please help me choose a school!!!!-- UT or UTD?

[SOAPsucks222]

I am a transfer student from a 2-year junior college. My goal is to attend Med School and become a doctor.

So I was accepted into The University of Texas at Austin to study BS in Psychology. Later on, I received a letter inviting me into the Honors Humanities program that UT offers. It sounds very interesting though I don't know much about the program. All I know is you create your own major and they claim the program offers scholarships to study abroad and plentiful research opps.

My other option is to stay at my hometown, in Dallas, to attend UTD (UT Dallas). Perks of me staying in Dallas include my job as a Scribe for ScribeAmerica (I work for a Neurology clinic), and UTD is offering me 2$ grand per semester, and I could live at home. (this would be a cheaper option though a lot less fun and maybe less chance for ECs)

What would yall recommend??

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[Skittsie13]

If UT is affordable, then go there, but honestly UTD won't hurt you if you excel. I saw heaps of UTD students on the Texas interview trail this year.

 

[Lucca]

On a personal note, a school would have to give me a lot more than 2 grand a year for me to live with my parents during college. So even if I was in your shoes and picked UTD I would not live at home but everyone's relationship with their parents is different.

Full Disclosure: I go to UT, feel free to PM me if you want more info about going here. I'm a senior, I'm not going to sell you snake oil.

My advice: Go to UT. Being in an honors program here is a very real advantage (I am in one). Not because it's going to impress adcoms, but because of the resources they give their students.

1) dedicated advisors who only advise honors students. Way more helpful than the regular advisers and will sometimes "bend the rules" a bit to accommodate your plans (I have friends who somehow managed to get statistics petitioned as a bio lab, those bastards) and just have more time to actually help you and your peers.
2) opportunities for Scholarship money throughout. Scholarship money at Ut goes to honors students first. It's definitely not fair, but that is honestly the way it is. This will vary by program so ask them if they have dedicated scholarship opportunities for non freshmen.
3) The Humanities program at UT is good. If you actually like the Humanities. They really do just make their own major and you can free yourself from the shackles of required classes beyond the pre-reqs. You will write a thesis so at least 2 faculty will know you much better than their regular students which is convenient for LoRs.
4) Austin >> Dallas in virtually every respect.

Cons:
1) UT is a bigger school than Dallas and finding opportunities is mostly up to you. Being in an Honors program helps with this as the Honors admin and your peers will help you out with this.
2) more expensive
3) UTD allegedly has an excellent pre med advising office. The one here is useless outside of mock interviews imo. If you want premed advising, use your peers or your honors adviser.


I'm biased but I would pick UT. Being an Honors student here honestly spoils you. UT and UT honors are two separate things. I would only turn down Honors at UT in-state for something like Cal and Chicago (not if you're premed) or HYPSM (anyone). If anyone would like to fight me on this or wants more info, feel free to PM.

 

[redferrari]

In your spot, I'd say UT Dallas. I was OOS for Texas, so I was unfamiliar with UT Dallas. However, they were VERY well represented on the interview trail. I met one guy from there who interviewed at all the Texas schools and got accepted to all but one. I think it's safe to say UT Dallas won't hold you back compared to UT Austin. It seems like you have a sweet deal in Dallas, stay there.

Of course, I know absolutely nothing about the UT Austin Honors program... that may play a big role.