Good Public Universities (please help)

<p>I am willing to get into UT-Austin soon after I transfer from a community college (since getting in as a Freshman is too tough over there). Although, I don't want to set that as my only option. </p>

<p>Can you suggest good Engineering schools like UT-Austin that I can probably get into? They don't necessarily have to be in Texas. </p>

<p>My current stats: SAT (M + CR): 1200 SAT (all sections): 1790 GPA: 3.7. </p>

<p>I will take the ACT this October 22nd. </p>

<p>WHOEVER WANTS TO READ MY STORY (TO HELP ME FURTHER!) MAY DO SO BUT FOR WHOEVER DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME, CAN JUST SKIP AHEAD AND SUGGEST SOME GOOD SCHOOLS. </p>

<p>I am a Freshman at a Jordanian university now. I don't like this situation AT ALL. I always wanted to go back "home" to Texas (or even the US) and study engineering over there. My dad can not support me over there based on Out of State tuition (I am not a resident). </p>

<p>My mother and I are planning on going to the US soon and to forget all about Jordan. I want to try to get all possible scholaships I can get my hands on and apply for FAFSA as well, and might even wait a whole OTHER year to get residency.Would that be a good plan or is there a better alternative? I would really appreciate the help. REALLY.</p>

<p>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a terrific engineering school</p>

<p>Why not Texas A&M? Their engineering program is very competitive with UT, plus you’d be in TX.</p>

<p>I’m slightly confused. Do you want to come to Texas, attend a community college, and then go to UT/A&M/etc? Or are you trying to apply directly from your Jordanian College? </p>

<p>I live in Texas and am currently going through the process of applying to UT. I can tell you this: if you would like to go to UT Austin very much, you could attend Austin Community College (ACC; there are no applications because it is a community college. They take anyone). Do as best you can, of course. Once your first year is over, apply to UT Austin as a transfer student. I’m not sure how difficult it is to get into the engineering program as an immediate transfer, but if you do not get in, you can always transfer to the program once you’re into UT Austin. This is something MANY students do. It’s extremely common. I think the most important part to actually get in is to get a certain amount of credits at ACC. You can do the same for A&M. </p>

<p>As for applying to UT Austin directly from where you’re from, I wouldn’t be able to give you an estimate. UT Austin confuses me with its admissions (the top 10% law; horrible average SAT score, but yet holds some highly competitive and great undergrad programs. I understand even less for transfers). </p>

<p>Also, since you’re already in a university, I would think it’s not possible to enter as a freshman. You’d be a transfer student from what I understand.</p>

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<p>No no no I won’t apply as a transfer from this college, even if I do a whole year over here. I will just pretend that I took a gap year and wouldn’t show UT-Austin my college transcripts. So I have two options: either to apply with my high school transcripts or to attend a community college. </p>

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<p>Yes I would REALLY want to get into UT-Austin. I thought of the ACC idea but after I checked the fees, I had second thoughts. I mean for out of state students its PRETTY expensive (8000-9000 dollars a year). I wonder if they offer any scholarships… </p>

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<p>You have no idea how crazy UT-Austin is driving me because of this top 10% (which is now top 8% last I recall) rule. Its so unfair. I heard more than 85 percent of Freshmen students made it into UT-Austin because of that rule. I mean I’m pretty sure I could squeeze myself in the top 10 percent in one Texas’s highschools; but unfortunately I don’t live in Texas.</p>

<p>What you’re talking about doing is academic fraud and could result in your expulsion or having your degree revoked. You must report your previous college enrollment.</p>

<p>Not sure why you think Texas’ top 8 percent rule is “unfair,” either. It’s the flagship public university for the state and educating in-state students is their priority. I applaud that.</p>

<p>As an out-of-state student, you would be paying full freight. If you want to establish residency and pay in-state rates, you’ll need to check with their admissions office to see what the residency requirements are.</p>

<p>polarscribe is correct on all three points. I wouldn’t advise excluding your college transcripts, here is where colleges find out about your past college record:</p>

<p>[National</a> Student Clearinghouse: Degree verification & enrollment verification](<a href=“http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/]National”>http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/)</p>

<p>As said earlier, you have no choice but to submit your university information to UT. With the two choices you gave me, go to ACC (or, of course, just apply directly to UT). </p>

<p>I’m wasn’t aware that ACC had OOS fees…but I am 95% sure they do not offer scholarships. Financial aid, however, is more likely. </p>

<p>What you heard about 85% of freshman getting into UT with that law is true, which is why they’re cutting it down to top 8%. Right now, for class of 2012, it’s top 9%. It wil still be hard, though.</p>

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<p>I think it’s unfair because it doesn’t make sense that just because someone lives in Texas he/she is prioritized to enter UT-Austin. I am an American citizen and I don’t live in the US. Let’s say that the “flagship public universities” of all the states had this top 8% rule; that gives us Americans that live abroad a very small chance of getting admitted into the universities that we might like to enter. I was born in Texas and I think I should be eligible for this “Top 8%” rule at UT-Austin.</p>

<p>Their priority is their priority for whatever reasons they might have, I’m not sure why you “applaud” that “priority”.</p>

<p>The theory is that those who support the university with their tax dollars should have priority in having their children admitted. </p>

<p>Do you or your parents pay taxes to the State of Texas? </p>

<p>I will admit the policy was a lot “fairer” when the public universities derived most of their revenue from tax dollars, which is no longer the case in Texas (and many other states as well).</p>

<p>The thing is, University of Texas is named exactly that for a reason: It’s the university of Texas. Similarly, there’s University of Minnesota, University of Florida, etc. State colleges, if you will. Like annasdad said, “The theory is that those who support the university with their tax dollars should have priority in having their children admitted.” (it was easier to quote that way). </p>

<p>“That gives us Americans that live abroad a very small chance of getting admitted into the universities that we might like to enter.”
This is why there are more than just state universities. Rice University, although based in Texas, has no such priority rule. Neither does Harvard, Yale, and etc.</p>

<p>I think it’s unfair because it doesn’t make sense that just because someone lives in Texas he/she is prioritized to enter UT-Austin.</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>The state of TEXAS owns that university. It is supported by the TAXPAYERS of Texas. Can you imagine the outrage Texans would have if the university that they own and support didn’t give priority to Texans???</p>

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<p>My father lived in Texas for 20 years and payed taxes for 20 years, and he doesn’t have any sort of “priority” right now. I’m not saying that “Texans”-or residents of Texas better put- shouldn’t be prioritized; but I’m saying that, in my view, Americans that are non-residents should have more than 13%> seats for the Freshman year (yes even for STATE universities).</p>

<p>Look on the bright side - since Texas doesn’t have an income tax, at least your father didn’t need to pay that for 20 years.</p>

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<p>LOL…random much?</p>

<p>Because of your financial constraints, your best path is to come to Texas, live here for a year independently of parental financial support, i.e., get a job, and then apply to either ACC or UT (or any other Texas school) as a resident. During that year, you can figure out whether you will get more transfer credits from your Jordanian college work at ACC or UT. </p>

<p>See requirements for establishing residency for tuition purposes here:</p>

<p>[Residency</a> status for tuition purposes](<a href=“http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/residency.php]Residency”>http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/residency.php)
[Texas</a> Residency | Be a Longhorn](<a href=“http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/residency]Texas”>http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/residency)</p>

<p>See the link below. UT automatically admits enough students to fill 75% (not 85%) of available Texas resident spaces. The remaining 25% of spaces can be filled with in-state, OOS or international students based on holistic review. </p>

<p>[Automatic</a> Admission | Be a Longhorn](<a href=“http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/after-you-apply/automatic-admission]Automatic”>http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/after-you-apply/automatic-admission)</p>

<p>OP-If you want to study in Texas, there are other universities offer good engineering program. Someone already mentioned Texas A&M. UT Dallas and SMU are also good and more likely to offer FA or scholarship.</p>

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<p>Well I don’t see how they will find out about any university records in Jordan with that website. I don’t see how they will find out at all that I have studied university in Jordan (FOR 1 SEMESTER ONLY FOR GODS SAKE!) if I only provide my High School transcripts.</p>

<p>Why lie about what you are doing? Move to Texas and become a resident if you want the benefits of BEING A RESIDENT!!! Living abroad has afforded you with many things that kids in Texas have not experienced so please don’t complain about fairness!</p>

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<p>Lie? Lying is stating something false, and I wouldn’t be doing that. I would just simply NOT fill in any college hours. Anyway I’m just doing this to ensure that if I DON’T get a scholarship that I would continue university here in Jordan. That is only fair. </p>

<p>“Living abroad has afforded you with many things that kids in Texas have not experienced”. Oh yeah? Well living in Texas has afforded the kids in Texas so much that I haven’t experienced! </p>

<p>I wanted to become a resident but my father lost his job and he couldn’t take me to Texas to establish a domicile all on my own and get a job and waste a whole school year. I bet many kids in Texas didn’t have to do THAT to become residents. </p>

<p>So please don’t you complain about fairness :)</p>