The University of Texas (officially called the University of Texas at Austin) is a public research university situated in Austin, Texas. It has the 5th largest single campus enrollment in the United States with over 50 000 students and more than 24 000 faculty. In 1929, it was induced into the American Association of Universities, and was also one of the original eight universities to be called “Public Ivy”. The University of Texas is a major center for academic research. Student athletes compete as the Texas Longhorns, with athletic teams competing in the Big 12 Conference. The football team has won 4 National Championships, and current and former Longhorn athletes have won 117 Olympic medals. In 2002, Sports Illustrated named the university as “America’s Best Sports College”.

History

The Constitution of the Republic, adopted by the Congress of Texas in 1836, included a provision to create a public education establishment within the republic. 3 years later the Congress of Texas agreed to set aside 50 leagues of land for the school. State legislature eventually passed the Act of 1858 which set aside over $100 00 in United States bonds to be used for the construction of the university, but Texas’ secession and the Civil War halted these plans. Eventually, in 1876, the state established a university called “The University of Texas. In 1881, Austin was chosen as the location, and the University of Texas officially opened its doors in 1883 on September 15th, almost 50 years after the provision to establish a public education institution in Texas was passed. The University of Texas was one of the many institutions to offer the V-12 Navy College Training Program during World War II.

Programs

The McCombs School of Business is ranked by U.S. News as the 17th best business school in the United States. McCombs’ Accounting and Information Systems programs rank 1st and 3rd respectively. McCombs is dedicated to creating knowledge for society and industry while also educating and training the business leaders of the future. The school educates more than 6000 students each year through undergraduate, MPA, MBA, and Ph.D. programs. The school also offers unique programs such as the Venture Fellows internship program, which places students in private equity and venture capital firms. Another unique program is the Texas MBA + Leadership Program, which develops and trains students through various workshops and projects. McCombs also offers study abroad opportunities in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The University of Texas also has an excellent Fine Arts program. The College of Fine Arts is ranked 22nd by U.S. News, and the Painting/Drawing, Printmaking, and Sculpture programs are all ranked in the top 20. The College prepares students for the study, practice, criticism, teaching, and creation of the arts in a context that places an emphasis on cultural diversity and technical innovation. The College of Fine Arts contains the Department of Art & Art History, the Butler School of Music, the Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Texas Performing Arts. All undergraduate majors are restricted, meaning applicants must gain entry to both the university and the intended department. Most programs require applications to complete interviews, portfolios, and auditions.

Pros & Cons

The University of Texas is ranked by U.S. News as the 46th best university, and is also a member of the “Public Ivy” institutions. It is one of the biggest schools in the country, which can be overwhelming, especially for freshmen. The size allows the school to offer more than 900 organizations and clubs, however. The University of Texas also has one of the largest Greek systems in the country. Freshmen do not have to live on campus, and many choose to live in downtown Austin. Austin is a vibrant city known for its outdoor activities, food, music, and nightlife. The town offers plenty of attractions for students who want to escape from the stress of school for an evening or weekend. The acceptance rate is only 46.6%, however, and because of its size, only 33.4% of classes have fewer than 20 students. In-state tuition is relatively inexpensive compared to other universities ($9 792), although out-of-state tuition costs over $33 000.