UT-Austin's Absurd Appeals Lottery

[@zach.a.fields]

I have to say, the whole college admissions process has kinda put a bad taste in my mouth about higher education as a whole

[@UTAdmissionsGuy]

Mine too

[@rachelzhan]

Heartbreaking that I can only go to CAP.... I have a really good GPA, SAT and other stuffs and have several good options, but I just simply love UT and don't want to go anywhere else! And it makes me so angry that lots of people who have a lower grade than me got in just because the auto-admit policy, and they are showing off in the front of me!!! Our school doesn't do rank, and that's not my fault?!

[@user-vx2fw7qe1n]

My school is the best in the district, got like 30 kids with 5.0 gpa, mine is 4.2 core, 3.9 really, It really is unfair, and that’s considering that I wasn’t focused on school because of unfortunate events, that auto admission law really fucks everyone tbh, Anyways, yay. I got CAP’d. Fuck me.

[@adambabu4750]

@@user-vx2fw7qe1nare you gonna do the CAP program?

[@brennanhart8145]

Yeah, really frustrating... Originally applied for Business, 2nd choice Econ. Got CAP and selected UTSA... decided to appeal for Econ. Had some compelling info including a research project with a well known hospital, distribution of food + water on the UT campus after the winter storm, became contributor with student-led political article publication organization, not to mention an increase in GPA + leadership & formation in and of tutoring/study groups on the HS campus. Was denied with no further details given even after emailing and asking for any information available regarding the decision that was made. Guess they just didn't have COLA availability?

[@brennanhart8145]

Almost feel like I should've appealed for McCombs instead after looking at reddit on Apr 1

[@amsal2562]

I thought you were guaranteed COLA if you did CAP?

[@brennanhart8145]

@@amsal2562 guaranteed Econ but not mccombs business

[@duailyp5142]

this is actually really sad in all honesty, I got accepted and am going as part of co2025 and got a substantial amount of aid and knowing how some of these things are random and really all about money and logistics instead of who deserves to go to the university kind of bums me out. I know some very smart people that shouldve gotten in on the first round of acceptances but didnt, and even some people who I am surprised they got in but someone of their same academic stature with same EVERYTHING didnt. sad tbh

[@zach.a.fields]

Hey don’t get too down; the way I see it, you have to be qualified to go and it’s just a lottery from there. Just because other people also deserved it doesn’t mean you didn’t :)

[@rizzoli7]

i appealed and got into mccombs lmao

[@saidifmejia9173]

what did you include in the appeal if you don't mind me asking?

[@rizzoli7]

@@saidifmejia9173 listen, just the truth. Why I deserved that spot and why I was the right candidate. In short, why I am so awesome. Dont be afraid to hold back. Let them know your feelings. Also, trust me, it is not a lottery.

[@prestoncook3745]

Same!

[@rohinagrawal9727]

can i message you about this. i need help appealing. im in the same situation!

[@freshie587]

@@rizzoli7Would you be willing to drop a line or even the entire essay to me? Idk what direction to take this.

[@prestoncook3745]

It's not a lottery. I applied as an external transfer to McCombs, and I was rejected. After I appealed, they offered me admission on the condition that I take a summer calculus course at a local community college and make an A.

[@UTAdmissionsGuy]

Is it helpful or informative to extrapolate from a single anecdote or instance to make a broad generalization? One perspective I have is seeing the appeals process play out over many years and with hundreds of students. Your report of taking a summer calc course is actually the first time I've ever heard that, so thanks for letting me know it's yet another possibility on the appeals roulette wheel.

[@prestoncook3745]

@@UTAdmissionsGuy True, it is not useful to extrapolate from a single data point. I just wanted to point out that they gave some thought to mine. Granted, I applied under very unique circumstances. I appealed the decision because a representative from UT told me over email that there were no prerequisites for aspiring McCombs students. I didn't have a calc II credit, so my application was thrown out even though I was qualified in all other respects. After getting my initial decision, I contacted the dean of McCombs and the director of admissions. It's possible that admissions paid more attention to my appeal because I contacted UT faculty.

[@UTAdmissionsGuy]

@@prestoncook3745 That's super fortunate and lucky that worked out how it did. Never in my ten years have I heard a student getting an exception for a missed prerequisite or having it count over the summer on appeal or something. Anyway, enjoy your time at UT :)

[@prestoncook3745]

​@@UTAdmissionsGuy I just successfully finished the course with an A, and I'm an official McCombs student now! I feel so hyped. Your website helped me a lot with my essays! Thanks for the help!

[@nomnom756]

@@prestoncook3745 Hey! I’m in the very similar situation. If it’s okay with you, would you mind sharing what the process looked like?

[@ethanwild3301]

There needs to be more ppl like you!

[@themidascurse4048]

Me over here waiting for my external transfer decisions knowing it's a lottery....👁️👄👁️

[@tarabaibandgar5173]

What it takes for international students to get $1,000 merit scholarship at UT Austin.

[@UTAdmissionsGuy]

Impossible

[@1234ggggm]

What do you think about transfer odds? I still haven’t heard back yet :/

[@ethanwild3301]

Damn I didn't know I could appeal 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@isabelcsitkovits5139]

I agree with most of what you said in this video, but I don’t think it’s fair to say that appeals are completely random. I think that they looked at all of the appeals and chose the people who were more likely to have gotten accepted regularly. Most people I know who appealed and got in (from my school and from looking at reddit) had very high ranks, most right outside of top 6%. As for the people who didn’t get in through appeal, it was usually people outside of top 10%. This isn’t to say there were people with amazing stats who didn’t get in, but it’s also important to recognize that the people who got it were at least a little deserving

[@UTAdmissionsGuy]

Thanks for your comment. For every example or anecdote of a student who "Deserved" their appeal, I can provide others who got in on very questionable claims or exceptional students who were denied again. Before, UT denied like 98% of appeals because they lacked genuine new information or a mistake was made. Nowadays, both of those criteria are largely irrelevant. Therefore, the process is random, and their decisionmaking is unknowable.

[@mhighlights9596]

How can out of state get merit scholarships this late in the game?

[@pgrutube]

Probably can't. UT is a state university subsidized by Texas tax payers. Unless you're a highly sought out applicant, money/scholarships (should) go to Texas residents. Same could be said about your own state's universities.

[@raina3-3-3]

I just want to say that if you got in on an appeal please don’t feel inadequate. If UT is your number one, then you should go. Don’t forget the reasons why you really want/wanted to go. Nobody but you (& those you choose to tell) will know you got in on an appeal. You will just be viewed as a regular student that got into UT by your peers & the institution. I really don’t want anyone feeling imposter syndrome bc of this reveal & the whole flawed admissions process. Don’t let anyone (including yourself) downplay your achievement!!!