<p>TAMU is bound by the same State laws. They have automatic admission for National Merit Finalists. We heard from TAMU in 10 days. The other State Universities are all shackled with similar constraints concerning in-state applicants (although not as formal as for the Texas schools). They manage their applications with early and regular application deadlines.</p>
<p>It would be easy enough for Texas to do something like TAMU’s process or to set a certain percentage of spots aside for top OOS applicants and fill those early. Then the remaining OOS applicants would go in the hopper with every one else for late February/early March decisions. </p>
<p>I am just perplexed why a great university like Texas seems to want to compete for top OOS students with one arm tied behind its back. They have as much or more to offer as any of the Big Ten schools, plus better weather.</p>
<p>And I agree that Texas should have no idea which schools have also been applied to (and I don’t mind ending a sentence with a preposition).</p>
<p>I believe that ApplyTexas has a question about other universities students are applying to.</p>
<p>Beaudreau
My DD was an automatic admit to UT, so she was accepted in October. ALL OTHER UNIVERSITIES in other states she applied to sent their decisions in February and March. I am like collegevetting surprised that people expect to hear about decisions in the Fall. </p>
<p>Ya Ya
All the other schools that my son applied to had early-action (not early decision) application options, typically by November 1. All these schools required applications by the early action deadline to be considered for merit aid. I don’t know where your daughter applied, but early action applications are very common with public universities. Typically decision are then out by January 1.</p>
<p>Did your daughter decide to go to Texas? How does she like it? What is her major?</p>
<p>I am not sure I can compare my daughter’s situation with your son’s.
We are immigrants, so my D’s application process was my lesson about US college system. We made some mistakes.
My daughter did not want to stay in Texas, she had a Big Dream of going OOS. UT Austin was the only in-state college she applied to, it was her backup plan. Other colleges were mostly privates in California. Net Price Calculators’ results before she applied and after she got accepted were very different. I don’t know why it happened, probably because NPCs were very new and not accurate yet. Anyway, what looked affordable in September became a financial nightmare in March. Also, all these privates replaced their grants with my DD’s third party 4-year scholarships and left all Parent+ loans intact. UT Austin replaced loans, so from financial point of view UT Austin was unbeatable. No loans, no debt. UT even gave her scholarship, and it looked like they really wanted her.
DD is very happy at UT. She grew up enough to realize that some “Big Dreams” are actually not big at all. She learned to appreciate all the enormous opportunities UT can provide since it’s such a big university, and she is smart enough to try many of them. She is double majoring. If you really want details I can send private message.</p>
<p>I reread your posts. I agree with you. Your son should go to college where he is really wanted. My DD feels that way at UT.</p>
<p>My problem is I have two other scholarship offers I need to accept BEFORE march 1. So if I don’t hear soon I have to move on from this waiting game. I’m oos. Not all the schools I applied to have similar deadlines.</p>
<p>Because it is a direct question on Apply Texas as well as the Common Application. It clearly asks “Please list up to five universities to which you have applied or plan to apply”</p>
<p>@Beaudreau- A & M does not even come close to filling 75% of it’s class with “Top 10” students. That has always been the albatross that UT has been saddled with. Prior to the change in the percentage allowed, UT used to fill over 90% of its class with auto admits. It really binds UT and therefore their admissions protocol is much different than any other University in the state. To compare A & M and UT students as the same caliber is generally not even accurate. Like they say in Texas, if you can’t get your grades up, get your thumbs up (or your guns if Techs in play) And I say that seriously. We have a kid at UT and one at A & M. The opportunities at UT–FAR, FAR, FAR exceed A & M. No questions. And very interestingly, both of our kids were auto admits to UT, but one did not want to follow her sister there. Although they are in two very different programs, the caliber of education is not even comparable.</p>
<p>It asks on apply texas where else you are applying. They wouldn’t know if you are accepted. also there are several schools that one might apply to that don’t use the common app or apply texas. </p>
<p>And just to confirm I did look it up and in 2012 UT Austin filled 74% of its class with “Top 8%” and A & M filled 62% of its class with Top 10%. So you can see that A & M has much greater flexibility with OOS students than UT. It all comes down to numbers. Source for these number can be found at www(dot)thecb(dot)state(dot)tx(dot)us/reports/PDF/3208.PDF?CFID=6635486&CFTOKEN=93404003</p>
<p>@collegeshopping “To compare A & M and UT students as the same caliber is generally not even accurate. Like they say in Texas, if you can’t get your grades up, get your thumbs up (or your guns if Techs in play) And I say that seriously.”</p>
<p>Are you serious?</p>
<p>Being in the top whatever 6/7/8 percent and filling most of the incoming class with these students does not overall necessarily mean that the students are of a higher caliber. I guess that’s your personal opinion but wow…this is so arrogant and beyond hilarious. Some people work extremely hard to get in and don’t. if you’re auto-admit, more power to you, but I wouldn’t ostracize the other thousands of applicants of non-auto admits and oos.</p>
<p>I don’t even belong to this thread, but I have to say something to OP and others complaining about the wait. My son applied to 12 schools including 1 IS, 2 public OOS and 9 private. He’s got one decision of acceptance to UNC chapel hill OOS. We’ll know about our IS next Feb 14 and after that 10 other decisions by April 1!!! Guys, it is what it is…Is not an easy wait for anybody, but even if you have received offers from other schools you really don’t know they are better than UT cause you haven’t received that decision yet to compare.
Be patient, smart people don’t come to conclusions until you have all and I mean all info in front of you. My son is flying to Houston next week to visit Rice under Vision 2014. Let’s see how he likes it:) Good luck to all</p>
<p>@brighdalake. It is simply my personal experience. I have had children at both. I don’t think the caliber of professor or advisor is nearly the same at A & M as it is at UT. Tell me what is your personal experience? I am open to other options, but I expect them to be experienced based and not numbers on paper. The only edge I would give A & M is alumni network.</p>
<p>And another word on auto-admits. My biggest pet peeve on the UT thread is the 100% whining of non-auto admits. GROW UP. If you want something bad enough, then you will work hard enough. My favorite excuse is, “but it is so unfair because my school is SO competitive”…whatever. You knew what it took to be in the top of your specific high school class and your inability to work to that level is no ones problem but your own. It is a direct result of a “trophy for every kid” culture. This is a recurring theme every year. People have to understand they are not some special little snowflake.</p>
<p>And yes I am serious. If UT was important to you and you were not willing to do what it took to get auto admit status, then be prepared to get your thumb up or guns up, because UT can’t take everyone.</p>
<p>@collegeshopping “You knew what it took to be in the top of your specific high school class and your inability to work to that level…”</p>
<p>Why do you have this attitude? You think students who arent in the top of their class did not try their hardest to be in the top? Some students try extremely hard to get to the top but sometimes they can’t do it! Class rank is not something we can personally 1000% control. You’re competiting against your peers who are also trying their hardest to get to the top. </p>
<p>Both schools I believe are excellent in their own right. Both have different strengths and weaknesses but I wouldn’t call one absolutely superior.</p>
<p>“If UT was important to you and you were not willing to do what it took to get auto admit status, then be prepared to get your thumb up or guns up, because UT can’t take everyone.”</p>
<p>This is the attitude I always encounter with UT and it is a complete turn off, sorry. Do you hear how bad this sounds? </p>
<p>Gosh, I hope that 8-ball is not representative of Texas grads. In my home state, Michigan takes the same attitude towards Michigan State as 8-ball seems to take towards A&M. I was admitted to both Michigan and MSU, and decided on Michigan State for many reasons. I later got my MBA from Michigan. I know many grads from both schools and I can’t tell them apart, unless someone is wearing school colors. MSU and Michigan are both members of the elite, 60-member Association of Academic Universities, as are Texas and Texas A&M. I seriously doubt that the caliber of undergraduate education at any of these megaversities is significantly different. You can get a great education at any of them and if you do well, you can go on to success in any field. They all have their strengths and weaknesses and in the end it comes down to where you feels comfortable. And if you are going on to professional school, where you went to college is largely irrelevant. Does anyone care where their doctor went to college?</p>
<p>At MSU, football coach Daryl Rogers long ago characterized Michigan fans as “arrogant asses.” Maybe they are not limited to Michigan.</p>
<p>@Beaudreau
LOL!!!
@ 8-ball
I do agree with “some” things you say. If a particular school you want is soo important to you, then prepare yourself and get it done. If you don’t for whatever reason, be prepare to live the consequences of wait. No trophy for everyone. You get what you earn:) Love & Peace</p>
<p>In my personal opinion the top 10% is ridiculous. Admit the most qualified students. And that is not a knock on UT. I understand their hands are tied. </p>
<p>This is definitely an interesting thread. I agree with most of the things that 8-ball/collegeshopping has said regarding working hard toward goals and accepting the way things are and rules that apply. </p>
<p>My position on the A&M/UT debate is complicated. I’m an Aggie (and we live in Texas) who’s high school senior applied to one Texas school: UT. He is an auto-admit, and he was well aware of what he needed to do for UT to be a sure thing. We don’t play the “poor, pitiful me” game in our family. He is at a large (soon-to-be 6A), competitive, suburban high school. </p>
<p>I do not agree that UT is superior to A&M in every academic and opportunity category, but I don’t have any hard numbers (does anyone, really?). I understand that UT’s engineering school is highly rated, but I also know that there are many, many Aggie engineers working in Texas. I can guarantee you that all things being close, an Aggie will hire an Aggie. Maybe even if qualifications are not close! </p>
<p>I’ve always thought that the great thing about the two schools is how different they are. One is in a cool, cutting-edge city while the other is in a town who was built around the school. One is very conservative while the other very liberal. One has a strong, very uppity Greek network while at the other, most are happy just being an Aggie. There is something for everyone, and it really mostly boils down to personality.</p>
<p>With top quality public universities such as these, opportunities will be there for the taking. Just like working to make sure you are in the auto-admit percentages, work hard and the options will be there when you graduate.</p>
<p>Don’t you have a daughter at UT engineering and a son at A&M engineering?
I believe, they were presented different opportunities not because the schools are so different (one is superior than the other) but because your children are of different gender. Women in Engineering organizations at any campus have their own advisors, recruitment events, social and networking events etc</p>
