First-Time Freshman Admissions

A "first-time freshman" is an applicant to UT Dallas directly following high school graduation. Applicants are still considered "first-time freshman" if they earn college credit before high school graduation. If an applicant has earned college credit after high school graduation he or she is not considered a "first-time freshman" and should consult admission requirements for a transfer student (see "Admission - Transfer Students and Admissions - Non-First-Time Freshman and Sophomores").

The University's policy is to admit applicants who are most able to benefit from and contribute to the University's academic and research mission. The high academic expectations and complex educational curricula at UT Dallas require that entering freshman students have successfully completed a full college-track high-school curriculum and have demonstrated strong general verbal/quantitative aptitudes as measured on national standardized tests.

Automatic Admission

In accord with Chapter 51 of the Texas Education Code, students are automatically admitted to the University as first-time freshmen if they graduate in the top 10% of their class from an accredited Texas high school. Applicants must have graduated from high school during one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which they seek admission as first-time freshmen and have not attempted any higher education credits since graduation from high school. Applicants admitted because they are in the top 10% of their high school class may be required to complete additional preparatory work before enrolling in the University. They may also be required to remove any deficiencies in their high school coursework before graduating from the University.

Assured Admission Criteria

Students who take the Texas recommended high school curriculum and graduate in good standing and who possess any of the following scores and rankings are assured admission:

• an SAT score of 1200 (combined math and critical reading) or higher and a class rank within the top 25 percent of his or her high school graduating class in an accredited high school.

Or

• an composite ACT score of 26 or greater and a class rank within the top 25 percent of his or her high school graduating class in an accredited high school.

Or

• A class rank in the top 15% of their high school class

They may be required to complete additional preparatory work before enrolling in the University and to remove any deficiencies in their high school coursework before graduating from the University.

Entering freshmen should have successfully completed a full, college-track high school curriculum, including language arts (4 units), mathematics (3.5 units), science (3 units of laboratory science, excluding physical science), social sciences (3 units), foreign language (2 units in a single foreign language), and fine arts (0.5 unit in music, art, or drama). In addition, students must demonstrate strong general verbal/quantitative aptitudes as measured on national standardized tests (ACT or SAT).

Students from private schools and those outside the state of Texas will be considered for Assured Admission based on the same academic benchmarks listed above and a comparable high school curriculum.

Children of Public Servants Killed or Fatally Injured in the Line of Duty

Children of public servants designated by statute are assured freshman admission if they meet University requirements for high school or prior college-level grade point average and standardized test scores. This policy is in accordance with Section 51.803 of the Texas Education Code.

Reviewed Admission

All applications that do not qualify for either automatic or assured admissions will be reviewed. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited high school or satisfied equal requirements, and should have completed the high school unit requirements listed below (see item 9). Admission decisions are based on the applicant's composite achievement profile, including:

1. high school class rank;
2. strength of academic preparation including the number and complexity of courses taken (Honors, AP, IB, etc.);
3. SAT-I or ACT scores;
4. record of achievements/honors/awards;
5. special accomplishments/work/service both in and out of school;
6. essays;
7. special circumstances that put academic achievements in context;
8. recommendations (suggested but not required);
9. successful completion of a high school curriculum that includes:
   1. four units of Language Arts, including at least one unit of writing skills;
   2. two units of a single foreign language (three units recommended);
   3. three and one-half units of Mathematics beginning with Algebra I or higher and including a course dealing with trigonometry, such as pre-calculus (four units recommended);
   4. three units of laboratory science, not including Physical Science;
   5. three units of Social Sciences, not including work-study (four units recommended);
   6. one-half unit of Fine Arts (one unit recommended);
   7. one and one-half units of General Education Electives (two and one-half units recommended);
   8. the University also recommends one unit of Computer Science, one-half unit of Health, and one and one-half units of Physical Education;
10. for Texas residents, consideration may be given to socioeconomic and geographic information.

The review process gives primary consideration to the applicant's scores on standardized tests and high school record although no specific class rank, test score, or other qualification by itself assures admission.  The decision for each applicant will be to approve admission or to deny admission.

The achievement levels of students admitted to UT Dallas are illustrated by the following statistical profile of the entering freshman class of fall 2007.

• 75% of students were in the top 25% of their high school graduating class;
• 42% were in the top 10% of their class;
• 50% of students scored between 11301140 and 13401350 on the SAT-I ;
• The average SAT-I score was 12381247 (the 2007 national average SAT-I was 1017).

In addition to current university requirements for admission, applicants must also have either:

• successfully completed the curriculum requirements for the recommended or advanced high school program or its equivalent; or
• satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant or earned on the SAT assessment a score of at least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the equivalent.

The above requirement may be satisfied if the applicant's official high school transcript or diploma states that the applicant completed the portion of the recommended or advanced curriculum or its equivalent that was available to the applicant, but was unable to complete the remainder of the curriculum solely because courses necessary to complete the remainder were unavailable to the applicant at the appropriate times in the applicant's high school career as a result of course scheduling, lack of enrollment capacity, or another cause not within the applicant's control.

The University of Texas at Dallas 2008-2010 Undergraduate Catalog - 2009 Supplement
Volume 32, Number 2
Copyright © The University of Texas at Dallas

This catalog is a general information publication only. It is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations that relate to students. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student or faculty member and The University of Texas at Dallas or The University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Dallas reserves the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.