A few questions

<p>Hey everyone I am very interested in UT and have a few questions. First of all the size is a major concern for me. I have spent my entire life living in a small Alaskan town. So do you just get eaten up by a college that size? Secondly what is it like being an out of state student? I know that the majority of people are from Texas and I doubt that I will find anyone else from Alaska there. Finally it seems like it has a really major party scene. This is one aspect of college that I am not interested in at all. So is there a big pressure to get involved in that whole scene? Thanks for helping me.</p>

<p>You're going to have a really difficult time getting in from out-of-state. Texas law requires 90% be Texans, and there are usually more than that at UT.</p>

<p>And though I don't go there (yet at least lol), the consensus is that with so many kids, UT is whatever you want it to be.</p>

<p>Oh I know it is tough to get into for an out of stater. Sort of an understatement (more like impossible). I am actually not all that worried about getting in though. My stats are really pretty good and I am sort of a legacy. It is one of those situations though where if I get in great and if I don't oh well. I just find it funny that since I am an out of stater my chances for getting into Rice double and my chances for a UT acceptance are cut in half.</p>

<p>Legacies don't count for anything at UT. Also, going from Alaska to Texas might be a huge culture/climate shock - last week, the high was 88 in Austin.</p>

<p>Publics are mainly interested in educating kids in state and keeping them there after college (in the state I mean). Most private schools don't care where you're from.</p>

<p>O.K. thanks for your help. Guess I won't bother even applying than since they don't want out of state students. Oh and just for your information the majority of Alaskans end up going to warm places for school especially to places in New Mexico and Arizona. It is almost impossible for me to ever be warm so when I spent a month in Dallas this past summer I was the only one wearing sweaters and jackets. Thanks for the info now I can just cross it off my list and save myself the money.</p>

<p>If it's a school you're dying to go to or something, you might as well apply if you do believe you can get in. If it's just another school on the list (not one of your top choices), then yeah, I'd toss it out.</p>

<p>Best of luck! :)</p>

<p>(sorry, I just don't want to be mishaping your future or anything lol)</p>

<p>The problem with my list of schools is that as of yet it only has one university on it. That was Rice which I applied early decision to. Now I really need to come up with the rest of my list so I can have the applications ready to send just in case I get a rejection letter come December.</p>

<p>I don't think that it's impossible for you to get in. I think that it's worth a shot even though I don't know your stats. Keep in mind that the weather in Austin is above 100 degrees for long periods of time during the summer. It might be just kind of a hard to get used to since we have to walk a lot.</p>

<p>But at the same time you don't get to Austin until the last week in August - it's hot until late October. The high today is around 80.</p>

<p>That stretch of 100+ weather killed me this August and I'm from Dallas, but if you plan on living on campus it's not a big deal because there is a lot of shade.</p>

<p>Well I plan on coming back to Alaska for the summers anway so that shouldn't matter a great deal. Here are my most significant stats
Ranked 1/204
Close to a 1,000 hours of community service
Have been elected to 4 significant leadership positions
Taken the toughest course load available and received a 5 on A.P. U.S. History
Held a part time job since 8th grade
Amazing letters of recomendation from teachers that went to Princeton and Yale
An amazing essay that has won a few awards
At least six significant awards from my school district</p>

<p>I only have a 27 on my ACT though and that is hurting me at all of the schools that I am applying too.</p>

<p>Your rank and ECs could get you in...try your hand at the SAT if possible, and if you are going to apply, apply ASAP - UT fills as space permits. </p>

<p>And yes, Dallas/Austin were unusually hot this year.</p>

<p>Yeah you're telling me... I was at ACL, 103 degree weather at times :( needless to say I spent a lot of money that weekend keeping hydrated.</p>

<p>Does UT just randomely send out information? It is just so odd because I have been considering it as an option and than I got a big envelope in the mail today with a ton of stuff in it.... Of course all of the good dorms will now be filled right? I would be tempted to apply yet I don't want to do it until I know for sure that Rice has rejected me which is not until about December 20th. So if all of the dorms are not gone by now they will be by the time I apply. Hmmmmmm....</p>

<p>Yeah I think UT does randomly send out info. As for what you should do, you can always apply for the private dorms. Their rates are pretty comparable with the rates you'd pay for UT dorms. They're just as good, if not better. The main advantage with them is you know what you're getting when you apply for it (for instance, with UT dorms you can pick Jester but they might put you in Simkins anyway), and they dont fill up till May-ish.</p>

<p>Plus private dorms have less strict policies and PRIVATE BATHROOMS</p>

<p>So say if I apply around Jan 15th I should still have a shot at getting into a good dorm? I don't want to end up in some nasty place that everyone else has rejected.</p>

<p>You should apply for housing NOWWWWW you don't even have to be accepted into the university...you will prolly get Jester or some crap small dorm...don't even think about San Jac at this point</p>