Texas top 10 percent rule (Houston, Austin: buying a house, buying, high school)

[cyberchild]

I am new to this State, can someone shed some light on “Texas Top 10% Rule” where high school students in the top 10% gets into any Texas university. Is that rule still in effect?

I am interested in buying a house and have 3 kids, should I be concerned with this rule.

[cla]

Thanks for asking about this - I have been here two years an never heard of it. A quick look on the internet came up with this link... Now if I can just talk my daughter out of going to the University of Chicago.

College for Texans - Additional - Top 10% Rule

[sunny57]

Originally Posted by cyberchild

I am new to this State, can someone shed some light on “Texas Top 10% Rule” where high school students in the top 10% gets into any Texas university. Is that rule still in effect?

I am interested in buying a house and have 3 kids, should I be concerned with this rule.

I wouldn't lose sleep over it...I have two boy's now going to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Neither one was in the top 10% at their Klein High School. Both were average students and had no problem getting into the school of their choice.

[bostoner]

You should post in Texas for more replies.

[jimboburnsy]

If you are at a Houston public high school and in the top quarter of your class, you shouldn't have trouble getting into U Texas.

[basketcase33]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

If you are at a Houston public high school and in the top quarter of your class, you shouldn't have trouble getting into U Texas.

I don't really think that's true for all U Texas schools. UT Austin is actually quite competitive by public university standards. The top 10% of Texas public high school students make up the majority of the UT Austin crowd. Not to say that people who aren't in the top 10% don't get in, but I remember a lot of people who didn't have to stress out about their essays for UT Austin being perfect, and having their one "for sure" safety, which made their whole college application process a lot more stress-free!

The top 10% rule is still in effect, but you have to remember colleges are always looking for a whole package. I graduated top 15% (*** Laude), 1820 new SAT, from a Houston public high school that has to be one of the top 3 in the district, lots of extracurricular activities, I'm a minority and I got in to a US News Top 50 school.

I can safely say the only school you'd have to go above and beyond just being in the top 10% in Texas for is Rice University, right here in Houston, as it is a private university that holds much more national and international appeal and the top 10% rule does not apply. Not to slight Baylor, but you didn't even have to write an essay for that one the year I graduated (2006) and it is also a major Texas public high school "puller."