@thesaraimartinez what was your SAT math subscore? What’s your highest math class taken so far? Do you have any science/math/technology/engineering ECs? Awards? Did you have any letters of recommendation from STEM teachers?
The reason why I ask is that it’s extremely difficult to chance TAMU engineering reviews. A little more information would help to provide some vital clues for best guesses.
@AggieMomhelp, I have a question about LOR. My senior submitted application in July, holistic review, along with 2 LOR, however we received another LOR, submitted straight to A&M from someone within TAMU (they are part of a different school at A&M than where my senior has applied for admissions to) so now there are 3 LOR’s, how will I know which ones they will read if they only look at 2?
We applied Aug 2019. will go through review admissons. Our school doesn’t rank outside of Texas auto admit, but have been told top 25% based on school composite by A&M (4.8 GPA or 3.95 GPA weighted)
ACT: 28
English: 29
Math: 26
Reading: 31
Science: 26
Still weighting on admissions. Hopefully we’ll hear something in Jan.
@texasfarm6 im not 100% sure but my understanding is they take the first two. Honestly, LORs are not that impactful so don’t stress about this.
@nomatter I hope this provides a little more insight about my prospects. The only weak component of my application is my SAT score, I just hope that they realize that I’ve worked my butt off for 3 years and that I am used to hard work. After all, I am graduating a year early with an Associate’s degree in Science!
SAT: 1210 (580 Math/640 RW)
Highest Math class: TRIG (dual credit, currently not shown on my transcript because I just took it this fall; however, I got an A. Additionally, my dual credit classes are at an actual community college)
ECs: attempted to join HOSA but it was dissolved the year I tried to get in. Been consistently doing Yearbook (current president of the club) for all of my high school career. Demonstrates consistency and commitment, at least.
Awards: Integrity and Honor awards, just printed papers our school gives out each month, so I didn’t think it was relevant to my application.
Recommendation letters: I got one from my Chemistry professor (actual professor at Lone Star (the community college I attend), which was really good. He talked about all the skills I demonstrated in his class and how he would trust me to work alongside him! Another rec letter from my youth pastor: heavily involved with my church, lots of volunteer hours, extra point for character, lol.
@thesaraimartinez : You sound like an exceptional student, very focused and a hard worker. Congratulations on being a Top 10% HS student and an Automatic Admit to TAMU.
My concern for your prospects for addmission to Engineering is that your SAT scores are on the low side of average for TAMU and specifically, your Math Subscore is low for an Engineering applicant. This is just my 2 cents, I am not a parent of an Engineering student, I have just gleaned this info from this board and from other friends who are parents of Aggies.
Hopefully, TAMU will take a chance on a full CStat Admissions for Engineering for you despite your lower than average Math subscore. But please familiarize yourself with ALL of the alternate pathways. Galveston Engineering is a Full admit, but you spend at least the first year on the Galveston campus and then go through the entry to your Engineering major process. I have heard of Top 10 Auto admits with low SATs have been offered Blinn-TEAM in the past and now there are also the Engineering academies.
Having the Associates degree sounds like a good idea, but it limits your course selections when you actually get to college. Especially for anyone going into a STEM major.
TAMU requires several classes to be taken at TAMU. With your Associates degree, you may also not be eligible for Blinn-TEAM as there may not be much left for you to take there. I have no idea how an Associates affects the Engineering Academy process.
The Associates degree cuts you out of many Freshman/lower level classes which could shove you directly into higher level classes. And those classes are EXTREMELY difficult.
The pace and rigor of TAMU classes across the board are MUCH MUCH more rigorus than any HS AP or Dual Credit class that you may have taken. This is across the board for all classes, core classes or your major classes. A HS AP or Dual Credit class make take a year to cover the same material that the same TAMU class will cover in about 6 weeks or less. And then you are into brand new material. The pace is brutal. It is not unusal for students who have done very well in HS to be shocked at how much harder it is to succeed in TAMU classes.
Do you know what your weak areas were for the SAT? Can you access your test socres and then work on your weak areas on Khan Acedemy or some place like that? Reviewing and fixing any weak areas could help with being prepared for TAMU classes.
I do hope that it works out for you. Please keep us posted. Good luck.
Oh for sure. The MT programs are VERY competitive. If you get in on talent, then you usually just have to hit a schools minimum scores.
We are still waiting on a decision. My son applied for Engineering. His SAT was only a 1230(650Math and 580Reading). He has a 3.76 unweighted GPA, but is only 2nd quarter of his class in rank. His ACT score was a 24. I believe when we filled out the application, we put down he would be willing to accept a Blinn Team offer. But we didnt select a possible offer of PSA. It sounds like with his ranking and scores, I’m not sure he would get a Blinn Team offer. I would hope so but I’m nervous. Would it be possible to call and change application to possibly accept PSA or gateway or are the applications permanent and cannot be changed?
@AggieMomAgain Thank you for your insight! I do realize that the Associate’s degree might limit my choices, but I am willing to retake classes. Despite being a dual credit student, I have taken my classes at an actual community college. Dual credit or AP classes in regular high schools sometimes do not live up to how college will actually be. I’m a college student still in high school, I don’t think that I can accurately explain how my school works, but I emphasized on my entrance essay that I have taken college classes in an actual college environment with real professors. Basically, I am held to the same standard and expectations as any other college student. Professors sometimes don’t even know that we’re still in high school! I don’t mean to sound conceded or pretentious, but I really do think that I am a strong candidate for cstat. I know my SAT score is low but that’s the only weak part of my application. Also, I am looking forward to join the Corps of Cadets!
@Lcrob1 psa is a soft denial. If your son gets that, then I suggest going to an engineering academy program so he can transfer to tamu after completing year one requirements. Google tamu engineering academies. There are quite a few and you would actually apply directly to these community colleges. Blinn academy is in Bryan and is offered by tamu. Not something you can apply for. Blinn academy in Brenham IS one you apply directly to and they take around 100 students if I’m remembering correctly. Gateway is also something that is offered directly by tamu but I don’t recall any engineering students getting this option last year. Anyone else recall???
@thesaraimartinez your math is killing you. Precal as your top math is almost a complete no go for Tamu engineering. Coupled with your sat score, I feel you may not get cstat campus regardless at how ready you are for college life. It is possible to get Galveston since you are already in the university. It’s just that your 60 credits hurts you as well and I don’t think an academy will work because of that. Check out Galveston just in case… they have the corps as well. It’s a great option if given. I do hope you get the acceptance you are wanting, I’m just telling you my perspective based on the past few years.
Best of luck to both of you guys. Engineering is way over my head! You guys will make great Aggies. Just be patient for now.
@AggieMomhelp Thanks for the reply! I may just leave it as is then and hope he gets an offer to Blinn Team. He does have scholarship offers and acceptance to 3 other colleges(small local colleges), but of course when he took the tour of Texas A&M, he fell in love with the campus. If I would’ve known about his interest earlier and the top 10% admit, I would’ve encouraged him to take more honors classes in high school to help his rank.
@thesaraimartinez I have to agree with @AggieMomhelp . Math readiness (specifically calculus readiness) is a key indicator for potential success in engineering for TAMU. It’s not what we think, or what you think-- It’s what TAMUs algorithm’s and holistic reviewers think. TAMU is more “stats” driven than most universities, and certainly so for engineering. Not hitting, at least, the minimum recommended score of 620 (SAT) hurts you. Not having completed, at least, Pre-Cal by the time of your application hurts a lot too. Your performance at those two things indicate your readiness to take on the much more rigorous higher levels of math at TAMU that are necessary for an engineering major.
And, don’t despair-- You don’t actually have a “low” SAT score. You have a good SAT score. “Low” would be below the national average of about 1060ish. What you have is a math subscore that’s pretty low for your requested major at TAMU, and low for engineering admits in general. That coupled with being very light (unless you didn’t mention) on any ECs that could demonstrate both interest/passion and aptitude for engineering is going to make it a challenge for you. Not impossible, of course, but I’d think “low likelihood” as a freshman admit to TAMU College Station.
You are very clearly a good and strong student. You didn’t get to where you are today without being one. And, if you want to be an engineer (excellent choice!), once again, take @AggieMomhelp 's advice, and start looking at your weaknesses in the area of mathematics. Whether you beat the odds and get admitted to engineering at college station (I hope you do!), or choose another major, or choose another school, getting stronger in mathematics, and demonstrating your aptitude for both mathematics and physics will be to your advantage in any STEM field.
Many, many students, for a myriad of reasons that don’t involve “lack of ability”, don’t get beyond Algebra II/Trig in high school (or in time for college apps), and some don’t perform well on standardized tests. SAT/ACT are not even remotely IQ tests. Still, colleges have to baseline their evaluations of student readiness to take on the rigors of their educational environment. For TAMU engineering, they look for their standards of being math (calculus) ready, and that SAT/ACT subscore, and pre-cal (at a minimum) are things that they base that eval on.
Some additional thoughts for all readers:
AP classes, Duel Enrollment (including early college high schools) & Dual Credit Classes are all about on par with one another in the eyes of college admissions evaluations, generally speaking. Though, AP classes with high test scores (4s and 5s) have seemed to check the “most rigorous” box at selective colleges/programs just behind high performing IB students. Honors & pre-ap classes would be slightly lower, but would give a boost in rigor over any on-level class. However, every potential applicant is considered in the context of their own environment.
The Texas A&M College of Engineering is a single unit that offers the first year curriculum at multiple locations including College Station, Galveston, and McAllen. The good news is that no matter which location you begin your academic career you are a Fightin’ Texas Aggie!
Out of curiosity, do y’all know why PSA is considered a Soft Denial, while others pathways (Academies, Galveston, McAllen, Blinn team, etc) are considered Full Admits? Same with PTA, with automatic admission to main campus after meeting a year of requirements at Blinn.
They all seem similar to me, where students are attending an alternative campus and then eligible to transfer to TAMU CStat after a year. What am I missing?
When applying for admission to the TAMU school of engineering you are considered for 4 possible options. TAMU College Station, TAMU Galveston, Engineering academies at Blinn-Bryan, and Engineering at McAllen. All of these pathways are equally on the same track of first year general engineering and then ETAM. If you are not offered one of these pathways for engineering and not accepted in any other TAMU major then you have been denied admission. An offer to participate in PSA is involving Texas A&M system schools. You don’t start off as an Aggie at a system school but if you follow through in PSA you can become an Aggie through a transfer in a year or two.
@bargainshopper75 the only real denials seem to come from incomplete applications. PSA as stated above is going to a system school and yes if you meet certain criteria, you are guaranteed admission as a transfer. It is a great deal. As for PTA, this isn’t an offer. This is a contract. But yes, if meet certain criteria, guaranteed admission as a transfer.
Galveston is full admission. Aggie ring, campus access like any Aggie. Same with McAllen. You just change your major if eligible to move to cstat campus.
Blinn Bryan is coenrollment. You have classes at blinn in Bryan or rellis and also on main campus. You can live on campus etc and have access to anything a full admit student does.
Engineering academies in Texas are a pathway chosen by those who don’t get in but want engineering. They follow the same curriculum as any other engineering student and goes through ETaM as week at the end of freshman year (assuming meet criteria). Students apply to these academies separately. They are not offered through tamu as an option. Only blinn Bryan academy is.
There’s also gateway which is a probationary summer session prior to freshman year. It’s amazing and is geared for those with hardships or first gen college students. It’s a great preparation and I would say almost all go in as full Aggies that fall.
Hope that clears it up. Any pathway that leads you to graduate with the degree you want from the college you want, is a fantastic option. It’s never about where you start.
Thank you, @AggieMomhelp -
Super helpful, as always!!
Under Active Applications in Howdy, the box says Under review and has Major listed as CECN and program BS-CECN location college station… does this not mean anything? He wanted computer engineering or computer science. He still just has 3 tabs.
If he still has 3 tabs then no, it probably doesn’t mean anything just yet. Did the major change under the engineering list?
What are his stats?
@AggieMomhelp I’m not sure if it changed or not but I’m guessing no. His stats aren’t that good. SAT 1230, 650 math, and 580 Reading. 3.76 unweighted GPA but is rank is 2nd quarter at around 34%. He didn’t take a couple of advanced courses offered so it hurt his rank. Do you think he has a chance at getting some sort of offer?