I do want to confirm that you can indeed have enough influence and money to get your kid into A&M.

One of my friends didn't get in, flat out rejected. His father was influential, very wealthy, and maybe knew just the right single person. But he had his admission email later that afternoon.

This was over a decade ago but after they stopped being able to consider legacy. Maybe it's different now.

1010 is for dunderheads. Go for 1550+

I thought the "Top 10%" rule was only auto-admit after they filled a certain percentage of incoming slots. So, it's not technically everyone in the Top 10%, it may be top 7% one year and top 8% another year, depending on the ratio of that incoming year.

I was 25% at my 5A large school with a 1240 back in '05, but I think I wrote a few killer essays. Whatever it was, Aerospace Engineering took me but I transferred out of that before the school year even started, lol. What was I thinking deciding to give rocket science a shot?

What are the real purposes of essays …………..

Everyone knows

My son was admitted about seven years ago with a 26 on the ACT, just out of the top 25% at a very mediocre high school, and with almost zero school-related, extracurricular activities.

I'm an glad to say that the holistic review recognized his non school-related activities along with kick ass essays and gave him a chance through the Gateway program. He transferred in zero hours and got his undergraduate in 3.5 years with an above average GPA. He also graduated this last weekend with an MS from a systems school……completed while working full-time.

Yes I'm proud of him and want to compliment the holistic review process for recognizing his potential.

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Talking to my son it's a stark difference between the kids from really good HS's vs those that aren't. He thinks college is much easier than HS with less pressure where other kids are sucking wind.

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The competition at my kids HS is insane compared to what I had 30 years ago.
I was top 25%er with lots of extra curricular activities and cases & cases of beer drank. Homework? Lol.
I probably would be below 50% nowadays if I went to my kids school.