UT’s Office of Admissions launched an updated website this month with new features and better accessibility just in time for new student applications opening on Aug. 1.

Joey Williams, director of marketing for University Marketing and Communications, said the new website’s main focus includes removing unhelpful pages and simplifying the process of finding useful information. It also includes new features like a list of key admission dates and a page for Spanish-speaking students and parents.

“How students find information about how to get into UT and apply actually can be confusing,” Williams said. “We’re always wanting to think about how we can make sure that the people that are interested in applying and their families are getting the right information.”

Williams said almost the entire University collaborated on the new website, as different departments updated information on their respective pages. The Office of Admissions condensed 250 pages from the old website to 50 on the new website. The new website includes an outline of step-by-step processes for new students, returning students and transfer students.

Transferring sophomore Maisa Syed filled out her transfer application on the old website. She said she had difficulties navigating the website, which lacked an accessible degree plan or a list including courses she could take. 

“It was extremely difficult,” Syed said. “There wasn’t a lot of information on the websites, so I just had to start guessing a lot or look up Reddit threads.”

The Office of Admissions tested its old website’s functionality by asking students to find specific information and measuring the number of clicks and time it took students to find the information. Williams said it repeated this process with the new website and found significant improvement.

“For a lot of people, the admissions website is the first website they come to when they start thinking about the University,” Williams said. “So this is really putting our best foot forward for a lot of students and families and hopefully making it easier for them to make their decision.”