<p>My main consideration is financial. I have fairly decent stats (2240 SAT (1500 M+CR), top 2%, okay extracurricular, female) and I will most likely get a scholarship to UT Dallas that covers tuition and gives me a 6k stipend for the year. Assuming a modest 3k grant from financial aid, my parents will probably only have to pay 5k a year. I also wouldn't need to work since my parents would happily pay off that amount.</p>
<p>UT Austin, on the other hand, will probably put me down 15k for the first year and that includes financial aid and work over the summer and winter. Assuming I get additional scholarships for the subsequent years (as there are more scholarship opportunities for upperclassmen), I'd still have to pay around ~10k for the other 3 years.</p>
<p>This is speculation, but I think it'll end up fairly accurate. My parents are willing to contribute 25k to my education, so Dallas would be free and Austin would cost ME about 20k. Would I be accorded more opportunities by attending Austin? UT Austin is better to me in every other way - the school itself, location, community, etc. Will it be worth it to put down that additional money?</p>
<p>If you are considering engineering, your degree will have more value from UT Austin or Texas A&M since they are considered engineering schools. </p>
<p>UT Austin was ranked 9 for electrical just two years ago.</p>
<p>I’d say if you like many more things about Austin and that’s where you’ll be happiest, it may be worth the money. Austin will also always carry much more of a name which will open up many more job opportunities, considering its one of the top engineering schools in the nation.</p>
<p>I know UTD has a respected computer science program and that for companies in the DFW/Houston and greater Texas areas finding internships/jobs from UTD is not too much of a challenge. I figure with the way EE and CS overlap the program might be advantageous.
If you want to try to work anywhere outside of the state, though, UT and (to a lesser extent) A&M are the degrees you want. Plus, as many others have stated, Austin is, simply put, a great city.
I recommend UT, even with possible financial difficulties. The experience you will have (and the degree) will certainly surpass UTD.</p>
<p>First of all Congratulations!
If you are planning to go to graduate school then UTD will be a better option. Your parents can save that money for your graduate school. If not, it sounds like you think UT is a better fit for you then go for it. Just be aware EE is a difficult major at UT from what I heard.</p>
<p>Thank you guys so much. I also heard the general rule for college loans is to loan no more than how much your first year salary will be. My debt will be slightly less than half that, so I guess I’m fairly ok.</p>
<p>I do want to get an MBA, but only if the job market is bad when I graduate. If I can get a good paying job, however, I’ll work on it on the side (and most companies reimburse graduate school tuition).</p>
<p>I’ve visited both Austin (many times) and Dallas, and Austin is clearly the livelier and “better” city and university. I think the experience will be worth the extra money, and since you guys think I should go for it, I will. :)</p>