November 1. We have thought from the beginning this is his biggest downfall. Just kicking ourselves that we didn’t force him more to get it in in August. We tried but apparently not hard enough and hopeful its not what ultimately does him in.
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I wonder how weighted/ important Essays really are. I ask that because - as my son has been in the doldrums over being WAITLIST/ TEAM (and still is) – he has been racking his brain to try to figure out where he ‘went wrong’, especially since he knows other kids with lesser grades who got in back int he fall. He was wondering if maybe they just disliked his essay and the topic he chose to focus on about himself.
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My son had friends in marching band who had lower gpa’s and class rank but similar SAT score who got Gateway or Blinn Team. It was very frustrating for us last year. I don’t know the contents of their essays of course but I for a fact know their class lower ranks were 2Q because the parents themselves told me. The 2 that got offered Gateway also applied for Corp of Cadets so maybe that’s what pushed them ahead of my son. He chose not to continue with Marching Band in college.
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Our experience was similar. There were probably 12 or more edits to one essay… used for all applications. The tutor/coach made edit suggestions to my son, he chose to use some and passed on others especially if they did not sound like him. I would say the content was 100% him. I would say sentence structure, pacing etc. was 80% him and 20% suggested edits.
They helped him focus on seeing himself. He has a lack of EC quantity, but he could write about the EC quality. In the end ECs are all about how you use your time while not at school or studying. If you do one thing and it consumes your time then write/focus about that.
I will say that even I laughed at him trying to put together a resume when the tutor/coach asked him to. He doesn’t have a lot of things to list. I made him do it just so he could see himself, but it never saw the light of day outside of his computer.
They focused on the ACT but that was not his thing based on time (scores high but outside of time limit), ultimately he switched to SAT which he excelled at as he could finish the test.
He got the grades, the SAT score, and chose the piano. It was a meat and potatoes application… no fluff. Now he has options.
And… he hated every minute of it.
Reading this thread a year (or two) before going through the process is nearly (I said nearly) as beneficial as ACT/SAT prep. This thread will also show that the early bird gets the worm at TAMU.
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Does she ONLy want to be an Aggie and nothing else? I don’t think I’d let my child take a gap year just to hold out and be an auto admit to TAMU. Texas has other AMAZING schools that I’m sure want your daughter and will give her merit aid.
If she only wants to go to A&M, then why not explore the many other pathways to getting there like transferring after a year elsewhere or just starting out at Blinn first so that she can be in CStat?
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Instead of sit out, you can transfer to TAMU. The law also apply to make transfer automatic if graduating HS top 10%. Sit out can hurt a bit for STEM majors.
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I hope so. I like your positivity. We went through the same thing last year with my c/o 2025 engineering son. He found out end of January. Here we are mid February and still waiting as it’s been radio silent. We did put a housing deposit down at Tech, her #2 choice as a backup.
@ItIsJustCollege oh, my girl HATED going to the college prep friend, cried almost everytime. It was miserable! But…money well spent in the end. I laugh and say that I paid my friend to nag😂
Agree that SAT/ACT prep can be beneficial, if not a strong test taker, and definitely take both tests.
I never saw any of the college stuff-essay, application, nothing. I handed over the credit card to submit apps & housing, but that’s it.
Sooo happy this phase is behind us…but now she’s preparing for law school 
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Yes, she only wants to be an Aggie but does have plan b’s in place. She doesn’t want to sit out nor do I want her to. However, since they suggested that option it still lingers in her mind! 
I think we, like many on this thread, are just ready for a plan!
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I don’t see in the law where top 10% applies to transfer as well. Can you explain more or let me know where to find that information?
In some TAMU departments, it is stated on their page. For instance, COLA has it stated in Transfer Student Admissions – The College of Arts & Sciences at Texas A&M University
In offical Texas.gov, here it is 81(R) SB 175 - Enrolled version - Bill Text (You may want to do keyword search of the word “transfer”).
TAMU transfer app starts Jan 1st. The first run is usually the HS grads with offical transcript showing top 10% and get admission notification early in Feb.
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She would only sit out Fall semester. Not too long.
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Totally interesting about the top 10% for transfer students. I think that is an excellent thing! They still have to meet all other requirements (minimum 24 graded credits completed, gpa, some course requirements depending on major, etc.), but that’s great to hear.
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Just so I am understanding. She could use her better grades/ standing in high school during Spring 2022 to apply during the fall (when she would not be in college) for a Spring admission? I was wondering also if my son could try something like that if he gets offered PSA. Try again to apply for Spring with them able to see his senior grades, and maybe even try to take the SAT again and get his score up. What are the downsides?
Yes it’s possible. The downside is sitting out fall semester, but if someone already has dual or can use ap credit, it may not put them behind (and there’s always future summer school and minimesters to get caught up.
Also Spring will have fewer apps but there are fewer spots as well since the freshman class was full in the fall. It’s definitely worth discussing with admissions advisor.
I wouldn’t kick yourselves too hard about the timing! My daughter applied in August with the same 30 ACT, 10 AP’s, AP Scholar, lots of EC, varsity athlete, NEHS, volunteer hours, job, 3.6/4.9, 19% rank and she is still waiting too! It doesn’t seem like applying at the very beginning helped her at all. We are trying to figure out why so many friends with lower stats keep getting in while she waits. Someone must have really hated her essay or something. Who knows.
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If an applicant isn’t auto admit, they should complete every step of the application, optional or not. At least that’s what we were told. I agree that not submitting test scores hurts these kids. I think the school wants to see the effort.
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Last year was the first time they went Test Optional and we were told every step of the way that not submitting test scores would in no way be a disadvantage. From the regional recruiting center here in DFW, to CStat Admissions to the private college counselor we hired and used, we were repeatedly reassured of this. Obviously they were all wrong lol.
I don’t think anyone quite knew what to expect with the High School Class of 2021 being the first cohort of test optional applicants and the first cohort that didn’t have academic admit.
We know better now 
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