UTCS vs. Rice CS

College Search & Selection
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so I have been thinking about this since I got all my decisions back a few weeks ago) and I just cannot decide between rice (CS but potential double major in ECE/math/something else I like) and ut austin (CS + plan II honors).

as stated above, I want to major in CS and hopefully double major in something else bc I am the type to want to do multiple things/get bored of doing a singular thing constantly. variety is nice. cost is not so much a factor bc my parents said they would take care of it, but although I am eternally grateful for that I can’t help but want the best value for their money. I am looking towards my best fit school and where I would get the best education/opportunities/internships for what I want to do (CS/tech). I have visited both schools multiple times but I just can’t decide :frowning:

pros of UT:

  • lots of school spirit/fun football games + stuff to do
  • I LOVE austin and all the potential activities + social life ut offers
  • CS program ranked super high w amazing faculty and research
  • CS higher/concentrated specialized classes
  • plan II provides the liberal arts feel w small class sizes
  • study abroad is a big possibility here
  • lots of student orgs to participate in and there’s always stuff happening on campus so ill never get bored
  • Austin is a growing tech hub so lots of career/internship opps here (but a lot of CS students ive talked to mention that u apply to internships online anyways so location doesn’t rlly matter)
  • cheaper

cons of UT:

  • huge gigantic big student pop (but I’ve heard anyone can make it a smaller school)
  • can be easy to be lost in the crowd
  • Im not sure if I will be a high ranked compsci applicant + it would be much more competitive
  • CS department is oversaturated and impossible to get more specialized classes until junior/senior yr (I have ap credit tho so idk)
  • idk if I will get good housing bc I didn’t submit my housing app until this month

pros of rice:

  • small, tight-knit LAC
  • I could double major in CS/eng/anything else my heart desired + switch majors easily bc there’s lots of flexibility
  • there’s a more intimate environment between students and profs bc of the smaller ratio
  • I love the residential college system, its traditions, beer bike, baker 13, and everything
  • lots of research opportunity for undergrads (altho idk how much this would apply to CS)
  • much more collaborative environment, with a highly motivated student body
  • campus life is much more undergrad focused, w resources like advising much more accessible
  • highly ranked CS + engineering departments (but idk how much weight the rankings have - both uT and rice are amazing in their respective academic programs I want to study)
  • career fairs geared towards CS students + smaller class sizes

cons of rice:

  • can be too small - I don’t want to feel trapped or bored bc sometimes rice can be an island in the huge spread of Houston and idk how much there is to do off campus
  • its hard to navigate the city w/o a car
  • harder to engage in study abroad programs (not sure how true this is for CS/eng majors)
  • oversaturated CS program - larger class sizes (up to 150-200 kids for the core major classes)
  • much more expensive

as you can see, I have thought about this extensively. I feel like I am putting too much weight on ut’s social scene and I also would like to study abroad during college, but its not a make or break factor for me. I think I would fit into UT’s student environment as an extrovert, but I also have always wanted a LAC and rice just appeals to me greatly, especially since I’m not 100% set on what I want to do alongside CS. any help would be appreciated!

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Congratulations - you have two great options. My daughter is a junior EE/CS at Rice. She loves it there but she was not interested in the “big school” college experience, so her decision factors aren’t that applicable to you. That said, Rice and UT are very different and so the main thing for you to decide is which experience you want. The classes you’ll take will be similar, as will the career options, internships, etc. Classes and opportunities will be easier to navigate at Rice, but there will be more breadth/depth at UT simply because it is much larger. UT is a better value simply because it is less expensive and you will end up with similar jobs regardless of which school you attend. Rice will give you a college experience that is shared by those who attend with you and those who have gone before and will come after; that is something that doesn’t really exist at larger schools because not everyone shares in the same experience. It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this (pro/con list) and likely have visited the campuses. I’d say go with your gut and heart - which one feels the most right to you - and don’t look back! Good luck!

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Go with your gut and you’ll be fine.

As for adding another major or minor, it will dilute the depth and breadth of your CS work, making you look less competitive in the job market. I’d broaden at the margins where it is directly applicable to CS math for instance, but not go broader than that.

Congrats on two good choices.