<p>Would a liberal kid from Chicago fit in at all? Do all Texas kids wear cowboy hats, have an accent and eat burritos?? ;-) That's just the image I get when I think of Texas. I basically applied because of its great business program and great sports teams.</p>
<p>Umm, the part about eating burritos is correct.</p>
<p>Yes, a liberal Chicago kid would fit in at UT. Austin itself is liberal (the surrounding suburbs are NOT). The Travis County (Austin) DA is the one who is trying to nail Tom De Lay on campaign finance violations.</p>
<p>Austin is very urban, in addition to being liberal. Few people have an accent, and no one would walk around campus or around the city in a cowboy hat (although jeans are pretty standard). You don't have to eat burritos, although eating chips and salsa (or guacamole) would be pretty hard to avoid. It's a big enough school that almost anyone could find others like themselves.</p>
<p>But about 90% is in-state right? I feel like I probably wouldn't fit in.</p>
<p>Also..just how hot is it?</p>
<p>It's a HUGE school, and there are many, many, subsets of people. You'll find "people" to fit in with. There are some good, hip, cheap housing coops that you can live in also, if you want to meet "liberal" people.</p>
<p>Many of the "in state" students moved into Texas from somewhere else (or their parents did). My husband is from Oak Park and went to UT (a million years ago, but still). You would not have any trouble finding students with a cosmopolitan outlook to match yours. They are easier to find in Austin than rednecks. Why don't you just come visit and see how you like it? You can get pretty cheap flights from Chicago.</p>
<p>"Also..just how hot is it?"</p>
<p>It's very hot by most standards in the summer, which would seem like most of the year for folks from Chicago. It makes up for it by being very mild in the fall, winter and spring, the seasons when most students are in school. </p>
<p>Something to understand is that life in Texas is built around the heat. You have the opportunity to avoid going outside during the worst of it. We dress, particularly in college, in shorts and tees shirts. Most if not all buildings are air conditioned as are our cars and buses. In some areas we have tunnels or connections between buildings similar to what you might find in colder climates except we do it to keep cool. Our summer activities tend toward things that keep you cool, too. In the summer folks go to the lake or river tubing or to water parks (the best one in the world is near by). </p>
<p>Then, too, after a while you get used to it. :D</p>
<p>Say good bye to snow</p>
<br>
<p>"Say good bye to snow"</p>
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<p>Maybe not, JJ. We had 1/4 inch in 1989. My son and I went out at 2 am and scraped enough snow off the deck to make a teeny little snowman who stayed in the freezer until it sublimed. That early experience must be why he wants to go to college in the northeast now.</p>
<p>"Say good bye to snow"
Heh, we're getting about 5 inches as I speak. I do like my snow..it would be strange trading that bitter cold here for the sweltering heat down there.</p>
<p>If you like the cold, when in Austin go swimming at Barton Springs in Zilker Park - you'll get a big chill on the hottest day.</p>
<p>UT has by far a terrific campus...very liberal, very diverse, and can be warm in the summer!</p>
<p>you will fit in.... i know a couple of socialists at UT - ahhhhh stereotypes - most conservatives think that UT is too liberal and go to A&M or something.</p>
<p>we had snow this year! lol but you'll be going home during the summers anyway, so it won't be too bad.</p>
<p>"most conservatives think that UT is too liberal and go to A&M or something."</p>
<p>That's because it's in the People's Republic of Austin. ;)</p>
<p>Thought about this thread earlier. Had burritos for dinner.</p>
<p>usually these things are useless but this one gives you a pretty good idea of what Austin is like: <a href="http://www.blogthings.com/Austin.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.blogthings.com/Austin.html</a></p>
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That's because it's in the People's Republic of Austin.
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</p>
<p>Haha, very nice. I like that, mostly because it's so true. Austin's the best. Even if the rest of my top school applications don't work out, Austin would be a crazy fun place to go to school.</p>
<p>Magnificent list, philntex.</p>
<p>lol... i'm not even applying to any other schools - UT for sure :) my college application process is DONE</p>
<p>Colleges are becoming way to liberal these days. I am applying to UT and I really hoped they weren't liberal.</p>