The University of Austin is shaking up higher education with a bold, merit-first admissions policy that prioritizes test scores over identity politics and racial preferences.
AT A GLANCE
- University of Austin (UATX) guarantees admission to students scoring 1460+ on SAT, 33+ on ACT, or 105+ on CLT
- Policy follows the 2023 Supreme Court ruling banning race-based admissions
- Dean Ben Crocker calls it “the most meritocratic admissions policy in the country”
- UATX does not require DEI statements or demographic data in applications
- School lacks accreditation but is offering free tuition to its first cohort
A University That Prioritizes Merit
While elite institutions across the U.S. scramble to preserve race-based admissions in the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark 2023 ruling, the University of Austin (UATX) is opting for clarity and academic rigor. In a sharp break from the norm, the school guarantees admission to students who surpass specific test score thresholds: 1460 on the SAT, 33 on the ACT, or 105 on the Classic Learning Test (CLT).
For students who don’t hit those benchmarks, UATX still considers achievements in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs—criteria that reflect ability, not background. As Dean Ben Crocker told Fox News, “It is merit first for us.”
Watch video coverage of UATX’s merit-based policy.
Responding to the Supreme Court’s Ban on Race-Based Admissions
UATX’s approach directly follows the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2023, which struck down the use of race in college admissions. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the 6-3 majority, was unequivocal: “Such admissions programs must comply with strict scrutiny, may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and must — at some point — end,” according to The Texas Tribune.
Rather than working around the ruling through essays or ambiguous “holistic” reviews—as many elite colleges have—UATX embraced its implications. Crocker criticized institutions that continue “to discriminate under different names,” asserting UATX’s goal is simple: find and develop the brightest students without regard for race, gender, or ethnicity.
Breaking from the Identity Politics Mold
In contrast to what Crocker calls the “hand-wringing from the left,” UATX rejects the idea that race-conscious policies are necessary to ensure diversity. The school does not collect demographic data during admissions and does not require diversity statements. Its sole focus is academic achievement.
As Crocker put it, “We just want to know, are you intelligent? Are you brilliant? And are you committed to building a great university with us?” His comments, again reported by Fox News, reflect a broader philosophical divide in higher education over what fairness and equity truly mean.
An Unaccredited Experiment—But Free for Now
Founded in 2021, UATX is not yet accredited, which limits the transferability of its credits and the eligibility of its students for federal financial aid. Still, the school has taken a bold step by offering free tuition to its inaugural class, backed by private donors. That offer, combined with its unique admissions stance, has attracted national attention—even as it invites skepticism.
Whether UATX becomes a model for other institutions or remains a provocative outlier will depend in part on how it sustains its academic reputation without the traditional credential of accreditation. But for now, it is positioning itself as a principled alternative to what it sees as a broken system.
As Crocker summed up, “What we’ve done is create the most meritocratic admissions policy in the country”—a claim that, in today’s educational landscape, feels both revolutionary and oddly overdue.
