How many students are offered CAP at UT Austin Reddit?

While Reddit discussions mention varied numbers, the official UT Austin Admissions site states over a thousand students participate in the CAP program (Coordinated Admissions Program) annually, with about a third successfully transferring to UT after their first year, implying a significant number are offered the pathway, often to fill spots not taken by auto-admit or holistic applicants.

What percentage of UT applicants get capped?

The top-ranked university has since been allowed to cap its automatic admittees to 75% of each freshman class. The remaining 25% is admitted through a holistic process that considers factors such as grade point average, extracurriculars and personal essays.

Does everyone get capped at UT Austin?

Texas resident high school graduates, who are not offered regular admission to The University of Texas at Austin, are offered to participate in CAP. This includes an opportunity to attend a UT System school your freshman year and transition to UT Austin your sophomore year.

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.
 

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.
 

PART 2: Everything I wish I knew as a UT CAP student… from a current Senior at UT Austin 🤘🏼

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. 

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

Yes, UT Austin offers gender-inclusive housing through its "Family and Friend Expanded Roommate Option," allowing students to room with any other student regardless of gender in specific residence halls like Blanton, Duren, and Dobie, as part of a program to support diverse living arrangements.
 

What is the 10 rule for UT Austin?

The “Top 10 Percent Law” is the common name for Texas House Bill 588, the state law passed in 1997 that guarantees Texas students who graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class automatic admission to all state-funded universities.

Is a 1400 SAT score good for UT Austin?

Yes, a 1400 SAT score is a very good score for UT Austin, placing you well within or above the typical range for admitted students, especially if you are a Texas resident or applying for less competitive programs; for highly competitive majors (like Engineering or CS) or for out-of-state/international applicants, it's strong but you'll need exceptional essays and extracurriculars to stand out against scores closer to the 1500+ range, according to sources from Next Admit and PrepScholar. 

Is it harder to get into UCLA or UT Austin?

It's generally harder to get into UCLA because it has a significantly lower acceptance rate (around 9%) compared to UT Austin (around 27%), making UCLA more selective overall, though UT Austin is very competitive, especially for popular majors like Computer Science or Engineering due to Texas's 90% in-state rule and rising applicant numbers. 

Is UT Austin an ivy now?

No, UT Austin is not an official Ivy League school, which are eight specific private universities in the Northeast, but it is widely recognized as a "Public Ivy" and was recently named a "New Ivy" by Forbes, a designation for top public and private universities producing highly-regarded graduates for employers, highlighting its prestige and academic strength.
 

What is the #1 hardest college to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it changes slightly by year and criteria, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top with extremely low acceptance rates (often 3-4%) and intense competition for spots, though other top global universities like Oxford and Tsinghua are also incredibly selective. Harvard is frequently cited as the hardest due to its high volume of applications and focus on global leadership potential, while Caltech is known for its extreme difficulty in STEM. 

Who gets automatic admission to UT Austin?

As a result, UT Austin will automatically admit all eligible Summer/Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 freshman applicants who have completed a non-traditional secondary education who submit an SAT Composite score of 1570 or higher or an ACT Composite score of 36.

What happens if you get capped from UT?

Simply complete the CAP agreement to let us know that you want to participate. You're guaranteed admission to most majors in UT Austin's College of Liberal Arts upon successful completion of the program (although admission to specific Liberal Arts majors are not guaranteed).

Is it easier to get into UT Austin Early Action?

Early round applicants enjoy an undeniable advantage because they've demonstrated their interest. Admissions officers at places like UT Austin value students who know early on that UT Austin is for them, hence the admissions boost.

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. 

Does UT Austin offer cap to everyone?

Can any student attending a UT System school participate in CAP? No. To participate in CAP, you must have applied to UT Austin, been offered participation in CAP and returned the online CAP agreement by the deadline.

What is the top 10% scholarship in Texas?

The UT Dallas Top 10% Scholarship is offered to first-time college freshmen admitted for the fall term immediately following high school graduation from an accredited Texas high school. Awards provide $2,500 per semester toward tuition and mandatory fees for a maximum of eight semesters of undergraduate study.

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 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 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. 

What was Taylor Swift's SAT score?

Taylor Swift's SAT score is not publicly known because she left high school early to pursue her music career and never officially took the SATs for college admission, though she was academically successful in high school, graduating early with a 4.0 GPA before focusing on music. She famously called out a practice test for misquoting her lyrics, highlighting her strong grasp of grammar despite not needing the test.
 

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.

Is 1320 a good SAT score for UT Austin?

Half the applicants admitted to The University of Texas--Austin who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1320 and 1530 or an ACT score of 29 and 34. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges.