@CoMamaof2boys I KNOW!! Truthfully, my heart hurt for you as I wrote that post, because, like you, I’m watching daily and praying for my son to get that last little bit. I didn’t even want to say anything at all, but that’s why we have this forum. Good information, and as important, emotional support for each other. It’s my first child going through this as well, and I’ve felt so stupid, thinking that if I’d known more four years ago (some of you parents here know SO much!), maybe we wouldn’t be so stressed out right now. But, at the end of the day, I also have this forum to remind me to keep things in perspective and remember that our great kids are still great no matter what happens. Hoping our guys can meet up in EE this fall. Keeping my fingers crossed for you as well! I feel like there are more like us out there, but they’re not posting about it. It’s tough to be so close to the waiver, and we need to lean on each other no matter the outcome. Good luck, and please keep us posted!
Still waiting here as well, but not holding out as much hope as the rest of you as DD did not get awarded any university wide scholarships. I don’t see the engineering department giving out a $4k scholarship to any one student, so while TAMU was #1 choice, it isn’t looking good. Don’t feel OOS tuition is worth the return, so will likely end up at Alabama tuition free.
@rvhappynow ugh! Only $250 away?! You’d think they’d give it to you!!! But I also know that only 5%of total student body # can be given OSS waiver. We were 100% prepared to pay OSS tuition for A&M even though we’ve gotten full rides and >$100,000 scholarships elsewhere. We just couldn’t imagine sending our son anywhere else. Praying youlll get that last $250!!! Which department has your child chosen?
@gogogogobruins Brutal, right? He’s literally 6% away from the magical $4000. I appreciate the prayers and well wishes. It is absolutely mind blowing that we started this journey striving for “just” $1000 for the waiver, and he’s almost quadrupled that but still doesn’t have it. At the same time, we don’t feel totally defeated yet, because we know they are just now working on the OOS departments (he’s engineering). I know it doesn’t mean anything, but at least there is still that glimmer of hope. And since I found this forum in January, believe me that I’ve been obsessed with all the numbers. When I saw the 5% rule and then also saw that the average of OOS students is only 3.8%, I had a huge reality check. It was so hard to tell my son, who’d had his hopes built up by so many people that it wouldn’t be that tough. He actually has a better attitude about it than I do, but the way he looks at me every morning, asking if I’ve heard anything yet, I know he’s also putting up a good front just so that the disappointment won’t hurt so much if it doesn’t happen. I’ve played with the numbers a thousand times, and one thing I can’t seem to locate (not even on DARS) is how many OOS Corps students there are. Or, how many NMF there are. I’d love to know 2016 (or any year, really!) numbers for freshmen, but I’d take whatever I could get. If I knew what percentage of non resident freshmen were NMF or Corp (who will for sure both get the waiver), then we know what little percentage is left for the others. Anyone else out there overthinking it like me? I have a more than full time job running our family business, so I really don’t have the time to do all this, but since January, I’ve somehow managed to make this my second job. So stressful. The data doesn’t change anything, but it helps me deal while I wait to know about my son’s future.
@rvhappynow oh it must be so hard! our son has no interest or clue about the $ part. i guess because he’s going to go to A&M no matter how much we go in debt?! lol. he’s never been a spender and he just doesn’t are about money I guess… as for the Corps scholarships, it’s gotten much tougher for the Corps to get OSS waivers this year. I don’t think all in the Corps will get it. In fact I know several OSS kids who will NOT go to A&M bc they didn’t get the waiver. Most of the Corps scholarships are for _<$1000 (where is my less than or equal to sign?) . I couldn’t find the stats for more recent years, but in 2009, only 29 cadets total got the Corps 21 scholarship which gives from $1000-4500 in scholarship. so not even Corps 21 is a guaranteed $4000. as for NMF, typically there are about 15,000 NMF. about 8% of all highschool graduates are from Texas, so take that away from the total, you’re left with 13,800. even if 10% of ALL the OSS NMF decided to go to A&M, which is totally ridiculous, you got 1380. That’s way less than 2000+ max OSS waiver max. 
@rvhappynow According to collegedata 1% of enrolled freshmen are NM scholars. I also seem to recall seeing the number 150 somewhere as well. So it should be around that number. Now, I have never seen how many admitted students were NMF but I wouldn’t think it would be hugely different, maybe double the number but that is a total guess.
@gogogogobruins and @rosegeo I appreciate the information! It’s so funny, because my husband gets a kick out of watching me play with the numbers. It’s not going to change anything at this point, but like I said before, it gives me something to think about while I wait. In addition, the more I learn, the more I can help others who may be in my position down the line. I really do believe that even if he does not get the waiver, I plan to visit this board again next year and try to offer some help and advice to others in my shoes. It’s a learning experience for us all!
Still no news from the department, but I’d imagine it has to be this week, if we’re going to hear anything. I thought I’d resurrect this post just to see if any other out of state incoming freshmen have heard from Engineering since March 10th. That’s the last time he asked Engineering about a date, and said they were just starting to work on offers for out of state and would send things out in the next few weeks.
We’ve not heard anything either. I would think they would want this information in the hands of students by the time the Ivy league schools release their decisions at the end of this week. I’d be shocked if they don’t have this announced by end of the week.
My thoughts exactly.
@rvhappynow, I know you think some of the scholarship offers do not count – have you accepted them all yet? In the past, pretty sure the Aggieland bound scholarships did count. Knew a friend of a friend who used that to get over the hump for OOS tuition waiver a few years ago, seems odd that they would switch the categorization. We did have a non-counting scholarship, it was very specific about not counting - ironically tagged an opportunity scholarship but was an ‘exception’. Accepting on FA portal is not surrender, it is more a sign of interest.
@AGmomx2 thank you for following our story! Truly, we haven’t accepted a thing, because we’re scared they will think it’s all he needs and not give him that last $250. We are concerned that, like you said, they’ll see it as “surrender” and that he’d enroll without the waiver, which we can’t afford. We can afford in state (barely, but we feel the sacrifice would be worth it), but not the OOS costs. We’re also fearful that a scholarship committee sees the Aggieland Bound scholarship and assumes he already has the $4000 he needs for the waiver. I feel we learn something new every day. So, do you think he’s hurting himself by not accepting what’s been offered so far? It’s all so confusing. Especially when you know the Aggieland Bound used to count. He’s almost quadrupled what the requirement was a year ago with the competitive offers, so it’s especially stressful.
@AGmomx2 I spoke to the scholarship and admissions folks and they say Aggieland bound does NOT count because it’s not a competitive scholarship
@gogogogobruins That’s what I was told as as well. I’ll never forget how my heart jumped when I saw it in his portal. And then, they told me it wasn’t competitive. 
We did accept ours early - and got more added. This is just my theory… if you AREN’T interested at all you would do nothing regarding accepting, if you ARE interested in attending you would accept what you have been offered – maybe accept all but the one that does not count? Sometimes they re-name/replace scholarships versus create new ones, it is possible that happened with the student we know? We just know he got the waiver via that route originally. That would highlight your accepted amount is short of the amount needed. Keep in mind they are dealing with thousands of students, Sure seems like an easy way to see who is paying attention to the FA offers versus ignoring them & maybe focusing on another school.
I do appreciate your advice!!! We will accept the offers and keep praying!!!
Edit: Just nervously hit Accept on all, and I will contact the Engineering Department to let them know that we wanted to make it clear that this was just so that they knew how interested we were!
Just FYI. I called the department and asked if all engineering scholarships had been dispersed for freshmen. “No, not yet, however they will be handed out by the end of the month”
I am sure they are sick of us
@CoMamaof2boys Wow! We must seriously be on the same wave length!! My son literally just asked me to look up the number to call. I’m not kidding you. Parallel worlds, you and I. We have 2 days left, if it’s to be this month! Good luck to your son!!
It is very hard to wait. Ivy day is tomorrow… at this point it is cheaper for S to attend WashU than OOS @ TAMU.
If it is supposed to happen it will… I am ready to put this phase of waiting behind us.
I was told in an email yesterday that the engineering department just received projections this week for the 17-18 school year and are just now working on offers for OOS incoming freshmen. She said they should go out in the next couple of weeks. I’m dying here. I know the rest of you are as well, since the dates keep changing. And hey, I could be wrong. Just passing on the info I was given! If anyone calls and gets different info, please share! I’ve never been given such a hard lesson in patience, but we’re keeping our chins up! Again, good luck to all still waiting!!