<p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>I’m lucky enough to be able to choose between 2 great universities…</p>
<p>Some stuff about me:
- I live an hour from Houston
- I come from an upper-middle class Asian family (my parents have said to not worry about money and don’t make my choice based on it)
- I’m passionate about music
- I’ve been diagnosed with a medical condition just a year ago, and my parents are particularly worried because I haven’t had it for long and its fairly unpredictable.
- Visited both colleges in depth, and really like both, although they are very different
- I’m pretty much set on studying neuroscience/cogsci, and I’m not pre-med. I’m really into the neuroimaging stuff.
- I plan on going to graduate school, so research opportunities are important to me</p>
<p>USC:
Pros (+)
- Received the half-tuition scholarship (about 24k/year for a total of 96k)
- In LA, so many new things to explore!
- Weather is amazing! and good for my health.
- So many famous musicians go to LA to perform, and the chance to go watch them would be ugh, life dream lol
- Trojan family + alumni connection
- I would be able to pursue a double major in Neuroscience and music AND study abroad in London, which gives me amazing opportunities for both…
- Because of my desire to double major in two different things, I could be up to receive the Renaissance Scholars award that will give me $10,000 for grad school
- Brain and Creativity Institute and the new Neuroimaging Center…do undergrads get to use this stuff?</p>
<p>Cons (-)
- Generally not as high ranked as Rice
- Lots of undergrads
- Apparently a cliquey stuck up culture
- Far away from home
- Living expenses (?) would these expenses make it more expensive than Rice? +plane tickets and stuff</p>
<p>Rice:
Pros (+)
- Less undergrads
- Close to home/convenient
- Close to Texas Medical Center and BCM (research)
- Tight knit community
- Less of a stressful environment change (stress triggers lupus flares)</p>
<p>Cons (-)
- More expensive…no scholarship
(55k/year) - Small…too small? I’ve heard residential college system is like high school
- Not much money I can get while being there…it seems as if they give all the money out at time of admission
- Weather can sometimes be oppressively hot, which is baaaaad for me</p>
<p>I know Rice is more “prestigious,” but is it worth the 50k+ difference (over 4 years?) Would I be lacking music opportunities? (I love to perform) How good is Thornton? Are the musicians here comparable to those at Shepherd? (Because if so, then I’m not sure if I could succeed at Thornton anyway). Which school would be better for grad school admission? Would I be less stressed at USC compared to Rice (like the atmosphere)? </p>
<p>Sorry for the terribly long post, and thanks for your input :)</p>