Jump to content

Surly kids who can't get into UT


texasdago

Recommended Posts

11 minutes ago, South Austin said:

If a kid has to go the CAPed route, is there any one particular UT satellite campus that is better than the others, or does it depend on major, etc.?

 

I think UTSA is the consensus "best" route.  Arlington and Tyler are probably next on that list.  (Daughter went UTSA, son went Tyler, so I'm just going on experience and discussion with other parents.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I think UTSA is the consensus "best" route.  Arlington and Tyler are probably next on that list.  (Daughter went UTSA, son went Tyler, so I'm just going on experience and discussion with other parents.)

Thanks.  Unlike my daughter, my son is very high on UT.  He's only finishing up seventh grade, and I certainly don't want to dash his dreams about going to his dad's alma mater.  But over the next few years I'm going to have a realistic conversation with him about how incredibly difficult it is these days to get into UT as a freshman, and if he really, really wants a degree from there it's possible that he'll have to start at another UT campus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Thanks.  Unlike my daughter, my son is very high on UT.  He's only finishing up seventh grade, and I certainly don't want to dash his dreams about going to his dad's alma mater.  But over the next few years I'm going to have a realistic conversation with him about how incredibly difficult it is these days to get into UT as a freshman, and if he really, really wants a degree from there it's possible that he'll have to start at another UT campus.

I differ from some on this point, but I would also be very clear about the choice of major when CAPing into UT.  It's pretty much liberal arts only.  I doubt many get into Cockrell or McCombs. 

My view is that it's good to get in the door and then try to transfer within UT, but that has proven difficult for some.  If your kid is dead set on being (for instance) an engineer, then CAP might not be the optimal route.  My son is planning to transfer from Psych to Biology and then grad school in kinesiology or physical therapy, and it appears possible, but some transfers would be very unlikely.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I differ from some on this point, but I would also be very clear about the choice of major when CAPing into UT.  It's pretty much liberal arts only.  I doubt many get into Cockrell or McCombs.

Yeah, I've heard that.  He seems interested in the sciences, but who knows at this point.  If he does want to pursue a STEMs major, then I'll make sure he includes plenty of non-UT options in his college plans. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I differ from some on this point, but I would also be very clear about the choice of major when CAPing into UT.  It's pretty much liberal arts only.  I doubt many get into Cockrell or McCombs. 

My view is that it's good to get in the door and then try to transfer within UT, but that has proven difficult for some.  If your kid is dead set on being (for instance) an engineer, then CAP might not be the optimal route.  My son is planning to transfer from Psych to Biology and then grad school in kinesiology or physical therapy, and it appears possible, but some transfers would be very unlikely.

My oldest CAPed into UT and is majoring in economics with a minor in business.  Just recently they added a BS econ degree under the school of liberal arts with is much more math intensive.  Might not be McCombs, but a BS in econ with a business minor will give a kid many of the same courses.

Youngest wants to be a PT.  When she was CAPed, she chose Texas State to major in biology instead.

As to the question about best CAP school - there are tiers with USTA and UTA being the highest, not all kids get that option.  Some CAPed kids have to chose UT Tyler, UTRGV, or UTEP instead.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Frank Drebin said:

I have noticed more than a few kids I know start at ACC and then transfer to Texas.  Or that is their stated intent.  How common is that?

A lot of boys who want to pledge do this. UT also has a program where you can take some hours at UT and the rest at ACC, and girls who go this route can still rush (sorry, go through recruitment) as a freshman. Have no idea how you get into that deal, but it exists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I differ from some on this point, but I would also be very clear about the choice of major when CAPing into UT.  It's pretty much liberal arts only.  I doubt many get into Cockrell or McCombs. 

My view is that it's good to get in the door and then try to transfer within UT, but that has proven difficult for some.  If your kid is dead set on being (for instance) an engineer, then CAP might not be the optimal route.  My son is planning to transfer from Psych to Biology and then grad school in kinesiology or physical therapy, and it appears possible, but some transfers would be very unlikely.

Yeah, so its interesting but my oldest wants to go into Art or Music.  I have my opinions on this but it is what it is.  Anyway, I suspect trying to get in via those programs is drastically less competitive than trying to get into McCombs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last year, UTSA and UT Arlington CAPed students were required to attend summer classes on campus. I believe they pull this nonsense because those are the two most popular choices to thin the herd.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, South Austin said:

Thanks.  Unlike my daughter, my son is very high on UT.  He's only finishing up seventh grade, and I certainly don't want to dash his dreams about going to his dad's alma mater.  But over the next few years I'm going to have a realistic conversation with him about how incredibly difficult it is these days to get into UT as a freshman, and if he really, really wants a degree from there it's possible that he'll have to start at another UT campus.

Do you love him enough to move to a less competitive school?  Much like my personal success, the key to Texas auto admits is to surround yourself with losers and low performers.  

It's why I post here.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, ABSR said:

Do you love him enough to move to a less competitive school?  Much like my personal success, the key to Texas auto admits is to surround yourself with losers and low performers. 

He'll be at McCallum.  It's not bad, but it's not Westlake or Westwood.

There's a young lawyer at my law firm who went to the Kealing magnet for middle school, and he would have gone to LASA, but UT had just implemented the Top 10% rule, and his dad told him he needed to go to Austin High.  Good decision in the long run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, South Austin said:

He'll be at McCallum.  It's not bad, but it's not Westlake or Westwood.

There's a young lawyer at my law firm who went to the Kealing magnet for middle school, and he would have gone to LASA, but UT had just implemented the Top 10% rule, and his dad told him he needed to go to Austin High.  Good decision in the long run.

I have heard of kids going to Bowie the first couple of years and then transferring to Crocket to get into the top 10% or 6.5%....whatever UT is requiring these days.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, texasdago said:

Yeah, so its interesting but my oldest wants to go into Art or Music.  I have my opinions on this but it is what it is.  Anyway, I suspect trying to get in via those programs is drastically less competitive than trying to get into McCombs.

Definitely.  My daughter wanted to major in Psych (and is) but the percussion prof offered her a spot straight out of HS with the goal of her transferring into Psych.  Obviously it helped that she was a top-of-state level percussionist, but it was still a path he was familiar with and was willing to exploit.

I still think she should minor in music, but she's chosen French.  Dammit.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, South Austin said:

He'll be at McCallum.  It's not bad, but it's not Westlake or Westwood.

There's a young lawyer at my law firm who went to the Kealing magnet for middle school, and he would have gone to LASA, but UT had just implemented the Top 10% rule, and his dad told him he needed to go to Austin High.  Good decision in the long run.

I was partially joking, but McCallum is a good school.  I was there for 9-10 until my parents moved, but that was before it became a magnet school and back when they let in any old losers like me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

Last year, UTSA and UT Arlington CAPed students were required to attend summer classes on campus. I believe they pull this nonsense because those are the two most popular choices to thin the herd.

When my daughter went to UTSA in 2021, they required summer classes as well.  Due to covid, the classes were online, though.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Definitely.  My daughter wanted to major in Psych (and is) but the percussion prof offered her a spot straight out of HS with the goal of her transferring into Psych.  Obviously it helped that she was a top-of-state level percussionist, but it was still a path he was familiar with and was willing to exploit.

I still think she should minor in music, but she's chosen French.  Dammit.

Well, I chose Italian but that's because I placed out of a bunch of hours... 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My kids went to McCallum.  I'm very fond of that school.  It's far more well-rounded than the West______ options.  It's not an IB campus, so that might be a drawback, but I was super impressed with the inclusiveness.  Basically, McCallum kids aren't assholes and they are plenty well educated.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

When my daughter went to UTSA in 2021, they required summer classes as well.  Due to covid, the classes were online, though.

I'm pretty sure all CAP programs require 6/9/15 as the summer/fall/spring course load.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

My kids went to McCallum.  I'm very fond of that school.  It's far more well-rounded than the West______ options.  It's not an IB campus, so that might be a drawback, but I was super impressed with the inclusiveness.  Basically, McCallum kids aren't assholes and they are plenty well educated.

I have to think for music Bowie (our kids) helps too given the intensity and quality of the marching band program.  

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, texasdago said:

I have to think for music Bowie (our kids) helps too given the intensity and quality of the marching band program.  

At the time, McCallum suffered a bit in terms of marching band.  The teachers were more into jazz and symphonic music.  The percussion ensemble my daughter played in was off the charts good, they played at the Midwest Clinic and got rave reviews from all the profs at schools like UNT, Juilliard, and Berklee.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

At the time, McCallum suffered a bit in terms of marching band.  The teachers were more into jazz and symphonic music.  The percussion ensemble my daughter played in was off the charts good, they played at the Midwest Clinic and got rave reviews from all the profs at schools like UNT, Juilliard, and Berklee.

...and McCallum does have a great reputation for their music program.  For AISD, Bowie and McCallum are the better programs until you start looking at Leander, RR, etc.  Again, one hopes that helps with "next steps"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

My kids went to McCallum.  I'm very fond of that school.  It's far more well-rounded than the West______ options.  It's not an IB campus, so that might be a drawback, but I was super impressed with the inclusiveness.  Basically, McCallum kids aren't assholes and they are plenty well educated.

true, then you hop back to the other side of mopac and most of those kids are shitbirds.  I'm sure there's plenty of those at McCallum too but not as many I've heard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

I have noticed more than a few kids I know start at ACC and then transfer to Texas.  Or that is their stated intent.  How common is that?

This is what I did. Granted it was a few years ago.

It was awesome. I actually started at St. Ed’s for one semester and then bailed when I saw that bill.

ACC was a better experience and one of the best professors I had in my entire 5 1/2-year college career was a great ACC professor.

If they still treat the grades the same as other schools….its a no brainer to me…FWIW. ACC has some really good professors who give a shit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

My kids went to McCallum.  I'm very fond of that school.  It's far more well-rounded than the West______ options.  It's not an IB campus, so that might be a drawback, but I was super impressed with the inclusiveness.  Basically, McCallum kids aren't assholes and they are plenty well educated.

I love McCallum. For both of my kids, their personalities are better suited for that environment – very inclusive, relatively low drama, and not turbo competitive. But, I think it’s a bit easier to get into the Top 6% there than other schools in the area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, ABSR said:

Do you love him enough to move to a less competitive school?  Much like my personal success, the key to Texas auto admits is to surround yourself with losers and low performers.  

It's why I post here.

I moved to East Texas.  My daughter is graduating from UT this week in 3 years.  She is heading to SMU for law school.  

  • Hook 'Em 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tailgate said:

ACC was a better experience and one of the best professors I had in my entire 5 1/2-year college career was a great ACC professor.

Yeah, I saw that at UT during my time in grad school.  My two favorite profs were on opposite ends of the spectrum.  One was an absolute genius who couldn't really teach but who inspired you to figure out what the hell he was talking about, and the other was a slightly above average intellect who actually gave a shit and worked hard to connect you to the material.  Two means to the same end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Leeroy Jenkins said:

I moved to East Texas.  My daughter is graduating from UT this week in 3 years.  She is heading to SMU for law school.  

But she's still going to hate you for moving to East Texas.

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, 1978horn said:

I have heard of kids going to Bowie the first couple of years and then transferring to Crocket to get into the top 10% or 6.5%....whatever UT is requiring these days.

Had a friend and his brother that did this for Dartmouth back in the day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Leeroy Jenkins said:

I moved to East Texas.  My daughter is graduating from UT this week in 3 years.  She is heading to SMU for law school.  

I am not sure if I love my kids enough to move to East Texas.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, ballrific said:

true, then you hop back to the other side of mopac and most of those kids are shitbirds.  I'm sure there's plenty of those at McCallum too but not as many I've heard

McCallum pulls from as far west as past 360. It borders Eanes in some areas and has the same demographics in those parts. There are always some exceptions, but the kids and parents are way more relaxed (in a good way) than neighboring districts and other HS tracks. 

Having gone to Westwood and worked at a lot of these schools, McCallum would be my first choice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, 1978horn said:

I have heard of kids going to Bowie the first couple of years and then transferring to Crocket to get into the top 10% or 6.5%....whatever UT is requiring these days.

There's been rumors forever of Westlake kids living on their parent's South Texas Dear Camps  for their Senior year and going to whatever public HS serviced it to avoid the competition for a UT auto admit. I have no idea whether it's true or not. It was always some Ferris Bueller 32 Flavors type story.  Usually told in the same breath as the similar "They got into Duke/Vandy but not UT" fable. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, texasdago said:

...and McCallum does have a great reputation for their music program.  For AISD, Bowie and McCallum are the better programs until you start looking at Leander, RR, etc.  Again, one hopes that helps with "next steps"

McCallum sounds better than the other AISD bands because the district has designated them as a magnet, so they get transfers for Fine Arts.  Bowie sounds louder than the other AISD bands because they have 700 more kids than many of the other schools, and in some cases 2000 more kids.  Austin High, Anderson and LASA also have good band programs, they just aren't fine arts magnets or larger schools.

At McCallum or Bowie, your somewhat talented kid may find themselves in a lower band or chair because the really talented kids are beating them out.  At Austin High, Anderson, or LASA, your kid may be challenged to take a solo or sit first chair.  My kids were at Austin High and I often saw kids respond to a challenge by working harder and leveling up.  Not just musically.  We put kids in charge of trailer crew or game day prep or other leadership positions and watched them mature into the role.  The Austin High band programs are double blocked, so the kids see each other every day and band becomes their high school community.

If you really want to put your kids in the most award winning bands, McCallum and Bowie and the other AISD bands lose out to Leander, just like the rest of the state.  Leander has some structural reasons why they are doing well and AISD doesn't have their advantages.  AISD is taking steps, with new instruments and putting turf practice fields on campuses, but they are a generation behind the suburbs.  AISD has been lazy, IMHO, by designating magnet schools, and then saying "hey look, wow, they are better than the other schools we have, what a great job we are doing."

McCallum and Bowie get the spotlight within AISD, but there are other programs that may be great for your kid and shouldn't be overlooked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Larry T. Spider said:

McCallum pulls from as far west as past 360.

When my kids were at Highland Park, the Green Shores area on Lake Austin even fed HP/Lamar/McCallum.  No idea if it still does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Texas Jeff said:

McCallum sounds better than the other AISD bands because the district has designated them as a magnet,

Technically not a magnet, but an "academy".

 

Quote

so they get transfers for Fine Arts.

True.  No busses outside their natural region, though, which I've heard is why they don't designate it as a "magnet" school (they'd have to provide busses).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

When my kids were at Highland Park, the Green Shores area on Lake Austin even fed HP/Lamar/McCallum.  No idea if it still does.

Still does.  And one of my son's friends at Lamar lives in Long Canyon (Bell Mountain Rd. off 2222).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Still does.  And one of my son's friends at Lamar lives in Long Canyon (Bell Mountain Rd. off 2222).

Yep, that too.  RIcky Williams lived over there for a while.  His son Prince attended HP, as did Bo Davis' son and Todd Wright's kid.  (Todd could have hit HP with a rock with a strong throw from his front porch.)

Edited by jimmyjazz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yep, that too.  RIcky Williams lived over there for a while.  His son Prince attended HP, as did Bo Davis' son and Todd Wright's kid.  (Todd could have hit HP with a rock with a strong throw from his front porch.)

Thread digression/csb time:  Ricky's daughter was my daughter's classmate at HP, and for one painful season at WAYA, they were on the same volleyball team.  Ricky actually came to one of the games, and couldn't look more bored and disgusted with the level of play.  They were in fourth grade, but, I mean, they still sucked.

I have a UT football autographed by Ricky that I won at an HP PTA fundraiser.  It's actually made out to me personally, though we never met.  His partner/wife asked how I would like him to autograph the ball, and I said, "Hell, I don't know.  How about, 'Jeff, Hook 'em!'"  And he did just that.  Surprisingly, my wife won't let me display that on our fireplace mantel for all our guests to see.

Edited by South Austin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Thread digression/csb time:  Ricky's daughter was my daughter's classmate at HP, and for one painful season at WAYA, they were on the same team.  Ricky actually came to one of the games, and couldn't look more bored and disgusted with the level of play.  They were in fourth grade, but, I mean, they still sucked.

Soccer? 

My daughter didn't really know Prince, but Bo Davis Jr. was in her class and had the sweets for her.  Kid was probably 5'10" in 5th grade.  His voice was lower than mine.  (Not particularly uncommon for adult men, but for a kid, it was hilariously unnerving.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Thread digression/csb time:  Ricky's daughter was my daughter's classmate at HP, and for one painful season at WAYA, they were on the same team.  Ricky actually came to one of the games, and couldn't look more bored and disgusted with the level of play.  They were in fourth grade, but, I mean, they still sucked.

I have a UT football autographed by Ricky that I won at an HP PTA fundraiser.  It's actually made out to me personally, though we never met.  His partner/wife asked how I would like him to autograph the ball, and I said, "Hell, I don't know.  How about, 'Jeff, Hook 'em!'"  And he did just that.  Surprisingly, my wife won't let me display that on our fireplace mantel for all our guests to see.

jeff-channing-tatum.gif

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Thread digression/csb time:  Ricky's daughter was my daughter's classmate at HP, and for one painful season at WAYA, they were on the same team.  Ricky actually came to one of the games, and couldn't look more bored and disgusted with the level of play.  They were in fourth grade, but, I mean, they still sucked.

I have a UT football autographed by Ricky that I won at an HP PTA fundraiser.  It's actually made out to me personally, though we never met.  His partner/wife asked how I would like him to autograph the ball, and I said, "Hell, I don't know.  How about, 'Jeff, Hook 'em!'"  And he did just that.  Surprisingly, my wife won't let me display that on our fireplace mantel for all our guests to see.

Ooh, my cool Ricky autograph story involves me sneaking into the Texas locker room after the '96 loss to Notre Dame and approaching Ricky while he was getting his ankle tape removed. Got him to sign shortly before getting caught and ushered out.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Thread digression/csb time:  Ricky's daughter was my daughter's classmate at HP, and for one painful season at WAYA, they were on the same team.  Ricky actually came to one of the games, and couldn't look more bored and disgusted with the level of play.  They were in fourth grade, but, I mean, they still sucked.

I have a UT football autographed by Ricky that I won at an HP PTA fundraiser.  It's actually made out to me personally, though we never met.  His partner/wife asked how I would like him to autograph the ball, and I said, "Hell, I don't know.  How about, 'Jeff, Hook 'em!'"  And he did just that.  Surprisingly, my wife won't let me display that on our fireplace mantel for all our guests to see.

Should have asked for him to sign it "aggy is ass, my dude."

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...