Class rank, test scores and high school coursework Academic Achievement
When reviewing applications, the Office of Admissions looks for information that will help admissions representatives to make decisions based on each applicant’s abilities as a student and a scholar. As applications are reviewed, decisions about academic achievement are based on an applicant’s class rank, standardized test scores and high school coursework.
Class Rank
Class rank (as reported on your official high school transcript) indicates your ability to keep up with your peers in your given academic environment.
- Top 10%: Based on Texas law, applicants are offered automatic admission to the university (but not necessarily to a requested major) if they graduate in the top 10% of their class from an accredited Texas high school.
- Non-top 10% Texas grads and out-of-state applicants: Class rank is a critical academic factor in admission decisions for non-top 10% Texas graduates and out-of-state students as well.
- Other applicants: Some students graduate from non-ranking high schools; some are home-schooled or do not graduate from high school in the traditional manner. For these individuals, we look to factors other than class rank to help us make informed admission decisions.
Standardized Test Scores
Although test scores aren’t everything, considered with other academic information they can be a meaningful indicator of an applicant’s academic ability. As a result, they are one of the academic factors considered when freshman applications are reviewed.
No minimum score is needed for an applicant to be considered for admission, and no score by itself, no matter how high, guarantees admission to any applicant. You may submit as many score reports as you like. If you submit more than one score report, the Office of Admissions will use the score from a single test date that will benefit you the most when your application is reviewed. We will not, however, combine scores from different test dates (a critical reading score from one test date with a mathematics score from another test date, for example) to come up with a better score.
SAT Subject Test Scores
SAT Subject Test scores are not considered when admission decisions are made, except for applicants to the College of Engineering who may need to submit scores for the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics to fulfill the Engineering Math Readiness Requirement.
The university does use certain SAT Subject Tests for placement testing. Scores are used to determine which university courses are appropriate for entering students.
High School Coursework
When making admission decisions, we look positively upon students who show their commitment to academics by taking the recommended rather than the required high school courses in a given academic area.
Because not all applicants have access to advanced or honors courses, we do not, however, consider the level of coursework taken (regular, advanced placement, honors, AP, IB or other) during the admissions process.
If you want to pursue a math-intensive major such as architecture, business, engineering, geosciences, or natural sciences, we encourage you to take math or science courses each year you’re in high school.
Updated 14 August 2008
Top | Next: Personal Achievement »
