Hi! I’m currently an A&M student and I’ve realized that hate my major and have no idea what I want to do with my life, so I’m wanting to take a semester off to figure everything out. My plan is to withdraw from A&M and apply to TCC for the spring semester but not take any classes until the fall. I just wanted to know, do I still have to pay anything if I don’t take any classes (tuition, fees, etc)? Also, after taking that time off, will I have to re-enroll at TCC or will I be good to start taking classes?
@voovue Call TCC and ask them. My Son applied to Western Texas College last summer, so everything will be in order and no surprises, so he can send transcripts in Dec to take an online summer school class, as registration opens in April. He has to pay nothing except to have his A&M transcript sent (to show pre-req completed) and then for any classes registered. I would assume TCC is the same but I would call to make sure. When applying to TCC, they will want your A&M transcript. My son took an online summer school class through TCC last summer and they got all kinds of mix ups and put a registration hold, even though he was national merit commended and already a student. Got it straitened out via the online advisor, so make sure to get all the ducks in a row and that have done your registration correctly. My daughter had no issues with her application for summer school. Crazy.
You need to talk to A&M reslife if you have not and see what your options and obligations are. Check to see if they will charge you the full semester for your dorm if you are on campus and check with your housing if you are off campus. Talk with admissions if you are wanting to maybe go back and see what your options are and what the process is.
Good luck. It can be very difficult. All three of mine have at a struggle at one time or another. It can and does get better. My middle should be a Jr in a major but she has changed 3 times and lost one whole year due to classes not fitting the second major from the first, then a whole year in one major and after being on the dean’s list and honors college, switched majors and will finish the pre-reqs in summer. Though she will likely graduate later than originally planned, it is where she is at and she is happy where she is and what she is doing. Some times it just takes a while to figure it out and be exposed to stuff.
@Thelma2 Thanks for the advice! It’s probably a good Idea to get in touch with TCC to figure out how things work with them. As for A&M, I’m off campus and plan on spending my semester off here until my lease is up so I’m not worried about any fees. My biggest issue is actually figuring out what I want. I graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA and as a national merit finalist so you’d expect I’d be fully aware of what I needed to do to succeed, I even got into the honors program but since I’ve been here, I haven’t had more than a 2.5 on any semester and I’m now in my sophomore year. Hopefully you’re right and I just need some time. Maybe things will work out for me like they did for your daughter
@voovue, I believe I speak for everyone when we encourage you to keep going. You are obviously a very intelligent person. In my experience, some very intelligent people can both know they probably aren’t on the right track and also be so versatile that they could do lots of things. What you ultimately commit to will simply take shape over time, and probably not too far off in the future. Do you have family members who know you well and could suggest a way forward for you? Could you speak with a career counselor? Do career aptitude testing? Many schools offer these services, and you could pursue this now. You may also find something that you hadn’t thought of before when you go through the list of majors at your current or another university, or you could find a major/minor or major/certificate-type program that blends multiple things that you like.
Please take care of yourself, get some advice, keep your GPA up in case you decide to take time off. You will probably return or transfer later. Consider taking a few more core courses there or somewhere else, for example, courses that interest you, or good general skills courses, e.g., programming.
We are happy to offer additional advice here. We have been there, done that. Good luck!
@MomHopesNxtGenAg Thank you for your kind words. I do have people who know me well, but their suggestions are all over the place and ultimately don’t line up with what I feel I need. I’ve tried career counseling and aptitude testing but my interests are so eclectic that I’m never able to get something solid. Nothing ever feels right. I’m hoping that this semester off will allow me to take a step back and really see my situation with new eyes. Maybe by clearing my mind of all the gunk and stress, I’ll be able to review things in a new way. After my time off, I’m going to go for an associate’s degree and see where that takes me.
@voovue It sounds as though you have a plan, good for you! Yes, eclectic interests–doesn’t surprise me, and this is a good thing, just tough to fit into one major! It is a skill to be able to see the bigger picture. Go in a direction that seems interesting and keep looking around. Every pursuit has its own perspective on the world, and you may find the one that feels more like you. Moreover, there are lots of folks who do major/minor or major/certificate approaches to further multiple interests. Be courageous enough to be yourself. Many great things come from people who can see things from a different perspective. It will work out. Keep walking your path.
@MomHopesNxtGenAg Thank you, I really hope you’re right.
Why even apply to TCC now? Ask them when you will need to apply in order to enroll for fall classes.
I applaud your maturity - wow! At least that is how you sound to me.
Wishing you all the best. You will find your way.
ETA: my only caveat, and I said this with my own son who followed a non-traditional path - this time of your life is precious and it can be harder to go to college later. Just make sure you are making informed decisions.
Yes, as @SouthFloridaMom9 has said, absolutely, make your best informed decisions and keep going Now as opposed to ~sometime or ~later.
I have heard that A&M doesn’t allow students to take a semester off. If you do so you have to reapply. I have not verified that with any official sources. The A&M admissions office did tell me that a student is allowed to go part time. I would want that in writing from a deciding authority. If my info is correct perhaps a part time semester taking core and/or career exploratory courses would be a good route.
@SouthFloridaMom9 @MomHopesNxtGenAg I’m surrounded by people who can help guide me as I navigate my way to what is right for me. The biggest reason I’m going to TCC instead of Blinn is that my family lives in DFW and I want to be closer to that support system. A&M was made especially difficult since I wasn’t able to see my family as often so I’m looking to change that.
@TexasMustang I did hear that A&M doesn’t do semesters off, so I withdrew from the University. Ultimately, I don’t plan on returning to A&M and will probably be going to UTD or UTA, but who knows! Things change.
@happymomof1 I’m doing it to maintain my status as a student so it doesn’t interfere with my insurance or anything else during the months I’m off.
It sounds like you’re thinking things through and planning wisely. Sorry, I missed that you had already withdrawn and we’re going down another path.
For your insurance, I expect that you will need to actually be enrolled in classes. Just getting yourself accepted to a college or university is not at all the same as being in classes.
Is this auto insurance? Then all you are getting is probably a “good student discount”. You might be able to switch carriers and find something more affordable.
If it is health insurance, if you aren’t 26 yet, you should be covered by your parent’s plan. You don’t need to be a student for that. If your parents are uninsured, or you don’t have parents, then you should be able to get health insurance through the ACA marketplace for your state.
@happymomof1 It’s health insurance and to stay under my parents’ plan, I need to be under 26 while maintaining my status as a student. As long as I’m enrolled at an accredited institution, it counts.
@TexasMustang No worries! And thanks, I may not know what I’m looking for, but that won’t stop me from planning like my life depends on it.
Looks like your parents have one of the plans that were grandfathered when the ACA was put into place. ACA compliant plans do not have the restriction that only students can be covered.
You need to find out just exactly what they mean when they say “enrolled”. Will they let you be on a leave of absence from your current university for one or two semesters? Will they let you be insured for months (and possibly years) after getting yourself accepted somewhere? How do they cerify that you are indeed “enrolled”?
Usually, enrolled means that you are taking coursework, not merely accepted.
@voovue: It sounds like you have thought through your situation and know what you don’t want to do, and that gets you halfway to the solution! With your intelligence and abilities, it can be hard to settle on “ONE” thing. Maybe you will need a double major to be satisfied. You say that you have taken aptitude tests but haven’t gotten helpful results. I have heard of a company that does a really in depth aptitude test: Johnson and O’Connor. They have a location in the Dallas area, check them out at : dallas@jocrf.org It is expensive, but less expensive than switching majors. I have had friends who have had their college age children take these tests and it has helped them to define what they do and do not want to do. And sometimes they had to choose one path for a major and job while continuing to enjoy something else as a “side hustle” that engages their creative side. Sometimes it isn’t possible to reign it into “ONE” thing.
I have had one daughter who was graduated from TAMU. She changed her major between getting accepted at TAMU (from International Studies) and her HS graduation (to Elementary school teacher). She stuck with that major (and graduated cum laude in 4 years and is now employed teaching in a public school), so I didn’t insist that she take the J-O’C test. But our youngest is currently a Freshman Blinn-TEAM who thought she wanted an English Major (but knows she doesn’t want to teach) but is currently taking a Psych class from a great prof and thinks she might want that degree. I plan to have her take the J-O’C tests this Summer. She will probably end up in one of the Liberal Arts majors and probably won’t have many/any credits that don’t fit. I hope!
Not to pry, but could you give us an idea of what you have had trouble with during your 1 1/2 years at TAMU? In generalities that don’t completely identify you? The info might help another parent or student who could be starting down the same path. Did you have a difficult Freshman year but still went back after your Summer at home thinking that your Sophomore year would be better? You are obviously very intelligent, do you just have difficulty putting in the study time if you don’t like the prof? Are you having room mate or friend issues? Are you committed to too many activities instead of classes? Do you really miss your family/hometown? Is the whole “Aggie Spirit” just too much to deal with? Did you always want to be an Aggie or was this your best offer so you thought you would just go there? Is the size of the student population or the campus size/location not a good fit for you? Do you go to the sports events/shows/ student gatherings and activities on campus? Did you live on campus last year? Do you have a car? Do you spend your weekends on campus, in CStat or at home or elsewhere? Do you work on or off campus?
What would you do if money or time was no obstacle?
Good luck, keep us posted!