Hello. I specifically asked Dr Huebner, BIMS Director at TAMU, about PSA admit changing to BIMS degree or possibly adding it as a minor, and he responded with this information:
"To prepare for vet school, many students will choose Animal Science, Biomedical Science, Wildlife and Fisheries, Biochemistry, Genetics or other science oriented majors for their prerequisite coursework. See: https://vetmed.tamu.edu/dvm/future/prerequisites/
It is possible to change majors to BIMS once a student is here at Texas A&M College station.
She can definitely add a BIMS minor once she is here on campus. She would need to call our office (979)845-4941 to set up an appointment to do so. Additionally, she will be able to and is encouraged to participate in the pre-vet organizations here on campus."
@Junobiswas PSA stipulates do not take PSA with the intention of trying to transfer to another major. She will be admitted to A&M under the major to which she accepted PSA. To change majors, she would have to request a change of major to the desired major and that would be dependent upon that major being open and receptive.
I believe the dual credit classes are just given a pass or fail by the community college. But I know that TAMUCS uses the dual credit classes to calculate the GPA for the transfer to TAMUCS from the PSA school. Do they just use the grade given for the the high school class? I have heard that is how other colleges calculate it.
@OMGdontblink , we were told during a regional PSA meeting held by the TAMU DFW Prospective Student Center a couple of weeks ago that the GPA requirement (3.0 for everything but engineering) is calculated twiceāonce for your system school grades only and again as a cumulative including all your dual credit grades. BOTH must meet the 3.0 minimum.
@daleNchip thanks, thatās we understood as well but our dual credit is through HCC and they do not get a letter grade. It is pass or fail. I just wonder how does TAMUCS factor it in, do they use the grade they made for the HS class?
We attended the Tarleton New Student Registration day yesterday. I gotta say, the administration, staff and student volunteers blew us away with how enthusiastic they were to welcome everyone to the āTarleton Familyā and they did a fantastic job of reassuring the parents that their precious sons and daughters were in good hands. After yesterday, we felt very good about his choice to attend Tarleton for PSA.
That said.
Here is my word of caution: Spend time with your student going over that PSA course sheet. If it matches directly with a major at A&M, go through the four year plan, too. Come up with options for Fall 2019/Spring 2020 that work FOR YOUR KID. Talk about making a schedule that balances academic rigor and adjustment to college while satisfying the PSA program requirements. AND COACH THEM TO SELF-ADVOCATE! We spent several hours with our son (heās an only, bless his heart, and gets 100% of our focus 100% of the time, for better or for worse) pouring over the PSA sheet, the current requirements for his major at A&M, and the Tarleton and A&M course catalogs. We talked through every element that went into our suggestions and got his buy-in to why these were the courses that would meet his needs for both PSA and his major at A&M. We went over it during the drive over to Stephenville. We went over it at breakfast. We went over it at lunch, just prior to the registration period. BUT WHEN HE REGISTERED, HE REGISTERED FOR EXACTLY WHAT THE ADVISOR TOLD HIM TO INSTEAD. Rather than the 15 hours he needs to be on track for a four -year graduation (120 hours divided by eight semesters is 15 hours!), heās enrolled in 12. Rather than spreading his Political Science across two semesters, heāll have both of them in the Spring. On our sonās PSA sheet, there are exactly 30 hours of courses that will work for him (heās got 3 courses covered with AP/DC). He went into the advising session with a list of ten courses, but rather than the advisor working with him, she said, āYou should not be looking at the A&M classes. These are the four classes Iāve chosen for you. Go over to that computer and register.ā Heās a lover not a fighter, so he went over to that computer and registered for the four classes she chose for him.
Iām upset at my son for not self-advocating. I am upset at myself, because Iām probably the reason he sucks at self-advocating. But I am FURIOUS at the advisor for not working with him. There was not one course on the list he brought with him that was not on the PSA sheet. There was no reason he could not/should not have registered for 15 hours (plus their 1h āfreshman skillsā class). According to him, there was nearly zero interaction or discussion before he sat down at the computer to register. And he canāt adjust his schedule without his advisor. Which I do kind of understand, but it leaves him with a schedule that does not meet his needs. Just because the PSA program requires 24 hours does not mean a student should take exactly and no more than 12 hours in a semester. Again, 120/8=15!
He has since sent aāvery polite and respectful-- email asking to add a Poly Sci course to his schedule. I am hopeful that perhaps the advisor will have more time to at least talk with him about it rather than be in a rush to get him registered as part of a crowd of registrants.
My point: Your child should be a partner with his or her advisorāan intelligent partner. Please help him or her understand what they will need from a schedule each semester in the PSA program.
I agree with @daleNchip. I think that it is initially hard for our students to speak up for themselves. When my oldest son registered for his first semester of PSA at TAMU-CC, his degree plan from A&M included a 4 credit-hour science class. He had some flexibility but it had to be a science that had a lab. A student was assigned to be his assistant and he walked out with a 3 hr science with no lab. The line going in was around 100 students long so I marched him right through the exit door. (Much to his embarrassment) We had it fixed but that would have been a deal breaker for his PSA program. I still think that the schools we dealt with did a good job with the PSA program but our students need to know that this is their path and they are ultimately responsible for each step of it.
Good to know. Thanks for the heads up. Weāve looked at the courses offered and the degree plan at A&M so she has a pretty good idea what she needs. I will have her run it by her advisors before we go next month to make sure everyone is on the same page ahead of time.
@daleNchip@alstro We recently had a campus tour round Tarleton and I have to say it is a wee gem - their school pride and enthusiasm just SHINE thru. Such great things going on there and a delightful pedestrian campus. We had just come from Island Day at TAMU CC and the geographic contrast as we journeyed from one to the other couldnāt have been greater
I feel your upset following NSR - parents want their kids to be set up on the right class path particularly when there seems a direct āmatchā with their desired A&M degree plan and yāall had obviously done your homework prior to going along. So I was interested to read this on TAMU CC PSA webpage;
PSA Class Scheduling Procedure;
Follow these steps to make your semester schedule.
Get a copy of your PSA plan if you donāt already have it. As a PSA student, donāt ever look at Degree Planner! This will only confuse and mislead you. While at TAMU-CC, your PSA plan is your degree plan.
Also, just wished to share;
When we met with the PSA advisor at CC he stated quite clearly that as a PSA student at CC your degree plan is undeclared. Getting those highlighted classes/required # of hrs/GPA on your PSA plan is what drives semester schedule.
When we met with the PSA advisor at Tarleton she reinforced this saying students will only be advised by their PSA Advisor, and only take courses on TAMUās planned PSA Course Sheet.
My son has finally decided on CC ! He completed housing application last night. Just wondering if there are any other incoming PSA students still looking into on campus housing options also?..with a view to possible apartment style sharing??
@Scotsfi we signed Miramar lease over a week ago. Havenāt been contacted about which one yet. Have you? Will reach out today to find out whatās up.
@JaceyK and @Scotsfi we signed up right before Islander weekend and already signed a lease. Originally our son was going to room with a friend from high school but now that friend has changed his mind and is going to U of H. We are signed up for Miramar Residence Hall, 1 bed shared bath. I believe they do try to do a roommate match. I think our son with have to fill out a questionnaire. Maybe we can ask to be paired with another PSA kid.
@scotsfi@OMGdontblink My son finally read his Islander email - he got through most of it but is stumped on what to do about picking a room. He wants to stay in the Coral building (likes location)ā¦picking the room (with possible roommate already there or not there) vs. waiting to see roommates as they sign up and then choosing that room based on roommate. He has to decide what trumps what. He doesnāt know anyone going there so it will be interesting to see how this pans out. He wants suite with shared bathroom.
@OMGdontblink Yes from the screenshots he sent me, you click on a room, it expands to Room & Roommate Info. Then it lists the Building name and room number. If there is a person assigned to a room sharing the bathroom, there will be the Occupantās name and a Profile with View Profile link. He didnāt send me what it looks like after clicking View Profile link thoughā¦but I assume itās information that you fill out for finding a roommate.
