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June 3rd Webinar at 6:00 pm CDT
The Anatomy of an Admit: What Really Makes a UT Austin Application Successful
This year’s UT Austin admissions results tell a powerful story. Beneath the headlines and admit rates are real patterns, real decisions, and real students whose applications rose to the top. Join Molly Gully and Allyson Randall, UT Austin admissions experts, for a June 3 session unpacking what the 2026 admissions cycle actually revealed and what rising seniors need to do right now.
In this session, Molly & Allyson break down the signals that mattered most in 2026, how UT Austin evaluated academic rigor, testing, and course selection, and why summer, leadership, and meaningful engagement are deciding more outcomes than ever. You will also learn how to build a summer game plan that moves your student from the maybe pile to the yes pile.
This is not a surface-level recap. It is a focused, strategy-driven session designed to help families understand how admissions decisions are being made right now and what that means for their student. If you want clarity, context, and a real plan for what to do next, this conversation will deliver it.
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE TO
Applying to the University of Texas at Austin
It's hard to believe that a school as large as the University of Texas at Austin actually reviews every part of every student's application. But it does: UT is deeply committed to the holistic review of its applicants. This guide covers all required essays, as well as provides detailed information on the expanded resume, letters of recommendation, and evaluating fit-to-major and honors programs.
We have a unique approach at College MatchPoint. It all begins and ends with our ultimate goal: for our students to thrive in their selected college.
The college application process can feel overwhelming, no matter how strong the student. But at College MatchPoint, we believe it should be organized, personal, and even fun, and we provide a framework that reduces the stress throughout the journey.
You might also be interested in these resources!
This year, we were lucky to work with some of the most driven, reflective, and self-directed students in the country. Many were admitted to some of the most selective colleges in the U.S.—from Stanford and Yale to UT Austin’s CS and Business Honors programs. These weren’t students who simply checked every box. They were students who built something. In almost every standout application we read, there was a throughline—a summer capstone project that brought the student’s story into focus.
The 2025 admissions cycle revealed something parents and students can no longer afford to overlook: colleges are not just evaluating students. They are building classes that reflect a carefully designed set of institutional priorities. While your teen may have done "everything right," the schools they applied to were also weighing factors well beyond grades and test scores. Understanding these factors is key to helping families navigate the process with less stress and more clarity.
In the rush to help our kids succeed, we may be quietly steering them away from the very roles that hold our communities together. Careers in teaching, social work, counseling, journalism, and the humanities were once seen as noble, purpose-driven paths. But today’s college students are walking away from them in large numbers. And while it’s tempting to celebrate the surge in tech and health degrees, there’s a deeper story beneath the data—one that every parent of a teenager needs to hear.
When it comes to preparing for college, summer doesn’t need to be expensive to be impactful. In fact, many of the most powerful growth opportunities are free. Whether it’s volunteering, launching a creative project, or taking on a self-directed learning experience, what matters most is how a student engages with the experience. A thoughtfully chosen summer activity can help a student discover their interests and clarify what they might want to study in college. It can also provide the kind of story colleges remember—one that shows curiosity, initiative, and heart.
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% .
Let’s cut to the chase: Not every college major leads to a job anymore. And some degrees—still widely offered and enthusiastically chosen—are already out of step with the real world. According to the State of Higher Education 2025 report , 37% of top job skills have changed since 2016, and 1 in 5 of today’s in-demand skills didn’t even exist a decade ago. That means your teen could be pouring time and tuition into a degree that’s training them for... well, nothing. If you’re helping your student choose a major or build a college list, this isn’t just a casual consideration—it’s a crucial one. Here are five signs your teen’s major might already be behind the curve: