What is the hardest college to get into in Texas? The answer to this isn’t as straightforward as one would hope. This is mainly because there are a number of different courses and so there are no uniform admission criteria. There are quite a few universities in Texas with different thresholds for admission.

And since there is more than one level of degree available, another slew of questions arises such as what is the hardest college to get into in Texas for bachelors. Or what is the hardest college to get into in Texas for engineering? And since we will be talking about admissions in colleges, there is one more crucial question that arises out of it. 

What is the cost of getting into the hardest college in Texas? And this is just the tip of the iceberg all things considered. So today we will be answering all of these questions and many more. So without further ado, let us get cracking. 

What Is The Hardest College To Get Into In Texas– Admission details

As state before, there are different colleges for different courses. So there is no uniformity for the admission process. For example, a medical school will have far more and higher requirements than say a literature course. 

However, despite all of this, there are a few colleges that have gained notoriety over the years for particularly hard admission processes. Here is a quick rundown of a few of these colleges with their rate of admission. 

  1. Rice University
  2. Dallas Christian College
  3. Texas A&M University-Commerce
  4. Trinity University
  5. Texas Wesleyan University
  6. Baylor University
  7. University of Dallas
  8. The University of Texas at Austin
  9. McMurry University
  10. Texas Christian University
  11. Southwestern University
  12. LeTourneau University
  13. Texas State University
  14. Huston Tillotson University

With the names now out of the way, let us now take a look at the acceptance rate and the minimum requirements that they have –

  1. Rice University
  1. SAT score – 1450 to 1560
  2. ACT score – 33 to 35
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.96
  4. Acceptance Rate – 11%
  5. Dallas Christian College
  1. SAT score – 810 to 1160
  2. ACT score – 17 to 23
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.18
  4. Acceptance rate – 29%
  5. Texas A&M University-Commerce
  1. SAT score – 960 to 1140
  2. ACT score – 17 to 23
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.21
  4. Acceptance rate – 34%
  5. Trinity University
  1. SAT score – 1260 to 1430 
  2. ACT score – 27 to 32
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.5
  4. Acceptance rate – 34%
  5. Texas Wesleyan University
  1. SAT score – 930 to 1100
  2. ACT score – 20 to 24
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.31
  4. Acceptance rate – 36%
  5. Baylor University
  1. SAT score – 1190 to 1370
  2. ACT score – 26 to 31
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.74
  4. Acceptance rate – 39%
  5. University of Dallas
  1. SAT score – 1120 to 1340
  2. ACT score – 23 to 29
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.82
  4. Acceptance rate – 39%
  5. The University of Texas at Austin
  1. SAT score – 1230 to 1480
  2. ACT score – 27 to 33
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.8
  4. Acceptance rate – 39%
  5. McMurry University
  1. SAT score – 950 to 1150
  2. ACT score – 18 to 23
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.52
  4. Acceptance rate – 41%
  5. Texas Christian University
  1. SAT score – 1150 to 1340
  2. ACT score – 26 to 30
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.68
  4. Acceptance rate – 41%
  5. Southwestern University
  1. SAT score – 1130 to 1330
  2. ACT score – 23 to 29
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.6
  4. Acceptance rate – 45%
  5. LeTourneau University
  1. SAT score – 1090 to 1320
  2. ACT score – 21 to 28
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.62
  4. Acceptance rate – 46%
  5. Texas State University
  1. SAT score – 1010 to 1180
  2. ACT score – 20 to 26
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 3.38 
  4. Acceptance rate – 46%
  5. Huston Tillotson University
  1. SAT score – 810 to 980
  2. ACT score – 14 to 18
  3. Minimum high school GPA – 2.8
  4. Acceptance rate – 47%

So as you can see, all of the universities listed above have an acceptance rate of less than 50%. Amongst them, Rice university clearly has the toughest admission process with a less than 11% acceptance rate. 

Another thing to keep in mind that the acceptance rate is not entirely reflective of the admission standards. Instead, it reflects the number of students applying for the seats vs the number of seats available. So even if a university has a close to 40% acceptance rate, do not take it for granted.  The admission process will still be stringent. 

Another thing to keep in mind that this is the general rundown of the acceptance rate. The numbers can and will differ for individual courses. Also, some courses are college or university specific too. So if you are looking to do a bachelor’s or a master’s in a particular stream, keep that in mind too. 

Conversely, a lot of these supposedly tough universities have a few courses that will not have such a stringent admission process. So, if you are applying for one of those courses, then try to aim for the “tougher institutes”. Your degree at the end of the day will have much more prestige to it because of the name attached. 

Now that we have talked about the admission policy of the colleges, let us now talk about the money. 

Cost of education

Since most of the institutes on this list are heavily sought after, it comes as no surprise that oftentimes, they end up charging a premium. This premium stems from having their name attached to your CV and the doors it may open for you. So without further ado, let us take a look at how much it is going to cost you to study at one of these colleges –

  1. Rice University – 47,000 USD each year on average
  2. Dallas Christian College – 19,000 USD each year on average
  3. Texas A&M University-Commerce – 9,000 USD each year on average
  4. Trinity University – 43,000 USD each year on average
  5. Texas Wesleyan University – 30,000 USD each year on average
  6. Baylor University – 17,000 USD each year on average
  7. University of Dallas – 41,000 USD each year on average
  8. The University of Texas at Austin – 11,000 USD each year on average
  9. McMurry University – 27,000 USD each year on average
  10. Texas Christian University – 47,000 USD each year on average
  11. Southwestern University – 42,000 USD each year on average
  12. LeTourneau University – 30,000 USD each year on average
  13. Texas State University – 10,000 USD each year on average
  14. Huston Tillotson University – 14,000 USD each year on average

Keep in mind that the fees listed above are only averages for the tuition fees. Different courses will have different fees. Plus, the actual cost of education is going to run higher due to administrative fees and other miscellaneous fees attached. Lastly, these fees are subject to change without any prior notice. 

So, if you are someone who is looking to apply, then we would recommend you check the updated fee structure on the college or university website. There, you will be able to find a more accurate breakdown of all the costs attached to your education. 

Another thing worth mentioning is that most of these colleges and universities have a financial aid or grant policy. So if you are someone with limited means but you do qualify for their financial aid, then it is worth pursuing that route. 

How to get to this standard?

Since we have talked about these exclusive and extremely tough to get into institutes, it makes sense to wonder how can one achieve this threshold. Well, the straightforward and simple answer is to work hard and make sure your grades are exceptional. 

Most of these colleges have already published what they are looking for. So it is up to you now to make it happen. You know what is required of you. If you can meet their threshold and clear their admission process, then there is nothing that can stop you. 

However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before you set down that road. 

  1. Make sure you have the financial means

This is easily the most important part of the equation. If you are someone who doesn’t meet their grant criteria yet cannot afford education there, then it will be a bitter blow. So before you begin on that journey, make sure to have your finances sorted. 

And if you can’t afford it, then consider applying for a student loan. Be advised that this is a treacherous path. However, if you have the mental fortitude and the drive to overcome it, then the world is going to be your oyster. At the end of the day, which institute you get into boils down to what you can afford and qualify for. 

  1. Do not aim for the minimum

A lot of the time, a student sees the minimum requirement as a 3.0 GPA and so they work the bare minimum required to maintain that. As a result, if there is even a slight fluctuation, they are the first ones to get the boot during the admission process for simply not being good enough. 

So, make it a point to work hard and long so that you are well above the minimum threshold required by the college or the university. As a result, if there are any fluctuations you will be immune to them. So always aim for the upper limit rather than the lower one. 

  1. Work smart

Hard work is an undeniable component of success. However, more important than that is working smart. Because let us be real, anyone can toil aimlessly for days. What really sets people apart is how they work. 

So if you are someone who is working hard and smart, then your chances of success are automatically higher than those working aimlessly. Because at the end of the day, you can slave away for a chapter and not have it come up at all or understand all the fundamentals and apply them to perfection. The choice is yours. 

  1. Work with goals and increments

Another thing worth noting is that you work throughout the year in order to achieve something. An all-nighter can only take you so far. It is incomparably better to do it all around the year and with small increments on the other hand. 

Plus, if you are in the habit of setting goals for yourself and rewarding yourself upon achieving them, then you are automatically doing better than most. Always remember that a carrot is always preferred to a stick. 

  1. Stay ahead of the curve

Now, this might sound a little stupid, but staying ahead of your academic curriculum will reap great dividends for you down the line. Not only will it allow you to have more time to absorb what is being taught but it will also give you more time for last minute revisions etc. 

Plus, by staying ahead, it will also allow you to beyond what is being taught to you. So by the time, the exams roll around, not only will you have a good grasp of your fundamentals but you will also be well versed with advanced concepts. 

Overall, there are quite a few more tricks and tips but if you take care of these broader ones, they will hold you in good stead during your admission process. Rest, make sure that you meet their admission threshold at the very least. 

With that out of the way, we hope we have told you all there is to know about some of the toughest colleges and universities to get into in Texas. And in case you still have any doubts or questions, feel free to contact us down below.