<p>I know I might get biased answers here in TAMU's section, but I need honest answers. I visited UT Austin last summer, and really liked everything about it, from the large campus, laid-back feeling of the campus, and overall friendliness of the people. I want to keep my options open, however, and I know TAMU is also a great school. However, people have been telling me that if I liked UT Austin, I would probably dislike A&M due to the fact that they are polar opposites. Unfortunately, I don't have time for a campus visit to College Station to see if that assumption is true or not (my summer is PACKED and I'll already be a senior come fall), so I'm asking for honest answers here...what makes the two schools so different?</p>
<p>you really need to visit the campus to know for yourself.
College Station isn't Austin.<br>
I wouldnt call it polar opposites, they are different.
A&M is probably one of the friendliest campus ever. The Campus is not mixed in with the city, and it is huge. Huge. Traditions rule at A&M and that is part of its charm and what makes it great. Traditions are what I remember and cherish - and I graduated 30 years ago. At A&M you are never an ex-Aggie, once an Aggie always an Aggie, you are just a former student.<br>
If I were you, I'd apply to both. You should make time to visit during your Sr year so you can make your decision.
Like the old saying goes about the spirit of Aggieland: From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.
In my opinion - there is no place like Aggieland.
Videos</a> of Aggieland and Texas A&M</p>
<p>You visited during summer. That will affect the friendliness and layed back feelings that you felt since most of the student body had probably been gone for a month or more by the the time you visited. </p>
<p>You need to do a campus visit while school is in session. Your high school probably has college days alloted for senior students to go visit campuses. Do this for both schools then re-evaluate. Visiting during the summer just isn't the same. Although if you are dead set on going to a big city school then College Station will not be for you and there is no reason to pursue it.</p>
<p>go to UT instead. trust me, it's better</p>
<p>Why should he trust you 123abc456?</p>
<p>Reading your initial post of the reasons that you liked UT last summer, I would have thought you were talking about TAMU. Large campus, laid back feeling, and particularly the overall friendliness of the people. Those exact things are usually used to describe TAMU, not UT. You didn't mention where you go to HS. Are you coming from a large city, small town, in state, out of state, etc.? What type of college experience are you after? Greek life? What sort of major? Each school has different things to offer. Strengths and weaknesses in terms of programs offered. TAMU is in a small, college town, where Austin definitely has a more metropolitan feel (but it's certainly not like Dallas or Houston.) The only things to do for the most part in CS have to do with the university, unlike Austin. It IS all about tradition, school spirit, etc., as others have posted. It is NOT a beautiful campus, (lots of brown buildings), but the feeling IS indescribable. If "The Drag" is your type of place, then you probably belong in Austin, not CS. You do need to visit the campus, preferably during the fall, not summer. Summer is definitely more laid back on any college campus, as enrollment is down, by quite a lot in places like TAMU or UT. If you can only visit during the summer, then at least do that.</p>
<p>Looking from his/her past posts/threads, it seems like he (or she) will be doing pre-pharm/med. Austin would provide more opportunities for whatever field of medicine you're looking for (besides vet). But you should probably try to visit A&M before you make your decision. Both campuses are different in very different cities.</p>
<p>because UT's a better school</p>
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</p>
<p>Am I allowed to say "moron" on this site? Seriously, it depends on the person and the intended field of study. UT isn't as "better" as some people like to pretend.</p>
<p>If you have seen 123abc456's previous post/threads you don't need to waste time calling he/she a moron, heh.</p>
<p>Double post</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback...but going back to what Xcellerator said about UT providing more opportunities in the medical field, I've heard from several people in Texas (yes, I am in-state) that A&M has a 7-yr medical program that combines undergrad and graduate studies in a shorter amount of time (7 years). I've searched A&M's website and all over the internet trying to find something about that "program", yet I can't find anything on it! Have I been misinformed, or has that program been discontinued or what?</p>
<p>A&M has never had an accelerated medical program (BS/MD or BA/MD). They're extremely tough to get into anyways (you need Ivy level stats). Texas Tech has one TTUHSC</a> :: School of Medicine : Admissions : UMSI. Baylor also has one, but they only take like four students Baylor</a> University || Baylor Prehealth Professions || Guaranteed Medical Admissions.</p>
<p>A&M does have MD/MPA, MD/MBA, & MD/PHD programs though.</p>
<p>So if I finish undergrad studies (aka pre-med) and then apply to A&M, would that be advantageous since they have the MD/PhD program? And that Baylor program is WAY too selective. Only 4 kids!?!? Is that why the school is well-known in Texas for its medical program?</p>
<p>Not really. A lot of medical schools have those types of programs. Anyone can apply. BCM is known for its affiliation with hospitals and research. Just make sure you get a decent GPA & MCAT with some EC's and you'll most likely have an interview somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p>So going back to your main point, UT Austin would be a better school (than A&M) for me if I'm interested in the medical career, right?</p>
<p>Correct. The only thing at A&M that I would prefer over UT is the grading system. I LOVE the A=4, B=3, C=2, etc. system. It's a little easier to get a good GPA at A&M now more than UT (since they changed to a new grading scale). A 90 or above gives you an A, while it'll only give you an A- (3.66) at UT. You need like a >93 for an A at UT. But that's about it.</p>
<p>@ boneh3ad & bhthx1</p>
<p>why don't you guys take a look at this link:</p>
<p>National</a> Universities Rankings - Best Colleges - Education - US News and World Report</p>
<p>UT is ranked 47th in the nation, while A&M is 61st. i'm pretty sure that makes UT better than A&M, right? and plus, these rankings are from U.S. News, so they're pretty legit. who's the moron now?</p>
<p>yes you moron - there is negligible difference between these two tier 1 schools...<br>
some areas of A&M are better - some areas of UT are better</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I never said TAMU was a better overall university. UT is a great school. I said, and I quote:
</p>
<p>Besides that fact, U.S. News is an inherently imperfect ranking system, as are pretty much all ranking systems. They are very good at putting schools into the rough area they belong in, but beyond that, they aren't nearly as useful as many people treat them.</p>
<p>The USNWR rankings are no better than the BCS rankings for NCAA football or AFI's rankings of the 100 best movies of all time... they are based on a set of subjective criteria created by potentially biased people. For example, US News ranks CalTech as the second best undergraduate aerospace engineering department in the country. CalTech doesn't even have an undergraduate aerospace engineering department.</p>
<p>The rankings are a wonderful tool, but they are far from the end-all be-all of college quality.</p>