Hello! I’m a high school senior from Louisiana, and I have become more and more interested in UT Austin. Originally, I saw that their acceptance rate is 40% and that I surpassed their ACT score averages. However, further research showed me that UT Austin gets about 80% of their students from students who fall under the 10% rule and automatically get in. I was very curious as to what UT is looking for from an OoS student and whether, based solely on scores, I would have a decent chance. I’ve read other entries on this site and, while they are a little dated, the answers for how hard it is for an OoS student ranged from “a 30 ACT and above average grades” to “it’s basically Ivy League” and I’m very confused.
My scores are a 32 ACT and a 1290 SAT (the SAT will more than likely not be reported), a 3.71 unweighted GPA, and extracurriculars including choir, 380 hours of service from areas such as NHS, a social media internship, summer camp volunteering, etc. , and two jobs (a paying choir and a paid internship).
A big question is what major would you be applying for. If it is a competitive major which include engineering, CS, business, nursing and I’m sure there are more, it would be difficult for you to get accepted. If it is a less competitive major like humanities, your odds would increase. Do not send the SAT score and make sure you write a great essay. Make sure you apply to other schools because UT is not a safety and does not offer much aid for OOS students.
That’s a good question because, quite honestly, my school puts next to no emphasis on it and I can’t seem to find it on my transcript. But I know it’s not top 10%, which is what worries me so much about applying to UT.
What major did you prefer? UT’s in-state auto admit is actually cut off at 6%. If you are aiming for a competitive major (business,CS, Engineering), I think UT will be a reach with your SAT & rank. That’s just my opinion though.