Essay, resume, and up to 3 reommendation letters. All freshmen admitted to the University for the fall semester are automatically considered for an Academic Excellence Scholarship award - with few exceptions, a separate application is not necessary. Important factors in the selection of scholarship recipients include SAT or ACT scores, class rank, grade point average, and success in Honors or Advanced Placement course work, extracurricular and other leadership activities, and National Merit recognition. Non-Texas residents who receive an award from the AES Program are considered in-state residents for tuition and fee purposes. Decisions are made on a rolling basis with priority given to those admitted before March 31, so submitting admission application by March 1 highly recommended. Admission applications that are completed after March 1 will be considered for scholarship awards contingent upon availability of funding.