Thank you @3scoutsmom and congrats to your son! I’m glad he is thriving there. I can’t believe the the journey that my own DD has taken there. I actually think it is the traditional college experience before big sports and out of control greek took over. The ability to explore different areas and find yourself both within the school and the community- my DD has. Thank you for contributing.
@Riversider - a shorter version of what @3scoutsmom is saying - when UTD was first allowed to have a freshman class in 1990 - they were bound to a requirement to keep the same admissions standards as UT at Austin. The thought was that UTD was not supposed to take students away from schools like North Texas State (UNT now) and UT Arlington. They had very slow growth initially. Once the restriction was removed - they kept the high standards in terms of High School performance and test scores.
UTD has a high acceptance rate - but it also attracts an academic minded student. In fact there is no longer automatic admission to UTD unless you are top 10%.
You can read more about UTDs admissions policies and student outcomes in this article:
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2018/02/12/university-texas-dallas-ends-automatic-admission-test-score
Bottom line - UTD is not taking a bunch of kids with low class rank and low test scores and inflating overall scores with bunch of high scores. The middle 50% of scores is not all over the place.
UTD
SAT - 1220-1430
ACT 26-32
Make no mistake UTD has its eyes on becoming a AAU member.
This is from their strategic plan:
Although not every initiative can be measured directly, the following targets have been set to quantify the University’s aspirations and, ultimately, gauge their progress. From the current academic year, 2017-18, to academic year 2022-23, we seek to:
· Increase undergraduate enrollment from 18,388 to 23,000.
· Increase graduate enrollment from 9,254 to 12,000.
· Increase the annual number of doctoral graduates from 195 to 300.
· Increase the number of first-time-in-college freshmen from 3,177 to 3,900.
· Increase academic space from 1,781,065 square feet to 2,300,000 square feet.
· Increase tenure-system faculty from 580 to 710.
· Increase federal research expenditures from $36 million to $60 million.
· Increase the four-year graduation rate from 53% to 60%.
· Increase the six-year graduation rate from 69% to 75%.
· Increase the third quartile SAT score for incoming freshmen from 1420 to 1440 and the first quartile SAT score from 1230 to 1250.
· Increase the third quartile ACT score for incoming freshmen from 32 to 33 and the first quartile ACT score from 26 to 27.
· Increase the endowment from $502 million to $750 million.
@BlueBayouAZ great article! I liked what it said about diversity too. I wasn’t even thinking about that group of students!
In Texas, everything is local. Being that UNT and UTD are very closed. How does UNT pushing hard for share of NMF impacting UTD? We received both packages and didn’t really investigate too much. At first glance, UNT has highest $ amount in Texas.
Can someone decipher for me? Not looking for which school is better because, for pre-med, finish UG without any debt and into Med School type of question.
Which school is better suited? Maybe, for pre-med students UG school is not important?
Thanks and Good Luck to all future UTD and UNT students.
We did not look into UNT because it does not have my daughter’s planned major. But my daughter’s Godmother’s kid loved it and is headed there.
One thing they stressed on the UTD tour was advising for future medical and law school admissions. And their admission success rate. Example - they don’t offer a “pre-law” degree - but they have dedicated advisors that work with students in any major and make sure you are fulfilling major and law school admissions requirements.
I would delve deeply into the post graduate admissions rate at support at both schools.
There is a significant difference between UTD and UNT in terms of middle 50% scores on ACT and SAT
UTD
SAT - 1220-1430
ACT 26-32
UNT
SAT - 1060-1260
ACT 20-26
An overgeneralization is that UTD is more STEM and UNT is more artistic. But both schools offer STEM and Arts and Humanities.
Actually, the highest $ amount in Texas is probably Texas Tech. They pledge to cover 100% of attendance including travel allowance and things like that. Also, their engineering dept requires travel abroad which I assume TTU would cover for NMF.
UTD does have a very high acceptance rate to medical school. https://www.utdallas.edu/pre-health/results
They do pre-health advising as well as tons of research that undergrads can do.
UNT, in our area, is known for its art’s programs. From the art teacher’s I know, it has the best visual arts program in the state including ceramics which is rare. It is also known for it’s music programs especially jazz.
Actually for premed, TTU would also probably be good. I have known many numerous doctors that have gone there and they do have a medical school on campus.
@texaggie UNT is in Denton which is a bit of a hike to Dallas The opportunities for outside activities in the Dallas area are much greater and more deserve. Ds’s are both STEM kids so UTD was a no brainier for us. My oldest DD plays harp and UNT has a great harp program and we’ve been on campus for various music events during her high schools years, the campus seems a bit dated compared with UTD’s modern new buildings - trivial I know, but you just never know what a kids factors into “fit” - older DS refused to consider OU, where his sister ended up before they cut their NM scholarship, because of too many red brick building!! Seriously???
With National Merit at UTD, If you live on campus you’ll break even the first year (+/- $100 or so depending on books and meal plan) and if you live in an on campus apartment the remaining years and skip the overpriced meal plan, you’ll have funds left over to help with living expenses.
@GTAustin, Texas Tech is in Lubbock, TX if I think Denton is geographically undesirable you can imagine my personal opinion of Lubbock 
Not saying it’s a bad school, but not some place I could envision my boys spending four years.
Both UNT and TT have football so at least @Riversider would approve of their “athletics”
Perhaps @BingeWatcher could weigh in on TT’s pre-med program? I think she has some familiarity with TT. I really don’t know much about it.
I’m a TTU alumni and Lubbock was not a place I wanted to stay but TTU gave me a good education. Both of my DD wouldn’t consider Tech because the city was too small. They also wouldn’t consider A&M for the same reason. But it does have a great NM program and I think its premed program is good. If you needed that big sports program, TTU should be considered. Basketball team is #8 in the nation right now. It also has the red brick buildings that some kids desire. Personally my DD liked the modern feel of UTD as well as the opportunities to do things in the Dallas metroplex. UTD is also a much more diverse school which she enjoys. UTD has really opened her eyes about the rest of the world.
I went to grad school at TTU and I LOVED Tech. Like @GTAustin, Lubbock was not where I wanted to stay forever - but I got my first job out of school there. In all I was in Lubbock for 7 years. I think TTU is the closest program to TAMU in terms of a town centered around the University. I have not been back in 20 years and I understand that it has grown tremendously.
But you drive through campus on before football games and soapsuds is wrapped in streamers and the saddle tramps tie them on your side view mirrors. You can’t beat the school spirit (though fans had a reputation for leaving games if the team was performing poorly). Dating myself - but it was the days of the Southwest Conference.
I worked in Austin for 3 years - and UT was there - but not the focal point like TAMU or TTU.
I would highly recommend TTU for a quality education to anyone who wants a university with tons of school pride and a community centered around the school. But those two features are of no interest to my daughter. She has never lived in a city or the suburbs of a city less than 15th in the nation in terms of population. Her grandparents live in a town of 150,000 + and you would think it is the boondocks.
I work for TTU school of medicine, I work with medical students in clinical role (I am a NP). The students (of which a great deal are from TTU undergrad) are all well prepared. I know all Tech students that apply to Tech’s medical school automatically get an interview. I don’t think one can go wrong with either program. Comes done to fit. It would not be hard to get all the volunteering/ shadowing and research at Tech at all. In addition, it would be easier to have the higher GPA from Tech than UTD.
I never argued that UTD can’t get you a degree or means to pay your bills,my point is that it leaves a lot to be desired if you want more from your education. Obviously everyone doesn’t care about “more”, have ability to get “more”, even knows if there is “more” or simply can’t afford any “more”.
@riversider you really haven’t answered the questions I’ve asked.
Please explain what you mean by
Please give specific examples of what you mean by “more” so far the only thing you’ve mentioned that UTD doesn’t have is football.
The only schools I have current information to directly compare UTD to are Stanford and OU. If you want to go back to when DH and I went to school, you can add UIUC and Florida State. I guess you can also add Eckerd, I have two nephews that are recent grads and BIL has been a prof there forever.
Please list EXACTLY what you mean by “more” and give specific examples, make sure and give examples of how UTD is lacking.whatever you mean by “more”
Please let us know how you came by this info, is it current? From where? Or something you recall from back in your colleges days?
I agree with @3scoutsmom, more what? My DD is graduating with a masters in cognitive science, a minor in computer science and a second minor in fine arts all paid for by UTD. She has traveled abroad twice and will be going a third time. She has had 2 well paying internships. She goes to the Dallas ballet, symphony, orchestra, plays at least once a month on tickets supplied by UTD. She volunteers at the Dallas Museum on Contemporary ART. She goes to concerts and writes reviews for UTD radio. She is the president of the sustainability club, has a UTD garden plot and has learned about bee keeping from the hives at UTD. That is just what my DD has done. The other kids are doing all sorts of other things. You don’t think this is an intellectually stimulating environment?
I’m glad you found rare perfection. How 'bout a shot of truth in that denial cocktail? What do you see as “more”? Do you see any weaknesses at all in this Utopia?
@Riversider, I thought about your comments overnight and was wondering where your opinion of UTD comes from. Is your impression from a college visit or you lived in the neighborhood 20 years ago or did take classes there 30 years ago or what?
UTD is a young school and has gone thru tremendous changes in the last decade going from a night school for graduate students to a commuting school for undergrads to a school that houses 6000 students on campus with the student body having the academic stats comparable to UT. It is still developing - Northside across the street is becoming a student drag. Two or more major art museums are coming. They are bringing a metro rail station to just north of campus. Because it is new, the major advantage is new facilities. Just in the last few years, they have completed the bioengineering and science building, the alumni center, the Callier Center for audiology, the new engineering building, Canyon Creek apartments, Northside phase 1 and 2 and smart parking garages. The next building to be complete will be the physics and natural science building. All this in the last 4 to 5 years.
UTD has chosen not to build in the traditional red brick architecture or to have a football team. The campus is modern and they do have other sports that do well. They have a smaller Greek scene. They have a very diverse campus. All of these things may not be what students looking for a “traditional” college experience want and that is fine. There are lots of colleges that offer that and many with good NM scholarships.
What UTD does offer NM students is the opportunity to explore many areas as I have written above. They support intellectual pursuits both on and off campus. They offer opportunities for research, leadership, involvement in planning for the campus future, study abroad and involvement in the university. The students that give the NM tours are not paid. That was a student led directive and the students volunteer to give back.
I’m not writing this to change your mind because I know I won’t. I’m writing this to the other people that read your posts and because of them won’t consider UTD. UTD is not for everybody but it can be a great fit for many and it does offer great opportunities for individual growth and exploration. I know this because I have seen it with my DD and her friends.
You just rephrased perfection fairytale. I have yet to see one realistic and credible post on this thread stating pros and cons.
OK - I’ll take you on
Pros for NM and general students
- Free education with potential to leave with money in your pocket. You are given a stipend vs expenses paid for.
- Money for travel abroad
- Money can be applied for graduate work
- 3.0 GPA vs 3.5 for scholarship renewal - less stress
- First in line for registration and on campus housing
- Opportunities for research even before freshman year (Clark Scholars Program)
- New facilities for STEM majors, business, CNS, BBS, ATEC and student housing
- Best dorms with private bedroom for all students
- Advisers for NM students
- Safe environment
- Free tickets for cultural events in Dallas for all students
- Ability to switch majors and take classes outside of major
- Free bus and metro pass for all students
- There is a NM community - has gala, book give away, lunch with professors
- Beyond NM, there are the AES merit scholarships for good students
- Major airport in town, so easy to get to
Neutral - could be pro or con
- In a suburb
- No football
- Diversity of student body
- Community spirit is not tied to UTD
Cons
- Ranking
- Needs larger rec center
- Needs to enhance COLA majors and upgrade facilities
- Needs better facilities for fine art majors including art, dance and music
- More events on weekends
That is what I can come up with.
Let me add one more pro - UTD is located in an area which has huge job potential for internships as well as jobs after graduation.