The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest and most groundbreaking research facilities in the country. It’s one of the top 20 public universities and has produced incredible alumni like Matthew McConaughey and Walter Cronkite. If that isn’t enough to tempt you into applying, all you have to do is take a look at Austin city life with music festivals to South by Southwest to film festivals to kayaking, swimming, rock climbing, and fishing. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the UT admissions requirements and see what you need to do to improve your chances of being accepted.

What are the UT Admissions Requirements?

UT has a 39% acceptance rate and with the nationwide trend of colleges becoming more selective with their admissions process, it’s extremely important that you know the admissions requirements. There’s a lot that goes into applying for college and I definitely recommend working with a college consultant if you’re at all hesitant about the process. An easier way I’ve found to work on admissions requirements without getting overwhelmed is to focus on the following things:

•    GPA
•    Required coursework
•    Standardized test scores

If you’re curious about the details of applying, you can find them here, but for now, let’s focus on the three things I mentioned above.

What are UT’s GPA Requirements?

You’ll find that the UT admissions requirements do not offer a specific GPA needed to be accepted. But that does not mean you can mess around for four years and not take any college preparatory classes. The average GPA of student admitted to UT is 3.71 so you’ll still need to apply yourself in your classes. When evaluating your application, the top two things UT admissions considers are your class rank and how rigorous your high school classes are.

Quick Tips to Boost Your GPA

Because of how important academic rigor is for UT’s acceptance process, your application and high school schedule need to be able to compete with the other applications being submitted. Here are some quick ways to make sure you’re a viable candidate:

•    Earn as many A’s and B’s as possible
•    Take AP and IB classes
•    Work with a tutor to keep your grades up
•    Build strong relationships with your teachers

Follow all of these tips to ensure you’re doing everything you can to get your GPA to that 3.71. I recommend treating that average as a minimum for you when you’re working towards a higher GPA. The higher the better.

What is the UT Required Coursework?

In addition to needing a solid GPA, you also need to make sure your classes fulfill UT’s admission requirements. While there are specific requirements for each major, your schedule must include the following:

•    4 years of English
•    4 years of mathematics
•    4 years of science
•    2 years of foreign language, including American Sign language
•    1 year of physical education
•    1 year of fine arts
•    6 credits of electives

Make sure to double check the UT admissions requirements list here to be sure your schedule is on track. They do look for specific things within those requirements.

Quick Tips to Make the Most of Your Schedule

For the most part, your schedule is planned out for you when you follow the UT admissions requirements. But it is still important to have things you enjoy in your schedule while still showing you’re college ready. Below are my tips for making sure you’re making the most of your options within your schedule.

•    Choose a language with a culture you're genuinely interested in
•    Use the one year of fine arts to take an art or theatre class
•    Pick electives that are fun, but valuable like world history or psychology
•    Work with a college consultant to make sure your schedule is appealing to UT
•    Remember to use AP or IB classes to boost your GPA and fulfill these requirements
•    Don’t be afraid to use your elective space for more foreign language or fine arts

Although the UT admissions requirements seem confining when you’re trying to work out your schedule, there is still plenty of flexibility without being overwhelming.

What are UT’s Required Scores for Standardized Tests?

You are required to take the SAT with writing or the ACT with writing, but UT does not have a minimum required score. Just like with your GPA, not having a minimum required score does not mean that you can take the test on a whim and submit any score that comes your way. I’m going to share with you the average scores of admitted students and explain why they’re important to you:

•    The average ACT score is 29
•    The average SAT score is 1350 on the 1600 scale

Because UT does not offer a minimum score, I suggest you use these averages as your minimum goal. Earning a higher score will improve your chances, but scoring below these numbers could make it challenging for you to be taken seriously as an applicant.

Quick Tips to Improve Your ACT or SAT Score

Now that you know what your minimum target score is, we can talk about what you can do to get your scores to that level. These are my proven methods for increasing ACT or SAT scores:

•    Based on your scores from the Pre-ACT and PSAT, pick which test you’re going to take.
•    Compare your scores with UT’s averages to see how much work you have to do.
•    Practice. Invest in some test prep books or use previous tests available online.
•    Find a coach with a high score and work with them to improve your test taking strategies.
•    Retake this test if you’re not happy with your score. Admissions officers will usually take between four and six tests without jeopardizing your ability to be accepted.

Remember to use all of the above steps to improve your scores the most.

The UT admissions requirements are easily fulfilled when you’re focused and determined on being accepted into the school. Follow the suggestions I’ve provided and you’ve boosted your chances of catching the admissions committee’s attention.

What are your thoughts on UT? Do you have any questions about being accepted or what else you can do to make your application stand out? Leave a comment below and let us know. We can’t wait to talk to you!