Can you choose your roommate in UT Austin?

Yes, you can choose your roommate at UT Austin through the housing portal by self-selecting a preferred roommate or creating a group, using compatibility matching tools, or sometimes being assigned if you don't choose. You create a roommate profile, invite others, and then select a room together during the room selection process, or you can join a room with someone already there and see their profile.

How to choose roommate UT Austin?

You can self-select a preferred roommate, choose a roommate during room selection or be matched with a roommate by our housing team. Roughly half of our on-campus residents select a preferred roommate.

Can you choose who your roommate is?

Incoming students can choose their own roommate, either somebody they already know or somebody met through social networking. Some students use websites designed specifically to introduce potential roommates, others search social media to meet people who could become a roommate.

What is the 90% rule at UT Austin?

The "UT Austin 90 rule" refers to the state law requiring University of Texas at Austin to reserve about 90% of its freshman spots for Texas residents, with the remaining 10% for out-of-state/international students, making it harder for non-residents to get in. For in-state students, a separate rule, the Top 10 Percent Law, guarantees automatic admission to the top percentage of their high school class, a threshold UT Austin sets annually (currently the top 5% for Fall 2026, previously 6%) to meet the 90% residency requirement and the 75% auto-admit target for residents.
 

Does UT Austin do random roommates?

What if I don't have a specific roommate in mind? Many students select a space without forming a roommate group. When going this route, you will participate in the room selection process and place yourself in a room with another student in it.

Family and Friend Expanded Roommate Option - August 2025

What is the 5% rule at UT Austin?

The UT Austin 5% rule is a change to the university's automatic admission policy, requiring Texas high school students to rank in the top 5% of their graduating class for guaranteed entry, down from the previous 6%, starting with the Fall 2026 freshman class due to record application numbers. This policy, rooted in Texas's "Top Ten Percent Law," allows UT to fill 75% of its Texas resident spots with top-ranked students, while the remaining 25% are admitted through a holistic review.
 

Can a guy and girl share a dorm at UT Austin?

Yes, UT Austin, through its "Family & Friend Expanded Roommate Option," offers gender-inclusive housing in specific residence halls like Blanton, Duren, Dobie Twenty21, Jester East/West, San Jacinto, and Moore-Hill where students can live with roommates of any gender identity, a program started as a pilot but now a standard option in those halls. This allows for coed living arrangements in rooms or suites with private bathrooms, differing from traditional gender-separated floors.
 

What is the 6% rule at UT?

UT Austin's "Top 6% Rule" is a Texas state law provision that guarantees automatic admission for Texas residents who graduate in the top 6% of their high school class, though this is changing to the top 5% for students applying for Fall 2026; it ensures a significant portion of UT's in-state students come from diverse Texas high schools, but it doesn't guarantee entry to specific competitive majors, only to the university itself.
 

Is 1480 a good SAT score for UT Austin?

Yes, a 1480 SAT score is very good for UT Austin, placing you at the high end of their middle 50% range (typically 1230-1480/1490), making you a strong candidate, especially for competitive programs, though holistic factors like GPA and essays are crucial for acceptance. 

Is UT at Austin hard to get into?

Getting into the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is very difficult, with a recent acceptance rate around 27-29% and high selectivity, especially for out-of-state students or competitive majors like Computer Science, requiring strong academics (high GPA, test scores) and exceptional extracurriculars, leadership, and compelling essays. Texas residents in the top 6% of their high school class get automatic admission (though not always to their first-choice major), but everyone else faces a highly competitive holistic review process. 

Do colleges let you pick roommates?

Many colleges have a matching system to pair you with your future roommate. If they do not, they might do it manually within their housing department. If you are going to an in-state college or going to a college with someone you know, you have the opportunity to choose your future roommate if you so wish.

What are red flags when choosing a roommate?

Red flags when choosing a roommate include financial instability, poor communication, vastly different cleanliness standards or lifestyles (like partying vs. quiet), a history of drama with past roommates, lack of transparency (hiding smoking/pets), and controlling behavior, all pointing to potential conflict over money, chores, guests, or boundaries. Signs also include messy living habits, inconsistent schedules, reluctance to provide references, or a negative attitude towards past housemates. 

Can a guy and a girl get a dorm together?

Yes, boys and girls can share a dorm at many colleges through gender-neutral housing, allowing mixed-gender roommates or suites, though it depends heavily on the institution's specific housing policy, with some having it for general students and others primarily for LGBTQ+ students, and traditional separate-sex buildings still common. This setup can offer social benefits, fewer guest restrictions, and promote understanding, but schools often keep bathrooms separate, even in coed buildings, to maintain privacy. 

Is it cheaper to live on campus or in a dorm?

It's a toss-up, but on-campus dorms are often cheaper initially because costs like utilities, internet, and sometimes meals are bundled, while off-campus living can become cheaper for upperclassmen by sharing apartments, though it requires upfront costs for deposits, furniture, and managing separate bills, depending heavily on location, your financial aid, and lifestyle. For public universities in smaller towns, dorms usually win; in expensive cities or with good financial aid, off-campus can be better. 

Where do most freshman live at UT Austin?

There are many types of student housing to choose from, including on-campus residence halls, off-campus private dorms, and off-campus apartments. At UT, freshmen are not required to live on-campus, but it is common for underclassmen to live in the on-campus dorms.

What is the 90% rule for UT Austin?

The UT Austin 90% rule is a state law requiring that 90% of first-year students must be Texas residents, creating a significant advantage for in-state applicants and making it much harder for out-of-state students to get in, as they compete for only 10% of spots. This rule, combined with the separate requirement to automatically admit top Texas high school students (the "Top 6% Rule"), heavily influences UT's highly selective admissions, especially for competitive majors like Computer Science or Engineering. 

What was Bill Clinton's SAT score?

Bill Clinton

The 42nd president of the United States scored a 1032—12 points above average—on his SAT. Still, Clinton excelled at Georgetown University, where he majored in Foreign Service and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Later, Clinton attended Yale Law School and earned a Juris Doctor in 1973.

Can I get into brown with a 1480?

Yes, you can get into Brown with a 1480 SAT score, as it falls within or near their middle 50% range (1480-1560) and they use a holistic review, but it's competitive, requiring strong essays, GPA, recommendations, and extracurriculars to stand out alongside many other applicants with similar scores. Your score is at the lower end of what admissions sees, so the rest of your application must be exceptional to show your fit with Brown's unique academic environment. 

Is UT Austin first come first serve?

The University of Austin offers four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees in Liberal Studies via full-time enrollment at our downtown Austin, Texas campus. *Limited spots are reserved for deposited students on a first-come, first-served basis.

Is 1370 a good SAT score for UT Austin?

As anticipated, SAT scores at UT Austin are competitive. The average composite UT Austin SAT score stands at 1370, out of a possible 1600. The 25th percentile for SAT scores falls at 1230, while the 75th percentile rises to 1490. This means that the lowest 25% of scorers scored a composite score of 1230 or below.

Is it better to EA or RD?

Neither Early Action (EA) nor Regular Decision (RD) is inherently "better"; they serve different student needs, with EA offering earlier results and potentially slightly better odds by showing strong interest, while RD provides more time to perfect applications and compare offers, making it better for those needing more prep or time to weigh options, though the RD pool can be more competitive at some schools. Your choice depends on your application strength, interest in the school, and financial needs. 

What is the most LGBT friendly college?

Top LGBTQ+-friendly colleges often recognized for strong support include Ithaca College, Rutgers University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and University of Maryland (College Park), with many liberal arts colleges like Oberlin, Carleton, and Wesleyan also highly rated for their inclusive environments and resources like LGBTQ+ Centers, mentorship, and supportive policies. Rankings vary, but consistently highlighted schools offer robust campus life, advocacy, and inclusive housing options. 

Is Austin, Texas LGBTQ friendly?

Yes, Austin, Texas, is widely considered a very LGBTQ+-friendly city, known for its vibrant, diverse, and inclusive culture, with a strong LGBTQ+ presence in its nightlife, arts, and community, scoring highly on inclusivity metrics and offering numerous gay-friendly spots and resources across the city, though it's still within a generally conservative state.