<p>TAMU is bound by the same State laws. They have automatic admission for National Merit Finalists. We heard from TAMU in 10 days. The other State Universities are all shackled with similar constraints concerning in-state applicants (although not as formal as for the Texas schools). They manage their applications with early and regular application deadlines.</p>
<p>It would be easy enough for Texas to do something like TAMU’s process or to set a certain percentage of spots aside for top OOS applicants and fill those early. Then the remaining OOS applicants would go in the hopper with every one else for late February/early March decisions. </p>
<p>I am just perplexed why a great university like Texas seems to want to compete for top OOS students with one arm tied behind its back. They have as much or more to offer as any of the Big Ten schools, plus better weather.</p>
<p>And I agree that Texas should have no idea which schools have also been applied to (and I don’t mind ending a sentence with a preposition).</p>