PSA - Program for System Admissions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Texas A&M University
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http://admissions.tamu.edu/psa

Program for System Admission (PSA) PSA stands for the Program for System Admission offers students who are denied freshman admission the opportunity to enroll in a Texas A&M system school for one year with the intention of achieving guaranteed transfer admission to Texas A&M College Station upon successful completion of the program. Approximately 10500 students were given the PSA option.

TAMU uses predetermined class rank/test scores minimums to qualify you for guaranteed admission at various System Institutions. Most students are eligible for automatic admission at all 8 System Institutions, but some students aren’t.
The big advantage of PSA is that it does indeed provide a GUARANTEE of admission for any students who successfully satisfy the requirements. It GUARANTEES admission into a specific major as well.

The PSA was designed for students who are interested in a participating major. A&M Never recommends using the PSA to be admitted to TAMU with the intention of switching to a major you really want. They recommend taking the coursework and making the grades for your intended major and then applying as a standard transfer student, directly to your intended major.
You can still attend a system school, or other institution, but you will have to apply as a regular transfer and go through the competitive process.

What if the System Institution doesn’t have my intended major?
The major choice at the System Institution does not matter. All that matters is that the System Institution will allow you to take the courses you need for your intended PSA major at TAMU.

Can I start taking courses at the System Institution during the summer?
Yes, if you get everything set up with your System Institution. However, the PSA requires the students to complete two long semesters at the System Institution to be eligible for automatic admission. Taking summer courses is also very important if you will need to complete any prerequisite courses (i.e., Math).

PROGRAM FOR SYSTEM ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST
http://admissions.tamu.edu/admissions-staging/media/Main/pdfs-pubs/PSA-brochure.pdf

PARTICIPATING PSA SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS
Links provided if the school has a PSA webpage

Prairie View A&M

Tarleton State
https://www.tarleton.edu/admissions/undergrads/psa.html

TAMU International

TAMU Commerce

TAMU Corpus Christi
http://admissions.tamucc.edu/program_for_system_admission.html

TAMU Kingsville
http://www.tamuk.edu/admission/acceptedstudents/PSA.html

TAMU Texarkana

West Texas A&M
http://www.wtamu.edu/advising/advising-program-for-system-admission.aspx

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If you’re looking at this page, it’s a good bet that you did not receive the news that you had waited months to hear. I’m sorry for your disappointment. I have been through this twice with two different sons. Each really, really had their hearts set on A&M. It was a very different experience for us each time. My first son was bummed and his pride was hurt. He had waited so long for his answer and it was not what he wanted. He wanted to be an Aggie more than anything so he decided to accept the PSA offer and go to A&M-Corpus Christi. He took the required classes, kept his 3.0 average, made friends with other PSA students who motivated each other and they all were guaranteed to be in Aggieland for their sophomore year. They stayed friends and added more from College Station and each got their Aggie Rings and graduated with maroon blood from A&M.
My second son waited until March to get his decision, just as you all have. He wanted to go straight to College Station but knew that his chances might not be great since he was not an auto-admit. When he got his PSA offer, however, he was thrilled!! After waiting months for someone else to decide his path, HE was now in the driver’s seat. He had a contract with his dream school and if he kept up his end of the deal, he was guaranteed to be an Aggie the next year. He went to Tarleton and he is on target to graduate from A&M a full fledged Aggie.
From a mom’s perspective, it was a God-send. My boys got to learn how to “do college” in a more personal atmosphere and with classes of 30 instead of 500 that I have heard are possible for freshman classes at A&M. (I love, love A&M but it is really big …)
It is disappointing to not be immediately accepted but, with A&M’s offer, it is a very short time until you are on campus with all the other Aggies.

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Please help me understand the process. IF my kid is offered PSA, is it to a specific college in the A&M system? Or will they give him a choice of a few? Or can he choose from any of the 8 schools?

Second question–assuming they don’t say "Welcome to ", how long does my kid have to select a school? We are unfamiliar with those schools–all of them. Not one was on our radar and we’ll want to evaluate them, even if he’s only looking at being there for a year. How long do we have to do some research? (Yes, I do mean “we.” I am holding myself back from just doing everything on his behalf, and that’s killing my Type AA personality.)

He is still “complete and in review” on AIS and has all the buttons and major listed he’s had since September. We had a plan for Blinn TEAM, but if it’s PSA, we are back to square one and I’m feeling the pressure to decide super fast which college would be right for the first year.

It might be neither one, I realize. But rather than twiddle our thumbs until an answer comes in. . . thought we could get some info gathered.

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@daleNchip I will let @Thelma2 answer the question of how quickly you will need to respond. In my sons cases, they were allowed to choose the school they wanted, as long as the classes needed for their major were offered there.

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I have a question about GPA, it said maintain cumulative GPA 3.0 and transferable coursework 3.0. Let’s assume my kids got 2.0 on a course, is that ok to retake the class to prompt GPA? My understanding dual credit is counted in this 30 points. Is that correct. How about PA?

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The student must have a 3.0 in their class work at the system school and a 3.0 in their cumulative class work (system school + dual credit or community college courses combined) The student will have at least 4 classes that are listed in bold print that they are required to complete at the system school and then a list from which they may choose the rest of their required hours at the SS. The bold print classes will usually include courses like biology 101 and 102 or business math 101 and 102. If you do not score as highly on the first course as you would like, I don’t know if the university would let you take both at the same time. My oldest son made a C in one of his 1st classes and had to make sure he had enough A grades to balance it out.

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Thank you for your information. I just found that the major “nutrition” which my daughter want is not on the list. This is not an option for me any more. It’s weird that the department page said they have 25 majors participate in PSA, however there is only 20 is list on admission PSA website.

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@texas99 - is it not the department of nutrition (Food Science and Technology) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences? If so there is a PSA. http://admissions.tamu.edu/admissions-staging/media/Main/pdfs-psa/AG-Food-Sci-Tech.pdf

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It is different. My daughter wants nutritional science.

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West Texas A&M is a very amazing school if you are offered WTAMU. I live 3 mins from the college and Canyon is a very small community with great support. I’m currently attending Canyon High School and I absolutely love this town. It’s about a 20 min drive from Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon is pretty much in our backyard. WTAMU has is building an amazing football field and should house games in the fall. The campus is so community based and beautiful. If anyone has any questions yall can private message me!! Consider WTAMU!!

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thanks @rynetexas0301 that’s very helpful information. is that where you plan to do your time in PSA (if that’s what you receive)?

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@rynetexas0301 I am a HUGE fan of Canyon, TX! @tisulli check out WTAM facebook page. Very A&M centered and Maroon Out days. Seems like lots of school spirit

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We traveled prairie view school today. It is the closest to our home. Don’t feel good. Among these participate schools, which one is better one? Anyone knows about Tarleton?

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@texas99 I love Tarleton! The staff that I met were very warm and they have a 1 hour course that every freshman has to take in which they have a faculty advisor that helps them learn about 1st year college topics such as how to budget money, time management, etc. It’s almost like a “home room” in that the students have a friendly adult face that they can turn to if they need help. I know that TAMU-Corpus Christi has a similar program for freshman, too. Stephenville is a very small town and has a rural feel so, depending on where your student is from, the town itself might feel “boring.” All of the freshman dorms (except 2) were built within the last 10 years and are all clustered together so everyone lives close to each other no matter which dorm they select. There is only 1 dining hall, so students have a chance to see the same people on a consistent basis, which helps to develop friendships. My son found a church very close to campus that has a huge service on Thursday evenings that a somewhat similar to A&M’s Breakaway.

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@2xAggieMom Thank you for the information. I am interested in this school now and try learn more information about the location. One more question, does PSA have any scholarship?

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@texas99 I am unsure of what scholarships are available. I would think any scholarships would come from the system school that you choose so your best bet would be to contact that school.

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All who have majors NOT participating in PSA:
Admissions may still give you PSA. My correspondence with admissions this week on this very topic yielded the below response from them:

"The Program for System Admission (PSA) program is a pathway that we offer students whom we were not able to offer full admission to but wanted to be able to provide an alternative pathway. PSA students complete 24 hours at the system school and if they have a 3.0 GPA and complete the required courses, they will be admitted to Texas A&M for their sophomore year.

You are correct, Visualization will not be a participating major for the 2019-20 school year. We will still offer PSA to students even if they do not have a participating major as a first choice on their application. This is because high school seniors change their mind on their major quite frequently and we want to give them an option to get to A&M."

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How do you change your name or delete your profile

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@rynetexas0301 College Confidential does not allow you to change your screen name or delete your posts after 15 minutes or delete your profile.

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Have only just found out how to access all these subject specific threads - love it! Will def be scrolling thru this one again …and several more of the listed ones for sure. Thank you :slight_smile: