Chances of getting into the Cockrell School of Engineering

Colleges and Universities A-Z The University of Texas at Austin
1

<p>Hi guys I am an Indian male just finishing my junior year of high school in Minnesota. I attend a very competitive high school in Minnesota if that matters. I know that it is really difficult to get into UT for out of state students and Cockrell is one of the more competitive schools at UT. I also want to major in Biomedical or Aerospace Engineering if that matters.</p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>My school does not do class rank but there are about 850 kids in our graduating class about 3300 in the whole school.</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.74
Weighted GPA: 3.87
ACT:
Composite: 33
English: 33 (have gotten a 34 on English from a previous test)
Math: 34
Reading: 30
Science: 33</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Debate in freshman and sophomore year (varsity in sophomore year) my partner and I got 9th in state in sophomore year
Volunteer at a hospital every Saturday for 3 hours and have about 250-300 hours of volunteering so far
Presidential volunteer service award (Bronze) for two years in a row and will probably get it next year too
Y.E.S. (volunteer club) freshman, sophomore, and junior year
Work at Kumon on Thursdays and Saturdays for 3 hours. I started Junior year.
Play rec league basketball for sophomore, junior, and will in senior year
Math team in freshman year</p>

<p>Course Rigor:
Freshman year:
Honors Physical Science
Honors Communications (Language Arts)
Integrated Math 2X (Algebra) (the X in any courses means it is honors)</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
Biology X
Chemistry X
Integrated Math 3X (Geometry)</p>

<p>Junior year:
AP Biology expect a 4 or 5 on the AP exam
AP US History expect a 4 or 5 on the AP exam
Integrated Math 4X (Pre-Calc)</p>

<p>Senior Year
AP Calc AB
AP Calc BC
Physics X</p>

<p>I don't know if I should take AP Physics or not right now I am signed up for Physics X which is Honors Physics and I also don't know If I should take AP Stats as I am very good at math. </p>

<p>Could you guys let me know if taking AP Physics and/or AP Stats will give me a higher chance of getting into Cockrell.</p>

<p>I am technically an immigrant if it matters. I moved here when I was 5 months old. Both of my parents went to school in India. My dad has a bachelors degree and my mom does not.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Hard to know your chances because like you said UT doesn’t have many spaces for out of state applicants and even fewer for engineering. All you can do is apply and see what happens.</p>

<p>Why not U of Minnesota btw? Or are you applying there, too? It would be cheaper, and I bet the state flagship has an accredited and outstanding engineering school.</p>

<p>Do take the most rigorous courses you can, not just for admissions, but also to be prepared for engineering. I have a son at UT and his peers who didn’t take lots of high level Physics and Math and want to be engineers regret that now. They feel like they are a step behind and trying to catch up. </p>

3

<p>I am strongly considering the university of minnesota as they have a very good science and engineering school. </p>

<p>I see what you mean with the rigorous courses.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply</p>

4

<p>U of Minnesota - Twin Cities has an extremely strong engineering program. I would tell you to consider that.</p>

5

<p>Apply to u madison because of the reciprocal rule for minnesota and wisconsin.
Apply to Texas a&m and UT Austin
You might be able to get a scholarship to texas a&m.</p>

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<p>Honestly? You’re in.
I had the same stats, similar ECs (a little less in volunteering, actually) and got into UT Cockrell-Aerospace Engineering without the top 7% rule. You’ll want to write great essays and send a couple of recommendation letters, though.</p>

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<p>Fredjan were you by chance in state or out of state?</p>

8

<p>OOS by mistake.</p>

9

<p>Mistake? How???
:-/ </p>

10

<p>135pipe it wasn’t a mistake that he was OOS he just didn’t specify if he was OOS in his original comment.</p>

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<p>It is always a mistake not to live in Texas. :stuck_out_tongue: </p>

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<p>What I’m going to tell you is what I found out through applying to UT for fall 14 and what I read/was told on here. There is NO guarantee that everything I have heard is accurate, and I’m going to be brutally honest because I wish that someone had been so with me.
I was never serious in high school up until this year. I had no idea what I wanted to do and didn’t like hs at all, so I never studied for the SAT/ACT, showed up late to the ACT, didn’t take a “real” science jr year (should’ve taken AP physics, took marine bio & oceanography instead), etc.
Applied to UT after seeing the 80 some % acceptance rate on collegeboard (LOL), and never gave my essays or tests a second thought. Pretty sure my second essay was one of the worst things they ever had to read. Obviously I wasn’t admitted, but I’m not upset about that anymore (SUPER excited for Clemson).</p>

<p>My stats: OOS
34 on math/sci ACT (1420 SAT translation), eng not so good. 32 overall
Never submitted SAT
AP World / US completed, took AP Gov/Phy B senior year
Enrolled part time at a local 4yr college sr year, but the admission deadline was well before my first semester transcript became available, and UT specifically did not want to see it.</p>

<p>Getting a 33 on the ACT seems to be the borderline for Cockrell: 34+ almost guaranteed in, 31- you have a very, very, very slim chance OOS. For the more competitive majors, such as petroleum, you most likely will not get in with anything below a 34. That being said, petroleum is the hardest to get into at Cockrell (not surprisingly), so, with a less competitive major, you have a good shot IF you can write two VERY good essays.
From what I’ve seen on here, UT (Cockrell at least) cares about scores, not EC’s. Being OOS will most likely hurt you, as it will for almost all state/public schools that are a part of their state education system (whether they admit it or not, a certain % of admits need to be in state).</p>

<p>I was denied for both Petroleum and Mechanical. As I said, with a 33, you stand a good chance. But, if you can’t pull off two very good essays, there is going to be someone else out there with a 33 who will get in over you. For reference, my 32 was the 98th percentile when I took it. So, not many people above me, but those who were above me had their head where it needed to be. Since you are already asking questions and preparing, I think that you have a much better chance, but know that there might be a disappointing surprise for you for seemingly no reason. It will also be interesting to see how admissions goes in the future with the lower courts reviewing it after Fisher v UT.</p>

<p>Take those AP classes: they look better at honors, and will fulfill requirements in college, especially Stats. AP physics looks better than normal but is useless for an engineering degree unless its physics C, which my school never actually ran (it was on the course list, but noone went through calc soon enough to take it). I would take AP stats over AP physics if you are concerned about work load / keeping a very high GPA since I’m pretty sure UT has a stats class as part of your gen ed’s, and knocking those out will give you the freedom to have a minor or dual major if you can knock out a solid 30 credit hours (12 for a minor). </p>

<p>MOST importantly, do your best and don’t lose hope if you aren’t accepted into your top colleges. I had every hope and dream set on going to UT, but now I’m actually glad that I was denied. I don’t doubt that I’m smart enough to be there (really studied for the first time in my life this year and got the highest score that I have heard of to date on the ACS gen chem I exam), but now, instead of going into a major solely for the money, I’m going to be chasing my dreams in the automotive industry.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Update: I have chosen to take AP Physics B in my Senior year. I also plan on getting two letters of recommendation and a counselor recommendation. Will that increase my chances in any way. Also I have heard that writing all three of the essays instead of the required two will help my chances so I will be doing that.</p>

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<p>Keep us updated it’s so fun here</p>

15

<p>Write all the essays. I think that is a great idea. You will show your ardor for UT and will be able to sell yourself to admissions more. Good luck. It is a great place. </p>

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<p>So UT just received all my materials on October 27th, how long before I get a response?</p>

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<p>@Schmitty3333‌ I completed my application to UT on September 1st and received my automatic admission (I’m in state) in mid September. Still waiting on decision from Cockrell. I’ve heard they send out decisions as early as November but it seems that sometime around February - March is the consensus. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Also I hear that biomedical engineering is the toughest major to get into. I applied with my first choice being biomedical engineering. Can anyone chance me on getting into that major please?</p>

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<p>My second choice is civil engineering because I also am interested in Environmental Engineering.</p>

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<p>Biomedical engineering is the toughest major imo. I believe they accept roughly 100 people in the program. I’m scared that I won’t get in, but I have chemical engineering as my second major. I know I’ll get in the school (Top seven percent) but I really want BME.</p>