We all know UT Austin has many good grad programs, but you see it repeatedly trashed as a place for undergrads. Is it really that bad compared to the so called more prestigious smaller colleges and universities? Alternatively, is there some way to compensate for the huge size as an undergraduate education experience?
UT isnt trashed for its undergrad....at least to my knowledge....pretty hard to get into now actually. I am a third year at UT-austin and would say its a good education. It also depends on what your planning on studying?
i've never heard it has a bad reputation for undergrad...i've heard to the contrary. depends on what you want to do, but i've found that universities are what you make of them...i know people who've done quite well studying their butts off in schools that others might look down upon...and those who wasted their time at prestigious schools with nothing to show for it.
compared to other schools in texas maybe.....but for an in state school of its caliber its worth the money
i didnt think the undergrad experience was bad at all you have to find the right profs though...what are you gonna study glynch?
My degree from UT business was good enough to get me a good job coming out of college, but I graduated with a mid 3's gpa. I thought the business courses were easier than many of the AP/IB courses that I took in high school (Bellaire), so I'm not sure that the quality of education was particularly outstanding. I was a lazy ass but still did fairly well. Either I'm a genius, which I'm not, or the courses weren't all that hard. I think your experience will vary quite a bit, depending on your major. I have heard that Plan II is high quality stuff (almost ivy league), for a good price. If I had to do it over again, that's what I would do.
Business major are easy in general, I knew some dumbass who cheat their way through high school and got into UT, and they still can get an average GPA without all the hard works.
I'm a senior in high school this year and plan on attending UT at austin (THANKYOU TOP 10% RULE ) From what I've read and heard, UT Austin not only is a great public college in Texas, it's one of the best public colleges in the U.S. It is a great college, both undergrad and grad, and us Texas residents benefit with the cheaper fees. I hope i get into the McCombs Business School which actually is also one of the top undergrad/grad business programs in the U.S. Hook Em Horns!
Way back when I was considering UT, they had an "honors" track undergraduate program. It was in the core math/physics/chem/bio classes. I went to A&M, they had the same sort of thing, I think they sold me on it more there. UT used to recruit a lot of Nobel Laureates for the sciences. Many of the creators/adminstrators of academic UIL contests teach there, too. If you are likely to be accepted into a elite private school, you are likely to get offered a lot of scholarship money from UT and A&M, at least with my sampling size of one.
Changing economy, outsourcing, lower salary expectations due to international competition - job outlook not so bright for average folks in CS?
I transferred to UT @ Austin from a community college after I got some of the basics out of the way which would transfer as credit. I tried to finish up the rest of the courses required to get into the College of Business. I didn't quite make it with my GPA in the core courses required to gain entry into the College of Business. I was never very strong in Calculus so, when I finished my core courses, I ended up less than a percentage point under the minimum GPA required to get into the College of Business. Bummer. So, I was forced to transfer since there was nothing I could do to get into CoB as a result of my GPA. I then transfered to SFA . I have to say I enjoyed my SFA schooling experience much more. It was less crowded, there wasn't as much work involved, they weren't trying to weed everyone out of everything like at UT @ Austin, and I still learned a lot in my major(Computer Information Systems). I didn't have to study near as much as at UT and I actually enjoyed the overall experience much more. However, I went from Austin to Nacogdoches so I lost a lot of the party scene, etc. etc. etc. . But, that's not all bad. Hell, all you can do in Naconowhere is party, bbq, and go to the lake...lol. I had a lot more time to windsurf, fish, and party as well. Sweet. Anyway, I was able to get a job on my first interview upon graduation. So, what did I actually lose...besides maybe more studying, tougher competition with every Tom, Dick, and Mujibar who was trying to get into the College of Business, and sixth street? The SFA experience was much more personable. I hated the student-teacher ratio at UT and dealing with all those TAs. I still got my degree and my job. I don't feel I'm any worse off for it, either. I've been a productive member of society and the workforce for 8 years now going strong. Does it mean I'm a lesser person cause I didn't graduate from UT @ Austin? I don't think so. The whole UT experience felt more like "Survivor" to me. They put a ton of obstacles in your way which you have to overcome or your voted off. That's what happens when everyone and their mother wants to go to UT. They raise the bar and keep raising the bar until they get their population down. I guess it works, too...lol. Doesn't really answer your original post question. It's more of a debate about how you define "any good"?
Well, it seems that in every job search thread, there are either a bunch of recent UT computer science majors looking for a job, or UT computer science students with that "oh my god, I'm going to have to move back in with my parents" look.
UT is like any other massive, faceless, edu-factory. I graduated from there 1987. However, I'd note that I had some of my best courses at College of the Mainland, skipping my senior year of high school to go directly to community college in the early entry program. The math and science teachers at CoM really taught, labs and tutors were available, resources plentiful. I didn't have to que for the opportunity to sit in an auditorium with 700 others. I'd finish my homework at the library before going home each day. I had some very good classes at UT too. But generally, resources were more restricted. Access more limited. Options narrow. Courses filled. I've know some very good teachers at UH and some very bright students that attend. Shoot, some of my best education has come at trade schools, like Champions School of Real Estate or the Appraisal Institute. Education isn't about the institution, it's about applying yourself, and making the most of your resources.
