So What's the Truth?

College Search & Selection
2

<p><a href=“Before you ask which colleges to apply to, please consider - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1621234-before-you-ask-which-colleges-to-apply-to-please-consider.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you are in Texas with class rank in the top 7%, all Texas public universities should be admission safeties at the campus level, although some specific majors or divisions (at Austin, at least) may not be assured. Have you checked whether they are affordable and whether you like them?</p>

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<p>If you are aiming for super-selective colleges like Stanford, then you probably need all of the following:

  • Top end grades in the most demanding selection of courses available to you.
  • Top end test scores.
  • High level (i.e. state or national level) achievement or award in some extracurricular.
    (A “hook” may allow one of the above to be somewhat less than top end.)</p>

<p>Neither your peers nor your parents are correct in a strict sense. Academic achievement, test scores, and extracurricular achievement are all important for admission to super-selective colleges, so if any of them are missing, your chances are likely lower than the published admission rates.</p>