<p>From ApplyTexas:</p>
<p>Essay prompts for U.S. Freshman and International Freshman Applications will be changing for Summer 2014, Fall 2014, and Spring 2015. (Essays for Summer 2013, Fall 2013, and Spring 2014 Applications are NOT changing.) You may preview the new essay prompts here.</p>
<p>Do we write the new one or the old one? I am so confused when it says Fall 2014 and Summer 2013 ... sorry.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>If you will be entering college in the Fall of 2014 or after, then those new essay prompts apply to you. Otherwise, you’d write the older prompts.</p>
<p>[Admission</a> Essays | Be a Longhorn](<a href=“http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/admission/essays]Admission”>http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/admission/essays)</p>
<p>You’ll be responding to the first essay prompts you see on that page, under “Essay Topics for Summer/Fall 2014 and Beyond.”</p>
<p>and just how long should these essays be?</p>
<p>The length will vary across applicants’ writing styles, but generally they need to be short enough to leave out anything that might be considered extraneous, but long enough to sufficiently and effectively answer the prompt, and don’t be afraid to get detailed in some instances if it helps your essay in getting its point across. Take care to stay on topic, avoid formulaic approaches (like what you’re taught in high school with AP English and history; they get tons of essays like these every year and this type of writing won’t stand out and “wow” the admissions officers), and watch your spelling, grammar, and conventions carefully. They need to be able to understand what you’re saying, and that’s hard to do if you don’t appear to have a grasp of fundamentals of the English language.</p>
<p>To more directly answer your question, the length of the essay is secondary to you adequately responding to the prompt, and don’t do so in such an up-front manner; the prompts are really just there as a starting point to get yourself going, so just say what really matters. I personally tend to be pretty concise and to-the-point when I write. When I applied, my essays were all slightly longer than three pages.</p>
<p>Remember, it’s important to take the essays seriously and give them the time they deserve; review them, have others read and revise/edit with you, and polish them. That being said, the essays can only help your application so much, so don’t stress TOO much about them. In addition to your essays, the admissions officers will also be taking into heavy consideration your class rank, GPA, and extracurriculars.</p>
<p>^ thanks transferhorn!</p>