So I really want to go to UT, especially McCombs Business school. What should I improve on, because im still a Junior, and/or what are my chances
white, male, technically first generation, because my brother and i are from the same generation.
Out of state
Grades: Frsh: 91 Soph: 92 Junior: ~93
GPA: ~3.7 unweighted, weighted probably 4.0
SAT: dunno yet, but PSAT was 1260
ACT: 30, but on practice tests have been getting 32s. (Im gonna take it again in the fall)
Ranking: No ranking, small school of around 300 kids, 60 kids in my grade and nobody else is applying to UT
Classes taken: Highest possible rigor, school only offers 7 APs over 4 years and ive taken them
EC: 3 sport athlete, but only very serious about 2 of them, Book club, newspaper club, mathletes, debate club, stock market club, school president, 30 hours of community service, will do 50 next year, current affairs club, internship at financial advisement firm
I think that I can raise my standardized tests to the point where they can be considered elite, but my essays and letter of recommendation will have to seal the deal for me. If any of you have experiences, please share, or even criticism, ill gladly listen
Hard to be more than a vague guesstimate without test scores. How’d you do on the AP tests? Do you have any officer positions or awards? Who are you planning on getting to write on your rec? NHS? Did you just finish Junior year or did you just finish your sophomore year?
Being an OOS makes this way more difficult for you, unfortunately. I’m sure you probably already know this but UT is legally required to fill majority (75% or thereabouts) of their freshmen classes with Texas kids, and those kids are almost all Top 7% of their high schools. As in-state kid, I can tell you it’s difficult for even us to get in if we aren’t top 7%.
Do you have any specific questions or need any specific tips?
what do u mean by officer positions or awards, academic ones like 2nd and 1st honors? I wont be submitting AP scores, i got a 3 on AP euro but ive taken us history and ap english this year. my school is very hands on with my letter of reccomendation, ive got 2 teachers, my college guidence counselor, and hopefully my boss from my summer internship. and yes, i am in national honors society, and i just finished junior year
For your EC’s. Were you (for example) secretary, VP, treasurer etc. for any of them? For your athletics and academic clubs, did you ever compete at a meet or tournament? Did you win?
Obviously your grades and test scores are important, but everyone applying to Mccombs will have very high test scores or gpa. You’re right that your essays and rec will play a big part in whether you get in or not, but so will your EC’s. That being said, your EC’s are really good, and any stand out awards should be mentioned in your application. When I applied 2 years ago (summer before my senior year) they do have a spot on the application asking you to mention any awards or officer positions you’ve had. So I’d thought I’d ask about it.
@greenhandbook, my son just went through the process, also from a small unranked charter school. Getting in OOS is indeed an adventure in itself with so few spaces available for OOS. Admissions will make an inference on your class ranking, based on the school profile your HS counselor sends to UT. You might want to ask about what is sent from your school along with your transcript. You look like a strong, involved student–McCombs might like to see that leadership in orgs, entrepreneurial efforts and sports.
@SailorVenus I am the student student leader, aka school president and in athletics, my high school baseball team made the league finals for 3 years in a row, winning once. also, i was ranked in national points for fencing
@greenhandbook I would rate you as highly competitive. At this point I would try to get your scores as high as possible and get your GPA to a 3.8 unweighted since that is the average GPA cutoff for McCombs
It is hard to say which oos students will get a spot and which ones will not because no one knows who they are up against. McCombs is very competitive and those that get the spots will have strong credentials. However, you will never know if you can be accepted without applying. I would recommend you apply and submit your application as close to Aug. 1 as possible. You can upload and mail your transcript by Dec 1 but get that that app in asap as well as the housing contract (small app fee). You won’t be asked to pay the housing deposit until you are accepted, but it gets your foot in the door for priority.
If you are in state and in the top 7% of your class, you will automatically be admitted to UT but not your major. You may not find out your acceptance to major until February. I know of a lot of auto admits last year who did not find out until the last wave of admissions on the third Friday of Feb last year.
If you are in state and not in that top 7%, depending on your major, you most likely will not be admitted to UT. If it is a competitive major like McCombs or Cockrell, your chances are even less.
When you apply does not have any bearing on if you get in. When you apply has everything to do with housing and getting the housing application submitted, this priority housing.
The majority of all UT students admitted are in state and out of state applicants make up a small percentage of students, comparatively.
The top 7% ranked students in Texas get automatic admission to UT but not their major. Their applications are scrutinized just like all other applicants. However, a lot of them have outstanding credentials and many get their major of choice.
UT admissions has waves of admissions. TAMU has rolling. No one knows the dates of the waves and when waves do go out, not everyone in a specific college who is going to be admitted is in that wave.