Meet Austin, a freshman at University of Texas at Austin majoring in Finance. He previously attended Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, Texas.
What factors were most important when deciding which college to attend?
I wanted to get the best bang for my buck. At first I really wanted to go out-of-state so I could have some totally new experience, but as my college search progressed, I started to feel that out-of-state colleges didn’t provide much more value to me than a cheaper in-state school. That’s not to say that out-of-state schools shouldn’t be looked at, but still make sure your passion for the school matches the cost of attendance.
In high school, I wish I would have tried…
Basketball would’ve been fun to attempt, mostly because its awkward being tall and saying “no” when adults ask if you play basketball.
What types of clubs, activities, sports, jobs, etc. are you involved with on campus?
I am in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, which is a blast and a great way to make a big school feel smaller while maintaining the abundance of resources that larger universities provide. I also play intramural sports which is another great way to meet friends and have a good time.
Any advice for students applying to college?
I think students should avoid fixating on any sort of “average” number. For example, average post-graduate income is a figure that countless students use as a school comparison metric, but the reality is that once you get into college (and I mean any college), your career is what you make of it. Looking at an average income is useless because you aren’t average. In fact, nobody is because an average is just taking thousands of different experiences and dividing them by the total number of people. This means that you shouldn’t look for a school with the highest average x, y, or z, but look for a school where you think you’d perform above the average because you fit in particularly well with your school.
Best on-campus event:
One of my favorite things about UT is that you don’t even have to be on campus to go to crazy events. UT students have the whole city of Austin at their fingertips. Music festivals like ACL and South by Southwest offer student discounts and they’re a blast. There’s also big off campus Greek life events like Roundup: a massive hodgepodge of concerts held 5 minutes from campus. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of fun on-campus events happening everyday. I’ve attended film festivals, guest speeches, charity barbecues, and concerts that occurred 5 minutes from my bed. In short, there’s always something fun going on!
Favorite Class:
I enjoy accounting because it’s not what you think it is. Like my peers, I entered the class thinking it would be a bunch of tedious math, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. ACC311, the first accounting class you will take, is mostly conceptual, and it teaches you new ways to think about business and personal finance that will change your life.
Favorite Dining Hall Meal:
Ok I will settle this. There’s 5 main dining halls on campus (at least that I’m familiar with). First and foremost, there’s Jester City Limits located on the first floor of Jester. This is the dining hall you have to eat at during orientation and you’ll probably walk by it on a campus tour. Come for the pancakes: nothing else is worth your time because you could be getting the pancakes. That being said, the ultimate Jester dining experience belongs to J2, a hidden gem on the second floor of Jester. It’s a massive buffet with staple foods as well as local cuisine that changes daily (and local food in Austin is really something). Next up there, Creekside, a higher end over the counter spot near the San Jacinto dorm. The quesadillas smack. Get ready because I saved the best for last. The number one dining hall at UT is Kinsolving without a doubt. Sorry guys, this is place is in an all girls dorm and its about a 10 minute walk from most other residencies, but man is it worth it. In a nutshell, its J2 only with superior ingredients and a wider selection. The best part? The buffets are $4 per person. Ultimately, the fact that I’m making dining hall power rankings is the best testament for UT dining that I can give.
On weekends, students:
There are a million ways to go about your weekend. Sometimes its hard for me to describe a “normal” weekend because there is always a big event going on. For example, students will probably spend their 4 weekends in October going to ACL, The Cotton Bowl, and an abundance of Halloween parties. The best part is, if you ever want a break from going out, there’s tons of places where you can lay back or study. A new library just opened on 1st street and you can study there for free while getting the best view of the city and its a 15 minute bike ride from campus. UT students can rent bikes for free so you can even go all the way to Barton Springs and swim with your friends without even having to drive.
It’s 1AM on Saturday. Where are you?
Definitely not on 6th street.
It’s finals week and the libraries are packed. Where do you go study?
I go to the PCL, the big library across from the business school. It’s 6 stories so you can find a place to grind even during finals week. Also, certain floors have a strict quiet policy while others don’t so there’s something for everyone.
Before I graduate, I want to…
Join more student organizations to broaden my understanding of the campus. I also need to try more food places around Austin because dining halls are cool and all, but the restaurants are absurdly delicious.