I’m applying to all 3 schools but idk what school I should choose as my top choice, since I still have no clue which one I like better. I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to get in all 3, as my SAT and GPA is well above all averages, but I want to start getting outside opinions on these schools. Can you guys plz tell me main differences between them and your opinions on them? Thanks, all thoughts help! I need all the input I can get!
PS- I’ve visited all 3, and I thought A&M was pretty ugly, what I heard about the community there kept it on the list. Also, around UT did seem a bit busy, but it was nice on campus. Finally, TCU seemed a little small. Nevertheless, I still adore all 3 schools.
Are you in State or Out of State (OOS)?
What is your SAT score?
What is your class rank?
What is your intended major?
These things matter. A Lot.
TCU may care about your GPA. UT and A&M won’t unless it is to rank you if your high school doesn’t rank. In that instance, your high school will send a school profile along with your transcript and the University will assign you a rank. Don’t count on Scholarships or Merit Aid from UT or A&M. If you’re out of state, you must be awarded at minimum $4000 competitive renewing scholarships from A&M to receive in state tuition waiver.
What do you want to study? That major may help dictate where you best fit. All are great schools.
Can you afford them? On CC, we see a lot of applicants apply to only schools they have no way to afford. It’s not that A&M and UT can’t afford aid,it is just that they don’t give a lot of it because they don’t have to to get top applicants to enroll. Have you had the discussion with the folks how much they can pay out of pocket per year and figured out where the rest will come from? If you have, that is great. Just checking because every summer, there are applicants desperate to find financial safeties when they realize they cannot pay for the schools they have applied to.
Out of state, SAT: 1470, school doesn’t offer class rank, undecided major currently(still trying to figure that out too!), and GPA is 4.0 unweighted. My parents can afford all 3 so financially none should be an issue. Hopefully I’ll be able to get state tuition for A&M and UT once my parents moves down here for good with the rest of our extended family, which is why they are pushing Texas schools.
Once you have lived in state for 12 months, you can qualify for in state tuition, so your first year will be OOS tuition.
With a 1470, you would qualify for academic admit to A&M to the university and would automatically be placed in to the major you applied for except engineering. That major has a holistic review for every applicant to determine if they are math and physics ready. However,for A&M, applications opened July 1. If you wanted to major in business, Mays College of Business fills up fast with auto/academic admits and once all spaces filled (hs graduating class of 2014, it was filled by first of Nov. and auto/academic applicants applying that late had to chose other majors.
At A&M, you cannot apply as undeclared or general studies.
For UT, it will depend on the rest of your application file. The bulk of enrollment is Texas students, 85-90% of enrollment. As an OOS, you will be competing with the international and in state review applicants. At UT, your school will send their profile with the transcript. UT will use your GPA this to determine your class rank. UT LOVES class rank more than test scores. My son was denied his competitive major choice at UT with a 2110 (1470 equiv on new SAT), National Merit Commended, in state, full pay tuition (we self pay for 3 currently in college), and was chosen 1 of 13 out of 100 applicants who were invited to apply, for an internship while a Sr in high school and recurring every summer at a government contracted Aerospace engineering company, Lockheed Martin. He was just out of the auto admit numbers of his class. He was offered any major other than STEM.
UT nor A&M takes into account how competitive your high school is. your grades, like my sons, are a dime a dozen at UT and A&M. While they are great grades, at these competitive schools, everyone has them in the competitive majors and there are a students with a lot better as well. That can be a huge panic for students who excelled in high school and then A&M are not always that way and they panic over not making the same grades so be prepared for that.
For UT, you can submit your housing application ($50) as soon as you get your student number after applying (you get an email within a few days to set up your BeALonghorn portal. This fee is non refundable. If you are admitted, you can submit the housing application and fee, after you accept your admissions.
For A&M, you wait to submit your housing deposit, application, and housing fee until you are accepted and you accept admissions. When you get your acceptance, you have only 30 days to submit the housing application to guarantee priority for on campus housing. Note, that if you are not sure if you want to stay in a dorm or not, don’t submit the application. It is a binding contract and you will pay half of both semester costs if you submit it and then decide to live in an apartment. The only way it is refundable, is if you later decline your admissions by May 1.
Good Luck
To qualify for instate tuition you will have to have worked in the state of Texas 12 months prior to be admitted into a public university.
You will not qualify for instate tuition if you have been enrolled at a college or university before you make your request for instate.
Can you take a gap year?
Both TAMU and UT are better than TCU but both want your rank. So make sure your school provides a way to know whether you’re top ten, top 5%, 7%, 10%…
Only 7% students at UT are OOS so your odds aren’t good, especially if you want a competitive major such as engineering or business.
(Add the fact we don’t know if University of Houston will be able to resume classes and how, so there may be an exodus that percolates to all other Texas public schools.)
Run the NPC on many schools in Texas and show your results.