So here we are, just a few days away from our winter break and the New Year. By Monday, December 21, Plan II will have released about 40% of our admission offers for the fall 2010. Since the offers must travel through our campus mail system before going to the US Mail, and we are in the middle of a peak postal season, the freshest bunch of notifications might reach applicants around December 28th.
Remember that the lack of an early offer does not mean bad news to come. We receive a very large number of very strong applications. That high range is the greatest proportion of our applications, and so we wait until a good number have been received and reviewed to make sure that we have a clear picture of the applicant pool before finalizing the bulk of our decisions. We will probably not send denials until mid- to late-January.
We always have all Plan II Honors notifications out long before April 1. In recent years we have had our admissions review processes wrapped up by mid-March. This year we are aiming for March 1, but we may still have a few envelopes (both happy and not-so-joyous) to mail the first week of March.
If an applicant has not heard from us Plan II Honors by March 5, he or she should email me and I will research the matter. Although it is very rare, we have had one or two envelopes (again, they might be happy or not-so-happy) go missing in the mail. If you have changed your mailing or email address since submitting your application, please be sure to let us know. Again, email me directly, even if you have notified UT Austin Admissions.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
It's Admissions Season
We are burrowing through piles of applications. We hope to begin sending some notifications by November 20. Folks who applied by November 1 should know that their application will be reviewed before other applicants', but an early review doesn't guarantee early notification. We do want to notify applicants of their Plan II admission status as soon as possible however. We don't like keeping people waiting any more than you good people like waiting.
The good news/bad news is that we are seeing a lot of really wonderful applications. Of course, we are thrilled to see them and humbled that so many talented, bright and exciting individuals chose to apply to Plan II. The bad news is that it makes our jobs harder and means that we are forced to deny many terrific applicants. Happily we are confident that great applicants will have many fine options.
Best of luck to all.
The good news/bad news is that we are seeing a lot of really wonderful applications. Of course, we are thrilled to see them and humbled that so many talented, bright and exciting individuals chose to apply to Plan II. The bad news is that it makes our jobs harder and means that we are forced to deny many terrific applicants. Happily we are confident that great applicants will have many fine options.
Best of luck to all.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Today is the first day of school! It's so exciting to see the campus wake up again after a long (very) hot summer. It's still very hot--we can't seem to escape the record breaking days. So it's a good thing we have so much great stuff to look forward to this semester.
I'm also very excited and pleased to have received so many nice comments on our new website. I know it makes it easier for our prospective and current students to find the information they need. I still plan to add more information and lots of images, but the focus was getting the information on admissions and advising up and complete for our prospective and current students.
I'm also looking forward to the start of this semester's information sessions. Plan II information sessions will begin again on Friday, September 11. In addition to a LOT of information, applicants (and parents/family members) have a chance to ask questions. Best of all, the applicants get to attend a Plan II class and meet some Plan II students and at least one professor. Sign up as soon as you can for a session. See Visit Plan II.
Applications have already begun to trickle in electronically. Although Plan II will not receive applications for review from UT Admissions for a couple of weeks, I can see them electronically. There's no panic to submit an application this early. But it's really important to keep an eye on that priority deadline of November 1. If you am to have you application complete within a week or two of that deadline, you're in good shape. Remember, procrastination can hurt your chances of admission if you're applying to Plan II Honors.
I'm also very excited and pleased to have received so many nice comments on our new website. I know it makes it easier for our prospective and current students to find the information they need. I still plan to add more information and lots of images, but the focus was getting the information on admissions and advising up and complete for our prospective and current students.
I'm also looking forward to the start of this semester's information sessions. Plan II information sessions will begin again on Friday, September 11. In addition to a LOT of information, applicants (and parents/family members) have a chance to ask questions. Best of all, the applicants get to attend a Plan II class and meet some Plan II students and at least one professor. Sign up as soon as you can for a session. See Visit Plan II.
Applications have already begun to trickle in electronically. Although Plan II will not receive applications for review from UT Admissions for a couple of weeks, I can see them electronically. There's no panic to submit an application this early. But it's really important to keep an eye on that priority deadline of November 1. If you am to have you application complete within a week or two of that deadline, you're in good shape. Remember, procrastination can hurt your chances of admission if you're applying to Plan II Honors.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Whew....been a little crazy here getting the new website up and rockin'. I hope it's an improvement and makes it easy for prospective applicants to find good information. I also hope folks will be patient: while the site is up and running, I'm afraid we'll be cleaning dead links and transferring information for weeks to come.
Bigger news is the Plan II information sessions will begin again on Friday, September 11. In addition to a LOT of information, applicants (and parents/family members) have a chance to ask questions. Best of all, the applicants get to attend a Plan II class and meet some Plan II students and at least one professor. Sign up as soon as you can for a session. See Visiting Plan II.
But the biggest news is that ApplyTexas opened on August 1 and Plan II applications have already begun to trickle in. While we certainly don't expect a flood of applications in the next few weeks, we are strongly encouraging early application. Applying late in the application cycle (after November 15, certainly after December 1) is quite likely to adversely affect an applicant’s likelihood of admission. Plan II reviews application in the order the applications are completed and conducts “rolling” admissions. We will begin offering admission for the fall 2010 as early as late October, 2009. There are fewer spots available as we move closer to the deadline. Competition will be stiffer as fewer spots are available.
Bigger news is the Plan II information sessions will begin again on Friday, September 11. In addition to a LOT of information, applicants (and parents/family members) have a chance to ask questions. Best of all, the applicants get to attend a Plan II class and meet some Plan II students and at least one professor. Sign up as soon as you can for a session. See Visiting Plan II.
But the biggest news is that ApplyTexas opened on August 1 and Plan II applications have already begun to trickle in. While we certainly don't expect a flood of applications in the next few weeks, we are strongly encouraging early application. Applying late in the application cycle (after November 15, certainly after December 1) is quite likely to adversely affect an applicant’s likelihood of admission. Plan II reviews application in the order the applications are completed and conducts “rolling” admissions. We will begin offering admission for the fall 2010 as early as late October, 2009. There are fewer spots available as we move closer to the deadline. Competition will be stiffer as fewer spots are available.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
UT Honors Programs
Last week I participated in an honors panel at a colloquium that UT Admissions held for high school counselors from around Texas and a few from out-of-state. It reminded me to emphasize here that prospective applicants should take their time and do the research about the different honors programs available at UT Austin. As wonderful as I think Plan II is (and a whole lot of people think so too), it's not always the right program for every motivated, high-achieving, bright student. Just because someone made straight A's, or scored off the charts on SAT, ACT or AP tests, or was in honors, TAG or all AP classes, doesn't mean that he or she will necessarily be happy with Plan II or that the applicant will be attractive to Plan II.
Look at Dean's Scholars (natural sciences), Turing Scholars (computer science), Business Honors (duh!) and Engineering Honors (ditto) to see kinds of honors programs at UT. Plan II's sister program, Liberal Arts Honors, offers honors tracks to students who are interested in the liberal arts or a specific liberal arts discipline, and who may not be interested in some or all of the Plan II core curriculum classes. I strongly recommend a thorough exploration of the website of the different honors programs and other good alternatives, such as Bridging Disciplines (housed in the School of Undergraduate Studies) and the Business Foundations Program, a certificate program offered by the McCombs School of Business for students who are not business majors.
Remember, Plan II is an interdisciplinary core curriculum program. The requirements range from world literature to advanced physics and there are very, very few substitutions accepted for any of the Plan II core courses. If you have very focused or narrow interests, Plan II will not be a good fit. If you don't like to write (A LOT) Plan II may not be in your comfort zone. If the idea of original research is really scary, remember that Plan II requires a senior thesis. It's one of the very best programs in the country, if you're seeking a challenging, broad education with lots of interaction with faculty, lots of writing and oral presentations, a strong classroom dynamic and a tightly-knit student community. But Plan II is certainly not the only honors opportunity for serious, high-achieving students.
Although some students combine Plan II and another honors program (i.e. Plan II and Business Honors or Plan II and Engineering Honors), applicants should be aware that dual-degree programs are five-year commitments. Because Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors are both in the College of Liberal Arts, students cannot combine these two programs. Applicants may apply to both Plan II and LAH, but if admitted to both programs, must choose between them.
Finally, we're in the middle of our second orientation session of the summer for our incoming Plan II freshmen. All of us in the Plan II office look forward to orientation and getting to know our new students. We're already crazy about them. It's so fun to welcome another group of excited and interesting people.
much more to come....
Look at Dean's Scholars (natural sciences), Turing Scholars (computer science), Business Honors (duh!) and Engineering Honors (ditto) to see kinds of honors programs at UT. Plan II's sister program, Liberal Arts Honors, offers honors tracks to students who are interested in the liberal arts or a specific liberal arts discipline, and who may not be interested in some or all of the Plan II core curriculum classes. I strongly recommend a thorough exploration of the website of the different honors programs and other good alternatives, such as Bridging Disciplines (housed in the School of Undergraduate Studies) and the Business Foundations Program, a certificate program offered by the McCombs School of Business for students who are not business majors.
Remember, Plan II is an interdisciplinary core curriculum program. The requirements range from world literature to advanced physics and there are very, very few substitutions accepted for any of the Plan II core courses. If you have very focused or narrow interests, Plan II will not be a good fit. If you don't like to write (A LOT) Plan II may not be in your comfort zone. If the idea of original research is really scary, remember that Plan II requires a senior thesis. It's one of the very best programs in the country, if you're seeking a challenging, broad education with lots of interaction with faculty, lots of writing and oral presentations, a strong classroom dynamic and a tightly-knit student community. But Plan II is certainly not the only honors opportunity for serious, high-achieving students.
Although some students combine Plan II and another honors program (i.e. Plan II and Business Honors or Plan II and Engineering Honors), applicants should be aware that dual-degree programs are five-year commitments. Because Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors are both in the College of Liberal Arts, students cannot combine these two programs. Applicants may apply to both Plan II and LAH, but if admitted to both programs, must choose between them.
Finally, we're in the middle of our second orientation session of the summer for our incoming Plan II freshmen. All of us in the Plan II office look forward to orientation and getting to know our new students. We're already crazy about them. It's so fun to welcome another group of excited and interesting people.
much more to come....
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Too late to catch up now....But 2010 is comin' fast!
sorry followers....I let the blog down. Admissions got the better of me this spring. I was just way too busy to add something new. But we had a wonderfully successful, if crazy admissions season. And, most important, we have a terrific entering freshman class of just the right size to show for it.
But, I'm turning over a new leaf and getting back on the blog-wagon for the fall 2010 applicants.
Here we go:
We are looking at some changes in the Plan II admission world for the fall 2010 applicants:
1) A new, much earlier deadline: December 15, 2009;
2) A priority application deadline of November 1, 2009. (We have discontinued the Early Consideration application option.)
3) The required electronic teacher recommendation is discontinued. Plan II will not require a recommendation letter. Recommendation letters will not be a primary component of the Plan II review process.
Applicants may have teacher submit letters to the UT Admissions office (via US mail), but letters will not be required to complete a UT or a Plan II application. It's important to note here that as soon as the required documents are complete, Plan II will move the file into the review process.
The on-line application APPLYTEXAS is expected to be live on August 1, 2009.
I encourage interested seniors to register for a Plan II information session and visit us. The reservation links and details about the sessions, visiting, dates, parking, etc. are all at VISIT PLAN II
But, I'm turning over a new leaf and getting back on the blog-wagon for the fall 2010 applicants.
Here we go:
We are looking at some changes in the Plan II admission world for the fall 2010 applicants:
1) A new, much earlier deadline: December 15, 2009;
2) A priority application deadline of November 1, 2009. (We have discontinued the Early Consideration application option.)
3) The required electronic teacher recommendation is discontinued. Plan II will not require a recommendation letter. Recommendation letters will not be a primary component of the Plan II review process.
Applicants may have teacher submit letters to the UT Admissions office (via US mail), but letters will not be required to complete a UT or a Plan II application. It's important to note here that as soon as the required documents are complete, Plan II will move the file into the review process.
The on-line application APPLYTEXAS is expected to be live on August 1, 2009.
I encourage interested seniors to register for a Plan II information session and visit us. The reservation links and details about the sessions, visiting, dates, parking, etc. are all at VISIT PLAN II
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Application Deadline Extended
Well, you may have heard already, but just in case....UT Austin has extended the deadline for submission of admission documents through January 21, 2009. So, if you are missing the expanded resume, a teacher recommendation or (heaven forbid!) the on-line honors application, you have a chance to get everything in to complete your application to Plan II Honors.
Be sure to check your status using the website: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/admissions/status_check.WBX, logging on with your UT EID and password. Once there, but sure to follow the VIEW DETAILS link next to the PLAN II HONORS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS to be sure your additional Plan II documents have been received.
Several folks have called me who are having trouble logging in with their UT EID. If you've been admitted to the University (to another college or to CoLA in another major), the system may have blocked your EID, since all admitted students need a higher assurance EID. If you have EID problems call the UT Office of Admissions Customer Service: 512-475-7387. BE PATIENT. They are swamped.
This time of the year guarantees a long wait on the phone and perhaps some trouble getting through in the first place, but I promise a HELPFUL human will help you once it’s your turn. It is much easier to get through early in the morning, between 8:00 and 9:00 am, although I understand you will probably already be at school and it may be a difficult time to call. (The applicant must call personally if it's an EID/password issue. Mom can't do it for you.) But, usually, the waits are much shorter earlier in the day.
I urge everyone who needs to submit the expanded resume to do so electronically, ASAP. If you have delayed on-line resume submission due to a worry about the format, forget the format and just cut & paste the sucker. Don't worry about columns and stuff. Make it a text document. The information is important. The format is not. We don’t care about the format as long as the information is there and is legible.
You are welcome to call or email me with questions or concerns. Please remember though, not only are we closed on weekends, the University of Texas at Austin is closed Monday, January 19 in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will be open again at 8:00 am on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the first day of the UT Austin spring 2009 semester.
Be sure to check your status using the website: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/admissions/status_check.WBX, logging on with your UT EID and password. Once there, but sure to follow the VIEW DETAILS link next to the PLAN II HONORS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS to be sure your additional Plan II documents have been received.
Several folks have called me who are having trouble logging in with their UT EID. If you've been admitted to the University (to another college or to CoLA in another major), the system may have blocked your EID, since all admitted students need a higher assurance EID. If you have EID problems call the UT Office of Admissions Customer Service: 512-475-7387. BE PATIENT. They are swamped.
This time of the year guarantees a long wait on the phone and perhaps some trouble getting through in the first place, but I promise a HELPFUL human will help you once it’s your turn. It is much easier to get through early in the morning, between 8:00 and 9:00 am, although I understand you will probably already be at school and it may be a difficult time to call. (The applicant must call personally if it's an EID/password issue. Mom can't do it for you.) But, usually, the waits are much shorter earlier in the day.
I urge everyone who needs to submit the expanded resume to do so electronically, ASAP. If you have delayed on-line resume submission due to a worry about the format, forget the format and just cut & paste the sucker. Don't worry about columns and stuff. Make it a text document. The information is important. The format is not. We don’t care about the format as long as the information is there and is legible.
You are welcome to call or email me with questions or concerns. Please remember though, not only are we closed on weekends, the University of Texas at Austin is closed Monday, January 19 in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will be open again at 8:00 am on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the first day of the UT Austin spring 2009 semester.
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