how to write texas a&m engineering essay

Texas A&M Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Texas A&M Supplemental Essays 2023-24

If you’re thinking about how to get into Texas A&M, you’ve probably come across the Texas A&M supplemental essays. Texas A&M is one of the top public universities in the country (currently ranked #20 by U.S. News). As such, the Texas A&M application is comprehensive, requiring students to respond to multiple Texas A&M essay prompts. The Texas A&M admissions essays are a critical part of your application narrative. The prompts allow you to provide valuable information to Admissions about why you would be a good candidate for admission.

Writing strong responses to the Texas A&M admissions essays can be tough. Throughout this article, you’ll find tips for how to respond to each of the Texas A&M supplemental essays. This includes specific details about each of the Texas A&M essay questions and things to keep in mind when writing. We’ll also discuss what the Texas A&M admissions committee is looking for when it comes to reviewing these essays. And finally, we talk more generally about how to get into Texas A&M beyond just the Texas A&M supplemental essays. We’ll give you key information about application deadlines and other Texas A&M admission requirements.

Ready to learn more about the Texas A&M admissions essays? Let’s dive in! 

Texas A&M Admission Requirements Quick Facts:

Texas a&m admission requirements: quick facts.

• Texas A&M Acceptance Rate: 63% – U.S. News rates Texas A&M as a more selective school.
• One long essay (max. 750 words)
• Two short answer questions (max. 250 words each)
• One Optional Essay (max. 250 words)
• Common Application
• Engineering Early Action Deadline: October 15th
• Regular Decision Deadline: December 1st
• Texas A&M Essay Tip: Start Early! There are many Texas A&M supplemental essays to complete for the Texas A&M admission requirements. The more time you give yourself to work on them, the better your essays will be.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

How many essays does Texas A&M require?

For the 2023-2024 application cycle, there are three required Texas A&M admissions essays. In addition to the required essays, the Texas A&M essay prompts include one optional question. Students may answer if they feel the prompt is relevant to their life experience.

We will go into more detail with each of the Texas A&M essay prompts later on in this article. And, we’ll offer specific tips for how to answer each of the different Texas A&M essay prompts. 

How long do the essays for Texas A&M have to be?

Each of the Texas A&M essay prompts has a certain maximum word count that you must stay within. The first of the Texas A&M essay prompts has a maximum word count of 750 words. This means that your response to this Texas A&M essay should be absolutely no longer than 750 words. You don’t need to get as close to 750 words as possible in your long Texas A&M essay. However, you should also not submit a Texas A&M essay that is too short either. About 600-750 words is a good length to shoot for in this Texas A&M essay.

The shorter Texas A&M admissions essays have more strict word counts. Responses to these Texas A&M supplemental essays should not be more than 250 words. For these shorter Texas A&M essays, using as much of the word count as possible is beneficial. At the same time, make sure the words you use have purpose in providing new and relevant information. When writing a personal essay for college, be sure to pay close attention to maximum word counts.

Texas A&M Essay Prompt – Tell your story

Texas A&M University Essay Prompt #1

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

The first of the Texas A&M supplemental essays asks students to share some opportunities or obstacles that they’ve faced. The purpose of this Texas A&M essay is to help the admissions committee learn more about the writer’s resilience. They want to see how they behave in the face of adversity, specifically during their high school years. While exciting, college represents a significant challenge in a student’s life. The Texas A&M supplemental essays provide students the opportunity to demonstrate how they have overcome challenges in their lives.

Brainstorming Ideas

The most important step in writing the Texas A&M supplemental essays is the brainstorming phase. Start by coming up with a list of challenges you have faced in your life. Then determine which one or two topics you want to focus on for your Texas A&M supplemental essays.

It can be very tempting to write your Texas A&M essays about all of the challenges you have faced. But in fact, it is better to focus on one or two specific examples. That way you can provide more engaging details and evidence about the moments you choose. And, you can avoid simply recycling information from the rest of your application. 

Connecting to Character Traits

Here’s another helpful way to brainstorm for your Texas A&M essays. Think of three character traits you would like for your Texas A&M admissions essays to say about you. Then, use the challenges you thought of earlier to illustrate those characteristics.

For example, maybe you would like to demonstrate strong leadership qualities in your Texas A&M essays. So, you may describe how, despite setbacks, you put on a successful school dance as head of the prom committee. Or maybe you want your Texas A&M supplemental essays to showcase your interest in community service. In that case, you may write about how you organized a fundraiser after a natural disaster struck your neighborhood. 

Telling a Story

So, you’ve determined what you want to write about in your Texas A&M essay. Now you need to think about how you want to tell the story of these challenges to your reader. Remember that your reader does not know you or your background outside of what you write in your Texas A&M essays. Be sure to pick the details that are most relevant to write about.

Make sure the focus of your Texas A&M essays is on you and what you felt and accomplished.

Avoid simply listing facts that your reader can find elsewhere in your application. Instead, think about showing the reader your character through the actions you describe.

Texas A&M Essay Prompt #2 – Life Event

Texas A&M University Essay Prompt #2

Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college..

The second of the Texas A&M supplemental essays asks students to reflect on a single life event. Specifically, one that has helped them to prepare for and be successful in college. This event can be anything you want it to be. However, make sure it’s a different experience than the one you wrote about in the other Texas A&M essays. This event should also demonstrate your college readiness by showcasing your maturity, academic skills, leadership, or resilience. 

As with the other Texas A&M admissions essays, your writing should focus on one defining event. Remember, this is one of the Texas A&M essays with a more limited word count. So, be sure to focus on telling a specific story of the specific moment in your life. You want your reader to feel like they’re experiencing the life event with you, so illustrate your points with vivid information.

Concurrently, use the details to illustrate the larger point that you would be a good fit for Texas A&M. No matter what the prompt for a personal essay for college actually says, they’re all asking “are you a good fit?” Each of your Texas A&M admissions essays should provide the reasons why you deserve admission to Texas A&M.

Choosing a topic for your Texas A&M essay

Deciding your topic for your Texas A&M supplemental essays is your first hurdle. For your Texas A&M essays, it is important to choose a moment that is personal and meaningful to you. With open-ended Texas A&M essay prompts, it’s tempting to write about what you think the admissions committee will find impressive. However, it’s always better to write about your authentic interests and let your true character shine through in your writing.

There is no specific formula for choosing your topic for the Texas A&M supplemental essays. Just make sure your topic is new and has not been discussed already in other parts of your application. And make sure you are writing about your passions in your Texas A&M supplemental essays.

Any experience can be compelling, so long as you make it clear why you’ve chosen to discuss it. For example, you may describe how an improv comedy show going badly wrong taught you how to handle adversity, think on your feet, and use creativity in a difficult situation.

Still need help coming up with a topic for your Texas A&M supplemental essays? Check out this webinar or this article for additional resources.

Texas A&M Essay Prompt #3 – Impactful Person

Texas A&M University Essay Prompt # 3

Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why..

This is arguably the hardest of the required Texas A&M essay prompts. That’s because it asks students to write about a topic other than themselves. The Texas A&M supplemental essays are all about getting to know the applicants on a more personal level. However, this is not easy to do when you’re writing about someone else. Therefore, it is important to both answer the prompt while keeping the focus on you.

The first step to writing this essay is choosing the person that it is going to be about. This is not about finding the most famous or well-recognized person you know. It’s about examining your life and identifying those who have genuinely pushed you to be the best version of yourself. You also want this person to have impacted your life recently so you can show details from your high school years. Or, if they are from your childhood, show how their influence has stayed with you during your high school years.

Let’s say you’ve found the person you will write about. Think about what you need your reader to know about this person in order to understand who they are. Remember that you have limited space in your Texas A&M supplemental essays. Avoid using too much of it simply describing who your person is. The central focus of your Texas A&M essays should be on you, the applicant. So, your job is twofold. Describe the person who has most impacted your life in your Texas A&M essays. Then, focus on what you learned from them and how you’ve used their influence in your academics, extracurriculars, or school community. 

How do I write the Texas A&M essay?

The Texas A&M supplemental essays will take time to complete. So, the best advice we have is to start your Texas A&M essays early. The Common App opens on August 1st, which is also when the Texas A&M essay prompts become visible. It’s never too early to start planning your responses to the Texas A&M essays! Often picking the topics for your Texas A&M essays can be the most difficult part of the process. Give yourself plenty of time to choose what your Texas A&M supplemental essays will be about.

We also recommend writing multiple drafts of your Texas A&M supplemental essays. And, it’s beneficial to seek help from others throughout the writing process from a teacher, parent, or college advisor. Sharing your Texas A&M essays can help you clarify your ideas and improve the grammar of your writing. And, a trusted editor may catch errors you did not see or offer insights you had not previously thought of. For additional tips and help on writing college essays, check out tips for writing better essays!

Optional Texas A&M Essay

Texas A&M University Optional Essay Prompt

If there are additional personal challenges, hardships, or opportunities (including covid related experiences) that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, which you have not already written about , please note them in the space below..

In addition to the required Texas A&M supplemental essays, there is also an optional Texas A&M essay. This is the most open-ended of the Texas A&M essay prompts. It asks students to describe any challenges they have faced, particularly those which may have negatively impacted their academic performance. This is the only one of the Texas A&M supplemental essays that is optional. However, it could still be well worth writing for many students.

The optional prompt for the Texas A&M essays is a great place to explain worrisome aspects of your application. Here, you can address any potential red flags directly with the admissions committee. Perhaps your extracurricular resume is not as strong as those of other applicants. But, that’s because you need to spend time after school taking care of younger siblings while your parents work late. Or, perhaps your grades dipped towards the C-range for a semester while you were dealing with a close personal loss.

This optional choice in the Texas A&M essay prompts gives you the opportunity to provide context. Providing details regarding these unflattering parts of your application can only benefit you. Don’t hesitate to show Texas A&M Admissions why they should still consider you for admission despite these facts.

Is this optional essay really optional?

Many students wonder whether the optional Texas A&M essay is truly optional. We recommend that you complete all the required Texas A&M supplemental essays and also the optional essay if you have a personal challenge that applies to the prompt. Do the optional essay only after you have finished all of the other required Texas A&M supplemental essays. Starting with these essays ensures you are prioritizing the Texas A&M admissions essays that are required for your application. The optional Texas A&M essay can be a helpful addition to your other Texas A&M essays. Especially if you have some extenuating circumstances that affect other areas of your application. 

So yes, the last of the Texas A&M essay prompts is truly optional. But, responding to this prompt is a good way to communicate additional details about your personal situation to the admissions committee. Completing all the Texas A&M essay prompts not only shows the school that you are a hard worker. It can also help them get to know you better and explain any anomalies in your otherwise stellar application.

Are the Texas A&M supplemental essays important?

The Texas A&M supplemental essays are an important part of your Texas A&M admissions application . Your Texas A&M essays are your only opportunity to give Admissions information beyond your grades and extracurricular activities. The Texas A&M essays also provide important information to the admissions committee about your readiness for college. And whether you would be a good fit for the culture of Texas A&M.

Strong responses to the Texas A&M supplemental essays can help increase your chances of admission to Texas A&M. These Texas A&M admissions essays are your golden opportunity to stand out from the rest of the applicants. Plan to spend ample time on your Texas A&M supplemental essays. They’ll likely be the most time-consuming portion of crafting your application.

When are essays for Texas A&M applications due?

Students need to submit their Texas A&M supplemental essays by December 1st. So, be sure to satisfy all of the Texas A&M admissions requirements ahead of the deadline. The deadline is different for students applying for the Early Admission Deadline for the College of Engineering. If that’s you, your Texas A&M admissions essays must be in by October 15th. For more information about the timeline and deadlines for your application, check out their admissions website !

Five Tips for Writing the Texas A&M Essays

Texas a&m university essay writing tips.

1. Start early

Because there are so many Texas A&M supplemental essays, get started on them as early as possible. This is especially true if you want to complete all of the Texas A&M essay prompts, including the optional one. You’re probably not going to put all of your best ideas into your first draft of the Texas A&M supplemental essays. Setting aside time for multiple drafts will help strengthen the writing of your Texas A&M admissions essays. 

2. Brainstorm ideas before writing

The Texas A&M admissions essays require personal reflection and thought to answer effectively. Because of this, take time to write down some of the most important events and people in your life. That way, you have a bank of topics from which to pull for your Texas A&M supplemental essays. (And you can choose the very best ones to answer the Texas A&M essay prompts). The Texas A&M essays are not long enough to capture every one of your unique life experiences and qualities. Choosing a few to focus on will help streamline your essays!

3. Show, don’t tell

Following this guideline can strengthen not only your Texas A&M admissions essays but also your writing in general. The idea is to use relevant examples to demonstrate the qualities showcased in your Texas A&M essays. These stories are powerful tools because they do two things. One, they help your reader see the kind of person you’ve become. Two, they provide perspective into the kind of student you would be at Texas A&M.

4. It’s all in the details 

This tip is related to the last, because no personal essay for college would be complete without vivid, specific details. These details help separate your essay from the crowd and allow the reader to transport themselves into your memories. The more descriptive and specific your language, the better your message will come across to your readers. Avoid stringing together several different stories with only surface-level descriptions for each one. When responding to the Texas A&M essay prompts, use as much descriptive language as possible!  

5. Ask for help

The Texas A&M supplemental essays are not easy. Writing college essays is a skill and is very different from writing a paper for class. So, it can be helpful to have some other people that you trust edit and review your essay. They might even catch mistakes in your Texas A&M supplemental essays or see improvements that you would not have considered. Just make sure that anyone you ask for help is not writing the Texas A&M supplemental essays for you! Admissions officers are trained to look for essays written by parents or siblings. Nothing someone else writes will come close to the power of your original, authentic voice.

Texas A&M Supplemental Essays – Final Takeaways

The Texas A&M essays are one of the most difficult parts of the Texas A&M admission requirements. However, with the proper preparation and guidance, anyone can write strong responses to the Texas A&M essay prompts. Any personal essay for college is important. So be sure to put your best foot forward in your Texas A&M supplemental essays. 

We at CollegeAdvisor are here to help you with your Texas A&M admissions essays. Our advisor network includes Texas A&M graduates who have personal experience with writing Texas A&M essays. By signing up for a CollegeAdvisor.com account, you get access to individual coaching for your personal essay for college. (And help from admissions experts and our Essay Editing team!) To register for an account and get help with your Texas A&M supplemental essays, click here .

This essay guide was written by senior advisor, Alex Baggott-Rowe . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write perfect applytexas essays.

College Essays

The ApplyTexas college application contains many essay prompts, and each of the most popular colleges in Texas has different requirements for which essays they expect applicants to answer.

So how do you get advice on writing your best ApplyTexas essays, no matter which school you're applying to? Look no further than this article, which completely unpacks all possible ApplyTexas essay prompts. We'll explain what each prompt is looking for and what admissions officers are hoping to learn about you. In addition, we'll give you our top strategies for ensuring that your essay meets all these expectations and help you come up with your best essay topics.

To help you navigate this long guide, here is an overview of what we'll be talking about:

What Are the ApplyTexas Essays?

Comparing applytexas essay prompts a, b, and c, dissecting applytexas essay topic a, dissecting applytexas essay topic b, dissecting applytexas essay topic c, dissecting applytexas essay topic d.

• Dissecting the UT and Texas A&M Short Answer Prompts
• Briefly: ApplyTexas Essay Topic E (Transfer Students Only)

The ApplyTexas application is basically the Texas version of the Common Application , which many US colleges use. It's a unified college application process that's accepted by all Texas public universities and many private ones. (Note that some schools that accept ApplyTexas also accept the Common App.)

The ApplyTexas website is a good source for figuring out whether your target college accepts the ApplyTexas application. That said, the best way to confirm exactly what your school expects is to go to its admissions website.

Why Do Colleges Want You to Write Essays?

Admissions officers are trying to put together classes full of interesting, vibrant students who have different backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, goals, and dreams. One tool colleges use to identify a diverse set of perspectives is the college essay .

These essays are a chance for you to show admissions officers those sides of yourself that aren’t reflected in the rest of your application. This is where you describe where you've come from, what you believe in, what you value, and what has shaped you.

This is also where you make yourself sound mature and insightful—two key qualities that colleges are looking for in applicants . These are important because colleges want to enroll students who will ultimately thrive when faced with the independence of college life .

Admissions staff want to enroll a diverse incoming class of motivated and thoughtful students.

ApplyTexas Essay Requirements

There are four essay prompts on the ApplyTexas application for first-year admission (Topics A, B, C, and D). For Topics A, B, and C, there are slight variations on the prompt for transfer students or those looking to be readmitted. We’ll cover each variation just below the main topic breakdown. There are also several short-answer prompts for UT Austin and Texas A&M , as well as Topic D for art and architecture majors and  Topic E for transfer students only . Although there are no strict word limits, colleges usually suggest keeping the essays somewhere between one and one and a half pages long.

All Texas colleges and universities have different application requirements, including which essay or essays they want. Some schools require essays, some list them as optional, and others use a combination of required and optional essays. Several schools use the essays to determine scholarship awards, honors program eligibility, or admission to specific majors.

Here are some essay submission requirement examples from a range of Texas schools:

• You are required to write an essay on Topic A .
• You also have to answer three short-answer prompts (250–300 words each) .
• If you're applying for a studio art, art education, art history, architecture, or visual art studies major, you'll have to write a short answer specific to your major .
• UT Austin also accepts the Common App.

Texas A&M

• If you're an engineering major, you'll have to respond to  a short-answer prompt .
• Texas A&M also accepts the Common App .

Southern Methodist University

• You must write an essay on Topic A .
• You may (but do not have to) write an essay on Topic B .
• You also have to answer two short-answer prompts .
• SMU also accepts the Common App and Coalition App and has its own online application, so you have the option to pick and choose the application you want to fill out .

Texas Christian University

• You must write an essay on any of the topics (A, B, or C) .
• TCU also accepts the Common App and Coalition App has its own online application, so it's another school for which you can choose the application you want to use.

The essays required as part of each admissions application differ from college to college. Check each institution's website for the most up-to-date instructions.

Three of the ApplyTexas essay topics try to get to the heart of what makes you the person you are. But since Topics A, B, and C all focus on things that are essential to you as a person, coming up with a totally unique idea for each can be difficult—especially since on a first read-through, these prompts can sound really similar .

Before I dissect all of the ApplyTexas essay prompts, let's see how A, B, and C differ from one another. You can then keep these differences in mind as you try to think of topics to write about.

ApplyTexas Prompts

Here are the most recent prompts for Topics A, B, and C on the ApplyTexas application.

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

Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

You've got a ticket in your hand. Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

How to Tell Topics A, B, and C Apart

One helpful way to keep these topics separate in your mind is to create a big-picture category for each one: Topic A is outside, Topic B is inside, and Topic C is the future .

In other words, Topic A is asking about the impact of challenges or opportunities on you and how you handled that impact. Topic B is asking about your inner passions and how these define you. Finally, Topic C wants to know where you're going from here. These very broad categories will help as you brainstorm ideas and life experiences you can use for your essay .

Although many of the stories you think of can be shaped to fit each of these prompts, think about what the experience most reveals about you. If it’s about how your external community shaped you, that'd probably be a good fit for Topic A. If it’s a story about the causes or interests that you're most passionate about, save it for Topic B. If it’s primarily about an event that you think predicts your future, it'll likely work well for Topic C.

(Note: if you are a transfer student writing the essay variation for Topics A, B, or C, keep in mind that these variations still ask you about the outside, inside, or future respectively.)

Your years-long passion for performing in theater productions is an appropriate subject for ApplyTexas Topic B essays.

Now, we'll thoroughly deconstruct everything you need to know about Topic A, the first ApplyTexas essay prompt.

What’s the Prompt Asking, and How Should You Answer It?

This prompt wants to see how a particular external experience as a high school student has shaped you . The prompt uses the phrase "your story," signaling that admissions staff want to know what you believe has had the biggest impact on you.

Step 1: Describe Your Experience

The first part of the prompt is about identifying and describing specific experiences you've had as a high school student. You don't want your essay coming across too vague, so make sure you're focusing on one or two specific experiences, whether they've been positive or negative. The prompt suggests zeroing in on something "unique," or something that has affected you in a way it hasn't impacted anyone else.

You'll want to choose an opportunity or challenge that you can describe vividly and that's really important to you. In other words, it   needs to have had a significant impact on your personal development.

It should also be an experience that has been part of your life for a while . You're describing something that's affected you "throughout your high school career," after all.

Step 2: Explain How This Experience Shaped You

You shouldn't just describe your experience—you also need to discuss how that experience affected you as a person . How did this particular opportunity or difficulty turn you into the person you are today?

It's best if you can think of one or two concrete anecdotes or stories about how your chosen experience(s) helped shape you. For example, don't just say that a public piano recital made you a hard-working person— describe in detail how practicing diligently each day, even when you weren't feeling motivated, got frustrated by particular parts of the piece you were performing, and experienced stage fright showed you that working toward your goals is worthwhile, even when it's hard.

Elaborating on how a specific challenge or obstacle that you faced during your high school career helped shape your current perspective and personality is one option for Topic A essays.

What Are Readers Hoping to Learn About You?

Admission staff are looking for two main things. First, they want to see that you can be mature and thoughtful about your surroundings and events in your life . Are you curious about the world around you? If you've really reflected on your experience, you'll be able to describe the people, places, and events that have impacted you as a high school student in a nuanced, insightful way.

Second, they want to see how you stand out from other applicants . This can be accomplished in one of two ways: (1) you can emphasize how you are somehow different because of your experience and how it impacted you, or (2) you can emphasize how you learned positive qualities from the event that differentiate you from other students. Basically, how did your experience turn you into a special, interesting person?

How Can Your Essay Give Them What They Want?

How can you make sure your essay is really answering the prompt? Here are some key strategies.

#1: Pick a Specific Experience

You'll need to select a particular opportunity or obstacle to zero in on. Opportunities include travel, internships, volunteer or paid jobs, academic events, and awards. Challenges might include competitions, performances, illnesses, injuries, or learning something new. Remember, you'll want to focus on one or two particular events or experiences that have truly contributed to your personal growth .

As you're choosing the experiences you want to write about, think about significant things that happened to you in connection with those events. Remember, you'll need to get beyond just describing how the opportunity or challenge is important to you to show how its impact on you is so significant .

#2: How Did This Experience Shape You?

You then need to consider what about your experience turned you into a person who stands out . Again, this can be about how you overcame the difficulty or how the opportunity fostered positive qualities or traits in you that would make you an appealing member of the college's student body. You want to make sure you have a clear message that links your experience to one, two, or three special traits you have.

Try to think of specific stories and anecdotes related to the event. Then, thoughtfully analyze these to reveal what they show about you. Important adults in your life can help you brainstorm potential ideas.

#3: Think of the Essay Like a Movie

Like a good movie script, a college essay needs characters, some action, and a poignant but ultimately happy ending . When you’re planning out your personal statement, try to think of the story you’re telling in movie terms. Ensure that your essay has the following features:

• Setting: As you're describing your experience, taking time to give a vivid sense of place is key. You can accomplish this by describing the actual physical surroundings, the main "characters" in your community, or a combination of both.
• Stakes: Movies propel the action forward by giving characters high stakes: win or lose, life or death. Even if you are describing your experience in positive terms, there needs to be a sense of conflict or dynamic change. In the anecdote(s) you've selected to write about, what did you stand to gain or lose?
• External conflict resolution: If there's an external conflict of some kind (e.g., with a neighbor, a family member, a friend, or a city council), you need to show some level of resolution.
• Internal conflict resolution: Inner conflict is essentially about how you changed in response to the event or experience. You'll need to clearly lay out what happened within you and how those changes have carried you forward as a person.

Describing your feelings before, during, and after the opportunity or challenge is a crucial element of a Topic A college essay.

#4: Add Details, Description, and Examples

Your essay will really stand out if you add effective examples and descriptions.

For example, imagine Karima decides to describe how learning to navigate public transit as a high school first-year student made her resourceful and helped her explore the city she grew up in. She also discusses how exploring the city ultimately changed her perspective. How should she frame her experience? Here are some options:

I was nervous about taking the El by myself for the first time. At the station, there were lots of commuters and adults who seemed impatient but confident. At first, I was very afraid of getting lost, but over time, I became as confident as those commuters.

I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement walking up the Howard red line turnstile for the first time. What if I got lost on my way to the museum? I was worried that I would just seem like a nuisance to all of the frowning commuters who crowded the platform. If I needed help, would they help me? Was I even brave enough to ask? When the metal doors opened, I pressed my nails into my palms and rushed in after a woman with a red briefcase. Success! At least for the first step. I found a sideways-facing seat and clutched my macrame bag with my notebook and sketching supplies. A map hung above my seat. Pressing my finger to the colorful grid, I found my stop and counted how many I still had to go. I spent the entire train ride staring at that map, straining my ears for everything the conductor said. Now, when I think about the first time I rode the El by myself, I smile. What seemed so scary at the time is just an everyday way to get around now. But I always look around on the platform to see if any nervous kids linger at the edges of the commuter crowds and offer them a smile.

Both versions set up the same story plotwise, but the second makes the train ride (and therefore the author) come alive through the addition of specific, individualizing details , such as the following:

• Visual cues: The reader "sees" what the author sees through descriptions such as "frowning commuters who crowded the platform," "woman with a red briefcase," and "colorful grid."
• Emotional responses: We experience the author’s feelings: she "felt a mixture of nerves and excitement." She wonders if she's brave enough to ask for help. The train ride was "so scary at the time" but feels "everyday" now.
• Differentiation: Even though the commuters are mostly a monolithic group, we get to see some individuals, such as the woman with a red briefcase.

ApplyTexas Topic A Essay Ideas

There's no one best topic for this essay prompt (or any other), but I've included some potential ideas below to help you get started with your own brainstorming:

• Describe a time you organized the people around you to advocate a common local cause.
• Hone in on a particular trip with one or more family members.
• Identify a time when you were no longer in your comfort zone. Describe how you adapted and learned from that experience.
• Discuss being a minority in your school or neighborhood.
• Describe going through a cultural or religious rite of passage as a high school student.
• Elaborate on how you moved from one place to somewhere totally different and handled your culture shock.

ApplyTexas Topic A for Transfer, Transient, or Readmit Students

If you are applying to transfer or to be readmitted, you likely already have some college experience. So in this case, ApplyTexas offers a personal statement option that allows you to write about your life beyond your high school years. This option still asks you to demonstrate what in your experience has turned you into a unique individual. But if, for instance, you left college and now are reapplying, you’ll want to address how some aspect of that experience made an impact on who you are now. Otherwise, follow the advice above for the standard Topic A prompt.

Here’s the current Essay Topic A prompt for transfer applicants:

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 or a record of your participation in school-related activities. Rather, this is your opportunity to address the admissions committee directly and to let us know more about you as an individual, in a manner that your transcripts and other application information cannot convey.

Next up, let's go through the same process for ApplyTexas Topic B, taking it apart brick by brick and putting it back together again.

What’s the Prompt Asking?

At first glance, this prompt seems pretty vague. "Tell us about yourself" is not exactly the most detailed set of instructions. But if we dig a little deeper, we can see that there are actually two pretty specific things this question is asking.

#1: What Defines You?

This prompts posits that "most students"—which likely includes you!—have some kind of defining trait . This could be "an identity, an interest, or a talent," so you need to express what that defining trait is for you specifically.

For instance, are you an amazing knitter? Do you spend your free time researching cephalopods? Are you a connoisseur of indie movies or mystery novels? Or maybe you have a religious, cultural, ethnic, or LGBTQIA+ identity that's very important to you. Any of these things could plausibly be the main, framing theme of your essay.

#2: How Does That Defining Trait Fit Into "You" Overall?

Even though you have some kind of defining trait, that's not the entirety of you. Essentially, you need to contextualize your defining trait within your broader personality and identity. This is where the "tell us about yourself" part comes in. What does your defining trait say about you as a person? And how does it fit into your overall personality, values, and dreams?

In a Topic B college essay, you could potentially describe your knowledge of chess and how it exemplifies your talent for thinking several steps ahead.

Admissions staff are hoping to learn two main things:

#1: What You're Passionate About

It's essential that this essay communicates genuine passion for whatever you write about. College is a lot of work, and passion is an important driving force when things get busy. Therefore, readers are looking for students who are really engaged in the world around them and excited about specific causes and activities!

#2: How You View Yourself (and How Successfully You Can Communicate That)

A strong, well-developed sense of self goes a long way toward helping you weather all the changes you're going to experience when you attend college. Even though you'll change and grow a lot as a person during your college years, having a sense of your own core traits and values will help those changes be exciting as opposed to scary .

Colleges are looking for a developed sense of self. Additionally, they are looking for students who can communicate messages about themselves in a clear, confident, and cohesive way .

The challenge with this prompt is giving a complete picture of you as a person while still staying on message about your defining trait. You need to be focused yet comprehensive. Let's explore the best ways to show off your passion and frame your identity.

#1: Define the Core Message

First, you need to select that defining trait . This could be pretty much anything, just as long as you're genuinely invested in this trait and feel that it represents some core aspect of you.

It should also be something you can describe through stories and anecdotes . Just saying, "I'm a redhead, and that defines me" makes for a pretty boring essay! However, a story about how you started a photography project that consists of portraits of redheads like you and what you learned about yourself from this experience is much more interesting.

Be careful to select something that presents you in a broadly positive light . If you choose a trait that doesn't seem very serious, such as your enduring and eternal love of onion rings, you risk seeming at best immature and at worst outright disrespectful.

You also want to pick something realistic —don't claim you're the greatest mathematician who ever lived unless you are, in fact, the greatest mathematician who ever lived (and you probably aren't). Otherwise, you'll seem out of touch.

#2: Fit Your Message into the Larger Picture

Next, consider how you can use this trait to paint a more complete picture of you as a person . It's great that you're passionate about skiing and are a member of a ski team, but what else does this say about you? Are you an adventurous daredevil who loves to take (reasonable) risks? Are you a nature lover with a taste for exploration? Do you love being part of a team?

Select at least two or three positive messages you want to communicate about yourself in your essay about your key trait.

In a Topic B essay, a student could connect their long-time passion for cooking to their penchant for adding their unique touch to every project they take on.

#3: Show, Don't Tell

It's much more interesting to read about things you do that demonstrate your key traits than it is to hear you list them. Don't just say, "Everyone asks me for advice because I'm level-headed and reasonable." Instead, actually describe situations that show people asking you for advice and you offering that level-headed, reasonable advice.

#4: Watch Your Tone

It's important to watch your tone as you write an essay that's (pretty overtly) about how great you are. You want to demonstrate your own special qualities without seeming glib, staid, self-aggrandizing, or narcissistic .

Let’s say Andrew wants to write about figuring out how to grow a garden, despite his yard being in full shade, and how this desire turned into a passion for horticulture. He could launch into a rant about the garden store employees not knowing which plants are right for which light, the previous house owner’s terrible habit of using the yard as a pet bathroom, or the achy knee that prevented him from proper weeding posture.

Alternatively, he could describe doing research on the complex gardens of royal palaces, planning his garden based on plant color and height, using the process of trial and error to see which plants would flourish, and getting so involved with this work that he often lost track of time.

One of these approaches makes him sound whiny and self-centered, whereas  the other makes him sound like someone who can take charge of a difficult situation .

ApplyTexas Topic B Essay Ideas

Again, there's no single best approach here, but I've outlined some potential topics below:

• Are you known for being really good at something or an expert on a particular topic? How does this impact your identity?
• Discuss how you got involved in a certain extracurricular activity and what it means to you. What have you learned from participating in it?
• Describe something you've done lots of research on in your free time. How did you discover that interest? What have you learned as a result?
• What's your most evident personality trait? How has that trait impacted your life? (You can ask friends and relatives for help with this one.)
• Relate the importance of your LGBTQIA+ identity.
• Discuss your religious or cultural background and how this defines you.
• Describe your experience as a member of a specific community.

ApplyTexas Topic B for Transfer, Transient, or Readmit Students

The ApplyTexas variation on Topic B is specifically designed for two different possible application situations. The first is for people who are applying as nondegree-seeking or postbaccalaureate students (aka “transient students”). In this case, they ask you to discuss the courses you want to take and what you hope to accomplish if you are admitted. That means they still want you to focus this essay on what you are passionate about, as mentioned above, but they expect that passion to be based on courses the university offers more directly.  

The second is for students who are reapplying after being suspended for academic reasons. In this situation, they ask you to describe any actions you have taken to improve your academic performance and to give them a reason why you should be readmitted. You’ll still need to focus on your positive traits in this variation, so this can be a tricky task. As in the example above, you’ll need to watch your tone and not come across as whiny. Instead, confront the cause of your academic suspension and what you learned from that experience; then, turn it into a newfound strength. Maybe you learned new study habits you can describe for them. Maybe working full-time while you were suspended improved your work ethic. Whatever you choose, show how a negative situation changed into a positive learning experience for you, and focus on the better person you are now because of it. 

Here’s the current prompt for Essay Topic B for transfer applicants:

If you are applying as a former student and were suspended for academic reasons, describe briefly any actions you have taken to improve your academic abilities and give reason why you should be readmitted. If you are applying as a nondegree-seeking or postbaccalaureate application, briefly describe the specific objectives you wish to accomplish if admitted, including the courses in which you would like to enroll.

Now, we can take apart Topic C to get a good handle on how to tackle this future-facing essay.

You've got a ticket in your hand—where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

If ApplyTexas Topic A and Topic B were all about your past experiences, Topic C wants you to give readers a glimpse of your imagined possibilities .

There are basically two potential approaches to this question. We'll break them down here.

Option 1: Describe Your Long-Term Goals

One approach to this prompt is to use your essay as a chance to describe your long-term goals for your career and life .

For some students, this will be a straightforward endeavor. For example, say you’ve always wanted to be a doctor. You spend your time volunteering at hospitals, helping out at your mom’s practice, and studying biology. You could easily frame your "ticket" as a ticket to medical school. Just pick a few of the most gripping moments from these past experiences and discuss the overall trajectory of your interests, and your essay would likely be a winner!

But what if you’re not sure about your long-term goals yet? Or what if you feel like you really don't know where you're going next week, let alone next year or 10 years from now? Read on for Option 2.

Option 2: Demonstrate Thoughtful Imagination

Although you can certainly interpret this as a straightforward question about your future, you can also use it as a chance to be more imaginative.

Note that this entire question rests on the metaphor of the ticket. The ticket can take you anywhere; you decide. It could be to a real place, such as your grandmother's house or the Scottish Highlands or the Metropolitan Museum. Or it could be somewhere fantastical, such as a time machine to the Paleolithic.

The important point is that you use the destination you select—and what you plan to do there—to prove you're a thoughtful person who is excited about and actively engaged with the world around you .

The destination you choose to write about, whether realistic or fantastical, should be clearly linked to a specific goal or set of goals that you wish to pursue or are currently pursuing.

If you're on a direct path to a specific field of study or career, admissions officers definitely want to know this. Having driven, goal-oriented, and passionate students is a huge plus for any college. If this sounds like you, be sure your essay conveys not just your interest but also your deep love of the subject, as well as any related clubs, activities, or hobbies you’ve done during high school.

If you take the more creative approach to this prompt, however, realize that in this essay (as in all the other ApplyTexas essays),  the how matters much more than the what . Don't worry that you don't have a specific goal in mind yet. No matter where your eventual academic, career, or other pursuits might lie, every activity you've done up to now has taught you something, whether that be developing your work ethic, mastering a skill, learning from a mentor, interacting with peers, dealing with setbacks, understanding your own learning style, or persevering through hardship. Your essay is a chance to show off that knowledge and maturity.

So no matter what destination you choose for your ticket (the what ), you want to communicate that you can think about future (and imagined!) possibilities in a compelling way based on your past experiences (the how ).

Whether you take the ideas of "where you are going" and "what you are doing" in a more literal or more abstract direction, the admissions committee wants to make sure that no matter what you study, you'll be able to get something meaningful out of it . They want to see that you’re not simply floating through life on the surface but are actively absorbing the qualities, skills, and know-how you'll need to succeed in the world.

Here are some ideas for how to show that you have thoughtful and compelling visions of possible futures.

#1: Pick Where You're Going

Is this going to be a more direct interpretation of your goals (my ticket is to the judge's bench) or a more creative one (my ticket is to Narnia)? Whichever one you choose, make sure that you choose a destination that is genuinely compelling to you . The last thing you want is to come off sounding bored or disingenuous.

#2: Don’t Overreach or Underreach

Another key point is to avoid overreaching or underreaching. For instance, it’s fine to say that you’d like to get involved in politics, but it’s a little too self-aggrandizing to say that you’re definitely going to be president of the United States. Be sure that whatever destination you select for your ticket, it doesn’t come off as unnecessary bragging rather than simple aspiration .

At the same time, make sure the destination you've chosen is one that makes sense in the context of a college essay. Maybe what you really want is a ticket to the potato chip factory; however, this essay might not be the best place to elaborate on this imagined possibility.

While you can of course choose a whimsical location, you need to be able to ground it in a real vision of the kind of person you want to become . Don't forget who your audience is! College admissions officers want to find students who are eager to learn . They also want to be exposed to new thoughts and ideas.

#3: Flesh It Out

Once you've picked a destination, it's time to consider the other components of the question: What are you going to do once you reach your destination? What will happen there? Try to think of some key messages that relate back to you, your talents, and your goals .

#4: Ground Your "Journey" in Specific Anecdotes and Examples

The way this question is framed is very abstract, so ground your thoughts about your destination (whether it's more straightforward or more creative) in concrete anecdotes and examples that show you're thoughtful, engaged, passionate, and driven.

This is even more important if you go the creative route and are writing about an unusual location. If you don't keep things somewhat grounded in reality, your essay could come across as frivolous. Make sure you make the most of this chance to share real-life examples of your desirable qualities.

Imagine Eleanor’s essay is about how she wants a ticket to Starfleet Academy (for the uninitiated, this is the fictional school in the Star Trek universe where people train to be Starfleet officers). Which essay below conveys more about her potential as a student?

My ticket is to Starfleet Academy. There, I would train to become part of the Command division so I could command a starship. Once I was captain of my own starship, I would explore the deepest reaches of space to interact with alien life and learn more about the universe.

I've loved Star Trek since my dad started playing copies of old episodes for me in our ancient DVD player. So if I could have a ticket to anywhere, it would be to Starfleet Academy to train in the command division. I know I would make a superb command officer. My ten years of experience in hapkido have taught me discipline and how to think on my feet. Working as a hapkido instructor in my dojo the past two years has honed my leadership and teaching qualities, which are essential for any starship commander. Additionally, I have the curiosity and sense of adventure necessary for a long career in the unknown reaches of space. Right now, I exercise my thirst for exploration through my photography blog. Using my DSLR camera, I track down and photograph obscure and hidden places I find in my town, on family trips, and even on day trips to nearby cities. I carefully catalogue the locations so other people can follow in my footsteps. Documentation, after all, is another important part of exploring space in a starship.

Both versions communicate the same things about the imagined destination, but the second essay does a much better job showing who Eleanor is as a person. All we really learn from the first excerpt is that Eleanor must like Star Trek .

We can also infer from version 1 that she probably likes leadership, exploration, and adventure because she wants to captain a starship, but we don't really know that for sure. Admissions officers shouldn't have to guess who you are from your essay; your essay should lay it out for them explicitly and articulately.

In the second essay, by contrast, Eleanor clearly lays out the qualities that would make her a great command officer and provides examples of how she exemplifies these qualities . She ties the abstract destination to concrete activities from her life, such as hapkido and photography. This provides a much more well-rounded picture of what Eleanor could bring to the student body and the school at large.

Eleanor's essay about her desire to explore the final frontier creatively illustrates her curiosity and leadership potential .

ApplyTexas Topic C Essay Ideas

I've come up with some sample essay ideas for the two different approaches to this prompt.

Possibility 1: Your Concrete Goals

• Describe your goal to pursue a particular academic field or career and discuss how specific classes or extracurricular activities ignited that passion
• Discuss how your plans to pursue politics, project management, or another leadership role were fostered by a first experience of leadership (this could be a straightforward leadership position in a club or job or a more indirect or unplanned leadership experience, such as suddenly having to take charge of a group).
• Discuss how your desire to teach or train in the future was sparked by an experience of teaching someone to do something (e.g., by being a tutor or by helping a sibling deal with a particularly challenging class or learning issue).
• Describe your goal to perform on stage, and discuss how your past experiences of public creativity (e.g., being in a play, staging an art show, performing an orchestra, or being involved in dance,.) led you to this goal

Possibility 2: Creative/Abstract Destination

• What would you do if you could visit the world of a favorite childhood book, movie, or TV series? What qualities does that show about you?
• Is there a relative or friend you would like to visit with your ticket?
• Is there a particular historical period you would like to time travel to?
• Is there a destination you've always wanted to go to that you've read about, heard about, or only conjured up in dreams or in a moment of creativity?

Remember to tie your imaginative destination to concrete details about your special qualities!

Topic C for Transfer, Transient, or Readmit Students

ApplyTexas offers a Topic C alternative in case there is personal information you want them to consider along with your application, such as why you are transferring to a new school. They still want you to focus on the future, but they encourage discussing any hardships, challenges, extenuating circumstances, or opportunities that have affected your abilities and academic credentials (in a positive way). They also want you to discuss how these circumstances can help you contribute to a diverse college community. In this case, this variation is not fundamentally different from the ticket question; it just asks for a more specific focus. So if this variation applies to you, use the advice above for question C option one. 

Here’s the current prompt for Essay Topic C for transfer applicants:

There may be personal information that you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.

Would you use your ticket to visit Renaissance Italy, a journey you metaphorically hope to take as a history major?

If you're applying to one of several fine arts fields, you might have to write this essay.

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, design, 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?

If you’re applying to study architecture, art, or art history, one of the essays you will likely have to write is this one. This essay topic is trying to ask as broadly as possible about an experience with art that has moved you in some way. This means that your options for answering the question are quite varied. So what are the two different parts of this prompt? Let's take a look.

Part 1: Observation and Reaction

Think of a time you experienced that blown-away feeling when looking at something human made. This is the reaction and situation the first part of the essay wants you to recreate. The prompt is primarily interested in your ability to describe and pinpoint exactly what quality made you stop in your tracks. The huge set of inspiring object options the prompt offers tells us that your taste level won't be judged here.

You can focus on a learning experience, which includes both classes and extracurricular activities, or you can focus on a direct experience in which you encountered an object or space without the mediation of a class or teacher. The only limit to your focus object is that it is something made by someone other than you. Your reaction should be in conversation with the original artist, not a form of navel-gazing.

The key for this part of the essay is that your description needs to segue into a story of change and transformation . What the essay topic is asking you to show isn’t just that you were struck by something you saw or learned about, but that you also absorbed something from this experience that impacted your own art going forward.

Did seeing the Angkor Wat Temple during a trip abroad with your family foster your intellectual passion for Southeast Asian art or religious monuments?

Part 2: Absorption

This brings us to the second part of the essay prompt: this is where you need to move from the past into the present — and then at least gesture meaningfully toward the future.

It’s one thing to look at a piece of art, such as a sculpture or architectural form, and feel moved by its grace, boldness, or vision. But it’s a sign of a mature, creative mind to be able to take to heart what is meaningful to you about this work and then transmute this experience into your own art or your interpretation of others' creative works.

This essay wants to see that developing maturity in you ; therefore, you should explain exactly how your own vision has changed after this meaningful encounter you've described. What qualities, philosophy, or themes do you now try to infuse into what you create or how you analyze art?

More importantly, this essay prompt asserts that being affected by something once isn’t enough. That’s why in this second part of the essay,  you also need to explain what you’ve been doing to keep having similarly moving encounters with other creative works .

You have some choice, too, when it comes to answering, "What have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?" For example, you could describe how you’ve sought out other works by the same artist who moved you the first time. Or you could describe investigating new media or techniques to emulate something you saw. Or you could discuss learning about the period, genre, school, or philosophical theory that the original piece of art comes from to give yourself a more contextualized understanding.

If you’re planning an academic career in the visual arts or architecture, then you’re entering a long conversation started by our cave-painting ancestors and continuing through every human culture and society since.

This essay wants to make sure that you aren’t creating or interpreting art in a vacuum and that you have had enough education and awareness to be inspired by others. By demonstrating how you react to works that move you—not with jealousy or dismissal but with appreciation and recognition of another’s talent and ability—you're proving that you're ready to participate in this ongoing conversation.

At the same time, this essay is asking you to show your own creative readiness.  For example, describe not only the work you have produced but also your ability to introduce new elements into that work—in this case, inspired by the piece you described. This way, you can demonstrate that you aren’t a one-note artist but are mature enough to alter and develop what you make. Or if you want to major in art history or art education, relate how your perspective on a particular piece of art or architecture is shaped by your unique perspective, based on your experiences, education, and cultural identity.

A student might write their Topic D essay on how Michelangelo's Madonna della Pietà   has influenced their own artistic renderings of youth and beauty in grief.

What are some best practices for teasing out the complexities of art in written form? Here are some helpful tips as you brainstorm and write your essay.

#1: Pick One Piece of Art or Learning Experience

Once you’ve chosen between these two contexts, narrow down your selection even further . If you're writing about an educational encounter, don’t forget that it can come from an informal situation as well. For example, you could write about something you learned on your own from a documentary, a museum visit, or an art book.

If you're writing about a direct experience with art, don't necessarily fixate on a classic piece . Alternatively, you could discuss a little-known public sculpture, a particularly striking building or bridge you saw while traveling, or a gallery exhibition.

Whatever you end up writing about, make sure you know some of the identifying details . You don’t need to know the answers to all the following questions, but do your best to research so you can answer at least two or three of them:

• Who is the artist?
• Where is the piece on display?
• What kind of work is it?
• With what materials was it made?
• When was it made?

#2: Figure Out Why You Were Struck by This Particular Work

The make-it-or-break-it moment in this essay will be your ability to explain what affected you in the object you're writing about . Why is it different from other works you’ve seen? Were you in the right place and time to be moved by it, or would it have affected you the same way no matter where or when you saw it? Did it speak to you because it shares some of your ideals, philosophies, or tastes—or because it was so different from them?

Be careful with your explanation because it can easily get so vague as to be meaningless or so obscure and "deep" that you lose your reader. Before you start trying to put it down on paper, try to talk out what you plan to say either with a friend, parent, or teacher. Do they understand what you’re saying, and do they believe you?

#3: Make a Timeline of Your Own Creative Works

When you think about what you've been making or thinking about making during your high school career, what is the trajectory of your ideas? How has your understanding of the materials you want to work with or study changed? What message do you want your works to convey, or what message in others' works most resonate with you? How do you want your works to be seen or engaged with by others? What is the reason you feel compelled to be creative or involved in the arts?

Now that you’ve come up with this timeline, see whether your changes in thought overlap with the art experience you're planning on describing . Is there a way you can combine what was so exciting to you about this work with the way you’ve seen your own ideas about art evolve?

#4: Use a Mix of Concreteness and Comparisons in Your Description

Just as nothing ruins a joke like explaining it, nothing ruins the wordless experience of looking at art as talking it to death does. Still, you need to find a way to use words to give the reader a sense of what the piece that moved you actually looks like —particularly if the reader isn't familiar with the work or the artist that created it.

Here is my suggested trick for writing well about art. First, be specific about the object. Discuss its colors, size, what it appears to be made of, what your eye goes to first (e.g., bright colors versus darker, more muted ones), what it represents (if it’s figurative), where it is in relation to the viewer, whether or not you can see marks of the tools used (e.g., brush strokes or scrapes from sculpting tools).

Second, step away from the concrete, and get creative with language by using techniques such as comparative description. Use your imagination to create emotionally resonant similes. Is there a form of movement (e.g., flying, crawling, or tumbling) that this piece feels like? Does it remind you of something from the natural world (e.g., a falling leaf, a forest canopy being moved by wind, waves, or sand dunes shifting)?

If the work is figurative, imagine what has been happening just before the moment in time it captures. What happened just after this point? Using these kinds of nonliteral descriptors will let your reader understand both the actual physical object and its aesthetic appeal.

Dissecting the UT and Texas A&M Short-Answer Prompts

Both UT Austin and Texas A&M require short answers as part of their first-year applications. For both schools, some prompts are required by all applicants, whereas others are required by those applying to certain majors or departments.

We'll go over the UT Austin prompts, followed by the Texas A&M prompt.

UT Austin Short-Answer Prompts

UT Austin requires three short answers from all first-year applicants and also offers an optional prompt. Each short answer should be approximately 250–300 words , or one paragraph.

Short Answer 1: Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

Short Answer 2: 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.

Short Answer 3: 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.

Optional Short Answer: Please share background on events or special circumstances that may have impacted your high school academic performance.

What Are These UT Austin Short-Answer Prompts Asking?

Obviously, these short-answer prompts are asking four different things, but they do have some similarities in terms of their overall goals.

These prompts basically want to know what you can offer UT Austin and why you'd be a great fit as a student there . They also want to know why you chose UT Austin and your specific major.

In other words, all these prompts essentially work together as a "Why This College?" essay .

How Can You Give UT Austin What They Want?

Admissions officers will be looking for evidence that you're genuinely interested in the school, the major you've chosen, and the career you want to pursue . Make sure to identify features of the program that appeal to you. In other words, why UT Austin? What makes you a good fit here?

Be as specific as possible in your responses. Since you won't have much room to write a lot, try to focus on a particular anecdote, skill, or goal you have.

Admissions officers also want to see that you have an aptitude for your chosen career path , so if you have any relevant work, research, or volunteer experience, they definitely want to know this! It's OK to take a broad view of what's relevant here.

Finally, they're looking for individuals who have clear goals as well as a general idea of what they want to do with their degree . Are you interested in working with a specific population or specialty? Why? What led you to this conclusion?

Texas A&M Engineering Prompt

All engineering applicants to Texas A&M must submit an esssay responding to the following prompt:

Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

What Is This Texas A&M Engineering Prompt Asking?

The engineering prompt wants to know two essential things:

• What are your future goals for your specific field of interest (i.e., the kind of engineering field you want to go into or are considering going into)?
• What environmental or external factors (e.g., a person, a mentor, a volunteer experience, or a paper or book you read) contributed to your development of these goals?

How Can You Give Texas A&M What They Want?

Be as specific as possible in your response. For the engineering prompt, what admissions officers want to know is simply what your biggest engineering ambition is and how you came to have this goal.

You'll want to be as specific as possible. Admissions officers want to see that you have a clear future in mind for what you want to do with your engineering degree. For example, do you plan to go on to a PhD program? Why? Do you have a particular career in mind?

In addition, make sure to specify the main inspiration for or motivation behind this goal. For instance, did you have a high school teacher who encouraged you to study engineering? Or perhaps you decided on a whim to take a computer science class, which you ended up loving.

Remember that the inspiration for your engineering goals doesn't have to be limited to something school-related. If you get stuck, think broadly about what initially got you interested in the field.

Briefly: ApplyTexas Essay Topic E (Transfer Students)

US transfer students and international transfer students must typically submit an additional essay responding to the following prompt (or must submit an essay on one of the topic variations listed above ).

Choose an issue of importance to you—the issue could be personal, school related, local, political, or international in scope⁠—and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your generation.

What's the Prompt Asking?

This prompt, which is intended for transfer students, essentially wants to know what hardship, challenge, or social issue has affected you on a personal level (or a larger group you're part of) and why you think this particular issue is so important to you .

For example, maybe you identify as LGBTQIA+ and have personally experienced discrimination in your local community because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. Or perhaps you grew up in a wealthy family but have begun to see recently how widespread the issue of homelessness really is and now are making a more conscious effort to find ways to remedy this problem in your own community.

The issue you choose doesn't have to relate to a wider social issue; it could be a learning disability you have, for instance, or the fact that you no longer share the same religious beliefs as your  family.

The most important part of this question is the connection between the issue and yourself . In other words, why is this issue so important to you ? How has it affected your life, your goals, your experiences, etc.?

This essay is a way for admissions officers to get to know you and what matters to you personally on a much deeper level than what some of the other essay topics allow, so don't be afraid to dive into topics that are very emotional, personal, or special to you .

Furthermore, be sure to clearly explain why this particular issue—especially if it's a broader social issue that affects many people—is meaningful to you . Admissions officers want to know about any challenges you've faced and how these have positively contributed to your own growth as a person.

The Bottom Line: Tips for Writing ApplyTexas Essays

The ApplyTexas application contains four essay prompts (Topics A, B, C, and D), with different schools requiring different combinations of mandatory and optional essays . There are also short-answer prompts for UT Austin, as well as a Topic E only for transfer students.

One way to keep these three similar-sounding essay topics (A, B, and C) separate in your mind is to create a big-picture category for each one:

• Topic A is about your outside .
• Topic B is your inside .
• Topic C is about your future .

Now, let's briefly summarize each essay topic:

Essay Topic A

• Overview:  Describe any unique experiences you've had as a high school student and how these have shaped who you are as a person.
• Pick a specific aspect of your experience.
• Describe how it made you special.
• Describe the setting, stakes, and conflict resolution.
• Add details, description, and examples.

Essay Topic B

• Overview:  Describe a defining trait and how it fits into the larger vision of you.
• Define the core message.
• Fit that core message of yourself into the larger picture.
• Show things about yourself; don’t tell.
• Watch your tone to make sure that you show your great qualities without seeming narcissistic, boring, glib, or self-aggrandizing.

Essay Topic C

• Overview:  Describe "where you are going" in either a literal, goal-oriented sense or a more imaginative sense.
• Pick where you’re going, but don’t over- or underreach.
• Flesh out your destination. How does it relate back to you?
• Ground your “journey” in specific anecdotes and examples.

Essay Topic D

• Overview:  Describe being affected by a work of art or an artistic experience to make sure that you are ready to enter a fine arts field.
• Pick one piece of art or one specific experience of learning about art.
• Figure out exactly why this work or event struck you.
• Examine your own work to see how this artwork has affected your creativity or engagement with art or art history.
• Use a mix of concrete descriptions and comparisons when writing about the piece of art.

Short-Answer Prompts

• Overview: Specific to UT Austin applicants
• Describe your relevant experiences and interests up to this point.
• Describe what about the program appeals to you and how you will use your degree (i.e., your future goals).
• Treat the prompts as parts of a "Why This College?" essay.

Essay Topic E (Transfer Students)

• Overview: Specific to US and international transfer applicants
• Pick an issue that means a lot to you and has had a clear effect on how you see yourself.
• Emphasize how this issue or how you've treated this issue has ultimately had a positive impact on your personal growth.

What's Next?

Curious about the other college essay choices out there? If your target college also accepts the Common Application, check out our guide to the Common App essay prompts to see whether they would be a better fit for you.

Interested to see how other people tackled this part of the application? We have a roundup of 100+ accepted essays from tons of colleges .

Stuck on what to write about? Read our suggestions for how to come up with great essay ideas .

Working on the rest of your college applications? We have great advice on how to find the right college for you , how to write about your extracurricular activities , and how to ask teachers for letters of recommendation .

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Texas A&M University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Dec 1

You Have: 

Texas A&M University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: Two required essays of 250 words each; one optional essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball , Additional Information

Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college. (250 words)

This prompt is incredibly vague, which is kinda awesome because it sets you up to talk about almost anything you want. Which life event has sparked personal growth? What do you think it takes to be successful and how do you embody those qualities? Maybe a parent’s fragile health situation challenged you to take on more responsibilities than the average teenager, preparing you for the hard work ahead. Or perhaps you learned to love your football team’s playback sessions, as they forced you to routinely examine your mistakes, welcome constructive criticism, and guide you toward self-improvement. Whatever story you choose to tell, be sure to infuse it with personal details that no one else could include in their essay.

Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why. (250 words)

Who is the first person to come to mind when you read this prompt? The person you write about can be someone in your immediate circle, larger network, or on the world stage. Remember that the person you choose is going to say a lot about what you value and respect in others. Maybe an adult in your life has served as a mentor and role model for you, or perhaps the person who has impacted you most is a close friend and confidant. Once you identify the person you’d like to write about, be sure to summarize who they are to you, how they have impacted your life, and how you’ve changed as a result of knowing them.

If there are additional personal challenges, hardships, or opportunities (including COVID related experiences) that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, which you have not already written about, please note them in the space below. (250 words)

Let us start by saying: this prompt is not for everyone. If your GPA has not dramatically increased or decreased during your high school career, move along. If, on the other hand, you’re thinking, “Yes! An opportunity for me to explain!” then read on.  Your transcripts are like Garfield Minus Garfield . Sure, we can see that something’s changed from frame to frame, but we don’t know why. Grades need context. Admissions doesn’t know why or how things happened—good or bad—so ake a look at your grades and note any anomalies or odd jumps/drops. Think back to that time in your life and tell your story. Maybe your family struggled with financial instability or the loss of a loved one. Maybe you started meeting virtually with a tutor and climbed from a fall semester C in geometry to a spring semester A. No matter your story, you are not alone in your journey of ups and downs—high school is a veritable war zone of distractions and possibilities. And, remember, everyone loves a comeback. 

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Writing a Standout Response to Texas A&M's Engineering Application Prompt

A&m requires 3 short answer prompts this year - learn the k eys to writing them here ..

The Texas A&M University College of Engineering is the biggest college at the university and one of the largest engineering schools in the country, with more than 20,000 students across 14 departments. According to the American Society for Engineering Education, it ranks second in undergraduate enrollment and eighth in graduate enrollment.

As part of the application to A&M’s College of Engineering, students are asked to write a short answer to the following prompt.

Texas A&M Engineering Short-answer prompt

Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

How to approach this question

In responding to the prompt, the students’ goal should be to communicate to the admissions committee what makes their proposed field of study engaging and exciting to them. The committee doesn’t expect students to be an expert in the field, or to have their career mapped out in advance. What it does want is to understand why students want to pursue studies in the field—and to see that they’ve thought carefully about academic and career goals and are prepared to devote four or more years to studying engineering.

• To stand out, students’ responses should demonstrate the following: They’ve already begun exploring their proposed field of study, either through independent study or through organized opportunities like classes, summer programs, and internships.
• They have a sense of purpose about becoming an engineer and can articulate how their interest in engineering has grown over time and the program they’re applying to will help them meet long-term career goals.
• They’ve thought about what makes Texas A&M the right place to pursue their proposed field of study.

Remember: Students should show how and why they, specifically, are eager to take advantage of the opportunities that A&M offers, not about what some generic student might get from A&M.

Questions for reflection and freewriting

It’s not enough to answer this prompt with a list of classes, extracurriculars, and awards pulled straight from a resume. Instead, students should identify two or three experiences that have been especially meaningful for them, and reflect on how those experiences helped inspire and shape their interest in engineering. 

How did these experiences shape your interest in the field of study you want to pursue? Did they expose you to issues or problems that you hadn’t been aware of, or help you gain new perspective on your life, culture, or community? Did they help you learn new skills or approaches to solving problems?

How did you grow through these experiences? Did they help you understand something important, or spark you to take action of some kind? Clarify or deepen existing interests? Open doors to careers or fields of study you hadn’t previously considered?

Personalizing your answer

Students who haven’t participated in summer programs or taken directly relevant courses might need to get a little more creative here. Remember: learning experiences take place in all areas of life, not just in formal classroom settings. If students have taken the initiative to explore a topic independently, it can demonstrate that they’re self-motivated and intellectually curious—just the type of applicants that Texas A&M is looking to admit. Here are some ways that students may have independently explored their interests:

• Reading books or other publications
• Watching lectures on YouTube
• Listening to podcasts
• Having conversations about what they’re learning with friends, family, or classmates
• Finding ways to incorporate their interests into school assignments 
• Applying classroom knowledge or practical skills from one area of life to solve problems or tackle challenges in other areas
• Talking with teachers or reaching out to professionals in their field of interest
• Gathering information from real-world experiences, even if they don’t seem directly connected to students’ field of interest

Bottom line: For a student’s application to stand out from others in the stack that the admission committee will be reviewing, his or her answer to this prompt can’t just regurgitate information from a resume or personal essay. Instead, students should focus on and offer new insight into their connection with and passion for engineering. 

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2 Terrific Texas A&M Essay Examples by an Accepted Student

Founded in 1876, Texas A&M University has the distinction of being the oldest institution of higher education in Texas. Texas A&M has grown considerably since its founding as an Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) college—today, it’s home to 17 academic colleges and offers more than 130 undergraduate degrees. 

Texas A&M’s wide range of academic offerings, and national reputation as an athletic powerhouse thanks to their success in the Southeastern Conference, makes it desirable to many applicants. To help yourself stand out from the crowd, you’ll want to make sure your essays are as strong as possible. Here, we’ll provide you with two examples of essays submitted by a student who was eventually accepted to Texas A&M, to give you a clearer sense of what admissions officers are looking for.

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 Texas A&M University essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Essay Example 1 – Success in College

“How much are you looking to make.” This was the question I had feared; a wrong answer could’ve meant I wasn’t ready for the job, and I’d look like a fool, but if I answered wrong for myself, I’d be stuck knowing I could’ve asked for more. 

Walking into my first job ever, I had immediately begun to shake; it had hit; this had been my first ever job interview, and the person I was about to meet would decide how my summer would go. I shook hands, sat down, and introduced myself. After a couple of questions, I was offered the position, but then that million-dollar question came. I had gone over this question several times during the car ride here. After an extensive debate with myself, I decided it wouldn’t look good if I were to shoot too high, but I also did not want to undervalue myself. I wanted to get the job; I said a number I thought was fair, making sure not to shoot ‘too’ high.

“We start everyone at the same pay.” It turns out I underestimated myself; I had told him something I thought he’d want to hear for the sake of the position. I learned not to underestimate or doubt myself, to always believe in myself, and reach for whatever I dreamed of. Now in life, I always try to achieve the highest level and believe in myself, never selling myself short and always having faith in my capability.

What the Essay Did Well

The author does a great job of centering their essay around a down-to-earth anecdote which still contains a life lesson that directly relates to their future success as a college student. With this prompt, many students will likely write about awards and achievements, but by choosing a more “ordinary” moment, the student shows that they have the ability to reflect on and learn from daily life as well.

As a quick aside, with that being said, you want to be authentic in your college essays. If you’re brainstorming for this prompt, or a similar one, and you feel your strongest response would be about an award or achievement, that’s completely fine! We just want to highlight that sometimes, writing about something less stereotypically impressive can be an incredibly effective way of humanizing yourself for admissions officers.

Another strength of this essay is the author’s personal, conversational writing style, which allows us to step into their shoes and imagine the situation as if we were there. By describing their thoughts and feelings with lines like “I immediately began to shake” and “then that million-dollar question came,” the writer keeps us invested in their story.

Finally, the student also does a great job of both telling a complete story and leaving enough space to reflect on their experience. That reflection leads to clear takeaway lessons which they explicitly connect to the prompt, so there’s no risk of the admissions officer finishing the essay wondering what the point was.

What Could Be Improved 

One small change this student could make is in the final paragraph, where they reflect on how they “ learned not to underestimate or doubt [themself], to always believe in [themself], and reach for whatever [they] dreamed of.” While the first lesson, to not underestimate themself, is a logical takeaway from the experience, the next two feel tangentially related at best. 

The lack of a clear connection makes the end of the essay feel a little too much like a Hallmark Card. Since readers don’t have anything to anchor the second and third lessons to, they seem generic, when the whole point of the college essay is to set yourself apart. While you do want to maximize the limited space given to you in college essays, this is an example of a place where less is more.

Essay Example 2 – A Teacher’s Impact

Walking into my first class of senior year, Securities and Investments, I thought, “Just another class with just another basic teacher.” Mr. Anderson was standing outside the classroom, I walked in and saw no one, I knew no one. All of my friends were in separate classes, it was just me.

He started the class immediately after the bell rang by telling us, “Ok, class, let’s go outside.” Instead of just doing a regular old lecture, Mr. Anderson teaches outside and around the school. I was immediately hooked: to me, a class where I didn’t have to sit in a rock-hard chair for 90 minutes every other day seemed thrilling. However, it wasn’t just the outdoors that intrigued me, but the content: investments we can make throughout our lives, and how to benefit from the stock market. I was attached; I was drawn to business; I was drawn to the financial aspects, technological aspects, all the aspects of a business. Finally, a class that I yearn to be in, a class about the inner workings of the stock market and business.

Mr. Anderson taught me to keep an open mind when doing anything new, from joining a new class to researching a stock. That mindset has led me to new opportunities, such as volunteering for Wells International Foundation to create clubs. Now, whenever I’m feeling apprehensive about something new, I remember how much I ended up loving Mr. Anderson’s class, and do my best to change my apprehension into anticipation.

This essay’s greatest strength is that the writer has chosen someone who has clearly made a genuine impact on their life. While that may seem like a strange thing to highlight, since that’s the whole point of the prompt, a pitfall some students fall into is trying to impress the admissions officers by choosing someone famous, or a historical figure, who hasn’t actually been that important for their growth. 

But for this prompt, who you choose doesn’t matter–what does is that you can articulate why they’ve been influential in your life, which this student does an excellent job of. The overall lesson of keeping an open mind clearly follows from the student’s description of Mr. Anderson’s unconventional teaching style, and also connects to another aspect of the student’s life (their work with Wells International Foundation).

Additionally, in the first two paragraphs the author builds a personal connection with their readers by letting us in on their thoughts and feelings in real time, through lines like “a class where I didn’t have to sit in a rocking chair” and “finally, a class that I yearn to be in.” This open, honest tone helps us better understand just how impactful the student’s experiences with their teacher were.

While the student clearly lays out the bigger picture lesson they learned from Mr. Anderson in the final paragraph, the first two paragraphs lack detail about how his actions, or personality, helped them learn that lesson. Talking about the outdoor class is a great start, but that’s just one example, and this prompt is asking about “the person who has most impacted your life.”

The student hints at Mr. Anderson helping them engage with topics they initially didn’t find interesting, but in the college essay, hinting isn’t enough–remember, your readers are complete strangers, so they don’t have any background context to fall back on if they don’t fully understand something. The essay would be much stronger with a concrete example of a time Mr. Anderson helped motivate the student academically, like:

“Before I was taught by Mr. Anderson, ‘investments’ was just a word I heard my dad occasionally say while reading the newspaper. I had never cared to learn more, but that disinterest died the day Mr. Anderson put us into teams and had us try to invest responsibly even as he rolled a die to trigger random misfortunes or windfalls.”

This anecdote provides readers with the detail we need to understand how Mr. Anderson specifically encouraged this student’s budding interest in business and finance, which is the connection that’s missing in the original essay.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay

Want feedback like this on your Texas A&M essay before you submit? We offer expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with one of our experts to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers.

Haven’t started writing your essay yet? Our advisors also offer expert college counseling packages . You can purchase a package to get one-on-one guidance on any aspect of the college application process, including brainstorming and writing essays.

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Former NASA astronaut speaks with KBTX about space programs at A&M and in Texas

C OLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - The following news release is shared by Texas A&M University. Nancy Currie-Gregg, a member of the Texas Space Commission’s nine-member board join News 3 at 6 on Wednesday to talk about these new initiatives and programs involving Texas A&M. Click on the video player above to watch our interview.

The incoming dean of the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University said Wednesday that he supports creating a degree program in Space Engineering.

Dr. Robert H. Bishop,  whose official start date is Tuesday , said he has heard the call for the new program from several faculty members who want to make Texas A&M a national leader in the rapidly growing field of space engineering.

“I am thrilled to announce that one of my first orders of business is to help make Texas A&M a world leader in Space Engineering,” Bishop said. “Degrees in Space Engineering will give students at Texas A&M the skills they need to be pioneers in the space industry as they learn to establish exciting new systems for space exploration and research.”

Support for the new program comes from people beyond College Station. At  an event  with NASA officials and space industry leaders at Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texas universities to consider establishing degree offerings in Space Engineering to help Americans get to the moon and Mars in the coming years.

At Tuesday’s event,  Nancy Currie-Gregg , a former NASA astronaut with more than 1,000 hours in space who serves as director of the  Texas A&M Space Institute , was named as an inaugural member of the Texas Space Commission’s nine-member board of directors, as were Texas A&M graduates John Shannon, Sarah “Sassie” Duggleby, Kirk Shireman and Evan Loomis.

In addition,  Robert Ambrose , a professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University who serves as deputy director of the Texas A&M Space Institute, was named to the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC) Executive Committee, along with Texas A&M graduate Stephanie Murphy and Matt Ondler, chairman of the Industry Advisory Board of the Texas A&M Multi-Disciplinary Engineering program.

Bishop said he appreciated the support of Abbott and state leaders — such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Rep. Greg Bonnen and Sen. Joan Huffman.

Widespread support for the program will help Texas A&M attract students from all over the U.S., Bishop said. Plus, it would give NASA and the growing number of private space companies a place to find the talent they need to build on the moon and Mars. (Aerospace Engineering and Space Engineering are related, but different, disciplines; basically, aerospace engineers get people to the moon and Mars, and space engineers build structures and operations there.)

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M  already has a strong foundation for new degrees in Space Engineering. The college has developed the Human Systems Integration and Bioastronautics graduate certificate program. It will be offered starting in Fall 2024. It entails preparing professionals in engineering, human physiology and medicine to address the growing challenges of both civil and commercial human spaceflight. The program within the Department of Aerospace Engineering was developed based on demand from NASA and private space companies.

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M is one of the country’s top higher education institutions for space-related research and the ideal place for recruiting the highly skilled people to make sure the United States leads the race to the moon and Mars.

Texas A&M, which has been a  space grant university  since 1989, has four former astronauts on campus and has been conducting space-related research for years. The work of Texas A&M faculty and students includes: working now on newer and better space suits; developing robots for the lunar surface; researching micro-gravity manufacturing; exploring the effects of weightlessness on astronauts; figuring out how to build habitats for sustainable life in space, and more.

The vision for the Texas A&M Space Institute involves expanding Texas’s role as the leader in the new space economy. It would leverage Texas A&M’s existing expertise and resources to make new discoveries, technological developments, health advances and workforce growth.

In addition to the institute, Texas A&M is planning to build a $200 million facility, which was funded by the Texas Legislature last year, on land near the Johnson Space Center. It will include two massive areas designed to simulate the lunar landscape and the terrain of Mars, and they will be available to Texas A&M researchers, as well as private companies that are looking to test prototypes and new equipment designed to travel across the surfaces of the moon and Mars.

The new degree program will require approval from the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board in addition to authorization from various entities within Texas A&M. After all necessary hurdles have been cleared, the degree programs could be available as soon as fall 2025.

Texas A&M Heeds Gov. Abbott’s Call For Space Engineering Degree

The incoming dean of the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University said Wednesday that he supports creating a degree program in Space Engineering.

Dr. Robert H. Bishop, whose official start date is Tuesday , said he has heard the call for the new program from several faculty members who want to make Texas A&M a national leader in the rapidly growing field of space engineering.

“I am thrilled to announce that one of my first orders of business is to help make Texas A&M a world leader in Space Engineering,” Bishop said. “Degrees in Space Engineering will give students at Texas A&M the skills they need to be pioneers in the space industry as they learn to establish exciting new systems for space exploration and research.”

Support for the new program comes from people beyond College Station. At an event with NASA officials and space industry leaders at Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texas universities to consider establishing degree offerings in Space Engineering to help Americans get to the moon and Mars in the coming years.

At Tuesday’s event, Nancy Currie-Gregg , a former NASA astronaut with more than 1,000 hours in space who serves as director of the Texas A&M Space Institute , was named as an inaugural member of the Texas Space Commission’s nine-member board of directors, as were Texas A&M graduates John Shannon, Sarah “Sassie” Duggleby, Kirk Shireman and Evan Loomis.

In addition, Robert Ambrose , a professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University who serves as deputy director of the Texas A&M Space Institute, was named to the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC) Executive Committee, along with Texas A&M graduate Stephanie Murphy and Matt Ondler, chairman of the Industry Advisory Board of the Texas A&M Multi-Disciplinary Engineering program.

Bishop said he appreciated the support of Abbott and state leaders — such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Rep. Greg Bonnen and Sen. Joan Huffman.

Widespread support for the program will help Texas A&M attract students from all over the U.S., Bishop said. Plus, it would give NASA and the growing number of private space companies a place to find the talent they need to build on the moon and Mars. Texas A&M’s College of Engineering already offers both baccalaureate and graduate degrees in aerospace engineering; the important distinction is that aerospace engineers get people to the moon and Mars, and space engineers build structures and operations there.

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M already has a strong foundation for new degrees in Space Engineering. The college has developed the Human Systems Integration and Bioastronautics graduate certificate program. It will be offered starting in fall 2024. It entails preparing professionals in engineering, human physiology and medicine to address the growing challenges of both civil and commercial human spaceflight. The program within the Department of Aerospace Engineering was developed based on demand from NASA and private space companies.

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M is one of the country’s top higher education institutions for space-related research and the ideal place for recruiting the highly skilled people to make sure the United States leads the race to the moon and Mars.

Texas A&M, which has been a space grant university since 1989, has four former astronauts on campus and has been conducting space-related research for years. The work of Texas A&M faculty and students includes: working now on newer and better space suits; developing robots for the lunar surface; researching micro-gravity manufacturing; exploring the effects of weightlessness on astronauts; figuring out how to build habitats for sustainable life in space, and more.

The vision for the Texas A&M Space Institute involves expanding Texas’s role as the leader in the new space economy. It would leverage Texas A&M’s existing expertise and resources to make new discoveries, technological developments, health advances and workforce growth.

In addition to the institute, Texas A&M is planning to build a $200 million facility, which was funded by the Texas Legislature last year, on land near the Johnson Space Center. It will include two massive areas designed to simulate the lunar landscape and the terrain of Mars, and they will be available to Texas A&M researchers, as well as private companies that are looking to test prototypes and new equipment designed to travel across the surfaces of the moon and Mars.

Development of the new academic program is a faculty-driven process targeted for implementation in fall 2025, with a series of internal and external reviews and approvals necessary prior to the program being launched, including approval by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Media contact: Laylan Copelin, 979-458-6425, [email protected]

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, texas a&m statement of purpose examples.

Hey everyone! I'm applying to Texas A&M and I need to write a statement of purpose essay. I'm feeling kinda lost on how to approach it. Can anyone share some examples or tips to write an effective statement of purpose? Thank you!

Hey there! Writing a statement of purpose can indeed be a daunting task, but worry not, I'm here to help you out. Your statement of purpose should primarily focus on your motivation for choosing Texas A&M and your desired major, your academic and extracurricular background, and how all of this ties into your future goals. Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling statement of purpose:

1. Start by introducing your interest in Texas A&M and your intended major: Explain what specifically draws you to the university and your field of study. For example, you might mention Texas A&M's strong engineering program, the prevalence of cutting-edge research, or the unique campus atmosphere.

2. Elaborate on your academic background: Mention any relevant coursework, research experiences, internships, or projects you've completed, and how they've prepared you for success in your chosen major at Texas A&M. For instance, if you have taken advanced math and science courses, participated in a research project, or interned at an engineering firm, you could discuss how these experiences have helped you develop crucial skills.

3. Discuss your extracurricular involvement: Highlight the activities you've been involved in that demonstrate your dedication to your intended major, your leadership qualities, and your ability to contribute to Texas A&M's community. This could include clubs, sports, volunteer work, or any other initiatives you've been a part of.

4. Connect your background and goals: Explain the connection between your educational and extracurricular experiences, your intended major, and your future career aspirations. For example, if you're interested in aerospace engineering, talk about how the foundation you've built through relevant courses, internships, and research projects will help you excel at Texas A&M and, eventually, work in the aerospace industry.

5. Conclude by reaffirming your commitment and excitement: Wrap up your statement of purpose by emphasizing your enthusiasm for Texas A&M and your intended major, and how you're eager to make the most of the opportunities available to you as a student there.

Here are some examples of shorter Texas A&M essays that aren't the statement of purpose, but still can give you a good idea of what colleges are looking for: https://blog.collegevine.com/texas-am-essay-examples

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Texas A&M Heeds Gov. Abbott’s Call for Space Engineering Degree

March 27, 2024 By Texas A&M University System

• Campus Community
• College of Engineering

The incoming Dean of the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University said Wednesday that he supports creating a degree program in Space Engineering.

Dr. Robert H. Bishop, whose official start date is Tuesday, said he has heard the call for the new program from several faculty members who want to make Texas A&M a national leader in the rapidly growing field of space engineering.

“I am thrilled to announce that one of my first orders of business is to help make Texas A&M a world leader in Space Engineering,” Bishop said. “Degrees in Space Engineering will give students at Texas A&M the skills they need to be pioneers in the space industry as they learn to establish exciting new systems for space exploration and research.”

Support for the new program comes from people beyond College Station. At an event with NASA officials and space industry leaders at Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texas universities to consider establishing degree offerings in Space Engineering to help Americans get to the moon and Mars in the coming years.

Bishop said he appreciated the support of Abbott and state leaders – such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Rep. Greg Bonnen and Sen. Joan Huffman.

Degrees in Space Engineering will give students at Texas A&M the skills they need to be pioneers in the space industry as they learn to establish exciting new systems for space exploration and research.

Widespread support for the program will help Texas A&M attract students from all over the U.S., Bishop said. Plus, it would give NASA and the growing number of private space companies a place to find the talent they need to build on the moon and Mars. (Aerospace Engineering and Space Engineering are related, but different, disciplines. Basically, aerospace engineers get people to the moon and Mars, and space engineers build structures and operations there.)

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M already has a strong foundation for new degrees in Space Engineering. The college has developed the Human Systems Integration and Bioastronautics graduate certificate program. It will be offered starting in Fall 2024. It entails preparing professionals in engineering, human physiology and medicine to address the growing challenges of both civil and commercial human spaceflight. The program within the Department of Aerospace Engineering was developed based on demand from NASA and private space companies.

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M is one of the country's top higher education institutions for space-related research and the ideal place for recruiting the highly skilled people to make sure the United States leads the race to the moon and Mars.

Texas A&M, which has been a Space Grant university since 1989, has four former astronauts on faculty and has been conducting space-related research for years. The work of Texas A&M faculty and students includes: creating better space suits; developing robots for the lunar surface; researching micro-gravity manufacturing; exploring the effects of weightlessness on astronauts; figuring out how to build habitats for sustainable life in space, and more.

Further, Dr. Nancy Currie-Gregg and Dr. Rob Ambrose of the College of Engineering have been named director and deputy director of the Texas A&M Space Institute. The vision for the institute involves expanding Texas’s role as the leader in the new space economy. It would leverage Texas A&M’s existing expertise and resources to make new discoveries, technological developments, health advances and workforce growth.

In addition to the institute, Texas A&M is planning to build a $200 million facility, which was funded by the Texas Legislature last year, on land near the Johnson Space Center. It will include two massive areas designed to simulate the lunar landscape and the terrain of Mars, and they will be available to Texas A&M researchers, as well as private companies that are looking to test prototypes and new equipment designed to travel across the surfaces of the moon and Mars.

The new degree program will require approval from the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board in addition to authorization from various entities within Texas A&M. After all necessary hurdles have been cleared, the degree programs could be available as soon as Fall 2025.

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