For families, this means starting early. UT’s admissions process isn’t a last-minute sprint in senior year. It’s a four-year journey where each step—courses, activities, summer experiences, essays—should connect to an intentional academic path. Think of it as a game plan, designed to help you move from exploring to executing with purpose.

Freshman Year: Scout the Field

Freshman year sets the tone. It’s the season for exploring interests while laying the foundation for rigor and growth.

• Explore majors with intention. Use tools like UT’s Wayfinder to scan the wide range of options. Start noting which subjects or fields make you curious.
• Choose depth over breadth. Instead of joining five clubs, focus on one or two you can commit to. Look for places where you can eventually take on leadership or make an impact.
• Challenge yourself in the classroom. Pick the most rigorous classes available in your areas of strength. Building an upward academic trajectory from the start matters.
• Track what you’re doing. Keep a simple document with dates, hours, and outcomes of activities. This will make building your resume easier later.

Action Step: Create a short list of majors you might consider and connect each to a specific class, club, or project you’ll pursue this year.

Sophomore Year: Build Your Skill Set

By sophomore year, you’re no longer brand new. Now’s the time to test out your interests and see what sticks.

• Double down on 2–3 activities. Step into leadership roles, even if small. For example, run a subcommittee, lead a practice, or organize part of a project.
• Add real-world experiences. Volunteer, intern, or create your own initiative that ties into your emerging interests. Summer is a great time to add depth.
• Stay curious about majors. Keep refining your focus. Look for patterns in what excites you—whether it’s building, writing, analyzing, or helping others.
• Build connections. Attend UT information sessions, tours, or virtual events. Listen for details about majors and opportunities that stand out.

Action Step: By the end of sophomore year, narrow down to two possible majors and plan junior-year courses and summer activities that clearly align.

Junior Year: Make Big Plays

Junior year is the most pivotal. It’s when students position themselves for admissions and show they’re ready for the challenges of their chosen major.

• Push academic rigor. This is the year to stretch. For McCombs, take Calculus. For Engineering, add Physics C. For pre-health, load up on lab sciences. Admissions officers look for coursework that shows readiness for college-level study in your major.
• Test with strategy. Plan early for the SAT or ACT. Strong section scores in math or science can be difference-makers for majors in Engineering, Business, or Computer Science.
• Elevate extracurriculars. Don’t just participate—initiate. Launch a project, lead a fundraiser, or expand your club’s impact. Admissions readers value initiative and results.
• Refine your resume. Start shaping your expanded resume now. Organize it by themes—STEM Research, Leadership, Service—so that your story is clear.

Action Step: Draft a one-page version of your expanded resume and ask a teacher or mentor if it clearly communicates your strengths and direction.

Senior Year: Bring It Home

Senior year is where it all comes together. The key is consistency—showing growth and commitment while presenting your story with clarity.

• Keep your academic momentum. Don’t let senioritis creep in. Admissions officers review first-semester grades carefully.
• Tell your story in writing. Essays and short answers should connect your personal experiences directly to your major. Avoid vague statements—focus on specific sparks, moments, and goals.
• Perfect your expanded resume. Highlight 3–4 core activities that show depth and alignment to your intended field. Include hours, outcomes, and growth.
• Leverage your network. Reach out to UT students or alumni in your major. Their insights can strengthen your essays and help you speak authentically about fit.

Action Step: Schedule two rounds of essay review—one focused on content and alignment to your major, and another focused on polish and voice.

The Bigger Picture: Fit to Major

The biggest takeaway from the Class of 2025 results? Fit to major is everything. The students who earned admission weren’t just those with perfect numbers. They were the ones who told a clear, consistent story across all parts of their application. Their transcripts, activities, essays, and recommendations all pointed in the same direction.

Your job is to make your application read like a story only you could tell. Every choice—courses, clubs, summer experiences—should connect back to your academic path. UT wants to admit students who will thrive on day one in their chosen program.

Why This Matters

This four-year game plan isn’t only about getting admitted to UT Austin. It’s about building yourself into the kind of student who thrives once you’re on campus. By starting early, going deep instead of wide, and making intentional choices, you create a narrative that gives admissions readers a reason to say yes.

The competition is real. But so is the opportunity. Approach each year with purpose, and your story will stand out on the Forty Acres.

Hook ’em.