For anyone whose school uses Naviance and is wanting to know the likelihood of acceptance, I’d recommend you use the scattergram feature. It shows a graph of all the kids from your school with your grades and test scores and places your kid on the graph amongst their actual peers for the past few years. Obviously it isn’t foolproof - there are outliers every year, but my kid applied to 6 schools and so far, it has been spot on predicting her admission, deferrals and denials.
I was so freaked out because of the horror stories of kids with terrific credentials who weren’t getting in but when I compared my daughter to her same-school colleagues, she was safe at A&M. And sure enough, got in. So I really believe that the admissions folks look at the whole picture. All 4.0s are not created equally. Nor are all top quarters. Some high schools are more competitive. The numeric stats don’t tell the whole story.
For this reason, I appreciate the SRAR. It appears to be A&M’s way to calibrate the data to make it “fairer.” And if your kid falls out of the “green zone” on Naviance, then you can set your expectations accordingly.
That’s my two cents. I’m sure there are folks who will dismiss the scattergram because the admission criteria for schools has changed so much over the past few years with test optional, covid, changes to the auto-admit criteria, etc. But in our case, it helped get my kid’s mind right about her chances at every school to which she applied. And it helped me reconcile some of the conflicting results I was seeing from friends and others.
It is all so stressful. Wishing everyone positive results soon.
Our district dropped Naviance last year in favor of Schoolinks. So now we have zero historical data.
So it seems my kiddo was deferred. I’m truly thinking that maybe applying to BA Computing instead of General Engineering actually hurt his chances somehow. I have zero other explanation given his stats.
Top quarter at highly competitive school, 3.8UW/4.4W, 1410 SAT, leadership in marching band, work, etc.
I think we are all starting to move on to his other acceptances, particularly Bama where he got a great package. It’s just a little disheartening, especially when my DS25 is also very interested in engineering at TAMU.
@sbhubbell did he apply EA? Appears most most holistic Engineering majors-minus very high test scores-won’t hear back until January. I think that’s pretty normal. Hang in there!
But if he got direct major admission AND at Alabama, I’d give that serious consideration. He won’t get from A&M.
TAMU doesn’t use passive (historical) data like Naviance. Naviance just gives students piece of mind knowing where they are compared to the past. TAMU uses active data grading each school by its advanced courses participation rates and passing/distinction results.
BA computing is small and fill up fast. It will expand only after 2024. Should still have very good chance for second major. Joining ETAM is a good practice. Almost all engineering majors have some form of programming every semester. High school programming curriculum (focus on Java and C) are usually a decade behind from college curriculum.
This is such good advice. I agree that the SRAR is A&M’s way of leveling the playing field while dealing with the top 10% rule in a diverse, huge state.
Oh I know TAMU doesn’t use Naviance, but it would give us a better idea of what kids from our school did to get in. I know one kid who got into engineering in December last year with a lower GPA and 1400 SAT. That’s why I’m surprised.
So how do you know BA Computing is full? I guess that means no chance on that one, second choice is BS CompSci which I thought would be MORE competitive.
@FriscoDad
I am a international student, i applied for CS on 7-oct.
Stats:
GPA: 4.0/4.0 UW
Rank: 1st Quarter as per AIS
SAT: 1300 (730 math, 570 eng)
EC: bunch of them with high rigor.
CSCE is in General Engineering. The competitiveness is in ETAM not in freshmen admission. Just double check Howdy/AIS that the second major picked is really CSCE, not another small major.
If you see major changed to general engineering, then admission should be coming. If not, they are really considering your student for BA computing. Last year, about 5-10 auto-admit changed their admitted major from BA computing to CSCE simply because they picked wrong code during application.
CS is in General Engineering, you won’t get your major until after freshmen ETAM year (another round of very tough competition).
To be honest, SAT needs to be at least 1400 with more balanced score on both math and english. In terms of curriculum, do you have IB classes, O/A level and at what level?
If you are from a country that TAMU seeks for diversity there may be exception on SAT scores. I will put more faith on majors like Industrial Engineering if your goal is just to get into ETAM (you can change to apply for Comp Science if you get good GPA in freshmen/ETAM year).
For international students, TAMU won’t offer TEAB, which is also considered as full admission with lower tuition.
But without AP/IB, or O/A level for international students, TAMU ETAM can be brutal (to maintain 3.8+ GPA) even if one gains freshmen admission. Classes are fast paced, exam oriented and professors don’t curve. It will be better to start preparing for ETAM immediately after you get admission. (I know some parents here claim doable, they are either extremely humble or they honestly don’t realize they have very smart kids)
@FriscoDad Looking at this years acceptances not Top 10% I do not see very many Agricultural College majors. Do you feel that is just the result of non-ag students/families that use this forum or is there a hold on most Ag Sciences (not vet) holistic this year? (I know of one girl homeschooled with a 24 ACT that got in in Dec for animal science)
AGLS admits all auto before winter break. Most holistic review will get results in January through early March.
Animal science is very competitive for holistic review students. Admission rate is about 25% for holistic. So the homeschooled student you knew must have special circumstances that documented well in application.
Thank you. Both her and my son we elected to and served on 4-H State Council and National 4-H Delegates. My son has a higher ACT, but isn’t animal science. He is AGSM. Homeschooled. Multiple national speaking awards, Grand Champions at all major livestock shows in robotics and first place at Houston LSR - ag mech career fair. Multiple years of national gold level community service awards, STEM awards, and leadership honors/awards. Most all dual credit/concurrent college classes the last 4 years with 3.96 UW-GPA. Also Trail Life Scouts Freedom Rank.
Thanks for your reply and insight. Maybe January he will hear something.
Your son has a very strong resume. Did he mention he wants to go Technology or Business route for AGSM in his essay? Technology route is generally easier to get in.
Technology is his preference with a business minor. He wrote about his ag mechanics journey, robotics, and teaching water management as a leader the last 4 years among his leadership adventures which lead to his desired career focus and studies in AGSM.
He did every single essay (A B C and short answers) and applied August 1st. Sent over college transcripts also including this semesters with College Physics and 2 Business Math Courses completed - so can’t be that his course rigor not enough. Day 138 and waiting…
AGSM in technology, specifically “Engines” route is golden standard not just in US, but in the world.
While many top high school students going for trendy majors like comp science and business, not many people realize AGSM technology in TAMU is world class. Small class size and many junior to senior level classes have multi-million dollars equipments that one can’t just get in any college. Job placement rate is 100%.
AGSM in TAMU core curriculum (for other non AGSM student to take as credit) is easy but actual AGSM junior/senior major level classes are not easy at all.
Note also that even though there is no Blinn contract for AGSM, students can still get Blinn offers and change of major is not difficult. If your student gets Blinn offer, be sure to pick “Blinn only”, do not take “waitlist” or “Blinn/waitlist combo” offer.
at Alabama, I’d give that serious consideration. He won’t get