The University of Texas at Austin (usually just called UT Austin) is one of the most popular public research universities in America. On top of this, engineering majors through the Cockrell School of Engineering are among the most popular majors offered. What does this mean for hopeful engineers trying to be Longhorns? Well, it means you have to be an elite candidate.
To get into UT Austin, you always have to be an impressive applicant. Last year, their acceptance rate was about 26%. However, that comes with an important caveat. Since it is a public school, the rate for in-state applicants was 37%, while the out-of-state rate was just 10%. For international students, the rate was 13%. Especially for non-Texans, these are competitive rates. Even though UT Austin doesn’t publish a separate acceptance rate for Cockrell, it is likely even more competitive given the popularity of engineering majors at the school. So what can you do? There are several steps you need to take to successfully get into schools like Cockrell.
Get the Grades
You need excellent grades to get into UT Austin. Full stop. Most Cockrell students “graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class. On average, 10 percent are valedictorians or salutatorians.” They are looking for strong GPAs. We hate to be harsh, but if you don’t have a 3.9+ unweighted GPA or close to it, Cockrell is likely not the school for you. While great grades are only the beginning, they are the initial make or break component. You also need an impressive transcript. You should take Honors, IB, AP, Accelerated, and/or Dual Enrollment courses to show that you push yourself academically. They are looking for students who challenge themselves within the confines of their school. For engineers, you should especially take the highest math and science classes available to you.
UT Austin is no longer test-optional, so you will also need impressive scores. The university is weirdly cagey about publishing its accepted SAT and ACT ranges (for the record, we hate this, especially since they are no longer test-optional, and we are extremely data driven in our approach).
However, they’ve published “Entering freshmen have an average SAT (or equivalent) score of over 1400.” That honestly seems kind of low for Cockrell, and it likely has to do with a higher rate for in-state students. If you are coming from out of state, we would recommend aiming for a 1500 or above.
Build a Niche
Cockrell has 11 majors, and it should be clear from your application which one you intend to pursue. There is a big difference between petroleum engineering and aerospace engineering. Learning as much as you can about your intended field and having related experiences builds what we call an academic niche. A well-defined academic niche and interests will make you a stronger applicant. There are a couple of steps that you should take to start building your niche.
Courses and Reading
To build a great niche, you need to learn as much as you can about your academic interests. Reading books is an excellent resource for this. Yes, even for our engineers. You don’t need to be an English major to read, and honestly, many young people don’t read enough these days (do we sound old?). Reading books will make you better at talking and writing about your academic interests. Once you have made a reading list, you can supplement it with podcasts, scientific journals, etc. However, books need to be on that list.
We also recommend signing up for some online classes. Many universities offer pre-tapped, often free, courses through platforms like Coursera. UT Austin actually has a ton of online classes available. Warning: Some are more appropriate for high schoolers than others. You don’t need to take courses specifically through UT Austin. You can also look for community college classes and university summer programs. However you want to do it, showing academic curiosity and initiative through taking courses outside of your regular school day will help you build a strong academic niche. Most of our students have taken 5-10 outside courses by the time they apply to college.
In-School Extracurriculars
Cockrell wants to see students involved in their school communities. However, you shouldn’t do this willy-nilly. There is a strategy here, and at its heart is signing up for clubs related to your academic niche. Great clubs for hopeful engineers include robotics teams, science Olympiads, mathletes, STEM tutoring clubs, solar car teams, computer science societies, etc., depending on your niche. If your school doesn’t offer STEM-based clubs or the right STEM club for you, ask your administration about starting your own.
Signing up for clubs is only the first step. You need to then commit time and effort to those activities. Cockrell won’t be impressed with a one-hour-a-week commitment as a member. You should be trying to take on responsibilities and leadership roles. Ideally, with hard work, you can take on board positions or accomplish impressive tasks with the clubs that matter most to you.
Out-of-School Extracurriculars
We love students who participate in out-of-school extracurriculars all year round, but your summers should especially be packed with impressive and strategic activities. Remember, your application should tell a story, and your summers need to connect to and support that story. Just like your in-school activities, your summer plans should help build your niche. While there are a lot of opportunities that could do this, Cockrell-level applicants will likely have a healthy mix of research, internships, and academic programs during their summers. Finding the right opportunities can be tricky. We routinely work with even freshmen to build impressive and strategic summers. If you don't know where to start, we can help.
Build Something Cool
Engineering takes hands-on skills. You can show you have some of these skills by building something you would be proud to tell Cockrell about. From drones to apps to solar panels to computers to robots, the sky is the limit here. However, whatever you build should connect to your niche. Our students routinely do research with professors or PhD students. They are doing Adult Things by junior year. If you have to teach yourself some skills to pull this off, even better! Challenge yourself! We can wait to see what you can make.
Apply Early
UT Austin doesn’t publish an Early Action acceptance rate, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea to apply early. Applying EA shows that you are serious about Cockrell. Plus, you will get to hear back early about admissions. We always recommend that our students have solid ED and EA plans. Seniors, we are looking especially at you. If you don’t have a well-balanced college list and a plan to apply early, you need to make one! Dates will come up fast!
Cockrell is a hard program to get into. If UT is your top school, you need to make sure you are an elite candidate.
If you don’t know where to start or just need some expert help, we are here for you. Contact us to talk to a dedicated counselor today!