What are some of the best colleges in Texas?

[markslave]

I'm looking for an online or print reference concerning some top ranked universities in Texas, preferrably those with distinguished business departments. Does anyone know of any good links or texts I could look into?

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[StaceLynn7]

McCombs School of Business (UT Austin) is ranked in the top 20 in the nation for MBA programs.

Texas A&M's MBA program is ranked in the top 50, I think.

Don't know if that's what you're looking for, but hope it helps.

 

[Ricegrad05]

I'll put in a plug for Rice. Top twenty undergrad with a good MBA program too (Jones School).

 

[flip26]

Rice is #1, then maybe UT. TAMU is a fine school, too, but a full notch below UT (sorry, Aggies, it's true).

Plenty of OK to fine colleges in Texas, but Rice is in the elite ranks of national colleges.

Also lots of expensive (relatively so) private colleges in Texas with well known names but not particularly worth it if you are seeking academic prestige: Baylor, TCU, and one full notch lower, SMU.

All of these colleges will provide you with a good enough education plus a decent recognition factor with med schools...

If you are interested in solid, smaller liberal arts schools, Trinity University in San Antonio is a hidden gem...St. Edward's in Austin is also a lesser known but very fine school, but a full notch below Trinity...

 

[jlittlej]

Flip seems to have introduced an innovative "notch" system. For undergrad programs, it may not say much about the actual educational experience, but big companies are fickle things that are persuaded by superficial things like the Business Week rankings:
http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/06rankings/

9. UT-Austin
20. SMU (it ain't below Baylor and TCU, Flip)
33. TCU
34. A&M
38. Baylor

It may be hard to place outside of the region from any place outside UT. SMU may be a fairly ridiculous place where people still dress like Regan's office, but it - and TCU - has the most friendly attractive-girl-to-attractive-guy ratios of pretty much anywhere on the planet.

Edit: Those were the 2006 rankings. The 2008 rankings are similar. I think any shifts are pretty much nonsense. But the good companies pay attention to such nonsense:
http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/

 

[flip26]

Flip seems to have introduced an innovative "notch" system. For undergrad programs, it may not say much about the actual educational experience, but big companies are fickle things that are persuaded by superficial things like the Business Week rankings:
http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/06rankings/

9. UT-Austin
20. SMU (it ain't below Baylor and TCU, Flip)
33. TCU
34. A&M
38. Baylor

It may be hard to place outside of the region from any place outside UT. SMU may be a fairly ridiculous place where people still dress like Regan's office, but it - and TCU - has the most friendly attractive-girl-to-attractive-guy ratios of pretty much anywhere on the planet.

Edit: Those were the 2006 rankings. The 2008 rankings are similar. I think any shifts are pretty much nonsense. But the good companies pay attention to such nonsense:
http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/

These "rankings" are of undergrad business programs, not of the whole school.

SMU is not generally highly regarded outside of Texas, notwithstanding this ranking of one slice of the UG...all else being equal, if I was a pre-med or whatever with aspirations of going to med/grad school outside of Texas, I would pick TCU or Baylor over SMU, all else being equal (cost, etc)...but I would definitely pick Rice #1, with UT not too far behind...

FWIW: I just looked at the online USNEWs college rankings, and this is what I see for top ranked national universities:

17 Rice
44 UT
62 TAMU
75 Baylor
108 TCU

and I did NOT see (but could have missed) SMU on this list...now I think for the most part rankings are bull****, but my opinions track with these rankings...

BTW - I had never before looked at these rankings for these schools - I have been out of college a pretty long time, and even pre-college, I did not put much stock in these rankings...my opinions were based solely on my experiences and anecdotes from friends, etc...

 

[jlittlej]

Flip,

I agree with your feelings on the rankings, but SMU is at #67 on that list:
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1natudoc_brief.php

I agree that Rice and UT-Austin are undoubtedly more challenging schools. SMU is easily in the same group as TCU and Baylor and likely at the top of that bunch in pretty much any category. (Though I think they're all mediocre universities.) As an also older student who's also been and lived around, people in other states or regions are generally gonna base their opinions of these three on very vague reputations, sports program memories, and the odd alumnus they know from the university. None of these schools stands out.

As far as where is the best school to get ready for med school, Rice or UT-Austin would likely be better prep for the rigors and competition. But the grade inflation practiced at SMU or TCU makes them pretty friendly places for an aspiring doctor. (Trust me. I've token post-bac classes both places.)

 

[flip26]

Flip,

I agree with your feelings on the rankings, but SMU is at #67 on that list:
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1natudoc_brief.php

I agree that Rice and UT-Austin are undoubtedly more challenging schools. SMU is easily in the same group as TCU and Baylor and likely at the top of that bunch in pretty much any category. (Though I think they're all mediocre universities.) As an also older student who's also been and lived around, people in other states or regions are generally gonna base their opinions of these three on very vague reputations, sports program memories, and the odd alumnus they know from the university. None of these schools stands out.

As far as where is the best school to get ready for med school, Rice or UT-Austin would likely be better prep for the rigors and competition. But the grade inflation practiced at SMU or TCU makes them pretty friendly places for an aspiring doctor. (Trust me. I've token post-bac classes both places.)

Thanks for the correction - I missed it.

Within Texas, all of those schools are well known. But outside of Texas, the recognition / regard factor drops off quite a bit once you get past Rice and UT...you make a good point about grading, though. It all depends on what the OP meant by "best" schools in Texas. TCU and SMU are big party schools; Baylor less so...I know people at all 3 who have higher GPAs than I think they would have had at either Rice or UT...not leaving TAMU out of the discussion for any reason except the following: you are either "into" attending TAMU or you are not - I would not randomly pick TAMU for college based on any rankings, only on a strong personal connection or desire to be an Aggie...