This Liberal Arts College Is Now Free — If You're Smart Enough
Thanks to a $100 million donation from entrepreneur Jeffrey Yass, the University of Austin (TX) is now tuition free. The catch? To get in, you will need to score very well on standardized admissions tests, the primary basis for admission.
Students with very high scores — SAT ≥ 1460 or ACT ≥ 33 or CLT ≥ 105 — get automatic admission. Students with scores below that are ranked based on a combination of their standardized test scores and AP or IB scores. In both cases, applicants must also be age 17-23 at the start of the academic year and meet routine admission requirements.
The Student Experience
University of Austin is a new college, founded on the idea of returning to a true liberal arts experience, unfettered by woke politics or limits on free speech. This is a place of zero ideological conformity— it’s more an intellectual dojo than typical college.
Classes are small (8-12 students) and student participation is expected. This is old-school style, up close and personal with professors and fellow students.
All students are required to take a core curriculum based on the great books, examining the foundations of civilization and of human thought. These are small discussion-based seminars where students learn to advance ideas and solve complex problems. In their junior and senior years, students specialize in one of four interdisciplinary academic centers: computing and data science; economics, politics, and history; ethics and politics; or literature and creative writing.
The campus is located in downtown Austin, TX, with easy access to everything this popular city has to offer. All students live in new, fully-furnished private apartments a short distance away, with RA’s and appointed staff on site. Clubs and sports, so far, include: rowing, golf, weightlifting, Brazillian jiujistu, boxing, basketball, astronautics, entrepreneurship, theatre and Formula SAE.
Who Should Consider Applying
University of Austin is for students who want rigorous debate and real-world skills. If you thrive in small, intense, unconventional settings, it could be a good fit. If you want football games, a traditional campus, and an easy diploma, this isn’t the place.
What kind of students typically go here? The unconventional nature of the college tends to attract unconventional students — many are homeschooled, gap-year, or transfer students frustrated with traditional colleges. Of course, since the average SAT is about 1450, these kids are also very bright.
Pluses and Minuses
There is no question that anyone attending this college will leave well-educated by the highest standards. That’s not something you can say about many other colleges today.
Oh, and did I mention that every student gets a paid summer placement at a startup, lab, or policy shop (e.g., Palantir, NASA, think tank)? That’s something that, to my knowledge, no other college offers. The college actively recruits top-tier tech companies and other businesses to join its placement network. This is a brilliant win-win — the college is able to offer its students real-world experience and hiring companies get to access some of the smartest young people in the US.
Of course, any student smart enough to get accepted — and graduate — is also going to be part of a rare and formidable alumni network going forward.
All that, and University of Austin is now tuition free. In an age when the typical college grad walks away with tens of thousands in debt, that’s a big deal.
The biggest minuses are all rooted in that the college is new. First, it isn’t officially accredited yet. That’s not a problem if you’re planning on staying all four years — accreditation is expected — but if you transfer out, it’s unclear what credits you could transfer. Second, the physical campus and student life are still limited. This will likely improve with time, but for now students needing structure, parties, or the atmosphere of ivy-covered buildings may be disappointed. And third, the subject matter options are more limited than that of most colleges. Attending means signing up for a classical liberal arts focus. If you want a degree in business or civil engineering, this isn’t the place.
Next Steps
If interested, check out the college’s website. You will not find University of Austin in the typical rankings and reviews, again because it’s new. So if the opportunity intrigues you, the best way to learn more is to do what the college recommends: make a site visit.
