Has anyone used College Essay Guy's advice for UT Austin supplemental essays?

As a Yale graduate and college admissions advisor with over 8 years of experience helping students gain admission to top universities—including UT Austin—I know that UT’s supplemental essays have their own style, and it’s completely normal to feel a bit unsure at first. The College Essay Guy’s resources are widely used, and many students find his step-by-step breakdowns helpful for making sense of the prompts. His approach emphasizes being both authentic and strategic, which fits well with what UT’s admissions readers are looking for.

In particular, his strategies for the “Why Major” supplement (where you talk about your intended area of study) encourage students to go beyond just describing an interest. He recommends sharing a story or a specific experience that sparked your curiosity, then connecting it to UT-specific resources or opportunities. For example, instead of just saying “I love biology,” you might mention a moment in AP Bio when a gene editing experiment fascinated you, then tie it into UT’s research initiatives or a specific professor’s work.

For the community impact prompt, the College Essay Guy often suggests focusing on small but meaningful experiences. He also recommends using a “moments” structure, where you describe a single event and explore how it connects to your values and goals. Rather than broadly saying you want to help others, you might recount a tutoring session or a time you organized a study group, then reflect on how it shaped your approach to leadership or service.

Several students I’ve worked with who followed similar advice found their essays became more concrete, personal, and less like generic accomplishment lists. The key takeaway is to show—not just tell—your motivation and connect your story back to UT in a way that proves you’ve done your homework on what makes the school unique.

If you’re stuck, try outlining based on a specific memory, then zoom out to explain what it meant and how it will guide you at UT. And if you have time, read examples on his site to get a feel for narrative structure. With the right approach, UT essays are not just doable—they can be one of the most rewarding parts of your application.

Over the past 8 years, I’ve helped thousands of students craft essays that connect their unique experiences to the values and opportunities of their dream schools. If you’d like tailored guidance for your UT Austin supplements or any other application essays, you can connect with me here on Sundial.