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2023 Trends In College Admissions at The University of Texas at Austin
Over the last 15 years, our team has worked with thousands of students who applied to The University of Texas at Austin. Our team is excited to share with you our analysis of the trends in admissions to UT Austin, as well as the implications for students who hope to #BeALonghorn.
We know you have heard that the UT Austin admissions process is stressful (and it can be).
We have a unique approach at College MatchPoint. Our team provides a framework that reduces the stress in this process, so a student can focus on the important work of telling their story.
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By the spring of sophomore or junior year, many parents feel a quiet panic set in. Conversations with other families get louder. Group chats fill with testing plans and summer programs. Someone mentions a college counselor or a perfect score, and suddenly, it feels like everyone else started earlier and did more. The question parents ask us most often this time of year is simple and heavy. Are we already behind?
Many families believe being in the top 5% makes UT Austin a sure thing. It does not. Auto admit guarantees admission to the university, not to competitive majors like engineering, business, or computer science. Each year, top 5% students are denied their intended major because they misunderstand how UT actually works. See what this year's UT admissions decisions reveal about major-level selectivity.
Many UT Austin denials are not about grades, effort, or intelligence. They are about direction. UT admits by major, not by student. When an application lacks a clear fit to major, even strong students can quietly fall out of contention. Learn how to build a fit-to-major case admissions officers cannot ignore in our UT Results Webinar.
January 15, 2026 Update: UT Austin has released Early Action decisions. This cycle confirms a record 90,000+ applicants and the first year of the reinstated SAT/ACT requirement. Deferred students are still under consideration; final decisions will be released by February 15, 2026.
For families targeting The University of Texas at Austin, summer planning can quietly become one of the most stressful parts of the admissions journey. As deadlines approach and conversations circulate, it is easy to believe that the right program, often expensive and highly branded, is the missing piece. The assumption is understandable. UT Austin is competitive. Competitive schools must want elite experiences. That assumption is also wrong.
At The University of Texas at Austin, admission to a competitive major is not an abstract judgment about potential. It is a decision rooted in evidence. UT is asking whether a student is ready for the academic demands of a specific program, not whether they might figure it out later. That is why summer matters far more than most families realize.