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UT Austin Releases Admissions Results for the Class of 2025
With 90,000+ applications for Fall 2025—a 24% increase, including a 48% surge in out-of-state applicants—early strategic planning is more crucial than ever. Success, especially in competitive majors like Business, Engineering, and Computer Science, requires a thoughtful approach starting in 9th or 10th grade. Students should align coursework, activities, and leadership roles with their intended major to build a compelling application.
The good news? Every year, students outside the top 5% earn admission by crafting compelling applications. With the right plan, you can showcase your strengths, stand out, and thrive in UT’s most competitive applicant pool yet.
How UT Austin Evaluated Applicants This Year
UT Austin’s holistic review process placed a strong emphasis on academic performance, requiring SAT or ACT scores and evaluating GPA, class rank, and course rigor. However, academics alone weren’t enough. The most competitive applicants demonstrated a clear fit for their first-choice major through coursework, extracurriculars, and leadership. Successful students showcased 3–4 major-related activities, such as internships, independent projects, and leadership roles. Essays and expanded resumes played a crucial role, allowing applicants to highlight their personal growth, contributions, and strengths. UT Austin also considered special circumstances, such as family responsibilities and challenges overcome, to provide a full picture of each student.
This year’s results reinforced that even high-achieving students faced a competitive process, including those in the top 5% auto-admit pool. Applicants who started early and built a strategic plan—focusing on rigorous coursework, extracurricular involvement, and leadership in 9th and 10th grade—had the greatest advantage. Standardized test scores mattered, and students with strong SAT or ACT results stood out. Beyond academics, successful applicants demonstrated leadership and impact, whether through school organizations, community service, or personal initiatives.
Building a Strong Major-Aligned Profile
One of the best ways to strengthen your UT Austin application is by actively engaging in activities that align with your first-choice major. Admissions officers review applications holistically, considering your academics, essays, resume, and extracurricular involvement—especially how these experiences demonstrate a clear fit for your chosen field.
Maximizing Summer for a Strong Application
Summer is a valuable time to build experiences that align with your first-choice major, develop key skills, and show initiative—an essential factor in UT Austin’s holistic admissions process. The best summer plans balance exploration, productivity, and rest, allowing students to strengthen their applications while avoiding burnout.
How to Plan a Productive and Impactful Summer
🔹 Follow the i4 Framework: UT Austin values students who demonstrate Interest, Involvement, Initiative, and Impact in their chosen field. Use the summer to deepen your commitment to your academic and extracurricular passions.
🔹 Engage in Major-Aligned Activities: Admissions officers look for students who actively explore their field. Consider:
- Business: Attend an entrepreneurship program, intern at a local startup, or launch a small business.
- Engineering: Join a summer robotics competition, work on an independent coding project, or take a pre-college engineering course.
- Healthcare: Shadow medical professionals, volunteer at a hospital, or complete an EMT certification.
- Communications: Start a blog or podcast, write for a local publication, or take a journalism workshop.
🔹 Take Advantage of Pre-College Programs: Many universities offer summer programs where students can gain hands-on experience in STEM, business, social sciences, and more. Research competitive, low-cost, or free programs that align with your interests.
🔹 Consider a Summer Job or Internship: Work experience shows responsibility, initiative, and problem-solving skills. Even non-traditional roles—like customer service or tutoring—develop communication and leadership abilities valued in admissions.
🔹 Find Ways to Give Back: Community service isn’t just about volunteering; look for leadership opportunities within service projects related to your major. Organizing a local health fair, tutoring students in STEM, or launching an environmental sustainability project demonstrates both initiative and impact.
🔹 Balance Productivity and Rest: UT Austin values students who are both driven and well-rounded. While building a strong application is important, summer should also include time to recharge, reflect, and explore new interests.
Why Summer Planning Matters
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Deepens academic and extracurricular involvement
✅ Strengthens your UT Austin essays and expanded resume
✅ Demonstrates initiative and leadership in your major
✅ Prepares you for a strong start to the next school year
With thoughtful planning, summer can be a transformative time that not only makes your UT Austin application more competitive but also helps you discover and refine your long-term goals.
Successful UT Austin applicants can't rely on senior-year scrambling or last-minute resume building. The university's holistic review process, which evaluates every aspect of an application through the lens of first-choice major fit, demands a thoughtful, long-term approach that ideally begins in 9th grade.
Mastering the UT Expanded Resume
Your UT Austin application isn’t just about grades and test scores—it’s about telling your story. The UT expanded resume gives you the space to showcase your achievements in detail, helping admissions officers understand your strengths and fit for your first-choice major.
What Makes the UT Expanded Resume Unique?
- More Than a Standard Resume: UT Austin expects resumes to be 3–4+ pages, allowing you to provide in-depth descriptions of your roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments.
- Comprehensive Overview: This is your chance to highlight academic, extracurricular, professional, and personal experiences that demonstrate your readiness for college.
- Major-Specific Relevance: Admissions officers look for experiences that align with your intended major, showcasing your passion and commitment to the field.
How to Make Your Expanded Resume Stand Out
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Detail Your Roles: Go beyond listing activities—describe what you did, the impact you made, and any leadership or growth you demonstrated.
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Quantify Achievements: Use numbers when possible (e.g., “Led a team of 10 students to organize a fundraising event that raised $5,000”).
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Showcase Consistency & Growth: Highlight activities you’ve been involved in for multiple years and how your role evolved.
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Emphasize Unique Experiences: Stand out by including independent projects, certifications, internships, or personal initiatives related to your major.
What Should STUDENTS Focus On?
Academic Excellence: The Foundation of a Strong UT Austin Application
UT Austin’s admissions process is highly competitive, with academics serving as the foundation of a successful application. While strong grades and test scores won’t guarantee admission, they are critical in demonstrating your readiness for college-level work—especially for selective majors.
Competitive Academic Targets
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GPA & Rank: 3.8–4.0 (Unweighted), Top 5% Class Rank
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Target Test Scores: SAT 1400+ or ACT 32+
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Course Rigor: Take AP, IB, or Dual-Credit courses to strengthen your application.
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Major-Specific Preparation: Enroll in courses that
align with your intended major (e.g.,
Calculus for Engineering and Business).
Understanding the Auto-Admit Policy
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Top 5% of Texas public high school students earn automatic admission to College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin.
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However, admission to selective majors is not guaranteed—a strong application is still required.
How to Build a Winning Transcript
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Prioritize Academic Performance: Take the most rigorous courses you can succeed in.
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Set Goals Aligned with Strengths & Interests: Choose challenging coursework that supports your college and career plans.
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Seek Support When Needed: Build strong study habits, ask for help from teachers, and collaborate with peers.
💡
Stay Motivated & Disciplined: A strong academic record is key to securing admission and thriving in college.
How to Achieve Competitive Standardized Test Scores
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Plan Early: Start preparing for the
SAT/ACT in summer before 11th grade to allow time for improvement.
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Take Rigorous Math & English Courses: Strong performance in
Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and AP English can boost test readiness.
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Use Targeted Test Prep: Take
practice tests, review weak areas, and consider
professional test prep programs if needed.
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Retake for a Higher Score: Many students improve scores significantly with
focused prep and a second attempt.
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Know Your Target: Aim for
SAT 1400+ or ACT 32+ to be most competitive.
By strategically planning coursework, preparing for standardized tests, and staying engaged in learning, students can build a competitive academic profile that sets them apart in UT Austin’s selective applicant pool.
Major Selection: The Key to a Your Extracurricular Plan
When applying to UT Austin, students must select a first-choice major, which plays a key role in how their application is reviewed. The admissions team evaluates each component—transcript, class rank, essays, expanded resume, letters of recommendation, and test scores (if submitted)—through the lens of the chosen major. Their goal is to assess how well an applicant’s academic and extracurricular experiences align with their intended field of study.
While students can list a second-choice major, it is typically not considered for applicants outside the top 5% of their graduating class.
What Makes a Major Competitive?
UT Austin has several impacted majors—programs where there are more highly competitive applicants than available spots. Gaining admission to these majors requires more than strong academics; applicants must demonstrate a clear fit through coursework, extracurricular involvement, and essays.
UT Austin’s Most Competitive Majors
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McCombs School of Business – Unspecified Business
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Cockrell School of Engineering – All majors
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College of Natural Sciences
– Computer Science and many science majors
📌
School of Nursing – Highly selective due to limited space
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School of Architecture – Requires strong academic and portfolio alignment
As competition for these programs increases, students should strategically align their academics, activities, and application materials to showcase their readiness and passion for their chosen major.
Learn More About Admissions at UT Austin
Your student took advanced classes, earned excellent grades, stayed active in school clubs, volunteered on weekends, and maybe even scored above a 1450 on the SAT. They hit every benchmark. Their college list was thoughtful. UT Austin was the top choice. And still, they were denied. This story is more common than many people realize. Each year, UT Austin turns away thousands of highly qualified applicants.
At The University of Texas at Austin, what you list as your second-choice major is not just a backup plan. It is a real part of your application strategy. In fact, for many students who are not automatically admitted through the top 5% rule, that second-choice major could be the difference between an offer and a denial. But it only works if you approach it with intention. UT does not view the second-choice major as a throwaway. It still gets reviewed through the same holistic process. If you choose it wisely and align your application materials accordingly, it can open another door into one of the most competitive public universities in the country.
For decades, the University of Texas at Austin has been the dream school for many Texas families. With its nationally ranked programs, strong alumni network, and unbeatable Austin location, it is no surprise UT remains one of the most sought-after public universities in the country. But in 2025, with over 96,000 applications submitted and rising selectivity across nearly every major, it is important to pause and ask: Is UT Austin still the right fit for your student?
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% .
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.
When students apply to UT Austin, many focus on getting into the university. But UT admissions doesn’t work that way. You're not applying to UT Austin. You’re applying to your first-choice major at UT Austin—and that changes everything. Whether it’s Business at McCombs, Engineering at Cockrell, or a major like Biology, Journalism, or Public Health, what UT wants to know is simple but powerful: Have you shown that you're ready to succeed in this specific major—starting on day one? That’s the heart of what UT calls “fit to major.” And it might just be the most important—and misunderstood—part of the application. Join our webinar on August 6th to unpack what it really means, why it matters more than ever, and how students can take intentional steps to build their story of fit.
Our directory helps you discover summer options that match your student
Our team is excited to share SummerMatch.me and our list of more than 1300 opportunities, where you can find activities to help your student become more involved in activities that connect with their aptitudes and interests. These resources include listings for courses, programs, research options, and service opportunities available this spring and summer, with options for in-person, online, and hybrid activities.
We will be updating this page frequently over the next several months, adding free programs, fee-based programs, and all types of program delivery options. If you have opportunities you think we should consider adding, please email us at
summer@collegematchpoint.com
