If you go to UT, it sounds like you’ll stick with your current friend group. At Rice, you’d need to make new friends. I know that sounds scary or like something you don’t want to do again, but the smaller campus, smaller classes, residential college system will help with that process. Plus most people at Rice won’t arrive with their friend group in tow, so they will all be looking to make new friends. As far as the sorting hat placing you in Lovett, you used to be able to request one college that you NOT be assigned to – you might ask in the Rice forum if this is still the case.
Rice sounds like the smart choice financially. Don’t let your anxiety over being farther from home keep you from considering the advantages of graduating without loans.
With so many students at UT, it’s quite possible you could go DAYS without even seeing your friends. In addition, you’ll grow and make new friends whether you go to UT or Rice.
It won’t be like going from your small middle school to a big high school, because in high school some students already know each other and you have to break into the groups. At Rice, everybody will start from scratch. People won’t know each other, many students will come from far away, and you’ll all be together on the same boat. Well, in the same dorms and residential colleges.
In addition, you can always attend UT for graduate school, but that financial aid package to Rice is once-in-a-lifetime.
Go back to Rice, spend a day there, try to imagine yourself there.
Congratulations - you have great choices! Take a second and give yourself a pat on the back - you are smart and wanted by top schools.
As I read your initial post, it seems like you placed yourself mentally at UT before the money came in for Rice. I would try to give that fact some self reflection as you think about your decision and take some time. Two great schools. The money is real issue, but if you work hard and succeed as in engineering major, the dollars you mention in your post should not lead to the life long debt many US students face.
Like other posters, it seems to me that Rice is a more unique opportunity. I also can’t help thinking that Rice’s motto, unconventional wisdom is somewhat ironic given your leanings. Good luck. Make sure you enjoy your college admissions win.
@jym626 This totally slipped my mind, but I have a sister who is a sophomore in high school, which means she will be a Freshman in college when I’m a senior. That way, all my four years at college, there will be another sibling of mine in college. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that, but…looks like being the middle child has it’s advantages.
@SeekingPam That’s a great idea about speaking to Engineering females. I spoke to a few already at the reception I attended at UT of “women in engineering” where they talked about their experiences and all that. I’m not sure how I could find an engineering female who dropped out though…that would be even better since I myself am not 100% sure about engineering, and well, I want to know what engineering is really like (from the point of view of someone who dropped out).
Thank you to all of you above! I am really taking all your input and advice into consideration. This is a really tough decision, especially because I was already set on UT 100 %. Now that I get this financial aid from Rice, I have to re-think the entire thing, which is stressful to say the least.
Will your parents be able to pay anything for the third child going to college? You indicated that funds are limited. How many children are there to go through college? When families with limited funds have several children to educate, the best FA package is usually the one to pick.
$14,841 exceeds the $5,500 federal direct loan limit, so that means that $9,341 would have to be parent loans or parent-cosigned loans (or a somewhat lesser amount if the student could contribute some work earnings).
after 4 years at UT, you will have to repay about $60,000 in loans. Deduct the one-year Val tuition scholarship, which would be what, $10K?
that leaves roughly $50K out of pocket after 4 years, give or take a couple thousand, right?
now the total 4-year out-of-pocket for Rice looks like about $40K.
so four years at UT will cost you about $10K more.
both UT and Rice have highly respected Engineering programs.
Rice is considered a top-20 school, while UT is one of the very top publics / flagships.
is being around your friends and closer to your family worth shelling out $10K extra dollars? it will be enough of a hassle paying off the $40K, and I think in the long run you will be happier paying off your college costs sooner.
i think you are taking a really emotional approach to this and letting your heart do the thinking. to me the rational decision would be Rice. I think you are getting nervous thinking about being away from your social support network, and this is really clouding your decision, but expanding your horizons is part of the college experience.
i don’t see why you wouldn’t make new friends at Rice. it consistently ranks extremely high in Happiest Students lists.
but if you don’t mind burdening yourself with $10K extra debt, then Go Longhorns.
@jym626 She’s the last one going to college. She’s working hard to get as many scholarships as she can for at least her first year at college. She knows, from observing us (her older siblings), that she will NEED scholarships and should start working on them now.
I don’t see issue with the OP wanting to attend Texas over Rice. Both are excellent schools, and while many people with no attachment to either school would choose Rise, UT-Austin is a perfectly good school.
Another thing to consider is Rice meets 100% need and UT does not. My point is those grants at UT could drop off. Right? They aren’t merit scholarships. I would be nervous about that.
This says Rice meets 77% need for freshman’s and then it drops to 67% for upperclassmen.
My vote is Rice because they meet 100% vs 67% need which is a big difference. They are also cheaper and it will still be hard to get loans. 40k of loans for Rice is a lot and much lower than UT will be.
Well, in the same dorms and residential colleges. 