UT-Austin admissions expects students to make an informed decision about their first-choice major. Given that the vast majority of applicants will only be considered for what they select first and not also their second choice, it’s important to select wisely. Throughout your application, one criteria reviewers use to assess your profile is determining if you demonstrate a strong fit for your major. Your essay should reference previous experiences, hobbies, and interests that suggest a good fit for your proposed area of study.

All first-time freshman applicants must address. Your short answer can be longer than the suggested 300 word limit:

Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

I’ve dedicated other posts to prospective McCombs Business and UT Computer Science applicants. Below, I share two real applicant examples from Liberal Arts, one from Natural Sciences, and three for the Cockrell School of Engineering.

You can also check out my previous examples and tips posts.

Check out my new book Surviving the College Admissions Madness and Youtube Channel

College of Liberal Arts, Sustainability Studies

Animal welfare causes are close to my heart. Fostering kittens and volunteering at Austin Pets Alive opens my eyes to related issues of climate change, environmental sciences, and human rights. There is a delicate balance between producers and consumers, and development and urbanization can disrupt this equilibrium. Poverty, inequality, social programs, laws, and even politics can affect not only huge issues like animal extinction but also practical problems like the affordability of spaying and neutering pets. I look forward to exploring these types of issues in Sustainability Studies.

I raise awareness in student organizations and my personal life. I feel that small actions make significant differences. I stopped eating meat, I have greatly decreased my dairy consumption, and I pay close attention to the sustainability of products I buy. When my mom was shopping for a new car, I urged her to purchase electric (she did).

I am constantly telling my friends about the environmental benefits of veganism and vegetarianism. However, I know I can do more, and I hope to go to law school after I graduate. I think that, as a lawyer, I will have the power to defend laws and lobby for new ones in service of animal protection and environmental preservation.

When I learned about Sustainability Studies, I felt it would be a perfect fit for me. Its mix of theories and practical tools appeals to me because advocacy and activism require getting your hands dirty and not just talking about change. Understanding power dynamics between environmental preservation and economic development will help me advocate more effectively. I also look forward to connecting with like-minded advocates and exploring local efforts to address civil, human, and animal rights issues.

I understand that some of the most important work happens at the policy- and law-making level. I love writing and argument, and I’m excited to apply the tools of Sustainability Studies to help me serve important causes in the future and to then pursue a law degree with a focus on Environmental Law.

Commentary

This applicant dedicated their Essay A and Major and Leadership short answers exclusively to demonstrating their fit for major addressed from different angles and perspectives. This essay serves as a bridge between the other two.

Their primary concern is animal welfare, but they’ve done an excellent job of linking one issue towards larger community- and system-level concerns. Here, they focus on some of their lifestyle choices and habits to demonstrate an understanding of what their proposed major entails. Demonstrating to your reviewer that you’ve done at least a little bit of research will go a long way towards helping your case.

It’s obvious that they’re passionate about their future studies, signaled by their citations of tangible ways sustainability influences their daily life and beliefs. Referencing a few long-term goals and how Law School can help them advocate for important issues also gives reviewers a better idea of how they might convert their passions into action following graduation.

Need help writing your best essays and short answers? Complete my questionnaire for a free consultation.

College of Natural Sciences, Environmental Science

“Ew, What is that smell?” 

Walking into my second period, my environmental science teacher apologized for the noxious smell. He had forgotten to clean his compost bin. The whole class laughed. Little did I know that this class was going to be my favorite. 

Throughout the year, we investigated the interrelationships between organisms and their interaction with the environment through food webs and biogeochemical cycles. We also studied the impact of human activities on the natural environment and covered topics from geology to oceanography. 

In middle school, I tested the intensity of lead in different areas around my neighborhood and researched its effect on the health of the people. I entered my experiment in the Kentucky American Water Science Fair and won overall winner and the Dr. Bob Creek award for Earth and Environmental Sciences. 

Analyzing life from molecules to biospheres in chemistry and biology increased my appreciation for the environment. On the weekends, I volunteer with environmental organizations to dispose of unwanted waste throughout my neighborhood. My favorite way to spend free time is enjoying long strolls around the pond behind my house. 

Last year, I started independent research and received mentorship from a UT Southwestern biochemist. To understand the severity of our dying ecosystems and populations, I produced an interactive map that identified environmental disasters around the world that have contributed to methods of bioremediation. 

I wanted to raise awareness and skill for rational and reasonable utilization of environmental resources by educating people about the consequences of environmental degradation on a molecular level. I also created an educational article that highlighted microbial enzymes, such as oxidoreductases and transferases, from various microorganisms that are involved in the biodegradation of toxic pollutants. I’m currently formulating my independent environmental engineering research that will test and design a water restoration device. 

Earning a degree from the College of Natural Sciences will provide me with the opportunities to excel in both the professional and scientific world. Instead of being repulsed by compost, I’m excited to explore fields of ecological conservation, evolution, and behavioral sciences as an environmental science major. 

Commentary

Similar to the first example concerning Sustainability Studies, this Environmental Sciences applicant approaches a related major from a different point of view. They emphasize their academic and research experiences as informing their proposed future studies. It’s clear they’re also passionate and committed to advocating on behalf of the environment, particularly since at least eighth grade during their science fair project. Sharing about how you enjoy spending your free time, especially if it relates to your major, is an effective way to reinforce your interests with specific details.

They pepper their response with a variety of other examples including their AP Environmental Science class, working in a research lab at a local university, and proposed senior year independent studies. If you’ve been fortunate enough to conduct research, spending a paragraph identifying the problem you’re investigating and a little bit about your research methods will help develop this experience more fully and complement your resume. Sharing why you’re applying to UT and your specific college/school will also help refine your goals and how UT can help you achieve them.

College of Liberal Arts, Psychology

My mother definitely has a way of seeing things. She’s pretty savvy. It’s hard to pinpoint or identify specific examples, but no matter the situation, she can usually accurately identify the underlying social dynamics. If people watching were an Olympic sport, mom would medal.  

Growing up, I assumed everyone dissected relationships and playground fights with a critical eye. Only now do I understand that she’s imparted the special gift of looking beneath the surface. She teaches me to consider motives or past patterns of behavior to ask why things are happening and not simply what meets the eye. Invariably, there are more layers to every story or decision. I not only live with a healthy dose of skepticism, but more importantly, I make an effort to see people as complex, nuanced, and with many dimensions. I try my best to give others the benefit of the doubt. 

Around age ten, I started watching “Brain Games” – a National Geographic series that explores cognitive science by focusing on illusions, psychological experiments, and counterintuitive thinking. I couldn’t get enough of the intriguing and hilarious hidden-camera moments.  It isn’t accidental that I loved the show. Whether it’s my mother’s genes or my upbringing is up for debate. Nature or nurture, a fascination with human behavior is a part of me now.  

The high school class I most anticipated was AP psychology. My teacher taught with more passion and intensity than any other teacher I’ve had. He infected me with the same enthusiasm, translating to a 5 on my AP test. I have no doubt Psychology is my calling. I look forward to taking courses with or researching in evolutionary psychologist Dr. David Buss’s lab regarding sexual and gender differences.  

On a recent UT campus tour, it excited me when the tour guide shared about “Women in Psychology.” They provide a forum for discussing women’s and intersectional issues related to race, class, and sexual orientation and invite professional speakers to share their perspectives.  I intend to pursue my PhD, and I look forward to joining UT’s world-class psychology program and expanding my horizons beyond what meets the eye.

Commentary

Often, students want to apply for a major where they have few or no prior experience or extracurricular activities, and that’s okay! I wish universities encouraged students to pursue totally unrelated interests rather than placing a sometimes-undue emphasis on fit for major. What about those applicants who either aren’t sure or who haven’t had the fortune or resources to explore their interests?

Here is a perfect example of identifying specific things from their family and childhood that influence their interest in psychology. Much of who we are comes from our parents, so it makes sense if they’re influencing our ambitions and future goals either through subtle nudges or in more overt ways. Developing a relevant course and how it influences your beliefs is also an effective way to communicate your major choice. They’ve also done an excellent job citing a few reasons Why UT is a great fit for them with reference to Dr. Buss and Women in Psychology.

Check out my new book Surviving the College Admissions Madness and Youtube Channel

Cockrell School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Inspiring teachers and mentors motivate my engineering ambitions. Math and science are my academic strengths, and I love solving practical problems. In elementary school, I often helped my grandfather build hunting blinds. I loved planning the specific dimensions of the blind’s features, and I thought of several designs for an adjustable-height base.

In my engineering classes, we have access to 3D printers that I have used to model several of my CAD designs. Showing finished parts to my friends and taking them home to put beside my bed gives me a sense of fulfillment. Design challenges in engineering club or at TEAMS have a similar effect. I enjoy solving individual problems that contribute to a better understanding of complete systems. I’ve taken as many STEM courses as I can, including AP Physics, Calculus, and Computer Science. 

Besides my family, my sophomore engineering teacher Mr. Agee is my biggest influence. He went to Yale and Harvard and was a seventh-generation teacher. He connected engineering to everything like economics, global warming, psychology, and biology. He made abstract or complicated math and physics relevant to our daily lives. He has a famous phrase that I now live by, “You are what you do.” 

He exposed me to many mechanical engineering tools and techniques. My favorite project involved designing, programming, and building a machine that separated four different types of marbles at the press of a button. He dazzled us by connecting seemingly unrelated topics and challenged us to consider the “whys” behind the marble sorting rather than the mechanical-hows. 

Sadly, following a misunderstanding with a student, the administration suspended Mr. Agee last winter. Dozens of classmates and I lobbied administration for his return. We made #freeAgee shirts, mounted a change.org petition, and our parents wrote furious emails. Bowing to our pressure, McNeil administration invited him to return, but Mr. Agee refused. He is a principled person, but honestly, I don’t know why he stopped teaching. His departure is a great loss for my personal and technical development.  

Commentary

This essay is an effective example of developing fully an influential teacher and relevant courses that influence not just their future studies but how they think and approach the world. Leading with brief mentions about building hunting blinds as a child suggests an early interest in engineering. Matching early memories with later interests is an effective way to communicate long-term curiosities. If you’ve maximized the relevant courses at your high school, especially in STEM, then mention it explicitly. “I’ve taken as many STEM courses as I can, including AP Physics, Calculus, and Computer Science.”

The applicant dedicates their Leadership short answer to solving a group problem in one of Mr. Agee’s classes. Some might think that it’s too redundant or repetitive, and there are certainly cases where short answers or essays read almost the same within a single application, but they approach Mr. Agee and lessons learned from totally different angles. This essay is as much about lessons imparted by their teacher as it is their lobbying for him to be reinstated by the administration. No doubt the final paragraph appealed to Plan II reviewers who are looking for iconoclasts and trailblazers.

Cockrell School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

I’m interested in mechanical engineering because I bring creativity to technical problems. I’m always the student to find a new method to solve calculus or geometry problems and share why it may be easier. You can imagine I’m not always popular with my teachers, but sometimes they have to admit I’m right.

When a building or item doesn’t function correctly, I am the first person to point out its flaws and what should have been done instead. For example, my school is a smattering of different buildings surrounding a central courtyard. A series of pathways and sidewalks connect the buildings, forming a unique design viewed from the air. It might look cool, but walking on the paths takes far longer than simply walking in a straight line across the courtyard. If the sidewalks would have been laid out efficiently instead of optimizing for aesthetics, students would keep off the grass and get to class faster.

Fixing inefficient systems, items, or ideas has always been one of my strong suits. When I was a kid, Legos and building blocks occupied my time. When my parents shared that I could build a career designing houses, I became interested in architectural engineering. I’ve since moved onto Mechanical Engineering after learning how to design in CAD for 3D printing and attending programs like the University of Kansas’s mechanical engineering camp. It introduced me to life as a mechanical engineering student and a future professional.

I interned at Longhorn Labs, a rapid prototyping company that prints engine, technology, and other prototypes for big names like Boeing and Raytheon. I learned how to use CAD to design and print 3D objects. I made company prototypes, and I loved sharing ideas with mechanical engineers solving real-world problems.

I’ve come to realize that engineers are dreamers. They are people like me who look at a problem and say, “I think I know a way I can help.” I believe, and have always believed, that I can change the world for the better with my ideas. The University of Texas believes that through service, hard work, and dedication, anyone can change the world.

Commentary

They dedicate much of their Leadership short answer to discussing their summer Internship at NASA and more about their employment at a local parts fabricator, so this short answer shares how their environment shapes their interests. It’s okay to mention in one or two sentences activities or experience that you develop more fully elsewhere. Be careful not to restate what you’ve already shared extensively in other essays though.

I like how they dedicate their second paragraph to identifying an oddity of their school’s layout with potential remedies. It’s a solid example of a non-curricular or resume activity that only an essay can communicate. A problem-solving mind signals to the reviewer that, regardless of their engineering discipline, they have a technical mindset. It also sets up their third paragraph, sharing how they’ve evolved from initial interests in architectural to mechanical engineering, which they elaborate in the final two paragraphs. An effective way to demonstrate your fit for major is to propose and consider one possibility (architecture) and dismiss it for something else (mechanical).

Check out my new book Surviving the College Admissions Madness and Youtube Channel

Cockrell School of Engineering, Environmental Engineering

I water the cheerful green patch in our apartment complex and soak in the compost’s earthy aroma. My mom and I have been container composting in our apartment for a few years. Since childhood, the transformation from muck to mud has amazed me. I love having a patch of green to share with our community in Kuwait’s desert. 

Two summers ago, I interned at a design setup in Chennai, India, that focuses on green initiatives. Their rainwater harvesting systems and design innovations address the urgent need for accessible drinking water in drought-stricken Chennai. My grandmother, a resident of Chennai, must queue for water tankers in the wee hours of morning to ferry and stock buckets of drinking water. If desalination could turn Kuwait into an oasis, could the same happen in Chennai? I strive to answer these critical questions moving forward.

My aunt, a proud Longhorn, showed me the sustainable technology research at the J.J. Pickle testing center. A glimpse at UT’s cleantech revolution opened my eyes to the immense contributions of environmental engineers. For my high school science project, I mapped the carbon and pollutant footprint of my school, drawing upon the work of Prof. David Allen’s work on air quality and black carbon emission.

I also have interests that extend beyond sustainability and the environment. I love engaging in constructive debates with my beloved mathematics teacher, like the possibilities of implementing a geometric construct on an algebraic equation. I’ve won many mathematics and science Olympiads. To prepare myself for a rigorous American university education, I commit myself to independent studies on Coursera and other MOOCs. I compete at a high level in chess and swimming. I’ve practiced Karate for six years, recently earning my Black Belt.

If I am privileged to be a proud Longhorn, I will make a difference for communities who lack reliable access to clean water. I want to conduct research in Professor Navid Saleh’s lab on environmental and water systems so that my grandmother and others like her can lead a fuller life rather than literally losing sleep from worrying about their daily drinking water.

Commentary

This international applicant demonstrates their fit for environmental engineering at UT specifically from a few different angles: the environment they’re raised, a family alumna, a clean water internship, and a high school project. Referencing related activities like science competitions and Math Olympiads in addition to independent studies signals to reviewers that they’re going above and beyond their formal high school curriculum to try and maximize the resources in their environment. Concluding with a reference to a relevant UT professor and research lab communicates to reviewers that they’ve done some research and found reasons how UT can help them explore their interests. They pack a lot in this essay without losing focus or leaving too many areas undeveloped or leaving the reader wanting for more details.

Need help writing your best essays and short answers?