I’m an incoming senior
My stats:
top 9% of my class- I will most likely be able to raise rank based on my senior year courses
Lots of extracurriculars: part of robotics club for 4+ years, won many important titles, leadership roles, volunteering, women in stem, etc
also had a part-time job
GPA: 4.7 (weighted)- I’ve taken many ap courses
SAT: 1490
ACT: 33
With these stats, do I have a chance of gaining admission into the Cockrell school of engineering? Specifically into electrical, chemical, or civil engineering?
@MaineLonghorn Would it still be hard based on a compelling essay? I dont understand as the only thing lacking is my rank because I am in a highly competitive school. Everything else is above average.
Of course, you should try, but don’t get your hopes up too highly. My nephew was non-auto admit in a competitive high school. He had excellent stats except for his class rank. He was CAP’D. He appealed without success. Rank means a LOT to UT.
Honestly, I won’t think you will get past the auto-screening. No one from my DD’s high school was admitted that wasn’t in the top 6% - with great essays, great volunteerism, great stories, great clubs/sports/etc.
Depends on the school. Our school re-ranks the first week of Nov to capture anything your child may have done over the summer. (my kiddo took two Dual-enrollment classes and bumped up her GPA/rank) You can also use Fall semester rank if you are appealing.
Note: This is my first comment on the forum and I have tried to post it several times unsuccessfully. So forgive me if the same posts showed up multiple times.
I have been reading comments on this forum for almost 4 years since my younger daughter’s high school senior year but never thought about to post comments. Lately I saw many discussions about the chance for non-auto admit kids getting to UT and I feel I need to share some of my thoughts.
To everyone, the most important is never give up hope. You need to make the best effort to prepare your college application, don’t take anything for granted. Essay is very important and it has be genuine to reflect your true self and your own mind.
Nobody can tell the chance of being accepted. However, one indicator is to look at the previous acceptance rate of you high school. It will provide you some idea.
For my own experience, I have two daughters, none of them were even on top 10% after their high school junior year. My older daughter was about top 27% and she was accepted to UT Undergraduate Studies 8 years ago. My younger daughter was about top 15% and was accepted into UT engineering school 3 years ago. They both saw UT as a reach and had backup schools lined up very early. They spent all the time they can have to prepare the applications, and wrote essays just to have the slim chance going to UT.
I know it is getting even tougher in recent years, but it is all up to you. Be realistic but don’t give up hope.
My son’s friend was not top 6% at all and got into Petroleum Engineering. It really all depends on the Major and the competition. Some are more competitive than others. Each year is different. Since ChemE is a highly ranked program - it will be very difficult if you are not a top ranked student but as I said - depends on the competition. So pick your first choice and second choice very carefully and strategically.
I agree fully that OP should give it a try. For anyone applying to colleges, it’s an opportunity to apply to whatever school one wants. Yes, sometimes an outlier applicant gains admissions. I’ve seen it happen
However, all applicants should be fully apprised of the odds and situation. It allows you to make the decision where to spend your time and resources. As long as you have one sure thing school , affordable and ready to go, or alternate plans, that’s fine. Go on ahead and make your case to UT-Austin, send an application. Given the way things work, you should not count on getting accepted, but no reason not to try
My nephew just missed the mark in getting auto accepted to UT-Austin. He was accepted to schools more selective, but did not get accepted to UT-A though he did apply. He also applied to other schools, gained admissions and thoroughly enjoyed his college experience. The things he loved most about his much smaller east coast choice, he would not have gotten at UTA. He’s there now (UTA) for grad/prof school, and feels things turned out just fine. 5-6 years ago when he did not get into that first choice school, he was upset and bitter about the entire system, as were his parents.
Unfortunately, most students that aren’t in the top 6% auto admit are NOT getting in to UT on the second pass now. This is due to the fact that those 6% auto admits are choosing to attend Texas for its prominence, low cost, reputation, etc. So, all the spots are filling up. My husband & I are LifeMember Texas Exes, and he’s on the President’s Council. We received a report about this very thing. UT isn’t even offering as many kids the CAP program as they did years ago. I know it is heartbreaking - at our high school, I heard no one got in to UT that wasn’t in top 6%. I was shocked.
UT doesn’t offer my son’s degree but he wouldn’t get in either. Middle daughter was auto admit but went to Michigan, oldest didn’t want to & went to FSU.
One just has to look at the hard numbers. UT is a reach if your not a auto admit. I see hundreds of chance me threads regarding UT and the real answer is just what I posted. I would encourage all to apply but just understand it is a reach regardless of your high school, EC’s, GPA and recommendation letters. The number of qualified applicants greatly out number the available slots. It is what it is.
It depends. If you’re in-state, you have a fairly reasonable shot and it’s definitely worth applying. If you’re out of state, probably not. UT admits 90% of applicants as Texas residents. You’ll want to apply to other schools like Texas A&M or UT-Dallas also. There are still plenty of other great engineering schools that aren’t so ridiculously selective like Texas Tech and U of H.
So with a 1490 SAT and top 9% grades, I’d say you have a heck of a chance to get in. Now whether it would be to your choice of major is a different question. In any event, the point is that non-auto-admits are getting in, and clearly the vast majority of them have less impressive numbers than you do.