If you want to be a Longhorn, you might be wondering what kind of GPA you need to hook ‘em. Unfortunately, the University of Texas at Austin is not appropriately transparent about the academic profile of its student body. We at Ivy Coach have looked through every single one of UT Austin’s Common Data Sets available online, dating back to 2000. Not once has the university reported the high school GPA of its incoming first-year class. 

The Common Data Set Initiative is a voluntary effort among colleges and universities to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education. For the sake of all of us, we at Ivy Coach call upon the University of Texas to release the numbers so that students who want to “Texas! Fight!” know what they need to be a contender. 

But, until that clear blue morning arrives, what can we glean from the University of Texas at Austin’s available data? We’re going to get into all of that below. 

The University of Texas at Austin’s Reputation 

The University of Texas at Austin is the state’s flagship university. It is ranked as the seventh best public school in the country by US News & World Report and number thirty overall. This puts it in the ranks of what some have dubbed the “public Ivies.” 

For students who want to get involved with leading research, UT Austin is an excellent choice. Its funding avenues are top-notch. The University of Texas at Austin ranked number one among U.S. schools for research supported by the National Science Foundation. And it ranks number five in the nation for research financed by the Department of Defense and six for Department of Energy research.

With over 44,000 undergraduate students, UT Austin is a large school. It’s known for its strong school spirit, with football games serving as a major campus event. 

The University of Texas at Austin’s Acceptance Rate 

In 1997, Texas passed a law requiring its public universities to automatically admit applicants who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class. The law has changed a bit in the years since, and special allowances have often been made for UT Austin, as it is the state’s flagship school and receives such a high volume of applicants. What you need to know is that UT Austin is required to ensure that 75% of its admitted first-years are Texas residents who rank within the top 5% of their high school class. 

Obviously, this means that admissions rates vary quite a great deal for in-state applicants than for those applying from beyond Texas borders. Let’s take a look at those numbers below. 

Last year, 72,885 students sought admission to the University of Texas at Austin’s Class of 2029. From that pool, 19,417 were admitted. This means that last year the acceptance rate at UT Austin was 26.6%, making it a somewhat competitive school. 

It’s important to keep in mind that UT Austin is a state school and that admissions varies depending on whether you’re applying in state or out of state. Last year, 42,926 Texas residents applied to Austin and 16,191 of them gained admission. This means the in-state acceptance rate was 37.7%. This is in keeping with the automatic admission rule. Comparatively, 23,015 students applied from other parts of the United States and only 2,332 of them gained admission. This means that the acceptance rate for students from out of state was only 10.13%. For international students, the situation is about the same: 6,944 students sought admission to UT Austin from outside the country, and 894 of them got in. This is a 12% international students acceptance rate at UT Austin. 

Further Context on the GPA of University of Texas at Austin Students 

The University of Texas at Austin, like practically every other selective school in the United States, uses a holistic admissions process. This means that GPA, while still massively important, is only a piece of the puzzle. Among the items UT Austin says it considers for first-year applicants is the “competitiveness of the major you applied to,” meaning that numbers, while helpful, are like pictures of fast motions. They might freeze those motions, but they don’t accurately capture them.  

How Ivy Coach Can Gauge Your Child’s Chances at the University of Texas at Austin

If you’re looking to enhance your child’s chances of getting into the University of Texas at Austin, we strongly recommend Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. This session provides insights into your child’s potential for admission to the University of Texas at Austin and devises a comprehensive plan for optimizing their admission to the best school possible. To learn more about Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.