@range375 I spoke directly with an academic advisor this morning. All hours on the transcript whether dual or in residence count towards restrictions on change of majors. Freshmen that come in with 60 hours are negatively effected in this way. They prefer no more than 30 hours so that the student doesn’t suffer down the line. And they highly suggest not to accept any AP credit until you have to.
Now speaking towards excess hours, dual credit does not go against this.
My daughter is a freshman at A&M right now. This is also what they told us during New Student Conference this summer. I was glad my daughter only did AP and no, she has not accepted any hours yet. Why high school counselors are not actively communicating this to Juniors & Seniors I don’t know. My understanding is that any state Texas school has same hour restriction for changing majors.
If they are accepted into their 2nd major of choice, how difficult is it to transfer in to Mays during a subsequent year?
@mommydoodle it’s tough but doable.
ON-CAMPUS CHANGE OF MAJOR (ALSO CALLED CHANGE OF CURRICULUM) – 100 ADMITTED
Currently enrolled students at Texas A&M may change their major to Mays on a limited basis. The requirements are very specific and the number admitted is small.
Minimum Requirements:
Students who enrolled at Texas A&M through the Freshman admission process may apply for change of major to Mays Business School once all of the following minimum requirements are met.
cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater in a minimum of 30 graded hours at Texas A&M, and
total college credit hours do not exceed 60 (including transfer credit), and
completion of qualifying course requirements (shown below).
Qualifying course requirements:
A minimum of four of the following courses completed with a GPA of 3.5 or greater, and
Two of the four courses must be MATH 140 and MATH 142, or their equivalents.
If more than the four minimum courses are complete, grades in all courses will be included in the GPA calculation. When courses have been attempted more than once, the higher grade(s) will be used to calculate this GPA.
MATH 140* Business Mathematics I (or MATH 141, 148#, 152* #, 166 or 172#)
MATH 142* Business Mathematics II – Calculus (or MATH 131, 147#, 151* # or 171#)
ENGL 104* Composition and Rhetoric
COMM 203 Public Speaking (or COMM 205 or 243)
ACCT 229 Introductory Accounting – Financial
ACCT 230 Introductory Accounting – Managerial
ECON 202* Principles of Economics – Microeconomics
ECON 203* Principles of Economics – Macroeconomics
ISTM 210 Fundamentals of Information Systems (formerly ISYS 210)
MGMT 211 Legal & Social Environment of Business
@Tuppence22 one of my other sons is a junior at UT Austin and internally transferred into McCombs Business and IMPA Program this fall. He transferred with 100+ credit hours. A lot of dual credit from HS. Thus the confusion on my part. It is not all Texas state schools that have a steadfast maximum hours to transfer. UT only counts hours taken in residence or after graduating high school. They have a simple override form for extenuating circumstances (which includes dual credit) to transfer when college credit hours are over the max allowed to transfer. That being said, if an A&M applicant truly wants to pursue business, was not accepted into business, loves A&M and is entering with numerous dual credit hours there are so many options including getting a degree in economics and finishing with a masters in business. An economics degree also holds its own quite well.
what is considered a strong LOR?
Strong Lor is one that isn’t generic. Needs to be from someone that knows the student well and can attest to what they’ll bring to Tamu. Another strong Lor would be from someone important to Tamu. Like board of regents. Chancellors. Donors etc
@tisulli
TAMU prefers LORs to be uploaded through AIS. However, if the author wants to send their LOR directly, there is a document sheet that has to be used. This form is located at the Admissions page > Freshman > Required Documents > Letters of recommendation > Mail. Download a copy of the Document ID Sheet. The author needs to mail this sheet along with the LOR to the appropriate address as noted on the sheet.
The Admissions Officer on TexAgs says this: “While they are read/considered, they DO NOT play a large role in the decision. I will also say it makes absolutely NO difference who writes them. An LOR could be from the President of the United States and it wouldn’t carry any more weight than a LOR from me.”
That said, I do not buy that 100%. I would think a personal recommendation from the President would carry weight and that application file would be sitting on someone’s desk, not in the AO office. Same from the Governor. It just does.
LOL @thelma2 I was about to say… um totally matters who it comes from as far as a super important person… then I finished reading your post! I know a kid 2022 that was ranked 23% with a 24 ACT and got in on the first wave in Nov. Had a letter from someone on the Board of Regents. Not necessarily fair, but it is life, right? Who you know sometimes outweighs what you know. But these are few and far between so in general totally agree… LORs can be from anyone and it’ll matter the same as the next kid.
@AggieMomhelp I completely agree. I know first hand of kids who got in to A&M and UT due to a phone call/letter and that application file finds its way out of admissions and onto someone else’s desk. Not fair, and they are small in number, but it happens.
thanks so much @Thelma2 and @AggieMomhelp ! I have confidence that it is a strong LOR. I’m just so anxious and the wait is making me a little crazy. LOL. Finding this forum has really helped because so many others are in the very same position. Returning to lurk mode now…
@tisulli Lurk Mode IS NOT ALLOWED 
You must participate and keep up updated!!! We get invested in these kids too and jump up and down with their admissions and commiserate with them when it isn’t what they hoped for and rally around them building their pathway to becoming an Aggie!!!
LOL…thanks @Thelma2. Y’all are amazing! So happy I stumbled across this site. So much valuable information that definitely makes the wait easier.
Have they made decisions and notified students yet who have been admitted to the Business Honors Program at TAMU? I’ve been accepted to Mays, but I haven’t been informed yet about BHP. Thanks.
My D17 got a letter indicating that she meets the eligibility criteria but we are also waiting for notification on decision to Business Honors Program at Mays business school. There is a separate thread where one of them indicated they got accepted.
Thanks. I got the same letter. I called and was told that it might be January before I learned about BHP, but I’m hoping that I’ll hear sooner.
For you parents with students already at TAMU, what is the one thing I should know or have when I move my first born in this fall? We are coming from OOS and would love to hear any tips you have.
@errnmom First… welcome to Aggieland! 2nd… plan the weekends you plan on coming to visit and get your room booked. Especially move in day and NSC.
Have your child sign a medical power of attorney. Just in case.
Make sure your child has a checking account at a bank here locally and one that you have access to (Chase, BofA, Wells Fargo) so you can transfer money quickly for moments you don’t even know you’ll have (i.e. car being towed lol)
Tell them that Fish camp is a must. Great place to meet people and will give them an instant family during those first few weeks when they don’t know what to do. Even if an introvert, they will have a great time.
If buying stuff for the dorm or apt., do it here. Don’t bring it. We have all the essential stores like At Home, Walmart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, World Market, etc. Don’t waste money on shipping or dragging from state to state in a car.
IF not bringing a car, we do have Uber and TAMU has a great bus system as well.
I live here… so if you need any specifics, just message me. Happy to help.
You might order online from Bed Bath & Beyond or Target and arrange to pick up your order in CStat – move in weekend is crazy!
@AggieMomhelp @Loganator Do you know,approximately, when move in day is? We were looking at the 2019 FISH dates. How close is move in to the last set camp dates (3rd week of August)? Trying to figure out the logistics & book some hotel rooms. We’re making the 1220 mile drive a family vacation 