For those interested in studying in Texas, we have a very useful list. We selected the best Texas institutions for prospective students. Please know that rankings are based on academic research, alumni reviews, graduation rates, as well as assessment from peer colleges. On the page, you will find major admissions stats such as acceptance rate, tuition fees, average SAT scores for each ranked college or university.
| Rankings | Schools |
| 1 | Rice University (Houston, TX) Tuition: $37,292 Total enrollment: 6,224 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 18.8% Average freshman retention rate: 97% 6-year graduation rate: 92% Classes with under 20 students: 69.6% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1330-1530 |
| 2 | University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX) Tuition: in-state: $9,792, out-of-state: $33,060 Total enrollment: 51,112 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 46.6% Average freshman retention rate: 92% 6-year graduation rate: 81% Classes with under 20 students: 33.4% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1120-1380 |
| 3 | Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX) Tuition: $41,750 Total enrollment: 10,982 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 54.6% Average freshman retention rate: 89% 6-year graduation rate: 75% Classes with under 20 students: 58.8% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1180-1370 |
| 4 | Texas A&M University–College Station (College Station, TX) Tuition: in-state: $8,505, out-of-state: $25,035 Total enrollment: 49,861 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 63.5% Average freshman retention rate: 92% 6-year graduation rate: 80% Classes with under 20 students: 19.0% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1100-1300 |
| 5 | Baylor University (Waco, TX) Tuition: $33,916 Total enrollment: 15,029 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 39.7% Average freshman retention rate: 84% 6-year graduation rate: 72% Classes with under 20 students: 47.8% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 24-29 |
| 6 | Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX) Tuition: $34,590 Total enrollment: 9,518 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 37.7% Average freshman retention rate: 86% 6-year graduation rate: 74% Classes with under 20 students: 41.7% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 24-29 |
| 7 | University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 18,864 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 53.4% Average freshman retention rate: 84% 6-year graduation rate: 61% Classes with under 20 students: 21.9% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1140-1360 |
| 8 | Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 32,327 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 66.3% Average freshman retention rate: 81% 6-year graduation rate: 61% Classes with under 20 students: 24.2% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1010-1200 |
| 9 | University of Houston (Houston, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 39,820 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 63.6% Average freshman retention rate: 80% 6-year graduation rate: 46% Classes with under 20 students: 28.7% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 1000-1220 |
| 10 | Lamar University (Beaumont, TX) Tuition: in-state: $8,544, out-of-state: $20,574 Total enrollment: 14,021 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 66.8% Average freshman retention rate: 65% 6-year graduation rate: 30% Classes with under 20 students: 32.4% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 840-1060 |
| 11 | Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio (San Antonio, TX) Tuition: $23,588 Total enrollment: 2,614 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 55.3% Average freshman retention rate: 58% 6-year graduation rate: 33% Classes with under 20 students: 64.7% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 820-1020 |
| 12 | Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX) Tuition: in-state: $8,120, out-of-state: $18,650 Total enrollment: 17,527 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 72.6% Average freshman retention rate: 73% 6-year graduation rate: 50% Classes with under 20 students: 22.8% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 900-1100 |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 10,726 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 59.5% Average freshman retention rate: 66% 6-year graduation rate: 36% Classes with under 20 students: N/A SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 860-1080 |
| 14 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi, TX) Tuition: in-state: $7,668, out-of-state: $18,198 Total enrollment: 10,162 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 85.1% Average freshman retention rate: 61% 6-year graduation rate: 40% Classes with under 20 students: 22.1% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 860-1060 |
| 15 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Kingsville, TX) Tuition: in-state: $6,940, out-of-state: $17,470 Total enrollment: 6,731 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 97.9% Average freshman retention rate: 59% 6-year graduation rate: 33% Classes with under 20 students: 34.3% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 16-21 |
| 16 | Texas Southern University (Houston, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 9,730 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 26.2% Average freshman retention rate: 62% 6-year graduation rate: 12% Classes with under 20 students: 35.2% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 750-920 |
| 17 | Texas Woman’s University (Denton, TX) Tuition: in-state: $7,050, out-of-state: $17,580 Total enrollment: 14,718 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 88.4% Average freshman retention rate: 72% 6-year graduation rate: 42% Classes with under 20 students: 29.7% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 720-1010 |
| 18 | University of North Texas (Denton, TX) Tuition: in-state: $9,078, out-of-state: $19,608 Total enrollment: 35,754 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 64.0% Average freshman retention rate: 77% 6-year graduation rate: 49% Classes with under 20 students: 30.6% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 970-1210 |
| 19 | University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 33,439 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 69.0% Average freshman retention rate: 68% 6-year graduation rate: 42% Classes with under 20 students: 23.0% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 960-1190 |
| 20 | University of Texas at El Paso (El Paso, TX) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 22,640 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 99.8% Average freshman retention rate: 72% 6-year graduation rate: 37% Classes with under 20 students: 30.3% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 810-1020 |
| 21 | University of Texas at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX) Tuition: in-state: $8,419, out-of-state: $18,949 Total enrollment: 30,968 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 78.2% Average freshman retention rate: 59% 6-year graduation rate: 27% Classes with under 20 students: 23.5% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 930-1140 |
State of Texas after Independence
Almost immediately after the proclamation of independent Texas, a group of supporters of unification with the United States was formed in its government, led by one of the leaders of the Texas revolution, Sam Houston. In August 1837, the Texas ambassador asked US President Martin Van Buren to accept the republic into the Union, but due to a possible aggravation of relations with Mexico, this proposal was rejected. In 1838, the nationalist leader Mirabeau Lamar became President of Texas, who considered it necessary to preserve the sovereignty of Texas, and the issue of unification with the United States was temporarily removed from the agenda. Nevertheless, a few years later, by the mid-forties of the 19th century, it became clear that the young state could not ensure either its own financial independence,
In November 1844, James Polk was elected President of the United States, one of the points of the election program of which was support for the idea of annexing (joining) Texas. Realizing that public opinion in the United States was in favor of the inclusion of the Republic of Texas in the United States, the then President John Tyler initiated the adoption of a resolution by the US Congress on this issue. On February 28, 1845, Congress passed a resolution to that effect.
The American proposals for annexation were submitted to the government of the Republic, and on July 4, 1845, Texas legislators approved them. On October 13, the new Texas Constitution was adopted, and on December 29, 1845, Texas officially became the twenty-eighth state of the United States, as well as the first (and the only one today, which, before joining the federation, was an independent state (they declared their sovereignty before joining the union also Vermont and California, but, unlike Texas, they have not been recognized by any country in the world).
Mexico, which continued to consider Texas its territory, was extremely outraged by its annexation. In the summer of 1845, US President James Polk sent troops to Texas, and in the fall of that year, the United States turned to Mexico with a proposal to sell the lands of the provinces of Nuevo Mexico (which included the territories of the modern states of New Mexico, western Texas, and also partially Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma) and Alta California (present-day California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, plus western Colorado and southwestern Wyoming). Under pressure from public opinion, the Mexican government was forced to abandon American proposals, President Jose de Herrera, who advocated a peaceful solution to the conflict, was removed, and the new leaders of the state officially confirmed their claims to Texas.
In the spring of 1846, units of the US Army under the leadership of General Zachary Taylor (the future President of the United States) built a temporary fortification on the north bank of the Rio Grande, called Fort Texas. The Mexicans, who considered these lands their own, and the actions of the United States army an invasion, on April 25, 1846, attacked a detachment of American dragoons. This episode, known as the “Thornton Affair” (after the commander of the American cavalry) served as a formal pretext for the outbreak of hostilities between the United States of America and Mexico. On May 13, 1846, the declaration of war was approved by the US Congress. The war lasted almost two years, most of its battles took place in Mexico. On February 2, 1848, a peace treaty was signed, one of the conditions of which was the renunciation of Mexico’s claims to Texas.
In September 1850, after the passage of a package of laws known as the “Compromise of 1850” by the US Congress and their ratification by state legislators, Texas received its modern borders. Territories in the north and west, which formally belonged to the Lone Star State, but were not actually controlled by it, were transferred to the US Government in exchange for ten million dollars.