Not in the Top 5%? Here’s How Your Teen Can Still Get Into UT Austin

If your teen isn’t in the top 5% of their class, you’ve probably heard some version of this: “There’s no way they’ll get into UT.” It’s a myth we hear all the time—and it’s simply not true.



Yes, UT Austin is more competitive than ever. With over 90,000 applicants for the Class of 2025 and an admit rate of just 24%, the numbers tell a clear story. And for students who are not in the top 5%, the odds drop even further: the admit rate for non-auto-admit students was just 11%.

But here’s the good news: students outside the top 5% get into UT Austin every year—including into the most competitive majors like Business, Engineering, Computer Science, and Nursing. The difference? They have a clear, strategic application built around one critical concept: fit to major.


Why Top 5% Isn’t the Whole Story

Texas law guarantees that students in the top 5% of their public high school class are automatically admitted to UT Austin—but not to their major. And for families outside that threshold, things get even trickier. UT’s holistic review process is designed to look beyond grades and class rank. Admissions officers ask:

Is this student academically ready and genuinely aligned with the major they selected?

The answer to that question is what turns an 11% shot into a real chance at admission.


Fit to Major: The Strategy That Can Change Your Teen’s Odds

At UT, your teen is not applying to the university—they’re applying to a specific major. That single choice shapes how their transcript, resume, essays, and test scores are reviewed.


That’s where the strategy comes in. Students who get in outside of auto-admit status typically do three things exceptionally well:


✅ They align their academics with their chosen major. Think Calculus for Business, AP Physics for Engineering, or AP Bio and Chem for pre-health.


✅ They showcase 3–4 major-related activities—not a packed resume, but a focused one. Projects, internships, summer programs, or leadership roles that show initiative in their field.


✅ They tell a cohesive story in their essays and expanded resume. Every part of the application points to the major and shows readiness to contribute starting Day One.