<p>Prof, you are right, A&M attracts the top 25% crowd that scores above 1300 on the SAT/ 600+ on SAT Math and CR. These students usually come from high performing schools. There is no SAT score requirement on the top 10%, but getting into engineering requires a minimum SAT score of Math 550 and a minimum MPE score of 24. One cannot enroll in Calculus required for engineering without a minimum MPE score. The engineering school at A&M spends 50% more than UTs. So, there are lots of research opportunities. This attracts many engineering students to A&M on its own merit over UT. It also keeps out the top 10% admits of A&M who don’t do well in Math. </p>
<p>Consequently, top 25% students from competitive high schools that do not make the top 7% for UT usually make a beeline to A&M. The top 7%from these top high schools, that can make UT, make a beeline to private universities such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT and the Ivies. Therefore, UT ends up with a lot of inner city top 7%, but few students from high performing high schools. Consequently, I think UT’s SAT score is stagnating even though its cut off is rising. In contrast, A&M’s SAT is rising, almost surpassing UT’s. In addition, UT’s situation is not helped by the fact that A&M gives great scholarships to all NMFs that UT does not. Also, perhaps, city students prefer the urban location of UT over rural A&M.</p>