UT vs Rice (Rice beats UT Financial Aid)

College Search & Selection
1

I’m a female, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Here are the details:

UT total cost of attendance year: $25,656
UT total grants offered: $10,815
UT total loans offered: $14,841

So, basically, I will have $14 k of loans with UT & the rest of the cost is covered by grants.

Rice total cost of attendance year: $61,433
Rice total grants offered: $26,648
Rice Trustee Scholarship: $24,500

So, I have NO loans and only have to pay $10 K from my own/parents pocket.

One thing I haven’t mentioned is that UT offers to pay tuition to Valedictorians the FIRST year, which I haven’t included in my calculations. However, I’m sure that (if my parents financial situation doesn’t change), the packet will be like the above for the following 3 years.
Also, the RICE TRUSTEE scholarship is $ 98 K TOTAL for the four years.

So, I was NOT expecting this. I, just a few days ago, set my mind on UT engineering! Now, it turns out Rice is offering me way more than UT ( above $40 K more), plus Rice will end up being CHEAPER.

Someone told me that I could maybe try faxing my Rice financial Aid to UT and telling them that I really wanted to attend UT but was now conflicted because of Rice’s financial offer, which would be much better for my parents and I (loans).

Gosh. I already visited both schools by the way.
Now I just don’t know because I, LITERALLY, made up my mind just a few days ago to go to UT (just paid my enrollment deposit), and now I get Rice’s packet. Both schools have their advantages, but I seemed to like UT more…even though I thought I would like Rice more (since it’s smaller and closed off and BEAUTIFUL…so much green & tree tunnels).

Well, I have a list of reasons why I ended up choosing UT over Rice, but for now…what should I do? Should I fax/ e-mail UT or re-visit or call someone ??

2

Summary of net prices per year:

UT Austin: $14,841
Rice: $10,285

How much can your parents contribute?

What would be your reason for choosing UT Austin over Rice?

3

@ucbalumnus I can’t depend on my parents to contribute anything at all. Maybe $1,000 ?

This was from an earlier thread of mine:

I’m kind of set on the UT engineering program. Overall, UT is more comforting and seems to offer more, although I can totally be misinformed about this. Why UT over Rice: closer to my family (4 hours away & 1 1/2 hours away from brother), will be accompanied by more of my friends (including most of my best friends), the Engineering program is ranked about 9 in the nation, lots of internship/research/study abroad opportunities available beginning my freshman year + various clubs (including the Women in Engineering & Hispanic Engineer Societies), & well…Austin!!

Why possibly Rice: beautiful campus, very big scholarship, Residential college system (although it’s random so I could easily end up at Lovett…which I did not like too much when I stayed there), and it’s small. The thing is…I’m not sure what I prefer: small or big ? I used to think I preferred small since I LOVED my middle school (very small & private)…but now that I’m in high school (much bigger, public)…I don’t really mind it. I know the faculty to student ratio at Rice is much better, but I’ll just have to tough that one out at UT.

Also why UT over Rice: there seems to be more diversity, and I don’t mean ethnic/racial diversity, but rather in the types of people. I’m not sure how to explain this, but at Rice it seems to be more “academically inclined” people where at UT there are those plus the jocks, hippies, party people, etc. For instance, when I was at Rice, many students told me that the University practically had to BEG the students to buy tickets & attend the games (even after almost fully reducing ticket prices) while at UT, all tickets are sold out in minutes. Do you get what I mean? It seems more well-rounded at UT.

Lastly: feelings. At Rice, I felt a bit sad (don’t really know why…maybe it was just bad timing or weather, or wrong group of people I went with or just the college I stayed at or my “host,” who wasn’t too talkative but very nice). However, I will say Rice is beautiful!!! You feel like you’re constantly walking under a tunnel of trees and there is green everywhere (& squirrels).

I’ve also always pictured myself living in a “busy” atmosphere, and I felt more that way at UT/ Austin.

Anyway, I should probably re-visit Rice. As ridiculous as this sounds, I was hoping I wouldn't get too much financial aid because the merit scholarship already covers over half of the cost of attendance. So, if I got a lot of aid, I would feel like I would DEFINITELY have to re-think my decision of UT vs Rice (for the sake of my parents' current financial situations + my future financial situation).

^^ turns out I did get a lot of aid. Basically, I think the most important reason why UT is family & friends. My closest friends will be coming to UT with me, which is of great comfort, and my family is closer. Also, Austin > Houston.
Also, UT Engineering is ranked higher than Rice engineering?

4

Engineering ranking should not be a factor. Those are PhD program rankings. For undergrad engineering, Rice is at the least equal to if not better respected than UT-Austin, which is really well-respected.

One thing to keep in mind is that a good chunk of the freshmen who start out in engineering at UT-Austin drop out or switch away.

I personally think that friends should not enter in to the equation. Both you and your friends will change a lot over 4 years, and making a decision because of people you may grow apart from makes no sense.

Also, Rice has plenty of jocks (have to, being DivI and so small).

Finally, which would you regret turning down 10 years from now? To me, if I was in-state for TX and a good student, a fairly cheap UT-Austin masters is always a possibility, but the Rice undergraduate experience is not going to come along again. Many people across the country see Rice as an elite private/near-Ivy. UT-Austin is very well respected for engineering and business, but most people outside TX would not place it close to an Ivy. Plus, the Rice scholarship is a feather in your cap that they do not just give to anyone that you can put on your resume (no such thing from UT-Austin, I reckon?)

So with Rice being even cheaper, to me, this would be an easy decision.

5

@PurpleTitan It would be an easy decision, but I visited both schools, and I felt more at home at UT than I did at Rice. In fact, I felt sad at Rice while I felt invigorated at UT. Not sure if I mentioned it above, but there is really nothing wrong with Rice except the fact that I felt better at UT. I already had so many plans about all the organizations I’d join, the study abroad program, and internships & research. :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: I wish it was the opposite and Rice was in Austin while UT was in Houston. That would make this much easier.

6

^ not because of the cities, but rather the family/friend proximity. I’m just that person…I’m very emotionally dependent on my family/friends/dogs. ESPECIALLY my mom, after all she’s been through…I want to be as close as possible my first few years to not only let myself adjust but her as well.

7

While I agree with PT, especially the Trustee Scholarship being a resume builder, and for my kids the fact that they will know 100 people at our decent in state college is a HUGE negative. However, I can see it being comforting for you. Part of what you need to think about is how much of this is genuine self knowledge that you need your friends and how much of it is fear of the new and unknown, rising to the challenge (do not know enough about either school to know if that is true.)

I would suggest visiting Rice again. Ask to stay with different people or different types. If you still do not love it, then ask UT to match the scholarship and see if they will. Finally, are you planning to stay in Texas? UT has a great reputation within Texas. UT’s reputation is building on the east coast but not sure it is there yet.

8

@SeekingPam Yes, I will probably stay in Texas unless something happens in the future where I get an internship somewhere far and that internship becomes my permanent job (this has happened to quite a few students that I’ve heard of at UT).

Also, I’m that kind of person that doesn’t really like change. I mean, I do like change. However, not …drastic change. For instance, middle school to high school was a really, really tough transition for me. I was leaving my friends of 11 years. Now, I’ve made new friends, in particular 3 very close friends that I just don’t want to let go of again. But again, it’s not just my friends at all. It’s the family part too. And it’s the feeling I felt at UT versus the one I felt at Rice. I felt sad at Rice while I felt so excited at UT. I like UT’s busy atmosphere and huge student body, but I also like Rice’s close-knit student body and small campus. I like two totally opposite things, which is probably why this is such a difficult decision. As of today, my decision is UT. As of tomorrow, it will probably still be UT. In a few weeks when I visit Rice, who knows.

When I did attend Rice, I sat in on classes, I slept at the dorm with 2 roommates, I went to the college cafeteria for lunch (even had my own ID card), and I walked alone on campus during the day and at night to get a feel for it. I also attended sessions and participated in activities. It was alright. I didn’t LOVE it, and I didn’t like it too much. I did like the campus a LOT though…it’s so beautiful. But again, maybe it was the students that I interacted with. It just didn’t click like UT did. I also feel like I have more opportunities at UT in ME, but then again…Rice is smaller, which should mean I should have just as much opportunities there, right?

I just don’t know. Rice is the ideal school, theoretically. But UT is the ideal school, emotionally, meaning I just FELT better at UT.

9

@rasofia When you went to UT, did you go with your friends? You speak of 3 close friends you don’t want to leave. You should remember that they will be changing a lot over the next 4 years. Don’t make any decision based on friendships. I think you should visit Rice again. Houston has much to offer, especially areas near campus. In most college lists, Rice has the happiest students.

10

Rice’s net price of $10,285 would be at the outer limits of your ability to self-fund with federal direct loan, work earnings, and frugal living. UT Austin’s net price of $14,841 would be much more difficult to self-fund.

However, it does appear that there are more low cost cooperative houses in Austin than in Houston, so it may be easier to shave a few thousand off the room and board price used for financial aid calculations at UT Austin, if you are willing to live in the cooperative houses. You may have to find out if there is other reasonable housing near each school that can be significantly cheaper than the room and board prices used for financial aid calculations at each school.

11

Also, don’t overweigh the significance of one-day visits.

And if you can, go on “regular” days again rather than admit days or something like that, which may be more of a production.

Try to find out why a bunch of freshmen who enter engineering switch out at UT.

12

@ucbalumnus
The OP has a fixed scholarship at Rice for all 4 years. She has an older sibling in college, which would affect her FA package at UT. He will graduate in 3 years (presumably) which leaves her as the only student in college her senior year (assuming there are no younger sibs nearing college age). What do you estimate her COA will be at UT for her senior year when her FAFSA is calculated for one in college, rather than two?

13

@ucbalumnus, the UT self-funding part is already covered by loans (not sure what loans).

Marginal dollars at both is FA.

14

It seems like the ~$10k net cost at Rice is the more affordable option. You can take the ~$5500/year federal student loan and raise ~$3k by working summers. Try to cut costs by choosing the cheaper dorms and buying used books.

15

Rice has a residential college system, and students are assigned to them. There shouldn’t be a “cheaper” housing option on campus. All should be the same.

16

@rasofia - Are you going to Owl Days? You will spend most of your time with other accepted students. I have a D who is currently a student and Owl Days really helped her to decide Rice was the right choice

17

@jym626 - I saw in last year’s threads something about having to leave the dorm for one year at Rice. Is that true?

18

Since that amount is greater than the federal direct loan limit, that means that some of the loans are parent loans or parent-cosigned loans – generally not a good idea.

19

@texaspg ,

Unless things have changed, Rice doesn’t guarantee housing on campus for all 4 years. Even with the addition of the new residential colleges, there wasn’t room for all students all 4 years. And unlike many other schools, living on campus is a highly desired thing at Rice. So, IIRC (and this is from memory) aside from some students who are guaranteed housing (officers of the residential college, etc, I think) there is a lottery, with upperclassmen getting priority over lowerclassmen. (Again this is from memory). Some are fortunate to stay all 4 years. My son got “jacked off campus” (yes, that is the term they used) his sophomore year, and found a house he then shared with several friends who chose to live off campus that year with him. So he lived off campus one year (and stayed the summer after sophomore year while doing an internship) before moving back on campus junior year. Some get jacked off campus sophomore year, and some jr year. Depends on the individual residential college policy, I believe.

20

OP, I would visit both again. I would also politely talk to FA, let them know that you are seriously considering their school but that money is a concern and your parents are not in a position to contribute. If money is a concern with visiting I think Rice may help out with that. Did your older brother get more financial aid? Maybe they could match what he got? Clearly Rice wants you, if it is a question of a few thousand they may be willing. I did not fully understand about UT being free for Vals the first year. Will that be you? How does that factor in the numbers? If you really want UT I would ask to speak to an engineering female and an engineering female that dropped out of engineering to get the real story. I would also ask them to match Rice’s offer. You sound like a desireable candidate.

I agree with others about not going to either place because of friends. I have two friends from college that I still speak to, we live in the same metropolitan area and see each other once a year. My closest friend from college and I no longer speak (not intentionally). My closest friend from grad school and I are not even FB friends and live in different states. I have plenty of other close friends who I met through work and my kids.