I contacted the Financial Aid office last week. Here is the response: “At this time an incoming freshman can expect to be awarded a financial aid package as early as late March (beginning around March 29) into April. They will be notified about Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 financial aid awards via their CASH: Check Aid Status Here page. Originally, prospective students were told mid-March (around Spring Break) but awarding has been delayed due to our school closure during the Texas Winter Storm.”
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What are your thoughts about UW-Madison vs. UT-Austin?
I liked the city vibe of Austin. Felt really comfortable there. Some of the negative comments here are causing me to hesitate now. I would live at Callaway and see myself joining a frat for sure. No one from my high school has gone to UT recently, its a bit unheard of to go to around here but I know a lot of south jersey kids go.
You should reach out to students who attend and get their impression. I think that’s much more authentic and valuable compared to the perception of parents who briefly visited.
honestly, know ppl at UW but nobody at UT.
They have an official FB group for new students, it’s listed in your ‘to do’ list, maybe check that out and see what you can learn?
We took our son to visit the UT campus last Friday as well. Campus life was pretty quiet obviously due to Covid closures and the start of Spring Break. However, I think the UT campus and the student life (housing, recreation, etc.) are better than ever!! So many new, impressive buildings have been built on and around campus. The new Comp Science and Engineering buildings are stunning. We went inside the Engineering building just to see the Innovation/Maker space rooms and floors with more techno, machines, and trinkets than you could dream of playing with. We even saw faculty/staff giving private tours to prospective Eng students that day. The new Student Activity Center is a really nice, additional Student Union with a fireplace lounge and food court inside (food closed due to Covid). A skybridge connects to the new Lib Arts building with a student lounge and deck overlooking a nice creek. Years ago, the Gregory Gym (just 1 of 2 Rec centers on campus) added the tropical pool behind the building. We didn’t try to sneak in to see it though bc of the security/commotion of Covid testing/vaccinations going on there on Fri. Jester dorms have been fully renovated with fast food and a market in the lobby and dining hall upstairs. Heard there’s another good campus- dining option next door. The new Graduate business school and the Conference center/hotel is world-class in its ability to host large events. There’s a new College of Communications bldg. on the north end. The original Student Union added “The Underground” which has several bowling lanes, pool tables, and air hockey and looks really fun. The food courts were closed inside (Covid) but otherwise would be a major hangout place. The campus movie theater is next door to the Union. There’s quite a few museums on campus too, but most currently closed due to Covid. The extra parking garages and nice, private dorms on the edge of campus add significantly to the quality of student life nowadays. As you saw, UT is an urban campus on the border of downtown Austin, so it has the urban grunge-vibe and congestion. Guadalupe St. is an example of that, but I also noticed the cool mosaic of new chain restaurants and new dorms/ condos mixed in there with some of the older grungier/independent local eateries (hoping they stay in business post-Covid). My son (grew up in the nicer suburbs) probably went with pre-conceived ideas that he wouldn’t like the urban congestion of UT, but I think afterward he realized there was a cool vibe to the big-city life too. Everything is very walkable on/around campus.
Austin has become a major city after the influx of tech companies and businesses that have moved in, so it has big-city problems of bad traffic and homeless camps. Most homeless are under I-35 freeway which I avoid due to constant heavy traffic. The West side of Austin (Hwy 1 Mopac and 360 hwy) gets you to campus too and west-hill country (rolling hills just west of campus) is really beautiful. You can get a lot of internship opportunities during the school year (not just summer) to work in businesses downtown, gov’t, hospitals, etc. bc it’s all right there. Austin has great nightlife downtown in multiple areas near campus- 6th grade, Rainey St., etc. Only some bars/clubs/music venues will be 18+. All others will be 21+ to get in. There are SO many clubs, you could be hard-pressed to go to them all before you graduate. Austin is very outdoorsy. We took our son to the downtown hike and bike trail (Lady Bird lake/river) and rented the kayaks by Zilker Park (short Uber or bus ride from campus). Really fun-lots of college age kids in swimsuits and families out there on the river/lake in March. Barton Springs (spring-fed pool is a nice hangout when it’s hot outside). We also climbed the 360 bridge out west for the good sunset view. A little further west is Lake Travis where UT student orgs. you join might do group campouts or rent a boathouse/lake house for parties. Gorgeous view of the limestone cliffs, hill country hills, and lake from the Oasis restaurant there too. Back to campus life - on football gamedays, there’s a whole street of vendors/activity that set up right next to the stadium. On a gameday back in 2019, we saw so many beautiful sorority girls heading into the stadium-ha! Really-if you are fine with the Urban life and vibe, UT is definitely the right choice (and the weather is MUCH better than Madison! I’ve lived in Chicago and been to Madison–brrr). You can’t beat the job opportunities, research opps, inspiration, performing arts/culture, and creative outlet that Austin provides.
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Thx! This is awesome cool info! Thanks for including a lot! IT’s all helpful to make a decision.
Haha that sounds like an ad but basically that whole first paragraph is exactly what the buildings are like and I hadn’t been in any UT buildings other than the basketball stadium before my daughter went. The GSB McCombs building is gorgeous inside btw. The food courts are nothing great inside SAC and Jester but for those who like Sbux everyone is happy and that fireplace is nice. 
Since I have a daughter I don’t think anyone needs to point out that unnecessary comment you made about girls and football games. But otherwise you summed up Austin well.
Traffic stinks but the kids don’t notice it. Only the parents who are driving to/from the airport and those leaving town really. But if you’re going from campus to/from downtown the traffic is not a big deal.
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You’re welcome. I noticed a typo in my last post. The nightlife areas are 6th Street (not grade) Rainey St, even some places on 4th St and other venues between campus and downtown. They are all a really short Uber ride from campus. Besides the stellar UT academics, definitely consider Austin if you like live-music clubs, performing arts, or just eclectic establishments (eateries, boutiques etc). The live bands (all genres) that get to play at the numerous Austin clubs (small venues or bars) are all off-the-charts talented. Besides multiple UT campus perf. arts theatres, Austin has additional performing arts venues around town including a cute hillside amphitheatre in Zilker Park. Hoping all the nightlife and arts stuff will open up again post-Covid. Good luck with your decision.
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It was unfortunate we really didn’t get the real feel for student life on campus due to Covid, but at least we got to go inside a couple of buildings. Over the years, I’ve been back to Austin numerous times for reunions and other events, but never really considered walking the campus to see what was new. I had not even seen any of the new sculptures or museums (also closed). About 18 months ago, I was at a reunion event at Rainey St., and that was a cool nightlife area. On this trip, we were just passing through Austin, but I also figured all the nightlife spots would mostly be closed due to Covid. Oh - I’m a mom and thought the girls were pretty. Thanks for being so helpful posting info on this site.
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You reminded me when you just said museums. Absolutely Blanton Museum of Art is amazing. My daughter took Art History for her visual arts course and they had classes in Blanton in small groups. What an opportunity. To me the campus seems far enough from downtown Austin that you don’t feel like you’re in a large city at all. We live in Chicago suburbs and it’s nothing like living here or having a campus snack in a metropolitan area since the Austin metro area is so huge and so nice. I haven’t been back since pre covid but hoping we can visit my daughter again soon.
Yes - Blanton sounds nice. I think the Harry Ransom Center renovated years ago too, so that would be nice to see. I would also like to check out the new Athletic Hall of Fame. I have tried to describe the same sentiment about the UT campus. Once you are actually on campus, it becomes its own world similar to any large university. Students are not forced to go into downtown unless they want to hit the trendy nightlife areas. Mileage-wise, the campus really is next to downtown though. The south edge of campus is only a few blocks from the State Capitol, and the nightlife areas/hike-bike greenbelt/Barton springs-Zilker are just a couple of miles away. It can feel longer due to traffic backups and stress of finding parking though-ha. It’s so great students have the option to ride Uber/Lyft nowadays.
I live in Austin, just a couple of minutes away from UT, and I can say that the vibe in that part of town is really lively (especially pre-COVID) and it just feels good to be there. The food is really good, and there are a lotta food trucks around the area along with some quality restaurants. Most of the people are also very friendly as well. I enjoy being in that area and I believe most other people do too because it just lifts your spirit.
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Has anyone gotten their financial aid award letters yet?
Nope.
I think for my daughter it came in April. It was a long long wait for a whole lot of nothing! It shows in your cash account or something like that. Not sure they even notify you when it’s there.
Has anyone heard on merit scholarships from McCombs or CBHP?
Hey guys, I have a question… I an incoming international freshman coming into UT Austin, and will be majoring in economics. I’ve heard that the Econ major at UT is pretty hard and demanding, and I also intend to pursue a second major in mathematics. I have a pretty rigorous study ethic, but I’m afraid that it wouldn’t be enough for a double degree within UT’s standards. I’d like to know if a double degree is manageable (or even worth it) in my case, since I don’t really know how hard it would actually be. Thanks!
I received an email yesterday saying that I was selected as a McCombs Scholar and received a scholarship from that! I am going to be a CBHP student as well, and I am OOS.
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I got a merit scholarship for McCombs back in December
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