Plan II Admissions
Plan II is arguably the most unique program not just at UT-Austin, but at any public university in the United States. (They would argue that point, anyways. They love their uniqueness.)
What is Plan II?
Plan II is an interdisciplinary honors program housed in the College of Liberal Arts open to first-time freshman (they do not accept transfer applications.) Students take courses in both the sciences and humanities. Plan II is a major, and most students will take on a second or third major within Liberal Arts and often elsewhere.
You can read more about the history, origins, and philosophy of Plan II here.
How does Plan II make decisions?
Unlike regular UT admission or some other honors programs, Plan II is very transparent about its admissions process and incoming class profile. The typical Plan II student will be in the top 5% of their class, score a 1450 on the SAT, and have scores of 4 and 5 on their AP exams.
Their process is much more than academic measures. In particular, they emphasize strong writing abilities and students with an intrinsic passion to explore curiosities of their interest.
"What is less cut-and-dried and will be evaluated on a more subjective level, is the degree of sophistication and maturity we see in the essays of successful applicants. We also see a depth and richness in their non-academic activities and leadership experiences that combine to give an applicant an intangible "sparkle." Great essays and those intangible qualities are what sets the successful applicants apart from the unsuccessful applicants who may have similar, perhaps even higher, grades, ranks and test scores."
Essays are worth 40% of their admissions criteria with an additional 20% reserved for "Plan II-ness." They are looking for the student who has programmed their own iPhone app, but also is self-taught in German who pursues bookbinding in their spare time. Plan II students are notoriously quirky. It shows in the honors dorm and their process reflects this.
Their essay advice is probably the best anywhere on an official UT page.
It is worth reviewing regardless of which program or major you apply. With all of my clients, I emphasize sophistication of ideas, maturity in how they present themselves, offering nuance to complex topics, choosing your words wisely and making the most out of each sentence, and demonstrating why they would be a good fit. Plan II is no different.
My clients have found success with Plan II admissions. I would love to bring critical thinking and a nuanced approach to your honors application. To get started, please fill out this form and I can provide a free consultation of your admissions chances.