I went to UT Dallas, and I got a full-ride scholarship without even having to apply for it. I had no extracurriculars to speak of, and my grades were good but not the best (I was in the top 10% of my class, but nowhere near the top of that).

IIRC, it was the third-highest scholarship tier they offered at the time (started Fall 2003). Tuition + mandatory fees + a few hundred a month (forgot the exact number) credit for Waterview rent. No stipend, though, that's only in the two highest tiers.

I don't need to make a throwaway account to tell the parent that they probably don't want to live in Texas.

I unfortunately just saw this, but need to tell you: please don't post regional flamebait to HN. It leads to flamewars like this one, which we emphatically don't want here.

We've already had to warn you before about not breaking the site guidelines, and unfortunately it seems like you've been breaking them a lot. That leads to getting banned here, and I don't want to ban you, so would you please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and use the site as intended from now on? The idea here is: if you have a substantive point to make, make it thoughtfully; if you don't, please don't comment until you do.

Geez, what’s wrong with Texas?

Didn't you hear? The US is nothing but barbarian wasteland outside of California.

Apparently, yet masses of people are flocking to the 20th century wasteland Texas from California anyhow.

the hot thing is true but as someone who was born and raised in Texas and spent 28 years there I do think that you're somewhat exaggerating with that other bit

Barbara Jordan’s ghost is spinning in her grave

Hi, I'm a queer woman in Texas. UT Dallas alumna even.

I think a lot of people will find Texas (and many other states, with a few exceptions) to be very American, for lack of a better word.

This globalized world seems to give many an international perspective on things, and it's hard not to want to live in a place with cultural diversity and influences. Places like New York, Seattle, LA and SF feel way more international and diverse, and once you're there, you don't imagine yourself going back to, say, a place like Dallas. Nothing intrinsically wrong with it, but different strokes for different folks. I'd personally feel like I had traveled back to the 20th century if I had to move there.

Dallas is one of the most diverse parts of the US. The sheer amount of different ethnic food I regularly eat here is mind-boggling, and it actually made it very hard to pick a place when I was considering moving a few years ago (I wanted a place that was both just as diverse and just as suburban as Dallas; I ended up deciding I'd pick Vegas in case circumstances drove me to leave), and I've interacted with so many people from so many different countries and cultures.

There was a tweet going around about the recent ALCS to the effect of “The Yankees are losing to Houston because it’s the most diverse food city in the country and New York has 23 chains named Sweetgreens”

NYC is an unbelievably diverse food city though. You can get anything here. So that tweet doesn't really land. I'm not saying Houston isn't good either (haven't been), but NYC is great by that metric.

What a shortsighted, useless comment. I live in Austin, life here is wonderful and predominantly liberal with no income tax and high salaries for a software engineer. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

People are leaving California and NY to live in Texas for a reason.

My girlfriends parents are hyper liberal beach bums from California who moved to Dallas and said they will never move back.

Austin is an exception to the rule. Would you live in any other cities in Texas? I wouldn't. It's so freaking hot, and it's mostly an ugly state to look at.

Not trying to be mean to Texas :) I just like green trees and plants, and sub 100 degree summers! Only my personal preference, I get others preference differs. I don't fault people who enjoy Texas :)

Yes, Dallas and Houston are both pretty decent and diverse cities for tech. Dallas still has some old country money people, but has become much more liberal these past few years as people from out of state are moving there.

I agree austin is an exception, but dallas will be soon as well. I can't count the number of insanely liberal people I know who moved from California to Dallas.

Austin is cool... enjoyed the time I spent there. Anywhere that has a great live music scene I think I can be happy!

Was only in Dallas briefly but I wasn't very impressed. I didn't get a great feeling there.

Never been to Huston, but a friend of mine grew up there and always spoke highly of it. I just have a hard time with super hot climates, I enjoy a more moderate temp :)

I live in Texas and am quite happy here. I don't appreciate your needlessly-disparaging remarks. Why wouldn't I want to live here? Lots of jobs, low taxes.