<p>Hi guys, this is my first post here, so try to take it easy on me haha.</p>
<p>UT Austin is my number one choice, and I'll be applying there this fall, and I think I have a chance at getting in, but i'm not in the top 8%, so it will be tough. I want to go to the Cockrell School of Engineering as a Chemical Engineer Major. Here are my stats/info, so what do you guys think? I feel that I can have some teachers write some nice recommendation letters, so I think that could help a bit.-</p>
<p>-Unweighted GPA: 3.503
-Weighted GPA: 4.260
-Class Rank: Top 15%
-SAT Writing (I don't Plan on sending in my SAT scores, as they are not what I desire them to be): 530
-SAT Reading: 510
-SAT Math: 610
-SAT Composite: 1660
-ACT Math (these are from a real practice exam, I recieve my real scores in July): 31
-ACT English: 24
-ACT Reading: 23
-ACT Science: 28
(As y'all can see, english isn't my forte)
-AP's: World History-2 (jacked around sophmore year) , Chemistry- Expecting a 5, US History- 3 or 4
-Senior Schedule: AP Gov, AP MacroEconomics, German III Honors, AP German IV, AP Calculus BC, Honors English, Choir, Lab Manager (slight extension of AP Chemistry, not for credit)
-Race/Ethnicity: African American/Black
-School Activities: Science Club (Treasurer), Science National Honor Society (Vice President), National Honor Society, German Club (Vice President), Choir
-Work Experience: Work at a pool store (since July '09)
-Awards/Recognitions: Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Certificate of Merit on AATG National German Exam</p>
<p>Thanks in advance! I hope I hit all the high points on my info</p>
<p>Why is that? I’ve spoken with various UT Admission Counselers and they all say that UT has no preference SAT vs ACT, as long as the ACT includes the writing portion</p>
<p>A 26 composite for an ACT score isn’t enough to overcome being outside the Top 8% (at least I don’t think it is, I might be wrong).
I think Pierre meant that you SAT score is better than your ACT.</p>
<p>Ooh, i see. Thanks guys for your input, i took the ACT this past weekend, and i’m pretty sure i did better on this sitting than that practice test, so I hope all works out.</p>
<p>I think many people who took the ACT do better than the SAT. So scoring better on the ACT might not be as glamorous as you think it is. Evidence: I scored better on the SAT than the ACt.</p>
<p>Highlander, you are correct that UT does not care which test you send in. They simply convert your ACT score into an equivilent SAT score. Chemical Engineering usually takes approx top 5%, it is very competitive. Your rank and test scores are probably not as high as it takes to get into chem e at UT. That said, however, you may very well get in as an underrepresented minority. UT is trying very hard to recruit more african americans into the school. My guess would be that you might get into UT, but chemical engineering might be a stretch. You could always take basics the first year, do really really well and transfer into engineering. Good Luck!</p>
<p>I have to agree with LonghornDan- I would definitely raise your ACT. You definitely have the courseload, the extracurriculars and the right minority status to get in. The only things that are holding you back are your rank and ACT score. You can overcome being out of the top ten % by getting a really great ACT score. There’s definitely a possibility you’ll get in with that score (I’ve seen people get in with less) but if you want to greatly improve your chances, I strongly recommend you get 30+ on the ACT.</p>
<p>The Khan Academy website has every question on the 8 real blue book SAT practice tests clearly explained in easily understandable videos. I wish I would have known about this website when I was taking the test, because if you put the time in this could raise your score hundreds of points!</p>
<p>Just to clarify, an ACT score of about 28 is around the same level as an 1860 SAT so your ACT score is definitely the better of the two. As everyone else has said, up your scores and you may have a chance. Junior year is finished so your class rank is stuck (is top 15% the most recent rank?) and there are only a handful of ACT/SAT opportunities left so spend your summer wisely. You are also an under-represented minority; don’t doubt how much this can help you because it will definitely make a difference.</p>
<p>You should do the CAPS program! I’m in the top quarter so I’ll probably have to do that. You go to one of UT’s satellite schools for a year and you get like a 3.2 GPA and then you transfer sophomore year to UT Austin.</p>
<p>OK people. Tell me if you think I can get into UT CAPS.
(Don’t laugh at my rank and SAT score btw, they’re not quite as good as my classmate’s here ^^)
Unweighted GPA: 3.513
Weighted GPA: 4.026
SAT (the first time round, not the one I just took): 1650
Rank: #220 out of 830ish?
ACT: don’t have scores yet
AP Courses: World Hist, US Hist, Psychology, English III
Honors Courses: English I, English II, Spanish III, Geometry, World Geography</p>
<p>Activities and Awards:
Academic Letterman 2007
DECA Business Club: District winner and state competitor- 2010
MSA Vice President: Christian representative- 2009-10
Houston Bar Association Law Day video contest: 1st place winner 2008-09
Kids First Film Festival national winner for student film about endangered species,
titled To the Brink- 2008
Production Assistant on set of Ontracc Films production, Broken- 2009
American Institute of Architects: volunteered to assist AIA during their<br>
home tours in Houston - 2008
Water Polo team fundraising :volunteered to run concessions at<br>
Woodlands High football games to raise funds for the local water polo team- 2008
TWHS Scavenger Hunt fundraiser- 2009
Volunteer at DECA Crawfish Festival, childrens supervisor- 2010
Volunteer at DECA Earth Day Festival- 2010
Elected DECA officer for the upcoming school year of 2010-2011
Summer job 2010</p>
<p>Work Experience:
Summer 2009 Internship at 20/20 Architects in Belfast, Ireland
Spring 2009 Internship at Tom Lancaster & Assoc, an architectural firm in The
Woodlands, TX
Lead actress in feature length kids film, The Bracelet of Bordeaux; filmed 2005, released nationally in 2009; assisted in extensive promotion of film in schools and bookstores
British Petroleum: TV voiceover for VT2 Studios in Houston- 2007
Chi Kung for Kids :Industrial voiceover with Jim Bratton Studios- 2007</p>
so I’ll probably have to do that. You go to one of UT’s satellite schools for a year and you get like a 3.2 GPA and then you transfer sophomore year to UT Austin.</p>