The name that often comes up among the Korean community in Dallas is UTD.

University of Texas at Dallas. To start with, it's located in Richardson.

About 20 miles north of downtown Dallas. This is a significant advantage because if you send your child out of state, tuition, dorm fees, and flight costs can really add up.

But UTD is a state university in Texas, so tuition is significantly reduced for Texas residents.

And if commuting is possible? It's a game changer. The tuition for a private university for one semester can cover more than a year at UTD.

Parents who have experienced the financial strain of tuition in the U.S. will understand this immediately.

The school's history is also interesting. It was founded in 1969 by executives from Texas Instruments (TI). You've heard of TI, right? The company that makes calculators.

Originally, it was established to cultivate tech industry talent in the area, so it has always had a strong engineering focus.

That's why engineering and computer science are its strengths. It started as a graduate school but later grew into a comprehensive university, and now it has over 30,000 students.

That's not a small number. While it may not be as large as Texas A&M or UT Austin, it is still a sufficiently large school.

But what I really want to highlight is the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

This department ranks highly in national engineering rankings. It offers programs in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and software engineering.

Where do graduates go? Texas Instruments, AT&T, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Deutsche Bank Texas branch. Everything is taken care of locally.

When looking for jobs in the U.S., having connections in the area is really important.

UTD is deeply rooted in the Dallas Metroplex, so local companies actively recruit graduates.

The business school is also impressive. The Naveen Jindal School of Management. Its MBA program is highly regarded, and the undergraduate business program is solid.

Even students who aren't interested in STEM can major in business here. For Korean families, having diverse options is a significant advantage.

Scholarships like the National Merit Scholar scholarship are very well-known, offering substantial benefits to students who score well on the PSAT. In some cases, it can cover almost full tuition.

That's why Korean parents often say, "Let's keep UTD as a backup" while preparing their kids for the PSAT.

There are also various merit-based scholarships like the Academic Excellence Scholarship, making it an attractive university for students who have done well academically.

Instead of paying $60,000 or $70,000 like at private universities, there are cases where students attend almost for free while receiving scholarships.

The student body has a very high percentage of Asian students. There are a significant number of Indian students, and there are also quite a few Korean students.

It's a campus full of diversity. And to be honest, it can be a bit competitive.

The study atmosphere is intense. It's not a party school. So it's perfect for those who are serious about studying, but it might be a bit dull for those expecting a vibrant campus life.

The campus is located at 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, right next to the US-75 Central Expressway.

And it's really convenient that the DART Red Line train station (UTD/Cityline station) is connected to the school.

The Korean Student Association is active. Parents know how important it is for 1.5 and 2nd generation Korean Americans to meet friends who speak Korean.

UTD has a strong community. Even as freshmen, upperclassmen look out for them, and connections continue after graduation.

For Korean families in Dallas, if their child is going into engineering or business, it's affordable, commuting is possible, scholarships are plentiful, and job placement is strong.

Isn't that almost a perfect school? Honestly, it's something to be proud of in the community.

When we say our child attends UTD, Koreans immediately respond, "Oh, that's a good school."