For those who got accepted to University of Texas at Austin, how did you guys do it?! Especially if your application was viewed holistically, what was your academic record, SAT/ACT scores? Any advice on the admission process for this specific university would be of great help!
First it depends on your majors, some of them are so competitive that it they don’t allow the “underdog”, to make a holistic jump.
Second, Rank is huuuge, but it’s not a death bell.
Third, I got into ECE as a 16%, 2040 SAT, 3.85 and 4.33 gpa, and 8 AP classes. Rank sucked, SAT was average or around average for Cockrell, No one looks at gpa, and AP classes were good too, but rank was bad. What I think got me in was being in-state, the admission size of ECE, and my essays( I played diversity, Upward Trend, and sorta tragedy). Important thing about essays is find something that actually happened and impacted you, and sort of tweak it to where it presents you well.
Sorry for the lame anecdote above, but I guess what I’m trying to show is that Essays really help, and can push you to the decision you want if done right.
See I am in the top ten percent but my class will lose some people so I will drop out @Fuffy24
I think if you are still in the automatic range by the end of junior year/beginning of senior year, you might be solid, as that’s how kids in my school helped their rank.
Really if you are in the top 10%, you should be fine. Have some above average test scores not terrible essays, and some ECs. I basically just defined the type of student I was in High School and I got it.
What Fuffy said happened to me, I was top 8% (which was UT’s limit at the time for auto admit) in junior year but top 10% senior year. I didn’t have much ECs except orchestra and Mu Alpha Theta for 4 years. Also my essays were on par with a 3 or 4 on an AP exam.
Of course, there’s a difference in being accepted to UT and being accepted to your applied major. Regardless of whether you’re reviewed under auto admit or holistic, create the best resume that represents you and shows your academic rigor potential.
See i just received my June SAT scores, and I score a 1990, what are my chances now?? @Fuffy25 @ThePhilosopherTV @smallkid9
@ronin24 it really is going to come down to how competitive you are in comparison to other candidates for the particular major/college you are seeking admission to. Business and Engineering are the most competitive colleges to get admission to and internal transfers into those two colleges are pretty tough to pull off as well.
Well I am not in top 7% but I scored a 1990 on my SAT and have a 3.7 GPA. I am trying to major in Biology. What are my chances? @fatherof2boys
- For the upcoming admissions cycle, automatic admits will be top 8%
- Even if you don't qualify for automatic admission, UT will rely on a combination of your rank and test scores to calculate the academic index. UT does not consider your GPA, only class rank.
- UT utilizes admission formulas that take into account your test subscores (not composite); however, the formulas vary by college/major. For example, Engineering places a more heavy on SAT Math Subscore than the College of Education.
- If you are seeking opinions about your admission chances on this forum, you need to provide your actual class rank, a breakdown of your subscores on the SAT and your preferred major. That's the info the admissions folks on the 40 Acres will be looking at. Your composite score and GPA don't provide any insight for those factors.
You can find the formula somewhere in these forums if not through google. They weigh the writing and math sections of standardized tests, btw (not CR for some reason). I think GPA is negligible unless your school doesn’t rank. I would say up your SAT score for a better chance of admission, especially if you aren’t in the top 8%. Make sure to write good essays as well!
I was a holistic admit (OOS), but since I applied for chemical engineering my stats would probably not be helpful to you lol. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me 
Critical Reading is not considered for engineering majors; however, it is considered for admission for business, natural science and liberal arts majors.
My rank this past year was 9/90.
SAT breakdown:
M-710
CR-630
W-650
@fatherof2boys
@imthereal
@fatherof2boys Good catch!
OP, I think that you should try to increase your SAT scores of possible. A lot of UT admissions is a number game, so you always want to increase your scores as much as possible, as when the rest of your application relies on factors that are a lot more subjective. BTW, if I remember correctly, UT assigns a number to your essay and extracurricular info/leadership to factor into the admission formula. I should try and find that formula… I’m currently out of the country and pretty busy, but I’ll see if I can link it to you later (within a few days at the longest). I’ll PM you when I find the link and give you more info.
Keep in mind that most of us on this website are no professionals. I’m a UT student 
Yes definitely! Whenever you can, please help me! It is greatly appreciated! @imthereal
Pages 31-35
It won’t really tell you when your score is good enough is the problem since it is going to vary from year to year based on who else applies. Also, this info is a bit dated so it may have changed.