So, I know this is just a small, teeny-tiny sampling of Class of 2021 folks, but I know those of us from OOS all have similar thoughts and share so much in common. Are there any folks from OOS who are just prepared to pay full tuition, or are most of you like us who are depending on the possibility of the waiver to make the dream possible for our kids? I know that only 3-3.8% (I see different numbers, but this seems close enough) of students at TAMU are from out of state, and of course, some of those students are athletes. Just at a quick glance, my husband said about 20% of the football players were from out of state. I also have realized, finally, that it is not as easy to receive scholarships here as it might be at other schools. When we first started to look at A&M in 2015, the waiver requirement was $1000 and changed to $4000 right after we submitted our Early Action application in October. I never dreamed that this would be such an emotional roller coaster, and I’m grateful for this forum so that we can share our joys, fears, questions, disappointments, and get accurate information and encouragement from seasoned Aggies and Aggie parents. Super grateful to y’all who know the ropes and are willing to share with us!! So, I started rambling as always. Is it out of line to just ask and see where we all stand as OOS folks? I feel like I’ve exhausted every article and website with stats I can find, as I fill the time waiting for final answers. We can’t control anything at this point, but I’m not one who can just take my mind off of it until it’s over, one way or another. Would love to hear others’ out of state stories. Does anyone from OOS (already admitted) have the waiver yet aside from NMS and Corp folks? I know it’s a long shot. Just trying to keep my sanity while we wait. And totally off my own topic, but am I the only parent out there who, when she heard PSAT all these years, thought it was a practice test!!?? LOL! Boy, have I had a lot to learn! :))
Edit: I found this article the other day. Just sharing it so that y’all don’t think I’m crazy. Had we realized this, things would totally be different now. Son loves test taking and the challenges it brings, but we weren’t really informed of the importance of it until it was too late. http://college.usatoday.com/2013/11/19/why-the-psat-is-more-important-than-the-sat-for-scholarships/ Trust me…my friends with freshmen and sophomores (and junior high kiddos) are getting the benefits from what we didn’t know until it was too late. At least we can pass it on even if it doesn’t help us.
I’ve been following your situation and I feel for you. Somehow, I have to believe it will work out and I hope it happens in time for you to make an informed decision. You are not the only parent out there who doesn’t realize the dire consequences of the PSAT(if chasing merit $). I only knew about it because I, myself, was a National Merit scholar in my day. Back in the mid '80’s I qualified with a 195 score! Of course, we actually took it cold with no prep in those days. Anyways, I was prepared and when my kids hit high school, I enrolled them in the PSAT from freshman year and on.
Here’s my advice to you. When my daughter was a little short on scholarship money, we asked the dean of her college if he could help. He came up with some departmental money to bridge the gap. If you have any contacts in your future department or college, I would use them and ask directly for what you need. It probably is best coming from the student themselves. I am in state though, if that matters.
Are you or spouse in the military ? If so if you meet a certain criteria I know you get in state tuition. I don’t know if that helps , just trying to think of alternatives from merit based
@aggies1 I wish we had that going for us, but we don’t. I appreciate the thought though, because you just never know when someone might suggest that one thing you didn’t think of!! @debbie7452 Thank you for the encouragement and advice! First, congrats on being a NMS yourself! And thank you for the sentiments. I know I’ve found myself following other folks and my heart goes out to them as well. I want to hug half the people I’m “listening to”.I think my big fear is this, and trust me that I could be 100% wrong and worrying for nothing. Son has great EC’s and stats, as well as a 35 on his ACT, which is what I’m guessing put him at least in the position to receive the merit he received. But with it being just so very close, $3750, all we can assume is that they are leaving it up to the departments to determine if he’s worthy to receive that little bit to push him to $4000. I am sure they only have so many waivers to give out, and it’s become quite clear this year, with bumping the requirement from $1K to $4K and then now increasing the OOS tuition by about $3K per semester that they really don’t need to look outside the state for great students. I really get it. We didn’t live in Texas and didn’t pay those taxes. So, I’m not faulting anyone. It’s just the way it goes. And A&M is trying to figure out how to take care of their own kids first, since there are plenty of highly qualified students that want to be there. We just want to be there too. LOL! That boy felt like an Aggie the second he stepped foot on campus for his tour. I know we’re not alone, and there’s a reason everyone else wants “in” as well. We’re about 5 hours away, and we’re leaving here at 5 am tomorrow just go look one more time. That way, if he does make it, we’ll all have a better feel for things, and if he doesn’t, we’ll just all cry even harder. :((
@rvhappynow Perhaps if they knew that A&M is the school for him, and how little he needs to be able to accept his admissions and that he is not going to be one of those that turn away the offer, but may have to, for financial reasons alone. As much as being an Aggie may mean, I just couldn’t imagine paying full price OOS, esp with the tuition rate increase, if he had other great options that made more financial sense. I hate saying that because I know how much he wants to be an Aggie and my heart hurts for you being so close, yet so far!!! I would have him contact the department as @Debbie7452 says. It can’t hurt.
@rvhappynow We are right there with you! In our case, we need the full $4k from the college of engineering to have a shot. Hindsight is 20/20, but it sure hurts to think a single wrong question or two on the reading section of the PSAT is what will end up costing our DD the ability to go to TAMU.
I just don’t see us paying full OOS tuition at TAMU given all the other great options available for high stats OOS kids.
@thelma2 Luckily, he has a second option that would be okay, and I know that, because he is such a positive guy, he will make the most of it, it would all work out, but for now, he just waits and watches with me to see if this dream will come true. I am so afraid of bugging anyone and making them think that if they choose him, they’ll also be getting this anxious mom, but I also don’t want him to slip through the cracks. In any other situation, he takes the lead, but because he’s in school and so busy, I’m the one doing the legwork and stressing enough for both of us. Haha! For sure, the waiver is the only way we’ll be able to afford it, because even if he gets it, we will still need to get loans (a little can come out of pocket) close to $20K a year. We feel that amount is worth it but I know for sure we can’t come up with the full out of state amount. Just so anxious to know.
FWIW, there are a few schools that equally weigh other scores with the PSAT. Michigan State gives in-state tuition and merit aid based on National Merit or 33+ on the ACT or 1500+ on the SAT (with good grades etc) Alabama’s awards are similar. This approach seems far fairer.
@ColoFatherOf3 You have been one of the main stories I’ve followed, and I can’t imagine the roller coaster you’ve been on. We, like you, keep going over and over things that we can’t change, wondering what we could do or could have done. Like I mentioned, my friends with younger students will reap the benefits from what I’ve learned. We are rooting for y’all, because it sounds like something really weird happened in your daughter’s case, and I am praying it all comes together. I watch the Financial Portal like a hawk, and we hope and pray they will see that, not only does he want this so badly, I do believe he would be an asset to their program, if for nothing else but for his level headedness, tenacity, patience, and crazy work ethic that goes along with the ability to “get things”. And I’m certain y’all have kids with similar traits. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be so anxious for them all. We really are blessed, in the grand scheme of things, and I keep trying to remind myself of that!
I totally get where you are coming from @rvhappynow My son was incredibly busy as a sr and I did a lot of leg work too. Sometimes, they just don’t know what they don’t know. Same with us. I learned so much from this forum last year when we were going through it. You are sooooooo close to the tuition waver. But this is one of those you can debrief him on but he contact them. Seriously, I would let the department know he is a serious admittee who is just on the cusp and just needs an itty bitty teeny weenie amount to make it. They may not know how much or how little he needs.
@Thelma2 I’m thinking more and more about what you wrote, and I’ve heard a few other folks mention that A&M really values knowing that you really want to be there. He is currently working on his essay for EH and one of the things he has talked about is how much he truly wants to be part of this team. And it’s not in any way inflated. He didn’t apply for it initially, because he thought he’d be required to live in the engineering dorm, and while on our tour, a professor highly recommended not doing that just to experience living around other people. He still wasn’t sure which route to take, but then realized he could live wherever he wanted. So, now, here we are applying. Just in case things work out. I never knew if they’d assume we say that to every school, but I couldn’t be more truthful when I say that it’s from the heart.
@Thelma2 I do always wonder what the awarding process involves! Do they see what he already has? Or, is that not part of the review process? I’ve even tried to look online for scholarship review rubrics to see what chances he might even have. But, it does seem A&M is different, and this transition year with the wavier going to $4000 is probably throwing a lot of people, including scholarship committees, for a loop. Even though it’s agonizing, it’s fascinating and interesting.
We are more than willing to pay full tuition if our son can get in!!! Haven’t heard yet. He has 33 ACT so he’s gotten full ride from many schools. But he really wants to be in the Corps. His dad was and his ancestors have been Army officers every generation since the American revolution.
@gogogogobruins That is quite impressive!! I can totally see why you’d be willing to do whatever you could to get him there. I have read some really encouraging things today from people who gave up hope and then got full admission in March. I don’t want to ever offer false hope, especially being so new at this, but I just want you to know we’re pulling for you, so hang in there! They just might not have gotten to him yet.
It seems a lot changed everywhere for this group of kids. The line in the sand for merit at the school where my kid really wants to attend also seems to have shifted a bit. I do think it was a weird move for them to significantly increase the level of merit award required for the in-state tuition…and so late in the game for this year’s group of kids!!
Has your son directly contacted his regional admissions representative for Texas A&M? The regional rep for Ds first choice school has been amazing. Not sure how it works with A&M but hey it’s worth a shot!
I would never pay full OOS tuition for A&M if I had viable strong options in my own state.
The criteria is you have to be stationed at a Texas base during your career or have Texas as your official home state. Sadly we served for 20 years…and qualified for… zero. Never stationed in TX, not that you choose anyhow.
My kids took the PSAT cold, once. They were even told wrong information from the proctor : “it doesn’t count for anything, this isn’t a test that matters” for my oldest, then…" it isn’t a real test so if you want, when you’re done you can quietly study for your next course if you’d like"… I about died, when this happened again for my youngest. He came home asking when the real date was! Beyond frustrating…
Fortunately the youngest got a great scholarship offer anyhow (better than NMF at TAMU). My oldest we paid OOS for 3 years, then she got a waiver for year 4 plus additional outside scholarships every year (senior year was a complete full ride- we paid for nothing - when added to TAMU offer).
Would I do it again? YES. I would have known more about gaining a scholarship BUT if she didn’t qualify, yes I would pay OOS. Why? She was the happiest, most grateful child - she loved every minute of her college experience. She did some amazing things at this university & I never worry about her getting a job, no matter what happens. She has an amazing resume & going to be making a move and needs a new job soon- I’m not worried, nor is she. This school doesn’t just produce kids with degrees, but kids who employers want to employ. Peace of mind is priceless. As I said, we are a military family, she attended 8 different schools so we promised them they could go to the college of their choice… funny my kids can’t remember other things we have said, but THAT they remembered! She did get admission and we did what was necessary to make her dream reality. I too love this school - they involve families more than other schools, and parents & students join together to make the journey.
@AGmomx2 Thank you for always sharing your wisdom and knowledge on CC. You, @lee6666 and @Beaudreau.have been such aa godsend to all the posters this year and last year, as my son and I were going through this process. A&M has been so much more complex than the universities my others attend. Just wanted to shout out to you all and say thanks.