertain about my future in finance, though I feel confident that I would enjoy International Business immensely!</p>

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<p>I know you think you're interested in "international business," but interests change. You might decide by next year that you want to be a philosophy major. International business is one of those vague areas that lots of HS students like to talk about because it sounds cool...kind of like how a lot of students who are getting ready to go to law school talk a lot about "constitutional law" or "civil rights law."</p>

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<p>Well Cavalier, its seems you're reading my mind, quite persuasive, it not a little biased. Got any good tips for getting off the Rice waitlist?</p>

<p>I will continue to investigate this subject and am still wide-open for suggestions/advice/information...</p>

<p>Even if I cant get off the waitlist, my decisions here may persuade me to stay in state and consider transferring to Rice.</p>

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<p>I wasn't really trying to persuade you one way or another. I was just trying to get you to consider the situation in a different light. </p>

<p>As far as getting off the Rice waitlist: write them letters and try to get your interviewer to go to bat for you. Let them know you're still there and interested. I actually misread your OP and thought you did get into Rice, but a lot of what I said still goes. However, if NYU is your best choice, then maybe you should go there.</p>

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<p>Yea, I know im being silly for being so concerned when I might not even get in.</p>

<p>But IMO (and I might be wrong), telling Rice that I WILL matriculate if taken off the waitlist will add weight to my words and improve my chances.</p>

<p>Its also a deep personal dilemma, I can still consider going to UT or TCU for a year and distinguishing myself in every way I can and hope for a transfer.</p>

<p>What you said made me sort of stand back and re-evaluate my rationale for either school, and while I still haven't reached a verdict
----exactly how bad is the Stern Curve, enough to exclude me from top law schools?.... is finance/int'l business really for me?----
I am still looking at things differently... Im so impossibly split on the subject that it might as well be 50/50, one minute im telling a friend that should I be taken off the waitlist and given the great honor of attending Rice that I will take it without hesitation, and the next minute I'm resolving to go to Stern and give it 110% so that a steep grade curve won't deter me from a good law school and thus I don't have nearly as many lost opportunities (read: a good law school) by attending Stern.</p>

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<p>I don't think you should go to Rice. After all, it doesn't have a good business program.</p>

<p>To tell you the truth, going to NYU would fit your interest for international business. I've always wanted to travel to Asia on business trips, and possibly live there. [with an Asian Studies minor, har har] So I would definitely go to NYU.
And plus, it's in New York=>business metropolis.</p>

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<p>Rice doesn't even have business. Because business is a vocational degree. And Rice is a well-respected LAC.</p>

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<p>I knew that much ^^</p>

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<p>i forgot to mention how expensive it is to live in nyc. even with 15K there really won't be much of a price difference between the schools given that the tuition at NYU is significantly higher than the tuition at Rice and the cost of living in new york is INSANE.</p>