UT Austin: Top Notch University all around
Written: Jan 08 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great University
Cons: None
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| dbhoutx's Full Review: University of Texas at Austin |
I should start out by stating the information on enrollment posted by epinions, is not accurate. There are in fact closer to 50K total students at The University of Texas in Austin. That aside, there is so much to say about why and how this is a great school. I will give an overview of The University of Texas (Texas' first and best Flagship University)!
General Overview
I will not mislead you to think that this is the best school for everyone, because it is not. UT is a very large university that provides an excellent education while carrying out research to various degrees, depending upon the college and discipline. Some of the classes are very large where you will only be a number and will not get much personal attention, unless of course you seek it out.
Even then it may be from a teaching assistant instead of the actual professor.
At UT you will have to the one that fits in. The University does not suck you into any activity. No one is there to make you attend class or anything of the like. If you go so much the better, perhaps you will not fail out. However, those who make an effort to learn and show the professors that they want to learn will go a long way. Many of the professors want to help you so if you take an active part in the learning and ask for help as necessary, you will succeed.
At UT, students will get a great education without going poor. Even the students I knew that had to pay their own way through school were able to make ends meet without too much difficulty. Granted working all the time and studying was not easy for them, but many students I knew were doing well just the same. Financial aid is available to most students who need it. There are also tons of jobs available for students to help them make ends meet. Austin is a rapidly growing city so students have a choice from many different types of jobs during and after school without even having to leave the Austin area. Many graduates stay in Austin to start their careers.
Tuition for in state students is pretty darn low. Even for the out of state students, the price of a quality education is cheap. International students even flock to UT. This is because it is a top notch university with reasonable tuition rates. Some of these students shared with me that the cost of coming to school here is not much more than they would pay to get a good education back at home, where a comparable education was even available.
The academics may be tough, but when a student applies him/herself they will learn. There is a wide breadth of classes available for everyone. Most colleges require a broad base education in addition to their core competency before a student can graduate. When the student graduates they will be prepared for the workforce or to attend graduate school.
The courses required of most students, such as basic sciences, English literature and writing, government, etc… are typically very large classes. Some of the classes are well known as "wash out classes" where you will get an F if you do not apply yourself. On the other hand many of these same classes are available for test-outs. This allows you to totally skip taking the course. I enjoyed placing out of basic Chemistry and taking an A with me.
On and off campus housing is available to students. The campus housing situation is tight leading numerous freshman to find alternative housing. UT has fewer rooms than there are incoming freshmen each year. Given that some of the housing is automatically reserved for athletes and select other students with special needs, the rooming situation gets even tighter. Several private dorms help fill this void. Of course they cost a bit more money, but in my opinion some of the private dorms are well worth the extra money. The private dorms sometimes come with some extra perks such as close up parking. Given that parking is generally not available on campus for undergraduates, that is important. Also, the dorms have pools and better food than is available on campus.
Austin is a great place to live. Austin (see me Austin Review) is not far from the lake, great hunting, South Padre Island for Spring Break, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Thus, for most students school is a reasonable drive from home. This helps make going home over the weekends possible for the homesick students.
On the flip side it is easy for parents to come up and visit during parents weekend or for football games during the fall. The football team is pretty darn good also. UT hosts many top notch athletes in several different sports. The basketball team and swim team seem to do reasonably well most years. The Women's as well as Men's teams provide a lot of entertainment for the students who wish to attend the games.
The updated football stadium is great. There are now two decks on each side of the stadium. This helped raise the number of folks who can see a game live. I used to be on the EMS crew that helped provide medical support in the stadium during games. The best seats I got were the seats right in front of the cheerleaders on the field. I believe they can now stick 85-90K folks in the stadium to watch some events. The stadium provides a landmark around the city and on campus.
Overall UT offers a great campus and off campus life. There is so much to do, it would be easy to forget about studies. Just remember you are there to learn and will have your whole life to work and play. Hook 'EM!!!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dbhoutx
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: David
Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 324
Trusted by: 223 members
About Me:
David loves outdoor activities, travel, breeding Registered Texas Longhorns.
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