<p>I constantly hear about how people say Plan II is an amazing experience, where one leaves much more knowledgeable and comprehensive of the world, as if their entire ways of thinking have been changed. This is somewhat how I feel Plan II would be, but I'm wondering how disillusioned I might become with the merits of the program and whether the heavy writing workload actually justifies the experience.</p>
<p>Bump…anyone?</p>
<p>Definitely depends on your goals post-college. What are yours?</p>
<p>Are you afraid of the work?</p>
<p>Haha, yes, I am actually. I’m also in Chemical Engineering at UT and need to keep a 3.5+ GPA to keep my scholarship.</p>
<p>I am a parent with no kid in college and so everything I say is hearsay.</p>
<p>I understand Plan II is perceived superior when applying to grad school as UT labels it an Ivy level program intellectually.</p>
<p>I dont know the details of what is required in being part of Plan II other than they get superior dorms, accept only the best graduating students that can probably get into a top 20 school etc. I know a few girls who got in the last couple of years and one wants to be a lawyer and the other wants to be a doctor (I think one gave up chicago and the other notre dame). I know a plan II graduate who went on to NYU law. </p>
<p>I suspect you get more mileage out of plan II than chem eng unless you are doing honors.
Since UT accepts 8000+ students, being part of plan II will keep you elite?</p>
<p>As a current Plan II student, I can honestly tell you that the program has its pros and cons. Honestly, the workload isn’t that bad–I’m also pre-med–and I know a ton of people who are doubling up in Engineering and Plan II. If anything is going to kill your GPA, it will be Chem E and not Plan II. Most of our classes end up with a majority of As, some Bs, and very few Cs, if any. </p>
<p>Pros: The advisors are really great, and it’s a great way to meet people as a freshman in a huge university. It’s got amazing name recognition in Texas, and supposedly among Ivies as well. There are several current seniors I know of who are going on to places like Harvard Law, etc. Some of the classes are really amazing, and you have the chance to be taught by some of the best professors in the University.</p>
<p>Cons: Some of the classes, like our year-long required Philosophy, are absolutely terrible, depending on the section you’re in (there are good sections, too), but this is true of all majors. Sometimes Plan II has a reputation for being pretentious, and about half the people in the program are horrifically pretentious, and the other half are really nice, down-to-earth people.</p>
<p>All in all, I’m glad I’m in Plan II, even if I’m turned off by some aspects of the program. It’s been a really good experience for me, and most people like it a lot more than I do. I’m one of the more “disillusioned” students in my year.</p>
<p>To address some earlier claims: We do not get early registration or better dorms. We get the OPTION to live in the Honors Quad (Andrews, Blanton, and Carothers) but these are traditional dorms that are a little on the older side and are pretty average as far as UT dorms go. However, as a former Quad resident, I can tell you that living there fosters a great sense of community and everyone is pretty friendly and reasonable.</p>
<p>Basically, if you enjoy reading and writing, Plan II won’t be a problem for you, but if those are not pursuits you enjoy, you might want to steer clear of it.</p>