How UT Austin Evaluated Applicants This Year

UT Austin’s holistic review process placed a strong emphasis on academic performance, requiring SAT or ACT scores and evaluating GPA, class rank, and course rigor. However, academics alone weren’t enough. The most competitive applicants demonstrated a clear fit for their first-choice major through coursework, extracurriculars, and leadership. Successful students showcased 3–4 major-related activities, such as internships, independent projects, and leadership roles. Essays and expanded resumes played a crucial role, allowing applicants to highlight their personal growth, contributions, and strengths. UT Austin also considered special circumstances, such as family responsibilities and challenges overcome, to provide a full picture of each student.

This year’s results reinforced that even high-achieving students faced a competitive process, including those in the top 5% auto-admit pool. Applicants who started early and built a strategic plan—focusing on rigorous coursework, extracurricular involvement, and leadership in 9th and 10th grade—had the greatest advantage. Standardized test scores mattered, and students with strong SAT or ACT results stood out. Beyond academics, successful applicants demonstrated leadership and impact, whether through school organizations, community service, or personal initiatives.

Schedule Your UT Strategy Session: Let's Turn This Year's Admission Insights into Your Student's Game Plan

With UT's latest admissions cycle revealing new insights, now is the perfect time to transform these findings into your student's personalized success strategy. During your one-on-one Strategy Session, we'll evaluate your teenager's unique story through the lens of UT's current admissions landscape and create a clear path forward.

Our Austin-based experts understand what matters most in UT's holistic review process—especially for competitive majors where thoughtful planning makes the difference.

In your 30-minute Strategy Session, we'll:

🔬 Analyze your student's current profile against UT's latest admissions data 

🎯 Identify key opportunities to strengthen their story based on this year's insights

🗓️ Create a timeline that aligns with UT's evolving priorities

❓Address your specific questions about major selection and application strategy

What Should STUDENTS Focus On?

Academic Excellence: The Foundation of a Strong UT Austin Application

UT Austin’s admissions process is highly competitive, with academics serving as the foundation of a successful application. While strong grades and test scores won’t guarantee admission, they are critical in demonstrating your readiness for college-level work—especially for selective majors.

Competitive Academic Targets

🎯 GPA & Rank: 3.8–4.0 (Unweighted), Top 5% Class Rank
🎯 Target Test Scores: SAT 1400+ or ACT 32+
🎯 Course Rigor: Take AP, IB, or Dual-Credit courses to strengthen your application.
🎯 Major-Specific Preparation: Enroll in courses that align with your intended major (e.g., Calculus for Engineering and Business).

Understanding the Auto-Admit Policy

✅ Top 5% of Texas public high school students earn automatic admission to College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin.
✅ However, admission to selective majors is not guaranteed—a strong application is still required.

How to Build a Winning Transcript

📖 Prioritize Academic Performance: Take the most rigorous courses you can succeed in.
📝 Set Goals Aligned with Strengths & Interests: Choose challenging coursework that supports your college and career plans.
🙋‍♂️ Seek Support When Needed: Build strong study habits, ask for help from teachers, and collaborate with peers.
💡 Stay Motivated & Disciplined: A strong academic record is key to securing admission and thriving in college.

How to Achieve Competitive Standardized Test Scores

✅ Plan Early: Start preparing for the SAT/ACT in summer before 11th grade to allow time for improvement.
✅ Take Rigorous Math & English Courses: Strong performance in Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and AP English can boost test readiness.
✅ Use Targeted Test Prep: Take practice tests, review weak areas, and consider professional test prep programs if needed.
✅ Retake for a Higher Score: Many students improve scores significantly with focused prep and a second attempt.
✅ Know Your Target: Aim for SAT 1400+ or ACT 32+ to be most competitive.

By strategically planning coursework, preparing for standardized tests, and staying engaged in learning, students can build a competitive academic profile that sets them apart in UT Austin’s selective applicant pool.

Major Selection: The Key to a Your Extracurricular Plan

When applying to UT Austin, students must select a first-choice major, which plays a key role in how their application is reviewed. The admissions team evaluates each component—transcript, class rank, essays, expanded resume, letters of recommendation, and test scores (if submitted)—through the lens of the chosen major. Their goal is to assess how well an applicant’s academic and extracurricular experiences align with their intended field of study.

While students can list a second-choice major, it is typically not considered for applicants outside the top 5% of their graduating class.

What Makes a Major Competitive?

UT Austin has several impacted majors—programs where there are more highly competitive applicants than available spots. Gaining admission to these majors requires more than strong academics; applicants must demonstrate a clear fit through coursework, extracurricular involvement, and essays.

UT Austin’s Most Competitive Majors

📌 McCombs School of Business – Unspecified Business
📌 Cockrell School of Engineering – All majors
📌 College of Natural Sciences – Computer Science and many science majors
📌 School of Nursing – Highly selective due to limited space
📌 School of Architecture – Requires strong academic and portfolio alignment

As competition for these programs increases, students should strategically align their academics, activities, and application materials to showcase their readiness and passion for their chosen major.

Building a Strong Major-Aligned Profile

One of the best ways to strengthen your UT Austin application is by actively engaging in activities that align with your first-choice major. Admissions officers review applications holistically, considering your academics, essays, resume, and extracurricular involvement—especially how these experiences demonstrate a clear fit for your chosen field.

Maximizing Summer for a Strong Application

Summer is a valuable time to build experiences that align with your first-choice major, develop key skills, and show initiative—an essential factor in UT Austin’s holistic admissions process. The best summer plans balance exploration, productivity, and rest, allowing students to strengthen their applications while avoiding burnout.

How to Plan a Productive and Impactful Summer

🔹 Follow the  i4 Framework: UT Austin values students who demonstrate Interest, Involvement, Initiative, and Impact in their chosen field. Use the summer to deepen your commitment to your academic and extracurricular passions.

🔹 Engage in Major-Aligned Activities: Admissions officers look for students who actively explore their field. Consider:

• Business: Attend an entrepreneurship program, intern at a local startup, or launch a small business.
• Engineering: Join a summer robotics competition, work on an independent coding project, or take a pre-college engineering course.
• Healthcare: Shadow medical professionals, volunteer at a hospital, or complete an EMT certification.
• Communications: Start a blog or podcast, write for a local publication, or take a journalism workshop.

🔹 Take Advantage of Pre-College Programs: Many universities offer summer programs where students can gain hands-on experience in STEM, business, social sciences, and more. Research competitive, low-cost, or free programs that align with your interests.

🔹 Consider a Summer Job or Internship: Work experience shows responsibility, initiative, and problem-solving skills. Even non-traditional roles—like customer service or tutoring—develop communication and leadership abilities valued in admissions.

🔹 Find Ways to Give Back: Community service isn’t just about volunteering; look for leadership opportunities within service projects related to your major. Organizing a local health fair, tutoring students in STEM, or launching an environmental sustainability project demonstrates both initiative and impact.

🔹 Balance Productivity and Rest: UT Austin values students who are both driven and well-rounded. While building a strong application is important, summer should also include time to recharge, reflect, and explore new interests.

Why Summer Planning Matters

✅ Deepens academic and extracurricular involvement
✅ Strengthens your UT Austin essays and expanded resume
✅ Demonstrates initiative and leadership in your major
✅ Prepares you for a strong start to the next school year

With thoughtful planning, summer can be a transformative time that not only makes your UT Austin application more competitive but also helps you discover and refine your long-term goals.

Successful UT Austin applicants can't rely on senior-year scrambling or last-minute resume building. The university's holistic review process, which evaluates every aspect of an application through the lens of first-choice major fit, demands a thoughtful, long-term approach that ideally begins in 9th grade.

Learn More About Admissions at UT Austin