Texas Resident Aiming for Top Engineering [3.96 UW, 1580 SAT, Industrial Engineering, finance(?)] [top 13% rank, <$34k]

What makes you say I’ll need to go through the secondary admissions? Is there a reason I can’t get in to the normal program? The engineering academies seem like a good more affordable option, but if I can work enough I should be able to afford the standard route. I’d like to shoot for the engineering honors college there as well, but that’s pretty selective so we will see.

Thanks!!