All Fall 2022 first-time freshman applicants must write one long Apply Texas Essay A and four UT-Austin-specific short answers concerning your first-choice major, diversity OR leadership, changing the world, and COVID/academic special circumstances.

“Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community, or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT.”

The new prompt combines two previous prompts that required students to discuss in two different prompts Leadership and Diversity. A common misconception students have is that this new short answer prompt requires you to discuss both leadership and diversity, when in reality, you have the choice. In that way, this prompt is broader and easier to address than the two prompts from previous admissions cycles.

Texas A&M has a nearly identical prompt that it seems is required for Fall 2021 freshman applicants that appears on Apply Texas but isn’t publicized on their site.

Texas A&M University believes that diversity is an important part of academic excellence and that it is essential to living our core values. Describe the benefits of diversity and inclusion for you personally and for the Texas A&M campus community.

I share tips and possible approaches here along with previous examples in other posts. This topic seems tough at first, but it allows for a surprisingly broad range of potential responses. It’s a variation on the Common App Essay #1 “discuss your background or an identity, interest, or talent” or the California Common Application’s Insight Question #3 “what is your greatest talent or skill?”

Diversity short answer should add new information that hasn’t been discussed elsewhere in your essays. It’s also an opportunity to share something not mentioned in your resume. Many responses also include Why UT statements and how they see themselves contributing to classroom discussions and campus life.

Consider the real student examples below to help brainstorm your Diversity short answer. These eleven students discuss their job, musical talents, hobbies, diverse friend groups, and having mixed identities among other possibilities.

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Working at Starbucks

7:00 sharp. Eddie pulls up with his adorable dog Echo and orders the usual: two skinny cinnamon dolce lattes. Thirty minutes later, like clockwork, Susan orders her signature venti latte with an extra shot and four raw sugars before her heading to her desk job in Plano. I greet with a smile our Starbucks regulars who start their morning commutes at our drive-thru.

Most of my coworkers despise mornings, especially at the drive-thru window, but it’s my favorite shift. Serving their favorite drinks and brightening their mornings with a joke or a “how ya doing?” makes my day fly by. For some of my customers, it might be the only smile or small talk they receive for the day.

The drive-thru window is my portal to the world living in such a culturally-diverse suburb. Each person, like their drink order, is different and unique. It’s uncanny how stern faces tend to go for double espressos while the bubbly types with time on their hands sip frappuccinos. My tender and energetic personality resembles my go-to beverage: iced caramel macchiato with extra vanilla and caramel drizzle.

I love the morning routines and regulars who stop by, but every hour at Starbucks is different. I give quiet customers their space, yet I never pass on an opportunity to chat. I’ve learned perspectives at work I wouldn’t get from home or school. You never know when a two-minute conversation might reveal something special or thought-provoking.  I chat with Danny and his girlfriend. They seem to have the kind of relationship I’d like. Eric never forgets to tell me to vote even if we’re nowhere near an election. Over months and months, new people become regulars. Being a barista is one of my most rewarding experiences.

Commentary

This is one of my favorite examples of addressing how they might enrich their environment in a novel way. Most students wouldn’t consider a part-time job as possible territory to share a unique experience or perspective. We had our initial Zoom call after they got off their shift. After sharing some funny stories, she was like, wait, do you think I can write about this in an essay? The Diversity topic is worded so broadly that we felt it perfect.

It’s also a relatable topic. Almost everyone including their admissions reviewer has visited a Starbucks. Lifting the veil a little bit on whose serving their coffee makes for an interesting read. Helping alleviate the monotony of reading dozens of admissions essays each day for your reviewer will always be a welcome relief. They elevate a good essay to outstanding by sharing small anecdotes and vignettes about their regular customers and a few lessons learned along the way. They even manage to make metaphorical connections between drink choice and a customer’s personality. Their essay is an effective example of how you can pack a surprisingly large amount of information into a one-page response.

International Friend Group

I love food, every kind imaginable, in no small part, thanks to my friends who come from around the world. Jean’s family is from the Philippines. His mother makes Chicken Adobo, a thick stew made with garlic, soy sauce, and spices poured over rice. We eat “family style” with a lot of passing plates. It’s incredible.

Melecruz comes from Vietnam, and their family dish is Bun Bo Hue, a savory, spicy beef and noodle soup. It sets my tongue on fire, but I can’t stop eating. When I’m at Surya’s house, we have Tikka Masala, a popular Indian dish featuring grilled chicken simmered in spiced tomato-yogurt creamy gravy. My mother makes Burgoo for us, a rich, hearty mutton stew with potatoes, carrots, and onions that really sticks to your ribs.

My friends and I joke that we’re a true culture club. Whenever I meet someone new, I always bring them into our ever-growing circle of friends. It’s great to see what they bring to the table, literally. It’s wonderful to spend so much time in each other’s home, eating exotic foods, and sharing family stories. These experiences are incredible lessons about different traditions and cultures in other countries. I’ve gained more from sharing a meal than I could ever learn in a classroom. 

Exposure to so many different cultures brings real joy and value. I feel that I have a knack for bringing people from different backgrounds together. I’m interested in joining the Partnerships to Advance Language Study and Cultural Exchange Program at UT so that I can continue to broaden my international circle of friends. I look forward to contributing to UT’s diverse campus and eating more food I haven’t tried.

Commentary

Many students struggle to answer this prompt because they don’t feel they have anything unique or interesting worth sharing. They’ll tell me they’re white, from the suburbs, and nothing particularly surprising happens. I’ve yet to find a student though who is unable to share a unique experience. This client and I went back and forth in our initial call. I asked about his friend group, and he said, now that you mention it, I’ve got a few friends from different backgrounds and even have tried some of their food. Even if there isn’t anything obviously diverse about your identity or background, you can expand the scope of your inquiry to include your friends or even online communities. Still, the applicant realized their mom fixes a few Irish dishes

One thing we worked on throughout was supplying as many details as possible including the foods, their friend’s names, ingredients, and different ways to break bread together. Just like the advice of not boring your reader, another effective technique is to make their mouth water. Finally, they identify a few reasons how UT can help them build relationships with people from diverse cultures.

Christianity and Hinduism

Pink bibles. “W.W.J.D?” pencils. Bible excerpts on fortune cookie-styled slips of paper. All of them staple momentos of Heart to Heart.

In the fourth grade, I was the only one of my friends without a favorite Bible verse. Feeling like an outlier, I joined Heart to Heart, a Bible study every fourth-grader attended. When I asked if I—a ten-year-old Hindu—could join, my mom signed me up. Later in the week, I switched gears to Balvikas, a Hindu principles class.

Over time, I noticed our classes weren’t so different. 

We are more than our surface-level characteristics. At ten years old, I began to embrace both parts of my identity: my surroundings and my background. 

This became natural until last September, when a Whataburger employee remarked, “Wow, you’re Indian? You’re so pretty for an Indian girl.” 

I froze. 

My lips parted. I set my fry down. “Uh- I-” I stuttered. Always the witty reply, I was at a loss for words. My confidence dissolved into thin air. 

I’m bound to feel out of place every once in a while, but Whataburger was the first time someone else had made me feel alienated and self-conscious.

Months later, I was in the car with one of my friends. “Wait, Amrita, your parents had an arranged marriage?”

“Yeah, I would never.”

“Do they love each other?”

“I- I mean-” I awkwardly laughed.

It was Whataburger all over again. This was my friend—she meant no harm. Neither did the Whataburger employee. We all have pre-judgments, myself included. Stereotypes and unconscious biases are natural. I try to identify my own prejudices before saying or acting the first thing that comes to mind.

I hope to conduct research at UT under Professor Leigh McAlister. In my AP Research class, I am researching Neuroeconomics, the study of decisionmaking. Professor McAlister researches the effects of advertising and marketing on, for example, price elasticity. Her research and courses will help me find and maintain clients in my future medical career. 

To this day, the pink Bible from Heart to Heart and the Bhagavad Gita from Balvikas are on my bookshelf—and hopefully, one day, my research journal can end up there, too.

Commentary

This is a dynamic essay that covers a lot of territory in a relatively short amount of space. During the brainstorming stage, they originally crafted this as part of a longer Essay A. We spun it off into the Diversity short answers. Writing a ton early on regardless of the topic and then seeing what to do with it later saves time in the long run. It’s less efficient and more tedious to write essays that fit neatly into each box when you’re likely to shift some of the content around in your essays later on anyways.

I appreciate how they illustrate their experiences caught between Hinduism and Christianity with vivid examples. They confront directly stereotypes and go the extra mile by acknowledging that they, like all humans, also hold subtle biases. “Stereotypes and unconscious biases are natural. I try to identify my own prejudices before saying or acting the first thing that comes to mind.”

In their other UT essays, they utilize dialog and conversations, so their style remains consistent throughout their entire application. They also manage to have a thoughtful introduction and conclusion, which is fairly rare in an essay of this length. Lastly, presenting their AP research project and identifying a UT-Austin professor exploring similar themes rounds out a thought-provoking short answer that is formidable as a standalone piece.

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

Playing Guitar

Tired from jet lag and wanting only to be home in my comfortable bed, I visited with the intake coordinator for incoming students, Ms. Dourley. I was a little bit apprehensive on my first day at my new school in Dubai until I spotted a 1969 Fender Stratocaster, the same six-string rhythm guitar played by George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and my former mentor, Mr. Peek.

“Another guitar player?” She asked with interest. I rubbed my eyes and looked up.

One of my biggest worries about moving from Chicago was leaving Mr. Peek’s advanced guitar class and finding someone to jam with at my new school in Dubai. I couldn’t believe that not only did Ms. Dourley play guitar; she owned the same legendary 1969 Stratocaster.

Our conversation changed my perspective on guitar and Dubai. I figured nobody could compare to Mr. Peek. It turns out that Dubai has a vast music scene, both Arab artists and other expats. Ms. Dourley told me about bands in school, guitar programs outside of school, recording studios, and open-mic venues.

I play guitar every single day, but this wasn’t always the case. Freshman year, I was sitting on a flight of stairs, practicing chords. A teacher I didn’t know watched me. With an unexpected audience, I played a little nervously and blundered some trying to impress the stranger. After a few chords, he introduced himself as Mr. Peek, my former school’s advanced guitar teacher. He suggested stopping by his room sometime.

I learned only later that Jeff Peek is a legendary guitarist who has published numerous books. I enrolled in his popular beginner class and practiced every day. I improved my skills, and he invited me to join the advanced dual credit class in my junior year.

Sometimes, I skipped lunch or ducked away in slow periods to jam. Mr. Peek’s classroom was a sanctuary when things got touchy at home or school. I recently returned to Chicago during my Dubai school’s fall break and sat in for a class. Visiting his class reminded me that I occasionally miss America. The most disappointing thing about moving my senior year is that I couldn’t continue in my school’s guitar program. Instead of giving up the instrument, I resolved to play guitar at my new school.

Commentary

Remember that the essay allows you to discuss a talent. Applicants are often hesitant to share experiences that aren’t apparent on their resume, but it isn’t necessary for your talent or interest to show up in some formal activity. If you have something that’s important to you even if it isn’t something you do competitively or attend camps, this short answer prompt provides the perfect opportunity for you to share your interest with your admissions reader.

Their Essay A details their transition from Chicago to Dubai, and understanding that your reviewer will read your Essay A first, they continue the story by discussing their first day at school and having the good luck to find a new guitar teacher. The essay changes directions again to focus primarily on their earlier years and how an influential mentor Mr. Peek helped them explore and refine their talents. Spending time detailing the learning process and the mechanics of how they practiced and improved provide enriching commentary.

Perhaps my favorite line is “sometimes, I skipped lunch or ducked away in slow periods to jam” because it produces an image in the reader’s head that’s both believable and charming. It shows their commitment to playing guitar, and one can imagine them playing in their future dorm or commons area.

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Dance

The lights dimmed. The audience hushed. The curtain rose.

The warm spotlight illuminated me. I raised my arms and twirled my legs. The intense rhythm lifted my body and filled my heart. I lost myself in the sound, dashing with swift sashays across the stage before suddenly leaping.

I couldn’t quite see the audience, but I knew where I was going. I had rehearsed my dance countless times. Swiftly and carefully, I carried myself across the stage.

As if the whole world were watching, within a single movement, I stopped, looked up, and bowed my head. The crowd cheered. My heart pounded. This was it… this was it…this was...

“Hello...”

“I think she’s daydreaming again...”

“Someone wake her up...”

And just like that, I snapped back to reality. I realized I had dozed off again, thinking of the one activity I love most dearly.

I’ve danced since I was five. I’ve dedicated thousands of hours to developing my craft. My bedroom mirror was my first audience, and I’ve since performed in national competitions. I feel most content when I’m on stage. I pay the price with aching feet and painful muscles. Pain is a worthwhile sacrifice for joy.

Dance allows me to express myself when words escape me. When I move, I don't just hear the music; I feel it. Dance translates my emotions for the world to see. It’s a stress reliever from straining school days. When I feel anxious, all that I can think about are graceful ball-steps and elegant leaps. 

However, I didn’t always enjoy dance. Like most kids, I went through the motions, but over the years, I left each class more excited for the next. Dance classes and competitions introduced me to my closest friends.

Once as a child, I struggled with a particularly intricate routine required for joining my dream dance company. I doubted every movement, step, and beat. I’m thankful my dance family is cooperative and supportive. They encouraged me to trust in myself and bounce back from my disappointment. They help me improve my dancefloor strength and flexibility, but more importantly, we make one another better people.

At UT Austin, I plan to participate in the Dance Action student organization and audition for the UT Dance team. As a choreographer and dancer, I’m considering forming my own organization helping underprivileged children in Austin learn different dance styles and expose them to new forms of art expression.

Commentary

If you’re going to select a single issue or talent, it’s preferable to share a short story to illustrate your talents or experiences rather than simply telling your reviewer why and how dance is important to you. It’s particularly clever how they begin their essay with a daydream followed by the steps they’ve taken to realize their goals of becoming a dancer. Especially for activities that might only show up as a single line that may not in itself strengthen your application, the Diversity short answer provides a good opportunity to signal to your reviewer a special talent that they shouldn’t overlook.

Throughout their response, they provide a lot of specific and interesting tidbits like dancing in their mirror, movement as stress management, and overcoming early obstacles to learn a routine. It’s also almost always a good idea to supply one or two “why UT” references that identify similar opportunities at UT that will help you continue your interests and find a like-minded community should you wish. Even if this student doesn’t dance at UT, at least it shows to their reviewer they have substantive and valid reasons for applying beyond the banality of program rankings and generalities about campus life.

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

Estate Sales

I work at an estate sale company. Every day is different. Our clients range from young couples moving to other countries to old folks looking to downsize while mourning the loss of their recently-deceased. We liquidate everything from small suburban houses filled with quirky antiques to multi-million dollar lake-houses with expansive leather couches.

I’m responsible for gathering and organizing items. If customers want something, they usually go through me. Once, a woman tried to bargain on the price of a floor lamp in a language I didn’t understand. Her five-year-old daughter said her mom speaks only Hindi, so the little girl served as our translator. The mom bargained hard while the daughter reluctantly translated, which isn’t uncommon. It’s sometimes intimidating because I look young and people think they can steamroll me. The company warns me against going too low, so there really are times we can’t find a middle price. 

One of our best customers comes to every sale. He is obsessed with Alaska and assures us he can find something in every house that’s Alaska related. He searches every box, shelf, and cabinet, often declaring, “See! Photographs from the klondike gold rush!” The only sales he misses is when he’s actually in Alaska.  

The craziest item we ever came across was a Nazi pistol from World War II. Our client fought the Germans and showcased it like a trophy. Anything with Nazi symbols or fascist memorabilia is illegal to buy, trade, or possess in the United States, so we occasionally come across things that even a history museum would be hard-pressed to find. 

Assisting these people makes me more culturally aware. Everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, age, or religion, has unique preferences, techniques for haggling, and, most importantly, ways of expressing thanks. I’ve yet to travel outside of the US, so sorting memorabilia from around the world and selling it to people from all walks of life encourages me to study abroad when I’m in college. My aunt who teaches elementary school in Japan makes me curious to visit.

Commentary

Similar to the Starbucks essay, the Diversity short answer allows you the opportunity to discuss any work experience that may be interesting to reviewers. For the number of hours part-time jobs require, they often aren’t preferenced or weighted heavily enough in college admissions. It’s effective to flag your commitments to your reviewer even if it doesn’t relate to your future studies. This applicant is also someone who didn’t have any initial ideas about what makes them diverse. It was only after we chatted about their unique part-time job helping with the family business that we saw the potential to develop it into a full short answer response.

Sharing both about the quirky and bizarre items that sometimes appear along with their varied customers suggests a teenager who is capable and comfortable talking with adults from diverse backgrounds. Not everyone is a strong communicator, particularly with people much older than you. By sharing a few interesting anecdotes, along the way they highlight positive characteristics like patience, problem-solving, and curiosity. It’s also cool how they relate these experiences to a desire to eventually study abroad, which isn’t an obvious connection at first glance.

Pro-tip if you’re a college student on a tight budget: estate sales are a great way to find quality furniture and kitchen stuff at thrift store prices.

Progressive Family and Montessori

The cascading evening sunlight danced between the skyscrapers. A float passed by. The guys on board looked my way and enthusiastically smiled and waved. I remember a couple of them even pointed my way. I guess they weren’t used to seeing many seven-year-olds at the parade. I waved back, and they threw beads to me. My mom and dad brought me to Gay Pride Houston. I was in heaven with all the bright colors, dance music, and cheers. I remember asking my mom later that night, “Is it OK for girls to like girls and boys to like boys?”  She simply answered, “Of course.”

Diversity isn’t something I’ve pondered much – it’s all I’ve known. Since I was practically out of diapers, my parents provided experiences for me to see and interact with people from all walks of life. They enrolled me into a Montessori pre-school as a three-year-old so that I could play and mix with kids from seemingly the whole planet. I continued my studies at a diverse charter school with students from different cultures and backgrounds. 

It never occurred to me that some people might think it’s weird or uncomfortable to have friends with different skin colors. In middle and high school, I started realizing that not everyone shares the same openness that my family values so strongly.  Recently, I helped a close friend of mine deal with the pressures of coming out. His parents completely freaked out, and his experiences make me understand how much more progress we can make for inclusion.  

I’ve come to realize that sharing experiences and perspectives among people with different backgrounds and thoughts is essential to my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I crave a university experience that exposes me to people with different perspectives. UT is the perfect mix of diversity and high-quality education. High school class discussions can often be polarizing and unproductive. I’m excited for a collegiate environment where conversations are productive and thought-provoking. I plan on bringing my commitment to openness, reason, and a thirst for learning.

Commentary

This is a straightforward and direct response to the question that demonstrates how they will enrich UT’s learning environment by bringing their family’s diverse perspectives to campus. Not all students come from tolerant and open-minded families, so holding inclusive beliefs suggests that they’re open to new experiences and people from different backgrounds. “Diversity isn’t something I’ve pondered much – it’s all I’ve known.”

Their response is authentic and sincere, supported well by specific details and evidence. The difference between saying that you’re inclusive and illustrating it with the opening example of attending Pride as a child are techniques that separate good from great essays. Sharing their educational background in a Montessori and later a charter school before enrolling in a public high school also evidences a family value system that encourages making friends from different backgrounds. Although it isn’t necessary, one simple way this essay could have been improved is to cite one or two resources or student organizations at UT that align with their beliefs.

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Car Restoration and Varied Hobbies

For my sixteenth birthday, my dad passed me the keys to his black-on-black 1990 Mercury Cougar XR7: purring supercharged 3.6L engine, automatic seatbelts, power windows, rear-wheel drive, automatic transmission, and 140,000 miles. I’ve admired his custom-ordered car since riding in the plastic-and-foam car seat. Receiving its keys felt like adopting a pet, if it were a temperamental yet loving lion that required a new surgery every few weeks.

Every breakdown turns my stomach. Might this be the day when the Cougar departs to Car Heaven? When the windshield wipers, radio, and windows kept randomly switching on and off, I was terrified that the entire wiring system malfunctioned. My dad and I refuse to visit mechanics, mostly on principle, so the Mercury online forum is our best friend. A quick query supplied us with a wiring diagram.

It pointed to a bad ignition switch, but my stomach refused to unknot. We removed the plastic shield for the steering column and breathed a sigh of relief. The ignition pins weren’t making contact withcontacting the rest of the switch. After replacing the switch, I decided that, for the first time in over a decade of fixing the Coug, I had to take a keepsake picture. My dad rolled his eyes.

Don’t tell the Coug, but I may be leaving her for my mistress, a computer-science degree. At age nine, my dad signed me up for a STEM summer camp. Conscientious yet outdated, he sent me with a Windows 3.1 manual “Learn Java in 24 hours.” Beaming, I showed it to Tony, my camp counselor. He laughed raucously.

By eighth grade, I created a text-based game that let players explore Algeasia, the setting of the Inheritance Cycle, my favorite novels. Even in high school, I was a programming late-bloomer. I took AP Computer Science A my freshman year, but I didn’t know about programming competitions and robotics until my sophomore year was nearly over.

My parents don’t pressure me to compete in prestigious competitions, and I didn’t have my college admissions journey planned out of the womb. Instead, I follow my interests broadly. Freshman year, I ran a 4:48 mile in track, played Division 1 lacrosse showcases, earned my Eagle Scout rank, and qualified for NSDA debate nationals. My varied interests beyond STEM will contribute to CS classrooms and organizations.

Commentary

This essay is interesting because the applicant later expanded it into their main Common App response. It’s a great example of how you can repurpose some essays for other prompts or begin what you think is a long essay that winds up being one or more short answers. The writing process is just as important as the final submissions.

Adults like to complain that teenagers nowadays don’t know how to do anything with their hands. Why not engage with that assumption directly? This response blends their love for tinkering and passion for cars with insight into their relationship with their father. Admissions reviewers are people too. We tend to relate most to applicants who remind us in some way of ourselves. If your reviewer also received a hand-me-down car or has similar nostalgia, there’s a good chance they struck a chord with their reader. Their essay feels a little bit like a blast from the past.

Maybe my favorite part of the essay is this paragraph: “Don’t tell the Coug, but I may be leaving her for my mistress, a computer-science degree. At age nine, my dad signed me up for a STEM summer camp. Conscientious yet outdated, he sent me with a Windows 3.1 manual ‘Learn Java in 24 hours.’ Beaming, I showed it to Tony, my camp counselor. He laughed raucously.”

It connects the beginning with the end and subtly bridges their interests in hardware with their future computer science studies. They provide a funny visual of a well-meaning dad out of their element with new technology. Conveying their diverse interests and being more than a student that spends most of their days sitting behind the computer, I have no doubt they will contribute interesting perspectives to classroom discussions.

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

Sikhism and Service

As a practicing Sikh, I attend the weekly Sunday religious services at the Gurdwara Sahib of Southwest Houston (GSSWH). I am a lead youth worship volunteer responsible for reaching out to other area religious communities and helping during the congregational meals. I serve food and water with seva, or the selfless service towards others. The term Sikh translates to a disciple or learner. We seek prosperity for all of humankind. Our religion emphasizes interfaith relations and is less evangelical than other faiths, so we welcome people from all backgrounds interested in peace and equality.

Although Sikhism is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world, most of us live in northern India. I strive to maintain close cultural and religious ties to our heritage. I regularly attend cultural assemblies, and I became the first graduate from the local Punjabi language school at GSSWH. In addition, I facilitate donation collection, cash counting, cash reporting, and budgeting for our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

As a Longhorn, I plan to join the Sikh Students Association and contribute to the platform of educating others about Sikhism along with giving back to society. Intercultural exchanges are central to my life, so The McCombs Diversity Council (MDC) is my perfect fit on campus. They host events and discussions to build an inclusive community interested in personal growth and professional development.

The McCombs community values of “respect our differences, leverage our diversity” align with Sikhism’s core community-focused Sangat philosophy, which refers to fellowship and the need for a cohesive community. Furthermore, I seek to enter the welcoming network of the Honors Business Association (HBA), which offers academic, social, professional, and philanthropic opportunities so that I can build rewarding ties with members of the student community. I am excited to immerse myself in UT and McCombs’s diverse Sangat.

Commentary

This is a fairly straightforward response to the topic. The applicant belongs to a less-known religious community, in the US anyway, and spends some of their free time volunteering at their temple. I like how they’ve effortlessly incorporated knowledge of their belief system into their essay. For instance, before reading, I didn’t now that Sikh translates to learner or disciple. Connecting the Sikh concept of Sangat as a metaphor for contributing to UT’s diverse communities elevates their point from simply telling to illustrating. Any time you can teach your reviewer about something they may not have previously known, like highlighting some of Sikhism’s core tenants, can often be an effective strategy.

Discussing service here highlights an area of their resume that may have been overlooked by the reviewer. They’re applying for BHP, and throughout all of their other essays, they’re arguing for why they’re deserving of a space. It isn’t necessary to reference your major in each short answer, but if you can connect your points with themes you were already intending to share, it can be an effective use of word space.

CS Applicant With Non-STEM Interests

Although I love STEM, I also appreciate the arts. I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember. I started with Bharatanatyam, a classical style indigenous to Tamil Nadu, for six years until I moved to the US. Nowadays, I enjoy modern Bollywood dance, and I compete occasionally.

In middle school in India, I received the Level 1 award in speech and drama from Trinity College London. My playwriting contest submission was chosen, enacted, and published by London’s Soho Theatre. I enjoy photography, a hobby cultivated from travels to Italy and North India. I like to read the newspaper almost every day to learn about multiple perspectives and appreciate Thomas Friedman’s columns. I listen to podcasts like Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell and read books like Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz.    

I’m also willing to make sacrifices to explore new subjects. In fifth grade, I took a class through Stanford’s Online High School about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, but since I lived in India, I woke up around midnight every week to attend a seminar for the class in a US timezone. Sophomore year, I took AP Computer Science A online in addition to my already rigorous course-load at school. I finished the class with an A despite the challenge of it being AP level and a self-taught course.

I think that the combination of the diverse experiences and perspectives that my background brings, my passion for learning, and my varied interests in the arts make me an ideal fit for the vibrant learning and working environment at UT Austin. I would love to continue expanding my passions and share them with others at the university through programs like Nach Baliye, the Indian Cultural Association, and AIESEC.

Commentary

If you’re a STEM-heavy applicant applying to a major whose fit you’ve already sufficiently demonstrated in your other essays, it can be strategic to convey other dimensions to your personality. Sharing non-STEM interests suggests that you have different perspectives to bring to classroom discussions. One of my favorite books this year is Range by David Epstein. In myriad ways, he presents research and observations about developing interests outside of specialized disciplines. Some of the most successful scientists, researchers, and business leaders cultivate hobbies totally unrelated to their primary interests.

Their response is also a variation on a few other universities who require students to share briefly in supplements their favorite books, podcasts, movies, and so on. UT’s Diversity short answer is so broadly worded that you can discuss just about anything. Rather than thinking what you feel reviewers want to hear, share a few ways you like to spend your free time or times when you’ve gone outside of formal school curriculum to explore your interests.

Tutoring from a young age

In elementary school, I received Kumon tutoring and reached the top level in 6th grade. I impressed the owner Mrs. Bobba so much that she said I’d have a job when I reached high school. I started teaching earlier than that; however, when my math team coach Lisa Pant couldn’t cover concurrent classes or fill them with enough high school volunteers, she made me a floating instructor, filling in as needed. She had no reservations about placing me in any class, and I taught until the end of 7th grade.

Summer after 7th grade, I became an intern at the Eat Pie Institute of Mathematics and Humanities, where I learned lesson planning. My first lesson presented a combinatorics topic called Pathwalking. Moving to Texas, I was placed in a lower math level because Alabama levels aren’t the same as Texas.

I already knew the content from Kumon and math competitions, so I felt incredibly bored. I asked my math teacher, Ms. Jones, if I could do anything extra. She asked me to make and present powerpoints for the class on topics like “why you cannot divide by 0?”. Later that year, I helped her with before- and after-school tutoring. I also excused myself from advisory. My teacher gave me a hand wave because he knew I was going to Ms. Jones’s class. I earned the “Grizzly Boy of the Year” award, which is pretty impressive given since I was a new student.

In addition to founding and running Number Ninjas math camps for four summers, sophomore year, I became a MATHCOUNTS coach for the North South Foundation. I tutored online around 20 students across the US, sharing my tips and tricks required for competition success.  I also served as a middle school MATHCOUNTS coach, leading our team to third place in the Rocket City Math League, 1st place at the chapter MATHCOUNTS competition for the first time in the history of the school, and, eventually, 12th place in Texas. 

I see myself as an academic mentor with the Austin Math Circle to continue similar outreach for competition preparation. I want to tutor at the Sanger Learning Center and generally serve as a resource for any class- or dorm-mates struggling in math. I’m most interested in hosting my own middle and high school competitions, so I’m excited to see how I can contribute to the Forty Acres.

Commentary

Universities will receive a lot of essays about tutoring and mentorship. One way to discuss tutoring if you choose is to ask yourself how your experiences might differ from others. Admissions reviewers are screening for students who are especially precocious and curious. Excelling early on in one’s studies is one way to trace your intellectual interests from a young age. By happenstance of their teachers being absent on occasion or not having enough older volunteer tutors, this applicant began helping others at an, especially early age.

Walking their reviewer from this early start through to intermediate tutoring experiences lays the foundation for how they eventually founded and ran Number Ninjas math camps for four summers, presumably starting with after eighth grade. Identifying formal tutoring services on UT’s campuses plus helping friends and classmates more informally gives the admissions reader an image of how their life experiences and skills will enrich UT’s learning environment.

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