<p>It's either Texas Tech with a Presidential Scholarship $14,000 ($3500/yr).
or
UT Austin/ UT Austin CAP Program</p>
<p>I am anticipating getting CAPd, because my ec's suck, top 20%, 30 ACT, etc... However I do live in San Antonio and if I get CAPd, then I can attend UTSA for a year, save some dough, and then transfer to UT Austin.</p>
<p>Or simply go all for years to Tech with the scholarship. But if I attend UTSA for a year, I'll save quite a bit due to the fact that I won't pay for housing (1 year only), and then move to a better recognized school. </p>
<p>I like both schools, but what do you guys think?</p>
<p>Texas Tech also has Department scholarships, especially if you apply for Honors. They are usually bigger than 14,000.</p>
<p>What major?
If it’s engineering, all this “prestige” is highly overrated, IMHO. People get excellent employment after Texas Tech engineering.
If it’s something else then the name of the university and “prestige” of the program sometimes matters.</p>
<p>It is very possible that there is little difference in the amount & quality of what you learn in undergraduate engineering at the 2 schools. At the undergraduate level, the material typically does not differ greatly from one school to the next – they often use identical textbooks, test similar concepts, etc. That said, there are a few substantive reasons to attend, in this case, the significantly higher rated engineering program. </p>
<p>The biggest IMO is the quality of the job interviews you can land. Every firm I have worked for only interviews at a small list of high quality schools and though resumes from all over are submitted and reviewed, such applicants rarely land an interview. While I’m confident that there are firms that interview engineers from both Tech and UT, the UT ‘union card’ carries more weight, especially outside the state. Since students generally attend the highest rated university that they both can get into and afford, the university admissions people (together with professors requiring a minimum level of knowledge for students to graduate) are effectively filtering the pool of potential applicants so that firms don’t need to interview massive numbers of people. </p>
<p>The quality of the undergraduate program is also a factor in graduate school admissions. </p>
<p>By attracting more talented students, the higher rated university also can induce a higher level of knowledge by the student for a given grade. It’s harder to get an A in a class full of students that tested above the 98th percentile than it is when much of the class tested below that level.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There is no guarantee that a CAPd student will be accepted to UT engineering. </p></li>
<li><p>There is no way that if a CAPd student is accepted to UT engineering he/she will graduate in 4 years. CAP program doesn’t include any engineering classes. students are not allowed to take them. It’s 5 years minimum. Most likely no scholarships, so extra cost.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Community college sounds better than CAP in this case scenario, IMHO.</p>
<p>I agree, Tech it is! I appreciate the input. </p>
<p>I am applying to Honors College as well, but well we will see whether I even get accepted into that. I am anticipating a 29 on the ACT Saturday, but hopefully I can raise it a bit with a little studying to further improve my chances at the Honors College.</p>
<p>aztecpenguin, one more nudge for Tech. You are given special treatment as a Tech Honors College student - first in line to sign up for all your classes (while other freshmen are last in line); small discussion oriented classes with 20-25 students for your liberal arts classes versus the 300+ lecture classes, etc. Go for Tech with your scholarship regardless, but the Honors College would be icing on the cake. (My son graduated from Tech’s Honors College and loved it.)</p>
<p>How about going to Tech with a Presidential Scholarship for two years and seeing how you like it? Then if you maintain a good GPA and still want to attend UT, you can transfer there for your last two years. However, you would have to make sure that the classes you take at Tech meet the UT requirements so they would be transferable.</p>
<p>aztecpenguin, here is another view than what Formerprof is expressing. Specifically, UT has a higher rated engineering program than Tech’s overall and there are some engineering employers that recruit at UT and not at Tech. True. Without getting too in the weeds, there is a good argument to be made to be the big fish in the smaller pond. If you need this argument for your “just in case” pocket to be the big fish in the smaller pond (at Tech Engineering), you have a higher chance of completing your engineering major at a Tech than a UT. Malcolm Gladwell, a well-known author who writes for the New Yorker, just published a book called “Why We’ve Got David and Goliath Wrong” where he expresses the view that a highly accomplished student may be better off in attending a less prestigious university (big fish in small pond) than an elite one. Gladwell was interviewed on CNN this past Sunday (Oct. 27)and he specifically used an engineering major as an example of why it’s often better to be that big fish at the less prestigious university (seeing is believing so I recommend you google up and see this video interview yourself). More ammo as to why to go with Tech Engineering.</p>
<p>If both schools offer your desired major and you have no really strong pref for one over the other then it is hard to turn down the money and may be better to go to Tech. If you have a strong preference for UT over Tech but money is an issue then Tech makes better sense. If you have a strong pref for UT and money is no issue then try UT.</p>
<p>If you have a pref for Tech then you are set with money from your preferred school. That is the best you can get. Too bad that doesn’t work for everyone!</p>
<p>I always heard that the biggest factor for employers is not “prestige” (all ABET accredited engineering programs are very rigor) but GPA, they usually look at 3.0 + GPA students for any really good employment. </p>
<p>Graduates with lower GPA… well, I met one guy who graduated with something close to 2.0, UT Austin, Petroleum engineering major, his first job was some kind of supervisor at oil plant, monthly salary (gross) $2,400.
Also, the biggest difference between “more prestigious” and “less prestigious” engineering program is how many students drop out due to rigor of the courses. Why should anyone care how OTHER people are doing in classes, students should be concerned about their own grades.
OP should probably consider where HE PERSONALLY has better chance of getting GPA 3.0 + :D</p>
<p>lonestardad
Do you have a list of employers that recruit at UT and not at Texas Tech?
I am just curious.
Nobody ever provided a single name, just rumors about some mysterious recruiters.</p>
<p>Ya Ya, As you can tell, I am very much a Tech supporter. But to answer your question of what firms recruit at to UT and not Tech, the top ranked investment banking firms such as Goldman Sachs and the top strategic consulting firms such as McKinnsey recruit at UT and not Tech. These high-end firms also only recruit a relatively few top ranked students at UT.</p>
<p>aztecpenguin, I don’t remember seeing which engineering specialty you want to study, but that can be another point to help differentiate between the two schools. UT is highly ranked in several specialties while Tech is highly ranked in others. In terms of recruiting by employers I do know of several oil and gas related firms here in Houston who focus their recruiting at a few favorite colleges in terms of Chem E and Petroleum/Geological E majors. Want an internship with a big O&G company? You’ll need a 3.5 GPA to even get a look. Lots to think about, but regardless of the school I second the opinion to achieve the highest GPA possible.</p>