UF lags behind when it comes to “Mechanical Engineering”. My S28’s interest. They have received an endowment and a US Defense contract (Space robots) for Aeronautical Engineering. It’s more classrooms and theory vice hands-on and project-based, there is no “Engineering Center” like Auburn’s Ginn Center or Texas A&M’s Zach Center, Also UF dorms are older and not updated, and Gainesville is a crime-ridden crap hole.
Also, Auburn started exclusively as an Engineering school and is spending a lot of money to expand its Engineering “footprint” which is just under 40% of students enrolled, and just under 40% of “campus square footage” allocated to Engineering. The engineering department told us that their footprint will probably exceed 50% prior to our son graduating in 2028.
Oh that’s a really good point. Yeah, we visited 2 years ago with D23 and it was still very much Covid times (we couldn’t go into all the buildings, students were wearing masks) and even THEN, the AO’s were double-talking the test-optional stuff. I came away with the distinct impression that "test-optional’ was for applicants whose scores were tremendously impacted by Covid/ life situations/ disabilities, not just those who didn’t want to log into College board and transfer a score they were less than enthused about.
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Our son was deferred to regular decision pool. OOS California. Over 4.15 GPA, 3.95 uw. High rigor, most senior year AP, leadership based ECs, NHS, golf caddy, club and jv soccer and jv golf. He did not take the SAT or ACT. California SAT-ACT test prep industry is nearly non-existent and cost prohibitive given all the UC, CSU, and many private in state California colleges are permanently test blind. Clearly, Auburn University is bias on test scores with all their applicants.
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You are Correct. “Early Decision” in which up to $17,000 per year of scholarship money will be “Merit” Awarded per student. Considering that, Test Scores WILL be part of the applicants’ total package. TO or “Test Optional” is NOT Optional when considering Early Decision and Merit Money awarded. Auburn Recruiters across the country make this very clear.
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You keep saying Early Decision - I think you mean Early Acceptance. Very different things and Auburn does not have Early Decision.
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Maybe have him take the test this fall? You can still send test scores and they will consider them. Ask your admissions advisor if he could be put into one of the later EA rounds if test scores are sent. We are also in CA and I knew early on that my son needed test scores as he is looking primarily outside of California. We didn’t do any formal test prep but did the free Khan Academy SAT test prep and hired a tutor a couple times. I was surprised how good Khan was and they have 9 practice tests you can take online.
Correct Early Acceptance
Question: Did anyone at all who applied EA first round without submitting test scores get accepted? Just curious. My daughter is in EA 2 and didn’t submit them. Not her top choice, thankfully, as we are fully expecting to be deferred based on what I’m hearing.
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Are you suggesting to apply multiple times (submit the same application again in a later round this time with test scores)? You can’t do that.
I’m pretty sure based on the wording of the FAQ is that if you submitted TO and were deferred you 100% do NOT have the option of submitting scores now - regardless of if you take tests later and score better. I’m not saying that’s the way Auburn should be doing it or not but seems pretty definitive in their responses.
Appreciate the question. My OOS daughter was deferred in round 1 and applied test optional.
I have not yet seen anyone post a test optional acceptance…it seems like deferrals and rejections from what has been posted.
My daughter has a 3.94 unweighted and 4.13 weighted GPA with multiple APs and Honors coursework. We felt she had a chance of overcoming the test preferred situation.
We will hang in there and hope for better news from Auburn down the line.
Such a terrific University! Best of luck to you all and congrats again to all those admitted!
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no, i’m not suggesting that. I’m suggesting you call your admissions advisor and ask if you can send in scores that you take this Fall and ask if your application can be revisited in one of the later EA rounds (rather than RD). Might not be possible but worth asking. But if you’d rather not test, then wait for RD. Good luck!
Thanks for the response, I haven’t seen a single test optional acceptance either. I hope this is helpful to read for those applying next year! My OOS daughter has a 4.0 unweighted and multiple APs and dual enrollment. She didn’t submit her 1280 SAT, sounds like she’ll have the opportunity to do so after she gets deferred. We will see how her other acceptances play out, I guess. If she knew it wasn’t really test optional, she would have sent it; but if we went to a tour and communicated with admissions, we probably would have known that, so…
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Earlier not from @RLKoester
CAN I CHANGE MY APPLICATION TO TESTOPTIONAL OR WITH A TEST SCORE?
No. Since you have received an admission decision, your chosen
application pathway is confirmed and cannot be changed.
with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and multiple APs I think it’s HIGHLY likely she will be admitted eventually, regardless of test scores.
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My son was deferred and is crushed…
4.2 GPA
1240 SAT
Honors/AP classes
OOS
His sister graduated in 2017 from Auburn and got in early with a 3.5 
this is crazy!
He took the SAT again recently…what do y’all think his chances of getting in are?
Honestly, I think he has a very good chance based on last years threads. I think he will be admitted in the spring. Obviously I have no idea how much more competitive this year’s early applicant pool is, but seems many with lower stats were admitted last spring after being deferred. They may just ask him to send fall grades and admit him then. Fingers crossed.
Edit- want to clarify I am not saying his stats are low, I mean that many with lower stats than him we admitted later in the year.
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According the AU website, only 9 percent of students admitted last year (Class of 2023) were test optional. Doesn’t sound that optional!
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S23 was admitted last year with VERY similar stats (also OOS). Those numbers this year might be on the threshold of what they’re considering for admit and they’ll wait to see how EAII and RD applications play out to decide where the line gets drawn but I would think chances are good for your son.
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As I have posted before…AU has been consistently raising the bar on OOS Admissions SATs/GPA since pre-covid. AU has been marketing OOS as an “elite southern” school. When I mean OOS, I mean Florida, the Northeast, Mid-West, and West, NOT OOS the South, GA, Miss, etc.
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