USC-Trustee or UT Dean Scholars or SMU/TAMU full-ride?

[lulupony]

<p>First I'm an international student, which makes it infinitely harder to get money from schools, so I'm very thankful for where I am now.</p>

<p>I was offered the Trustee scholarship from USC, which is full-tuition, leaving about $15,000 each year to pay. They offer no financial aid to internationals. However, the word is that there are other scholarships available for sophomores and up+. I was accepted into their Freshman Science Honors and Thematic Options, which is their GE honors.</p>

<p>I was accepted into the UT Dean Scholars and Engineering Honors. I only get about $3000-4000 a year from NMF. I also get about $3,000 a year from Engineering, that is if I attend, which I really don't want to. Dean Scholars also has from $1000-10,000 in continuing student scholarships that i can apply to as a sophomore. I would pay in-state tuition as I'm a legal resident. Essentially I have to pay the same amount as USC, if not more to go to UT, if I decide to go under Dean Scholars, which I strongly prefer over Engineering.</p>

<p>I was offered a full-ride to SMU, which would only leave me books to pay, and I can cover that w/ the NMF $2,500 scholarship, so essentially it's free. Honors program is essentially guaranteed by being a scholarship kid.</p>

<p>I received approx $65,000 total from TAMU, with in-state tuition, which leaves about $3000-4000 that I have to pay each year. Honors is guaranteed.</p>

<p>Transportation is not a problem for me since my dad works for a major airline, which means huge discounts on airfare.</p>

<p>I'm planning to study in biology, concentration on human biology, and double-major if possible in international relations, concentration in US-East Asia relations.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a place to experience, learn, and grow as a person, but also to get into to grad/med/law school. I still haven't decided if I want to do pre-med or pre-law, since I have an interest in both.</p>

[theloneranger]

<p>What do you want to know?</p>

<p>If cost is not a concern, drop SMU and TAMU from your list.</p>

<p>USC would be a better bet for IR because UT is just starting that major next year. The Bio department is good but you will have giant classes.</p>

<p>You will be able to get into grad school wherever you go if you work hard. If you don't, it won't matter if you attend Directional State or Harvard (a 2.0 is a 2.0 anywhere, they don't care if your diploma says Harvard).</p>

<p>Dean's Scholars is a hell of a program and I would honestly say that would be the best education you could get.</p>

<p>USC is known as a good school I guess but it doesn't have an especially amazing reputation. UT is just as good a school but a much better atmosphere in my opinion. And you won't get shot if you go off campus at UT. Plus we beat them in football.</p>

<p>But unless you have specific questions and not just a resume of stuff you've won (it's fun to brag, I know) then it's hard to give you more specific info.</p>

[Myrmidon73]

<p>Like loneranger said, if cost isn't a huge concern, I'd go with USC. It's one of the most comparable schools to UT, but the deal you're getting is far better than what UT Nat Sciences can offer you.</p>

<p>However, if cost is a big issue, just go to TAMU. Even though I go to UT, I can honestly say that it's a great school, and academically very close to UT (at least in sciences). If you can keep a high GPA, your undergrad school won't matter so much.</p>

<p>I love UT, but I don't think it's worth the extra money when you have a couple of good, comparable schools offering you basically the same education for much cheaper.</p>

[kwyml]

<p>Some factors to consider other than academics:</p>

<p>If you're not coming from north or south America, after 12~15 hours on the plane, you reach either the east or the west coast. Clear customs, then proceed to get on another plane to the middle of the country, such as Houston, then you change plane again to board another plane headed for Austin or A&M. By the end of the journey a whole day would have already past & you will feel very tired because of the jet lag... Going to a school near the east or west coast would save you time traveling. This is something to think about when you may be going home often on holidays..</p>

<p>The cost of living in California is very high, L.A. has smog. It is very cosmopolitan. There are many things to do & see.</p>

[xtra]

<p>probably DS the best program academically among your choices.</p>