<p>**If you were in my shoes which one would you decide to attend for a computer science major ?
Both are funded.</p>
<p>I do have a list of views & opinions ,but would still like to expand it from your perspective.Thanks**</p>
<p>These schools are VERY different. Somewhat nerdy, small, and intimate Rice VS. vocal, huge, diverse UT.</p>
<p>Hi Ruships,</p>
<p>Hopefully several students will respond to your question but, in the meantime, I'll offer my perspective as a UT graduate and the parent of a current UT student.</p>
<p>I don't know about the computer science programs. Evaluating those programs should be your first priority and should play a big part in your decision. I encourage you to visit each school and see if you can talk to someone in each school's computer science programs. In the alternative, UT has a service that tries to match you with a current student in a particular field. You should be able to ask them questions online. Rice may have something similar. Call the admissions offices at both schools and see what they can offer</p>
<p>Both my son and I considered Rice when we were applying to college. We decided on UT but Rice is a more prestigious college unless you enroll in one of UT's honors programs or in a program that is highly ranked. The Business School and the Pharmacy program at UT are both nationally ranked. I don't know about the computer science programs or whether you are interested in a UT honor's program.</p>
<p>The UT and Rice campuses feel very different. Rice is more close-knit while UT is big and can seem impersonal. You have to think about your personality. I wanted a college that had a lot of people and activities - I wanted to be a fish in a big pond. Some people prefer the camaraderie of a smaller school. I think I can speak for almost everyone when I say that the first year in a big school can be hard. You have to make new friends and adapt to a big environment, and that's not always easy. But I'm glad I chose UT because I like meeting new people and trying new things, and I've carried those qualities into my adult life. If I had attended a smaller, close-knit school I would not have been as willing to expand my horizons.</p>
<p>Either way, don't worry. I know it's hard to believe at this point but It's not what college you choose as much as the effort you put into your education. Pick the college you like and feel comfortable attending, and you will be fine.</p>
<p>straight up DRJ4. Whatever you put in, you will get out.
One thing I think very differently about from you, though, is how 'impersonal' it can feel.' That is bs. I have found UT to be one of the most personal experiences, as long as you search. Most of the people here want to meet you, and especially with friend, you will find how many people are connected and how small of a world it is here.</p>
<p>Here's what I heard about Rice v. UT from a parent who has had two kids, each of them attending one or the other: Rice graduates cry when they have a problem. UT graduates fix the problem. His words, not mine. I'd still get a second opinion though. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks DRJ4 for your patient reply.It helped me know your perspective.</p>
<p>Visiting personally is not an option for me as I live in INDIA now.
AT UT I have been accepted into the deans and turing scholar program.
Honestly I do not know what it means in comparision with RICE admisssion.
I would appreciate your reply or explanation on it.
I am in touch with a few students in both these colleges but find it very difficult to realistically understand their views.
Personally I do not have preferance for a big or small campus.
I basically would like to be in competitive environment and not a easy going one.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Ruships, on your admission to the Dean's Scholars honors program and to the Turing Scholars honors program. You must be an exceptional young person to be admitted to both of these programs. My son is enrolled in the Plan II honors program and the Business school, so my knowledge of your programs is limited. However, it is my understanding that Turing Scholars is an honors program for computer science majors, while Dean's Scholars is an honors program for science majors. They are both highly regarded and competitive.</p>
<p>Interestingly enough, I think that your admission to these programs changes how you should think about UT. Both of these programs are quite small, so your core group of fellow students would be limited. It should give you the same or a similar feeling of camaraderie that you might feel at Rice. My son has a similar experience in the Plan II honors program where he is a part of a relatively small group of students (180 freshmen per year) within the larger UT student body. From our perspective, it is nice because you have a small group of like-minded acquaintances within the larger society of students and interests.</p>
<p>College is an interesting experience, or at least it was for me and those in my family. Freshmen often feel homesick and somewhat lonely. As they make friends and grow accustomed to their college enviroment, they often prefer the larger environment that a college like UT offers. There is so much variety and so many people to meet it's almost impossible not to find something or someone that is interesting and stimulating.</p>
<p>As you know from posting and reading this website, I like UT. Many people at the Rice board feel just as passionately about Rice. I think both universities would provide an excellent education, but if you have the opportunity to be in the Dean's Scholars or the Turing Scholars programs, I would opt for one of those programs. Not only would you be taking the best courses UT has to offer with the best professors and students, but you would have access to the many resources UT offers.</p>
<p>yeah, i'm a Dean's Scholar, there are about 40 in each class and it's great. Turing is hardcore and very competitive.</p>
<p>(Note: I don't go to either, but I've had a fair amount of interaction with both UT and Rice professors, students, and classes.)</p>
<p>If you are serious about and really want to do Computer Science, I'd personally go for Rice over UT. The department has some brilliant professors, lots of money, and there is lots of opportunity for you to participate in projects/research as an undergraduate. All of the people I know majoring in CS at Rice have had excellent opportunities not only at Rice, but also away from Rice (interships programming for Amazon, Sun, etc.).</p>
<p>While a lot of people here consider Rice a close-knit school, I'm not too sure that I'd agree with that. I don't know exactly why, but Rice feels <em>a lot</em> bigger than it actually is. Nowhere near as big as UT, but still pretty sizeable. I guess it's the location of the campus as well as the very good mix/type of students that they admit.</p>
<p>I think UT is a great place, but in terms of academic rigor, teaching, and opportunity, I think that Rice is a better place.</p>
<p>Just to throw another perspective out there, I was making the exact same decision when I was a senior in high school and I chose UT for its honors programs (plan ii/ dean's scholars) over Rice. i agree with estrin up there when he says "I have found UT to be one of the most personal experiences, as long as you search."
the honors programs really do make it a lot smaller, and even if you arent in one and they're definitely rigorous. and the nice thing about UT is that it is so huge that every single opportunity awaits you, you can really go out and do as much or as little as you want from undergrad research to any club ( you name it, its there). i dont think i would have been able to do so much at Rice, and the nice thing is, UT is laid back yet its academics are still strong. </p>
<p>instead of going on and on about how great UT is i suppose i could just say you're fine either place if you want the academics. your undergrad education is really what you make of it during those four years and not so much about where you go. </p>
<p>a lot of my friends at Rice say all they do is study and drink anyways. though i'm sure Rice is good. </p>
<p>k i'm done.</p>
<p>UT is ranked 7th in CompSci. Rice is 17th.</p>
<p>since rice is more prestigious than UT. you should go for rice.</p>
<p>what would anyone choose UT over rice</p>
<p>Prestige isn't everything. And employers would know that.</p>
<p>Beyond the hedges, in the real world, it's not necessarily what you know but who you know. </p>
<p>UT has the second largest number of living alumni among all universities. Longhorns will generally favor a fellow Longhorn over a Rice grad. The Aggie network is even stronger than the Longhorn network.</p>
<p>While Rice may have more prestige among academics, Longhorn and Aggie connections are more valuable in the real world - especially in Texas.</p>
<p>"The Aggie network is even stronger than the Longhorn network."
so according to you, you will prefer being an Aggie than a longhorn.
c'mon think about it, suppose you were in a position to choose between rice and UT, obviously you would choose rice.</p>
<p>I think you are being bias just because you are in UT. </p>
<p>yeah alumuni connection is important but I dont think any alumuni will be bias towards his/her university. Obviously, any employer would look for a person who is the best or best fit for the job irrespective of which university he graduated from. </p>
<p>at the end of the day its all about what you learn rather than where you go. Rice is more prestigious because you will have higher probability to learn more. </p>
<p>I mean look at the word "probability" it answers everything.</p>
<p>apple, you're assuming that more prestige --> more learning.</p>
<p>that certainly is not the case. Not to mention, I'm not sure it is so clear cut that Rice is more 'prestigious' than UT. Many people up north or in different countries have never heard of Rice, so in that case UT is more prestigious.</p>
<p>Given the choice at this second, I would DEFINITELY without question choose UT over Rice. It fits my personality better, Austin is cooler than Houston, and Rice doesn't have my major (finance).</p>
<p>poisonedapple, the point that I was trying to make in my previous post was that most jobs in the real world do not require a rocket scientist, in which case, an alumni connection is a big plus. </p>
<p>I did not attend UT nor A&M, but I have children who attend both so I have no bias towards one or the other. However, I have seen the power of the Longhorn and Aggie networks in Texas. </p>
<p>In most real world jobs, Longhorns and Aggies have an advantage over Rice grads because of the alumni connection, hence it's not what you know, it's who you know.</p>
<p>As an employer who hires employees to work in a law office, I am not overly impressed or concerned with what college they attended. I want to know that they graduated with a decent GPA and that they made As and Bs, because that tells me they have basic ability and can start and finish a project. After that, my primary goal is to hire employees that work well with other people. If graduates from A&M, Rice, and UT with similar GPAs applied to work at our office, I would pick the most personable and pleasant graduate that I thought would work well with others in our office.</p>
<p>However, I would favor Texas residents who are graduates of in-state colleges over graduates from OOS colleges and Texas college graduates who were originally from OOS. It's my experience that OOS employees yearn for grandparents and home after they start a family. I want employees to make the right choices for their families but it's expensive for a business to hire and train employees only to lose them as they start to become proficient at their jobs. Rice graduates are more likely to come from OOS and have fewer ties to Texas, so in that case I would view in-state UT and Texas A&M graduates more favorably than OOS Rice graduates.</p>
<p>yeah you see like I said
employers dont care about college they look whether they get what they want
colleges are important just to get in an interview after that its all yourself.</p>