Taking my son for college visits

Mr. Fiesta

Mr. Fiesta

1,000+ Posts
Because it is so damn hard to get into UT (among his accomplishments, my son has 3.6GPA, is an Eagle Scout, went to Texas Boy's State and played 3 years as a starting offensive lineman for a 5A school but still couldn't get in), we are having to visit "other" schools to see if he has any interest in attending. aggy is out of course, but going to some of the other old SWC schools, all they do is bad mouth Texas during their sales pitch. We went to Baylor and I couldn't take it anymore. During the tour, they started talking about going an hour south, a sickly cow, etc., all while they were all doing their pathetic "sic'em Bears" (such an obvious ripoff, they should be ashamed) chant and I stood up and yelled, HOOK'EM HORNS!, turned around and left. It's brutal I tell you, just absolutely brutal.
 
good for you--I assume your son is trying to get on the football team, cuz I wouldnt expect with his grades, Eagle, etc that he couldn't get in academically--are you looking for a scholly for him, preferred walk-on, or what?? Good luck in your search
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Thanks. No athletics, just wanted to go to UT like dad, mom, aunt, uncle and other various family memebers but they CAPed him. I thought they would've looked at him a little harder with his resume.
 
Im a retired after 33 years Prof... make sure your student meets current students and talks to a number of them for a while to get a real feel for a program. Take a few to lunch so the students can talk your treat. (you stay clear, the students will talk truth to your kid) Finally trust your kids instincts about where they think they feel comfortable. If they are not "feeling it"keep looking. Being un happy is really a huge problem that will screw up GPAs and lifein general. Dont go where the love interrest is going. That is a bad thing, (they screw way too much) They must feel "right" about xyz school a week or so after a visit.
Visiting is a good thing dad. carry on...remember a student grows up ONLY once they start paying their own bills. Find a way that summmer money which they earn working will be spent as casual personal money. They will live cheaper if you do that. You buy books they buy pizza etc. Books are available cheaper on line, buy used, the print is still good. expect easily $100+ a book, at least...
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What's so bad about CAP? You go to UTSA or whatever school is closest to you, maybe live at home and work so your bills aren't that bad when you move to Austin, get the GPA and you're in. I'd rather have gone to UTSA for a year and UT for 3 then go to some school like Baylor where the love of UT I've had my entire life will gradually wear away to some fake feeling of love for my new school while constantly being reminded by my entire family cheering for UT that I didn't go to school there. But then again, I never once pulled a 3.2 haha.
 
My daughter and I visited Baylor and got the same treatment. I didn't place any pressure on her but on her own she said, "Baylor is too obsessed with Texas. Let's get out of here".

She had the opportunity to visit Aggy but declined.
She decided on St Edwards and busted her tail for a year, and now she is a proud Texas Longhorn.............so is Daddy.
 
He ain't going anywhere because of his girlfriend, believe me. Also, there isn't anything bad about CAP, that's what I would do and he's still thinking about it but he wants the four year university experience. Okie Lite is high on his list and they aren't near as obsessed with Texas as all the others. He has good enough test scores and grades to where he got scholorship money so it's basically in-state tuition. We visited Arky and they were almost as bad as Baylor about talking bad about Texas. However, it's his life and he can go where he wants as long as it's not blowu or aggy. He's looking at bio-engineering so the school will need to be strong in that department. It's just hard for me to go on these visits with him when they start talking **** about Texas, I can only take it so long.
 
In your situation I think I would look first at Rice. They give a bioengineering degree and have an identity of their own not based on being anti-UT. I'm not sure how closely associated they are with the Houston Medical Center but that place is an incredible resource for anyone in the medical field. I'm sure it is hard to get into as well.
 
He's been accepted everywhere he has applied...except Texas. It's easier to get into Harvard than it is Texas.
 
Undergraduate tuition at Harvard for the 2009–2010 school year was $33,696 and the total cost with fees, room, and board was $48,868. Under financial aid guidelines adopted in 2007, parents in families with incomes of less than $60,000 will no longer be expected to contribute any money to the cost of attending Harvard for their children, including room and board. Families with incomes in the $60,000 to $80,000 range contribute an amount of only a few thousand dollars a year. In December 2007, Harvard announced that families earning between $120,000 and $180,000 will only have to pay up to 10% of their annual household income towards tuition.
 
Schools like Harvard have a good amount of scholarships and financial aid available that supplements the actual pocket cost in many situations.
 
Mr. Fiesta, I've had two sons attempt entrance to UT, neither got in, both were offered CAP.

One went the CAP route to UTSA, and transferred in his second year. A proud UT graduate December 2009.

The other decided against CAP and went to Okie State. He has also had a great experience there.

I'll say this--my older son (CAP kid) was serious about getting into UT, and thus he busted his butt at UTSA to make the necessary transfer grades. I'm convinced that his performance there was far, far better than it would have been anywhere else, including UT, since he was so focused on making sure that he qualified for the automatic transfer.

My other son has had a great time at OSU--maybe too great a time, and his performance would not have enabled him to transfer even if he had decided to try. But, he doesn't regret his choice. He remains a big Texas fan even now.

It is really unfortunate that high performing kids like your son can't manage to get admitted--it seems to me that something is out of balance somewhere on this deal.

Good luck.
 
My oldest nephew got into UT, but I had some connections with the Freshman Admissions office and helped, I think. His sister wanted to be a vet and A&M was not an option in our family, so she went to OSU. Dropped out of pre-vet pretty quickly, but loved it. I couldn't ever get a read on the next kid, and would have tried to help him get in if I had been sure that was what he wanted. Turns out it was, but he is going to OSU and graduates in May. His younger brother could probably have gotten into UT, but wanted to be with his brother so he is a sophomore at OSU. They love it, but I can tell you that the sophomore's room at home is still done totally in burnt orange and the walls are covered in UT stuff. I root for OSU except when they play Texas and they root for Texas anytime they are not playing OSU.

Anyway, from my experience OSU gives a kid a great college experience in a University big enough to have lots of things going on but not so big that they can get lost. If you go on a trip there I'm sure my nephews would be more than willing to talk to your son.
 
That sucks about CAP. I got into UT (and McCombs) with a 3.1 but, then again, I went to an extremely ****** academic school. Though it benefited me in getting in to UT I was completely unprepared for academic life in college as I had no idea how to do simple things like cite a paper or truly study for a test.

To the OP. I hope your son gets to realize his dream at some point in the future. Though I ended up transferring and graduating from another school (with a 4.0), I'd do the exact same thing again.
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My son's friend was CAP in 2008, but had placed out of some hours. He was planning on going to UTSA and transfer to UT, but instead took 12 hours at UT in the summer after graduating high school and started in the fall with the rest of the freshman. It seem it was under the cap program as he had to maintain a certain gpa. Not sure if this is still possible, but maybe a route to look at. I know he had placed out of some hours.

My son also played football and ran track at a large competative 5A high school, was an Eagle scout and we were very concerned about being accepted. Luckily, he ended up in the top 10%. I say luckily because the NEISD had a system to determine the top 10% that was most likely put together by three monkeys and a rock.
I also know from experience what your son went through to maintain his GPA and play football at a 5A school.

As a previous poster said , something is out of whack with our admissions. All you have to do is look at the holistic admission matrix. Especially the points given to the applicant for special circumstances. The special circumstances grid is what your son went up against after he did not make the top 10%, just like my son's friend.
 
I have a cousin who's nephew graduated from Westwood several years ago. He could not get into UT but ended up getting a full ride to Cal Berkley for 4 years. Something is seriously wrong with admissions when something like that happens.
 
I hear stories like this over and over again. I swear that the "best and the brightest" are no longer going to UT and that disturbs me.
hookem.gif
 
St. John's University keeping sending him letters asking him to come there along with numerous scholarship offers. St. John's won't leave him alone and he can't get in UT.
 
I appreciate the offers of talking with others regarding Okie Lite but, unfortunately, we already are well acquinted with it. I have several cousins whose daughters currenlty attend there (although I would would think he would consider that would have some benefits since it may be somewhat easy to become acquinted with other girls). Since there isn't a rivalry to speak of, Okie Lite didn't mention Texas in their spiel like Baylor and Arky did so that's a plus.
 
Fiesta, check out UT summer school under cap program.
He might be able to enroll under cap program the summer after his HS graduation and enter full time in the fall.
 
They discontinued that program a couple of years ago. There were over 30,000 applications this year so it was extremely competative. However, it leaves out plenty of bright, motivated yound men and women from entering my beloved University. Which is a little irritating but unless you know someone, or your child was in the top 10%, you may be out of luck.
 
75% of the entering class is admitted under the top 10% rule, which is approx the top 7.5%(Not 10%) of the Texas high school graduating seniors.
The remaining 25% are being admitted under the "holistic" matrix which is blatantly unfair to applicants like your son.
Your son cannot change that you are still married to your wife, change his race, change the socio- economic status of his family, change the socio-economic status of his high school, change the english language spoken at home or change his family responsibilities. SAT/ACT scores should be equally compared, not have another applicant have added value by having his scores compared only to the ACT/SAT averages at his high school.
The above extra points given to other applicants is what your son had to overcome (you can eliminate any that don't apply and give yourself those points) in order to admitted to the last 25% of the class.
In other words, if you are successful both economically and in marraige, you only speak the language of the country at home, you move to a good neighborhood that has great competitive schools that challenge your children, then your child will be at a disadvantage for entry to UT under the "holistic" admissions policy.
 
Interesting and encouraging comments about OSU. My wife and I are UT grads and my son has a 3.7 at Westwood but couldn't sniff the top 10. We visited all over but OSU got on the radar based on the program he's interested in. We visited and got a great vibe. No sense of obsession for either OU or UT. Probably feels like A&M minus the cult. The campus is nice and the buildings have a very collegiate feel. Boone's money has helped as well.

The scholarship money based on SAT score makes it cheaper than Texas State so that's where my son is headed. I have a feeling he will always have a dual allegiance though...OSU and UT.
 
OSU is wanting all these bright kids that can't get into Texas schools so they are basically giving them in-state tuition so they'll attend. Smart plan on their part. For those of us who wouldn't ever have any of their money going to blowu, OSU is taking full advantage of that mindset.
 
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