All of the schools my son is applying to use the Common App, except TAMU. Does anyone have any experience as to whether the Apply Texas or Coalition app will be more straightforward? He is thinking of chem. Engineering as a major if that makes any difference.
@Midwest Mom9 I am not familiar with Coalition App, as it is fairly new for Tx residents. Apply TX was the only one for a long time and it is very strait forward. I will say that writing the essay in Notepad vs a word doc is somewhat easier, as word pad is a simple program and when the essay is copied and pasted into the application, the format is changed and with a word doc, doesn’t always translate smoothly. Always proof read it after pasting. https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/html/faq_essay.html
Know that when applying to TAMU, an applicant is not placed into their desired major but are accepted into general engineering for their freshman year, or until they can satisfy the requirements to the Entry to A Major (ETAM) process. They have 4 semesters to complete this. Getting placed into a major is a competitive process. If your son only wishes to major in ChemE, it is something to think about. Would he be satisfied if accepted into a major that was not his top preference? A 3.5 GPA when going through the ETAM process guarantees your first choice major. Anything after that is up to the number of spots available in the major and the competitiveness of the applicants. An applicant lists his/her top 5 major choices and as their application is reviewed by their #1 choice, they are either accepted into that major or the application goes to the #2 choice and the process continues until they are placed in a major.
@Thelma2 , is the 3.5 GPA for the engineering courses only or do they include electives also?
Actually, there are two GPA’s they look at for engineering, @CamandCam Your overall GPA and then the GPA of the required curriculum of 2 math, 2 science and 2 engineering classes.
If a student does not qualify for ETAM during the second semester of freshman year, then they have an opportunity to apply the following fall. If they do not qualify for ETAM that fall because they still have not met the requirements, they can apply in the spring semester of their sophomore year.
If they do not meet requirements after the 4th semester, there are other considerations. https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/resources/fourth-semester-general-engineering-students.html
This is the ETAM application preview https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/entry-to-a-major/application-preview.htm
Thanks again @Thelma2 . The 3.5 guarantee GPA is a lot of stress to put on a freshman right out of the box. While 3.5 is the posted guarantee number, I was told by an A&M advisor that 100% of freshman that achieved a 3.2 GPA were granted their first choice and that 87% that achieved a 3.0 were granted their first choice. Have you heard any statistics like that?
I had read the class of 2020 percentages but not with GPA. Class of 2018 and 2019 used to be listed but they aren’t any longer. https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/entry-to-a-major/index.html
The anaylsis for 2017 can be found here, broken down by major
https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/entry-to-a-major/resources/analysis-spring-2017-admission-cycle/index.html
Keep in mind, the numbers A&M posts are for “eligible” students. Notice that they do not tell you how many freshman engineering student they have enrolled and how many of those were eligible for ETAM. Those are the numbers I would like to see.
"Of X engineering freshman, X were eligible for ETAM. X% got first choice with X GPA. They divulge at what GPA got their first choice because if they just put what percent got their first choice major, that number would be a lot lower, as students with lower GPA’s will put very competitive majors as their first choice, but will not get in, due to being not being a competitive applicant.
Class 2020 had over 4000 engineering freshmen according to the DARS report. There are many students who, after first semester, are not eligible to apply in April of their second semester because they did not pass one or more of the engr required courses with a C or better or they Q dropped a class. My son’s freshman year, he lost nearly 1/3 of the students in his math 151 class and his engr 111 class, dropped by 1/2, which was heavy in projects and some groups were left with very few members but still with the workload for 12.
At the time that my son entered fall 2016, engineering had a 55% retention rate after freshman year. The holistic review process for class 2021 was to hopefully secure a more qualified incoming class. If it wasn’t math that got them, it was physics. Engineering still lost students and the ENGR 111/112 and physics classes were restructured for class 2022.
The first year is very difficult for most engineering students. Even for the math/physics gifted, as there is the adjustment of self time management, self discipline, homesickness and loneliness, the effort to keep up and do well in a competitive college in a demanding major that is exponentially more demanding than anything they ever had at their high school. But encourage them to get through it and stick with it. It has taken quite a few 3, even 4, semesters to get into a major. That said, there are some that handle it fine and never skip a beat, but know that to struggle is real and happens to a lot for many.
@Thelma2 , thanks for the thorough reply. I guess I don’t understand ETAM. I thought all engineering students had to go through the ETAM process to get to a major? So, who is eligible for ETAM, and who is not?
@CamandCam I am sorry I was not clear in how I referred to ETAM. To get into a major, every engineering student will go through the ETAM process and all students will go through the process, beginning with second semester, even if they end up not being eligible to be placed into a major.
In order to be to placed into a major, all general engineering courses must me passed with a C or better (The 2 maths, 2 science and 2 engineering) There are a lot of students who don’t pass with a C or better or they dropped (to save their GPA) at least one required class.
Right now, they allow 4 semesters to get the required courses passed and be placed in a major. One of my son’s roommates last year was just placed in a major after the spring of his sophomore year (notification in June). He pass Calculus 151 first semester so had to retake it second semester. Passed it. Took 152 in the fall (third semester) and didn’t pass it. Retook it in the spring (4th semester) and passed it. He went through the ETAM process 3 times before being eligible to be placed into a major.
@Thelma2 , no need to apologize. Thanks for the explanation. A&M has a confusing and unnerving application process. I’m also really uneasy with not knowing for sure what major he will end up with if admitted.
@Thelma2 , once an applicant gets the admissions decision, what is available to them to register? For example, housing, NSC, parking, etc. And what is the priority for each? That is, what should they sign up for first, second, and so on…?
@CamandCam
You have 30 days to apply for housing to receive guaranteed on campus housing from date of admission decision.
Registering for NSC: dates do fill up but not for some time but you must accept your admission decision to sign up. Make sure to chose a date that has your child’s major, as every date does not host all majors.
If you fill out the housing application, and your child later decides to live elsewhere, you MUST cancel your housing contract by May 1 or you will be charged for the dorm when the billing statements come out. It is a binding contract and I’ve seen all too often that kids/parents think that since they did not pick out a room during selection time, that the university should know they weren’t needing one. Not how it works.
Once you register for NSC, the actual NSC schedule won’t be available until closer to the date but there is usually a sample one online.
GO TO PRE CONFERENCE DAY! So much to do, see, and photo opportunities the day before NSC. Loads of fun.
Order your sports pass on the first day they are available. Ok maybe the first month but really, asap.
Order you on campus parking pass THE DAY they go on sale. It is the first part of April. You will find out in July if you got a spot and where.
This link has lots of info
https://newaggie.tamu.edu
I do not know anything about ApplyTexas, however I am currently filling out the Coalition App for two of my schools that require it. It is extremely un-user friendly and the questions asked are written in such an ambiguous, un-straightforward way. I would urge you to avoid the Coalition App.