The tough stuff about Texas colleges

Texas resident here, but I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed by all the talk about how hard some Texas colleges can be to get accepted into. What's up with that? What makes them so tough?

Texas colleges and universities indeed can have high selectivity levels, and there are few factors contributing to that.

First off, state law in Texas mandates that all Texas universities have to admit a certain percentage of top performers in each Texas high school. This rule, known as the "Top 10% Rule," guarantees admission to any public Texas university for Texas students in the top 10% of their high school classes. For University of Texas at Austin, it's actually the top 6%. When many spots are filled up by these students, it leaves fewer spots for students applying from out of state or those not in the top 10% in their class in Texas.

Second is the sheer increase in the number of applicants over time. More and more students are applying to college, making the competition tougher. In addition to Texas residents, out-of-state and international students may also be enticed by the reputation, affordable tuition (relatively speaking), and the vibrant cultural and social life at Texas colleges like UT Austin, Texas A&M etc.

Finally, the increasingly holistic review process makes admission even more competitive. While grades and test scores are important, schools in Texas also consider factors like your essays, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and other experiences.

So the "toughness" factor comes from a mix of state laws, increased total applicant pool, and the strenuous application review system. But fear not, there are strategies to navigate this, such as demonstrating passion in your extracurricular activities and writing strong essays.