Creative Tutors works closely with parents and their children to help the child prepare for their college experience. When a child reaches 9th grade (freshman year) we begin to counsel the family and child on how to build their portfolio along with keeping their grades at the top of their game. Unfortunately, some students begin too late and end up settling far from their dream and in the position to now connect to a new dream.

Other students, hard working and staying on point also find themselves settling far from their dreams and miss the "Top 10 Percent" mark. These students that reach just below the top 10 percent class rankings become highly recruited from out of state universities and private colleges. Again a shift in their dream but not necessarily a shift in the quality of education they are seeking at the university level.

Shifting ones dream or path is not the end all of the college dream. It is a transition that the family may need to make to their budget. The student and parents must work harder on finding the scholarships needed for them to help realize their college experience in making it an affordable option. Some universities are very eager to recruit out of state students from Texas. Why? Our students are talented! The quality of the student is high and a great resource to bring to these out of state schools such as Georgetown University, http://www.georgetown.edu/ Vanderbilt University, http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ William and Mary, http://www.wm.edu/ just to name a few.

Follow up:

It is a top concern of some prominent Texas lawmakers and college presidents that top student talent seek refuge for college by attending colleges in other states, due to the top 10 percent rules. The risk that these bright students will not return to Texas for employment after college graduation is their key concern. As our population is growing and the demographics shifting this topic is one to watch.

Currently, the population of out of state students that are attending Texas public universities out measures the population of students that leave Texas for out of state universities. There could be a shift in those numbers in the upcoming 10 years with the increase of Texas population on the horizon. It is widely known that Texas universities do not have the space to accommodate the post high school educational needs of our state per the projected growth of Texas students.

Texas business and government officials are watching the growing population of our Texas students. It is projected that the next 10 years will be the largest student growth period in our history. The table could be turned as Texans watch our top students leave the state for advanced education and not return after their education is complete. With a global world available to our students and their work interest, Texans could find our best talent gone forever.

Top 10 percent rule has been an ongoing issue for students and their parents in the quest to help the student find a university for their college bound experience.
Below is an except from Dallas Morning News, April 26, 2009
Texas Universities
Texas "Top 10 percent" rule stirs brain drain fears
By Holly K. Hacker

When addressing the issues about the Texas and retaining our best talent by keeping those students that are in the Top 10 percent
Q&A "Top 10 percent law"

What is the "top 10 percent law"
In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed the top 10 percent law. High school who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class are automatically admitted to any Texas public university.

Why was it passed?
To preserve ethnic diversity at Texas public universities - a federal court had banned schools from considering race in college admissions. Top 10 percent law ensured that every high school, including predominantly minority ones, could send graduates to top schools. Then in 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges could consider race in admissions.

So what's the debate now?
Top 10 percent students make up an increasingly bigger share of the student body at UT-Austin. Last fall, 70 percent of freshman were in the top 10 percent. Critics sasy the law puts too much emphasis on a single measure ~ class rank. Others say the law helps ensure both racial and geographic diversity.

What's next?
The Senate approved a bill last month that would cap the numver of top 10 percent students that a university would have to admit. Similar bills have failed in the past sessions. Meanwhile, Ut-Austin predicts that between 71 and 73 percent of freshman this fall will be in the top 10 percent.