• High School Coursework: During your junior year, be sure to review UT Austin’s high school coursework requirements. When you plan for your senior schedule, work with your high school counselor to be sure that you’ll have the required units in each area by the time you graduate.
• Improving Rank: One of the factors we consider when making admission decisions for all applicants is class rank. In most cases, class rank is determined at the end of the junior year, so this is likely your last year to move up in rank.
• Getting an Education: But rank isn’t the only thing you should be worried about. Everything you learn each year you’re in high school prepares you for the next; and all of your high school work will help to prepare you for the courses you’ll take in college. It is all about getting an education, after all.

If you’d like to stay on top of UT Austin information and events, sign up for our mailing list. Signing up will create a UT EID for you. You’ll then be able to use your EID to access targeted and personal information online, including information about the status of your application once you submit your ApplyTexas app.

• Already have an EID? If you already have an EID, then you’re already on the mailing list. Various steps on your part, such as sending us your SAT/ACT scores, will create an EID for you and automatically add you to our mailing list.

If you already have an EID and are on the mailing list, then it’s a good idea for you to periodically review and update your profile to make sure that we have accurate contact information for you.

The Office of Admissions and other offices across campus use the information in your profile to contact you by mail and by e-mail. If we have the wrong information, what we send you may never reach you.

Because our deadline is earlier than it used to be, it’s probably a good idea to plan to take the SAT or ACT during your junior year in high school or in the summer before your senior year.

Although you may be able to get your scores to us on time if you take the test in the fall of your senior year, some other factors may make it a good idea to take it earlier.

• Applicants can’t apply for on-campus housing until they complete their admissions application, and your admissions application isn’t complete until we receive your SAT or ACT scores.
• Remember that if you’re not happy with the first scores you send us, you can always consider retaking the test in the fall and sending us your new scores. (We count the highest score we have from you from a single test date; you can send us as many scores as you like.) If you wait to take the exam in the fall, however, you may not have time to retake the test if you aren’t satisfied with your scores.

Find out more about our testing requirements on the Be a Longhorn Testing page.

Writing ability is a big indicator of potential success in college-level courses. To help universities judge writing ability, most universities require applicants to submit one or more essays.

UT Austin requires all applicants to submit two essays. These essays make up a part of the personal achievement component of your application review.

Another way that you can help your application to stand out from other applicants is to submit an expanded resume. Although the ApplyTexas Application asks students to submit information about their extracurricular, volunteer, and work activities, many students have a difficult time including all the things they’ve been part of in the space provided.

If that’s true for you, we encourage you to submit an expanded resume along with your application for admission. Your junior year is a good time to compile information about all the things you’ve been involved in during your high school years. Have someone who’s known you during high school look over the list to make sure you haven’t left anything out.

Every weekday the Office of Admissions hosts visiting students and families. Students registering to take part in a campus visit sign up for an admissions information session, a student Q&A session, and a walking tour – as well as information sessions in many of the university’s colleges, schools, and departments across campus.

Schedule an on-campus visit so that you can see what the campus is like for yourself.

The Office of Admissions also holds special on-campus events throughout the year for prospective students and their families. Learn more about on-campus events for prospective students.

Numerous departments on campus offer a variety of opportunities for students to participate in learning opportunities on campus long before they are ready to apply for admission. Academic departments hold informational events for students to learn more about certain careers and possible majors. Others offer summer camp options related to academic interests; music, theatre, and dance; media and technology; leadership; and more.

Find out which of these might interest you on the Summer Camps & Events page.

Want to learn more about what the university’s really like from the experts? Read our Be a Longhorn student profiles.

When you apply for admission to UT Austin, you’ll be asked to select both a first-choice and a second-choice major. To help you make that decision, it might be a good idea for you to do a bit of research ahead of time – both about available UT Austin majors and about what your interests are.

Visit the Selecting a Major page for more advice.