essays in houston texas

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How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health? In an essay of approximately 1,500 words, explore the impact of COVID-19, pandemic social isolation, and virtual work and education on mental health. What is being done to support mental health? What more can be done? (3 sources, MLA style) Download the sample here.

As NASA prepares to return astronauts to the moon, evaluate the future of space exploration. Are the benefits of putting humans on the moon and Mars worth the costs? What role should private enterprise play in space exploration, and who should bear the costs and reap the profits from space exploration? (4 pages, 3 sources, APA format) (Download the sample here.

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The Best college essay Tutors in Houston, TX

Find the best local college essay tutor in houston.

Houston, TX

IB English, IB History, IB ESS, IB Spanish and Essay Writing Tutor

I have been published on the front page of New York Times, POLITICO, Texas Monthly, Daily Free Press, DigBoston, and on the front page of the Cambridge Chronicle. Hence I have the grammar rules memorized and can help clean up your writing. My tutoring experience includes help with writing college essays , essay... See Maria's full profile

Near Houston, TX

Med Student - SAT/ACT/MCAT Tutor & College Application Consultant

Qualifications: I scored in the 99+% on SAT/ACT and 800 on the SAT Math II & Bio Subject Tests. I am also an expert college admissions consultant, having helped hundreds of students polish their college essays and applications. My expertise lies in fostering compelling storytelling and showcasing... See ZeeShawn's full profile

Certified English Teacher - ISEE/SSAT, ACT/SAT, and College Essays

I have a proven track record for helping students significantly improve their scores and have written manuals for the ISEE/SSAT, SAT, and ACT exams. All students I have tutored for standardized tests have seen immediate improvement in their scores. Students also seek my assistance on college essays ,... See Gaye's full profile

Gaye more than exceeded my expectations. She was friendly, relatable and very prepared- she arrived for my daughter's first session with items to work on. She also explained to me after the session what she sensed my daughter nee... read the full review - Tiffany , 6 lessons with Gaye

College Application Essay Writing

I have assisted many students with their college application essay writing. For those who may be struggling to write effective, engaging personal essays for their college applications, I am here to help. I'll make sure your essay answers the prompt, meets the word count, and is turned in on time. See Laura's full profile

My daughter needed help with her college essay and the application was due in the next few hours. Laura replied to us within a very short period of time and agreed to help her with her essay. She was very knowledgeable and patient... read the full review - Havva

College Essay Proofreading!

I have applied to over 15 colleges and was accepted to many of the top schools in the US including JHU, Rice, Cornell, Berkeley, Emory, and more! See Wendy's full profile

Wendy is awesome. She is very good at explaining everything in a way it's understandable. She comes prepared and has managed to motivate my daughter to work on her own which is not something I thought could be done. She gives good... read the full review - Lisa , 4 lessons with Wendy

Reading/Writing/Literature for all ages-SAT/ACT-ESL

I have tutored SAT/ACT prep (reading, writing, as well as the science section of the ACT). As someone who is very familiar with the college landscape I can also assist with college entrance essays and applications. I believe that everyone can learn with structure and a plan that is custom-built for... See Amanda's full profile

Art History, Humanities,Social Sciences: Writing & Reading

I have successfully coached many students with college essays and scholarships. This kind of work is very enjoyable for me as I can eventually experience the outcome of the work when the student is finally accepted at the college of their choice. I have coached both liberal arts majors and science majors over the... See Mary Ann's full profile

With enthusiasm and appreciation, it is an honor to write this review for Ms. Mary Ann L. As a second language student, I was concerned about finding an English tutor that would be patient with me. I am very lucky to find Ms. Mar... read the full review - Benita , 8 lessons with Mary Ann

Certified English Teacher Specializing in Writing and Literature

I love to explain a difficult concept to a student and see the expression of joy on their faces when they understand what was difficult before. I can assist you with writing essays, term papers, college entrance essays , literature comprehension and analysis, as well as business writing and conversational... See Erin's full profile

A Great Choice for Writing, Editing, Government, and History

In addition to my dissertation, I have authored a number of papers over the course of my study, generally 20+ pages in length. I am happy to assist with term papers and/or college entrance essays . Please feel free to message me, and I will be happy to discuss your particular needs and concerns. See Jason's full profile

Jason was an incredibly professional and supportive tutor. He took the time to answer my questions in a thoughtful and informative way. He also is extremely responsive and it was very easy to get in touch with him.... read the full review - Robert , 2 lessons with Jason

Student Doctor, 4th year

I’m currently a fourth-year medical student interested in going into Radiology. My educational background begins with my bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station from 2015 to 2019. I then pursued my master’s degree in that field at the same university from 2019 to 2020.... See Hector's full profile

Experienced Consultant in College Essay Writing

...as well as, external (not university-affiliated) companies, and private tutoring. On top of working with students on college essays , I worked for two years as a graduate teaching assistant working with students on crafting strong argument-driven essays... See Leigh's full profile

Award-winning Harvard Grad / College Essay and Application Consultant

Throughout my tutoring career, I have helped numerous clients refine and polish academic papers, college essays , and applications. Whether you need assistance with your writing style, grammar, vocabulary, or paper structure, I can use my... See Teagan's full profile

Teagan has been helping my daughter with her college essays and counseling and has been exceptional! He has been patient, always positive and brings out the best in her. He clearly understands what various colleges need and guides... read the full review - Varadan , 8 lessons with Teagan

English tutor and PhD w/ 3+ years experience in college essay coaching

Since 2017, I've helped students write the essays that have gained them admission to the colleges and graduate schools of their dreams. I can help at any stage in the process, from brainstorming ideas to revising early drafts to proofreading the... See Nathan's full profile

Nathan is wonderful! He helped my son tremendously with his college application essays. From the Common App personal statement to the supplemental essays for the Ivies to the safety schools, Nathan provided expert guidance with br... read the full review - Kathryn , 10 lessons with Nathan

College Essay Coach

I am a former legal writing professor and legal editor and have worked throughout my career with students at all levels — those who love to write and those who don’t — to help them get their thoughts on paper in a way that is compelling and... See Jennifer's full profile

Jennifer is wonderful! Very knowledgeable and an amazing writer! She was a tremendous help with my law school admission essays and resume. She helped me completely restructure my essays to develop a strong, cohesive, and compellin... read the full review - Audrey , 9 lessons with Jennifer

Certified College Counselor -- College Essay Writing Expert

...they choose to admit and who they don’t. The college application essays have become one of their most valuable tools. I look forward to working with and helping you craft the most impactful college essays , moving the needle in your favor during the... See Jesse's full profile

Note from student parent: After hours of reading English/Writing tutor bios on Wyzant, I found Jesse S for our high school junior. After one meeting our daughter immediately knew she liked working with him. After only a few sessio... read the full review - Gail , 38 lessons with Jesse

College Application Essay Specialist with PhD from Berkeley

I’ve been helping university applicants with their college essays since 2016. My clients have been accepted at top-tier universities across the US. Taught academic writing at UC Berkeley for ten years. Directed 30 senior theses primarily... See Ben's full profile

If you’re struggling with a tight deadline and getting your ideas down on paper, book a session with Ben. He knows just the right questions to ask and has an amazing technique for getting your essays done as fast and as well as p... read the full review - Katherine

Expert Writing Coach & College Essay Consultant; Former UNC Professor

I always seek to bring a sense of meaning, thoughtfulness, and even fun (!) to the application process. I began assisting students with personal statements and college essays as an Essay Coach with College Essay Guy, an industry... See Erica's full profile

Dr. Erica is the best!!! She is very experienced and patient. She brainstormed with my daughter and guided her on college application. She also provided feedback and edited her essays, activity list, and resume. She has a knack f... read the full review - Elizabeth , 8 lessons with Erica

Certified ELA Educator: College Essays , Writing, College Composition

This may come by helping students with writing coursework (college or high school), navigating college applications, reviewing college application essays , writing scholarship essays, organizing content, and/or study skills.... See Julie's full profile

If you are looking for a tutor, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t give Julie an opportunity to connect with you. From the very start, you will see Julie’s high level of organization, planning, and flexibility whi... read the full review - Dan , 7 lessons with Julie

Harvard Grad and College Essay Expert

Ever since giving my first chess lesson when I was 11 years old (certainly the most exciting $2 I have ever made in my life) I have continued tutoring in almost every imaginable capacity, from ACT, to college essays , from middle school... See Razi's full profile

I came to Wyzant to look for essay help after struggling with writing my college essays. The first three tutors I used would do the same steps every lesson: they would rush through my essays quickly, providing basic grammar help,... read the full review - Rahul , 19 lessons with Razi

College Essay Expert with 5-Star Rating

As a college essay expert with a 5-star rating, I have helped countless students craft compelling and impactful essays that showcase their unique strengths and personalities. With a background in education and a doctorate in education, I... See Bryan's full profile

Bryan is an exceptional College Essay coach who can demolish any writer's block through a systematic approach that breaks down the prompt into small achievable goals. Bryan's ability to pull out the writer's most powerful thought... read the full review - Christopher , 15 lessons with Bryan

Experienced College Essay Coach with UCLA PhD in English

As a PhD in English who spent nearly a decade teaching at UCLA, I have developed deep professional skills in helping students excel at college essay writing. My background as a writer and professor also gives me insights into what... See Gabriel's full profile

Gabriel taught me how to write engaging and unique essays. He showed me how to effectively tell a story and balance important details with reflections on your experiences. I liked the fact that he was extremely knowledgeable about... read the full review - Vijay , 11 lessons with Gabriel

Published Author, NYU MFA in Writing, Personal Statement Specialist

I have assisted students through their college journeys since 2016. Since then, I have run large college essay workshops and have worked privately with individuals applying to top schools such as Stanford University, The University of... See Eitan's full profile

Eitan is so knowledgeable about the structure, grammar, and wording of essays and always gives extremely helpful feedback. He is very patient and is willing to go out of his way to help his students succeed. He not only helps with... read the full review - Elena , 29 lessons with Eitan

Ivy League College Essay & Writing Coach

Colleges are accepting students with niche interests in STEM, the humanities, music, and sports. That is why your passion projects, extracurriculars, and volunteering are instrumental in crafting your college essays . I have helped... See Julie's full profile

Julie helped me craft my statement of purpose for my grad school applications. She helped me master the process of finding information to include in my essays. Julie is amazing! I could not recommend her more! ... read the full review - Meredith

College /Application Essays -Top Editor

Colleges accept you based on your potential. I help both students and their parents understand how to frame the essay application and supplemental questions. Additionally, I help students and parents with the entire search process:, essays,... See Robert's full profile

Robert is by far one of the best tutors I have had the pleasure of working with. He is ALWAYS competent and willing to help me no matter the time line. He's work is phenomenal and it still amazes me efficient he works. An assignme... read the full review - Maredith , 6 lessons with Robert

Writing Mentor specializing in College Application Essays

A professional writing mentor, I have worked chiefly with university applicants since 2013; full time the last 5 years. Essay Mentor for Fulbright Commission, 2015-2020, working with extremely promising applicants to help them in applying to... See Jonathan's full profile

Jonathan helped our daughter prepare essays for almost 20 schools. He worked with her weekly over several months to generate strategies for how to approach each application (e.g., which supplemental essays to choose if there is a... read the full review - Nahid , 92 lessons with Jonathan

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Katy College Essay Tutors | The Woodlands College Essay Tutors | Pearland College Essay Tutors

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Houston-Area Admission Essay Coach

There’s a lot of pressure for students to spend their high school careers cultivating a resume that generates attention-getting college applications. Great grades, top rankings, ample activities, impressive test scores, meaningful community service. It can all get a little overwhelming.

But one thing that doesn’t have to be stressful for students is writing their personal statements and supplemental essays. While I don’t have a magic wand that makes the essays write themselves, I do have the next best thing: smart, effective strategies that students can use to make the brainstorming and writing process simple and, dare I say it, sometimes fun.

Here’s what I’d like you to know about me and how I help my students write amazing essays.

My Background

I've been a professional writer for more than 15 years, helping businesses craft their stories for their websites and print publications. I’ve also written more than 500 corporate bios and hundreds of blog posts and email campaigns — all designed to attract attention and generate business. While I’ve loved this career, back in 2018, I wanted to start making a difference in the lives of individuals.

So I combined my master’s degree in counseling psychology and my extensive writing and editing background and became a college essay coach. My unique combination of skills lets me, as an admission essay coach, help students find their deepest stories, develop their voice, write essays that can help them stand out to admissions officers, and develop the writing skills that will serve them long after graduating from high school.

In 2019 and 2020, I had several opportunities to learn from the well-respected College Essay Guy (Ethan Sawyer) online and in person. Many of the techniques and strategies I use today were developed by him (and are used with his permission), and I encourage students and parents to check out the wealth of resources he makes available on his website .

I continue training today by partnering with mentors; taking online workshops (I completed the WOW College Essay Experience in March 2021); testing out my techniques by writing my own personal statements ( check out my latest one here ), and reading books and blog posts and listening to podcasts to ensure I'm giving my students the best, most current information I can.

Most recently, I've been working with Dr. Cynthia Colon and ObiCoach as an essay coach and editor and learning more about their approach to essay writing, brainstorming, and editing. I'm also a contributing writer to the College Essay Guy's website .

About My Approach

Working one-on-one or in small groups — in person and online — I help students recognize their accomplishments and draw the unique connections between their life experiences, their values, and their college and career goals that help their essays stand out. I offer a customized approach to writing the college essay, and I believe my accessibility for questions and support is unique to my business.

I can also help students who have already written their essays but want an impartial third party to review them for style, grammar, theme, craft, and more.

I'm proud to say that with many students, our working relationships don't end after they graduate. Instead, they come back to ask for help and advice with college essays, resumes, and new admissions essays as they begin to focus their studies and apply for specialized programs.

Acceptances

My past students have received acceptances from a range of great colleges and universities, like Auburn, Baylor University, Caltech, Chapman University, Colorado School of Mines, Columbia, Florida State University, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Penn State, Pepperdine, SMU, TCU, Texas A&M (College Station), Texas Tech, the University of Arkansas, the University of Florida, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan (including the Evans Scholarship ) the University of Tennessee, the University of Texas - Austin, and Xavier.

Podcast Guest

October 2022 | 27 min.

Getting Your College Essays Right

February 2022 | 30 min.

How to Master the Essay Part of Your College Application

August 2021 | 44 min.

Tackling the Admission Essay

As seen in ....

December 2022

Julia Byrd: Essay Coach is a Subkit featured business.

Julia Byrd: Essay Coach was a featured business.

September 2019

Featured in Forest Lifestyles magazine

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Award-Winning College Essays Tutors serving Houston, TX

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Top College Essays Tutors serving Houston

Joyce: Houston College Essays tutor

Certified College Essays Tutor in Houston, TX Call us today to connect with a top Houston College Essays tutor (832) 748-1733 Call Now Get Started

...Health Science Center and am pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant. While pursuing my master's degree, I learned to ask for help from teaching assistants and tutors, and am immensely grateful for their guidance! I am interested in academia after gaining several years of clinical experience as a PA. In my free-time, I enjoy cooking, dancing, and spending time with my two lovely poodles. I am also passionate about rescuing animals!... I believe it is...

Education & Certification

University of St Thomas - Bachelors, Biology, General

University of North Texas Health Science Center - Masters, Biomedical Sciences

ACT Science: 31

GRE Quantitative: 152

Maggie: Houston College Essays tutor

...APs I took (US History, World History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, C, Calculus BC, Statistics, English Language and Composition, English Literature, and Computer Science). In high school, I was president of the debate team and on student council all 4 years. Currently, I am working toward an MD at Stanford University. I am happy to help with MCAT, SAT, SAT subject, AP test prep, and general academic subjects. Throughout my 8 years of experiencing tutoring middle...

Yale University - Bachelor in Arts, Economics/ Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1600

SAT Math: 800

SAT Verbal: 800

Jan: Houston College Essays tutor

...helping others to succeed in any way that I can. I truly believe anyone can comprehend, speak, read and write Spanish. It is perfectly phonetic and it is spoken exactly the way it is written. It can be learned quite easily as long as it is explained properly. I travel as often as I can. Besides living in many places in the USA, I have been to Europe and Mexico many times. I have also...

University of Tulsa - Bachelor in Arts, Spanish

University of Houston - Masters in Education, Curriculum & Instruction/Second Language Education

State Certified Teacher

Daniel: Houston College Essays tutor

I work as a commercial and academic copyeditor for a number of book publishers, and I also teach English and Philosophy at the college level. I've tutored students of all ages in the principles of composition, rhetoric, and a number of humanities and social science disciplines. On a personal note, I am an avid but terrible runner and a would-be movie buff.

College of Charleston - Bachelor in Arts, English, Philosophy

Pennsylvania State University - Master of Arts, English

University of Houston - Master of Arts, Philosophy

SAT Verbal: 710

Vibha: Houston College Essays tutor

I am currently a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Business and hoping to eventually go to medical school. I was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in Sugar Land, Texas. I have been a tutor for the past two to three years and enjoy the task of being able to help students succeed in any subject. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing and volunteering at the local hospital. ... I...

The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelors, Business

SAT Math: 770

SAT Writing: 710

Ambreen: Houston College Essays tutor

...Chemistry and Mathematics. I attended Texas State Honors Math Camp to advance my mathematical skills where I learned to collaborate and gained exposure to different ways of explaining and conceptualizing mathematical problems. I have also worked with teenagers as a residential camp counselor and as well as teaching a New York City Ballet dancer for an accelerated GED high school certification program. My vast international travel and academic background has enabled me to effectively adapt...

Columbia University in the City of New York - Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering

SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1420

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University of Houston

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Want to see your chances of admission at University of Houston?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of Houston’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Apply Texas Essays 2022‒2023

Apply texas essays 2023.

If you live in Texas or plan on applying to schools there, it’s likely that you’ve heard of the Apply Texas portal . At Texas schools, the Apply Texas essays are an important part of the application process. In fact, the Apply Texas essays are the best way to let your personality, experiences, and interests impress admissions teams. 

In many ways, Apply Texas—including the Apply Texas essays—resembles the Common Application. So, you can likely repurpose plenty of information from the Common Application as you complete the Apply Texas application. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to tackle each of the Apply Texas essays. We’ll discuss:

• General information about the Apply Texas portal 
• How to respond to each of the Apply Texas essay prompts
• Different Texas college requirements
• The importance of the Apply Texas essays
• More useful essay resources from CollegeAdvisor

Now, let’s start our deep dive into the Apply Texas essays. But first, let’s talk about the Apply Texas application more broadly. 

What is Apply Texas?

Apply Texas is a college application portal where students can apply to higher education institutes in Texas. The portal was created in order to allow students to fill out one application for all Texas schools. Students will create an Apply Texas login in order to access their applications. 

However, while many of the best colleges in Texas require an Apply Texas login to complete their application, some don’t. So, make sure to check the application requirements for every school. 

Apply Texas essay vs. the Common Application essay

You may be wondering, what’s the difference between the Apply Texas essay and the Common Application essay? Well, logically, Apply Texas can only be used to apply to schools in the state of Texas. However, some Texas schools may also accept applications through the Common Application or Coalition Application. If that’s the case, then you can decide which portal to use. 

Overall, the Apply Texas essay format is similar to the Common Application essay format. This means that many of the tools you’ve used for your Common Application essay will help you complete your Apply Texas essays. You can also look at Common App essay examples to help you write the Apply Texas essays. 

Understanding the Apply Texas essay requirements

Different schools will have different requirements when it comes to the Apply Texas essay prompts. Some schools may not even require an essay at all. 

For example, Texas State University applicants will complete their applications using the Apply Texas login. While Texas State only lists their essay as “highly recommended,” you should still complete it. You can also check out some Apply Texas essays examples to bolster your application. 

The Apply Texas application also has its own unique Apply Texas essay prompts, which differ from the prompts on the Common App. So, while you might be able to repurpose your Common App essay for one of the Apply Texas essay prompts, you should think carefully about your choice of topic. 

What schools use Apply Texas?

Many two- and four-year universities in Texas use Apply Texas. This includes the majority of public universities as well as some private colleges. 

However, you should always double-check each school’s admissions site to see which application portal you should use. Each school’s requirements will vary. 

You can use Apply Texas to apply to some of the best colleges in Texas , including UT Austin and Texas A&M University. However, Rice University—the top college in Texas, according to U.S. News—does not use Apply Texas. 

Understanding the Apply Texas essay format

If you’re planning to apply to multiple Texas schools, you should create an Apply Texas login. However, all schools’ requirements will be different. This means the Apply Texas essay format could slightly vary.

While you’ll find one Apply Texas essay word limit on the application itself, different schools will recommend different word counts. You may also not complete all of the Apply Texas essays for every school.

So, top Texas universities such as the University of Houston , Texas Tech , and TCU will have slightly different requirements, even though you’ll use the same Apply Texas login to access their applications. Use our College Search Feature below to learn more about each school’s unique features!

What are the Apply Texas essays?

Next, let’s check out the Apply Texas essays. 

There are three Apply Texas essay prompts. You’ll complete different Apply Texas essays depending on which schools you apply to. For example, some schools may require that students respond to the Apply Texas essay A, while others may let you choose your prompt.  

Below, we’ve provided a chart with each of the Apply Texas essay prompts. 

Applicants should also note that Apply Texas word limits will vary by school. In this chart, we’ve provided the word limit suggested by the portal itself. However, you should adapt your word count to each university’s requirements. 

Remember to consider school supplements 

Additionally, note that some universities will require other short essays as well as one of the Apply Texas essay prompts. 

For example, the UT Austin application will differ from the Baylor application even though both will use an Apply Texas login. Likewise, the UT Austin application requirements aren’t exactly the same as the UT Dallas application requirements. So, always be sure to double-check the admissions sites for school specifics. 

Before tackling your Apply Texas essays, try to read some Apply Texas essays examples. This will give you an idea of the different ways to approach the essay. The Apply Texas essay format can vary, so looking at Apply Texas essays examples can help you think outside of the box. 

How long should Apply Texas essays be?

As you tackle the Apply Texas essays, you should keep the word count in mind. According to the Apply Texas application portal, you have 800 words for each of your essays. 

However, when it comes to the word limit, you’ll want to see what each university requires or recommends. Every school’s requirements will be different. 

Let’s check out a couple of schools in Texas and compare their approach to their Apply Texas essay word limit. 

The University of Texas Austin requires its applicants to respond to Apply Texas Essay A if using the Apply Texas application. Their word limit is 500-700. Additionally, students will complete three required short answer essays with word limits of 250-300 words. They can also choose to complete a fourth optional essay (also 250-300 words). 

Alternatively, Texas Tech does not require applicants to complete an essay. However, the essay is “highly recommended.” So, as usual, consider this optional essay a requirement. If using the Apply Texas application, Texas Tech gives students the option to respond to Apply Texas Essay A or B. They have placed a 500-word limit on this essay. Check out some tips from Texas Tech admissions to write your Apply Texas essays. 

Texas Christian University

The TCU admissions office requires applicants to complete one essay. However, which of the Apply Texas essays students write is up to them. The word limit is 300-500 words, so you’ll need to impress TCU admissions with a concise, authentic, and passionate essay. 

As you begin your Apply Texas essays, check out Common App essay examples and Apply Texas essays examples to help you prepare.

Apply Texas Essay A

Tell us your story. what unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today.

The Apply Texas Essay A seems to be the overwhelming favorite among universities using the Apply Texas essays. This prompt asks students to “tell us your story.” Simple enough, right? 

Of course, a prompt this broad can feel overwhelming. However, it’s a great opportunity to show admissions who you are. This is your chance to really make your application stand out by sharing something that you haven’t yet revealed (or expanded upon) in other parts of your Apply Texas application. 

This prompt is quite similar to one of the Common Application prompts. So, if you want some inspiration, you can check out Common App essay examples. 

Which Texas colleges require it?

Surprisingly, many universities in Texas do not require applicants to submit an essay. However, if a school includes an “optional” essay requirement, you should still submit one. The Apply Texas essays are a great way to stand out and enrich your application narrative. 

That being said, some universities in Texas do require applicants to submit Apply Texas Essay A. For instance, Texas A&M requires applicants to respond to Apply Texas Essay A. And, as we mentioned, the UT Austin application also requires Apply Texas Essay A.  

Remember, while going through the Apply Texas application, double-check the essay requirements. They will vary depending on each school. 

How to write Apply Texas Essay A

Like many college essays, Apply Texas Essay A asks you to share experiences that have made you who you are. Whether you have a million ideas or are drawing a complete blank, don’t worry. We’re here to help.

Let’s check out the best way to respond to Apply Texas Essay A.

You could probably tell many stories. Apply Texas Essay A asks you to share just one. This leaves a lot of room for interpretation. 

So, think about significant moments in your life. It could be easier to focus on the last few years, as you’ve probably grown a lot throughout high school. 

Make a list of moments that have changed or shaped you as a person. No moment is too small to include. As long as it shows some growth—and you can write authentically and passionately about it—then it’s a good topic. 

Answer the prompt completely

Now, the prompt mentions an opportunity or challenge. Don’t blatantly point out this in your draft by stating “this was a huge challenge/opportunity.” Most likely, if you’ve chosen a story that shows your personal growth, then it’s probably an opportunity or challenge. And, if you tell your story well, this will come through. 

You will need to clearly show how that moment that you’re sharing has shaped who you are today. For example, let’s say that you want to discuss the day you went to your first protest. From that moment forward you’ve been passionate about activism. That clearly shows how pivotal this moment was in your life. Maybe it’s even shaped what you’d like to study or your future career. 

Remember to research your school, too. Well-written Apply Texas essays will be specific to each individual school. For example, if writing an essay for Southern Methodist University , check out their specific programs and offerings. Even though this isn’t a “why school” essay, you can still link your interests and growth to the school.

Write passionately

This isn’t the time to write vague statements that could apply to any high school student. Your story should be unique to you. Make sure to choose your topic wisely to highlight your passion and authenticity. 

Don’t be afraid to get creative. Set the scene. Remember that it’s much more impactful to show rather than tell when writing. If we continue with our protest example, you might open your essay by describing the atmosphere using descriptive language that puts the reader right there with you. Then, you can reflect back on how this moment has affected you to date. 

Apply Texas Essays – Topic B

While a few schools require applicants to answer the Apply Texas essay A, some may ask you to choose which essay to respond to. Let’s review the second of the Apply Texas essay prompts:

Some students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. If you are one of these students, then tell us about yourself.

Again, the goal of this prompt, like all of the Apply Texas essays, is to let you show each school what makes you unique. You should also aim to relate it back to your aspirations. For example, how does who you are shape what you want in your future?

Approaching Apply Texas Essay B

Topic B asks you to explore a part of your identity. Is there something you can point out that shows your values, character, and personality?

For example, maybe you’ve been dancing ballet since you started walking. Maybe it’s become a form of meditation or a way for you to express yourself. Perhaps it’s taught you discipline. It doesn’t matter how it’s shaped you (although it should be in a positive way)—you just need to show how it has impacted you. 

If you decide to focus on an “identity” instead of an “interest,” then you’ve got even more options to choose from. You can choose to highlight your background, experiences, family, values, or other key features. 

Overall, your topic should be unique to you. And, again, don’t be afraid to get creative in writing this essay. Your Apply Texas essays shouldn’t read like a resume; they should be engaging while still answering the prompt. 

Apply Texas Essay Prompts – Topic C

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a university that requires students to respond to the last of the Apply Texas essays. However, you may be given the option of which Apply Texas essay prompts you’d like to respond to. So, let’s check out Essay C.

You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

You may notice that this essay seems quite different from the other Apply Texas essays—it gives you a lot more freedom. So, you can really dive into the creativity of this topic. However, remember to not get too carried away and forget that, in the end, you’re still writing a college essay. The main goal, like the other Apply Texas essay prompts, is to show who you are as a person and an applicant. 

Crafting a response to Essay C

For Essay C, your process doesn’t have to be wildly different than it was for the other Apply Texas essay prompts. First, decide what you’ll write about. Start by brainstorming options if nothing comes to mind right away. 

Maybe you have a topic in mind immediately. That’s great! If you can write passionately about your ticket destination and activity, then that’s the topic for you.

Once again, get creative. You could go to a magical land, back in time, outer space, or to a remote island. The ticket and the destination don’t matter—it’s what they show about who you are. 

Most importantly, make sure to tie in your career goals or future aspirations. How will this trip impact you and your future? What experience will you have that will shape you?

Exploring Texas college’s essay requirements

When it comes to factors such as the Apply Texas essay word limit or Apply Texas essay prompts, requirements will vary by school. While the general Apply Texas application will be the same, the Apply Texas essay format will be different. Namely, each school will request different Apply Texas essay prompts. 

Let’s look at some of the essay requirements for the best colleges in Texas:

As you can see, while the Apply Texas application is uniform, the essay requirements vary greatly by school. For instance, you’ll see the Apply Texas essays for the Baylor application vs the University of Houston application are not the same. So, always double-check with your university’s admissions sites for all requirements. 

And, don’t forget, when it comes to “optional” essays, treat them as though they are required. While Texas A&M admissions requires an essay, Texas Tech does not. However, strong essays will impress both Texas Tech and Texas A&M admissions. After all, Apply Texas essays are the best way for schools to get to know you better. 

How important are the Apply Texas essays?

When it comes to the admissions process, the Apply Texas essays are extremely important. In general, college essays let applicants share a part of their personality that they haven’t highlighted elsewhere in their application. 

Additionally, most schools use a holistic admissions approach when evaluating students. That means that they review all parts of the application: GPA, essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and more. In fact, with more schools going test-optional, essays are an even more significant piece of your application puzzle. 

All to say: strong Apply Texas essays can make a huge difference. So, give yourself ample time to write them.

5 Tips to Make Your Apply Texas Essays Stand Out

Since the Apply Texas essays are so important in the admissions process, you’ll want to do everything you can to make yours stand out. 

5 tips to write Apply Texas essays that impress 

1. meet the requirements.

This may seem obvious, but you need to make sure that you understand the requirements for each school. Double-check the word counts and requirements for each to make sure that you hit all targets. 

2. Choose a topic carefully

Your topic is the most important part of the process. If you choose a topic that you aren’t authentically passionate about, it will show. Don’t think about what admissions wants to hear. Instead, choose a topic that you can easily write about. Then go back and fine-tune your essay to answer every aspect of the prompt. 

3. Get creative

Your Apply Texas essays should be engaging and unique. Don’t feel like you need to stick to a certain format. Set the scene and capture your audience. This is your opportunity to show who you are as well as your writing chops. So, as long as you answer each prompt fully, get as creative as you’d like!

4. Show personal growth

Your Apply Texas essays should show how you’ve evolved. Ideally, you should connect your personal growth to future aspirations in college and beyond. No matter the prompt, this is your opportunity to shine. These are college essays, so you want to show what you’ll bring to campus with your responses. 

5. Start early!

The last thing you want to do when it comes to your Apply Texas essays is wait until the last minute. Creating impactful essays will take time. You’ll brainstorm, draft, edit, and redraft. You should also leave enough time to have someone else proofread your essay for mechanical errors. Likewise, if they don’t understand the narrative, you’ll want to rework your story and message so that it makes sense to a reader. 

Apply Texas Essays & More Essay Resources from CollegeAdvisor

Writing the Apply Texas essays can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled many essay resources to help you create your best essays. While admissions requirements and essay prompts will change, the overall goal of your college essays stays the same: show admissions who you are and why you belong at that university. 

Before writing essays, you’ll also want to research specifics about the school. We have college pages that outline acceptance rates, enrollment, majors, and more to give you some quick facts on different schools in Texas. To jumpstart your research, check out the Baylor University , Texas A&M University , and University of Texas Austin pages . However, make sure to also do a deep dive into each university’s website to learn more about specific programs and campus life. 

Essay guides and other resources

Follow up by checking out our essay guides. These guides are specific to individual universities. You may even find it helpful to look at past essay guides such as our Baylor , Texas A&M , or UT Austin essay guides. Again, while prompts may change, the end goal of the essays stays the same. 

Additionally, check out the most recent guides such as this 2022-2023 Texas Christian University guide for the most up-to-date tips on making your essays stand out to TCU admissions. Looking at example essays can also help you get inspired. 

CollegeAdvisor has a wealth of resources to help you on your college journey. No matter if you’re trying to create the best Baylor application or impress Texas A&M admissions, our team can help. For expert guidance on the Apply Texas essays and more, schedule a meeting with our team here .

This essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Date / Time:

Saturday, March 16th, 2024

UH Undergraduate Admissions

• Freshman Students
• Freshman Admissions Process

Freshman Students (U.S. Only)

At the University of Houston, you'll find degree programs that will pave the way to the future you envision—whether you want to build the physical foundations of the future as an engineer or architect, shape young minds as an educator, or study how far humanity has already come as an anthropologist. These are just a few of the areas of study available, taught by world-renowned faculty members.

You are a freshman if you:

• are a student without college credit or
• earned college credit prior to high school graduation (dual credit/early college high school)* or
• earned less than 15 transferable hours of college credit after earning a GED or high school diploma* and
• are a U.S. citizen, have applied for permanent residency, or qualify for Texas residency based on Senate Bill 1528

*Only credit earned from an institution accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations will be accepted. 

You are an international freshman if you:

• are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and
• are not graduating from a Texas high school after three years in residence in Texas (please review Senate Bill 1528 )

We're Test Optional

Applicants have the option to apply for admission with or without a test score for the following academic terms: spring 2024, summer 2024 and fall 2024.  Applicants are not disadvantaged by applying without a test score. If you have already submitted an application, but would like to change how you'll be considered for admission (with or without a test score), please complete the Admissions Review Option Change form .

Complete the University of Houston application for admission using either the ApplyTexas Application or The Common Application . Submit just one application.

On your application, you will select whether you want your application to be reviewed with a test score or without a test score. Be sure to complete the short admissions essay and tell us about your extracurricular activities.

Applying With a Test Score (ACT/SAT)

If you are applying for admissions with a test score, have your ACT or SAT score(s) sent directly from the testing agency to us.

University of Houston ACT Code:   4236 University of Houston SAT Code:  6870

If applying for admission with test scores, we will use the highest total or composite score submitted. To comply with Texas Success Initiative standards, scores may not be more than 5 years old at the time of submission.

Applying Without a Test Score

All applicants applying without a test score must submit a short admissions essay and extracurricular activities—both can be submitted through Common App or ApplyTexas . Make sure to complete these sections before you finish and submit your application. You will not be able to go back and add your admissions essay or extracurricular activities once you’ve submitted your application.

If you don't meet the assured admissions requirements, we may require additional documentation (like updated grades), which we'll request from you to help us make our decision.

Admissions Review Option Change Form

Admission Requirements

Texas Education Code (TEC) 51.803-51.809 requires all students meet college readiness standards to be eligible for admission at a Texas Four-Year Public Institution. Read about the Texas Uniform Admission Policy .

On your application, you will select whether you want your application to be reviewed with a test score or without a test score. The admission criteria for each choice is below.

*If you don't meet the assured admissions requirements, we may consider additional factors in the admissions process. If we require additional documentation, we'll request those materials from you.

 **This unweighted GPA will be calculated by the University of Houston (out of a 4.0 scale) using English, math, science, and social studies grades on your transcript. Extracurricular classes will not be included. 

Admission requirements are different for international students. For more information, visit uh.edu/international .

GED or home schooled applicants will be considered for admission by individual review.

Majors With Additional Requirements

Some majors have additional requirements on top of the ones listed above. Find out more information about majors with additional requirements for freshmen .

State of Texas Uniform Admissions Policy

No Class Rank

We recognize some applicants attend non-traditional or non-ranking schools who do not provide a class rank. Applicants without a class rank will still be considered for admissions by individual review.

If you attend a school that does not provide you with a rank on your transcript, a statement of rank provided by a school administrator is sufficient. The statement of rank should include a student's name, UH ID and ranking displayed in a #/# format (e.g. 12/1927). Rank statements that list quartiles (eg. Top 20 percent, Top 30 percent, etc.)  will not be used in our evaluation for admission. Rank statements should be submitted to  [email protected] .

How to Send Transcripts

View our self-reporting guide  or watch our video tutorial for step-by-step instructions. 

If you cannot self-report your transcript, ask your school administrator to send your official transcript data electronically through an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system, e.g. TREx (for Texas institutions) 

We do not accept hard copy transcripts. Applicants are required to self report academic information or provide using an EDI. For more information about transcript submission guidelines, please visit Submitting Official High School and College Transcripts Guidelines.

Application Fee

Pay the nonrefundable $75 application fee ($90 for international students) with a credit card or debit card. Payment can be made in your myUH self-service portal or before submitting the admissions application.

Freshman may qualify for an application fee waiver. Simply complete the National Association for College Admissions Counseling Fee Waiver Form and submit a PDF copy through your myUH account using the following steps:

• Log in to your myUH account
• Select the "Student Center" tile
• Locate your To-Do List on the top right side of the page
• Select "Details/Upload Document"
• Select the "Upload/View Document" link for the "UGRD Fee Waiver Form"
• Select the "Upload File" button and select your completed Fee Waiver Form in PDF format and navigate through the prompts

Fall 2024 Scholarship Priority Deadlines

• Deadline to submit the admissions application: Nov. 1, 2023
• Deadline to submit the supporting information*: Nov. 8, 2023

*Supporting information includes application fee, self-reporting transcript information, test scores (if applicable). If applying without test scores, supporting information also includes your essay and resume. You can request to change to admissions without a test score by submitting this form.

Dual Credit & Early College High School

All students who are currently enrolled in high school at the time of their admissions application to UH must apply as a freshman (regardless of the number of college credit hours they have earned in high school). Applying as a freshman allows all dual credit and early college high school students to take advantage of the financial, academic, and housing opportunities that are specifically set aside for freshman students transitioning from high school to college.

Work hard. Get credit.

You deserve to get as much credit as you can for your work at your previous institution. Meet our new Transfer Credit Estimator, your guide to estimating how many course credits may transfer to your chosen degree program at the University of Houston.

Earning an Associate’s Degree in high school does not guarantee admission to UH and does not classify an applicant as a transfer student. However, earning an Associate’s Degree will be taken into consideration during admission review.

Speak with an Admissions Representative

Admissions representatives are experts when it comes to applying to the University of Houston. If you'd like to talk to an admissions representative for admissions support, you can schedule a virtual admissions advising appointment , or contact us by phone at 713-743-1010 , option 4 or by email at [email protected] . Please note that admissions representatives do not provide support with course selection or registration.

Want to speak with an Admissions Counselor? Set up an appointment. Walk-in appointments are also available Monday-Thursdays from 8-11:30 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. as well as Fridays from 9-11:30 a.m. and 2-3 p.m.

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• Apply Texas College Essay Prompts for Class of 2023

January 17, 2022 By Jolyn Brand

The Apply Texas application is a common application form for most Texas public universities. It allows students to input their information for several different colleges at once. ApplyTexas college essay prompts for class of 2022 are:

• Essay A:   Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?
• Essay B:  Some students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. If you are one of these students, then tell us about yourself.
• Essay C:  You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

Each school requires a different combination of these three college essays-some require all three, some just one or two, or others make certain ones recommended or optional. Some schools even use these essays for both admissions decisions AND scholarships so it’s important to put time and effort into each one!

UT Short Answer Question Requirements

As part of ApplyTexas, all freshman applicants will also respond to  short-answer questions .

Fall 2022 Prompts-Required Short Answers (250-300 words each):

1.     Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

2.     Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community, or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT.

3.     The core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT-Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate.

4.     Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance, including the possible effects of COVID-19.

Texas A&M University-  3 Short Answer Questions for all applicants

• Texas A&M University believes that diversity is an important part of academic excellence and that it is essential to living our core values (loyalty, integrity, excellence, leadership, respect, and selfless service). Describe the benefits of diversity and inclusion for you personally and for the Texas A&M campus community. (250-300 words)
• Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why.
• Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college.

Texas A&M University- Short answer question for Engineering majors (Priority deadline- October 15)

Engineering Essay : Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

The Apply Texas application has moved to https://goapplytexas.org/

Applying to colleges with the common app, be sure to check out the common app essay prompts here., share this:.

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• College Essays for Class of 2023

832-910-7990

Essays & Short Answers

Summer/Fall 2025 Essay

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Please keep your essay between 500–650 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essays

All freshman Spring 2025 applicants must submit a required essay:

• UT Austin Required Essay in the Common App, or
• Topic A in ApplyTexas

Please keep your essay between 500–700 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essay Topic

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Submitting Your Essay

You can submit your essays:

• In conjunction with your application.
• Using the Document Upload System in MyStatus.

*Students do not need to submit other Common App essays. We’ll only review what is required.

Short Answers

• Submit the required short answers to prompts in your admission application.
• Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250–300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph.

Summer/Fall 2025 Prompts

• Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?
• Think of all the activities — both in and outside of school — that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why? ( Guidance for student s: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.)

Optional Short Answer

Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

Spring 2025 Prompts

• Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT.
• The core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate.

Submitting Your Short Answers

You can submit your short answers with either your Common App or Apply Texas application. Short answer responses must be completed in order to submit your application.

• Transfer applicants must submit one essay responding to Topic A.
• Applicants to the School of Architecture and Studio Art, Art Education and Art History are required to upload Topic D in addition to Topic A. 

Essay Topics

Topic a (required).

The statement of purpose will provide an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that you feel could add value to your application. You may also want to explain unique aspects of your academic background or valued experiences you may have had that relate to your academic discipline. The statement of purpose is not meant to be a listing of accomplishments in high school/college or a record of your participation in school-related activities. Rather, this is your opportunity to address the admission committee directly and to let us know more about you as an individual, in a manner that your transcripts and the other application information cannot convey.

Topic D (School of Architecture majors only)

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

Submitting Your Essay(s)

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Freshman Admission Essays

An essay is not required for admission, but it is highly recommended. Essay topics A, B, and C below are the same topics found on the   ApplyTexas application. If you choose to submit an admission essay, select one of these topics . Essays may be submitted through your ApplyTexas or CommonApp account or by using our document uploader.

Essay Topics - ApplyTexas

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

You've got a ticket in your hand. Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

Writing Essentials

To assist you with your essay, the Texas State English Department has provided the following guide to good essay writing.

Sentence and Paragraph Level

Does the essay reflect a relative mastery of usage, conventions, and vocabulary?

Do the sentences and ideas follow one another in a logical and coherent fashion?

Does the essay reflect a relative knowledge of the proper conventions of grammar? Do not simply use spell check or proofread your essay; read your essay out loud.

Do your sentences and words follow the proper conventions of punctuation and spelling?

Unified Theme or Subject

Narrow your topic to a single topic. Don't try to write a broad, general essay on how your life has changed. You can't do this in one page. 

Are your ideas specific and coherent? Choose language that reflects and relates specific ideas.

Creativity engages the reader. Don’t be afraid to take risks with your writing. Use creative examples.

Use specific examples to help make your points clear. It will make your essay solid and convincing. 

Submit Your Essay

Your essay may be submitted with your application or separately.

With Your Application

Document uploader.

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Writing Fellowship Essays

Your application essay is part of a complete portfolio that includes recommendation letters, transcripts, resumes, and other supporting documents. This application package should give a complete overview of your academic, service, and leadership qualities, as well as an insight into your personality, character, interests, and skills. Note that some fellowships require more that one essay, with each discussing a particular aspect of your interests and goals.

Write for the general audience

Most review committees are not specialists in the particular academic or professional field in which you are applying for graduate study and fellowship support. Thus, you should write for an educated, intelligent, and general audience, not a panel of specialists. Use terminology that can be understood by someone outside your field; avoid professional jargon and the academic passive voice; don’t over‐use rhetorical devices.

Overview of YOU

Your presentation should present a direct, honest, and enthusiastic overview of you, your interests, and your goals. Your essay should create an image of you that closely relates to the criteria stated in the fellowship description.

Read other material

Read the published application materials carefully and highlight points that you can emphasize in your essay. Your essay is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills while subtly revealing your personality and positively distinguishing yourself from the many other applicants.

Start early and revise

Note that most essays are limited in length, so plan on many revisions and re‐writes. Start early and allow yourself to write at least three versions, then combine, edit, and revise to arrive at a final essay that conveys your distinctive voice.

Ask others to read  your essays

Ask your friends to read and comment on your essays, then re‐write and edit based on their critiques. Your faculty advisors and recommenders, as well as professional contacts, can be an important resource of advice and critiques on these essays. Comments from several readers will also help you prepare for interview questions that you might be asked based on your essay.

• Make sure that your essay is accurate and that you will be able to elaborate and intelligently discuss anything mentioned in your essay and supporting materials. • Committees seek unique, outstanding candidates; be diplomatic, but not overly modest in your writing. • Don’t guess at unstated criteria that a selection committee might seek; certainly, do not fabricate a personality to meet stated (or assumed) criteria. • Your essays are samples of your writing, thinking, and communication skills. All the rules of good writing (clarity, conviction, grammar, rhetoric) apply.

When you have a strong initial draft, review your writing with an advisor at the Texas State Writing Center; the writing advisors there, with experience in essays from many disciplines, can give you solid, helpful critiques. Make an online appointment at http://www.writingcenter.txstate.edu or by phone at 512‐245‐3018.

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Storms Batter Houston, Leaving at Least 4 Dead

School officials canceled classes in the city on Friday, and hundreds of thousands were left without power. It may take as much as 48 hours to restore power to some customers.

Deadly Storm Hits Texas

Heavy rains and winds shattered windows, scattering glass and debris on the streets of houston..

That’s electricity again. See, everything is like shut down.

By Orlando Mayorquín ,  Jesus Jiménez and Victoria Kim

Four people were killed and nearly a million customers along the Gulf Coast were without power on Friday after intense thunderstorms swept through Texas the night before, bringing heavy rain, destructive winds and dangerous flooding to portions of the state that had already been inundated this month.

The storm blew out windows, caved in the wall of a building and downed power lines across Houston, as powerful winds tore through downtown. Of the people who died, at least two were killed by falling trees, and one was killed in an accident involving a crane that toppled over in strong winds, according to Samuel Peña, the city’s fire chief.

As officials surveyed and began to clean up the damage, Mayor John Whitmire of Houston said at a news conference on Friday morning that investigators were trying to determine whether a fifth death was related to the weather.

Mr. Whitmire said it could take several weeks for power to be restored to some customers.

Share of customers without power by county

Much of Houston was battered by winds of speeds up to 100 miles per hour, rivaling speeds recorded during Hurricane Ike, which caused widespread damage across a wide swath of Texas, including in Houston, in 2008.

“It was fierce, it was intense, it was quick,” Mr. Whitmire said of the latest storm, “and most Houstonians didn’t have time to place themselves out of harm’s way.”

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said in a statement on Friday that the Public Utility Commission of Texas was working with energy providers to restore power as quickly as possible.

Houston’s public school district said all schools would be closed Friday. Emergency responders warned people to stay home, saying that many roads were still impassable and that most traffic lights were out across the city. Firefighters still had to remove a live power line from a major highway.

Before the storm, the National Weather Service office in Houston had warned people to take cover and brace for winds up to 80 m.p.h.

Forecasters also issued a tornado warning for the area as well as a special marine warning for the area including the Galveston Bay. On Friday, Jeffry Evans, a Weather Service meteorologist, said a tornado had not been confirmed.

As of noon local time, about 680,000 customers were without power across Texas, most of them in the Houston area, according to Poweroutage.us , which aggregates data from utility companies across the country. CenterPoint Energy, the provider in southeastern Texas, said it had received reports of downed power lines and advised customers that its call centers were overwhelmed . Another 97,000 were without power in Louisiana.

Forecasters warned that the weekend would also bring “sweltering heat” to southern Texas. Temperatures were expected to reach the upper 70s in the Houston area on Friday, but those without power, and air conditioning, would experience 90-degree temperatures through the weekend and into next week.

Lina Hidalgo, the top executive of Harris County, which includes Houston, said public libraries were open to serve as cooling centers.

Local news broadcasts reported considerable damage in downtown Houston, with the force of the winds shattering the windows of high-rise towers, twisting metal sign posts and felling trees on the street. The storm tore through the walls of at least one building, leaving piles of bricks, and falling debris also crushed cars. It left main streets blanketed in crushed glass and debris.

Images and videos circulating on social media emerging from east-central Texas on Thursday showed vehicles that appeared to struggle to navigate flooded roads in College Station, Texas, which was under a flash flood warning on Thursday evening.

One video showed strong winds whipping large panel structures at Minute Maid Park in Houston, where the Houston Astros were playing the Oakland Athletics.

The Weather Prediction Center said that showers and thunderstorms were expected across a broad part of the eastern United States on Friday. Moderate to heavy rain would likely focus in an area over the Lower Great Lakes, the Appalachians and the Gulf Coast.

An especially heavy downpour could have an impact in parts of Southern Mississippi and Alabama, it said, and there was still a risk of excessive rain over the already saturated central Gulf Coast states. The risk of severe thunderstorms was slight, but could affect about seven million people living there, the service said.

Flash flood warnings were in effect on Friday morning for parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, as a severe thunderstorm brought hail the size of golf balls to the city of San Patricio, Texas. The Weather Service office in Corpus Christi, Texas, warned residents to move inside because of “continuous cloud-to-ground lightning.”

Portions of Harris County, including areas near the San Jacinto River, were already hit with major flooding earlier this month. The flooding prompted Ms. Hidalgo, the Harris County executive, to issue a disaster declaration that would bring federal aid to residents who were affected by the storms.

Isabella Kwai and Christine Hauser contributed reporting.

Orlando Mayorquín is a breaking news reporter, based in New York, and a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class , a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Orlando Mayorquín

Jesus Jiménez covers breaking news, online trends and other subjects. He is based in New York City. More about Jesus Jiménez

Victoria Kim is a reporter based in Seoul and focuses on breaking news coverage across the world. More about Victoria Kim

Houston’s flood problems offer lessons for cities trying to adapt to a changing climate

Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan

Disclosure statement

Richard Rood receives funding from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation. He is a co-principal investigator at the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment Center at the University of Michigan.

University of Michigan provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

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Scenes from the Houston area looked like the aftermath of a hurricane in early May 2024 after a series of powerful storms flooded highways and neighborhoods and sent rivers over their banks north of the city.

Hundreds of people had to be rescued from homes, rooftops and cars during storms, according to The Associated Press. Huntsville registered nearly 20 inches of rain from April 29 to May 4. Another storm system in mid-May blew out windows in Houston high rises and caused more flash flooding on urban streets and already saturated ground in the region.

Floods are complex events, and they are about more than just heavy rain. Each community has its own unique geography and climate that can exacerbate flooding. On top of those risks, extreme downpours are becoming more common as global temperatures rise.

I work with a center at the University of Michigan that helps communities turn climate knowledge into projects that can reduce the harm of future climate disasters. Flooding events like the Houston area experienced provide case studies that can help cities everywhere manage the increasing risk.

Flood risks are rising

The first thing recent floods tell us is that the climate is changing.

In the past, it might have made sense to consider a flood a rare and random event – communities could just build back. But the statistical distribution of weather events and natural disasters is shifting.

What might have been a 1-in-500-years event may become a 1-in-100-years event , on the way to becoming a 1-in-50-years event. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, it delivered Houston’s third 500-year flood in the span of three years.

Basic physics points to the rising risks: Global greenhouse gas emissions are increasing global average temperatures. Warming leads to increasing precipitation and more intense downpours, and increased flood potential, particularly when storms hit on already saturated ground.

Communities aren’t prepared

Recent floods are also revealing vulnerabilities in how communities are designed and managed.

Pavement is a major contributor to urban flooding, because water cannot be absorbed and it runs off quickly. The Houston area’s frequent flooding illustrates the risks. Its impervious surfaces expanded by 386 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) between 1997 and 2017, according to data collected by Rice University . More streets, parking lots and buildings meant more standing water with fewer places for rainwater to sink in.

If the infrastructure is well designed and maintained, flood damage can be greatly reduced. However, increasingly, researchers have found that the engineering specifications for drainage pipes and other infrastructure are no longer adequate to handle the increasing severity of storms and amounts of precipitation. This can lead to roads being washed out and communities being cut off . Failures in maintaining infrastructure, such as levees and storm drains, are a common contributor to flooding.

In the Houston area, reservoirs are also an essential part of flood management, and many were at capacity from persistent rain. This forced managers to release more water when the storms hit.

For a coastal metropolis such as the Houston-Galveston area, rapidly rising sea levels can also reduce the downstream capacity to manage water. These different factors compound to increase flooding risk and highlight the need to not only move water but to find safe places to store it.

The increasing risks affect not only engineering standards, but zoning laws that govern where homes can be built and building codes that describe minimum standards for safety, as well as permitting and environmental regulations.

By addressing these issues now, communities can anticipate and avoid damage rather than only reacting when it’s too late.

Four lessons from case studies

The many effects associated with flooding show why a holistic approach to planning for climate change is necessary, and what communities can learn from one another. For example, case studies show that:

Floods can damage resources that are essential in flood recovery, such as roads, bridges and hospitals . Considering future risks when determining where and how to build these resources enhances the ability to recover from future disasters . Jackson, Mississippi’s water treatment plant was knocked offline by flooding in 2022, leaving people without safe running water. Houston’s Texas Medical Center famously prepared to manage future flooding by installing floodgates, elevating backup generators and taking other steps after heavy damage during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

Flood damage does not occur in isolation. Downpours can trigger mudslides , make sewers more vulnerable and turn manufacturing facilities into toxic contamination risks . These can become broad-scale dangers, extending far beyond individual communities.

It is difficult for an individual or a community to take on even the technical aspects of flood preparation alone – there is too much interconnectedness. Protective measures like levees or channels might protect one neighborhood but worsen the flood risk downstream . Planners should identify the appropriate regional scale, such as the entire drainage basin of a creek or river, and form important relationships early in the planning process.

Natural disasters and the ways communities respond to them can also amplify disparities in wealth and resources. Social justice and ethical considerations need to be brought into planning at the beginning.

Learning to manage complexity

In communities that my colleagues and I have worked with , we have found an increasing awareness of the challenges of climate change and rising flood risks.

In most cases, local officials’ initial instinct has been to protect property and persist without changing where people live. However, that might only buy time for some areas before people will have little option but to move .

When they examine their vulnerabilities, many of these communities have started to recognize the interconnectedness of zoning, storm drains and parks that can absorb runoff, for example. They also begin to see the importance of engaging regional stakeholders to avoid fragmented efforts to adapt that could worsen conditions for neighboring areas.

This is an updated version of an article originally published Aug. 25, 2022 .

• Climate change
• Infrastructure
• Extreme weather
• Extreme rainfall
• Disaster mitigation
• Flash flooding

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Houston metro rocked by 100 mph derecho that left 7 dead and over 1 million without power

A storm system spawned severe thunderstorms in Houston Thursday, causing at least four fatalities and leaving more than 1 million customers without power across southeastern Texas.

Deadly severe thunderstorms in Houston leave over 1 million without power

HOUSTON - A line of severe thunderstorms swept through southeastern Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, blasting the Houston area with incredible winds reaching up to 100 mph that left at least seven dead - including a mother of a newborn - and more than 1 million power customers without electricity.

The extreme wind gusts blew out windows of high-rise buildings and caused transmission towers holding power lines to crumble.

The National Weather Service in Houston called the event a derecho , which produces destructive winds over hundreds of miles and impacts millions of people.

SEE IT: DEADLY STORMS WALLOP HOUSTON AS FEROCIOUS WINDS LEAVE DESTRUCTIVE PATH ACROSS SOUTH

Windows blown out at hotel in Houston during severe storms

Rain and debris poured into the lobby at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Houston.

"Widespread debris, glass and electrical lines are in the streets," the National Weather Service warned Thursday evening.

PowerOutage.us reported that more than 800,000 people in the Houston metro area lost power, but with nearby counties also dealing with outages, the state’s tally climbed to well over 1 million customers at the storm's peak. 

NWS storm survey teams said much of the damage across much of the Houston area was straight-line winds from extreme thunderstorm downdrafts, though one EF-1 tornado was confirmed near Cypress. 

The strongest gust recorded by a wind gauge was 78 mph in the Highlands neighborhood, but based on the extent of damage, survey teams estimated thunderstorm gusts reached 90-100 mph in Baytown, while Downtown Houston had "significant" straight-line winds peaking at 100 mph. 

The investigation into the intensity of the Cypress tornado was still in progress early Friday afternoon. 

"It was kind of crazy — I was up in my bedroom and all of a sudden my alarm starts going off: ‘Tornado Warning! Tornado Warning! Take shelter,’ " Juan Alcala, who was visiting Houston form Austin, told FOX Weather.  "All of a sudden everything just turns dark, and you could see outside the wind started coming in, and the rain — it was just dark."

SOME HOUSTON RESIDENTS TOLD COULD BE ‘WEEKS’ WITHOUT POWER AS 90S HEAT RETURNS

Mother of newborn among 7 killed by storm

Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at least four people were killed by the storm, and state resources were being requested to help with the recovery. At least two were killed by falling trees, and a third was killed by a falling crane, officials said.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office reported an additional three fatalities on Friday evening that were all considered to be indirectly or directly tied to the storm.

4 killed as severe storms blast Houston area with 75+ mph wind

A mother of a newborn was among four killed when a line of severe thunderstorms brought ferocious winds to the Houston area Thursday night, FOX 26 Houston reports.

A 31-year-old woman who had recently given birth to her fourth child was killed when a tree fell across their car in their driveway, according to FOX 26 Houston. The station reports the woman had concerns about the stability of the tree in the storm and had gone out to the car to move it out of the way when the tree toppled, pinning her inside.

A 73-year-old man was killed while working inside a cement truck when a crane toppled into the cab, FOX 26 reported. 

Man killed after crane falls on cement truck during Houston's severe storm

A man was killed when a large crane fell on a cement truck during a severe storm in Houston on Thursday, officials say. The tragic incident unfolded about 6:40 p.m. CDT Thursday on Wingate near 75th Street.

"We had a storm with 100 mph winds — the equivalent of Hurricane Ike. (There's) considerable damage downtown," Whitmire said during a press conference Thursday night. "We had firefighters taking live wires off (Interstate) 290 that was blocking thoroughfares."

(FOX Weather)

Whitmire warned that 2,500 traffic lights across the city were down, "and they will be down for considerable hours."

METRO Houston reported several disruptions to its METRORail lines, with debris covering tracks in several locations. Bus shuttles were providing emergency service, but officials warned that bus routes were encountering significant delays and detours due to damage around the city. 

Several windows were broken in downtown Houston high-rise buildings during severe weather on May 16, 2024.

(Chief Samuel Peña, Houston Fire Dept. / FOX Weather)

"We’re absolutely focused right now on trying to deal with the numerous roads that are blocked by fallen trees, power lines, and debris from some of the structures," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told FOX Weather. "So we’re coordinating with some of the different crews that are going to be out there so we are asking everybody to be patient as they navigate around some of the slow traffic."

‘Rain and debris poured into the lobby’

WATCH A WIND TURBINE DISINTEGRATE IN TEXAS AFTER A LIGHTNING STRIKE

The local National Weather Service office issued several Tornado Warnings for the Houston metro on Thursday evening, but by the time the storms cleared, strong winds were believed to have caused most of the damage.

"The roof of the Hyatt Regency downtown blew out," a customer at the hotel told FOX Weather. "Rain and debris poured down to the lobby."

He said staff were doing their best to keep people safe and away from the debris.

Damage is left behind after severe thunderstorms swept through Houston on May 16, 2024. ( )

A 31-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell across her vehicle on May 16, 2024. ( )

Window damage to downtown Houston business on 5/16/2024 (Matt Horn/FOX 26 Houston)

Damage around the Houston metro after severe storms (Cy-Fair Fire Department.)

Severe storm damage outside of Houston, Texas (Justin Reed/Cy-Fair Fire Department)

Harris County, Texas storm damage ( )

Tree damage in Katy, Texas during Thursday's severe storms (Katy, Texas EM)

Power pole damage during severe storm in Houston on 5/16/2024 (City of Houston)

Flooding of roadways around Harris County, Texas on 5/16/2024 (Harris County Sheriff's Office)

Storm clouds move over Houston on May 16, 2024. (@khvetkevych via X)

Windows appeared to be blown out in other downtown buildings, including around the Wells Fargo Plaza. 

Listen to wind howl through Wells Fargo Plaza in downtown Houston

A tornado-warned storm rolled into the Houston-metro area shortly before 6 p.m. CDT Thursday. Guests in the lobby of Wells Fargo Plaza could hear the pounding winds driving torrential rains outside with debris flying by the windows. Wind reports up to 78 mph were reported in the area with widespread damage reported of homes, downed trees and blown out windows in downtown skyscrapers.

The broken glass and debris forced city leaders to implore non-essential downtown workers to stay home on Friday and ask business owners to be flexible with employee absences.

In nearby Minute Maid Park, wind and water were seen blowing into the building, but the severe weather did not appear to affect the play of the Astros baseball game.

Rain and wind sweep through before the game between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics Minute Maid Park on May 16, 2024 in Houston, Texas.

(Logan Riely / Getty Images)

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"It is all hands on deck tonight…Downtown is a mess, so stay at home tonight and tomorrow," Whitmire said.

Local residents described the storm's impacts as hurricane-like despite the severe weather lasting less than an hour.

Due to the severe weather, ground stops were also issued at Bush Intercontinental Airport and Houston William P. Hobby Airport. At the peak of the storm, gusts at both airports reached 62 mph.  A gust of 71 mph was clocked in College Station, while Cypress hit a gust of 65 mph.

The Houston school district closed all public schools on Friday and said they would reopen Monday. 

The dangerous thunderstorms were expected to transition into a flood threat during the overnight hours as already saturated grounds were expected to receive an additional 2-5 inches of rainfall.

Damaged buildings in downtown Houston during severe storm

A tornado-warned storm caused significant damage in downtown Houston, with windows blown out of tall buildings on Thursday evening.

Dangerous heat returns as hundreds of thousands remain without power

While the storms' clouds and rain kept temperatures in the low 80s Friday, the return of late springtime heat looms for Houston this weekend into next week, leaving the hundreds of thousands still without power with the daunting reality that they may not have air conditioning.

According to Harris County Executive Judge Lina Hidalgo, 10 energy transmission lines are down.

"If you are tied into the transmission lines that fell… just like in (Hurricane) Ike, you are going to have to go a couple of weeks, most likely, without power," Hidalgo said. 

Highs on Saturday and Sunday are expected to climb back into the low 90s around Houston, and with typical humid Gulf air in place, heat index readings are expected to reach the mid 90s.

"We are looking at a multiday event," said Paul Lock with Centerpoint Energy. "If you depend on life-saving equipment, you need to make plans now to find another place to stay."

Houston businesses see major damage from derecho

A line of storms with winds of at least 100 mph impacted parts of East and Southeast Texas on Friday, causing over 1 million power outages and days of clean-up.

84 mph wind rakes New Orleans as storms sweep Gulf Coast

The line of severe thunderstorms continued their march across the Gulf Coast Thursday night into early Friday morning, leaving a trail of wind damage and power outages there in their wake.

Tens of thousands lost power in New Orleans, part of 200,000 power outages in Louisiana during the peak of the storm.  New Orleans International Airport recorded two gusts of 84 mph and another gust of 76 mph, as New Orleans’ Lakefront Airport recorded a gust of 82 mph.  Accompanying heavy rains left some streets and underpasses flooded around the New Orleans area.

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• Extreme Weather

Texas power outage map: Severe storms leave nearly 800,000 homes, businesses without power

Severe storms hit southeastern Texas on Thursday, killing four people, downing trees and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes in the Houston area and surrounding areas.

Houston woke up to scenes of destruction on after severe storms with winds of up to 100 mph spewed debris across roads, and littered the ground downtown with broken glass. Officials confirmed that four people died in the storm.

"We're in recovery mode," Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.

In a news conference on Thursday evening, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said two of the deaths were caused by falling trees, while a third person died in a crane accident.

At the news conference, Whitmire urged residents to continue to stay home amid the dangerous road conditions. Widespread power outages had also knocked out traffic lights across the city, posing traffic control hazards for morning commuters. Whitmire said officials were also "concerned" about the dangers of broken glass on roadways.

"Downtown is a mess. It's dangerous due to the glass and the lack of traffic lights," he said. "So stay at home. I can't emphasize that, repeat that enough."

"Please do not drive in Downtown Houston tonight, or for that matter, anywhere else in the region that sustained storm damage," the National Weather Service office that serves Houston and Galveston said on social media Thursday night . "Widespread debris, glass and electrical lines are in the streets. Follow local news media and emergency management officials recommendations."

Flights were grounded at Houston's two major airports because of the weather. Sustained winds topping 60 mph were recorded at Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Associated Press reports. The Houston Independent School District also canceled classes Friday at all of its schools.

Houston storm coverage: Houston in 'recovery mode' after storm kills 4, widespread power outages

Texas power outage map

There were over 772,000 power outages reported across the state as of 6 a.m. CT Friday morning, according to a USA TODAY power outage tracker .

There were over 414,000 outages reported in Harris County, by far the highest total in the state. Fort Bend County had over 29,000 reported outages while Chambers County had over 24,000 reported outages.

Texas severe weather watches and warnings

Friday's forecast sees a potential for more rain in the Houston and Galveston area, although the NWS says it is not expecting "anything near as robust as Thursday's line of storms."

Most of the rain is expected to fall along and south of the I-10 corridor, with an additional half inch to inch forecast south of I-10. Rain chances are expected to taper off going into the late afternoon and early evening hours, according to the NWS.

Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

4 dead as severe storms hit Houston area; hundreds of thousands lose power in Texas

Emergency crews in southeast Texas were clearing debris and assessing flooding on Friday after powerful storms tore through the state , killing at least four people and knocking out power to nearly 800,000 customers.

The winds — which reached 100 mph — were reminiscent of 2008's Hurricane Ike , one of the costliest natural disasters in American history, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a briefing Thursday. A widespread 3 to 6 inches of rain fell north of Houston, with one of the highest totals reaching around 6.9 inches in 24 hours near Romayor.

The storm also battered New Orleans overnight, with severe thunderstorms and flooding possible again through Saturday morning, according to the local branch of the National Weather Service .

In Texas, the destruction was evident even before sunrise, with high winds tearing out windows of high-rise buildings in downtown Houston and inundating the region with flooding. Streets were littered with glass, electrical lines and other detritus.

“I know that many people lived through, and are still living through, scary situations with the terrible strong winds that blew across our county tonight," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement Friday morning.

"Damage assessments are ongoing, and we cannot know how long it will take to clear debris without those assessments completed, but from initial reports the debris looks very significant," Hidalgo said.

Classes were canceled for the 400,000 students in the Houston Independent School District.

Officials urged all but essential employees to work from home if possible, and the Houston Police Department told residents to avoid traveling downtown.

Two of the four people who died in Texas were killed by falling trees, while a third died when a crane blew over, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said at a news briefing. No information was given about the fourth. Whitmire said a possible fifth death is being investigated, but it’s not yet clear if it was related to the weather.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott thanked emergency personnel in a statement, saying work is ongoing to assist communities affected by the storms.

“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives due to severe weather in Southeast Texas, and we remain in contact with local officials to do everything we can to protect Texans and help our communities recover,” Abbott said.

At one point, more than 900,000 customers were without power statewide; that remained true for around 670,000 as of 3 p.m. CT,  according to poweroutage.us . Nearly all of those were in Houston’s Harris County.

Heat and humidity in the city will ramp up into the weekend, which could lead to health concerns if power is not restored quickly. Temperatures could be as high as 91 degrees with a heat index of 97.

Across Houston, photos and videos on social media showed intense flooding and downed trees, as well as toppled electrical towers and power lines .

In a video posted to Facebook , rain was seen leaking into Minute Maid Park, where the Houston Astros play. Another video showed baseball fans leaving the stadium amid the bad weather.

Strong winds appeared to have blown off roof panels at a Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston, a video posted to X showed. Other footage shared on the platform showed blown out windows in a building in the city's Wells Fargo Plaza.

Whitmire described downtown Houston as a “mess” and warned that “many roads are impassible due to downed power lines, debris, and fallen trees.” 

Firefighters were removing live wires from Route 290 and most city traffic lights were down, he added. 

In Louisiana, the severe weather knocked out electricity for some 215,000 customers, many in and around New Orleans. Around 115,000 remained without power as of Friday morning.

A swath of the southeast coast, stretching from Louisiana, through Mississippi, Alabama and into the Florida Panhandle, was under a flood watch early Friday.

The National Weather Service said in an afternoon update that unsettled weather, including the possibility of excessive rainfall and severe thunderstorms, will persist across the Southeast through Saturday.

Around 7 million people along the central Gulf Coast remain under flood watches.

“A few tornadoes, scattered damaging winds, and hail all appear possible over the central/eastern Gulf Coast area,” according to the National Weather Service.

The agency also noted a risk of severe thunderstorms in portions of the northern Plains through Friday evening.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

Alexander Smith is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital based in London.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.