University of Texas President, Jay Hartzell, announced during a faculty meeting on Monday, September 16th, that the University of Texas will cut its automatic admissions rate to the top 5% of in-state graduating classes. This new admissions standard is slated to begin with applicants for the fall class of 2026 (or current high school juniors).
It’s no secret to high school students in Texas and their parents that getting into UT is legitimately challenging. According to the university, a record high number of first-year students—9,385—were enrolled for the 2023–2024 academic year. Per Texas law, 90% of each admitted class must be made up of in-state residents. Of those students, 75% are automatically admitted. If we do the math, that would mean roughly 6,335 students in that freshman class were automatic admissions. To put that number in perspective, the University of Texas received 66,109 applications for that academic year. All of this is to say that, while the 1% decrease may seem insignificant, it will likely translate to dozens of fewer spots for automatic admissions.
Why Is This Happening?
Short answer: Increased demand, increased competition.
The number of applications to the University of Texas has increased by 10% for each of the last two years. And, as noted by President Hartzell during the faculty meeting, UT doesn’t anticipate decreased student interest in the near future. At the same time, Texas is one of few states to see an increase in youth population following the pandemic, meaning the sheer number of students within the top 6% of their class has and will continue to increase.
The combination of increased interest and expanding in-state class sizes all but guaranteed that the university would need to decrease its number of automatic admissions. By doing so, it will be able to maintain the current 25%-level of in-state students admitted through a holistic review.
What Can I Do?
As noted above, the University of Texas administration doesn’t anticipate a decrease in application numbers in the near future, so it’s safe to assume the automatic admissions threshold won’t return to 6% anytime soon. (If anything, it’s more likely that the rate would fall again to 4% if Texas’s youth population continues to grow.)
But, as tutors at The Enrichery always tell their students, we choose to focus on the things that we can control.
If your student is set to begin high school next year (and they want to attend UT), we strongly encourage developing a tutoring practice now. Having an established academic routine and rapport with a tutor means your student’s tutor can more effectively help them acclimate to high school and do well in their coursework from the start.
If your student is already in high school and near the top 5% of their class, academic coaching can help maintain and improve their grades. Especially at large schools, the single percentage point separating the Top 5% and 6% could come down to getting just a few extra points on a calculus exam.
And, if your student is a junior and it isn’t mathematically possible for them to reach the top 5% in the next year, that’s alright, too. While very challenging to get admitted, a competitive ACT or SAT score, strong application materials, and an impressive high school resume can be enough to persuade the UT admissions staff member to admit your student.
This news is (understandably) concerning for parents and students. Thankfully, there are a number of things your student can do to boost their chances of getting into the University of Texas—and The Enrichery is here to help. Contact us to develop a plan of action for your student!
