<p>Hi all, just wanted to update you all on my decision so I might be able to help other students who might be considering the same thing. After visiting both schools, I ended up deciding to go to Rice, for reasons I will discuss below.</p>
<p>I was a bit turned off by Plan II after attending their information session at UT as well as sitting in on a Plan II class, for a variety of reasons. First, while many people in Plan II double major and graduate in four years, the information session revealed that they count a “double major” as Plan II + another liberal arts major (like history, political science, English). People who complete “dual degrees” (Plan II + a non-LA major, like biology or physics) usually take five to six years to graduate. This meant that I would have to choose between doing physics or doing Plan II, as my parents (as well as I, personally) do not want to take more than four years to graduate. I also was not impressed with the quality of the UT natural sciences honors program I was accepted into (University Fellows), as it seems to be “honors” in name only - I would not get access to the same research opportunities that Dean’s Scholars get, nor would I get the same health science internships that Health Science Honors students get. Second, the one hour Plan II World Lit class I sat in on did not appeal to me that much. The students didn’t seem too interested in the class (there was a lot of lounging, tired eyes, blank expressions, etc.), and the discussion itself seemed pretty mundane. However, I was impressed by the professor, as well as the small class size (there were about 20ish people there). Perhaps it was just that one class - one of the students I talked to afterwards told me that he was sorry I had to sit through “a particularly boring discussion”. Third, I wasn’t too pleased with the “rigor” (or lack of) of the Plan II program. The same student I talked to earlier told me that basically everyone gets As in Plan II classes because the professors know all the students are really smart and work hard, so in a sense they all do deserve As. I wasn’t able to sit in on any other classes other than World Lit, so I can’t speak on how hard the other Plan II classes are, but I didn’t like how he said that Plan II students don’t really have to “work” for their grades. </p>
<p>Of course, those are all just the negatives of the Plan II program. I was still seriously considering UT at the end of my visit because the prospect of taking all-honors classes appealed to me (Plan II for humanities/social sciences and University Fellows Honors for natural sciences), and I really enjoyed the fact that UT felt so “alive” - there were a ton of people and a ton of booths and displays set up along the streets (for some kind of heritage awareness week). If needed, I could also drop my physics major and just do Plan II + Political Science, which I would enjoy (my parents would balk at me not taking a natural sciences major though, seeing as how I am premed).</p>
<p>However, my Rice visit just blew UT out of the water. The campus was just stunning - it was actually green, and there was actually shade, unlike UT’s industrial feel of brown and orange. The weather was beautiful, and I could see the towering buildings of the Texas Medical Center from the campus (they were literally right across the street). According to my friend who attends Rice, Rice students are always in demand for internships and research at the Medical Center, so there would be no difficulty in finding opportunities for a premed student. I was also impressed by the residential colleges and the fact that every student at Rice lived within a smaller community as well. I loved the traditions and quirks each residential college had as well as the fact that they replace what I consider the harmful elitist culture of fraternities and sororities. Walking through campus just by itself was extremely peaceful and idyllic, compared to the constant stream of cars and people that ran through UT’s campus.</p>
<p>In the end, however, I was still struggling to decide between UT and Rice. I know that undergraduate prestige does not factor in medical school admissions, but where you go to college does stay with you forever. I also felt that, while UT would be cheaper, Rice was a better value - I would be paying much more at Rice, but I would be getting much more in return (personalized attention, unlimited opportunities, unparalleled campus life). Ultimately, after one final discussion with my parents about finances and affordability, I decided on Rice and cannot wait to begin school there in the fall. I hope my information has been useful to those reading, and good luck to everyone else in their college searches and decisions!</p>