Are ya tryin' to pick a fight, today, Professor?
My older son has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in Systems Engineering from Southern Methodist University. Harvard wanted him. Washington University in St. Louis and Colorado School of Mines offered substantial scholarships. However, Harvard doesn't have an engineering program worth crap, and the engineering program at the University of Texas was ranked much higher than the other two (UT's program was ranked #5 in the nation when he entered).
Professor Monkey-Flinging-His-Own-Poo is correct in his assessment of the City of Austin - it is the Berkeley of Texas - HOWEVER, what might be true of the hippie-counter-culture that runs Austin is not a valid assessment of a large segment of the student body. My son was in a fraternity ... which tend to be comprised of hellions who are far, far more Conservative in their political outlook ... and his fraternity brothers and a large bloc of the students (especially students in the engineering, hard sciences, and business programs) are hardcore Conservatives who delight in rebelling against the hippie establishment of Austin, in general.
Now, as for Aggie-land ... yes, they have great, highly ranked programs ... especially in engineering, the hard sciences, and business, just like UT ... but, your kid does get one added bonus at A&M that he won't get at UT ... after he graduates, he will go through the rest of his life being, at least, a little "short-bus special," if ya know what I mean. Aggies are our brother Texans ... and we love 'em ... but, we always have to watch out for 'em ... 'cuz you never know when they're gonna step in front of a speeding bus, stick their finger into an electrical outlet, or some other such nonsense. And for goodness' sake ... if you ever hear one say, "WATCH THIS!" ... grab 'em quick ... something dangerously goofy is about to happen if you don't.
The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. ~ D.H. Lawrence
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