I am trying to write a “tell it how it is” essay.The topic is “write about your goals and how your extracurriculars ill help you achieve them,” but can I write about getting accepted into UT as my goal as opposed to becoming an engineer? I feel like writing about becoming an engineer is very vague and basic. In it I will try not to justify my low rank (top 11%) and present it as my own fault alone: I was really lazy and uninterested freshman and sophomore year. I will then talk about how I worked really hard junior year (I might even write about how I became really interested in the sciences during my physics H class junior year) and picked a really rigorous senior schedule (physics C, engineering H, Calc BC, English 4 DC, Gov DC, Euro Hist AP) to try to increase my chances of getting into ECE at UT. I will then state how I developed a really strong work ethic during junior and senior year and how I will not drop out of engineering if I get admitted (as many freshman do).
However I am scared that the admissions committee will think that this essay is too “to the point” and lacks introspection. But the thing is, I really do feel that I am more qualified than the auto admits at my school who took easy Honors classes and have an easy senior schedule. I want my essay to reflect pragmatism and the development of a work ethic, not idealism. I want them to know that I really tried as opposed to presenting some BS flowery story about how I was a “misguided prodigy.” I mean, I do have ADHD but I feel that the admissions committee will feel that it is a liability for the college, so I dont think I will write about that (not confirmed yet).
I mean I wrote a topic C essay where I talk about how I got in trouble with my mom for taking apart my toys when I was a kid and how much fun I had when I discovered computer science in my Com Sci AP class, but that type of essay seems to idealistic and could only fly if I was already an auto admit.
So what are yalls thoughts? Sorry if this seems unorganized but I am currently at a Barnes and Noble and it is about to close. Lol.
I was also thinking about writing an essay about how coming into high school I was interested in history and art, but as I approached junior year I switched to liking math and science
I think you are missing the point of the essay prompt. It states “Goals and extracurriculars” and your outline above basically covers what they already know from your transcript. Consider the extracurricular (or part time job) you have spent the most time and energy in. Draw qualities from that - leadership. perseverance, work ethic, even what you may have learned from failure.
@lots2do I’m saving failure for my overcoming an obstacle essay. So what you’re saying is, if my transcript already reflects an upward trend, then I shouldn’t mention it in my essay? I shouldn’t mention pragmatism either? But how do I let the admissions committee know that I’m better and harder working than the auto admits?
You shouldn’t really talk about your grades or getting into college in the essay.
Unfortunately, the way the system works, you are not competing with the auto admits. You are competing with the non-auto admits. Your essay will not be well received if your intent is to convince Admissions that you are “better” than those people in your school who are ranked above you. This is something you have to get over.
Consider putting something other than Engineering / Business / CS as your second choice major. Few non-auto admits get into these majors. Just be realistic if UT is where you want to attend above all else. I have not seen your stats on here anywhere. But even your screen name “NotTop8percent” tells me you are focused on the unfairness of the system. You need to get past it, so you can write essays about “you” not about why they should pick you over someone who followed the rules / gamed the system / whatever. I feel for your predicament, but Admissions likely won’t.
@lots2do yeah, but if I am not mistaken, I am still competing with them for my intended major, which is ECE. And I will not choose UGS or some BS like that as a second choice cause I know good and well how hard it is to transfer into Cockrell. I have a 21__ on my SAT (predicted), have loads of college credit, have leadership positions in two clubs, an 2 week engineering internship, and I went to UT’s MITE program over the summer. Even with all this, I am scared I am not going to get in.
There you go! You have plenty of material for essays. Choose something from your leadership experiences, internship or MITE that they don’t already know about you. This demonstrates that you are not a one-dimensional student. That you have a lot to offer the UT community beyond your strong performance in the classroom.
You went to MITE? It looks like to get into MITE, you wrote an essay C and a resume? And then they had you bring it with you. Am I right to presume that 1) your essay must have been good enough to get you in that program and 2) that they helped you tweak it and make it better and helped you with your resume while you were there? If so, why are you rewriting it?
https://www.engr.utexas.edu/attachments/MITEApplication.pdf
@gettingschooled yes, but they told us not to write too idealistic of essays and said that we should have a concrete goal when writing our essays. Like I wrote about how I wanted to develop the third world and one of the counselors underlined it and wrote under the margin “not recommended.” I don’t think the admissions for MITE was too competitive tbh.
I wouldn’t shape your whole essay around trying to prove why you’re a better applicant than the automatic admits (although that is probably very true, I don’t think admissions would take kindly to that). I personally would write an essay somewhere between what you would call idealistic and pragmatic. Definitely mention your upward trend and how your interests were shaped by challenging yourself, but I would also include some idealism in how you want to apply your knowledge learned at UT.