<p>Hi to everyone. I am new. I live in north Texas and my dd is a HS freshman. Based on her school stats she cannot graduate in the top 10%. A 4.0 in her HS is not in the top 10%. In order to graduate in the top 10% you had to be an “honors” student going into HS with all weighted classes. We came from Missouri in April and so she is at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>To add salt to the wounds, Texas has a “top 10% rule” where you get auto entrance (or something like that to top colleges here).</p>
<p>Kids that don’t graduate in the top 10% here end up going out of state, as there is no room. </p>
<p>She would like to be PreVet/Science. </p>
<p>Can someone point a newbie in the right direction? Thanks!</p>
<p>Auburn and Mississippi State both have excellent pre-Vet programs and excellent vet schools that aren’t too terribly far away from Texas. I know that State has early entry pre-vet where if your grades in your first two years of core courses stay above a certain level you can begin vet school early. I believe Auburn has the same program.</p>
<p>Dont believe everything you hear! Its true that Texas does have a rule stating that those students who graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class have automatic admission to the state schools. But many, many strong students who are not in the top ten gain admission as well. If your DD does well in high school she will most likely get into a big state school if thats her goal. Besides, the choice is not only big state school or out of state. There are many great schools other than the state schools, right here in Texas.</p>
<p>Also, dont necessarily believe what you are told by your GC either. I was told my DS would be lucky to get into UT Austin by his GC. Hes now enrolled in one of the top 25 colleges in the nation. Its still early for your DD. Get and stay informed about the admissions process and be optimistic!</p>
<p>There’s a long thread here about the 10% rule, sorry, don’t know the title of the thread, the 10% discussion erupts several pages into the thread - do a search. If she is a freshman, it sounds like the 10% rule will be changing in TX over the next 4 years, so I wouldn’t give up.</p>
<p>To Teach’s list I would add LSU, and ?Ga. I know someone in the early entry program at State, great opportunity, but I don’t think Auburn has that same exact program - that was one reason, I think, he went to State.</p>
<p>I know you feel overwhelmed. Our kids are so important to us. But really, it will all work out. Use this site to become better informed, not to become more anxious.</p>
<p>There are options in Texas…unfortunately, imho the top 10% unfairly restricts them for non top10% kids. Read this thread for more info…good discussion of both sides of the issue. (Hope I linked it right.)</p>
<p>Thanks HoyaMom. As a Texas mom the buzz in High School can be very discouraging and confusing. I am just now really starting to sort this all out. Since I am from Missouri, this is REALLY confusing.</p>
<p>I agree with cangel. I think the 10% rule is going to go away for several reasons…</p>
<p>First, it has created a bit of a “brain drain” on Texas with it’s best and brightest leaving the state due to the ten percent rule. Many great students like your DD, especially at the big, very competitive suburban high schools are not in the top ten percent but have A averages and 1400 plus (old score) on the SAT.</p>
<p>Also, it’s my understanding that the big state schools are complaining about the quality of “top ten percenters” that they are getting especially from inner city and rural schools. They (UT, A&M, and Tech) are having to do a great deal of remedial work with these students and they are dropping out or flunking out in the first year or so. By then, all the stronger students who were not top ten percenters are all settled in at out of state or private schools, leaving gaps in the upper years at the state schools. </p>
<p>I understand what the law was trying to accomplish, diversity without quotas, but it has been a miserable failure. I think it will change soon.</p>
<p>btw…currently, Texas A&M, which has a top-ranked veterinary college, offers academic admission for kids in the top 25% who score over 1300 on the M+V section of the SAT. [A&M is ranked 4th in the US World Report I believe. Cornell, Penn and CSU are 1-3.]</p>
<p>Hopefully, the law will change before your daughter has to worry about it, but in the meantime if she takes coursework that well prepares her for the SAT, she can get in an excellent school here in Texas.</p>
<p>OK, ldmom06…now that thread really scares me, even more…lol. </p>
<p>So where do you start? How do I find out all these Texas ins/outs…?</p>
<p>I do love her HS, even though she will not graduate in the top 10%.
I chose this HS because you can take PreAp classes without taking prereqs., except for Math.</p>
<p>Thanks to all…I will try and sift through this material.</p>
<p>If she is serious about Vet Science, she really cannot do any better than Texas A&M. It is among the cream of the crop of vet schools. All the vet schools in the top five are virtually interchangeable in quality, prestige and recognition.</p>
<p>MizzouGrad89, may I gently suggest that you try not to put too much pressure on your DD or she may freak out as the kids say. If she gets the idea that her entire life and future rests on one PSAT or SAT test, or one-hundredth of a point on her GPA, she most likely will not do as well as if she is prepared but more relaxed. She needs to enjoy high school and learning and choose extracurricular activities she can really get into rather than building a resume. </p>
<p>Again, I understand your anxiety, Ive been there! But trust me when I say, she will do fine.</p>
<p>As for the horror stories…remember those women who when you were expecting told you their childbirth horror stories? “Worst pain you can imaging in your whole life! I wanted to die! It was like I was being ripped absolutely in half!” Sure it hurt, but we all made it through it right? Looking back, it wasn’t so bad and certainly worth it right? Well, look at college admissions that way. Not nearly as bad as many parents would like you to believe.</p>