TAMU 2023 Aggie Parent/Student (all majors) questions and answers

@jaceyk yes, some review admits are getting notifications, but @thelma2 is correct. The majority come in January. Last year was one small round in Nov. and then another small on in Dec. then bam… a ton in January and some even in February with full admission. Last year was later due to Harvey. But truly don’t stress just yet. High test scores and ranks are getting acceptances first and then it’ll move on down the line. They do look at the whole picture, but the closer a candidate is to auto/academic, the earlier they will hear.

I’m so grateful for the valuable info I’ve learned from last year’s forum. Thanks for continuing with a new batch! I have so many questions, so I’m sure I’ll be on here again, but for now…

How long do parents hang around after dropping off kids at dorms? Just trying to plan a vacation with my husband the week after we drop off our DD in August! ? (Seriously, worst parents, right?!?) As far as I could tell, the schedule for Fall 2019 isn’t up, but can we expect first day to move into dorms is 8/18 and first day of classes is 8/26?

What do the students do and that week prior to classes starting? Will our daughter need/want us around after Sunday? I looked at last year’s Howdy activities, and I’m assuming it will be the same. If she’s like our sons who attended another school, she’ll be ready to go out on her own without Dad and Mom. I’m more worried about me! We’re new to the new wide world of Aggies and don’t want to miss out. I’ve seen lots of info on NSC and Family Weekend. Is there anything other than dorm move-in day that we parents need to be there for or do we just drop her off and leave? ?

@mtgirlinaustin you are cracking me up. Hang in there. As for the answer. Yes move in is that weekend a full week before first day of classes unless it’s white creek which is even earlier. Yes you dump and go. You can stay that night and get her acclimated with the town but there’s nothing for parents. She will be engrossed with all things dorm and campus life. Great week to bond with roomie. Rush Greek if she’s rushing and prep for classes. That’s about it.

Go on that vacay and enjoy. She’ll be in good hands.

Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge about the university concert bands/ensembles (non-Corps)? As in, audition process, time commitment, instrument availability, etc. As an alum, I know the beloved Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band is the main focus of the music program, but my sons do not plan on entering the Corps. Any info. on concert bands is appreciated!

I don’t know anything or anyone that is part of it. But they are building a beautiful music building on George Bush side of campus. So looks like they are putting money into the entire program not just corps!

@AggieMomhelp I saw that, too- looks amazing! And perfect timing for my class of 23 sons!

I’ll see if I can find out anything from my friends about concert band or what we have to offer!

Regarding the MPE, the A&M website states that Engineering students can take up to two web-based practice exams, and there is a 14-day waiting period between each practice exam. It doesn’t address when the practice exams can be taken. Is there a specific period for the practice exams, or is it basically anytime before NSC?

I’ll look but I know all other majors take before nsc. They can take it up to 2 times spaced between. I didn’t know there were stipulations on practice exams. Engineers and I think math majors take on 2nd day of nsc

Aside from the two practice exams, any advice on the best way to prepare for the MPE? Wondering if College Board’s Accuplacer “College Level Math” online practice problems and test would help? My son is having to take the Accuplacer College Level Math test (not the TSI test) at our local community college in order to test out of a math pre-requisite. Curious if the MPE is a similar test… or at least similar content?

The MPE is hard. But most engineering minded students do well. As many calc reviews as they can do the better. Alos have them go over early high school math. Algebra etc. There are some really old principles on it that the students haven’t practiced in a while. My son did great on the first part but didn’t do well on Calc since he’s never had it. He is not math minded at all!!!

Do transfer students have to take the MPE or is this just for incoming Freshmen?

This is from the website of the Department of Mathematics:

Requirements for Transfer Students
Transfer students do not have to take the MPE unless they are planning to take MATH 151, 171, 147, or 142 at Texas A&M. For students who plan to take MATH 151, 171, or 147, a prerequisite restriction will prevent you from enrolling in these courses unless you have credit for MATH 150 at Texas A&M University or an approprite score on the MPE. For students who plan to take MATH 142, you must have credit for MATH 140 or an appropriate score on the MPE to register for the course. Please check with your Texas A&M advisor to determine if you must take the MPE before enrolling.
http://www.math.tamu.edu/placement/

@chercheur or @AggieMomhelp , do you know what the course name is at TAMU for Calculus 2? My daughter is taking that right now at our community college. So far she is understanding everything well and has an A. I don’t know if she will be able to take Calculus 3 next semester because of when they offer it. Would she take the MPE exam as an incoming Freshman and possibly place out or into something past Calculus 2 if she does well?

@TXRunningMom These are the engineering Calculus classes with the Texas Common Course Number and the number A&M uses.
MATH 2413 Calculus I MATH 151 Engineering Mathematics I
MATH 2414 Calculus II MATH 152 Engineering Mathematics II
MATH 2415 Calculus III MATH 253 Engineering Mathematics III

Here is info on the MPE and practice tests. https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/math-placement.html http://www.math.tamu.edu/placement/

@Thelma2 @AggieMomhelp or anyone else who has “been there done that” regarding New Student Conferences…
On day 2, does anyone remember if the advisor sessions for the different colleges are held at the exact same time or are they staggered? Do they last all morning? Do you think there is any chance that I could attend two advisor sessions with sons in different colleges/majors that morning? Timing and proximity would be the biggest issues I’m guessing?

@agtrio23 they all start at same time. But they may run them differently. For instance my daughters we all went to a general session together for all of ag then broke out into majors after that. For my son, they put parents in one room and students in another. This is for liberal arts. Then we broke into major and both student and parents were in there. Everyone registers at 2 after that. Must majors don’t let parents in the room. Some do. And for the morning meetings you will be in the for your college more than likely. However liberal arts was in Msc.

So chances are slim to attend both. ?

At our NSC for Engineering, there was a general meeting/presentation in the morning and when that broke up by majors, the engineering students broke up into different rooms for their group advising session. Parents were welcome in this session. Everyone was dismissed by 1230 to go eat lunch. We reported back to a different set of rooms in the Engineering Activities Buildings at 145, as students needed to be in the room no later than 2. Parents could go to the buildings and wait in the hall or conference rooms but were not allowed into the registration rooms. There were exceptions but that was for the kids who sat several hours trying to figure things out and were at a melt down point until more classes opened up (honors classes). We attended a hybrid session (meaning transfer students were also having their NSC but the two do not mingle) June 30/July 1.

I don’t see how you would attend two advising sessions since they happen approx the same time.

@Thelma2 @AggieMomhelp Thank you both for the detailed responses- very helpful! Decided to reschedule one NSC today. I’d like to hear what each college/major has to say… and just in case a registration “issue” arises!

This may be a dumb question:)… but if NSC is not until summer, then what is the best direction to go to get advice on what summer classes my son could take at the local junior college the summer before heading to A&M. He is an engineering major and I am sure his STEM AP classes will need to be repeated at TAMU, but he has several liberal arts type AP classes that he hopes to transfer in and also to take anything else transferrable this summer so that he has a fighting chance to graduate in 4 years.