<p>We're considering some very hypothetical questions as our kids have a few years to go before they are Longhorn freshmen. Maybe some of you have some insight into these issues.</p>
<p>Given the mediocre state of public secondary education, we're considering letting our kids attend a competitive out-of-state boarding prep school. Of course, this would mean they go from a high probability of ranking in the top ten percent of their high school class class, to a rather low probability. </p>
<p>We're looking several years down the road, and there's no guarantee these kids will want to attend UT Austin, but I'd like for them to have the option. In contrast to public secondary school, I feel like they could get a first-rate education at UT. </p>
<p>In our desire to provide them with the best secondary education possible, are we ruining their chances to get into UT?</p>
<p>How does UT look at an in-state applicant from an out-of-state, competitive, prep school? For the sake of argument, suppose they're at the 50th percentile of their prep school class, and they have slightly above average SAT or ACT scores for UT. (I think they may do much better, but let's be conservative in our assumptions.)</p>
<p>(Hopefully, by the time these kids are applying to UT, the ten percent rule will be a distant memory. What are the odds of it being phased out?)</p>
<p>Any scheme where it is modified to top 4-6% would definitely help, because the result would be admitting more applicants based on the totality of their merit, rather than solely class rank.</p>
<p>Some people would disagree with me and vigorously defend the local high schools. Perhaps calling them “mediocre” is too harsh. There are some kids who have come out of these schools and do really well, but I believe they do well <em>in spite of</em> their weak high school education, rather than as a result of it.</p>
<p>I’d rather spend the big bucks giving them a first rate high school education, and get off inexpensively at our flagship university, than get a free, but substandard, public high school education, followed by a private college that is really no better than UT, and quite possibly worse. But the top ten percent rule is altering the calculation.</p>
<p>Although I can tell that you’re thinking of what’s best for your kids, I can say from experience that attending an elite boarding prep school is not always in the best interest of a high school student. Since UT cares solely on class rank regarding in-state admissions, I would say that it is important above all else to be in the top 10%. But UT aside, attending an elite prep school compared to public high schools, provided that you’re looking at fairly good ones, is not much, if at all, a step up in the quality of education. </p>
<p>One of my good friends, ranked 2/1270 in our sophomore year in high school, took a brave step and decided to attend Phillips Exeter Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. He is still ranked at the top of his class, but despite this as well as a 2350 SAT score, he recently got rejected from Penn. I don’t know what else he could’ve done, but I’m fairly sure that he could’ve gotten rejected from Penn in the comforts of his home in Texas as well as saved his parents a pretty penny. </p>
<p>If you think your kids have any intention whatsoever about attending school in Texas, then I would say that it is absolutely imperative that they attend a public texas school and graduate in the top 10%. I can vouch for public schools since I am a public school student myself.</p>
<p>Although, not to be impartial, boarding schools have some of the coolest extracurriculars you could imagine. You know your school is special if you have a waterpolo team :)</p>
<p>I had one son who decided to attend an academically rigorous private highschool, where he ended up around 33%, but he was a NMF (along with 34 other kids in his graduating class), so he got accepted at UT, but opted for a full ride at UF (now that’s inexpensive!!). Most kids who applied to UT from his school were accepted (but this was 2005 and times have changed)</p>
<p>Next son opted for our local public, graduated top of the class and is at UT now. </p>
<p>As far as preparation goes, I would say that they were both prepared well, as they have both been successful at their universities. The only difference academically, in our experience, was that the private school expected much more writing in the liberal arts classes. The maths and sciences were comparable. </p>
<p>BTW, don’t think that you’re going to get off inexpensively at UT, let me tell you. If you add up tuition, fees, board, food, and other expenses (like club sport dues and fraternity dues - optional of course) the total cost is around $30,000 a year - in state!</p>
<p>I would think that kids graduating from out of state boarding schools would be treated like out of state students. They wouldn’t get the automatic “in” that Texas top 10% kids get, but if they are good students, they’ll get in.</p>
<p>“I would think that kids graduating from out of state boarding schools would be treated like out of state students.”</p>
<p>But why? We’re legitimate Texas residents. I’m sure we’d qualify for in-state tuition, for example… </p>
<p>I would expect that they would be guaranteed admission if they could manage to be in the top 10% of their class. (For obvious reasons, though, it may not be reasonable to expect a high class rank at a competitive prep school. ) But I’m just assuming. Does anyone know for sure?</p>
<p>Yes, you have to graduate from an accredited Texas highschool. This information is on the utexas.edu website, but since I’m on my Blackberry, you’re on your own.</p>
<p>I don’t see any benefit in sending your kids to a boarding school. Ideally, the purpose of high school is to get an education while having a memorable childhood experience leading to where you really learn…college.</p>
<p>My understanding is that House Bill 588 (the top 10% law) was passed in response to Hopwood v. Texas, allowing the top 10% of graduates from every h.s. in Texas to be admitted (as a means of ensuring diversity at Texas universities).</p>
<p>I’m a Texas resident who attended a NE boarding school for high school. I can’t speak with complete certainty as to what the “general admissions” thinks of it but I know that the specific programs (PlanII, BHP, Dean’s, etc) really respect those schools, and will definitely take it into consideration on your application. </p>
<p>That said, if you’re in high school and already have your heart dead-set on UT (don’t know why, but if you do) then it would probably be easier to stay in Texas and just get top 10%. I can say with 100% confidence that of the selective NE boarding schools (ie. Ten School org, etc), they are all MUCH more difficult academically than any public school and the vast majority of private schools in the state. Basically, if you can get in and pay for it, then do it, as it will give you many more options college-wise than just UT.</p>
If you add up tuition, fees, board, food, and other expenses (like club sport dues and fraternity dues - optional of course) the total cost is around $30,000 a year - in state!</p>