<p>Someone asked this in another thread, but it didn't get answered so I thought I'd start a separate thread because I'm curious as well.</p>
<p>What is the difference between summer school and being CAPped? I know that some students get CAPped instead of being offered a spot right away, but is summer school something YOU apply for, or is it something THEY offer you? Can anyone give an example of what kind of applicant might get admission via summer school vs getting CAPped?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance. Son is a junior, and we're starting to look at these kinds of things ...</p>
<p>Summer program means they offer you admission if you are able to maintain a certain GPA in the Summer before the Fall semester at their summer school. They offer this program to borderline students, maybe somebody who is instate, sitting around top 25% in their class, and have like a 1300+ SAT score. They don't deserve to be flat out rejected, but they couldn't admit them into the incoming class right off. </p>
<p>CAP is basically offered to every to pretty much every instate applicant I believe. They say that if you can maintain above a certain GPA at one of the sister schools( pretty much every UT school but UT Dallas), then you will at least be admitted to the university. There are no guarantees as to whether or not you will get into your selected major, but if you get above a 3.7 you should be able to get everything but business.</p>
<p>I believe so. I'm in that summer school range..about Top25% at a pretty competitive school, 1300+ on SAT, and loaded on EC/work. </p>
<p>Basically the way they consider everything is in this order:
First Choice Major(School)
Second Choice
Summer Program
Cap Qualification</p>
<p>They just go from the top until you get into one of those. If your not smart enough to get into caps(in state), you should of never applied to UT-A. Like, as long as you meet the minimum requirements for any of the sister schools your in...which means you could be in the bottom quartile with like 1000+ on your SAT and get it..</p>
<p>By 1300+ do you mean the whole SAT score including the writing score or is it just the math and critical reading? On the admission website they said that they will start to consider the writing section. I'm really confused :(</p>
<p>That's how they decide CAP? By whether you could qualify at a satellite campus? I'll need to research that more! If so, that would turn UT from a reach to an eventual safety. :)</p>
<p>1300 would be just CR+M. Not sure what it says on the website, but that's what's usually meant on cc ...</p>
<p>Anyone on here go the summer school route? Big difference?</p>
<p>OK, I did a little research. Anyone have any idea how many kids get accepted for summer school and how many get CAPped? Does EVERYONE who meets the basic criteria get CAPped or only a subset, those they really want eventually?</p>
<p>At Discover UT, the admissions counselor said that 1500 students were offered summer admission and 8,000 offered the CAP program. This is for the current freshmen class.</p>
<p>My son had a bunch of friends go summer in 2007. They were exactly as described, top 1/4 at a really competitive hs, with either over a 1300 SAT or 30 ACT. The summer program is not like regular college summer school (2 sessions, one 6 week, one 5 week). It is set up more like a regular semester, just one long session, and you take regular freshman prereq's. Every one of his friends made the cut, in fact, really did well, which helped by starting with high GPA's. It is also known to be a ton of fun, because you are in Austin the whole summer and every couple of weeks a whole new crop of incoming freshmen show up for the one week orientation sessions. There is alot going on, parties and such.</p>
<p>My son, who was a regular fall admit, wished he could have been a summer. So, if your child gets it, consider him not only lucky that he got into UT, but that also he will have a little leg up by getting some hours behind him in the summer.</p>
<p>The only kicker is that it starts really early, like the first week of June (6th or so in 2007), so it's graduation, packing, then they're off to college!</p>
<p>Summer's a heckuva lot better than CAP. CAP is not really that great of a deal-you would be much better going to a real university (not UTSA or UTA or UTEP or whatever), and focusing on a major you will actually want to do, instead of going to one of the aforementioned campuses and then transferring into liberal arts, or geosciences, or whatever. If you do want to do liberal arts or a a major in another school that many CAP kids transfer into then I suppose its fine, but for engineering or business students its not the best decision to do CAP and then pray that you can transfer into the engineering or b-school.</p>
<p>I was offered CAP this year (long story but I didn't take it). if you really want to go to UT, do the CAP program. It is offered to anyone in the state of texas who applys to UT. The summer school option is not. You get admitted into the summer school program. If you do the CAP program, you are automatically admitted a spot in liberal arts or natural sciences. If you are in the summer school i think you get into liberal arts or natural sciences as well, but you can always transfer majors (ive heard some of them are harder than others). I'd really recommend the CAP program if you are really wanting to go to UT. I wish I would have. Now i'm having to apply and do the essay process all over again (pain in the neck!!!) but it will be worth it! My boyfriend and a few friends are doing the CAP program at UTSA (we are from near san antonio) and they are having a decent college experience, focusing on grades, like we all should be. I think its a pretty good deal.</p>
<p>I don't see a point in doing CAP, mainly because you are paying the same $ you would pay if you went to UT Austin. </p>
<p>I believe going to a local junior college would be better because not only are you saving thousands and thousands of money but also getting into LA or NS isn't that difficult to begin with.</p>
<p>^ Probably not difficult for some, but if you think about the people in the bottom half of their high school class who have no shot in hell of getting accepted regularly, CAP is an excellent way to guarantee their admission the next year as long as they make a 3.2 which isn't difficult at all. Going to a community college is a good idea too, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee them a spot since they have to apply regularly again. CAP kids have a special advisor to make sure they stay on the track to UT.</p>
<p>I'm doubting they will have CAP for much longer with the amount of people they are accepting. Giving everyone in Texas is a whole lot of people the option of doing CAP. But, I've heard at UTSA only havout 50% make it through----- not because of grades (not to scare anyone) but actually a lot of people end up staying at UTSA instead of moving on, or transfer to other schools.</p>