@YourCollegeMom So is Hullabaloo full already? Or was that last year
@aggieViz Nooo that was last year. NO ONE can secure/select their dorm/room until May/June (whenever you’re assigned). But the sooner your housing application is complete, the earlier your time slot to select. Does that make sense? They totally revamped it starting last year. It’s a good process, but a little stressful when you’re actually making the selection on the computer.
Mine updated last night to say I’m admitted, yes. Haven’t gotten an email/letter yet, but I applied for housing last night.
Ok, yes the housing app is open if you are accepted. There is a technical issue but if you are able to apply for housing and you do not have your acceptance letter you are a future student.
@mattspears Are you a transfer or a freshman?
I am an incoming freshman
@mattspears they said the letter will be in the “my communications” tab under letters…maybe it is there
FYI, prior to May this year, there were people who got to select their room or have one pre-selected prior to the first general wave in May. Those people are ones that were approved for an LLC or had been approved for housing accommodations. In my son’s case, he was able to select in April and could have had Hullabaloo but chose White Creek instead.
@pbleigh LLCs are really cool. I suggest to any parent that if that’s an option, it’s a great one. How is your son liking White Creek. I have a freshman niece there as well. She likes it, just had to get used to the distance! = )
This discussion board has been VERY helpful. Thank you to everyone for the helpful tips and advice.
AIS has still not “flipped the switch” on our boy/girl twins. It still says “Complete and in Review.” BUT the housing portal did work for both of them, even for my son who will be Engineering. He’s auto admit into A&M, but because of holistic review for Engineering, we won’t hear confirmation until December on major. I was able to submit housing application for both of them just now though. Login through Howdy and then just keep clicking on the links until it lets you in the housing portal.
@YourCollegeMom - So basically from what I understand, I just paid the $75 deposit for both of them and now they have their place “in line” for May? Now we just wait for the emails for room finder and for dorm/room choice, correct?
Note to everyone else… the application was very simple and easy once you can open it.
@bigyear22 first… I love your name! Second, you are exactly right. Your twins have a place in line for housing. Quick question… did your son do all 3 essays even though automatic admit?
@YourCollegeMom, he really loves his apartment at White Creek so far. I was strongly encouraging him to take Hullabaloo until we toured White Creek and saw how nice it was and how much he wanted to have his own kitchen. So far he does not mind the distance because he rides his bike and has a nice schedule so that he does not have to keep going back and forth into campus. He says his friends on campus have camped out in his room several times already because of roommate issues, lack of WiFi, or just a lack of a quiet spot and envy his one bedroom apartment with his own washer/dryer. He hasn’t used much of his meal plan as of yet either because he really does prefer to eat in his apartment.
@bigyear22 No, he only did essays A & B. We finally went on the “official” tours on Sept. 8. (we had procrastinated that over the last year and just never made it work with our schedule) We finally had a “bye” week in football and we did the A&M tours on that Friday and then he had an interview at Rice the following Monday.
Anyway, when we were in the Prospective Information Session at A&M, there was an Engineering faculty member there that just happened to be with his son, who is a current senior and was in the session. The admission officers said during the session that Essay C was really only used for those applicants that were review admits. He was very frank and said they don’t read ANY of the essays for auto admits. I was curious about Engineering holistic review and scholarships, so after the session I talked to the Engineering Faculty member. He said that on all the scholarship committees he’s ever been on, they rarely ever read Essay C. (and a lot of times don’t read any of the essays) He also said it wouldn’t really affect my son’s holistic admissions. They’re looking at test scores and appropriate math and science classes in high school for Engineering admissions. They might read the essays if his stats were “on the borderline,” but basically from what I understood is if you meet the criteria they’re screening for, the essays are rarely used as part of the admission process.
In the specific Engineering session later that afternoon, the Engineering advisor basically confirmed all of the above.
So, we’re not going to make our son go back in and do the Essay C. We feel good about his admission chances as is.
@YourCollegeMom oops! I meant the post ^ to go to you.
anyone else get admitted yet?
For those of you filling out the housing app, do you put a hall preference now? If not, when? I didn’t see a place to do it.
@MotherLode you don’t put down a preference / choose dorms till much later, like months away. for now you’re just signing up as soon as possible so you can get an early slot time to pick your preference down the line, the app you’re doing right now is basically just holding your spot in line until then
@bigyear22 Sounds like your son is in a great spot. I’m surprised they said that about essays in general though. We had a student who was top 2% of class. Kind of blew off essays and took SAT once and didn’t really care about it (probably what did him in)… anyway, he didn’t get into Engineering so I just wanted to double check. But sounds like y’all have already addressed all of that! YAY! Always good to meet with advisors like you did.
@YourCollegeMom They said rank is not as high of consideration for Engineering admissions. They are looking more at the Math scores on SAT and/or math and science scores on ACT. Then they are looking at if the student had Calculus, Physics, and other challenging math/science classes in high school and what the grades were in those classes. In theory, someone could have a high class rank, but not have the adequate test scores and/or the right classes they are looking for. I know a lot of kids at our high school (520 in class - 5A size) play the “class rank” game to manipulate their GPAs, but don’t always take the most challenging classes. Some kids just aren’t good standardized test takers either. I think A&M started holistic review for Engineering for that very reason because the retention rates were very low. They want to make sure students have the right math background to succeed. I think if a student has over 700 on the math SAT and decent verbal and/or over 30 in math and science on the ACT plus has calculus and physics, they are likely a high candidate for acceptance to Engineering at A&M. My son also took the Math Level II and Physics SAT subject tests and AP Physics 1 exam and did well on all 3. So, I think they’re looking more for that type of thing than at the class rank or generic essays. They probably do look at the Engineering specific essay that asks why you chose Engineering and what your education/career goals are. That’s just speculation on what I inferred from what they said at the information sessions a few weeks ago though. I’m guessing the essays would be used most for those that have the right math/science classes but have borderline test scores and maybe if a student has great leadership/extra-curricular/volunteer work etc., then they take that into consideration.
That makes total sense @bigyear22. I wish Mays would do the same thing. I hate that only the top 10% get in (or academic admits). Hurts the well rounded kids that may not be great in testing. My son has a 28 ACT and is 14% in competitive school here in College STation. Luckily, there are other paths to Mays that he’ll try! Ag Business for starters.