My Son was accepted into engineering at TAMU
He is only interested in computer science AI if he gets a 3.75 and takes the required course is he guaranteed his first major ? When do they apply and when does the decision for your major come?
I understand he starts in general engineering if he is not able to guarantee his first major with a 3.75 he is not sure TAMU is worth that risk he had a very specific path he wants 
Yes, Texas A&M general engineering students who earn a 3.75 college GPA are automatically admitted to their majors. Others much compete for admission to the space available. CS is likely to have little or no space available after automatic admission. 3.75 GPA in college is significantly more difficult than 3.75 GPA in high school for most students.
A student writes in the student newspaper about the entry-to-a-major process:
Look at the intended major ETAM year degree plan.
The strategy is this:
If your student is great in Calculus (score 5 easily in AP Cal BC), donāt claim Math151/152 AP credits, instead take those classes and easily get A to fulfill the ETAM maths.
Next if your student is good in Phy/Chem (score 4/5 in AP Chem/Phy), donāt claim the credit and get easy A in either Phy206/207 or CHEM 119/120.
ENGR102/216 are Python coding, if your student has experience on coding that should be good.
3.75 means all āAā and max 2 (6 hrs) B, not that difficult if one has the prep mentioned above. I will not suggest anyone struggling (a 1 to 3) in AP science or Calculus test to go through ETAM, it will be better to admit direct to major in other colleges.
Even though TAMU touted 82% got first choice majors in ETAM, 18% not getting still a lotā¦
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I.e. ETAM encourages grade-grubbing at the expense of learning new more advanced material, at least for students intending the more competitive majors.
But also note that repeating oneās AP credit in a college class is not necessarily an easy A, if the class is curved down and filled with other students repeating their AP credit.
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Thatās just general observation from the point of view like looking a brochure. In reality, the problem started when many high schools inflate grades generating way too many high GPA students. ETAM year is for standardizing students capabilities at the same time allowing some students catch up from rural areas and high schools lacking resources.
ETAM also serves to allow students discover other engineering fields. Many (including parents) blindly want comp. science not realizing less than 4% Comp Science graduates in US really work as a programmer. Many engineering fields in resources-rich universities like UT and TAMU have over 35 hours of coding classes.
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However, it means that students ready for more advanced material (the easy 5 on calculus BC ones) are encouraged to grade-grub for ETAM instead of moving ahead to more advanced material.
Meanwhile, those from worse high schools find stuff grading curve competition from those repeating their AP credit for what they think will be easy A grades for ETAM.
Thatās very true! I am from OKC I had to study hard (like 3am hard) last year to get a low A in Calculus, my roommate from Los Angeles was top 2% in her HS she struggled mightily in Calculus I and II. The other side of the room two girls from some Dallas suburb took the classes like a breeze. Any questions they just answered like a TA, they are essentially my free tutors now:)
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You are jumping to conclusions again. If one is really good (like taking differential equations at junior high school good), one can claim away Calculus I/II and take Math 308 discrete math to stay ahead and fulfill ETAM requirement with more advanced math. Look into detail of ETAM requirement before painting a negative vibe on a program.
I was answering OPās question of strategy in securing Comp Science. ETAM review is done by department, it wonāt look good if students drop a class when finding out they are not getting A after first exam.
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Congratulations again on your ETAM success! At the end, all students get a field they deserve.
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This is exactly my daughter, she had differential equation at 11th grade, can she claim Calculus I using AP BC score?
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Absolutely! First take some TAMU downloadable tests on Calculus I and II and see if she can easily handle them, then she can decide taking Math 251 in the Fall and Math 308 in the Spring of ETAM year. (or if Calculus II is borderline tight, then take Math 152 in fall and Math 251 in Spring)
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[quote=āucbalumnus, post:6, topic:3627890ā]
Meanwhile, those from worse high schools find stuff grading curve competition from those repeating their AP credit for what they think will be easy A grades for ETAM.
[/quote] @ucbalumnus According to my aggies, there is no curving down for the ETAM classes like chem, calc, and phys. The grading is straight scale (90 and up is a A, etc). There were exceptions, like when the chem prof made 88 and up an A and when another make 89.5 and up an A. None of mine were in classes where a ninety-something became a B. The two engineering classes (102 and 216) were hard and those tests were curved up because the test scores were so low.
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@SilviaWS Below is info on AP credits to satisfy classes for engineering majors. The rules can change year to year
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Great advice thank you and he meets those marks and we did talk about not using the AP and just taking math 151 thatās super smart ! Appreciate the detailed response
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Old math exams from Texas A&M for the student to check knowledge:
MATH 151: https://www.math.tamu.edu/courses/math151/common-exams/
MATH 152: MATH 152 Common Exam Archive, Department of Mathematics, Texas A&M University