I don’t know if it’s an inside scoop but I know plenty of kids/parents that had hired professional consultants to review and give pointers on essays. In some cases I suppose someone could have written the essay for an applicant too. My daughter didn’t get that. Her dad and I reviewed it and gave her suggestions but it needed to sound like it was coming from her even if not perfect or polished. In the end, we know the kids will land where they are supposed to and succeed if they have the will to regardless if it is at TAMU or not. I’d like to think that those who put in the work and have the great work ethics will get what they deserve in the long run while those that don’t and take shortcuts will eventually face the consequences.
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@misterhemmings so I’m confused-did your son submit his SAT or not? When he took it, did he check the box to send scores to selected schools (I think that’s how it works, it’s been several years since mine took ACT/SAT, and scores were required)? If they check ‘test optional’ when applying, does that cancel out scores if they were automatically sent?
He checked ‘test-optional’ on the TAMU application, and I believe inside of Common App. HOWEVER, when the SAT was taken (or registered for, or sent to us), you could check a box to send it to certain schools and he did that. Like another poster did (who posted earlier today), we let our son do EVERYTHING. From writing his own essay to asking for letters of rec to setting up the way TAMU received his scores but also saying test optional, it was him. I try not to worry too much but probably A&M did see his score and maybe that’s hurting him. Even though ‘test-optional’ was definitely checked (I did verify that). We didn’t hire fancy consultants.
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Gotcha. Scores were required when my Aggie applied, so I don’t know how the whole ‘test optional’ works. If scores were sent, I’m assuming they can view those. If so, then yes that’s definitely hurting him.
Your son does have other great options! Possibly not his first choice, but at least he’s got options.
I know some student swho use high dollar college advisors to help thme with application and essays. Hopefully, they don’t write it for them and just advise them.
I personally worked on over 100 essays this season from here (CC) and my site. I do not write them but edit for grammar, word choice, concise, repetitio, etc. Their story to tell, but it doesn’t hurt to have someone look over it.
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Yes, i did glance over my son’s essays and made sure there was nothing egrigious. He let me do that… But he wouldn’t let me be too involved during the writing part. It does depress me to wonder what percentage of kids are in A&M now with a parent-written (or consultant-written) essay.
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@ChristiR93 you are spot on! There is nothing wrong with having outside help, like what you offer, a college guidance counselor or a 3rd party to assist with the admissions process. College admission people are pretty savvy about recognizing an essay written by someone other than the student. And essays are only a % of what is considered for admission. Student can’t fudge their official transcript or test scores.
We hired a close personal friend, who has known my Aggie since birth, to help us (my girl refused parental help🙄). My Aggie had high enough stats/scores/resume that we knew she could definitely get some scholarships, be invited to honors programs,and have many college options. Our friend made sure my Aggie stayed on a timeline to get everything submitted in August (worth the $ alone just for that!), helped her organize essays and resume, and proofread everything. My daughter did all the work, someone else just proofed it and kept her on a timeline. Nothing wrong or shady about that.
Our friend was also a realist. She helped my Aggie figure out which schools she would automatically get accepted to, and which would be considered her ‘reach’ schools. I think that’s KEY… you can’t get mad - frustrated & disappointed, of course! -at a school who denies your kid, or offers an alternative pathway, if they don’t have the automatic scores to get in.
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It’s like people that have tutors in high school or college. Test prep is very prevalent in the big city suburbs. Paid counselors for essay prep and college guidance is less prevalent and very expensive.
Years ago, I was an admissions helper for Kaplan MBA admissions. They cost $100 per hour and probably now $200+. The most work was reviewing and shaping the essays. Have to find a compelling story.
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Test Optional severely hurt my son last year. He was 1Q (15% of his class of over 1100), 4 years marching band, 2 years section leader, lots of of volunteer and summer internship activities, part time job, great rigor of AP classes and dual credit…3.5 unweighted GPA/ 4.1 weighted only thing is he hates standardized tests and after 8 canceled SAT/ACT’s because of Covid, by the time he finally was able to take the SAT he got a 1220 because he was over it by then. Chose not to submit the test score because we felt the rest of his app was so strong…big mistake. He got PSA last week of February 2021, after MONTHS of hearing nothing. No options for waitlist or anything…just straight PSA. If he had submitted the SAT score I’m now 99% he would have been offered Blinn Team.
In my humble opinion, Test Optional is not the way to go at TAMU.
He’s now a freshman at Texas Tech, made the Dean’s Honor List with a 3.8 last semester and is absolutely thriving. I think it was TAMU’s loss 
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@Momof3B for sure A&M’s loss, Tech’s gain! And it just goes to show, there ARE other great schools! And your son is thriving! Great things happening at Tech, especially Rawls and Engineering. We don’t know anyone who has gone to Tech, that didn’t love it!
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Rawls really is amazing. I’ve been very impressed by the level of support they give. I wish he were a little closer but Lubbock has been good to him thus far!
My twins both want to apply to TAMU, will be some sort of STEM majors and and are auto admits, but the ETAM process scares me. We’re having very frank discussions about this daily, so we’ll see what happens in the fall…do I finally get an Aggie under my roof or do they follow their big brother to Tech?! Or throw me for a loop and go somewhere else lol!!!
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@Momof3B we have a friend in Tech Honors Engineering now (was accepted UT and A&M Eng honors, as well as other great schools). She chose Tech and has had so many cool opportunities she wouldn’t have gotten at other schools.
I think Rawls & Tech Engineering are definitely hidden gems that more people need to take into consideration.
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My nephew, who is an Aggie and did his undergrad in Econ and went straight in to MS Finance was comparing the course sheets for Rawls and Mays with me and what stuck out the most for him was that Excel certification is a required lower level core class at Rawls. I was surprised when he told me at TAMU it’s pretty much teach yourself Excel when the professor assigns it to you lol. He’s a self proclaimed Excel junkie, so he got through okay but a lot of his classmates in undergrad and even his Masters program struggled.
And Tech engineering…I LOVE that Whiteacre has a study abroad requirement, I’ve seen the TTU campus in Sevilla, Spain it’s amazing!! Most do it the summer between freshman and sophomore year, so that they can line up internships for Junior year. I’m dangling that carrot in front of my Thing 1 lol.
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My daughter was just one spot out of the top 10% of her class at the time of her application in August. She is now in the top 10% of her class and is expected to also graduate in the top 10%. Her high school counselor contacted the admissions office regarding her change in class rank. They suggested (depending on what happens since she is still waiting on a decision) that she could sit out summer and fall and not have any additional college credits and apply for Spring 2023. Since she would have graduated top 10%, she would be eligible for auto admissions for spring. It’s not ideal but an option. Anyone heard of this option being offered?
We are frustrated and in the same boat as everyone on here. Found this thread and it has been helpful to vent. Son is Physics major, SAT 1350, ACT 30, 2nd quartile because he is at one of the hardest districts in Texas. 3.6 uw 4.1 w. 10 ap courses, multiple in physics and calculus and an AP scholar. NHS, 4 year marching and concert band, varsity XC, varsity track. Volunteer hours and two parents that are aggie alums. He appears to qualify for the honors in physics program at TAMU and we apparently can’t get in the school. Has been accepted to Colorado School of Mines but we are sitting here waiting. Chose the blinn team and waitlist. Worried we are going to lose him north of the border if this keeps dragging on.
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“test optional is not the way to go for A&M”— well, this is just my first time doing this but so far I wholeheartedly agree. Because my son has better grades and a more impressive resume than many of his friends, but they didn’t do test-optional and I bet their SAT’s were higher (I’m unsure but I’m thinking so)… And they got in. My son, test-optional, is WAITLIST/ TEAM right now.
Your kid sounds amazing and hopefully gets good news soon. I do not think all kids with good scores and rigorous course work outside of the top 10% get in. I just think with those credentials that they have a chance. My guess for a “good” SAT would be 1350 or above, at least a 1300. Just a guess though, because I really have no idea. Also, TAMU has to think about diversity and having females in STEM majors, etc. There is just a lot in play. Second quarter is much tougher to pull off, but I’ve seen it on here. It isn’t over until it’s over.
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@howdy94ags when did your son apply?
Yes this is an option!!! A good one if you want automatic. But you can’t take a single college credit hour. Not a one. So spend the time working and have “me” time!
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And I agree it’s fine to get application help if you choose. We just felt like essays are not weighted all that much so didn’t invest. But again it’s all a guess on our part That we made after following this board.