ut austin business honors essay

Applying to Business School: How to Apply to Canfield Business Honors

Written by Sarah Shields, M. Ed., Canfield BHP Strategic Enrollment & Joint Programs Manager

Topics of Interest: Applying to business school, how to apply to Canfield BHP, our admissions process, Texas CSB/Texas ECB/Plan II application guidance, what we’re looking for, why Canfield BHP

Editor’s note : Be sure to watch the admissions Q&A on our Instagram highlights featuring Canfield BHP Recruitment Coordinator, Kelly Georgestone, for more information!

Welcome prospective students and families to the Canfield BHP community! We often receive inquires on how to apply, what Canfield BHP Admissions is looking for in applicants, and what unique opportunities we offer students.

First, and foremost, the BEST way to learn more about Canfield BHP, our joint programs, and what it is like to be a student is to attend one of our Information Sessions . These are hosted during the school year every Monday and Friday afternoon (excluding holidays). Our Canfield BHP student recruiters are excited to share information with you regarding the program and answer your questions in real time. For Fall 2021 we will offer a mix of in-person and virtual sessions, so check out the UT Admissions website for details! Before we begin, please take note of the following application deadlines:

• Priority Deadline: November 1, 2021
• Regular Deadline: December 1, 2021

Note: Priority Deadline students will be notified earlier than Regular Deadline applicants. Applying by Priority does not influence admission decisions and is non-binding .

How to Apply to Canfield BHP

Most of our applicants will be traditional business students. Students who are admitted to Canfield BHP are admitted to the Business Honors major directly. After their first year if students would like to add an additional business major (Finance, Accounting, Marketing, etc.) they may do so via their academic advisor. In the application you will still apply as “Unspecified Business”, however if you know what area of business you would like to study you are welcome to discuss this in the essay portion of your application, short answer 1.

Canfield BHP Admissions has access to your entire UT Austin application for review.

To apply to the Canfield Business Honors Program, you must:

Apply via ApplyTX or the Coalition application.

• Select the McCombs School of Business as your first-choice college.
• List “Unspecified Business” (200400) as your first choice major.
• After you start your Apply TX or Coalition application, you will be able to select that you are interested in honors. This is towards the end of the application.
• Answer the “Canfield Business Honors Program” essay prompt.
• Once your application is complete, you will have access to your MyStatus page after about 24 hours. Use this page to upload your expanded resume .
• Submit a required letter of recommendation from an academic source (teacher, professor, etc.). Please note that you must use the Document Upload System in MyStatus, which will email your recommender a request to submit their recommendation to us directly.
• Complete all steps of the UT Austin application checklist .

You can always verify via MyStatus if your Honors Application is complete.

How to Apply to Canfield BHP + Joint Programs

Texas Honors Computer Science and Business ( Texas CSB ) is an integrated honors degree program between the Canfield Business Honors Program (Canfield BHP) and the Department of Computer Science. Texas CSB provides a rigorous four-year undergraduate curriculum aimed at preparing students for top technology careers.

To apply to Texas CSB, you must:

• Complete the general application requirements listed above.
• Select Unspecified Business and Computer Science as your first and second choice majors (first choice major should be the one you are most interested in). The department of Computer Science is within the College of Natural Sciences.
• After you submit your application having listed Unspecified Business and Computer Science for admission to UT Austin, you will be able to access the honors essay prompts. These are towards the end of the application.
• Students may also apply to either Canfield BHP or Turing Scholars, depending on which major is their first choice.
• Students must select Unspecified Business as their first choice major to be reviewed for Canfield BHP in addition to Texas CSB.
• Please note it is recommended to request your letter from a CS/Math/STEM teacher. If you are also applying to Turing Scholars it is a requirement that this letter come from a math or science teacher.

Texas Honors Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business ( Texas ECB ) is our newest integrated honors degree program between the Canfield Business Honors Program (Canfield BHP) and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). Texas ECB provides a rigorous four-year undergraduate engineering and business curriculum complete with a senior capstone project.

To apply to Texas ECB, you must:

• Select Unspecified Business and ECE as your first and second choice majors (first choice major should be the one you are most interested in). The department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is in the Cockrell School of Engineering.
• After you submit your application having listed Unspecified Business and ECE for admission to UT Austin, you will be able to access the honors essay prompts. These are towards the end of the application.
• Students must select Unspecified Business as their first choice major to be reviewed for Canfield BHP in addition to Texas ECB.
• Please note it is recommended to request your letter from a CS/Math/STEM teacher. If you are also applying to ECE Honors it is a requirement that this letter come from a math or science teacher.

Canfield BHP + Plan II Honors

Plan II Honors is the oldest honors program in the nation and offers students a place where they can explore the issues and questions that shape the human experience. Plan II students graduate with exceptional writing, communication, and analytical skills that can be applied to virtually any career path.

To apply to Plan II, you must:

• Select Unspecified Business and a Liberal Arts major as your first and second choice majors (first choice major should be Unspecified Business). The Plan II Honors program will review all students who have first/second choice within Liberal Arts and complete application requirements.
• After you submit your application having listed Unspecified Business and a Liberal Arts major for admission to UT Austin, you will be able to access the honors essay prompts. These are towards the end of the application.
• Students may also apply to Canfield BHP.

What We are Looking for in Applicants

This is one of our most common questions!

We do not have minimum GPA, score, or rank requirements to be admitted to Canfield BHP or our joint programs. We are looking for community leaders who take academics seriously. The Canfield BHP Admissions committee reviews each application submitted an in a holistic manner.

Students are encouraged to submit test scores (SAT/ACT/AP/IB) if they think they are representative of their academic skills. Students who do not submit scores will not be viewed negatively by the admissions committee.

Leadership can be shown in several ways in your community. This could be volunteering, holding titled leadership positions at your high school, or helping support your family. While our application process is very competitive every year, we pride ourselves in not having a homogeneous admitted class; students come from a variety of backgrounds, hometowns, and experiences.

What Makes Canfield BHP Unique

Our community.

Students are encouraged to be leaders on campus while in Canfield BHP. This could be leadership within Canfield BHP , UT Austin , or the Austin community . One of the first ways students get to know our leadership community is through our Peer Mentoring Program. These small groups meet once a week their first semester to get to know their upperclassman mentor, their peers, and what resources are available to them while in the program.

After the first-year, students are then paired up with an alumni mentor to help guide them through their career development, no matter what their goals are for the future. It is not uncommon to see an alumnus in the Canfield BHP offices simply stopping by to say hello or hosting a coffee chat for current students.

Speaking of career development, students are paired with their personal Career Coach in their first semester who will help build their interviewing skills, networking, and resume while in the program. Canfield BHP students have unique opportunities to hear from our corporate partners directly while on campus via dinners, HBA events, and coffee chats.

And finally, our Canfield BHP staff are always here to support our students and their academic goals. Our academic advising team works with students one on one, every semester until graduation, to help with course selection, graduation planning, and majors in addition to Business Honors.

We look forward to reading your application this Fall!

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Undergraduate

Top-Notch Program, Tight-Knit Community

The Canfield Business Honors Program challenges students with a specialized curriculum modeled after case-based MBA programs.

The Program

• Application Process
• Student Recruiters
• Information Sessions
• Canfield BHP News

Learn and Connect with Fellow Longhorns

We challenge students to think outside of the box and make connections in the process. In small classes of 40 to 45 students, you’ll focus on group discussions, presentations, and analytic exercises. We also provide programming so students from all graduating classes can form strong relationships with one another. Our program is more than an education—we’re a community.

Student Success by the Numbers

Job Placement

*For students seeking industry positions

2019-2020 BBA Salary Survey

Average monthly salary

Average starting salary

2020-2021 BBA Salary Survey

Why Stop at Just One Degree?

Alumni Spotlight: Katherine Chen

Canfield BHP has transformed the way I see and interact with the world. Because of Canfield BHP, I landed my dream role in consulting and was exposed to a rich variety of career paths for the future. The case-based model, small classes, and tight-knot cohort provided an MBA-level excellent learning experience. I cannot imagine a more formidable business education.

CANFIELD BHP VIEWBOOK

Do it all while enjoying the forty acres.

If you’ve ever wanted to study in another country, research the newest thing in business, or learn from a career coach, you’re in the right place. We provide advisors and unique programming to help you grow, no matter what holds your interest.

The Canfield Business Honors Program

The Canfield Business Honors Program (CBHP) at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) equips outstanding students with the analytical tools and interpersonal skills needed for careers of leadership in business. The CBHP is an innovative degree program within the highly- ranked  McCombs School of Business. It is designed to provide intellectual challenge and professional development for students with exceptional academic abilities and leadership skills. CBHP combines the benefits of a small, close-knit community with the vast resources of the University of Texas at Austin.

CBHP core courses are accelerated and modeled after those taught in the MBA program. CBHP courses are taught by some of the McCombs School's most experienced faculty. Emphasis is placed on class discussion and presentations, case study analysis, and research on actual business decision-making. Enrollment in CBHP classes is restricted to students in the program. The small class size (generally 30-45 students) facilitates interaction among students and faculty. The small classes and CBHP specific programming creates a truly unique, and welcoming, learning community.

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• Ryan Murphy
• Aug 7, 2018

Don't Neglect Your UT Honors Essays

The honors programs at UT-Austin require students to submit essays in addition to the Apply Texas Topic A essay and the four short answers. These essays are just as important as everything else in your UT application, even though most of the prompts limit your response to 250 words. So while these essays may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, they are still quite important for getting ahead of the competition.

Let’s review how to write your best UT honors essays.

#1 . Business Honors, Engineering Honors, Liberal Arts Honors, Plan II Honors, and Human Ecology Honors

Help us get to know you better. Please write five sentences (numbered 1 – 5) that give us some insight into you, your life, your interests and your experiences. There are no right answers—feel free to be creative and think outside the box.

When writing your five sentences, you should think of aspects of your personality that the admissions officers would never know--until now! In other words, highlight parts of your life that really have no other place in your application. Definitely try to avoid school-related topics (but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t).

Here is a sample of topics:

Quirky personality trait or hobby (ex: elegant napkin folding)

Philosophical belief (ex: quality is better than quantity)

Influential family member (ex: my aunt has taught me the beauty of garage sales)

Personal view on how to approach life (ex: always laugh)

Here are some recommendations on how to write each sentence:

Write 2-4 clauses PER sentence.

Use a semicolon if you need to get in an extra idea.

Do NOT write a run-on sentence.

Example sentence:

“Whenever I am home alone, I like to turn on the surround-sound stereo and sing Elton John piano medleys; this is my comfort zone.”

#2 . Computer Science and Business Honors (Texas CSB)

Describe your significant activities, employment and achievements. Be sure to include information that is relevant to the study of computer science. For example you may describe classes and programming activities, other science and math activities, honors and awards, and other activities that demonstrate leadership potential. (250 words RECOMMENDED)

This response is pretty standard, so you may have already written an essay that you can recycle. At any rate, it’s important to recognize that UT doesn’t simply want you to resume dump all your extracurriculars that are related to computer science into this essay. Instead, you need to discuss the ones that “demonstrate leadership potential.” And, yes, you may be thinking: didn’t I just talk about my leadership skills in UT Short Answer #3 ? You did, and now you get to do it again (but in a more subtle way).

What do students typically write about?

Internships

Camps or clubs

Personal businesses or nonprofits

How should you structure your response?

Paragraph #1 (1-2 sentences): Introduction of your significant activities in computer science.

Paragraph #2 (4-5 sentences): Describe significant activity #1 & knowledge/skill gained.

Paragraph #3 (4-5 sentences): Describe significant activity #2 & knowledge/skill gained.

Paragraph #4 (1-2 sentences): Restate what you like about computer science and what you hope to accomplish at college.

#3 . Moody College Honors

It’s been said that knowledge is power, but it could also be said that communication is power. Discuss an example from history, current events, a book or film, or from your own life that supports this perspective. Please limit your response to no more than 250 words.

The prompt opens the door for you to write a history essay, but you should refrain from writing your response too much like a research paper. Keep the discussion centered on how you believe communication is power, and if you do use a historical example, frame it in how the example shaped your thinking.

Here are some sample topics:

Personal narrative about how communicating clearly yielded the best outcome since knowing something was based on clear communication (maybe from a club or some extracurricular experience?)

Historical narrative that relates to war, news industry, or some political crisis

Books like 1984 and Animal Farm

This is how you should structure your response:

Paragraph #1 (2-3 sentences): Introduce why you think communication is power and then identify your example.

Paragraph #2 (5-6 sentences): Explain your example - a personal one is recommended.

Paragraph #3 (1-2 sentences): Say how you hope to further advance the power of communication (or something like that).

#4 . Natural Sciences Honors, Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars, and Polymathic Scholars

Natural Sciences Honors is interested in students who will both contribute to and benefit from the specific program to which they're applying. Provide at least two reasons why you wish to participate in this honors community. Please limit your response to no more than 250 words.

The UT Short Answer #4 is similar to this prompt, so you need to make sure that you don’t repeat yourself. The good news is that the prompt gives a pretty easy roadmap for how to structure the response. You are told to provide “TWO REASONS why you wish to participate in the community” and the Natural Science honors program wants students who will CONTRIBUTE TO (Reason #1 ) and BENEFIT FROM (Reason #2 ) the program.

In other words, this is how you should structure your response:

Paragraph #1 (1-2 sentences): State what you hope to contribute to Natural Science honors community (based on some experience you had) and what you hope to gain from the community (something like camaraderie or complex discussions, etc.)

Paragraph #2 (4-5 sentences): Go into more detail about what kind of background you have that you think fits in well with the Natural Science honors program.

Paragraph #3 (4-5 sentences): Then explain how you see yourself growing by participating in Natural Science honors.

Paragraph #4 (1-2 sentences): Summarize the points you’ve made and reiterate how UT Natural Science honors will advance you on a path you are already on.

#5 . Liberal Arts Honors and Plan II Honors

You are hosting a dinner party this weekend and you can invite ANY three people—living, dead, real or fictional. Tell us whom you would invite and why. What would be your first topic of conversation? Please limit your response to no more than 250 words.

There is no wrong answer for this response, but there are definitely ones that are more interesting than others. Originality and creativity are really important here, because you can invite anyone to your dinner party.

A-n-y-o-n-e.

So take a step back and really think which three people that would be. Also, think how those three people would interact with each other. Maybe they disagree with each other. Maybe they are best friends. There are a lot of factors to consider.

Three people: three kings/queens of different eras

Topic: How do you rule the right way? (Thematic)

Three people: three heroes of literature

Topic: How do you overcome challenging obstacles? (Inspiring)

Three people: a personal friend, a historical figure, and a fictional figure

Topic: What is your favorite food? (Quirky, casual)

Paragraph #1 (4-5 sentences): State whom you would invite to your dinner party and why you would group those three people together.

Paragraph #2 (4-5 sentences): Say what the first topic of conversation would be and why you would want to discuss that subject.

Paragraph #3 (1-2 sentences): Conclude by saying how you hope to have conversation or experiences at UT similar to the dinner party you’ve imagined.

#6 . Turing Scholars

Describe your significant activities, employment and achievements. Be sure to include information that is relevant to the study of computer science. For example, you may describe classes and programming activities, other science and math activities, honors and awards, and other activities that demonstrate leadership potential. (250 words RECOMMENDED)

[This is a repeat of the Computer Science and Business Honors prompt.]

Describe your educational and career goals. Please limit your response to no more than 100 words.

There is no hidden agenda with this prompt. You just need to tell UT about your goals. You should write a single paragraph with ~6 sentences:

Sentence #1 : State your educational goal -- i.e., what do you want to learn?

Sentences #2 -4: Explain how you got this educational goal.

Sentences #5 : State your career goal (should be related to educational goal).

Sentence #6 : Say how you hope to accomplish this career goal at UT.

Final thoughts

UT honors doesn’t make writing essays easy with these small word limits, but if you follow my outlines, then you should have a much better chance at crafting interesting essays.

Remember: Don’t worry about being incredibly unique; just make sure you write strong essays that focus on YOU.

Need more help? Get advice and expert guidance on your UT honors essays with our college admissions essay services. Our seasoned professionals will help you transform ideas into compelling essays, no matter how small the word limit.

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Canfield Business Honors Program

The Canfield Business Honors Program is designed to provide an intellectual challenge for students who have distinguished themselves academically and in leadership roles outside the classroom. The student may choose a general program of study or choose to combine the general program of study with an additional major. Canfield Business Honors Program students take 14 business courses in special sections open only to them. Additional information is available from the Canfield Business Honors Program Office.

Admission to the Canfield Business Honors Program is limited to a small number of exceptional students who are chosen on a competitive basis. Admission decisions are made by the Canfield Business Honors Program Committee. Most students enter the program as freshmen, but some are admitted as sophomores.

Students entering the University and the McCombs School of Business as freshmen may apply to the Canfield Business Honors Program by completing a separate online application available through The University of Texas at Austin Office of Admissions. The Canfield Business Honors Program Committee considers the student’s SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores, high school class rank, preparatory courses, extracurricular activities, evidence of leadership ability, and other objective criteria.

Students may also seek admission to the Canfield Business Honors Program during the spring semester of their freshman year to begin taking courses as a sophomore. To be considered for admission, the student must have completed in the fall and spring semesters of the freshman year at least 24 semester hours of college-level coursework; this coursework must include Economics 304K and 304L  or equivalent, Mathematics 408Q , or Mathematics 408R  when taken in residence, or Mathematics 408K and 408L , or Mathematics 408N   and 408S or Mathematics 408C and  408D , or the equivalent. The Canfield Business Honors Program Committee considers the student’s grade point average in courses taken in residence at the University and the number, type, and rigor of the courses the student has taken at the University. Students will also be evaluated based upon evidence of their extracurricular activities and leadership abilities. An applicant’s disciplinary record, as maintained by the Office of the Dean of Students, will be reviewed for academic dishonesty or other violations of University policy. Violations will be reported to the Admissions Committee and taken into account as part of the application process. Violations may exclude a student from admission depending on the nature and severity of the offense(s).

Students applying to the Canfield Business Honors Program are permitted to have received credit for Business Administration 101S and/or Management Information Systems 301 ; however, no credit will be accepted for other courses normally taken as part of the honors core.

Application materials and information about deadlines are available at https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/CBHP .

• Academic Standards

A student who enters the Canfield Business Honors Program as a freshman must have a grade point average of at least 3.25 on the courses taken in residence during the fall and spring semesters of the first year to continue in the program. The student must complete at least 12 semester hours in residence on the letter-grade basis during each of those two semesters. After the freshman year, each student, whether admitted as a freshman or as a sophomore, is dismissed from the program if his or her overall or business grade point average drops below 3.25. Exceptions are granted only by the Canfield Business Honors Program Committee.

Violations of the University’s policies on academic integrity or non-academic conduct can lead to dismissal from the Canfield Business Honors Program.

To graduate under the Canfield Business Honors Program, the student must earn a University grade point average of at least 3.25 and a grade point average of at least 3.25 in business courses.

• Degree Requirements

Canfield Business Honors Program students may choose a general program of study, or choose to combine the general program of study with an additional major. Requirements for the general program of study are:

• The Core Curriculum requirements and the BBA Degree Requirements
• Accounting 311H (may fulfill the quantitative reasoning flag)
• Accounting 312H (may fulfill the quantitative reasoning flag)
• Business Administration 101H
• Business Administration 151H
• Business Administration 324H or Communication 324H (may fulfill the writing flag)
• Decision Science 235H
• Finance 357H
• Legal Environment of Business 323H (may fulfill the ethics flag)
• Management 101H
• Management 336H (may fulfill the ethics flag)
• Management 327H
• Management 374H (may fufill the writing and independent inquiry flags)
• Management Information Systems 301H
• Marketing 337H
• Operations Management 235H
• Statistics 301H
• Statistics 235H (may fulfill the quantitative reasoning flag)
• Six semester hours of upper-division business electives
• Additional elective coursework, if necessary, to provide a total of at least 120 semester hours

Honors Computer Science and Business

Admission to Computer Science and Business (CSB) is limited to a small number of high performing students who are chosen on a competitive basis. Students selected for the program will have demonstrated exceptional potential for success in both computer science and business. Admission decisions are made by the CSB Committee. Students enter the program as freshmen.

Students entering the University as freshmen may apply to the CSB by completing a separate online application available through the UT Office of Admissions. The CSB Committee considers the student’s SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores, high school class rank, preparatory courses, extracurricular activities, evidence of leadership ability, and other objective criteria.

A student who enters CSB as a freshman must have a grade point average of at least 3.25 on the courses taken in residence during the fall and spring semesters of the first year to continue in the program. The student must complete at least 12 semester hours in residence on the letter-grade basis during each of those two semesters. After the freshman year, each student is dismissed from the program if his or her overall, computer science, or business grade point average drops below 3.25. In addition to this grade point average requirement, students must know and abide by the academic and disciplinary policies given in this catalog and in the  General Information Catalog .  Those who fail to do so will be considered for academic dismissal from the program. Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the CSB Program Committee, a student will be allowed to continue in the program under academic review. Students in scholastic difficulty should discuss their problems with the CSB Honors Program director(s) and their academic advisor(s).

To graduate under the CSB Honors Program, the student must earn a University grade point average of at least 3.25 and a grade point average of at least 3.25 in business courses and a grade point of average of at least 3.25 in computer science courses.  A candidate for any degree must be enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin in the semester or summer session in which the degree is awarded.

Students in CSB must satisfy the University’s Core Curriculum and degree requirements for a B.S. in Computer Science and for a B.B.A.; combined degree requirements below.  If students later elect to complete only one degree, they must consult their academic advisor(s) and fulfill all degree requirements.

• Mathematics 408C  and 408D , or 408N , 408S , and 408M ; either 340L  or 341  or  Statistics and Data Sciences 329C ; and  Statistics and Data Sciences 321
• Either  Biology 311C  and 311D , or  315H  and 325H
• Chemistry 301 or 301H , and 302  or 302H
• Physics 303K  and 103M , 301  and 101L or 317K  and 117M ; and 303L  and 103N , 316  and 116L , or  317L  and  117N .
• Economics 304K and 304L
• Three semester hours of coursework in anthropology, psychology, educational psychology, or sociology, chosen from approved courses; courses dealing primarily with statistics or data processing may not be used to fulfill this requirement.   Social Science 302C , 302D , 302E , and 302F (for Plan II dual majors only), are also accepted .  A list of coursework can be found in the Canfield Business Honors academic advising office.
• Theory:  Computer Science 311H , 331H
• Programming:  Computer Science 314H
• Systems:  Computer Science 429H , 439H
• Twelve additional hours of upper-division courses in computer science of which six hours must carry the honors designation.
• Accounting 311H   (may fulfill the quantitative reasoning flag)
• Accounting 312H   (may fulfill the quantitative reasoning flag)
• Business Administration 353
• Business Administration 324 or Communication 324H (may fulfill the writing flag) 
• Legal Environment of Business 323H
• Management 374H  (may fulfill the writing and independent inquiry flags)

This dual major requires 124 hours for completion of both degrees

Related Fields of Study

• Suggested Arrangement of Courses
• International Business
• Management Information Systems
• Science and Technology Management
• Supply Chain Management

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2 Awesome UT Austin Essay Examples

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the hardest colleges to get into in Texas . With a competitive acceptance rate, the school is moderately selective. Writing strong essays, however, will certainly boost your chances. 

UT Austin requires one long essay and three short answers, with an additional optional short answer question. There are also a handful of program-specific prompts. 

In this post, we’ll analyze sample essays written by a real applicants, sharing what they did well and what could be improved.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our UT Austin essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1

Prompt: Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay (prompt from the 2020-2021 cycle). 

“Fortunately, among these people a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father.”

– Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart 

Like most children, I aspired to my father. 

I saw my dad as an image of whom I wanted to be. Charismatic, genuine, respected among his peers – he embodied the qualities I saw essential to being a successful person. 

The most appealing to me, however, was my father’s medical background. As the first person to attend university in our extended family, he had always been revered for his accomplishment of becoming a doctor. 

As a direct consequence, biology was a keen passion during my childhood. I remember how each evening, as I was being tucked into bed, I would unload an avalanche of questions on my dad, many of them amusingly simple such as: If my body is 70% water, why don’t I have water spilling out of my finger every time I get a papercut? In school, I’d stay after class to probe my teachers about the topics I had read of but did not yet comprehend. And anytime I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I, without a whiff of doubt, bolted out I was going to be a doctor. 

However, as I got older, I developed new interests – in particular, social science and leadership – which did not always align with my childhood goals of medicine and biology. 

With this dichotomy in my mind, I decided to spend my sophomore summer volunteering at a hospital. 

Once there, it suddenly dawned on me that, for my entire life, I had viewed being a doctor through rose-tinted glasses since the reality of being a medical professional differed wildly from my perceptions. The dozens of biology textbooks I had read had not prepared me for a single drop of blood, as seeing just one could send me into an exhausting realm of dizziness. With every additional day of volunteering, it became painfully clear – I could not follow in my father’s footsteps. 

Disappointed, I began contemplating what made my experience in the hospital so bad and if anything could be done to improve people’s – whether patients’, doctors’, or volunteers’ like myself – experience. Then, a light-bulb switched on: what if I could improve the look of the hospital? As it stood, the hospital was incredibly run-down and inspired depression rather than hope. 

With a goal to improve the hospital’s appearance and thus create a friendlier environment for the people inside, I started the Better Setting – Better Getting project, which was going to decorate the hospital with photographs of nature. Having done so, there was a question of financing ー with the hospital administration over-budget, I had to source the funding entirely from the private sector. It was challenging but, a few dozen cold-calls and a handful of live-pitches later, I found a corporate partner that recognised my vision. Finally, I was ready to make my goal a reality. Legal roadblocks and printing nuances still stood in the way, but, with the enthusiastic support of the hospital community, I was able to navigate my way through. Today, dozens of wall-sized nature photos emit joy and hope into the halls of the hospital. 

My hospital volunteering, which had begun with heartbreak and disillusion, turned out to be a defining experience of self-discovery. It helped me close my chapter on medicine, a chapter I had so often doubted, and helped me validate my passion for leadership; it allowed me to operate free of doubt, knowing that I don’t have to follow my father’s footsteps. Above all, it made me realise that, although I would never be a doctor, I could nonetheless have a positive impact on society in my very own way.

What the Essay Did Well

The author begins with a quote from a historical fiction novel that the author has read. Although their essay topic doesn’t tie directly in with the novel’s plot, the quote they chose is profound and serves as a hook that piques the reader’s interest about the essay subject. 

The author starts the essay by mentioning their father. Their use of first person and writing style makes their first lines seem like the narration at the beginning of a film. This introduction draws the reader in as it seems like the author is building up to something. Similarly, your introduction should start as if you are telling a story to provide the most engaging experience for the reader. 

The author then delves more into their father’s background and describes his medical prowess by showing, rather than telling, readers about it. Instead of saying that his father is exceptional, the author presents a specific detail about how he was the first in his family to attend university. Phrasing your writing like this allows the reader to infer through descriptive detail rather than simply absorbing your words at face value. Ensuring that you create this immersive writing style might take more time, but it is worth it as it will make your essay more memorable to admissions officers.

Eventually, the third-to-last paragraph is the climactic point the reader has been waiting for. It is the most important part of the essay ー it’s time for the author to describe how they grew from the incident. During this portion of your essay, you should take readers through your thought process as you begin to formulate a solution for your conflict. It is not enough to say that you learned something new or to merely state that you felt like a changed person. You must provide concrete examples of how you reached a solution and what that solution entailed. Here, the author mentions their distaste for the hospital, specifically, its aesthetic. This sets readers up to hear their solution. 

In the next paragraph, the author describes how they resolved part of their issues with the hospital and were able to grow into their new career path. When detailing your solution, make sure you are centering yourself as the agent of change and give specific details as to your specific impact in your environment. In this essay, the author doesn’t just say “I learned that I had a passion for business.” Rather, they show readers how their skills developed and mention specific steps they took, like live pitching and navigating legal roadblocks. 

The author concludes this essay by summarizing their journey and bringing their essay back to their chosen quote. By wrapping up their essay in this manner, they underscore their growth in a way that flows well and is easy to read. Furthermore, their open-ended, future-facing final thoughts demonstrate that they intend to continue growing. This inclusion is a key part of any good essay; ending your essay on a strong, future-facing note evokes confidence and illustrates a readiness for the challenges that come with college and beyond.

What Could Be Improved

One area of improvement for this essay is that the section on their transformation is relatively brief. The author spends multiple paragraphs giving context but only dedicates one to the actions behind their growth. The author might want to trim other areas of the essay in order to fully develop this paragraph. They could describe what they did more thoroughly, and really delve into the steps they took to carry out the mentioned processes like so:

Essay Example #2

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

I woke up. The curtains filtered the sun rays, hitting my face directly. I got up, looked from the bathroom to the kitchen, but my dad wasn’t there. I plopped on the couch, then the door opened. My dad walked in, clutching a brown paper bag with ninety-nine cent breakfast tacos. After eating, we drove to a customer’s house. He sat me in a chair, lifted the floorboard, and crawled under the house to fix the pipes. As he emerged, he talked, but my mind drifted to the weight of the eleven-millimeter hex wrench in my hand. My interest in mechanical engineering originates from my dad, who was a plumber. When I was fifteen, my dad passed away from cancer that constricted his throat. Holding his calloused hand on his deathbed, I wanted to prevent the suffering of others from cancer. Two years later, when I was given a topic of choice for my chemistry research paper, I stumbled upon an article about gold nanoparticles used for HIV treatment. I decided to steer the topic of gold nanoparticles used for cancer treatment instead, entering the field of nanotechnology. After reading numerous articles and watching college lectures on YouTube, I was utterly captivated by topics like using miniscule devices to induce hyperthermia as a safe method of cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is multi-disciplinary, reinforcing my interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as a gateway to participate in nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the University of Texas at Austin. I have learned that nanotechnology is not limited to stories like mine, but to other issues such as sustainable energy and water development that I hope to work towards. It is important for me to continue helping others without forfeiting my interest in nanotechnology, working in collaboration with both engineering and the medical field.

The introduction of this essay stands out for its narrative style. The first sentences only give hints of the story to come, which builds intrigue and keeps the reader engaged. The introduction transitions seamlessly into a vivid, personal story that shows where the author’s academic interests come from. Using a short anecdote like the one in this essay is the most effective way to explain your major choice.

The author then guides readers through their intellectual journey of discovering their academic passions. They demonstrate their passion by discussing specific details about cancer treatments and nanotechnology. Indeed, “nerding out” over your intellectual interests is an excellent way to prove that you are highly motivated to learn about them in college.

Lastly, the end of the essay looks forward to the future. We learn that the author’s dream is to cure cancer, and they want to do it by gaining multidisciplinary knowledge about engineering and medicine. We learn too that UT Austin is a part of the author’s vision. They show their interest in the school by discussing more than the major they want to pursue at UT Austin, highlighting research and the opportunity to explore new applications of nanotechnology.

The main area for improvement in this essay is its formatting. While formatting is far less important than the content of an essay, it can do much more than you would think to make your essay more impactful. This essay only needs one formatting change — paragraph spacing. Here is an example of the improvements:

I woke up. 

The curtains filtered the sun rays, hitting my face directly. I got up, looked from the bathroom to the kitchen, but my dad wasn’t there. I plopped on the couch, then the door opened. My dad walked in, clutching a brown paper bag with ninety-nine cent breakfast tacos. 

After eating, we drove to a customer’s house. He sat me in a chair, lifted the floorboard, and crawled under the house to fix the pipes. As he emerged, he talked, but my mind drifted to the weight of the eleven-millimeter hex wrench in my hand. 

My interest in mechanical engineering originates from my dad, who was a plumber. When I was fifteen, my dad passed away from cancer that constricted his throat. Holding his calloused hand on his deathbed, I wanted to prevent the suffering of others from cancer. 

Two years later, when I was given a topic of choice for my chemistry research paper, I stumbled upon an article about gold nanoparticles used for HIV treatment. I decided to steer the topic of gold nanoparticles used for cancer treatment instead, entering the field of nanotechnology. After reading numerous articles and watching college lectures on YouTube, I was utterly captivated by topics like using miniscule devices to induce hyperthermia as a safe method of cancer treatment. 

Nanotechnology is multi-disciplinary, reinforcing my interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as a gateway to participate in nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the University of Texas at Austin. I have learned that nanotechnology is not limited to stories like mine, but to other issues such as sustainable energy and water development that I hope to work towards. 

It is important for me to continue helping others without forfeiting my interest in nanotechnology, working in collaboration with both engineering and the medical field.

This new paragraph spacing makes the essay much easier to read. Separating certain parts into paragraphs puts powerful emphasis on the ideas that need them; for example, turning the sentence “I woke up” into its own paragraph creates a captivating hook that intrigues readers into finding out what happens next.

With the new format, it is also easier to see that the fourth paragraph would benefit from a few transitional phrases. To connect the author’s interests in mechanical engineering and cancer solutions, the paragraph could be reworded like so: 

My interest in mechanical engineering originates from my dad, who was a plumber. My interest in finding solutions to cancer — and how mechanical engineering could create them — comes from my dad too. When I was fifteen, he passed away from cancer that constricted his throat. Holding his calloused hand on his deathbed, I wanted to prevent the suffering of others from cancer. 

Where to Get Your UT Austin Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UT Austin essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. In fact,  Alexander Oddo , an essay expert on CollegeVine, provided commentary on the essays in this post. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Essays & Short Answers

Summer/Fall 2025 Essay

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Please keep your essay between 500–650 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essays

All freshman Spring 2025 applicants must submit a required essay:

• UT Austin Required Essay in the Common App, or
• Topic A in ApplyTexas

Please keep your essay between 500–700 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essay Topic

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Submitting Your Essay

You can submit your essays:

• In conjunction with your application.
• Using the Document Upload System in MyStatus.

*Students do not need to submit other Common App essays. We’ll only review what is required.

Short Answers

• Submit the required short answers to prompts in your admission application.
• Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250–300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph.

Summer/Fall 2025 Prompts

• Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?
• Think of all the activities — both in and outside of school — that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why? ( Guidance for student s: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.)

Optional Short Answer

Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

Spring 2025 Prompts

• 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 core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate.

Submitting Your Short Answers

You can submit your short answers with either your Common App or Apply Texas application. Short answer responses must be completed in order to submit your application.

• Transfer applicants must submit one essay responding to Topic A.
• Applicants to the School of Architecture and Studio Art, Art Education and Art History are required to upload Topic D in addition to Topic A. 

Essay Topics

Topic a (required).

The statement of purpose will provide an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that you feel could add value to your application. You may also want to explain unique aspects of your academic background or valued experiences you may have had that relate to your academic discipline. The statement of purpose is not meant to be a listing of accomplishments in high school/college or a record of your participation in school-related activities. Rather, this is your opportunity to address the admission committee directly and to let us know more about you as an individual, in a manner that your transcripts and the other application information cannot convey.

Topic D (School of Architecture majors only)

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

Submitting Your Essay(s)

Start Blazing a New Trail. Apply Today.

We’re here to help you through applying to the Canfield Business Honors Program, as we have with countless students and parents through the years.

Application Overview

Apply to both UT Austin and Canfield BHP online using the Apply Texas or Common App. You must list “Unspecified Business” as your first-choice major and select to apply to honors in order to be considered.

We require an expanded resume and an academic letter of recommendation as part of your application. We recommend completing your application by October 15.

Read about the application process

Important Dates

Please take note of these important dates when preparing your application for the Canfield Business Honors Program.

• August 1: Application opens
• October 15: Canfield BHP & UT Admissions Early Action Deadline
• December 1*: Canfield BHP & UT Admission Regular Deadline

Any questions? Let us know.

Join the Honors Program in Your Second Year

Top Scholarships for Top Scholars

Ask a Student Recruiter

Look below for answers to our most commonly asked questions., what is the canfield business honors program.

The Canfield Business Honors Program is part of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. We are a four-year major that provides a breadth of business education. We are also an honors program and community for our students. When students complete the program, they will earn a BBA in Business Honors. Canfield BHP provides a world-class education, countless opportunities, and a tight-knit student community.

Who is Phil Canfield?

In November 2018, Phil Canfield, BHP ’89, gave a transformative gift to the Business Honors Program. His gift recognizes the strong, foundational business skillsets he received from the program. With this gift, Canfield BHP will be able to increase student scholarships, recruitment and program recognition, and student resources. Phil Canfield is a private equity investor. He and his wife, Mary Beth, live in Austin, TX.

What type of student are you looking for?

Are you a leader at your high school? Have you challenged yourself by taking the most difficult classes available and mastering them? Do you go above and beyond to succeed inside and outside of the classroom? These are some of the questions we ask our high achieving future students. Grades and test scores are important to the admissions process, as are leadership and extracurricular activities. Our admits go on to be successful students and top university leaders.

What makes the program unique?

Small classes focus on discussion, presentation, group collaboration, and analytical exercises. Robust programming and dedicated advisors provide students with personalized attention and unique opportunities. Students not only learn from esteemed professors, but also from each other.

Canfield BHP students build on the strong foundation provided by the highly-ranked McCombs School of Business. With a program consisting of approximately 650 students across all four years (comparable to the size of the entire business school of some peer institutions), our students receive the benefits of a small program and a large research university.

Can I combine Business Honors with other majors?

Yes! Almost all of our students choose to study additional subjects. Most students will decide to double major within McCombs. Some students gravitate towards other fields of study and might select a second major in Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, or Communciations. Many students diversify their academic experience with minors and certificates. Students interested in careers in technology might consider applying for Texas CSB or Texas ECB. Additionally, Canfield BHP has a strong partnership with Plan II Honors. Business is important in any industry, so having a Business Honors degree will help you achieve whatever career goals you have in mind.

What’s the difference between Business Honors classes and BBA program classes?

Business Honors classes have an average class sizes range from 30-45 students. These small classes allow for networking and increased student/faculty interaction. The accelerated curriculum allows for case-based study in which students are simultaneously learning and applying knowledge on various subjects. Canfield BHP selects top professors to teach its courses. These professors are equipped with a combination of professional expertise in their fields, as well as world-renowned research on various business disciplines and subjects.

Will I have to take courses outside of Business Honors? What can I expect from my other classes?

Students will be required to take classes outside of McCombs to complete their UT Austin core curriculum. If they take on a second major or a minor/certificate, they will be required to take other courses to complete those programs.

Upper-division BBA Program classes will be similar in size to Business Honors classes, with roughly 40–50 students per class. Outside of McCombs, upper-division classes could be even smaller. There are some large, introductory classes at UT, but professors have been working to shrink the size of those classes by using innovative teaching techniques and smaller discussion sections. In general, our students have found that they have been in very few large classes with the “hundreds of students” they might imagine when they think of a school the size of UT Austin.

Is UT affordable compared to other top universities?

Cost is a big factor for most students. When comparing scholarship and financial aid awards, it is important to look carefully at the net cost of each school and think about what you are getting for that amount. UT Austin is consistently recognized as one of the best value universities for the money invested. In addition, McCombs has one of the top career services offices in the nation. Canfield BHP students have a competitive placement rate upon graduation over several years. This means that students aren’t just getting an education; they are also getting the resources they need to land the jobs they want.

For more information about tuition at The University of Texas, visit UT Admissions Tuition . 

How does the application process work?

Applicants are evaluated holistically. This means there are no cut-offs or minimums; we look at all aspects of the application. We are looking for students who are strong academically, engaged in their schools and communities, and have taken on leadership roles. We review all items included in the student’s application, and we consider the context of the individual student.

To apply, students can use the Common App. Students must list “Unspecified Business” as their first choice major and indicate their interest in an honors program. Please follow the application instructions and ensure that all other required materials are received by the deadline.

What does the October 15 Early Action deadline mean?

This optional deadline will require UT Austin application submission by October 15, with a guaranteed decision regarding their university admission communicated to applicants by January 15. The regular deadline for applications will remain December 1, with a guaranteed decision communicated by February 15. 

Canfield Business Honors will notify students of their program decision by March 1. 

Students applying for Canfield Business Honors and other honors programs at UT Austin are strongly encouraged to complete their application by October 15. 

Students who are not admitted to UT Austin are no longer under consideration for Canfield Business Honors. 

If I am not admitted my freshman year for the Canfield Business Honors Program, can I reapply?

Yes, the Canfield Business Honors Program has a sophomore admissions process. We admit a limited number of students who have completed their freshman year of college. We accept applications from current McCombs BBA students, internal transfers, and external transfers. We use a holistic approach when reviewing applicants. Our admissions staff will place emphasis on your college GPA, total credit hours, and the academic challenge of the courses you have taken. We will also look for evidence of college-level extracurriculars and leadership on a resume. We will only look at what you have done since entering college. High school transcripts and activities will not be considered.

Can I visit the program or talk to a current student about the program?

Students wanting to learn more about Canfield BHP or the McCombs School of Business can attend on-campus or virtual information sessions for the program and school. Our team of Student Recruiters host these info sessions and can discuss their experience at Canfield BHP and the admissions process. You can also email our Student Recruiters or call our main line during business hours to chat with a current student.

My student is interested in joining clubs and/or pledging a fraternity or sorority. Will it be difficult for them to do that and be in the program?

Although Canfield BHP courses are rigorous, we highly encourage our students to also get involved outside of the classroom. UT Austin has over 1,100 student organizations! Our students can choose from Greek life, McCombs-affiliated organizations, University of Texas student organizations, or even organizations off-campus. We recommend that freshmen discuss their extracurricular plans with their Business Honors Academic Advisor to ensure a good balance of academics and involvement.

How is the Canfield Business Honors Program different from other honors programs at UT Austin and other universities?

Canfield BHP is both a major and a program. We provide a unique experience both inside and outside the classroom. For the Business Honors degree, students take an honors version of 18 different honors courses (Managerial Accounting Honors, Business Law and Ethics Honors, and so on). The full list can be found in our sample course sequence. Our courses utilize a case-based curriculum. Classes are smaller in size and incorporate many discussions, presentations, and group collaborations. Students take their honors courses throughout their four years at UT, so they are always immersed in the program.

Outside of the classroom, Canfield BHP hosts a variety of social events for our students, as well as academic and professional development opportunities. The Honors Business Association is an organization open to all Canfield BHP students, and they put on fun events such as Dinner with a Professor and company field trips. As a program, we also set up networking events such as BBQs, Top Golf outings, and Coffee Chats with companies. We do our best to help Canfield BHP students succeed and have fun in the process.

I'm interested in combining Business Honors with another major outside of business. Is that possible, and would it be challenging for them to do that?

Most Canfield BHP students combine Business Honors with another major within McCombs, but some students pursue majors in other fields of study, such as Mathematics, Economics, Biology, or History. Some students interested in careers in technology might choose to apply to our joint honors programs with Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering. We also have a strong partnership with Plan II Honors in the College of Liberal Arts. Adding an extra major outside of McCombs does mean an increased course load. However, students that come into UT Austin with significant college credit can still finish both the Business Honors major and their other major in 4 years. As long as students focus on their coursework and plan with academic advisors from both departments to ensure that they are always on track to graduate, pursuing a major outside of McCombs is feasible.

What are the program’s alumni doing after graduation and where are they living?

Immediately out of college, students work in a variety of roles: management consultant, investment banker, derivatives trader, financial analyst, marketing analyst, and technology analyst to name a few. Students live and work in a number of locations, including: Austin, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Boston, New York, Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco. Our alumni have gone on to be very successful in a variety of fields. They become C-level executives, entrepreneurs, partners at law firms, venture capitalists, managers in the tech field and much more. Our alumni greatly value the broad business education they received in Business Honors, which allowed them to be successful in the field of their choice.

Read more about our alumni on our Canfield BHP blog . 

What percentage of the program’s alumni go on to graduate school, and what is the program’s reputation at these schools?

Roughly 15 percent of Business Honors students pursue the Integrated MPA program, where they receive their BBA in Business Honors and Accounting and a Masters in Professional Accounting in 5 years total. We also have students that pursue other graduate and professional programs, either immediately after graduation or after a few years of working. Students who apply to these programs explain that their Business Honors background helps differentiate them from other candidates. Many of our alumni will pursue a graduate business degree after working for a few years. We have had students earn MBAs from all of the top programs—Harvard, Stanford, UChicago Booth School, Wharton, and Northwestern, just to name a few.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN APPLICATION

Everything You Need to Know About Honors Programs at the University of Texas at Austin

If your student is intellectually curious and wants to be surrounded by a cohort of peers who are too, one of the freshman honors programs at the University of Texas at Austin might be a good fit. Unlike some universities, UT doesn’t have just one honors track. Instead, it offers three paths: a college-wide program, department-specific programs, and major-specific programs. 

The honors programs offer a home-within-a-home on campus, inspiring gifted students with rigorous classes, world-class professors and thought leaders, and dedicated advisors. Plus, the smaller size of each program gives students a close-knit community where they can make deep connections.

To be considered for an honors program, the student first applies to the University overall, then adds an honors program application. Alternatively, students can enter their honors essay on the ApplyTexas Application. Students can start the application process by responding to the short-answer question(s) of the program of their choice, which will display on their ApplyTexas or Coalition application. Most freshman honors programs also require a separate expanded resume, and some require one letter of recommendation.

Students self-report on their resume any AP or IB scores they may have taken or plan to take.

Let's take a look at some of UT’s most popular honors programs

LIBERAL ARTS HONORS (LAH)

LAH is a college-wide program that embraces 140 freshmen each year. Started in 1990, it is considered a small liberal arts college within the larger research university. Students in the program still have a declared major. For example, you might major in Mexican American Studies within the Liberal Arts Honors program. But students also get to strengthen their critical thinking skills through required LAH classes, such as “Reacting to the Past” and “Ideas of Civic Engagement.”

The multi-disciplinary approach offers an interactive and flexible curriculum that stresses real-world application. Liberal Arts Honors students often study abroad and participate in internships. They see themselves as global citizens and natural leaders. The program provides talented students with enriched learning opportunities as they move through their college years. If students want to “be the change they want to see in the world,” this program is for them.

LAH admissions requirements: 

• Apply for LAH Honors on the ApplyTexas or Coalition application or via the online Honors Application
• Expanded resume
• A commitment to a liberal arts education 
• Writing skills, as demonstrated in essays (writing is a key component of the program)
• A challenging academic course load; for example, taking AP/IB classes where offered and maintaining a full senior year course load
• Leadership positions, especially those gained by committing to one or two organizations throughout high school 
• LAH short answer essay
• LAH Personal Statement

LAH Short Answer Prompt

At the University of Texas at Austin, we say that what starts here changes the world. The Liberal Arts Honors Program seeks change agents, students who are going to draw upon a liberal art education to make lifelong contributions to society that will make life better for their fellow citizens in the 21st century. Please tell us succinctly and imaginatively how a liberal arts education will help you become such a change agent and what contributions you expect to make.

(250 words)

LAH Personal Statement Prompt

Help us get to know you better. Please write five sentences (numbered 1–5) that give us some insight into you, your life, your interests and your experiences. There are no right answers — feel free to be creative and think outside the box.

Need help with your UT Austin Application?

You might be interested in our 1:1 Coaching Program for Students Applying to the University Of Texas at Austin

PLAN II HONORS

Plan II   is an interdisciplinary arts and science honors major with a core curriculum. This curriculum builds from one year to the next, with specific courses offered in a carefully designed order to empower students with problem solving abilities, analytical skills, and writing prowess. The work culminates in a capstone thesis, an extensive independent research and writing project.

Students working toward a Plan II degree are allowed to take electives, but they must follow the Plan II core curriculum requirements. The Plan II Honors requirements range from a year-long world literature course from the ancients to the present, to a four-semester sequence in modes of reasoning, theoretical math or calculus, life sciences, and physical sciences.

Many students in this program are planning on graduate school, whether in economics, history, medicine, or law. Often, Plan II students take an additional year and earn a second, specialized degree––in business or architecture, for example. It is intellectually rigorous. These are students who enjoy engaging in scholarly debate both inside and outside the classroom, who aren’t afraid of leading discussions, and who seek rigor in their coursework.

Plan II is often compared to an Ivy League-style of education. Admission is competitive, with around 1.400 applications for 175 freshman spots. Admission criteria is holistic, often taking into consideration a student’s intellectual spirit, imagination, and originality, as well as leadership skills and the desire for a broad education. In other words, if your student loves to learn and enjoys being challenged, this may be the right home for them.

Plan II admissions requirements: 

• Apply for Plan II Honors on the ApplyTexas or Coalition application or via the online Honors Application 
• Note: Plan II is housed in the College of Liberal Arts, so Liberal Arts must be one of the two college choices 
• The Plan II personal statement 
• A short answer essay response

Plan II Short Answer Prompt

If you could add one required course—on any topic—to your high school’s curriculum, what would it be and why? What would you have liked to learn that wasn’t available to you?

Limit your response to no more than 250 words.

Plan II Personal Statement Prompt

This is five sentences that allow you to tell the reviewer about yourself. Use these five sentences to describe yourself, your life, and your experiences that, taken together, form an accurate view of who you are and why the interdisciplinary nature of the Plan II honors program appeals to you. This is your chance to shine. Don't list what was provided in other areas of your application. Be creative! Be unique! Be you!

The college essay & resume for UT Austin process can feel overwhelming. Our program provides an experienced coach and a proven framework, working one-on-one to reduce the stress so the student can tell a compelling story.

Our program for students applying to UT Austin includes:

• Guiding students through the UT expanded resume development process
• Managing your student’s essay timeline for one long essay and four school-specific supplemental essays
• Coaching students through a targeted set of college essays, including one long essay  and four school-specific supplemental essays
• Providing students with suggested edits and proofing for this targeted set of college essays
• Review of essays and application by our internal admissions committee

Your student will be carefully matched with a coach based on personality, working style, and first-choice major—it’s just one of the many ways we modify our proven process to meet individual student needs.

THE CANFIELD BUSINESS HONORS PROGRAM (CBHP)

CBHP offers students with academic abilities and leadership skills the analytical tools and interpersonal skills needed to thrive as a business leader. The CBHP is a degree program within the highly-ranked McCombs School of Business. It provides intellectual challenge and professional development for students, while also providing a smaller community group in the McCombs environment.

CBHP courses are accelerated and modeled after those in the MBA program. In fact, the McCombs School's most experienced faculty teach CBHP classes. There's an emphasis on class discussion and presentations, case study analysis, and research on actual business decision-making. The small class size (generally 30-45 students, restricted to students in the program) encourages deep interaction between students and faculty and creates a welcoming learning community.

CBHP provides students with training, networking opportunities, and support during their college years. Admissions is competitive, but according to UT, those who do find a spot feel that the effort it took to get accepted pays off. 

CBHP admissions requirements: 

• Submit regular UT application
• List "Unspecified Business" as the first choice major
• Apply to Honors application 
• Answer the "Canfield Business Honors Program" essay prompt
• Submit a letter of recommendation from an academic source (e.g., teacher, professor)

CBHP Short Answer Prompt

Canfield Business Honors is more than a major and program at the University. It is a community. During the last four years of high school, what community have you had the most impact in and how did you achieve that impact?

Limit 250 words.

THE TURING SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Turing Scholars Program is an honors program hosting approximately 150 students that is designed to challenge outstanding Computer Science undergraduates. The program's curriculum offers an accelerated path through the department's core CS curriculum, which itself is the nation’s 8th-ranked computer science program. 

If you are admitted to the Turing Scholars Honors Program as a freshman, you take the special sections of the freshman classes and the special sophomore Turing Scholars classes. The Turing program also provides honors versions of popular upper-division classes and includes an undergraduate honors thesis that allows students to explore cutting-edge research. There is a minimum number of honors classes that you must complete in order to graduate as a Turing Scholar in Computer Science.

The Turing Scholars Honors Program considers a range of applicants, from those new to computer science to those who have taken so many CS classes that they would place out of the freshman sequence. But a demonstrated interest in computer science through classes or personal projects is definitely a plus for applicants. 

Based on information from UT and student feedback, along with stats for placement in summer jobs and internships, scholarship awards, and corporate endorsement, it's clear that the Turing Scholars Honors Program is a valuable and enriching program. 

Turing admissions requirements: 

• Honors application 
• A letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher
• The program looks for highly motivated students with strong math and science backgrounds, with a demonstrated interest in computer science through classes or personal projects
• Evidence of leadership as exhibited by significant extracurricular involvement helps as well

Describe your significant activities, employment, and achievements, particularly those relevant to the study of computer science. Also describe your educational and career goals.

Please limit your response to no more than 500 words.

College of Natural Sciences (CNS) honors programs

College of Natural Sciences honors programs fall into three categories: college programs, departmental programs, and academic distinctions.

College Honors Programs

CNS's college honors programs allow motivated students to take advantage of the resources of one of the largest science colleges in the world. Each program is designed to foster faculty-student collaboration and to promote exploration of academic, cultural, and social interests. Students can apply to one of three cohorts.

Dean's Scholars

A four-year Bachelors of Science honors degree program for students with a demonstrated interest in scientific research. 

• Students receive training in research methods, develop their own research projects, and write theses under the direction of faculty in the College of Natural Sciences. Each Dean's Scholar has a faculty mentor, an academic advisor who meets with them from their first semester to their last, and a peer mentor.
• Dean's Scholars take classes together, attend special dinners hosted by faculty members, hear guest speakers during weekly Friday lunches, and take weekend field trips to places such as the McDonald Observatory and the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas. 
• Dean's Scholars go on to enter PhD, MD, and other professional programs. 

Health Science Scholars

An honors program for future health professionals. 

• HSS students have a long track record of community service in high school, and they continue serving each semester at the University of Texas, whether in health care or another area of need.
• Students in HSS learn to communicate effectively. They are required to write papers in the sciences and the humanities, and to present their work orally. For their culminating project, they write a substantive research thesis and present their findings at either the CNS Honors Symposium or another research forum open to the public.

Polymathic Scholars

An honors program for science majors with multidisciplinary interests beyond or within the sciences. Students in his program are the Renaissance people in the College of Natural Sciences.

• Polymaths begin their studies with "Originality in the Arts and Sciences," a course that emphasizes authentic, creative research. In their second year, with guidance from faculty, they design a field of study shaped by their own questions. They discover who's working on those questions and begin developing the knowledge and skills to answer them.
• Polymaths practice writing and presenting their work before groups large and small. Their studies culminate during their last year in a substantial research thesis and presentation at the annual Honors Symposium. 
• Polymathic Scholars are intellectually diverse. Graduates often pursue PhDs and MDs.

Departmental Honors Programs

Turing Scholars  (Computer Science) (see above)

Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences   (Human Ecology)

HANS offers students the opportunity to perform cutting edge research to optimize human health and disease prevention. 

Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences  (Human Ecology)

HAHDFS is an accelerated program for undergraduates interested in how children develop, how families form and function, and how individuals and their family relationships change across the life span. 

Texas Honors Computer Science and Business   (Texas CSB)

Texas CSB is a new integrated honors degree program between the Canfield Business Honors Program and the Department of Computer Science. Texas CSB provides a rigorous four-year undergraduate curriculum aimed at preparing students for top technology careers.

Academic Distinctions and Honors Events

Academic distinctions and honors events celebrate and recognize exceptional achievement through departmental honors, honors societies, and special events.

CNS Honors Admissions requirements:

• The program looks for signs of a committed interest in science or math, and success in advanced classes in those subjects
• The materials include essays and letters of recommendations, one of which must be from a science or math instructor
• The program also looks for evidence that the student has researched and understands the target program

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UT Austin has a special way of looking at applications from students who want to go to their school. It's called the fit-to-major model, and it means that they look at everything in your application—your grades, test scores, essays, resume, and recommendation letters—to see how well it matches up with the major you want to study. They really want to find students who have shown that they're interested and good at the things they'll be learning about in their major. They also want to see that you've done things outside of school that relate to what you want to study.

Choosing the right major is super important because it's the biggest part of your application. UT Austin wants to see that you understand why you picked your major and how it fits with what you want to do in the future.

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Texas Honors Computer Science & Business is an integrated degree program at The University of Texas at Austin that allows you to earn degrees in Computer Science and Business in a shorter time. Texas CSB provides a world class education, countless opportunities and a tight-knit student community.

To learn more please feel free to come to one of our virtual information sessions "Technology + Business at Texas" hosted by the Department of Computer Science and the Canfield Business Honors Program. Sessions can be found under the McCombs School of Business or the College of Natural Sciences sections.

How to Apply

To apply to Texas CSB, you must: 

• Apply to UT Austin using either the ApplyTexas or Common applications. Select Unspecified Business and Computer Science Entry Level as your first and second choice majors. Your first choice major should be the one you are most interested in.
• Indicate your interest in an honors program towards the end of the application. By selecting the Unspecified Business and Computer Science Entry Level major combination, you will be able to complete the honors prompt for Texas CSB. Depending upon your first choice major, you will also be able to apply to either the Canfield Business Honors Program or Turing Scholars . 
• Complete all other requirements to apply to UT Austin.
• Submit a detailed, expanded resume through MyStatus or the CommonApp documents section. The Activities section of CommonApp does not meet the resume requirement, a separate document must be provided
• Submit a letter of recommendation from an academic source (teacher, professor, etc.). Please note that you must use the Document Upload System in MyStatus, which will email your recommender a request to submit their recommendation to us directly.

ECE Honors Program

The Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Honors Program is an honors program for outstanding and highly motivated ECE undergraduate students. The ECE Honors Program provides a rigorous, challenging, and faster-pace curriculum and environment to a cohort of students who have the background, ability and the desire and motivation to pursue a more demanding track.

The ECE Honors Program includes a minimum of 17 hours of ECE Honors section courses. During Honors ECE courses, students participate in hands-on labs and group projects, learning to solve complex engineering problems with real-world applications.  In small classrooms of 15-20, students master foundational ECE concepts, including circuits, linear algebra, MOSFET, and thinking about problems in the linear domain.  

Later curriculum incorporates hands-on programming assignments, understanding how embedded systems can solve engineering problems, and an in-depth treatment of the design and analysis of linear electric circuits. Honors students can expect an accelerated curriculum, dynamic group projects, and a depth and breadth of knowledge about the engineering field. Individual students can select how they gain their 17 hours of honors coursework. 

Class options include: 

ECE 302H Introduction to Electrical Engineering: Honors  ECE 107H Engineering Leadership: Honors ECE 319H Introduction to Embedded Systems: Honors ECE 312H Software Design and Implementation I: Honors ECE 411H Circuit Theory: Honors ECE 313H Linear Systems and Signals: Honors ECE 351H Probability and Random Processes: Honors ECE 464H Honors Senior Design Project*

*enrollment contingent on involvement in an Honors senior design project started in ECE 364D and is directly managed by the ECE advising office. For questions regarding Honors projects, consult with your ECE 364D instructor at the beginning of the term.

Honors students also have the option to substitute graduate-level ECE courses taken for undergraduate elective credit toward their 17 hours of honors hours in lieu of undergraduate electives.  For information about how to select a graduate elective, we recommend students consult with their assigned faculty advisor (this can be accessed in my.utexas.edu via Secured Academic Notes or SANs). For information about how to register for a graduate course or the course substitution process, please visit our academic policies page . 

 Students in the ECE Honors program will be enrolled in a First-Year Interest Group (FIG) with other ECE Honors students their first semester, and will be invited to participate in ECE Honors events and professional development throughout their time in ECE.

Prospective Freshman Applicants

Prospective freshman applicants may apply to the ECE Honors Program via the Apply Texas or Coalition Applications.

All freshman applicants must have received credit for M 408C via an exam or by taking an equivalent course at another institution. 

Exams accepted include:

• Mathematics AB
• Mathematics BC
• Mathematics (HL)
• Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches (HL)
• Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation (HL)
• UT CLEP exam in Calculus 

For more information on what scores would be needed to be awarded credit for M 408C,  please consult the Student Testing Services webpage.

Please note there is an additional honors essay question as a part of the application that must be completed.

For Current UT Students

If you are interested in joining the Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors Program and have excelled in your current ECE and math courses at UT, please consider applying to the program!

Join the ECH Program Current ECE majors can apply for admission to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors Program at the end of each semester by submitting an online application.

The Application system will open April 15 and applications will be accepted until May 15 for students wanting to begin the program in the following Fall semester .

How to apply

• Complete the ECH application.
• Students must submit an updated resume and answer the following question in 500 words or less:  “Describe how your education will change the world”.

Enroll in individual honors courses Our ECE honors courses typically have a limited number of spaces available for non-honors students. Enrollment in honors courses is particularly useful for students who wish to transfer into the ECH program, since they give the admissions committee an excellent way to evaluate your potential.

Remaining seats in ECE Honors courses will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis starting on the 3rd class day after current Honors students have registered for their coursework. Some courses/sections are restricted to currently enrolled ECH students only. This information will be disseminated by the ECE Advising office via emails during the registration period.  All students wishing to take honors courses must have fulfilled all prerequisites, including earning a B or better in any prerequisite ECE coursework.

ECE 302H is restricted to current ECE Honors students only.

ECE Honors courses are not open to non-majors.

GPA Requirements

• All ECE Honors students are required to maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA in all ECE coursework (both honors and non-honors coursework).
• Current students who fall below the threshold of 3.3 will be placed on review for one long semester and will work with their ECE Honors Coordinator to stay in the honors program.
• Students who leave the ECE Honors program will retain their major status in ECE provided they adhere to Cockrell School internal GPA requirements. These students will be allowed to re-apply to the honors program once their ECE GPA returns to a 3.3 or above.

Libby McSwain Student Program Coordinator [email protected]

Current Honors students may schedule with Libby in Navigate .

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