Forty Acres conflict - help?

So I’ve been selected as a semifinalist for the forty acres scholarship (yay!), however I have a huge scheduling conflict. While I’m definitely not trying to get ahead of myself, if I do make it to finalists’ weekend, I have a competition for an organization I’m in the exact dates of that weekend clear across the state. What should I do? Since finalists are required to attend, I don’t think it will be easily negotiable…If I do make it, neither of these events will be easy to just skip. :confused:

Sounds like a good “problem” to have, and you will just have to make a choice as to which is most important to you and your future. Good luck!

How important is the scholarship to you? Is UT your most likely choice of schools? If it is and you need the money, then that would seem to be the priority.

If you’re likely to enroll elsewhere or if you have no concerns about money then the competition may be more important.

I cannot imagine telling your coach/sponsor that you have a chance at such a big scholarship that they would not encourage you to go. You might give them a heads up so they can make plans to have a back up ready to play/compete in your place.

If you are an instate applicant, the value of the Forty Acres scholarship would be worth somewhere between $120-160,000. Unless that’s not real money to your family, it’s hard for me to imagine a more pressing obligation. Or maybe, unless it’s for a similar opportunity at a school you want to attend even more.

Sometimes seniors have to skip ECs, even stuff like state tournaments, for scholarship events and final college visits. It is the way it is.

@bwulv24 What is your EC?

If you make it from Semi-Finalist (~100 applicants) to Finalist (~50-60 applicants) you will still need to survive the cut to the final ~19… Yet you made it this far and over 3,000 didn’t.

We are hoping our son can can join you at the Finalist weekend. Good luck whatever you decide!

Congrats on making semi-finalist! When did you find out? My D applied but has not heard anything yet. Do you mind posting your stats? Thanks and good luck!

@Einstein2016

40 Acres
Candidates were emailed on 1/20/16.
Phone interviews happened this last weekend. My son was very impressed by the alumni he interviewed with.

Stats
Son was admitted last year to Cockrell School of Engineering as ChemE with Engineering Honors and Plan II.

He has a 36 ACT, 2310 SAT, is an NMSF (likely NMF), National AP scholar, 4.0 UW, 3/709 class rank, and is taking CC math courses this year. He has some oddball ECs that are good / interesting, but nothing super breathtaking.

His essays were well-written IMO, and they presented a solid view, packaging his courses, ECs, community service into one cohesive narrative. His LoRs referenced his ECs and were very complimentary.

Aside from multiple Explore UT Events, he attended the Honors Colloquium, and visited Plan II. He especially loved the Plan II class.

-psy

Psywar, it sounds like your son applied to Fortyacres after he was a freshman at UT? Did not know you can do that. MY DD is applying as a high school senior, will be a freshman this fall. Can she apply again as a freshman next year if not selected this year? Thx

Also, there were no LOR’s required as part of her application. We emailed and asked and they said not required?

@Einstein2016 My son is an HS senior. He was offered admission last year (2015) for this fall (2016). Sorry if I had confused you.

You are correct that LoRs were not part of the 40 Acres Scholarship application, but you asked about his stats, so I tried to present anything that would help UT chose him for this the opportunity.

I assume the 40 Acres Committee has access to the full ApplyTexas file for applicants, given the high-profile nature of the award. (For example, the 40 Acres app asks for SAT/ACT scores, yet they don’t ask for applicants to send in the scores from the official sources. I assume this is because they can just verify it off UT’s copy of thenstudent’s ApplyTexas application .)

  • psy

Have finalist received emails yet? My son is a semifinalist and had a good interview but no email yet. Wondering if they are only emailing finalist. With 104 semifinalist and 50-60 finalist, it would be nice to let the semifinalist who didn’t make the cut know. Thanks

Found out at about 3:30 today that I’m a finalist for Forty Acres. Not only that, but I also was notified that I am also a finalist for the Dedman scholarship. It will be hard, but I think I will have to forego my competition and head to Austin. Hard, but a huge honor.

Congratulations to you! Best of luck!!

@MamaDeer Thank you so much!

@MamaDeer My son received his finalist email this afternoon. 60 finalists total.

@psywar Congratulations to your son. Still surprised that they didn’t bother to notify the kids who didn’t make the finalist cut.

@MamaDeer Thanks!

Perhaps they are waiting to see how many finalists do not accept the invitation to go onwards. I bet a few back out, either due to a schedule conflict (there is only one candidate weekend and you cannot miss it), or perhaps they get into their first choice college.

Finalist must let the program know by Feb. 3rd either way. Perhaps they are waiting to see who backs out before sending word? - psy

Thank you for that info. The good to know and you might be right. Being from out of state that scholarship would be a huge benefit! Maybe we can find another scholarship too.

Well, pretty bummed here… apparently S has missed the cut if the invites for 40Acres have gone out.

He was a 3.9/4.0 Stanford Online HS student (a fairly selective live online high school)
3.99/4.0 unweighted overall when adding in local classes taken for eligibility for local sports.
SAT 1600/2330
4 AP’s and 3 Post AP’s already, with 5 more AP’s in progress. 4.75 avg score so far.
NMSF (likely NMF)

EC’s:
Star QB/Team Captain football, allstate/allstar
Allstate in track
Founded 2 clubs in high school, chess, and philosophy: grew chess to largest club in school history
Regular member of local church and youth group with related community engagement
Trained in 2 different leadership programs
Traveled to 24 countries and 49 states, more than half w/o parent/chaperone

Accepted into UT Plan II (175 students) and Dean’s Scholars (40 students).