<p>we are just all just a number (gpa) to UT anyways.</p>
<p>Unless you’re transferring, it’s a big point to UT. For transfers, GPA matters more than anything else unless the difference between the college you’re attending is of a local community college and Princeton or Harvard. If you’re a senior, GPA matters but all those things also matter more than they would matter if you were transferring.</p>
<p>It will help you compared to other applicants without any of these extras. Unless you have a sparkling 4.0 and are Valedictorian - it really makes a difference as to what they could offer you.</p>
<p>Depends on what your goals are though? I wrote my essays because it couldn’t have hurt in getting accepted - unless I bombed it (unlikely; I’m an English major lol). </p>
<p>But as for honors programs, scholarships, grants, etc. You have to fill in those little blanks and make yourself NOT just become another number. If they’re only going to see stacks of papers, might as well give them something to read about!</p>
<p>There are so many kids with really good GPA’s in high school. Say you have a 3.9 GPA. All of that stuff you mentioned is needed to elevate you above all of the others with a GPA of 3.9.</p>
<p>For transfers they are a differentiating tool. Two in-state students who went to a Texas community college or other state school have the same GPA. You can’t take them both.</p>
<p>For entering freshmen, its even more critical if you’re not in the top 8% of your class or you’re applying to a college within the University that is not easy to get into. Just because you are automatically admitted, doesn’t mean that Engineering, Plan II or Business will take you. You might get shuffled into a general undeclared or Liberal arts major.</p>
<p>i think the essays hurt more than they help. what i mean by that is if there are 2 students with similar grades but only 1 spot, the one with the worse essay will get rejected. i guess its one of those glass half empty or glass half full situation.</p>
<p>however if you do have a bad gpa, no essays can help out even though they make it seem like it can.</p>
<p>i guess im disgruntled because i got rejected even though in my essay i explained the reason for my low gpa (one semester 7years ago i had a 1 gpa, it came out to cumulative 3.2, so you could imagine that my other semesters were pretty kick ass). </p>
<p>also, i explained im a non traditional student because i dropped out to take care of my family, etc but its not like im a slacker anyways. i had mostly As except 1b (besides my first semester). i couldn’t even get into liberal arts even though i know 3.4-3.5 would give people realistic shot at it… i guess my essays, LOR, extracurricular, work history could not make up that .2/.3 gpa</p>
<p>Wow Sts, try going to a community college/university and transferring. All it takes for Liberal Arts School is 30 hours and a 3.5 or above.</p>