Starting a new thread to discuss questions about Engineering at Galveston program. For those considering it, feel free to answer or post your own questions. My son was accepted and we are strongly considering it but still have questions. I understand the basics: It is full admit to Look School of Engineering, students take same classes and follow same Entry to Major as CS engineering students. No “transfer” required. After freshman year they transition to CS to complete engineer degree. Galv engineering students are in same position as CS students. With 3.5 GPA you are guaranteed major of choice, lower than that and you are reviewed but most (90%) end up getting the major of choice, subject to minimum GPA requirements. Counselors we spoke to made very clear Galv students are same as CS students other than location.
Both my wife and I spoke to prospective student counselors and were given conflicting info about options to change majors either before school starts or after first semester. One said it was not an option and the other said son could change majors just like any other engineering student at CS- with all same requirements. This question arose because we wanted to understand options IF son realizes engineering is not for him and wants to change majors to CS after first semester. I still don’t know the answer.
Seems like there are positives and negatives to the Galv program. If successful, the end result is the same - you get an engineering degree from TAMU. You give up the traditional college campus life freshman year but have smaller classes. I see the smaller classes as a big plus but there is something to be said about being on traditional campus - activities, fraternities, IM sports, clubs, etc.
@93txag not specifically, have been to Galv numerous times and love to kayak fish Bolivar marsh but never had reason to go to campus until now. Will do so soon. Have you been to campus? Thoughts?
@percy0317 No, not yet. Planning to go see campus very soon since my son was admitted there. It would be a no-brainer if it weren’t Galveston. Very concerned that Galveston is a bad idea for college freshmen. It’s no college town and definitely has a rough side to it.
@93txag agree, there are bad parts of Galv but it is a smaller campus, which is on its own island, with less to do could be benefit for freshman engineering student. I have heard they keep tight security on campus itself.
TAMU-Galveston has an engineering preview day on Friday, March 9, if I’m remembering that correctly.
We 5-6 hours away and may or may not make a visit due to the distance.
It would be so useful to see a visit report here.
@percy0317 If your student’s proposed new major is not available at Galveston, then it makes sense that you would want to be sure he could move to the main campus or Blinn after first semester. I would keep asking until I knew for sure! This situation should have arisen at least a time or two since Engineering at Galveston started. It may or may not be an issue.
@VEXisLife : This is the website I saw: http://www.tamug.edu/admissions/visit.html
It is called an extended campus visit for Engineering (and Transportation and Business) and is 3 hr long starting at 9 a.m. on scheduled Fridays. There are several dates, but March 9 and April 13 are the available dates now before the May 1 commitment deadline.
Confusion continues for Galveston folks. CS Admissions rep told me there was an engineering preview day in March. I confirmed with Galveston rep and he said it is set for March 22nd but apparently that event doesn’t even show up on their website.
Hopefully a date will appear soon. Perhaps the March 9 event is not specifically geared for “Engineering at Galveston” (?) but still looks informative in case someone wanted an earlier look. March 22 is a Thursday, March 9 is a Friday.
If they make ~1200 engineering offers again to Galveston, there should be plenty of folks who would really want to visit.
In years past the school has put on an “Engineering at Galveston Preview Day” just for those admitted through this program. Last year it was March 2nd (a Thursday). I can’t find a date on the internet for this year. I called A&M Engineering in CS and asked about it, and the young lady receptionist was all confused and told me that this was the College Station campus and not Galveston Which makes me wonder how they really feel about those engineering students in Galveston! If anyone gets a date confirmed, please post soon!
My son would have preferred the Blinn Engineering Academy in Bryan due to proximity to the main campus. Does anyone really know how this Galveston offer stacks up to the other options? Will they be considered the stepchildren of the engineering department? Anyone know someone who has been in this same program who has matriculated to CS?
Good questions, @GLYToo, I believe we could get some objective transfer statistics from the Engineering at Galveston folks in Galveston. I will plan to call tomorrow; I found their number somewhere and have it at work.
Perhaps because there aren’t obvious complaints from engineering students that I can find, there’s not an issue. That’s the way I’m currently reading it.
It is very difficult to get a good feel without a visit. My son will finish high school with a ~3.3uw/4.0w GPA, somewhere between top quarter and top third of his class. His application assets were 12 AP classes, 5 engineering classes, unusual fabrication skills and good EC’s. Other students will have a different sense of where they stand. Our family knew with almost 100% certainty from last year’s forum and watching this year that our son would not be offered a space at CS. I don’t see him switching from engineering, but there are some full-admission auto and academic engineering admits who will move to another major.
Which makes me wonder how they really feel about those engineering students in Galveston! If anyone gets a date confirmed, please post soon!