University of Texas at Austin

Personal statement required (250-650 words), plus four supplements:

1. Required · Please keep your essay between 500-650 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

   Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt or one of your own design.

   UT labels this simply "Essays" then "Prompt" in the Freshman section. UT adds: "The Common App personal essay will complete the UT Austin essay requirement." and "*Students do not need to submit other Common App essays. We’ll only review what is required." It can be submitted with the application or via the Document Upload System in MyStatus.

   Review my draft

2. Required · no more than 40 lines, or about 250-300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph

   Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

   Listed under "Short Answers" > "Required Prompts", item 1 of 2. UT states "Short answer responses must be completed in order to submit your application." Submitted with either the Common App or the ApplyTexas application.

   Review my draft

3. Required · no more than 40 lines, or about 250-300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph

   Think of all the activities — both in and outside of school — that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why?

   Listed under "Short Answers" > "Required Prompts", item 2 of 2. UT appends a parenthetical guidance note immediately after the question, which reads on the page as: "(Guidance for students: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.)" - in the page source the italic tag is mis-closed ("<em>Guidance for student</em>s:"), so the rendered text is as quoted. The dashes around "both in and outside of school" are em dashes in UT's source.

   Review my draft

4. Optional · no more than 40 lines, or about 250-300 words per prompt (College Essay Guy renders it as "Maximum 40 lines, or approximately 250-300 words.")

   Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

   UT labels this "Optional Prompt" under Short Answers.

   Review my draft