<p>I read that getting an advisor is very important. But I've also heard that you can't get a specific advisor? That you just sign up for the New Student Conference next summer and hopefully meet with an advisor there? I'd rather my kids not wait until next summer to figure out the classes to take and how to use the AP credits.</p>
<p>To meet with an advisor before NSC: Start with the college they are majoring in and ask for an appointment with an advisor or the walk in times (usually through the undergraduate office for that college -they’ll transfer you). We came in with a list of questions some they deferred, others they answered. Reality is that advisors each have a current student load, so they really are just squeezing you in, if they have time. We only did this with our first student, our second one we waited for NSC. We met in person, I am not sure if they do grant every request for appointments or not. I did somewhat get the impression we were an exception based on our specific reason and the availability of an advisor.</p>
<p>You can look up online the courses required for various majors, also the scores for credit for AP Tests & the classes they are eligible to count for credit. </p>
<p>The NSC experience can be different for the various colleges. They breakout by college for the course selection information sessions. For Mays, they had a large session with general information followed by pre-assigned breakout groups with ‘advisors’ - my daughter had a professor in that role, my son had his actual advisor. They are primarily focused on a schedule for fall semester vs. a four year plan. We were given outlines for four year plans for each major in a booklet, so you had some reference to work with. There was less assistance than I was expecting at the general business majors small group, and significantly more assistance in the honors break out group. </p>
<p>Although there is tons of discussion on here about AP credit, you don’t have to have all the answers prior to NSC. The key is not to forge ahead accepting credits prior to understanding the implications of doing so in your student’s major. They did go over AP credit at NSC when we broke out by college. Lots of questions are answered there. Your kids will meet with their advisors throughout the 4 year process, I think the general theme these days is that things may change, so don’t lock things in too far in advance.</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>@bulbar. @AGmomx2 is the gold standard here, but I will add something from our earlier discussion about AP credits. At the NSC, don’t accept any AP credits other than the ones needed for the first semester. AP credits can be claimed anytime, basically, before graduation. After your Aggie has settled in, then you can work with the college adviser to evaluate which AP credits to accept.</p>
<p>Agree with Beaudreau on both points – AGmomx2 is the gold standard 
and regarding accepting AP credits. I smiled when I read “We only did this with our first student, our second one we waited for NSC” because we did the same thing with our two daughters as well. They are both engineering students but the NSC process seems similar. Congratulations! I didn’t think It would be a big deal but I love having them at the same university! I</p>
<p>I agree with the others here. </p>
<p>Btw, when you say that you’ve heard that “getting an advisor is really important,” I just want to assure you that every student will get an advisor. You don’t have to worry about that. Your student will be assigned to an advisor. Then, as each year (or semester) progresses, it will be up to your child to communicate with the advisor, as necessary.</p>
<p>I agree with the others that it’s kind of potluck and determined by each individual school of study, as to how the NSC is run. But the good news is that for that first year, there generally aren’t a whole lot of choices as to what will be taken, especially if your student will be in engineering. </p>
<p>Check out the Undergraduate Course Catalog for your student’s year group to discover the general recommendations for your student’s Freshman Year and then the 4-Year plan for his or her desired major. </p>
<p>As others have said, there is no rush at all to decide which AP credits to accept, except for those credits which must be accepted in order to enroll in a particular course. (For instance, my son enrolled in the third year math at his NSC, which he could only do after accepting his math AP credits.) Otherwise, there will be time during the freshman year, and following years, to decide which credits should be accepted. </p>
<p>You will know which courses will require AP credits because you will see on the degree plan and/or on the course description that certain prerequisites are required. Those prerequisites can be met by accepting AP credits, assuming that they are on the list of courses that are credited by AP exams. <a href=“http://catalog.tamu.edu/09-10_ug_catalog/gen_info/admissions/course_credit/advanced_placement.htm”>http://catalog.tamu.edu/09-10_ug_catalog/gen_info/admissions/course_credit/advanced_placement.htm</a></p>
<p>Incidentally, my son had an opportunity to discuss which math to enroll in following the engineering school’s NSC meeting. Following the big group meeting, all of the staff in attendance (4 or 5 people, as I recall) were available for informal discussions. These were not done on a one-to-one basis. They were just clusters of people bunching up to ask their own questions following the meeting. Not very organized, it seemed, but it seemed to work out for everybody. My son approached a guy who was not an advisor, but a higher level staff member. The guy was totally prepared for my son’s question and even had a few papers immediately on hand to show past statistics of math courses attempted and associated GPA’s and test scores for those courses. From what I observed, all of the staff were well prepared for all of the questions. Which makes sense. After all, think about how repetitive that must be for all of them. We tend to think that our kids have these pressing questions … for them, it’s pretty much all the same year after year! </p>
<p>So, I just want to assure you that (a) most of the information you’re interested in can be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog and some information can even be gleaned from a Public Course Search (to read about courses and prereqs), and (b) TAMU is pretty well-versed in running these NSC’s and preparing students for their enrollment. I thought they did an amazing job processing so many kids in such a short period of time during my son’s NSC! It’s all new for “us.” It’s really old hat for them!</p>
<p>The one thing I’m worried about is enrolling in a class I already have credit for. From the schedules I’ve seen, I already have credit for freshman history and English- how do I go about not making this mistake?!</p>
<p>@shopsouthern I’m not really sure that I understand your concern. Are you a prospective engineering major? Are you talking about these guidelines posted by the engineering school? …</p>
<p>"The college of engineering advises students to accept AP credits after entry into their degree granting major and in consultation with their advisers. In the majority of cases, engineering students will eventually accept the following AP credits:</p>
<p>English Language & Composition for ENGL 104
English Literature & Composition for ENGL 104
U.S. Govt. and Politics for POLS 206
U.S. History for HIST 105, 106
Art History for ARTS 149 & 150 (Visual& Performing Arts and International & Cultural Diversity elective requirements)
Comparative Government for POLS 329 (Social & Behavioral Science and International & Cultural Diversity elective requirements)
Human Geography for GEOG 201 (Social & Behavioral Science and International & Cultural Diversity elective requirements)."</p>
<p>Are you concerned because the guidelines now say that you should accept AP credits only after you enter into your degree granting major, and because you have an opening for a University Core Curriculum course next semester but you’re afraid to bypass the opportunity to take History or English?</p>
<p>If I’m on track with your concern, the answer is that your Course Catalog will always apply to you – if it says that your AP score will allow you to take credit for English and History, then you’ll get to take credit for English and History! So, if the AP Credits chart shows that you will get credit for Core History and English classes, then trust that chart and don’t register for either History or English next semester! Same advice if you’re an accepted freshman for fall 2015 – at NSC, don’t register for History or English. Use your empty University Core Curriculum spot for a required course for which you do NOT have AP credit!</p>
<p>I mean, you will be the one registering for yourself. Simply avoid English or History. You’re in charge! :)</p>
<p>Eventually, you’ll get to meet with your advisor about which AP credits to accept. If you’re an engineering major, they will encourage you to accept the History and English credits. There’s no rush to comply with that, though. You will simply NOT register for those courses for which you expect AP credit.</p>
<p>Am I missing something here? Did I misunderstand?</p>