That is correct, and yes it seems too easy. But it’s true!
Just popping in here to say that my son, who initially was offered PSA from College Station last year (he was honor roll/ AP classes, tons of extra-curriculurs and service 3.8 GPA but with just an average SAT), immediately applied to the TAMUG campus and got accepted. We were all nervous about it but here’s what has happened so far:
- He got an amazing dorm (TAMMA Hall) which is bigger and nicer than friends have at CS dorms.
- He did SALT CAMP (called FISH CAMP at CS) and absolutely drank the Kool-Aid. He had a BLAST and came out of that with tons of friends.
- He loves his professors and feels that the class size allows him to interact with the professors and get immediate help and feedback. The classes he’s enrolled in are the exact same numbers/ credits that he’d be getting at TAMU CS (Biology, Chemistry, Calculus etc. etc.)… They are the SAME class just smaller. This is not Blinn, this is not PSA… this is ‘real A&M’
- He loves Galveston. He and friends he’s met at SALT Camp, during Howdy Week, etc. go to the beach and play volleyball almost every day; they also play spike ball. He’s joined several clubs. He’s found a Church (Coastal Community) which meets on campus.
- He got the Sports Pass and went to his first game in College STation. The fact that Galveston kids get to pull tickets earlier than CS kids, meant that his CS friends asked HIM to get their tickets. So he ended up pulling 5 tickets for his college station friends and they got it way earlier than the College Station folks.
If anyone here is considering NOT checking "Galveston’ on their App, I would say - you really should. It is working out great for my son. His major is Oceans and One Health (Pre-Med) and he may or may not change major to move to College STation next year. (He probably still will, but he is truly having a blast and making a ton of friends in Galveston.) He says that he feels the Aggie Spirit is just as strong - if not stronger - at TAMUG.
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Thank you so much for the insight! Very helpful and I’m glad it has been such a good experience for your son.
Thank you for your review! I’m glad to hear this positive experience. My daughter applied to both TAMU and TAMUG but she prefers TAMUG-hoping for Marine Fisheries. She loves that campus-the size and feel of it, along with the location. Hoping she gets accepted!
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My son applied weeks ago (in Aug) as a back-up to TAMU. His app still shows incomplete for TAMUG. We sent homeschool transcript and college official transcript to-date and both show received. Does anyone else have a completed and in review for Galveston?
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Yes my daughter’s is complete and in review. You need 4 green check marks in the first document box. It indicates they received: Essay A, Class Rank, your application fee, and your transcript. Do you see four green check marks in the first box?
We do for College Station, but not for Galveston
I would call Galveston. They usually move way faster than cstat.
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Just an update. After emailing and calling a few times over the week, we finally talked to someone who had to search for his application from apply Texas. She didn’t know why it didn’t come through the system originally, but she was glad we called. He now has green checks here also.
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Figured I’d chime in like @misterhemmings did and give feedback to those considering TAMUG route. My son is having a great Fall semester thus far. Small classes. His professors know his name. It’s a great atmosphere for him to learn.
He’s also getting involved in intramural football and considering joining a sports club team. He’s already gone up to CS for a few football games. It’s a small community so it seems really easy to make friends on campus.
At first he was apprehensive about TAMUG, but I think it was the best thing for him for his first year of college. He’s still aiming to go to CS next year but in the meantime he’s having a great time.
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Glad you son is also having a good experience. 
Can I ask both of you a question?
If I am reading it right, Galveston actually costs about $2k more than CS. Is that true? (Getting this info directly from A&M website.). https://financialaid.tamu.edu/Undergraduate/Cost-of-Attendance#0-GalvestonUndergraduate
Our son is dying to be an Aggie, but if he had to transfer to CS anyway, it’s a bit harder to swallow paying more to go to Galveston when he could go to Tech for about $10k less and then transfer. (assuming he would be accepted from Tech, which would be a risk. and $10k figure based on Tech’s published rates plus scholarship already offered.)
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/financialaid/tuition/TexasResident.php
So, I guess my main question is, is it worth it? I try not to view everything in dollars and sense, but the $10k is meaningful.
One thing to keep in mind is that you wouldn’t be transferring from Galveston campus. It’s truly a change of major. No fees no app, etc. You ask for a major change and that can be competitive depend on major (they all have their own requirements) but it’s less competitive than an actual transfer.
As for the cost, it’s the cost of housing & meals that is $2k more, all other expenses are almost a wash with tuition being lower for Galveston.
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Thank you.
Exactly, it’s not a transfer. I’d much rather pay more to go to Galveston and him have the ability to change majors (if he chooses to) rather than gambling on transferring in externally.
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edited… found my answer. lol
I think others have already answered, but from our perspective it costs more simply because of being forced to live in a dorm and get a meal plan. Tuition itself isn’t more. But they are required to live on campus at Galveston unless you get a special exception. Having said that, the dorms in Galveston are a LOT nicer than the CS dorms in the opinion of someone who has seen both. I guess that’s not true for ALL of Galveston, there are one or two buildings which are a bit older. But TAMMA, Atlantic, Pacific dorms are definitely nice. And to your other point about Texas Tech. That’s also a great school, but it’s a risk that depending on his major he’s applying to transfer into, A&M wouldn’t accept him. (They will look at the classes he took at Tech and his grades, and whether it matches up with TAMU) Whereas, Galveston is literally and truly A&M so it’s just switching departments. They think of Galveston as a satellite campus. So, they don’t have the same majors there. For instance my son was a Biology major at A&M CS, but he got into the Oceans and One Health major at Galveston (which is almost literally the same thing during Freshman year). So he’s taking the same classes he’d be taking (Biology, Chemistry, Calculus) but his major is called something different. What he’ll probably do is ‘Change Major’ in the Howdy Portal next year to ‘Biology’ and – if his grades are good enough for the Biology Major advisors/ decision makers… he will just be moving to College Station for classes. It isn’t ‘transferring’ in. Having said all of this, I have yet to talk to someone about how easy this is, but he’s banking on it.
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As long as you meet requirements (hours, courses, grades: some require B or better) then the change of major is pretty smooth. Business/viz/bims/performance science/architecture and I’m sure a few more, will be harder but still easier than transfer.
Your son will be just fine in Bio! Glad all is going well for him!!
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Just got 7 tabs this morning for Galveston!! Super excited as it was my daughter’s number one choice!
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How do you know which campus she for 7 tabs too since both use Howdy?
@ChristiR93 do you know how to tell the difference?