You’ll get the opportunity to learn from the most distinguished faculty on campus on a variety of topics that can provide a historical perspective with a contemporary application from subjects in healthcare, democracy, art, philosophy, leadership, ethics, biology, and the list goes on. Here is the chance to study something new, something different, topics you’ve heard of, but don’t know much about. Some examples of these Signature Courses include:

Really Bad Bugs: Historical and Emerging Infectious Disease Case Studies
This course will address selected historically important infectious disease in terms of their impact on human history, including social structure, government, and religion.

Spies, Espionage, and Treason
The topics are espionage and treason throughout history, focusing especially on the 20th century. You will read books, articles in the daily press and long essays, watch documentaries and movies, and talk about real-life versus fictional espionage.

Indigenous Music and Dance of the Americas: Performance, Power, and Social Transformation
This seminar course is designed to help students understand the central role that music and dance have played in imagining, projecting, and redefining indigenous identities throughout the Americas, in the period since the European invasions of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Offensive Art
What motivates so many artists to offend their audience and patrons? What does it mean for a work of art to be “offensive”? Can offensive art be good? Should public funds be allowed for offensive art? The course will take a case-study approach to answer these and other questions. Unavoidably, the course will consider images, objects, texts, plays, music, and movies with offensive content that may challenge the religious, political, sexual, or ethical sensibilities of students.

Enjoy this special opportunity to study subjects in fields different from your major or in areas of study you’re thinking about majoring in. These courses will introduce new ideas and different perspectives, challenging you to learn more about yourself at the same time.

To find out  more about the Signature Courses and to see other class topics, visit the Signature Courses page.

Patty Prado is an Admissions Counselor and Volunteer Coordinator for the student volunteer program, SHARE (Students Helping Admissions’ Efforts). She has worked on the UT Austin campus for almost nine years, including her time as an undergraduate. She advises out-of-state applicants and also works with athletic recruitment efforts. Find out more about Patty by reading her counselor profile.

Before you get frustrated and annoyed, I suggest asking yourself some big questions. Do some soul searching to help you find your path to the right university, possibly the right major (it’s okay to change your mind!) and the right city to live in while you’re a college student.

Focus on what’s important to you.

• Are you looking for a public school or a private school?
• What about setting – do you like the urban feel or something more rural or not as fast paced?
• The actual city or town a university is located in is important as well. Does this city embrace the university community? Will you have recreational, cultural, and employment opportunities there? Here are some quick facts about Austin in case you’re not familiar with us!
• Size of school – are you ready to surround yourself with a lot of people, or would you prefer a smaller population of students?

These factors will play a huge role in your daily life at a university and the possibilities and options available for you.

When it comes to deciding what to study in college, start with what you like. What subjects do you enjoy studying and reading about right now? There is definitely a way to continue that exploring and excitement at a university and discover new fields of interest too. If you’ve ever asked the question, “What can I do with a major in….?” then visit the What Can I Do with a Major In… page (provided by UT Austin’s Career Exploration Center.

No matter how you answer these big questions, you can use your answers to help guide yourself in life at a university and beyond. Stay true to yourself!

Patty Prado is an Admissions Counselor and Volunteer Coordinator for the student volunteer program, SHARE (Students Helping Admissions’ Efforts). She has worked on the UT Austin campus for almost nine years, including her time as an undergraduate. She advises out-of-state applicants and also works with athletic recruitment efforts. Find out more about Patty by reading her counselor profile.

I was contemplating the statue of Jefferson Davis that has been on our South mall for decades. This statue has always stirred conflicting emotions in me as well as in our students. But this time I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, and my eyes were drawn to things I had not seen before. Many initials and small declarations have been scratched into the base of the statue over time by students or possibly by campus visitors. I began to wonder where these pioneer “taggers” are today and what inspired them to leave their mark behind.  

Many of the marks left on the statue are of the “L + E” or “A (heart) G” variety. The marks lead me to reflect on the human desire in all of us to simply matter to someone and to let the world know that we have made that cosmic connection to another human being..  …”see, I connected with someone…I mattered…I am a person who someone will remember.” Others were just first names scratched into the cement. A few stayed with it long enough to scratch their complete names and others added artistic swirls or underlines. The desire to “make a mark” that will remain past our physical presence is a common trait we share as travelers. How many scarred school desks have we sat in during our lives? In fact, I left my initials on a few. 

The desire to be remembered for something is evidently an overwhelming human emotion that becomes more finely honed as we age. It is no longer about “tagging” with elaborate initials…it morphs into a desire to leave something more substantial more obvious and bigger….much bigger. It is no longer about leaving something that simply represents us. It is about wanting to have had an influence on others. It is about having moved at least one other person to live differently because of our presence in their life. Evidently, that’s the ultimate mark that we seek to leave as travelers. It is coded within human society everywhere. A person’s impact on others is a noble and legitimate way to measure the size of the mark they leave behind. These are the things of which legends are made. This is how one makes it into history books or at least into the collective memory of a group.

But, back to my leaving as Director of Admissions at UT Austin and the mark I wish to leave. I have been privileged to work in a profession where I could make a difference in the lives of young people. A “yes” from me could open a new path for entire families. Higher education is the escape hatch from the endless cycle of poverty and hopelessness that have imprisoned families for generations. Most of the thousands who received a “yes” from me never recognized the crossing of our stars, but some did. I got to know many young men and women who recognized the opportunity they were being given and who wanted me to know how my decision changed their life. Their success is the mark I want to leave.

I had opportunity in a recent walk about to observe students getting their first UT picture ID card. Some seemed bummed by the way the picture came out; others giggled when they saw themselves and stuck their card in the faces of their friends who shared the giggle. These were just ordinary reactions of young people who were unsure of themselves as they started this new adventure. But then, I saw a mother pushing her son’s wheelchair through the ID line. He grinned into the camera, the picture was taken and the card delivered. She moved his chair to the side of the line, took the ID into her hands, and she and her son shared the biggest group grin I had ever seen. They lit the room with the joy of his receiving a UT picture ID. His physical challenges were obvious, but he had made it against all odds. She had nurtured him for 18 years and to this moment in time, and they were simply savoring every minute. He now had a new and different identity. He was a University of Texas student. I was glued to the spot. There was enough joy in their aura to share with the entire lobby of people. I wanted some of that. He will have no need to leave a representation of himself, to carve his initials into the cement support of a Jefferson Davis statue in order for me to remember him. I saw him. I saw his mother. That mark will be with me forever. That is the most satisfying experience I could have had as I leave this marvelous profession. That is the mark I want to leave.

Read the article about Dr. Walker’s resignation and future in UT News.

But many men and women enroll in college while serving in the military. Others are a bit concerned about applying to UT Austin right out of the military for various reasons. If that’s the case with you, you may want to consider the transfer option.

Transfer students are students who have:

• graduated from high school or earned a GED,
• enrolled at a college or university since high school graduation, and
• have at least 30 hours of transferable credit to UT Austin

Transfer students need 30 hours of transferable credit to apply to UT Austin. We don’t require SAT or ACT scores of transfer applicants. We don’t look at high school class rank. The factor that we consider most heavily for transfers is your college GPA since current college performance is a good predictor of future college performance.

If you are exiting the military but you haven’t yet gone to college, transferring may still sound like something that might work for you. Maybe you don’t want to take the SAT or ACT. Maybe you don’t think your high school grades/rank are good enough to get admitted. Or maybe you’d just feel better starting out at a community college.

If that’s true, then you can consider beginning your studies at a community college. After you have acquired 30 hours of transferable college credit, you’ll be able to apply for transfer admission to UT Austin. You can do this in one year if you go to school full-time.

Just follow the application process for a transfer student (see Be A Longhorn, and click on Transfer Students). To determine if the courses you took while in the military are transferable, visit Transfer Credit for Military Training & Experience.

Starting out at the community college level offers many benefits for students who didn’t begin college right after high school graduation. You’re able to “get your feet wet” and transition back into a traditional academic setting with ease.

If you’ve decided to pursue higher education, you’ll need to have an idea of the type of degree you want and the career you want to pursue professionally. Advisors in the transfer centers and career centers can help you align your major or other academic interests with specific jobs or careers. If you exit from the military with a specific job skill set, you’ll need guidance on the major that will enable you to advance within a particular profession or career.  We hope you will ultimately consider UT Austin for your bachelor’s degree.

Belinda is the Director of the San Antonio Admissions Center. She’s a Texas Ex who was a Human Development major. Find out more about Belinda by reading her counselor profile.

While everyone will have their own system, here are a few tips and ideas.

1) I recommend getting a large wall calendar so that you can place all your applications deadlines in one place. Some students also like to keep their calendars in a shared family space so that their parents can help. 

2) Remember to get all the official deadlines for every school to which you’re applying. In addition to the admissions application deadline, don’t forget to make note of any additional deadlines such as financial aid, scholarships, honors programs and housing.

For freshman applicants applying to UT for fall 2010, the deadlines include:

Scholarship application deadline: December 1, 2009

Admissions application deadline: December 15, 2009

Honors application deadline: December 15, 2009
(some honors programs have earlier priority deadlines)

Financial Aid/FAFSA deadline (recommended): March 31, 2010

3) Now that you have the official deadlines, make your own deadlines. For example, since UT’s admissions application deadline is December 15^th and the scholarship deadline is December 1^st, why not give yourself a personal deadline for both of November 15^th.

Your personal deadline should prevent you from waiting until the last minute, and it will also give you some buffer time to ensure that your application is on time. The check – or the essay, the application, or the transcript in this case – is in the mail doesn’t work in the case of college applications. Don’t just drop your essays in the mail, ask your parents to pay the application fee, or submit a high school transcript request to your counselor and walk away. It’s your responsibility to ensure that all pieces of your application are received on time, even those submitted by other people such as your official high school transcript and test scores. Double check and make sure that you leave time to do so.

Don’t let a late application determine your admission decision; give your application the chance to speak for itself!

Wendy is northeast regional director for the Office of Admissions. She is an official link to UT for students in the Northeast U.S. and helps students by sharing her experiences as both a UT student and a UT alumna. You can find out more about Wendy by reading her counselor profile.

One of the questions I’m often asked is “Should I apply as an incoming freshman or as a transfer student?”

An incoming freshman is a student who hasn’t enrolled in a college or university since high school graduation. Most incoming freshmen apply for admission to UT during the fall semester of their senior year, and most of them are notified of their admission decision in the spring of their senior year.

But sometimes a student takes a different path and doesn’t attend college right after high school. Some of them join the military, for example, and need to find out how to apply to college when their time in the military is done. If you’ve been in the military since high school and you haven’t enrolled in another college or university, then you may want to apply as an incoming freshman.

Incoming freshmen applicants complete the ApplyTexas Application for Incoming Freshmen. They must submit all required credentials with the application (i.e., SAT/ACT, SAT Subject Test in mathematics for engineering applicants, official high school transcript with rank, $60 application fee, two essays, resume, etc.).

If you’ve never taken the SAT or ACT in high school, you’ll need to do this before you can apply. You can register online at the SAT web site or the ACT site. You’ll also need to get in touch with your high school and request an official high school transcript with rank. Realize that it may take some time to get this, especially if your records have been archived.

Some students who have been in the military have taken college coursework by the time they exit. Others don’t think freshman admission sounds right for them. The other option for these prospective students is applying for undergraduate transfer admission.

Visit my blog page next week (July 13) to find out about the transfer option for military prospects.

Good luck and hook ‘em, horns!

Belinda is the Director of the San Antonio Admissions Center. She’s a Texas Ex who was a Human Development major. Find out more about Belinda by reading her counselor profile.

May 2009 Graduation at The University of Texas at Austin

University of Texas at Austin – USA Trip – For a tourist, I think he does a pretty nice job at showing off some main areas of campus.

University of Texas (Austin): Campus Curiosities – The sound quality is a bit low, but this video provides a nice glimpse at a few interesting pieces of campus.

Crazy chemistry class at UT Austin this fall – You just never know what to expect in class at UT.

“Finals Week” A Spontaneous Musical – While someone might think this would be a strange and random occurrence, I have several memories of similar events on the west mall.

See some official UT Austin videos online. The list includes all kinds of videso — everything from robot soccer dogs to the Longhorn Band and the unveiling of the campus’s Cesar Chavez statue.

Wendy is northeast regional director for the Office of Admissions. She is an official link to UT for students in the Northeast U.S. and helps students by sharing her experiences as both a UT student and a UT alumna. You can find out more about Wendy by reading her counselor profile.

I always want to respond with “Just visit, you’ll love it!” 

But I know that you’re all probably looking for more information than that. You’re probably wondering – What does it look like? What does it feel like? What is there to do? Will I fit in? 

I’ll try to provide you with a little glimpse into the city here but . . . just visit, you’ll love it!

What does it look like? 

Austin is green – both in color and in practice. 

Austin has over 200 parks and sits on the eastern end of the Texas Hill Country, probably the greenest area of Texas. When picturing Texas, many people think of flat plains, pine trees or desert land, which are all accurate, just for other areas of Texas. Remember that the state of Texas is larger than France so the areas and images of Texas are numerous. Austin just happens to be in the best little section of the state. In my opinion, of course.

In terms of environmental friendliness, Austin is also consistently ranked among the top 10 greenest cities in the U.S. by publications such as Popular Science and National Geographic.

While the city of Austin’s population is just over 700,000, the entire Austin area has over 1.3 million people. It’s just large enough to have an urban feel, accessible public transportation, and a healthy nightlife, but it’s just small enough that you’ll know your way around by the end of your first semester. 

What does it feel like?

Austin has 300 days of sunshine a year, and the average temperature is 68.5 degrees. Get your shorts and flip-flops ready; students are known to wear them year round! A student once asked me if we have snow sports in Austin. That would be “no”; there’s not much snow in Austin. But there is a Texas Ski and Snowboard Club at UT – they just have to travel a bit.

Austin is weird, and the city is committed to keeping Austin weird. The city and the community are serious about supporting local businesses and general overall quirkiness. For example, you won’t find a Starbucks in the airport. You will find Austin Java! 

What is there to do?

There’s more than I can cover here! You can spend an entire week listening to live music  – Austin is the live music capital of the world – or you can go to the Austin Rodeo. You can eat tons of the best Bar B Q around until your pant’s button pops off, or you can eat at some amazing vegetarian restaurants all around the city. The options are endless and often surprising.

Here are a few sites to help you find what you’d like to do:

Austin360.com

Austin.citysearch.com

Austinist.com

Austin.com

Austinchronicle.com

Will you fit in?

I’ll try to leave this one mostly up to you, but I will share a few bits of information with you.

A colleague of mine described Austin as a place where the suits and the hippies live together and all get along. I think a lot of people in Austin would agree. You’ll find a diverse population in Austin, where differences in culture are not only accepted but also celebrated.

Austin has become a city where no one ethnic or demographic group makes up a majority of the population. The Anglo portion of the population is now below 50%. 

Politically, there’s a nice balance in Austin, which is generally more liberal than the more conservative state of Texas. For example, in the 2008 presidential election, the state of Texas voted for McCain at 55%. However, Travis County, where Austin is located, voted for Obama at 64%. On the UT campus, you’ll find a wide range of political student organizations, such as College Republicans at Texas, Libertarian Longhorns, University Democrats and UT Votes, creating what I believe to be a healthy community of learning and debate.

I could go on and on about Austin, but for more go to: austintexas.org.  And for even more, just visit, you’ll love it!

Wendy is northeast regional director for the Office of Admissions. She is an official link to UT for students in the Northeast U.S. and helps students by sharing her experiences as both a UT student and a UT alumna. You can find out more about Wendy by reading her counselor profile.

Gregory Gym and the Rec Sports Center are wonderful recreational facilities to work out at, and I did spend many hours in between studying and classes at those gyms as a student. I would walk by our Swim Center and even had a roommate who worked there, but never took advantage of the opportunity to swim laps there. It’s a huge, state of the art aquatic facility that our swimming and diving team practice at. I must try out this pool soon, though I am nowhere close to being as competitive or good as our swimmers!

Somewhat by default (my friends and I went to two very packed bowling alleys in Austin and didn’t want to wait) I finally went bowling at our student union, the Union Bowling Alley. I had a great time because they have black lights on and good music playing! It’s such a convenient location, right on campus – I don’t know why I never went there before!

A year ago, I went to our annual Madrigal Dinner, which is a student run renaissance-themed dinner show in the fall. The festive songs, decorations, and excellent food made it an amazing experience in our beautiful Texas Union building. One of the students who works in our office was a singer in the dinner, so that made it even more special to see her perform.

I have yet to check out the rooftop telescope on one of our campus buildings, Robert L. Moore, but it is on my agenda for this summer! Our Astronomy Department holds free public viewings on Wednesday nights. As a student, I knew we had an impressive presidential library right in our backyard – the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, but somehow I never made it inside! In the past few years though, I have visited it several times and always recommend it to visitors. The replica of the Oval Office at the time of Johnson’s presidency is fascinating, and I truly enjoyed looking at the portraits of every former president and former first ladies.

The University of Texas also has many research facilities off campus, and even outside of Austin. Though I didn’t visit them as a student, in the past few years, I have made an effort to go to both the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center here in southwest Austin, and the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis (west Texas). The Wildflower Center is a beautiful nature preserve with trails, educational displays, gardens, and exhibits. I try to visit in different seasons to appreciate central Texas flora throughout the year. The McDonald Observatory is a leader in astronomy research, education, and public outreach. I was amazed to see so many stars light up the dark West Texas sky. This region of Texas is one of the darkest in the continental US, so it makes seeing many stars a unique experience!

These are just a few examples of the type of resources and experiences you have available here at UT. As a student, it’s easy to focus on your studies and a few clubs, not visiting many parts of campus. Try to do all you can with the time you have here at the University of Texas, or make up for it after you graduate!

Patty Prado is an Admissions Counselor and Volunteer Coordinator for the student volunteer program, SHARE (Students Helping Admissions’ Efforts). She has worked on the UT Austin campus for almost nine years, including her time as an undergraduate. She advises out-of-state applicants and also works with athletic recruitment efforts. Find out more about Patty by reading her counselor profile.

This student, his father, and his brother have embarked on a motorbike trip from their home in Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. Today as I read their blog they are leaving Inhassoro, which is a coastal fishing village in Mozambique and headed for Malawi which is where they will lodge for the night. All I can say is WOW!  Each day I look forward to reading of their successes and setbacks during this extreme and arduous motorcycle safari, including stops in places such as Zanzibar and a trek through the deserts of the Sudan (for info on their inspiration google “The Long Way Down”).  

Attending UT as an international student is really a similar BIG ADVENTURE.  UT international students hail from more than 120 countries around the world. Leaving their home and culture can be both rewarding and challenging, but each year thousands of students from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe decide to do so and our university community reaps the benefits. 

A large majority of our freshmen class members are from Texas and I am sure, as is true for me, have spent most of their lives in Texas. I grew up in Orange, Texas and never had the opportunity to venture outside of my small town until I left home for college. Now that I work with international students, I have had the privilege of getting to know students from all over the world and to learn about their lives and their BIG ADVENTURES.  

The world has changed from when I was in college. We live in a globally conscious world and your experiences at UT, both educationally and culturally, will hopefully prepare you for a meaningful professional and personal journey after you graduate. I believe that UT prepares globally competent students and that taking time while at UT to “internationalize” yourself can only benefit you. Leaving your home in Texas and enrolling at UT is your chance to experience the world.  How about the possibility of studying abroad? From the University of Cape Town to the Cairo University, this could be your chance to start your BIG ADVENTURE!

My name is Deana Williams and I am an Assistant Director of Admissions in the Graduate and International Admissions Center. My job is to manage the processing and evaluation of international applications to UT Austin. I also serve as the Residency Officer for the institution. I am a native Texan and have worked in the Office of Admissions for 12 years. During that time, I have had the privilege of getting to meet students from all over the world.