Cost Constraints / Budget Me and my parents talked about it and we will be able to pay!
Intended Major(s)
First major choice: Biology
Second major choir: Neuroscience
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 3.5
Weighted HS GPA: 4.5 on 6 point scale
Class Rank: Top 50%
ACT/SAT Scores: 1460
My grades are lower than I would like because I had PCOS and was struggling with my health, and connected it to my future career in my essays.
List your HS coursework
English
Advanced English 1
Advanced English 2
IB English Language and Literature HL
Math
Advanced Geometry
Advanced Algebra II
Precalculus
IB Math AI SL
Science
Advanced Biology
Advanced Chemistry
AP Physics 1
IB Biology HL
IB Psychology SL
History and social studies
AP Human Geography
AP World History
IB History HL
Language other than English
French 1
French 2
IB French SL
Visual or performing arts
Choir
Other academic courses
AP Seminar
Theory of Knowledge
College Coursework (Transfer Applicants)
AP World History
IB Psychology SL
Will be taking the rest of my IB tests at the end of the school year
Awards
Region Choir
4 years
Solo and ensemble
4 years
All ones
State qualifier
Choir UIL
4 years
All ones
Extracurriculars
Choir
Performing for more than 9+ years
JV Choir for 1 year
Varsity Choir for 3 years
TA to JV for 1 year
3 years Solo & Ensemble all 1s, state qualifier
3 years TMEA Region Choir
Led volunteer organization teaching children to sing for 3 years
UIL Choir for 3 years, all ones
Piano
Performed at Carnegie Hall
9+ years playing piano
Regular recitals/concerts
Volunteered to play piano at senior homes
Volunteering at Pediatric Endocrinologist Clinic
Shadowed PA in Endocrinology
Sat in with patients & triages
Helped recruit staff, created files, answered calls, checked patients in and out, cleaned rooms
HSRA UT Austin Program
5-week UT Austin microbiology research program
Partnered on caffeine project
Presented findings at program conclusion.
Piano Lesson Business
Started piano lesson business teaching kids
Created engaging lessons, syllabuses & goals
Developed organizational & social skills working with children
Swimming
Participated in swim meets
Significantly improved timings and stroke technique
Silambam
Participated in Tamil martial arts for one year
Participated in a concert.
Local organizations
Regular volunteer at school events/choir, local library, teaching kids singing (3 yrs), and senior homes
Research Paper #1
Conducted an independent research project analyzing how different temperatures can impact the effectiveness of hair treatment oils
Developed experimental procedures
Collected and analyzed data
Wrote a research paper presenting results
Research Paper #2
Started a research project analyzing how the distance of geysers present at
Yellowstone National Park correlates with eruption timings
Collected information from various sources
Analyzed data to determine the conclusion
Wrote a research paper presenting findings and interpretations
Research Paper #3
Conducted research to analyze Japanese’s actions during World War II
Wrote research paper and showed findings
Research Paper #4
Analyzed and conducted research concerning decongestants, and whether the effects for the respiratory system can outweigh the effects of the cardiovascular system.
Wrote research paper and presented evidence
Essays/LORs/Other
Pretty good essays, unique personal statement.
Schools
UT Austin
UT Dallase
Texas Tech
UNT
A&M
SMU
Baylor
Rice
Penn
Rutgers
Vanderbilt
TCU
University of Houston
I’m not really sure which ones are considered safeties, targets, and reaches for me
I think you know - without a competitive rank, UT highly unlikely.
Reach, target and safety don’t matter.
An affordable safety matters, preferably two. And you have that.
Your list - Vandy, Rice and Penn high reach. UT reach. Do your parents know the first three are near $400k. Can they afford that ? Or have they run the NPCs?
A&M - what’s your rank. If it’s 30%, 40% - unlikely.
Safe - Tech, Houston, UNT
Likely - UTD, Baylor
Target - SMU, TCU, Rutgers (why Rutgers??)
Since you say all are affordable the list is fine. But a Trinity (smaller) or schools like William & Mary, Lehigh, Rochester, Case Western would be more reasonable reaches than Rice, Vandy and Penn.
Pitt might be a great one to look at too (rolling admission so apply don) or Va Tech which has an entire school of Neuro.
William and Mary is highly unlikely for an OOS student with these stats, even with all of this student’s accomplishments. They have to accept 60% of their students from in state, so the competition is very stiff for OOS admissions. A student would need a GPA much closer to a 4.0.
If you’re interested in flagships, Kansas and Nebraska are both respected schools with more promising admissions rates and generous aid for out of state students. Kansas in particular might have extra merit for music scholarships (even if you’re not majoring), so you might want to check that out. Both would give you an experience along the lines of UT Austin, if that’s what you’re looking for.
I would expect all I mentioned to be no - except maybe Trinity - but more “reasonable reaches” than Vandy, Rice, and Penn.
Schools like KU, Nebraska, Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss State, etc. would be safeties for this student - but he’s got, by my estimation, several in - state already.
Blockquote A&M - what’s your rank. If it’s 30%, 40% - unlikely.
I’ve seen your estimates of A&M chances often far below what mine would be. It’s true that biology is a somewhat competitive major, but it’s not the hardest and its also true that it’s not that hard to get in to A&M for most majors. I’m not saying it’s easy…but OP has decent grades and excellent rigor and test scores. I’d be very surprised if they didn’t get in. At my kids HS, on a consistent basis year-in and year-out, 80 percent of those who apply to A&M get in. That includes Blinn TEAM. Same for the well-regarded public school down the street from me where most of my kids’ childhood friends are students. I know that’s a higher than average acceptance rate given that the university’s acceptance rate is closer to 60 percent. But the reality is that for most majors, for in state students with good grades and good test scores A&M is likely. If you want to be conservative you could call it a target.
You are right - I’m thrown by the top 10% auto admit. But it’s just my guess. If I’m too conservative, then great for the kids.
The SAT was good. The student says - top 50% rank - so I don’t know if that’s 20% or 40% or 50%.
But 2/3 are in the top 10% of their class and 91% in the top 25%.
So if the student is not in the top 25%, I’d call it a reach. They don’t list GPAs in the CDS.
I don’t assume alternative locations - such as Blinn, which is a community college with co-enrollment. I assume the student is asking about the formal A&M education.
This class rank will probably be your biggest issue. As you know, you are not an auto admit to UT Austin. That being the case, I would say it’s a reach…or a high target.
My kids HS class has 220 students. The last 3 years 80+ students applied each year, an 65 were admitted. Our school doesn’t rank but I assure you most of them were not the top of the class. The HS you come from matters. If it’s a competitive public or private in state school you absolutely do not need to be in the top quarter of your class. No way.
I believe (maybe incorrectly) that in Texas, all schools have rank - by law - at least to report to publics.
Anyway, I’m not disputing what you are saying but I go by the CDS. 73% submitted a rank - I’m guessing those not submitting are mainly OOS?
If my chance is off, so be it. You can chance OP yourself on each school they listed and make A&M a safety or likely if you’d like. I won’t dispute it. I’ll respect your guidance.
I’ll stick with mine but again, we don’t know where the student ranks - top 50% is like saying I’m a millionaire - is that one million or 20 million?
Many schools in Texas do not report rank, except as specifically required.
The specific requirement is that they have to tell you if your rank qualifies for auto admit and or for single valedictorian first year scholarship to a state school.
At our school they only tell the top 10 percent that they qualify for auto admit. And they tell the top 5 percent they qualify for UT auto admit
I wouldn’t think so because the bulk are top 25% and that’s not really A&M. It’s a living there while classes elsewhere. But it might be good to email admissions and ask.
What about the overall list - I’ve only seen responses to UT and A&M. Their list was much deeper.
Blinn team is really A&M. They get letters saying they are co-enrolled AND they take 1-2 classes at A&M while taking most classes at Blinn. I’m guessing it might not be included in CDS which could be part of the discrepancy.
Able to pay the in-state cost of UT, or able to full-pay for OOS publics like Rutgers (out of all the public flagships in the US, why Rutgers as your one OOS pick?), and able either to full-pay or to pay what the financial aid formulae dictate at schools like Rice, Vandy, and Penn? (Although these are likely out of reach, and schools that are within reach will tend to be less generous, if need-based aid is part of the picture at all.)
Will you earn the full IB diploma?
What future career do you have in mind? You mentioned shadowing a PA - is that your goal?
Do you prefer larger schools, or are you just less aware of your options at smaller colleges? I too thought of Trinity in San Antonio as a more reasonable reach.
I am interested in Rutgers specifically because I grew up around the campus a lot, and my family is planning on moving there. I’m more serious about staying in Texas, though, so I’m applying as a cautionary.
I do expect to get the full IB diploma, and am on my way to earning it.
In the future, I want to become an endocrinologist. The PA is was shadowing was working at the Pedriatic Endocrinology Clinic mentioned earlier.
I prefer larger schools over smaller schools for the most part, but will definitely look into my options at smaller colleges!
So if UT and A&M don’t come through, are you ok at either Houston, Tech, UTD or UTD?
I suspect you’ll get into all four but obviously another poster thinks you’ll get A&M or at least the Blinn option. Would that interest you?
If you are going to med school, you want to keep cost down as med school will be, potentially another $400K plus - unless you are saying - money really isn’t an issue - then maybe the privates come in.
UTD would probably be my next option, then. Though money is not that big of an issue, I would much rather go to UTD and save money than go to a private.
OK - so if you are looking to save, why apply to TCU and Baylor? SMU has the Presidential…you won’t get it but it has it so it’s worth the hail mary.
If saving money really matters, your best bet may be Alabama. You’d be low 20s all in with $28K auto merit. So I think cheaper than UTD.
It’s a flagship - so you’d have more life - and they have the McCullough Pre Medical Scholars - which might interest you.
On the other hand, UTD apparently has a great name for neuroscience.
You have options with your list - I’ll say that. Whether A&M comes through and even if it does, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you - it’s really big.
That’s the issue with having choices - you have to make one
