Yes, I’m a Gateway admit and received a packet with the banner, stickers, official acceptance letter, and an information packet of Gateway dates, etc. I’ve heard TEAM does also get a banner, but I don’t know personally since I don’t actually know anyone else going to TAMU. I don’t see any reason TEAM would be any different though.
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@Momof3B I feel your frustration and am sorry. Yes, the whole test optional thing was confusing. For next time, there is another forum on the TexAgs website called Academics and admissions answers questions (Tamu_Admissions).
IMO, another really important aspect of the application is if the student shows a passion for their intended major (by their jobs, hobbies, volunteer work, clubs, classes taken, etc). IMO Tamu is looking for students who know what they want to do and have already been doing it for years.
Under most important factors for applicants, there is listed Interest/ability (passion?), along with rigor of coursework, gpa, rank, scores. Just a thought for the non-auto applicants, but yes, being top 10% is best, if possible
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As a senior on waitlist not in top 10%, from what I’ve seen with other people in my school getting in, GPA rules over all other
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Ranking not gpa is a huge factor, especially without test scores. If you’re looking at gpa with kids at your school, then in essence you are looking at rank. A 3.95 at one school could be top quarter but 2nd quarter at another school and even top 10 at another. So truly they want to see how you compare to your peers with the same courses, resources, etc. available. If they looked only at gpa without knowing what’s what at each school, then they’d be going in blind.
For those that went test optional because you didn’t get to take the exam, it shouldn’t have hurt you, it just didn’t help you. Test scores did help those that took them that bettered their chances with good scores.
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My son’s extra curriculars and passions totally lined up with his chosen majors. He’s has real leadership experience, community service, participated in many economic and business related experiences and has held down a part time job since sophomore year consistently working 25 hours a week. He has spent summers interning at learning about Supply Chain and Logistics at my husband’s previous employer including a trip to Hong Kong with dad and helping out at their facility in Schenzen where he learned about cell phone repair. All of this was reflected in his expanded resume and essay. I am not sure what else he could have done to show TAMU he’s a fit 
The only thing he didn’t have was an SAT/ACT score…between the two, he had 7 cancelled test dates from March 2020-August 2020.
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Wow, thats really impressive!! Maybe his app looked TOO polished?? IDK!!
Yes, the cancelled tests were crazy. Still wondering what score helped an app. Tamu_admissions mentioned 1250 or higher as the score that would help, but that was early on in the process
100% with you. I feel like in some ways my gpa was pretty heavily bogged down by the extreme rigor of my classes. This definitely hurt me, but I thought that colleges would care that I took harder classes than 95% of HS students. I do understand, however, that tamu has had a lot on their plate. I am somewhat stuck in CS because I got an apartment there already with a few friends, so looks like I’ll be taking the blinn route for a year hopefully. Might have to take some summer courses to get mays but Ive talked with advisors and others who say it is very doable in a year. If your son is deadset on tamu and doesn’t end up getting team or something I recommend this if he is willing to put in the work. This sucks, but it’s what we have to deal with…
IDK…he’s just a normal, sweet, well rounded kid. 16% class rank, unweighted gpa of 3.5’ish, weighted 4.2. Marching Band geek lol (section leader)…I mean, he’s not an over the top brilliant academic, in our school he’s a solid B+ student, but that as okay with us. We’ve never been the uber Asian Tiger parents, we just want our kids to be good human beings.
It stings a little right now that TAMU couldn’t see that but it’s okay. He’s going to do great things wherever he lands. <3
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Yea makes sense, I’ve had a few peers get in with similar or lower GPAs with less rigorous courses taken and no tests scores
Currently waitlisted with 3.8 gpa and 32 act and 11 aps
He definitely is. He’ll be there one way or another! I’m glad you will be too. It’ll all work out, just trying to remain hopeful and patient in the meantime. Best of luck to you!
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I think A&M, culturally, is turning into another UT based on the types of students they are admitting. Even though admissions claims they like a well rounded student , it appears it comes entirely down to your Class Rank and Test Scores.
Even though we have a long family history with A&M , I think Texas Tech was smart sending out early admissions to well rounded students that may have to wait on A&M to give a decision.
(the student that are mostly A’s with a few B’s, varsity athletics, community service leaders, …)
I use to tell my kids that going A&M , if you broke down on the side of the road , you would have a dozen A&M students would stop to help you. Now days it is looking like fewer of those students who would stop to help you out are even getting into A&M.
A&M really should do what UT did, only have auto admit for top 6% and then have a real review process on admitting the rest of the students.
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Absolutely!! Have heard of an appeals process but completely understand if your son is done with it
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Are you waitlist only, or waitlist/Blinn consideration?
waitlist and blinn team
I have been reading this thread from afar. It is brining back a lot of memories/stress (PTSD) 
My son went through this 2 years ago and I followed that thread closely as well and lived through all that many are going through now. We had the same frustrations and concerns with the process. Good grades, really good test scores, competitive HS, great EC’s, etc. Similar to others my son had many other great schools to choose from, but his number one choice was A&M. He was ultimately offered the PSA option.
We started a conversation about that option in February and realized that it could be an option for his second choice of major, but at that point he was not remotely interested in PSA, so our thought was that he would choose another school if he was offered PSA. To our surprise when he got the notification from A&M he almost immediately said that he was going PSA. After many back and forth conversations he ultimately decided on TAMUCC (we are in the Metroplex so that was a further away). I must admit that it was a great avenue for him. He loved his time there (and the beach!!) and made many friends in especially fellow PSA students. They all bonded and helped each other along the way. Classes were smaller and are actually taught by the professors. That campus does a great job of working with the kids to make sure they stay on the right path.
I will also add after getting to know several of the students I was very impressed with the quality of the kids in the PSA program. As noted in this thread, almost all had great options elsewhere. Also there was a little vibe in these kids of “not giving up” even though they did not get the offer they wanted. I am biased as a parent, but “not giving up” is a skill that will serve them very well throughout their lives.
My son is now at A&M and while it was a longer process to get there he is very happy with his choice. I will admit that PSA is not an option for everyone, but if you have the slightest of interest, I would encourage you to look into it. As I told my son, you are only on the other campus for around 8 months, so it will go by very quickly (and it did).
I also have a senior in HS now as well. She is looking at other schools as her major is not the best fit for A&M. In some ways I was happy that I did not have to endure this process again. There are many great paths to success and your child will find theirs.
A&M is just one of those paths (full disclosure I am an Aggie as well).
For the parents second guessing how they raised their kids and the choices they made (I was guilty of that as well). Stop it!!! You have made great choices for your kids and it will show with time and their future success. You can bank on that.
Praying you all get through this challenging time and congrats to those already on board.
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You are in a good place. I believe your spot at Blinn is secured but you haven’t heard anything because admissions is still trying to get you in as a full admit. I honestly think that is the case.
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This is the most reassuring comment I’ve heard today. Thank you! We live in Corpus Christi, still crickets since applying October 31, 3 tabs, still have change major button. I feel like we fell through the cracks and have been forgotten. I’ve read several people here say TAMUCC is a good PSA school. I haven’t found out yet if FIVL is offered with PSA at corpus, but I wouldn’t be totally opposed. We visit TTU tmrw, as she was excepted there. Tamu needs to throw us a bone, we have lives to continue with!
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@KimmyB i agree with you-I think A&M gets a bad rap, trying to offer so many admissions pathways (TEAB, TEAM, PSA, PTA, Gateway). It’s kind of a train wreck. I’m a cut/dry person. Being a flagship university, I, too, think they should go to 6 or 7%. You’re in, or you’re not. If you don’t have the scores/rank for Auto Admission, you can still hope to get in as a ‘reach’ school, but realistically apply to many other great schools.
But I do disagree…there are still MANY amazing ‘True Ags’, who would stop to render aid, give you the shirt off their back.
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I wholeheartedly agree with you. Even though they say test optional you can’t help but know it might be the big difference for students in private, homeschool, or not top 10%. It just makes sense that it would set the student apart. I am so sorry for your son but there are so many great schools in Texas and I am sure he will thrive wherever he goes…I have a son studying EE at UTA and it’s been amazing for him in so many ways!! Wishing your son the best!!
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Ours took over two weeks to receive (in state) and that was back in Oct. No rhyme or reason!