UT Presitge?

Colleges and Universities A-Z The University of Texas at Austin
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<p>Hey fellas. </p>

<p>Scroll down to the bottom (*) if you don't want to hear a semi-rant about Asians/inflated-ego smart people and prestige.</p>

<p>Now, I'm not one to go to a college just for the name or prestige or whatever... I don't believe in it. But all the smart people in my AP classes, as well as my mom (and I'm sure most Asian parents), are really attracted to the high status/prestige colleges...Not so much because they're good (they are), but rather because they can tell people at parties and stuff that their kid is going to HYPS etc., and they'll feel good about themselves and they can brag and stuff.....Funny thing is, many of my Asian friends' parents have all the things out of perspective, for example, they think colleges like Duke and Dartmouth are akin to community colles. To them, its all about the glitz of HYPS and MIT. Personally, I find it sickening, but that's the case.</p>

<p>Anyway, these Asian friends and smart people keep bugging me about what colleges I'm applying to. They're cool when I tell them I'm applying to Columbia (no chance!) and two other Ivies, but when I tell them I'm applying to UT, Penn State, Georgia Tech, and some other non top 10's, they're like, "What are you, stupid?". </p>

<p>(*)I don't give a rat's buttocks what they say, but I was wondering, how's UT's prestige, especially to people in the Northeast? I find UT to be a great school (business, eng, law, pharmacy anyone?), but I don't know if everyone feels that way, especially people who aren't that intimate with UT. For example, how do New Yorkers and Northeasterners view UT?</p>

<p>And I'm not one for rankings, but honestly, why the he!! is UT next to Penn State in rankings? I'd put it more around Berkeley.</p>

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<p>Northeasterners will not think highly of UT because they'll really only know it from its sports success, i.e. a football school.</p>

<p>In Texas it is seen as one of the best schools in the southwest. Most Texans don't concern themselves over UT's prestige outside of Texas. Many employers in Texas would prefer a UT grad over a Harvard man--especially because so many of them are UT folks themselves. It's got one of the largest and most dedicated alumni networks in the United States. </p>

<p>UT's low rank is because of large class sizes and student faculty ratio, a low percentage of alumni giving (while they probably are in the top ten in total alumni giving, with so many alumni the percentage isn't as large). They also are hurt by a fairly high acceptance rate (because most who apply are elligible under the top ten law--many who aren't top ten don't even apply).</p>

<p>Its peer rating is about a 4 of 5, I believe, which would put it around #30, instead of #50. So those in academia think highly of UT.</p>

<p>No offense, but who really cares what a bunch of Yankees think? UT isn't competing for prestige in the northeast because state law says 95% of students must be Texan.</p>

<p>It's a great school, and I hope you come. Don't really concern yourself with what others think of your school--just go to the school that's best for you.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
No offense, but who really cares what a bunch of Yankees think?

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</p>

<p>If you plan on working outside of Texas, it matters.</p>

<p>construction, sounds to me like those Asian friends of yours are total losers. They don't sound very well-rounded at all. If they can't get to where they want to go with a degree from Georgia Tech or UT, obviously they aren't that talented.</p>

<p>I've met a lot of people who were really intelligent but were not well-rounded.</p>

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<p>Sounds like you're friends with abunch of losers</p>

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<p>UT is prestigous in Texas and who cares about anywhere else Texas is the best, why live anywhere else?</p>

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<p>"And I'm not one for rankings, but honestly, why the he!! is UT next to Penn State in rankings?"</p>

<p>That's because Penn State University Park is as good as Texas. Within the next three years, Penn State will pass Texas in the rankings. I definitely have no problem with UT, amazing school, but do not start insulting Penn State.</p>

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<p>Well, friends would be more aptly named semi-aquaintances. Look, there's nobody in my smart classes who I'm friends with because they're all the nerd, overachieving crowd, but I have to talk to some of them to maintain sanity during a semester taking 3 AP's.</p>

<p>A Yankee should care because although I lived in Austin for three years (which is why I have an affinity for UT), and my grandpa worked in Texas (thus rendering me Texan), I'm also from Jersey, so I've got a mix-blood deal going on. Also, while I see myself possibly working/living in Austin(especially if it grows larger/more like NY), there's not getting away from the fact for me that NYC/NJ will be another home for me.</p>

<p>I don't mean to insult any U. I know Penn State is a damn good school, I just got in as a safety. But I feel UT, due to the high rankings of the individual colleges, should be higher up.</p>

<p>But I still realize in the end, rankings, especially national and not individual program ones, are skewed.</p>

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<p>UT is considered a solid state school, and a very good school. Its not in the top 5 publics (UM, Cal, UNC, UCLA, WM), but its right after this group along with perhaps Wisconsin. I would equate it with an NYU, Boston College caliber school.</p>

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<p>Just because your uncle worked and lived in Texas doesn't make him or you a Texan, yankee. But I don't really care for Texans anyways. Just saying...</p>

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<p>Football and such are a big deal at Texas, so it may overshadow the academic quality of the institution. But there's no doubt about it: UT offers a sound education at an affordable price. The major downside (to some, anyways) is the large student body.</p>

<p>I'm a Yankee living in Texas (not a UT student, however), and I can say that folks back home consider it a good school.</p>

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<p>The problem with discussing whether UT is prestigious or not is that it is such a huge school and there is a certain amount of variability in between the different colleges and the quality of graduates. Would an average HYPS student do better than an average UT student? I'd be willing to say, maybe so. But would a top UT student from one of its Honors programs do just as well or better as a student from HYPS or one of those 'top' publics? Absolutely yes. I think you'll find (if you attend UT) that a lot of these students did get into these 'top' schools but choose UT for one reason or another (cost, location, atmosphere, etc.).</p>

<p>Regardless, UT is a great school and it produces graduates that compete for the same jobs and professional and graduate school positions as students at the schools you mentioned above. I would apply to UT and its honors programs if there are any that interest you. Don't be upset if you don't get into the program you want. As an out of state student, you are playing a different admissions game than the instate crowd. I'd still attend, do well your freshman year and then apply as a sophomore admit if you can. Things tend to become much more just after everyone has a year at the same university and can be judged on equal footing (and the admissions people know this). Good luck!</p>

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<p>hookemhorns, how can you go to UT and not care for Texans? There are 45000 of us there--how does that work?</p>

<p>It must be hard to be a foreigner in Texas...(oddly enough, many people I know consider Mexican immigrants to be Texan yet American transplants to be "foreign").</p>

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<p>I'm looking at UT-Austin for its Engineering program. I have no plans to stay in Texas longer then that.

[quote]

UT is prestigous in Texas and who cares about anywhere else Texas is the best, why live anywhere else?

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Its comments like this that make me think Texas will not be the place for me. Texas seems pretty close minded outside of Austin and very sectionalist.</p>

<p>Theres also the comments of northerners being called Yankees.</p>

<p>The civil war was over more than 140 years ago and our country was reunited. There are no more Yankees.</p>

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<p>"Yankee" refers to anyone who doesn't live in Texas. It includes Okies, Cajuns, Tennesseans, etc.</p>

<p>It's usually used by educated Texans in jest, not seriously.</p>

<p>Most Texans have much more Texas (Republic of Texas) pride than Southern pride. It's actually quite rare to see a Rebel flag in Texas, whereas the Texas flag is incredibly commonly seen.</p>

<p>And if you go to UT, it's incredibly likely that you'll want to stay in Texas for the rest of your life.</p>

<p>Damn Yankess, always thinking they're better than us...</p>

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<p>"Texas is the best, why live anywhere else?"</p>

<p>"how can you go to UT and not care for Texans? There are 45000 of us there--how does that work?"</p>

<p>Texas arrogance. I'm sick of Texans acting like it is the greatest place on Earth because it was its own republic. And people saying that Texas country music is better than anything out of Nashville. Texas country for the most part sucks ass, it's terrible. I don't like mainstream country anyways (more bluegrass), but Texas country is overrated and that is all I hear about. The beaches are disgusting, and there's nothing else besides maybe the hill country and Austin's certainly ruining that with its growth. And now suburban sprawl caused by all the yankees and Californians moving for cheap land and housing have created places like Sugarland, Irving, Cypress, Southlake, Arlington, New Woodlands, McAllen, Allen, Garland, Round Rock, most neighborhoods in San Antonio, etc with cookie cutter homes 5 feet from another, or McMansions and no character at all.</p>

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<p>Yes Texas country sucks--and I'm Texan. Pat Green is passable, and maybe Eli Young. But besides that, I don't like it. If I can't hear it on 96.7 The Twister, I won't listen to it.</p>

<p>My comment wasn't about Texans being sweet. It was simply asking how you deal with not liking Texans yet going to school with so many.</p>

<p>No one comes to Texas for the beach--that's what vacation is for. Texas beaches are for cheap spring breaks, not family vacations. </p>

<p>Have you ever been to Irving, Arlington, or Garland? None of them have cookie cutter homes or McMansions. They're actually fairly urban for suburbs. They all have about 200k people too. Many parts of McAllen are downright dangerous. Most neighborhoods in SA as well (you obviously haven't been south of Sea World if you make that comment).</p>

<p>The Woodlands and Southlake I'll give you. But that's a very small part of Texas.</p>

<p>My house was here in 1932. That's pretty old for the suburbs (was actually FARMERS BRANCH at that time and not a commuter suburb).</p>

<p>Texas has an incredibly diverse culture. You've got East Texas, which is Southern, West Texas, which is western, the cities, which are indistinguishable from other major urban areas, the hill country, which could pass for Appalachia in some parts, and South Texas, which is basically north Mexico.</p>

<p>Why are you in Texas if you hate it so much?</p>

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<p>Well, from the visits I've made to San Antonio (besides downtown), Houston, and DFW: cypress, sugarland, woodlands, neighborhoods in Irving, Arlington, Austin's surrounding area (Tarrytown is nice and then the small towns in the hill country), and SA: (not exactly sure the neighborhood names [churchill area, SAC area, some other college's surrounding area where I took my LSAT], they all seem to have a gated community look/name for each neighborhood...without the gate).</p>

<p>Anyways, I don't really exclaim my distate for the state. I'm definately not coming back though. I bought into the whole "prestige" thing, I love college football and wanted to go somewhere new for college, so I decided on Texas after visting. At first everything was going alright because, like all freshman, it seems fresh and fun, but it wore off about freshman spring semester. I deal with the Texas ego by ignoring it, but I can't live like this for the rest of my life.</p>

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<p>Im a texan, and I would rather live in Cali</p>

<p>Texas country does suck, along with every other states country music =)</p>

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<p>Hey now, let's not bash each other's music. Each to his own, I guess, or whatever they say. Never mind. </p>

<p>Anyway, I'm getting the jist that UT gives you a great education, comparable to that of a top 20 university, but its reputation, although great in Texas, is slightly lacking nationwide due to the large amount of people, non-coastal location, and sports programs (Hey, what's so bad about being one of the best sports colleges? Smart and sport can go in the same sentence.)</p>

<p>Personally, the only places I like in Texas are Austin/Hill Country and kinda Corpus Christi. Other than that, not too fond of the Lone Star State. e.g., I absolutely despise Houston. Dallas is okay, but not Houston. West Texas is a great place to drive Corvettes, though!</p>

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<p>Construction, you've really hit the nail on the head.</p>

<p>And most Texans also despise Houston. I personally am active enough to work up a sweat without the humidity doing it for me, so I prefer to be some place a little more dry.</p>

<p>I like Dallas, but it isn't the most appealing place in the world for a non-Dallasite. There's Six Flags and the Cowboys, and I really can't think of anything else. The area's a pretty good place to raise a family though.</p>

<p>Austin is amazing. Simply put.</p>

<p>I'm not too sure about Corpus because I haven't spent much time there. Galveston is cheaper, and Padre I've heard is more fun, so I don't think too many people spend a lot of time in Corpus.</p>