Which college do I pick for Biological Oceanography [UT Austin, Texas A&M, UCSB, and UDubb]?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi all!

I am having a tough time considering which college to go to (but honestly, who isn’t right now). I am a California student from a low income family living in the Bay Area and I have narrowed down my options to UCSB, UT Austin, Texas A&M, and UDubb, and my major is Oceanography with emphasis on biological systems. Below are pros and cons I have for each college.

UT Austin
Pros: Small campus size, great geoscience program, situated in a great place (I love Austin!), very prestigious, relatively small class size for my major, in a good climate, and lots of diversity.
Cons: Very pricey (especially since I’m out of state and they are very stingy with aid)

Texas A&M
Pros: Culture (I love the Aggie culture!), Corps of Cadets (definitely will join if attending), More scholarships and aid available, lots of money spent on research, small class size for my major, in a good climate, connections with multiple organizations, and supportive alumni.
Cons: Definitely not the best program out the four and still relatively pricey despite scholarships/aid.

UCSB
Pros: Great campus located in a great city, great climate, good geosciences program, great community, costs the least, and closer to home.
Cons: I honestly don’t like California compared to Texas and the campus culture at UCSB is pretty dead from my knowledge.

UDubb
Pros: Closer to home than Texas, great geosciences program, heard many great things about UDubb, great community, and located in a fun place
Cons: Bad climate (I hate rain!) and pricey despite more aid/scholarships available

I definitely need to do more research on these colleges, but in the meantime I would really appreciate some feedback! My choices in order of preference right now are Texas A&M, UCSB, UT Austin, and UDubb. Things I am looking for include smaller class size, more opportunities for undergraduate research, a good education, college connections with alumni and outside organizations, rich college culture and school spirit, lower tuition/more aid, good climate, and good location. Please share your thoughts and thanks for your time!

2

How are you planning to pay for those out of state schools?

3

@chiheilao Congrats on having some great options! I can’t speak directly to your major at UCSB, although it’s the #2 ranked reasearch institute and the only option on beach so I’d imagine it’s a good place for oceanography :relaxed:. As an alum, I can tell you that the campus life at UCSB is far from dead. It’s a super lively campus and community, and consistently rated in the top 10 for happiest students. When you visit, make sure to spend time in Isla Vista, the adjoining college town where most students live sophomore through senior year. It’s a super fun and happening little town. I absolutely loved my time at UCSB! Congrats again and best wishes to you!

4

@SC_Anteater Because of my financial situation, I actually qualify for a decent amount of grants/scholarships out of state. In addition, Texas A&M is extremely generous about giving out scholarships, but it of course is still more pricey than an in state college. I plan on working in college to pay for some of the costs and taking out loans to pay the rest.

5

Wait—have you already applied and been accepted to these schools or are you a current high school junior?

6

Looks like UCSB is your only affordable choice.

7

@carachel2 I have already been accepted by these colleges

8

I’m impressed you got scholarships from TAMU. That’s rare—a lot of them do seem to be need based and it seems you have that component. If you got enough from TAMU to make it affordable then go there!

9

What is your total cost for each school - and how much of that total cst would you and your family be paying with loans?

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-awards/compare-aid-calculator

10

Ditto this.

UCSB is very strong in marine biology. It’s hard to justify expensive OOS publics with such an excellent in-state option.

11

Especially an out of state landlocked college like TAMU versus a school close to the ocean.

Finally, are you approved for any additional loans you need to go out of state? Typically freshmen can borrow $5,500. If you need more, you need a cosigner with sufficient income to back up the loan.

12

Of course TAMU is a Sea Grant University.

13

UCSB. Nationally ranked in your major and instate which means for a lower income Californian it’s probably the only one affordable without loans .
And by the way college like there is the opposite of dead. . …

14

Total rainfall per year in College Station is actually higher than Seattle. But the heat is oppressive (especially in a Corps uniform and boots – ugh). I wouldn’t call it a “good climate” but then again, I choose to live in Seattle. It does sound like UCSB is a great option for you, though!