Rice University vs UCLA

[200994]

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Hello! I got in to Rice University undergraduate (biological sciences and premed) as well as UCLA (undeclared) and am aiming to go to med school.
Since I am a CA resident, I believe I am rather familiar with UCLA, and would really love to learn more about Rice, especially from any Rice alumni's perspective. For example, how was your experience at Rice? How do you feel the school has helped you develop? Were the research opportunities, if any, enriching? What was the social life like? Did you ever find time for yourself? If you were an undergrad at Rice, how has the school helped you with graduate school? Do you have any words of advice for any undergraduate students of your university?

I would love any words from UCLA alumni as well! I recognize that the difference between the two universities, especially in terms of tuition, are quite substantial so ANY RELEVANT FEEDBACK IS WELCOME. Thank you so much! 🙂

 

[sinombre]

Hello! I got in to Rice University undergraduate (biological sciences and premed) as well as UCLA (undeclared) and am aiming to go to med school.
Since I am a CA resident, I believe I am rather familiar with UCLA, and would really love to learn more about Rice, especially from any Rice alumni's perspective. For example, how was your experience at Rice? How do you feel the school has helped you develop? Were the research opportunities, if any, enriching? What was the social life like? Did you ever find time for yourself? If you were an undergrad at Rice, how has the school helped you with graduate school? Do you have any words of advice for any undergraduate students of your university?

I would love any words from UCLA alumni as well! I recognize that the difference between the two universities, especially in terms of tuition, are quite substantial so ANY RELEVANT FEEDBACK IS WELCOME. Thank you so much! 🙂

This really is the most important point. Unless Rice offered you a giant scholarship, choose UCLA.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Unless you can find someone who went to both places (unlikely) you're going to need to just make a decision with the information already available to you. As said, going to Rice to end up with an extra $100k in undergraduate debt is...a bad idea. Either place will get you into MD programs if you do the work.

 

[Euxox]

If this were something like Columbia or U Penn vs. UCLA, I could see why you would be willing to put down the extra money. But Rice vs. UCLA? Rice is a great school, but it is not all that different from UCLA academics and prestige wise. The main differences are in school size and location, and I don't think either of those are worth tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[sector9]

Moving thread to hSDN

 

[Arijos0222]

UCLA.

I would go to rice but seeing as you're a CA resident the choice is kind of obvious.

 

[anguisette]

What is the price difference and have you gotten financial aid estimates yet? Private schools tend to be more generous and you may end up with a better deal going private instead of your in-state public one (that was true for me). I think regional diversity in your life is just a good experience in general. It might even help you establish residency in Texas. I don't know the rules, but if you become a Texas resident, that goes a long way with medical school options in the future too.

 

[Hillo]

What is the price difference and have you gotten financial aid estimates yet? Private schools tend to be more generous and you may end up with a better deal going private instead of your in-state public one (that was true for me). I think regional diversity in your life is just a good experience in general. It might even help you establish residency in Texas. I don't know the rules, but if you become a Texas resident, that goes a long way with medical school options in the future too.

Since Rice is private, it doesn't indicate you as in-state or out-of-state (the reason why I didn't apply).
If a Texas college does indicate you as in-state, then filling out the Residency Questionaire for TMDSAS will be as easy as pie.

 

[200994]

Thanks so much to all who replied! I'm fortunate enough to say right now $ isn't too much of a concern for me due to scholarships and outside sources. My main concern is the opportunities available for the two schools as well as the atmosphere. I should make clear that my statement of "the difference between the two universities, especially in terms of tuition, are quite substantial" is that what qualities, ie research, competition, social life, would compensate the gap. Basically, would the extra $ spent on Rice be worth it? Or should I just give up the benefits of attending a smaller, private university? What would be best in the long run? 🙂 Thanks