@NETarrantMom, Good point – let’s hope that adds some spots. Not sure they’ll tell me number of students who accepted ME, but I’ll certainly ask.
I agree. Knowing how many applied, how many were offered and how many accepted would be very helpful for the students that are still waiting and future applicants. Just an FYI, I know of 3 kids that were offered ME but selected a different major including my son.
It makes me consider if TAMU encouraging them to apply to two majors is the best practice. Is their preference ranked? Would an applicant with a first choice of ME be given preference over one with a higher GPA who listed ME as a second choice, and whose essay ‘succinctly stated’ their career goals with their first choice major? Or does GPA trump everything? If so, it puts kids who would chose ME as a first choice in a bad spot as they now are competing against a much bigger pool, as the first round of results shows.
I’m sure they will continue to adjust the formula for admissions to a major and that the real qualifications and chances will eventually become clear. Its just hard on the kids making decisions now while still partially in the dark.
Actually, thinking it through for a few minutes, it seems the answer is crystal clear. Why is TAMU giving kids a choice of which major to accept? If they are accepted into their first choice major, that should be it. Done. Application immediately withdrawn from consideration for their second choice major. this would a) Still please the kids accepted into their 1st choice (I mean there is only a few weeks between applying and hearing back, so its not like they are going to rethink their career in the meantime), plus 2) it would immediately open spots up for more kids to be pulled in who are not at the tippy top of the pool, and leave less kids in the stressful limbo zone. This change alone would most probably immediately bring the numbers for ME more in line with the other competitive majors.
I read through Purdue’s info, which some have mentioned that the new TAMU system is modeled on, and this seems to be how it is done there. I don’t think it would be very difficult to implement either; as long as ME knows how many spots they want to fill, and if they assign each candidate a ranking during the review, they can wait until the last minute to pick the “bar” once the ones accepted to other top choices have been removed from the pool.
I was told that they changed it because too many students were switching majors. So by doing this you have awhile to think about what major you want to do.
I assume Computer Science does not apply to this or does it? Since it is in the engineering department. I’m talking about computer science, not computer engineering CS track
@patstar5, yes, it applies to Computer Science as well. See http://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/advisors-procedures/entry-to-a-major/resources/analysis-spring-2015-admission-cycle/cpsc
It’s a great idea to give students time to think about which engineering major they want. But if the process to select a major later on is very competitive then engineering at A&M is a risk.
Allowing students a year in general engineering and then letting them declare an engineering major with a minimum GPA (not highest GPA) will let prospective students choose A&M with no hesitation.
What happens to those who don’t get their major by sophomore year? Do they end up with general engineering degrees? Lots of engineers with general engineering degrees and just a few with specific majors. Is this the model A&M sees in the future?
@EventHorizon32, I think it’s important to provide A&M feedback, especially while the process is still being shaped. I spoke with both EASA (easa@tamu.edu) and Mechanical this week and asked many questions – some of which they didn’t have clear answers to. The numbers and the process need to be more transparent. What was positioned as a positive step for new engineering students is now seen as a risky endeavor by many. Some students will not get their preferred majors – not because of their failure to succeed but rather because A&M appears to have limited capacity for some disciplines of engineering, like Mechanical (a total of 288 slots for this year’s freshman class of 3,000). If the goal is truly 25 by 25 (25,000 engineering students by the year 2025), what is the plan to build capacity? For the short term, more and more students will apply elsewhere.
A&M has always had capacity constraints on the Engineering departments. It’s just that before this year, they filled up during the rolling admissions process. So, for example, if a student wanted a competitive major, but did not get their college admission application in early enough, they had to pick another area in Engineering. Petroleum is limited, in a large part, by the market for that discipline (approx. 160 per year). The initiative to increase engineers might not even effect Petroleum (at the moment, at least).
It’s hard to say what process is the the best, overall. I was thinking of totally different ways schools admit students to Engineering. One with UT, where you can indicate your first and second choice major, but the admissions committee puts you in your major as a freshman based on your high school record. Even if the major is still open, you may not get in and its hard to change majors once there. To the University of Washington, where students don’t apply until the end of their sophomore year to upper level Engineering with an extremely competitive process. I have friends who say the same thing about UW - they do not want to take the risk.
I do agree feedback should be provide to the school.
Purdue’s stats for acceptance into major seem pretty high (maybe they have less engineering students overall and more room for majors than A&M) :
For students entering Purdue in Fall 2012 and finishing FYE requirements within three semesters (by December 2013):
- 93% entered their first choice program.
- 100% of students who chose ABE, CEM, ECE, EEE, IDE/MDE, IE, MSE, and NE entered their first choice program
- 99% of students with EAI and GPA > 2.75 entered their first choice program (100% for all programs except BME (94%), CHE (96%), and ME (97%))
As well Purdue’s process for applying for a major didn’t seem as involved as A&Ms.
Excellent summary of Purdue acceptance stats, @marfalights! I agree; Purdue policy doesn’t seem as involved as A&M’s. Purdue’s policy seems simpler & is accessible to anyone on website:
Thank you for this discussion. My son is a junior in HS and will be considering Texas A&M engineering, so this has been enlightening.