What Is The University of Texas at Austin Like? Our Visit and Review

I called a Lyft to pick me up near the popular 6th Street in Austin, Texas. Normally, I would’ve walked, but it was an unusually cold 35-degree day in late January. I was told that it was a beautiful 60-70 degrees and sunny just a week before. Looks like my timing was unlucky, but good to know that Austin can provide some bright days to break up the winter months. In just a short seven-minute drive from the heart of the city (30 if I had walked), I passed the Texas State Capitol building and arrived at UT.

It was easy to notice within the first two minutes on campus that the student body was much more diverse compared to many of the other schools I had seen. The statistics back that up. According to Niche, 37% of the students are White, 26% are Hispanic, and 24% are Asian. And while a vast majority of the students are Texas residents, the student body still has students from all 50 states and over 120 countries represented.

Most of the buildings I saw were maintained throughout the years, but they are not all that modern. Two exceptions to this were the Moody College of Communication and Cockrell School of Engineering. According to the admission counselor, the university’s engineering and business programs were the most competitive to get admitted to. Since UT’s primary goal is to serve Texas residents, it’s very competitive to be admitted to the university at all from out-of-state.

One reason to stay motivated to apply is the school spirit once you’re there. The vibe there is supportive and prideful, from the First-Year Interest Group (FIG), to the study groups in the library by noon on a Monday just weeks into the new semester, to the big-time football game days. I attended a top-15 men’s basketball match-up that night with Baylor University visiting UT at the brand new, ultra impressive Moody Center on campus.

Outside of campus, students can go to famous barbecue spots like Franklin Barbecue (pro tip: go during an off-peak time for a shorter wait) and Terry Black’s (pro tip: mix your cream of corn with Mexican rice). 6th Street is a popular and long street with plenty of food, bars, and businesses. Also, you’ll see that many technology companies have already set up offices in downtown Austin, like Google and Indeed. The city is becoming one of the hottest places for people in their 20s to move to because of the weather, job opportunities, and wide variety of activities available.

Terry Black’s brisket, beef rib, Mexican rice, and cream of corn.

At College Matters, we’ve visited colleges from all over the country (and even some abroad too)! It’s helpful to keep an open mind and take as many in-person and virtual visits as possible to find the right fits for you. We have the expertise to point you in the right directions.

Can ChatGPT write my college essay?

Like many families, we spent a lot of time over the holidays playing around with ChatGPT and, I’ve got to admit, it was pretty interesting! It was able to write a pretty compelling bio when given my resume and did an amazing job with “explain dark matter to a third grader.” When asked to plan a foodie tour of Madison, Connecticut, however. the results were just plain innacurate.

Logically, I wondered, could the tool really write a compelling college essay? After many attempts, I concluded that it could not.

ChatGPT is a powerful language model that can generate text on a wide range of topics. However, when it comes to writing a college essay that showcases a student's personality, ChatGPT falls short. There are a few reasons why this is the case.

First, ChatGPT is a machine learning model that is trained on a large dataset of text. While it can generate text that is grammatically correct and semantically coherent, it lacks the ability to truly understand the context and meaning behind the words it generates. This means that it cannot fully capture the nuances of a student's personality and experiences in the way that a human writer can.

Second, ChatGPT is not capable of original thought or creativity. It can only generate text based on patterns and structures that it has seen in its training data. This means that it cannot come up with unique and creative ideas for a college essay.

Third, ChatGPT may not be able to write on certain topics that you want to express. The model is trained on a wide variety of text, but it may not have seen examples of the specific experiences or perspectives that a student wants to share in their essay.

So while ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating text, it is not well-suited for writing a college essay that showcases what makes a student tick, how they think, or how they see themselves and the world around them. A human writer with the ability to understand context, generate original ideas, and express unique perspectives is a better choice for this task.

Use With Caution: Scattergrams as a Predictor of College Admissions

Updated: January 2023

Students and parents frequently reference their (or their child’s) admissions chances based on the Scattergrams displayed in Naviance, the online counseling tool at their high school.  We always caution that Scattergrams tell a very limited story and that they should be utilized with the following context.   

To the uninitiated, Scattergrams plot the admissions decisions received by previous students who applied from that high school to a particular college or university.  The Scattergram graph uses the X-axis for standardized test scores and the Y-axis for GPA to give prospective students a snapshot of their chances for admission. 

Some key things to keep in mind about the limits of Scattergrams:

•  Often, admission results are self-reported by the student. There are no controls in place for the accuracy of results!

• The data is collected over preceding years and is a very small sample size.  Most colleges are getting more selective each year, so a student that was admitted even a year or two ago might not be admitted in the current or upcoming admissions cycle.

• The two variables used, GPA and test scores, are frequently not the two most important factors considered by colleges.  More schools than ever are now test-optional. Most schools will look closely at academic rigor and like to see it on an upward trajectory over the four years of high school.  Many give important consideration to the essay and extracurriculars.  Colleges have their own enrollment objectives that can change from year to year. Additionally, there’s no way of knowing whether the students included on the Scattergram were recruited athletes, legacies, or had another “hook” desired by the college or university.

• Scattergrams usually don’t reveal whether the student applied Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision, which can significantly affect one’s admission chances.

• The GPA utilized for Scattergrams is usually the student’s final GPA after senior year, not the GPA they used when submitting applications in the fall of senior year.  Many times, their final GPA is lower due to Senior Slide or Senior Slump in the spring.  Therefore, GPAs on the Scattergram may be skewed lower.

It’s important to keep in mind that Scattergrams offer a VERY limited window into the admissions outcomes for the given group of students. The breadth of variables upon which colleges base their decisions is not reflected in this simple diagram.  For colleges or universities that are more numbers-driven, they may be more useful. For highly selective schools and those that read more holistically, Scattergrams are less useful as outcomes are harder to predict based on these two variables.

Use Scattergrams with caution!

I've Been Deferred. What Do I Do Now?

Q:  I was deferred from my early action school. I really thought that I would get in. What should I do now?

A:  For many students, deferral seems like being in limbo – “do they want me or not?” Deferrals, however, can sometimes provide a second chance for those who understand the process. 

When a college informs you that your application has been deferred, they are often saying, in effect, that they’d like more information before they make a final decision. Sometimes, they want to know more about you as an applicant: Are you really interested in attending if you get in? Is your upward grade trajectory going to continue? Will you have additional test scores to consider? On the other hand, sometimes it’s the college that wants to do some more data gathering: What is the regular decision pool going to look like? Will they make their targeted numbers? Do they want to avoid taking too many students early? We’ve even heard of admission offices deferring applicants that they simply couldn’t get to read because of an unusually high number of applications.

Of course, you don’t know which scenario is the reason why you were deferred, so it’s probably best to assume the first. Read the deferral letter carefully and follow the directions that they give you. Some schools ask you not to send any additional letters or documentation. Others ask for updates. If they do, sending improved grades in challenging courses is definitely a plus! Be sure that your senior year grades reflect your hard work, and ask your school counselor to send updated marking period grades to the college as soon as they are ready. You can also ask a senior year teacher to write a letter on your behalf if this teacher can comment positively on your continued growth and achievement.

Next, send updates of significant new achievements that occur during your senior year: perhaps a copy of an article you wrote for your local newspaper or an honor or award you received. 

Finally, review the list of colleges to which you applied. Check to be sure that your list is realistic and that you’ll have choices in the spring… and remember that for every student, there are many schools that offer a perfect fit.

Is It More Competitive to Gain Admission as a Computer Science Major?

Move over biology - computer science is the hot new major!

The numbers are staggering. From 2011 to 2021, The University of Washington’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering saw a 400% increase in interest in studying computer science. At the University of Wisconsin — Madison? 800%!

Naturally, admission rates reflect this popularity. Last year, out-of-state students applying directly to CS at the University of Washington faced a 3% acceptance rate. At Carnegie Mellon, the admit rate to CS was 5%.

Once on campus, it’s still competitive. A recent article in the New York Times, “The Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class,” highlights the issues many computer science majors have getting the classes they need to graduate. “It’s a cutthroat race to register for classes,” one comp sci student shared.

So what should you do if you want to pursue computer science in college?

• Diversify your list. We always tell computer science applicants to ensure that they have plenty of safety schools on their list. And dig deeper into the admission rates for computer science versus the overall admission rate to make sure that your “safety” school isn’t actually a reach.

• Consider alternative majors. Plenty of students land lucrative tech jobs with alternate majors such as Applied and Computational Mathematics, Data Science, or Digital Arts and Media. Others choose to minor in computer science, pairing it with majors such as economics, physics, or engineering.

• Work to develop your “CS Fingerprint.” Successful CS applicants tend to have robust resumes and diverse experiences outside of the classroom. Yes, they can code, but they have already begun to use their skills to make an impact: developing apps for local non-profits, assisting businesses with website maintenance or database development, and participating in hack-a-thons, robotics tournaments, and science fair competitions.

HELP, Typo in my Common App!!

Q: I submitted my Common Application a few weeks ago. When I looked back at it again, I noticed a typo in my activities. What do I do?

A: A college representative was visiting our office a few weeks ago, and we asked the same question of her. "Students need to realize that we are human too! We are far more understanding than they think!"

Mistakes happen all the time! 

So, what should you do if you discover an error in an application that has already been submitted? If it absolutely needs to be corrected, such as an incorrect essay version or a glaring typo, the student should call the school and ask what their policy is for correcting the mistake. Often, the college will have the student email the change to the general admission email -- an admission staff member can then make the adjustment on their end, sometimes even before the file has been reviewed. If the error is more of an oops than egregious, it can be a harder call. Sometimes, it is better just to let it go. Pointing out the error may draw more attention to it, which could be a bad thing.

"I totally get it! These kids are juggling so much," said the rep. "Even calling us the wrong name in a supplement, I'll let go if the rest of the application is strong."

Admission officers review an application in under ten minutes! So take a deep breath and relax! Most of the time, they won’t even notice!

Five Mistakes to Avoid BEFORE Starting Your Résumé

Updated: November, 2022

Submitting a résumé with your college application can be an effective way to share more about yourself with admission officers. There will be a space for you to list your different activities on the main college application, Common App. However, this section only allows students to list ten activities and write 150 characters for each activity. This amount of space will be sufficient for some students and very limiting for others. If you think you’re a part of the latter group, consider putting together a college résumé. Before you begin writing yours, check out our five big mistakes to avoid.

 Make Sure Your Colleges Allow You to Submit a Résumé

Some schools welcome students to submit a résumé, while others prefer applicants submit just the normal activities section on the application. You can check on your schools of interest in two ways. The first is creating a Common App account and adding colleges onto the application. Once you add the schools, you can click on each of them on the left-hand side, click Questions, and look to see if there’s a space that says, “If you wish to submit your résumé, you may upload it here.” There’s usually an “Upload” button underneath it.

The second way would be to look up all your colleges’ admission websites and see if they list a résumé as one of the application requirements or if you are able to upload one to your applicant portal after submission of your application.

 Think Twice Before Listing Pre-High School Activities

We get this question a lot: “What if I played piano until 8th grade?”

A general rule of thumb is to list activities and accomplishments starting from your freshman year of high school. Admission officers are more curious about what you’ve done recently rather than what you were interested in a long time ago. One exception to this rule could be listing activities that you started pre-high school and continue to do now. By including these, you can show you’ve made a deep commitment to an activity as opposed to a passive commitment. Another exception is if you had an outstanding accomplishment pre-high school. For example, if you won a state or national competition in piano in 8th grade or starred in a popular sitcom, you could consider listing it.

At the end of the day, you should be more focused on what you’re doing now rather than relying on past activities.

 List Everything First and Cut Later

Students sometimes feel like some of their extracurriculars aren’t good enough to put on their résumé. While this might end up being true, we highly encourage students to list everything first and then decide later. Take some time to think more deeply about your activities. You might find that certain ones that you originally questioned are actually a great reflection of who you are. You won’t know until you mull it over for a bit, and if you never list the activity, you might end up forgetting about it later. Give things a chance and give yourself credit for the great things you’ve done.

Don’t Go Without a Plan

You’ve listed your activities. Now what? Do you just plop them onto the résumé? Before doing so, come up with a plan. What are the qualities you want admission officers to take away from reading your résumé? Do you want them to know you have extensive experience in the communications field? Do you want to highlight your strength in coding? Consider different skills or qualities that are important to you and use them as categories to group your activities together on your résumé.

In a Résumé, Looks Matter

If you look up examples of poorly formatted résumés versus well-formatted résumés, you’ll quickly get the idea of what we mean here. You could have wonderful accomplishments, but if you present them in an unprofessional-looking way, your readers may not give those accomplishments the credit they’re due.

Some of the keys to a nice résumé format include proper grammar and spelling, consistent use of fonts (including size, bold, italics, etc.), consistent punctuation, and proper spacing. Thankfully, there are many free templates available on Google Docs, Word, and other sites. There is no one right way to arrange a résumé. Sometimes people will even get a little creative with theirs. Before you get any ideas, make sure yours looks clean and easy to read.

Summer School REQUIRED for Florida Public Colleges

Florida State Colleges and Universities:  Summer Term Requirement for Undergraduate Students

While visiting Florida universities and colleges, we learned an important piece of information to consider if you are applying to schools in the state system.  According to Florida State regulations, “All students entering a university in the State University System with fewer than 60 semester hours credit shall be required to earn at least nine semester hours prior to graduation by attendance at one or more summer sessions. University presidents or their designees may waive the application of this regulation in cases of unusual hardship to the individual.”  Therefore, if you attend a state college or university in Florida, plan on spending one summer on campus to fulfill this requirement!

Recommended Legal Documents to Consider Before Sending Your Teen to College

After paying bills for tuition, room, board, and other college costs, it may come as a shock that the college your child attends will not provide you with their grades.  Officially, your 18-year-old is an adult, so, legally, you will have to seek their permission to make healthcare and financial decisions for them, along with asking them to provide you with updates on how they are doing in their classes!

 This information has some critical implications.  For example, if your student sustains a serious injury or illness, you will need written permission from your teen to discuss and make healthcare choices for their treatment with the healthcare professionals treating them.  Therefore, it’s an excellent idea to get a Health Care Proxy (also called a medical power of attorney) signed by your college-bound student before they leave for college so you can make medical decisions on their behalf in emergency situations.  Since each state has different requirements, it’s important that the document aligns with the state laws where it may be used. 

You can also get a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) authorization (also called a HIPAA release) signed by your teen so that healthcare providers can give you information about your teen’s general healthcare.

Lastly, you may want to get a Durable Power of Attorney that will allow you to make financial decisions on their behalf. 

Here is a link to an excellent article with online resources for these forms: GrownandFlown: The Legal Documents You Need When Your Child Turns 18

Thinking ahead and being prepared is prudent; these documents will give you peace of mind as you send your 18-year-old off to college.