A High School Student Asks: Should I Even Bother Applying to UT Austin?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a high school student's inquiry about the feasibility and advisability of applying to the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) given financial concerns and academic standing. The conversation touches on considerations of financial aid, school reputation, and alternative options within the context of undergraduate education in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • The student expresses concern about applying to UT Austin due to financial implications for their family and their academic ranking being below the top 10% required for consideration.
  • One participant questions the student's motivation for choosing UT Austin over other schools, suggesting that financial considerations should take precedence.
  • Another participant highlights that UMass Amherst has a strong physics program and suggests that the student could receive a comparable education there for free.
  • A participant shares their experience of being accepted to UT Austin but declining due to inadequate financial aid, indicating that out-of-state tuition could lead to significant debt.
  • There is a shared sentiment about the importance of financial aid packages, with one participant noting that their aid from UT Austin was the least favorable among the schools they applied to.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of considering financial implications when choosing a school, but there are differing opinions on the value of UT Austin compared to local options like UMass Amherst. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the student's decision to apply to UT Austin.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention varying experiences with financial aid and academic programs, indicating that individual circumstances may significantly influence decisions. The discussion does not resolve the question of whether the student should apply to UT Austin.

AndrewJM
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Hello, this is my first post :).
I am a high school sophmore and am incredibly interested in physics...
My school gives an intro-physics course for those who want to pursue it. I got over a one hundered average in that class, I have a 3.83 (out of 4) gpa. I also got advanced on the "MCAS" so can got to any state school (In Ma.) tutuion free.

So, to my question. The school I really want to apply to is the University of Texas at Austin. But should I even bother? I ask this for two reasons: 1) My family is relativley poor. And I feel like I shouldn't leve them and cost them so much money. 2) I read that only people in the top 10% of there class even get looked at by UT at Austin and I am in the 20%.

Thanks.
 
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Why do you want to go to UT? What does that school have that any other schools in your state don't?

IMO, stick with whatever is financially reasonable. If you're getting free tuition in MA, it should be a no brainer as there are many good schools to choose from.
 
UMass Amherst has an excellent physics program. You wouldn't get anything out of UT Austin at the undergrad level you can't get at UMass Amherst for free. Grad school is when you'd really worry about what school you attend, and you won't do undergrad and grad school at the same school anyway. Also, grad school will be free too in physics.
 
Thank you guys very much!
 
The reason I wanted to go to UT was I love Texas and I kinda want to get out of MA and I hadn't even thought about Amherst. But now that I look at it it seems to be just as good.
 
I was accepted to UT Austin for math, but I declined because the financial aid was SO bad. I am a (very) low income student, too. I don't know if you received your financial aid award, but my package had only ~$4k in grants... the rest of the (out of state) tuition would have been paid for in loans. It was about $20k per year. Something to think about.
 
That sucks, sorry man.
 
It's not a problem. I liked UT Austin, but it was not my top choice and I got into schools (with full ride) that I would rather attend. I just wanted to share to give you some idea of what you might expect financially (in case you don't know already). I was pretty appalled by their offer; it was the worst aid package I received from the 10 schools I applied to.
 

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