<p>“The Plan II Honors Program is in all respects excellent. Moreover, it is nearly a perfect example of a front-loaded honors program, one that directs most of its resources to laying a foundation in the first two years and then leaves students to engage in maximum self-realization. It is one of the least expensive state programs, not just relatively but absolutely. . . This is one of the best bargains in American higher education.”</p>
<p>Ivy League Programs at State School Prices
Arco-Prentice Hall, Robert R. Sullivan, 1994</p>
<p>"In many ways, Plan II is the ideal community, a microcosm of the ‘real’ world that includes philosophers, engineers, artists, businessmen, economists, poets, and architects. Through discussion with future leaders in a variety of fields, I have received an empowering perspective that guides my own approach toward community-building.</p>
<p>“Though I came to the University thinking that I would become a practicing architect, I have realized through my Plan II classes that the improvement of entire communitiesnot just single structuresis my real passion. The Plan II curriculum has freed me and many other students to discern for ourselves who we areand who we want to be.”</p>
<p>Top 10 Reasons Why Current Students Think You Should Come to Plan II
- Plan II Professors. Plan II professors are at the very top of their fields. Besides teaching classes these professors spend a great deal of their spare time with students.</p>
<li><p>The Amazing Students. The average Plan II student has an SAT score in the 1400s, is a National Merit Something, and graduated in the top 5% of their class. They have often been leaders of organizations, and have succeeded on state and national levels in everything from debate to clarinet.</p></li>
<li><p>The Community Environment of Plan II. For anyone worried about being lost at a school of 48,000, be reassured that Plan II is not just a degree, it is also a community and a group of friends who develop lasting relationships. There are two full-time Plan II academic advisers available year-round to help students select courses, determine areas of concentration, set long-term academic or career goals, or simply adjust to college life. The director, associate director, and other professors are active as faculty advisers, and trained peer advisers are on duty daily in the Plan II office to assist students. The office is a home-base for many students to come in to use the computers or typewriters, check out the latest announcements on the bulletin boards, or simply chat with each other while munching on a cookie from the renowned cookie jar. The Plan II Students Association sponsors discussion groups with faculty members and prominent speakers (such as former Texas Governor Ann Richards or screen-writer Bill Broyles). There is a monthly newsletter, a theater group, a freshman retreat to a Texas hill country ranch, and occasional picnics and parties. In addition to all this, Plan II students participate with other honors students in events sponsored by the University Honors Center.</p></li>
<li><p>The Extraordinary Variety of Learning Opportunities. Plan II has many specialized courses available only to Plan II students. This goes beyond the five thousand or so courses offered by UT in various and sundry disciplines. We don’t know of many Ivy League schools that have classes in Arabic and Architectural Engineering, as well as Malayalam and Medieval Studies, but UT does. Many Plan II students also spend a semester or a year studying in another country. At UT you can write for one of the best college newspapers in the country, have your own TV show, be in the jazz band, play intramural sports (Plan II has teams!), or be a proud member in one of the 700 other student organizations.</p></li>
<li><p>It Costs Almost Nothing. Plan II students pay the same tuition and housing rates as other undergraduates at UT Ð thousands (often tens of thousands!) less than other institutions of comparable quality. For the last five years, U.S. News and World Report has ranked The University of Texas at Austin one of the best educational buys in the country; Plan II enriches that standing ten-fold. In Plan II you get an Ivy League education at a state school price. What more could you want?!</p></li>
<li><p>Scholarships. In addition to the extremely low cost of tuition, the University of Texas and Plan II both offer scholarships, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Many of the UT scholarships are based on merit as well as financial need. Furthermore, as the years pass, students become eligible for more scholarships including scholarships for summer school, study abroad and thesis research.</p></li>
<li><p>Austin. Austin is one of the most beautiful and exciting towns in the United States. It has an active artistic and political scene, lots of live music, the highland lakes, hike and bike trails and Eeyore’s Birthday Party. Austin has all the perks of a big city with a small town feeling of community and comfort. It also has the nation’s most educated populace.</p></li>
<li><p>Dual Program Access. The Plan II program intends to expand your horizons. That means that they will do anything they can to help you learn what you want to learn. The enormous flexibility of the Plan II curriculum allows students to complete the equivalent of a second major or concentration in almost any subject area they wish. Many students simultaneously complete a second degree in the College of Engineering, Architecture, Communication, Fine Arts, Business Administration or Natural Science.</p></li>
<li><p>Twenty-First Century Technology. The University of Texas at Austin has some of the most advanced computer facilities in the country with multiple student computer facilities open 24 hours a day almost year-round. The University of Texas was one of the first state universities to install ethernet access in all campus dormitory rooms. Tech support, free e-mail, web sites and technology classes are available. Plan II has a small computer lab specifically set up for Plan II students.</p></li>
<li><p>A Bright Future. Many Plan II students continue post-baccalaureate in law school, business school, medical school or graduate schools in biology, philosophy, public policy, engineering, and other fields. They are accepted into the most selective graduate programs across the nation. Plan II graduates work in some of the most prestigious firms in the nation. In essence, a Plan II degree is the most fulfilling way to step forward to a bigger and brighter future.</p></li>
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