Hello everyone. I was just wondering what are my chances of getting into Cockrell for Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. I have always wanted to go to UT but when I found out that automatic admissions don’t apply for Cockrell I began to start worrying. I am full Chinese and will be the first person in my family to go to college. Also I have been Texas resident my entire life.
As far as grades I usually make all A’s from high to low
I am ranked 8/432 so I am in the top 2% of my class
My GPA is a 3.846 / 4.0 and a 5.606 / 6.0
As for AP classes I have taken or am currently taking:
-AP English Language
-AP English Literature
-AP Statistics
-AP Calculus
-AP Biology
-AP Physics
-AP World History
-AP U.S History
-AP Government/ Economics
My SAT score I where I am worried about. I know its very low for UT and even lower for Cockrell. The very first time I took the SAT was this October 2015 and took it again a second time this November 2015. Some how I managed to make the exact same score on both tests. I am planning on taking the ACT as well this December but it is very likely those won’t be scored in time for the December 31st deadline. I was hoping my GPA and rank might be enough to help my poor scores.
October: 1710 (Math: 660 CR: 550 Writing: 500)
November: 1710 (Math: 640 CR: 520 Writing: 550)
I have heard that Cockrell doesn’t really consider community service hours of extracurricular activities. Regardless I am very involved in my school with over 200 hours of community service through Interact and Student Council. I hold 6 officer positions in my school including:
-Student Body Treasurer
-Technology Student Association Secretary
-Mu Alpha Theta Treasurer
-Leadership Council Treasurer
-National Honor Society Treasurer
-AP Science Club Vice President
I am also involved with other clubs like:
-Interact
-Flag Program
-Geek Squad
Do these extracurricular activities get taken into account? I’m really scared that I won’t get into Mechanical or Electrical engineering because of my SAT score. Should I apply for a different major or just see how it goes?
Anyway I would appreciate any help y’all could provide for me.
Thanks in advance
UT calculates an Academic Index (AI) and a Personal Achievement Index (PAI) for admissions.
Based on the AI formula of -2.254 + (W.002) + (HSR * .023) + (M.003) +0.1 bonus, your AI score is 3.123. I included the bonus because it looks like you have taken above the recommended number of math and science classes. The AI range goes from 4.1 to 2.8 so your score is on the low end.
Your PAI is based 1 or 2 points for each essay, 1 point for ECs and 1 point for special circumstances. If your essays were good and you were scored 2 on both then based on your EC activity and the fact that you are the first person to go to college you might get the max PAI score of 6.
I suggest contacting a UT admissions counselor to see if your December ACT test score can be used if you do well on it. Since you have to take the writing portion for the score to count it will be after December 31.
@BillyLu go to the following link and it will show you what the cutoff GPAs were for transfers into the different engineering programs. They are not for new admissions but should give you an idea of the GPA it takes to get in for a current student. Your AI score is supposed to be a prediction of your first year GPA at UT.
So does my low sat score completley diminish the chances of me being accepted? Also I was curious that if I were not to be accepted into mechanical or electrical engineering would I be offered any other majors in engineering, science, or math? Or would I be completley turned away from UT?
You will get into UT no matter what, due to class rank. If you don’t get into ME, they will offer you a choice of majors within liberal arts. You can then attend UT and attempt to transfer into Cockrell or natural sciences after your first semester/year.
I won’t lie: Your SAT score is problematic. How did you do in your APs? And did you take and SAT subject tests that might bolster a bad SAT score.
I made a 3 on the English Language AP test and a 4 in US History. So again my test scores aren’t so great. I’m a very mediocre test taker I know. I’ve heard people get into Cockrell with SAT scores in the 1600 range and are not in their top 10%. So can my rank and extracurricular activities accommodate for the sat score or is it a distinguishing factor? Do I still have a good chance to get into electrical if I don’t get into mechanical? And if I still don’t get into that, is liberal arts still the only thing they will offer me? Not even in science or business? Sorry I’m asking so many questions I’m just really nervous
Last year, if you didn’t get your first choice major, you were offered COLA. They didn’t even look at second choice majors. They certainly won’t just offer business or natural sciences.
Sure, it is possible that you could still get into Cockrell. But with your SAT, it will be a reach. You are an Asian male; those are a dime a dozen at Cockrell. (My S is an Asian male in Cockrell. You guys are simply over represented.). UT cares about quantifiable stats.
Try not to stress. You might not hear about major until February, so try to just relax and enjoy your senior year.
Why dont they look at second choice majors? So if i apply for mechanical as my first choice and business as my second ill get put onto liberal arts if i cant make engineering.So if I don’t get into Cockrell should I just go into Liberal Arts and try to transfer into Cockrell from there or just go to some other college. I’m in the process of applying to Texas Tech and UT Arlington.
Hey so I contacted UT Austin and they told me that they do in fact check both your first and second choice majors. They said they never heard anything about disregarding second choices. I also asked what I would be offered if I didn’t get into engineering. They told me that I would be offered Liberal Arts or Undergraduate Studies. I wasn’t sure if they would offer both choices or just one. If that’s so should I keep electrical engineering as my second choice, or change it to Aerospace? Which would be easier to get into? Or should I go ahead and change my second choice to undergraduate studies?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks agiain
@BillyLu sounds like from your conversation with the advisor you should keep your two major choices the same. I would check to see if you do undergraduate studies if you can take the same classes a first year engineering student would take. That way you would have a better chance of transferring into engineering.
I also have low stats (M: 620, CR: 650, W: 730) and I was wondering how difficult it is to transfer from UGS to Cockrell. Also is it better to accept admissions at A&M with their Entry-To-Major engineering program or admit to UT(my dream school) and work to transfer to Cockrell?