Were you deferred for admission to the University of Texas at Austin in the Early Action round? Now is not the time to throw in the towel. The fight for your case for admission is just getting started! This is your comprehensive guide to navigating a UT Austin deferral.

University of Texas, Austin Early Action Admission Rates

UT Austin does not publish its Early Action acceptance rate; it is simply factored into the overall acceptance rate.

5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred by UT Austin

Here are five things you can do right now to optimize your odds of admission to UT Austin post-deferral:

1. Take some time to consider what went wrong with your application. Look at things objectively with the help of a PostMortem application review with one of Ivy Coach’s former elite college admissions officers. This review will provide the objective truths a UT Austin admissions officer wouldn’t disclose, guiding you to position your post-deferral strategy around a singular admissions hook. This way, you’ll be able to maximize your chances of being admitted post-deferral.
2. Write a Letter of Continued Interest to express your love of UT Austin and your intention to capitalize on their resources and opportunities. This is your chance to show off your knowledge of the academics, traditions, culture, history, and activities that made you choose UT Austin as one of your top choices in the first place, especially as these things relate to your pursuit of your singular admissions hook. Strive to upload the letter within days of your deferral!
3. While Early Action notifications don’t come out until mid-January (so it will be too late to correct mistakes for your Regular Decision applications that were due in early January), use this new competitive strategy that showcases your singular admissions hook should you be waitlisted by any of your Regular Decision schools.
4. Send your Letter of Continued Interest to your high school counselor and request that they make an advocacy call to UT Austin on your behalf. If your counselor has your best interests at heart, this call will go a long way in convincing admissions officers at UT Austin to fight for your case.
5. Keep up your grades as your high school career enters its last leg. Show UT Austin what they’re missing!

What Not to Do After Being Deferred by UT Austin

It’s not just about what you do. It’s just as essential to avoid certain actions post-UT Austin deferral. Here are five of the most important ones to keep in mind:

1. Refrain from contacting someone from the UT Austin admissions office with questions about your application’s fate or the mistakes you made. At most, they’ll give you disingenuous replies to quiet your frustrations. On the other hand, one of Ivy Coach’s former elite college admissions officers will be much more forthcoming with the strengths and weaknesses of your application.
2. Don’t repeatedly contact admissions officers with superfluous updates detailing every last accomplishment. Bragging and boasting is never as convincing as students and families think it will be — it’s just icky! If properly written, your Letter of Continued Interest will be persuasive enough. Let that letter speak — and breathe!
3. Don’t alienate your high school counselor because you blame them for your deferral, especially if they still need to make your advocacy call. This is the only person you have in your corner!
4. Don’t upload additional letters of recommendation, supplemental materials, or dental records to your portal. You’d be surprised at how zealous some students and families can be despite UT Austin having more than enough information to make an informed decision. And, yes, we really did write dental records.
5. Don’t take a cross-country road trip to Austin and show up at the admissions office unannounced. Your enthusiasm will certainly backfire. They don’t wish to meet with deferred candidates.

What to Do If You Were Rejected by UT Austin

Did you receive a rejection from the University of Texas at Austin? You might be upset, but it’s important to protect your peace in this tricky moment. We can’t share the specific proportion of deferred versus rejected students since it’s historically not published by UT Austin, but that doesn’t mean that no one else is in this position alongside you (of course they are!). But you have an edge that others don’t: you’ve made the wise choice of turning to Ivy Coach now that the worst has passed. 

Where do you begin? Our team of former elite college admissions officers utilizes the singular hook strategy to help countless students optimize their odds of admission post-rejection each year. Turn this setback into a reason to celebrate by pivoting your approach and securing admission to an even better college. Let’s make some lemons into lemonade, shall we?

PostMortem

During our PostMortem, we:

• Take your application and revamp it. After highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each and every aspect of your initial application, we’ll pivot to your Regular Decision school strategy, helping you keep track of where you went wrong. You might have presented as a well-rounded candidate. Or have written an essay covering a third-rail essay topic. You can rely on us to take your case for college admissions and give it a makeover using the power of the singular hook.
• Highlight the little-known mistakes that could have contributed to your rejection. Maybe you flaunted your privilege a little too much, or failed to meet the minimum GPA standards for admitted students. Whatever the case, our rejuvenation process will turn your application inside out and give you a better shot at elite college admission. 
• Rework your Regular Decision school list. There’s a secret formula we use to identify reach schools, safety schools, and those that strike the perfect balance somewhere in the middle. Many students make the mistake of not including any reasonable safety schools on their lists. Don’t be among them. Yes, we can maximize your odds of admission to great schools, but that doesn’t mean you should throw caution out the window!

Application Assistance

Following your PostMortem, which is the first step you must take to readjust your approach, we will:

• Retool your Regular Decision applications with Ivy Coach’s assistance. It’s time to rev up your engines, put the pedal to the metal, the nose to the grindstone. . . you get the picture. Time is of the essence, so act quickly and don’t delay in soliciting our help!

What Not to Do After Being Rejected by UT Austin

There are more wrong moves to make now that you’ve been rejected than right moves. Here are just a few things to avoid at all costs:

1. Submitting your remaining applications without changes. Don’t ignore the writing on the wall. Changes must be made or history will repeat itself.
2. Calling UT Austin admissions to question their decision. This strategy has never once worked. Not ever. Don’t waste anyone’s time! You’ll only serve to make them feel vindicated for rejecting you!
3. Do not be picky with your Regular Decision list. Now that UT Austin is off the table, don’t foreclose other possibilities. Maybe the rolling hills of UVA are calling your name! Or a fresh sea breeze from a school in New England! Don’t only turn to the Harvards and Yales of the world as alternatives. Think outside of the box.
4. Don’t blame your school counselor for your rejection. Even if they didn’t advocate for you during calls with college admissions officers, why ruin a relationship with the one true ally you have built into the school system? Your admissions success is your responsibility and, if you play your cards right, your school counselor can be your greatest advocate in the process.

University of Texas, Austin Deferral and Rejection FAQ

Do Texas Residents Get an Admissions Boost in the Early Action Round?

UT Austin automatically accepts Texas residents who graduate in the top 6% of their high school class.

When does UT Austin return attention to deferred Early Action applicants?

Deferred Early Action applicants will receive a second look at their applications along with the Regular Decision pool. The final decision will be released with the RD round decisions on February 15th.

Is it really possible to earn admission to University of Texas post-deferral?

Yes, it’s certainly possible. We’ve helped many students who have first come to Ivy Coach after receiving their UT Austin deferrals earn admission through the years. Don’t let this setback dull your hope!

Can I appeal a rejection from UT Austin?

Technically, yes, you can formally appeal a UT Austin rejection. However, the circumstances in which such an appeal would actually be successful are extremely limited and contingent on compelling information being omitted from your initial application. For most students, going through the process would only be a waste of time.

Ivy Coach’s Help After University of Texas, Austin Deferral or Rejection

If you want help making lemonade out of the lemons of your deferral or rejection from UT Austin, Ivy Coach is here to lend a helping hand. So, fill out our complimentary consultation form if you would like to optimize your child’s odds of admission to UT Austin and other top schools post-deferral or simply to other top schools post-rejection.