Aggie Class of 2024.. advice before you hit submit on application

I looked at both the Brockman and Brown and they do not require the SAT/ACT with writing. Did not look at any other scholarship requirements.

Tamu doesn’t require testing essay BUT many scholarships do.

@BingeWatcher there are some scholarships that require the Writing portion of the ACT/SAT. For sure TAMU Presidential Endowed Scholarship requires it, I would suspect Brockman does, too. It’s always good to have your students take the Writing portions of the tests.

I accidentally said writing when I meant SAT/ACT essay. Thankfully they do not require the ACT/SAT with essay.

@BingeWatcher with a great SAT score like your child, hopefully they have taken the additional writing/essay portion of each test; many of the top scholarships do require it.

Would somebody please provide a link showing the essay portion is required for certain scholarships, because I am not seeing it.
For the President’s Endowed Scholarship, the posted requirements are:

[ul]
[]New style SAT: 1360 total with at least a 620 Math and 660 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
[
]Old style SAT: 1300 composite with at least a 600 Math and 600 Critical Reading
[li]ACT: 30 composite with at least 27 Math and 27 English[/ul][/li]https://scholarships.tamu.edu/FRESHMEN/University-Scholarships#0-AcademicScholarships

The Brockman Scholarship website doesn’t show the essay is required, either:

[ul][li]Score at least 1400 on the SAT or the equivalent minimum composite ACT score of 32.[/ul][/li]https://brockmanfoundation.org/brockman-scholars-faqs/

I don’t see it listed for Presidential Endowed, but it is one of the factors used-my daughter is a recipient. It must’ve been listed as one of the factors on her acceptance info. There is also other criteria not listed-extracurricular activities, community service and gpa.

At TAMU, you don’t pick & choose which scholarships to apply for-you check the box you’d like to apply for scholarships, and a committee takes it from there. So what you see listed on the website, is only base line criteria, and you don’t really know any other details. And compared to other schools, A&M doesn’t give many scholarships.

It is always wise to take the additional SAT/ACT tests, especially the essay portion.

I appreciate the reply, @52AG82, but I still don’t think the SAT/ACT essay is required for the PES. It would be very unusual for TAMU to not list a requirement. They are very open about scholarships offered and do a good of publishing exactly what is needed for specific scholarships.

I agree with @chercheur, they can not REQUIRE the essay part then it clearly says it is not required. Why take the SAT again for the essay portion when one already has a 1590. What if the student’s test score is lower and the essay is not scored so great.

, @52AG82 was just giving opinion based on what she encountered with her own student. If you don’t want them to take essay, then don’t. Tamu doesn’t require the essay portion for admission. And only require 1 essay for admission on the application. My son had to do 3 the year before.

Also, tamu will take the highest test score for admission (at one sitting). Taking it and getting a lower score will not hurt you.

@AggieMomhelp We were just trying to give the correct information regarding scholarships for all the students and parents reading your thread. The big scholarships (Brown, Brockman, Presidential) don’t require it, and students don’t need to retake the SAT/ACT just for the essay.

Sometimes with things like this, even if it isn’t required, it can be helpful, especially for scholarships.

Well it is comforting to know they will take the highest one sitting SAT/ACT score (D will be auto admit, top 1%), but I wonder do the scholarship people get the top score, even if the top score was not taken with the essay and a lower score does have the essay.

They will get the top score @BingeWatcher. That’s all TAMU will look at. Is your student also a National Merit by any chance? If so, then you are guaranteed to receive the PES, and it puts you in the running for the Brown Foundation scholarship.

My kiddo will not be automatic admit, we’re hoping for Blinn Team. He’s definitely not listing business as a major, although he would be great. He’s seriously considering a communications major. What can we expect with the less competitive majors?

@BBmom53
Before A&M began the holistic review of all engineering applicants to the major (Class 2020 and prior), an applicant had to select both 1st and 2nd choice as an engineering major. That does not seem to be the case anymore. That said, most do anyway, because they want an engineering major.

Being an academic admit with such a strong score, your son will likely be admitted to engineering at College Station. Not many auto/academic admits are offered first year at Galveston. Those who are, usually have low test scores but were auto due to rank.

Regional offices are not always reliable and especially for the engineering major. What you need to read is what the guidelines are for applying to engineering. When my son was applying for fall 2016, the application explicitly stated that first and second choice had to be an engineering major. I do not believe it states that anymore.

The majority of engineering applicants are not considered for their second choice major anyway. If your first choice major is engineering, you will receive a decision regarding engineering. The only time would be an auto/academic admit who wasn’t offered CStat, Galveston or Engineering Academy. Those would be decisions offered before what was listed as second choice. Galveston and Academy decisions don’t come out until February. That is how it has been the past 4 cycles.

@chercheur , she is prepping for the NMF, she is a rising hs JR. I am confident she will make it.

Received notice from my son’s school that transcripts as well as official class rank will not be available until at least sometime in August or maybe September. Should my son go ahead and apply ASAP and leave the class rank question blank? Can he hit the submit button then fill class rank in later? Or should he wait to apply until he has this information? Also could this count against him? (He is a review admit.)

@GermanPancakes Yes, I would go ahead and apply. Get as much done as possible. Fill out the class rank as of the last time he knew it. They will adjust when they are official. Nothing will count against him. The admissions office knows that some schools are slower than others in getting transcripts submitted. Best o luck!!!

Hi, we are seeing chemical eng scholarship essay on the Apply Texas app. Is this for freshmen? Do other engineering departments offer freshmen scholarships? If so which ones? She indicated chem E as one of her engineering choices so I’m guessing this is why it is showing. She also indicated biomed E but does not see an essay prompt for that department.