I don’t usually ask for chance me - but trying to assess if its even worth applying - with that really appreciate if you can give your thoughts on OOS admission chances in CS.
Quick stats: 1590-SAT; 800’s in 3 subject tests; 15 AP’s by end of hs - mostly 5’s in completed tests so far. Most rigorous curriculum in the HS with 4.85W GPA and top 6% of class but UW is a bit lower at 3.85. State level awards/competition wins in math/cs. 2xAIME qualified; summer research/internships in math/cs.
I didn’t apply in EA thinking my chances are low (and concentrated on other univ) - now am trying to expand my search for RD apps. UT-Austin will understandably be a reach but wondering if its even worth applying in RD (will at least try if chances are no more worse than in EA). Some univ seems to fill most of their class in EA - is it same at UT? any thoughts on my chances?
PS: I visited UT-A and liked it; have friends and liked everything about it and while fees is higher all my alternatives have same/similar price tag - so fees and fit is not a concern - question is about my chances.
UT-Austin reserves 90% of their applicants for Texas residents. At best your chances are no more than 10%. CS is also ridiculously selective, and most are going to be auto-admits(Texas residents). Chances would be slim to none. Also, of course, you’re paying triple the tuition compared to in-state.
Honestly, there’s nothing UT offers that you couldn’t get in your home state for a fraction of the cost.
I have a different take on this. First, I do think you have a solid chance - your SAT is near perfect, your rank is good, and your academics and extras sound impressive. Yes UT is a hard admit OOS and CS is one of the toughest admits at UT, but I think you stand a pretty good chance.
Second, UT’s CS school is one of the best in the country. I don’t know that it necessarily would be easy to get a same or near level program in your home state. Yes UT is expensive OOS, but if you know you want to go into CS, you feel like you love UT, and your family can afford it, I think you may want to go for it. In any event you should apply and see how all your results shake out.
I know UT CS students and I hear their complaints. I have no idea why the program is highly ranked.
UT CS students have problems getting into needed classes.
You are limited on how many CS classes you can take during a semester.
Project grading by underclassmen TAs is slow. You might turn in 5 assignments and none will be graded before midterms. So you don’t know how you are doing.
Most CS profs don’t really know how to code themselves.
Campus is cramped and not green.
UT is very expensive to be shoe horned in with 50k other students.
The only thing great about UT is that it is in Austin.
@Greymeer
People see the rank for their CS Grad Program and think it applies to undergrad. We live inthe Austin area and have heard the same complaints (fwiw- DS18 is a high stats 1590 SAT, 800 Math 2 and Physics SAT2, ranked #9 in out of almost 700 in a very competitive high school, NMF… he opted to not to go to UT Austin for many of the reasons mentioned.
The problem will be that there may be no seats left in a program like CS, especially since you did not apply early. This is not an issue that only UT-Austin has. At a lot of state schools , a very important number, sometimes the most important number, is date your application is received. Once the seats are filled, the doors are shut.
If there are any seats left, I think you’d be a prime candidate. You have excellent academic stats. You are a great catch for any school. But UT has the additional constraint of having to take the top 6% of graduating seniors in state, which makes it very difficult for anyone outside of that category, and not a special candidate (athlete, development, conne,toon, celebrity etc) to have a seat because there simply are none left.
Simply put, you will have a Chance by applying and zero chance by not submitting an application by Dec 2nd. No one can give you a precise chance.
With that being said please understand that UT uses the word priority deadline and not EA, but it has NO impact on your chances of admission as an OOS applicant being priority vs regular deadline simply just an decision update by Feb 1st or March 1st.
“PS: I visited UT-A and liked it; have friends and liked everything about it and while fees is higher all my alternatives have same/similar price tag - so fees and fit is not a concern - question is about my chances.”
For non-Texans… UTA, is University of Texas at Arlington. Austin is simply UT.
You should apply–you have stellar stats and you like Austin and the school. At this point you’re probably an ace at the college short-answer essay and the app is not bad even though its not the Common App. Yes, 90% of the admits will be from Texas but every year I see OOS kids we know getting into UT. And its a great school. And why posters alway say “why would you waste the money stay home and go to your state school” when you said cost is not a factor…no idea. You’ve gotten some honest advice about the CS program which I would look into, but 4 years in Austin is not a bad plan at all–Good Luck.
Thanks all for the advice and opinion - I decided to apply (one of earlier hesitation was about time - but I either have essays or have to write similar essays for other apps anyway, so going ahead). Rolling the dice 