@3scoutsmom it is extremely difficult to get scholarship $$ at A&M, unless NM s/f or from an identified (need based) Century Scholar school.
@compscy doesn’t fall into either category.
UTD is the much better choice (imo)-direct major admit and chance of $$ is much higher.
@52AG82 Totally agree and OP lives close enough to commute so he won’t have to go into debit for Room & Board. He is truly fortunate to have such a great, affordable option locally.
Do you know if UT Austin prefers to admit those that send SAT scores than those that don’t? In my mind, I would think colleges would prefer to do so since they may believe those that don’t would have a below average score.
I believe I have a decent application, though I’m not in the top 6% (1 rank off), and usually only top 6% go TO since they are auto right?
Theyr CDS or website do t give info that I can find.
I imagine, but don’t know, that submitting, especially in CS is better than not if it adds value to your candidacy. You’d have to ask.
That said, a 1370 is unlikely to help. I would apply there TO.
You might reach out to the school to see if you can find official stats, if you can’t find them. I can’t.
Theoretically yes, but your 1370 isn’t likely to move the needle much for CS at UT. You’ll be competing with kids applyibg with 1450-1500 scores. 
1370 would get you an automatic scholarship at Truman State and very likely would at UMN Morris (very good for CS) not to mention help at quite a few solid private colleges (St Olaf, Marist…) but you’d need to run the NPC on them.
Generally speaking, going test optional just means not sending the scores to the college through CollegeBoard right? Do I have to leave it out of my application too? I remember submitting my very below average scores long ago last year and I’m worried they may still have it.
For big schools MS State and Alabama too …$26.5k off $32k tuition at the latter.
I thought OP settled on UTD. Even if they get in at Austin, the major isn’t assured. It doesn’t hurt to try of course.
The application will black out scores for test optional candidates.
For other universities (UTD, also TX State, TX Tech, UT SA…) do include them.
If you mark the app Test Optional (you’ll be asked), they won’t use scores.
Oh yeah, likely I’ll end up at UTD if I don’t get into the major at UT Austin. Definitely doesn’t hurt to try all my options. So if I get into UT Austin, I would have to declare my major after admittance, and wait for a result back later?
Others will answer but I believe they admit by major but not everyone gets the major they want.
You have a plan - UTD as a fall back.
Stop worrying. Focus your time on getting apps in - and you’ll see what happens.
Posting here is becoming a detriment to you.
You’re incredibly lucky to have UTD affordable and guaranteed when it’s so strong for CS. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt in that you don’t realize what a strong option you have close to home, even commutable if you don’t get enough financial aid to dorm. Most CS applicants we see would be green with envy.
UT will admit you to a major, “cap” you (capped students spend a year on another campus and if they pass their pre-req classes there, can go to UT for a Liberal Arts major, ie., not a BS in CS) or deny you.
Your odds of getting into UT CS without top 6% or without a 5 in APCalc and/or a 1450+score are so minuscule that you really shouldn’t waste time on that.
Apply to affordable universities and their Honors colleges.
UTD is so strong for CS it’s hard to see what colleges would compete with it but you can always apply to other TX publics or the colleges listed above if you wish to go OOS and the NPC shows them as affordable (for the record, those would be TX state, TX Tech, UT SA instate; St Olaf, Marist, Truman State, UMN-Morris, UAlabama, UAHunstville, Mississipi State out of state.)
Get those apps in ASAP, time is running out.
Then if you have time apply to UT, no problem-but get the UTD Honors and other apps in first.
I appreciate all the help. I’ll be finishing up apps within the next few days. For the colleges that require an additional essay, could I reuse my Common Application essay? For instance, some schools don’t require the Common App essay, but have their own, could I just reuse it there? What about if it requires both? Could I switch up my Common App essay to fit the writing prompt of the college’s additional essay?
If a school didn’t require common, then you can use it - if it works with the prompt. Watch for word counts, etc.
If you used common and it has another, then you’d not be wise to use the Common a second time - even re-worked. Come up wtih something new.
Most importantly, make sure you answer the prompt.
If your Apply Texas essay is significantly different from your Commonapp essay (different theme, examples, etc) you can use the 2 essays.
Otherwise you need to write something entirely different.
However many private colleges and Honors colleges at private universities use the supplemental essay to determine whether you’re suitable for their program, how good a fit you are for them, how well you know their strengths in relation to yours… so it needs to be customized to each college. It takes a long time to do that so be ready to spend an hour every day on those at least 
. 10 days left 
Colleges will have access to each of your essays submitted to them and submitting the same topic for all essays is going to be very detrimental.
You can dedicate October 31 to UT once you’re done with all other apps.
In the end, where have you determined it’s affordable and are applying to? (Put the npc net cost for each university next to its name if you want us to suggest similar universities -though you already have been suggested a few).
If you got Auto then everything is different and 
WOW CONGRATULATIONS !!!
Now, 
that you get CS
I think since I’m auto, the chances go up a bit so that’s exciting news. Thanks for the help!
@compscy congrats on UT acceptance! So happy for you!
However…UT won’t provide any (or very little) $$ and CompSci will be incredibly tough to get into.
I’d still pursue UTD, imo…
