Enrollment at UT Dallas has grown dramatically in recent decades, reaching more than 20,000 undergraduates. Despite its large size, this public university gives first-year students plenty of opportunities to find their place on campus, including Living Learning Communities, which bring together classmates who share similar academic interests.
The university got its start as a computer engineering school in the 1960s with the help of three founders of the semiconductor company Texas Instruments. Today, the school is still known for its STEM programs, and it embraces its brainy image even though it now offers around 150 academic programs, including degrees in humanities and literature. The university's chess team is among the nation's best and has won many statewide and national championships. The team draws members from across the globe, attracting more than 60 grandmasters and international masters since its founding in 1996. The school's debate team is similarly renowned, regularly scoring highly on national rankings.
If students want a respite from their studies, a 50-mile network of trails, walkways and bike paths awaits in UT Dallas' suburban environs.
