With a record-breaking 90,562 applicants, the University of Texas at Austin’s Early Action decision is pushed back for the majority, raising alarm and anxiety until February 7. Due to this, numerous seniors and parents have lost trust in the renowned university, despite the highest-ranked public university in Texas being a common top choice.
“I’m very let down by the process and the way The University of Texas at Austin handled the whole notification process for the Early Action students,” senior parent Dasha Grot said. “I understand they received a lot of applications, but don’t say you’re going to do one thing and then turn around and be ambiguous and do another and just leave more questions than answers for the people who are trusting and putting faith in you. I think [the university is] putting a lot of mistrust out there and it’s showing that maybe [UT] doesn’t know how to manage the organization of a large university, getting a little too big for your breeches.”
The esteemed university first pushed back Early Action decisions to January 15, then announced Early Action decisions would roll out alongside Regular Decision on February 15. Now, the university claims decisions have been processed and will be announced on the evening of February 7.
“A bunch of people were probably annoyed with [postponed Early Action decisions] because they spent the extra time to cut off two months or however long between the two decision deadlines,” senior Hunter Hudson said. “So talking to somebody who’s early application versus me, who did a regular decision where you have two more months to do your application, I was like, ‘Yeah, but still, we’re getting back [our decisions] on the same day.’”
Hudson is part of the six percent of the Class of 2025 considered as automatic admission, who are students automatically accepted to the university but not the specific school in the university due to class rank. Starting in the fall of 2026, the University of Texas of Austin will lower its automatic admissions rate from six percent to five percent.
“I’ve already applied for housing in [The Callaway House] and I’ve gotten it back, so I have to sign my lease, Hudson said. “So I assume… when I get my decision, I can go and sign my lease and I get my housing deposit down because Callaway is the freshman dorm.”.
With the university holding record-breaking amounts of students, housing is in high demand with only 17 percent of students living on campus. High school seniors are now concerned not only about acceptance status but the availability of on-campus housing as well.
“[My son was] not even accepted, but it was recommended to him to put in a housing deposit in case he gets into the school because housing is at such a scarcity that it was worth just sacrificing the 50 dollars to guarantee housing,” Grot said. “Ryder being auto-admit, not knowing if he would get into the college, even being tight on finances, this was a good gamble. Through talking with other people that housing is not a guarantee, because the school just doesn’t provide it.”
Despite housing circumstances and the late decision announcements for Early Action applicants, many seniors are still highly anticipating tonight’s decisions as they will shape many’s college decisions.
“Since only 25 to 30 % of all acceptances have gone out, I still remain hopeful that there’s a vast majority of people that will still hear back in an accepted manner,” senior Walter Bristol said. “Obviously, there will still be offers of alternate enrollment and denials; overall I’m feeling optimistic for myself and for others who are eagerly looking forward to it.”
