<p>If you look at "Freshman Year GPA based on SAT score," but then look down to the two columns, top ten and non-top ten, top ten has a higher GPA each year by about .2-.3.</p>
<p>The SAT scores are higher, yes, but for years many colleges have complained about the inadequacy of relying solely on test scores to determine admission. Top ten results are showing that, even with lower average SAT scores, top ten kids have higher average GPAs when they are actually IN college.</p>
<p>Could the lower mean SAT scores be due to the fact that there are MORE top ten kids applying? That could be what's making the scores a bit lower, because more kids are being factored in. Because really, it's only lowered 29 points since 1997.</p>
<p>Two possible explanaitons of a decrease in the mean of the SAT scores of top 10% Texas enrollees over time.</p>
<p>Maybe as the years pass, more of the very top Texas kids were being accepted at UT but enrolling elsewhere (HYPS), bringing down the mean by removing some of the highest scores.</p>
<p>Maybe as the years pass, and as many more students apply every year (as lalalexi08 points out), more Texas students from schools with generally low scores are deciding they want to go to Texas, applying, and enrolling, bringing down the mean by adding more scores on the low end. </p>
<p>Since the reputation of Texas seems to be getting better with each passing year, I think the second explanation is more likely than the first. More people from every Texas high school wanting to go to Texas. The two explanations are not mutually exclusive, of course, and both things might be going on.</p>
<p>Uhh or the actual explanation, which is the SAT has gotten harder since 1997? Since they change the format, the average SAT score has gone down.</p>
<p>The SAT was renormed in April 1995. Otherwise, Reading and Math scores should not have changed, so the early scores are harder to consider.</p>
<p>Nationally the scores have been pretty stable between 97 and 07. </p>
<p>Math 505 in 1997, 508 in 2004 or 2005, 502 in 2007</p>
<p>Reading 511 in 1997, 515 in 2007</p>
<p>The 10% law is stupid. The 11th percentile at Highland Park is MUCH more qualified than the 10th percentile across town at Oak Cliff. To admit the 2nd student while turning away one who is obviously more qualified does nothing but weaken UT as a school.</p>
<p>The amount of 'diversity' promoted by the law is overstated. Take some of the DISD schools for example. Hillcrest High School is only about 10% white, yet of the top 10% (30 people), the ones automatically admitted to Texas, approx 20-25 of them were white. Does that really help diversity? If anything it hampers it. The only time when they're letting in a significant number of minorities, they're a group that's less qualified. </p>
<p>Just because there's not a better option immediately available doesn't mean the legislature shouldn't try to fix the already broken system.</p>
<p>Your trying to use 1 example to illustrate the entirety of the law, which really doesn't work. I don't agree with the top 10% law for similar reasons, but I can't deny that it works. People at my high school were more qualified than other schools in my district, but the law still works as a whole.</p>
<p>Those reports posted has changed my view on the law itself. Its pretty clear that the people who work harder in high school, despite test scores, seem to become better acclimated to the schooling environment. I personally didn't work very hard in high school, and have done just fine so far, but that probably doesn't represent the majority. </p>
<p>A lot of times the schools are the main cause of dumbing down the students. If the same kids had your schooling system from the beginning they might be in the same position as you, and there really is no way of knowing that. They have tried to create a way of admitting people based on what they have been able to accomplish in their individual high schools with disadvantages or advantages, whatever they may have been. And just so long as YOU get in, then your in really good shape. As much as I hate this rule, I have to admit that it probably ended up letting me do much better in relationship to the class averages, which means better curves for me. </p>
<p>I think the best resolution is admitting top 4% automatically, and then doing admissions whatever way they want with the rest.</p>