Top 10% Rule Under Scrutiny
By: Amy Montalvo
Updated: March 5, 2009
Texas students who graduate in the top 10% of their class, may no longer be guaranteed automatic admission to public universities, according to a bill that passed in the Texas Senate this week. Lawmakers want to modify the current "Top 10" Law which began in 1997. They say it has denied spots to 'good students' at large, competitive high schools who may not have made it into the top 10%.
The freshman class at schools like UT is currently made up of about 80% of these 'automatic admissions' students. The new law would only allow for 50% of a university's entering class to be guaranteed admission students.
Says Coronado 12th grade counselor Sharon Dickson, "It gives the student that not in the top 10% a little more hope of being able to get in, I do think it will relieve some pressure on the colleges' side." Senior Natalie Mouzon explains, "I think that's a better idea, that way it gives more students a shot at going to college and preparing themselves better in life, I think that would be more fair than what the rule is right now."
