texas state or ut austin

[amg1322]

both offer great programs. has anyone had to make a decision between the two? what helped you pick one or the other? any advice or thoughts anyone has on the schools/surroundings and all that would really help!

 

[Heimat Historian]

I think it depends on lots of factors. I'm from Texas and went to my undergrad at UT.  I have some questions that may help me give better advice.

 

1.  What program are your interested in?
2.  Will you be working on a MA or a PhD (or a professional degree)?

3.  Have you been accepted by both or are you looking to apply?
4.  If you have been accepted, what type of funding packages are they offering?

 

Please let me help you. 

[amg1322]

I think it depends on lots of factors. I'm from Texas and went to my undergrad at UT.  I have some questions that may help me give better advice.

 

1.  What program are your interested in?

2.  Will you be working on a MA or a PhD (or a professional degree)?

3.  Have you been accepted by both or are you looking to apply?

4.  If you have been accepted, what type of funding packages are they offering?

 

Please let me help you. 

I would love your insight, thank you for helping. I am interested in Masters programs at both. Both are journalism programs. I am applying to both but trying to find out any information any locals or students who have attended have to offer. Would really appreciate anything you have to offer, thank you!

[Heimat Historian]

That's great!  Here are some basic things about the towns and the universities.

 

UT:  Big school (often biggest in the country), relatively inexpensive, well-funded.  Austin is a great town that is growing at an incredible rate.  Traffic is pretty dreadful but the buses are pretty good and they just started running a light rail system a few years back.  You'll have lots of resources there for interactions with professors, library holdings, the legislature, state archives, etc.  It's also the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World."  

 

Texas State: Decent sized school, San Marcos is a very college town.  It's only about 20 minutes from Austin and 40 minutes from San Antonio (where I live now) so it's easy to get to bigger cities.  I can't speak to the funding but it's a land grant school in Texas so it probably has a lot of oil money as well.  Very walkable town with a campus bus system.  Far cheaper to live there than in Austin.  

 

I can't speak to the quality of either journalism school, though if I had to put money it, I'd almost guarantee UT is ranked much higher.  Are you interested only in a master's or would you consider a PhD down the road?  If you want a PhD I suggest applying for it now as you can get funded for it. Hope this helps. 

[1FJG]

 

 

1. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University are flagship universities of the state of Texas. Both were established by the Texas Constitution and hold stakes in the Permanent University Fund.

 

Without much knowledge on the program, I would go to UT Austin for my MS.

[amg1322]

That's great!  Here are some basic things about the towns and the universities.

 

UT:  Big school (often biggest in the country), relatively inexpensive, well-funded.  Austin is a great town that is growing at an incredible rate.  Traffic is pretty dreadful but the buses are pretty good and they just started running a light rail system a few years back.  You'll have lots of resources there for interactions with professors, library holdings, the legislature, state archives, etc.  It's also the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World."  

 

Texas State: Decent sized school, San Marcos is a very college town.  It's only about 20 minutes from Austin and 40 minutes from San Antonio (where I live now) so it's easy to get to bigger cities.  I can't speak to the funding but it's a land grant school in Texas so it probably has a lot of oil money as well.  Very walkable town with a campus bus system.  Far cheaper to live there than in Austin.  

 

I can't speak to the quality of either journalism school, though if I had to put money it, I'd almost guarantee UT is ranked much higher.  Are you interested only in a master's or would you consider a PhD down the road?  If you want a PhD I suggest applying for it now as you can get funded for it. Hope this helps. 

 

Thank you that really did help! In terms of living I will most likely be in Austin. But if accepted to Texas State I don't mind the drive. Thanks for your info though, it was great!