Hey, I’m co 2022 in Texas. Looking to be either CS, CE, or ECE major, or potential EE and CS double major.
Here are my stats:
GPA: 5.10 weighted (4.583 9th, 5.617 10th)
For GPA scale: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.pearlandisd.org/cms/lib/TX01918186/Centricity/Domain/28/GPA%2520Chart.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjg6NrZ58vqAhXHaM0KHXBoBnoQFjAAegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw29gcX6rnbxzXMrYbyeq1Ze&cshid=1594697758746
SAT
APs (taken):
Computer Science A
World History
Statistics
Planned:
Physics 1
English Language and Culture
Calculus BC
Seminar
Chemistry
US History
Microeconomics
US Government
Physics C
Research
English Literature and Culture
Art History
I haven’t taken an official SAT/ACT yet, but practice SATs range from 1490-1530 and practice ACTs range from 34-35
ECs include 2 years varsity swim, 1 year robotics, 5 years FPSPI, 9 years club swim.
Class rank (which Texas public universities use instead of HS GPA)?
Unweighted HS GPA (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0)?
Class rank is 105/630 right now
Unweighted is 3.5, 3.083 in 9th, 3.917 in 10th
Top 17% rank will make UT Austin a reach, especially for CS or any engineering major. Texas A&M College Station may be doable, but it has a secondary admission process into CS or any engineering major, and it recently has not been very transparent about how competitive each major is (although 3.5 college GPA automatically admits). Texas A&M seems to be expanding pathways to engineering, but that seems to be making the secondary admission process significantly more competitive for some majors.
But many other Texas public universities have computer science, computer engineering, and/or electrical engineering:
Houston
Houston Clear Lake
Lamar
North Texas
Prairie View A&M
Sam Houston State
Stephen F. Austin State
Tarleton State
Texas A&M Commerce
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Texas A&M Kingsville
Texas A&M Texarkana
UT Dallas
UT El Paso
UT Tyler
UT RGV
Texas State
Texas Tech
Many of them publish automatic admission criteria that your rank in combination with high enough test scores may qualify for. Be sure to check if admission to your desired majors requires higher qualifications or is competitive, even if you would have automatic admission to the campus.
Important for determining safeties: have you talked to your parents about what they will contribute for your college costs, and checked whether any colleges that you could consider safeties for admission are definitely affordable, based on financial aid that you may qualify for and/or merit scholarships that are assured for your stats?
Looking at UH’s admissions, I think I have a pretty good chance of automatic admission into any major, and it should be affordable for me.
If I try increasing my ranking to around 12-15%, how much chance do you think I have at A&M or UT Austin?
Texas State and UTSA are excellent options for potential scholarships. UH is an excellent option, being in the middle of a major city with abundant internships and jobs.
UT Austin is a reach for admission to the campus if you are not in the top 6% for automatic admission. Admission to CS or any engineering major is competitive beyond that.
Texas A&M College Station is not so obvious for those outside the top 10% for automatic admission. But note that engineering admission is competitive beyond campus admission, and there is a secondary admission process to get into the major (based on college GPA and essays) after enrolling.
Neither is anything close to a safety for you.