We took advantage of being in Texas to take a tour of U.T. Austin. It’s a large public university, considered a public “Ivy.”
My takeaways:
— For a large public college, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. This is perhaps because of the large acreage of the school that spreads the students out.
— This school feels strong across most majors including sciences and humanities.
— Honors majors and honors dorms are good perks. Apply for these during application process.
— If you are considering multiple majors, apply for most competitive because it’s hard to transfer to most popular ones like computer science.
— Top 6% of ranked students in Texas get automatic admission next year. It was Top 5% last year. Top 7% also get automatic admission into Texas A & M which is also public.
— Top Texas students basically chose Texas A & M if they lean towards conservative politics and UT Austin if liberal.
— Lots of opportunities to study away.
— The government capital is one mile away so this also gives great opportunities to those interested in politics and government.
— The immediate surroundings are mostly chain restaurants and stores like Urban Outfitters. It feels like a larger version of Boston College’s area. There is not the same feel of an urban environment compared to other schools in a city. It feels more suburban.
— There is a distinct campus with a center of campus. It reminds me of UCLA.
We were able to tour a “model” dorm room, considered an average dorm room. If anything, this room is a tad on the smaller side at U.T. Austin. Not all the dorm rooms have a sink in the room though. Refrigerator and microwave are included in the room!
Total enrollment:
- Undergraduate students: 40,168
- Graduate students: 11,163
- Total students: 51,331
- Number of states represented: 50
- Percentage of out-of-state students: 10.6%
- Number of countries represented: 118
- Percentage of international students: 10.1%
Size: 437 acres.
Setting: Urban, but Austin is a smallish city
Cost: Residents of Texas pay an annual total price of $25,134 to attend The University of Texas at Austin on a full time basis. This fee is comprised of $10,092 for tuition, $10,070 room and board, $662 for books and supplies and $0 for other fees.
Ethnicity/Race:
- White: 43.3%
- Hispanic: 20.0%
- Asian: 17.8%
- Foreign: 10.1%
- Black: 3.9%
- 2 or more (excl. Hispanic/Black): 2.6%
- Unknown: 1.3%
- Black (2 or more, excl. Hispanic): 0.7%
- American Indian: 0.2%
- Hawaiian/Pac. Islander: 0.1%
UT Austin is large campus but it didn’t feel overwhelmingly large, even though the students were there. It’s a lovely campus with beautiful modern and traditional buildings and plenty of spaces to hang out.
My daughter and I really liked the campus and the school which surprised both of us. I wasn’t sure that I would like a huge college. I expected to feel overwhelmed. She didn’t expect to like a college in Texas.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award longlist
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Wow, that’s a good deal! Their dorm rooms look a lot like Stanford’s, although Stanford has bigger desks for students.
Hi MaryAnne,
I haven’t seen a Stanford dorm room yet, but it’s nice that they have big desks for the students!