Texas A&M

Colleges and Universities A-Z Texas A&M University
21

<p>wemel:</p>

<p>Not sure what your point is, I never claimed that A&M had more freshmen in the top 10% than UT.</p>

<p>soccrabdl:</p>

<p>“Hi-Power is completely right,especially about it being high school 2” and “you tend to run into a lot of people who aren't particularly bright” – I’ll ask you, just liked I asked HiPower: how would someone who doesn’t even go to A&M (let alone someone who hasn’t even graduated from high school) be able to make claims like that? </p>

<p>Also, while A&M’s admissions rate is not the best, it is still within the general range of other flagship state universities.</p>

22

<p>
[quote]
Regarding your "high school part 2" comment, all I can say is that your high school is one of roughly 1,000 represented at A&M, and I would venture to guess it is in the minority. By your logic, if A&M students “don’t branch out” then the 35,000+ undergraduates would leave College Station with exactly the same group of friends as they had entering into freshmen year. A bit ridiculous belief, don’t you think?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, they wouldn't have to leave with the exact same group of close friends, just still have those close friends as the majority. From my experience, the people I know from high school all hang out with each other still exclusively, save a few newcomers, and they were all the "popular" kids, so you can't really attribute it to them being incapable of making new friends. It only makes sense that if the entire clique from HS goes to A&M, it's gonna remain pretty close.</p>

<p>
[quote]
It’s sad how comfortable you both seem to be flirting with attributing your individual experiences with the small group of people you know from A&M, to the entire student population.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Very true. I do know several people that attend that are very different and wouldn't fall into the category I've described. However, in my life I've met a LOT of current Aggies, and there is definitely a large majority that fits the description I've given.</p>

23

<p>I was referring the the reference to the "cliques". Considering A&M has fewer top 10% freshmen than UT, then it would seem that the cliques would be more prevelant at UT.</p>

24

<p>I'm really speaking from experience. At my HS, which was pretty typical, students attended A&M in droves and very few actually ended up going to UT. Furthermore, UT's reputation for being 'strange' compared to A&M's cult-like legacy following makes it far more likely that a student will follow their friends to A&M rather than venture off on their own and go to UT. Now I'm sure cliques from HS exist at both schools, but after seeing the results of multiple HS grad classes in the Houston area, it looks like people stick with their friends and head to A&M more often. That may be a result of A&M's proximity to Houston as well, though.</p>

25

<p>Brand_182:</p>

<p>“At my HS, which was pretty typical, students attended A&M in droves and very few actually ended up going to UT.” </p>

<p>You do know that for every high school like you attended there is another “pretty typical” high school at which UT is the preference of choice, right? </p>

<p>“Furthermore, UT's reputation for being 'strange' compared to A&M's cult-like legacy following makes it far more likely that a student will follow their friends to A&M rather than venture off on their own and go to UT.”</p>

<p>Funny, I didn’t know UT had “a reputation for being strange”. I was under the impression that it was considered among the best flagship state universities in the country. Also, I will just assume your herd mentality (i.e. “cult-like legacy following”) implication was meant only in regards to your friends. And finally, given that UT enrolls more students than any university in Texas I hardly think it’s reasonable to imply that one needs to “venture off on their own” if they want to attend – maybe from your high school, but by no means from countless other high schools throughout the state.</p>

26

<p>according to collegeboard.
student body in A&M
95% In-state students
5% Out-of-state students </p>

<p>student body in UT austin
94% In-state students
6% Out-of-state students</p>

27

<p>I am a current student at Texas A&M University, and my experience has been that if you are even remotely outgoing at Texas A&M, you will meet so many people and make so many friends you won't even have time for all of them. I was homeschooled, so I certainly didn't have a high school clique, but I've never been excluded from anything. Aggies are friendly and sociable as a general rule, and most of us have grown up enough to leave behind dumb high school social games.
Most people here don't know very many people when they come here. Even the ones who do usually end up with a new set of friends (for the most part.) To summarize, I've had absolutely no problems making loads of friends and have not experienced any cliquishness.</p>

<p>I have never heard of anyone putting manure on anyone here, but I have heard of Aggies going to Austin and having beer bottles thrown at their cars and rude gestures and comments made. But that's just hearsay. </p>

<p>I'm not in Mays Business School, but I haven't had any bad experiences with the business students. (I've also never met anyone who came here because their parents pressured them into it. Most people came here for the money or because they loved the atmosphere of the college.)</p>

<p>I'm a National Merit Scholar who came to A&M because she loved the Aggie spirit, the traditions, and the atmosphere. I've had people (non-Aggies) tell me it's a cult, I've had people (non-Aggies) tell me it's stupid, and I've had people (non-Aggies) tell me lots of other very rude things about my university. But in my experience, A&M is something very special. It's an indescribable bond between Aggies. People diss it because they don't understand it. (Of course, it's almost impossible to understand it if you've never come to school here, and of course, not everyone can come to A&M.) But one person's opinion (or a lot of peoples' opinions) cannot change the fact that being an Aggie is something very special.
As for our opinion of UT: most of us will hiss (the Aggie equivalent of booing) Longhorns or Longhorn stuff and will sing "Saw varsity's horns off" with the best of them, but in the end, we'd stop and help a Longhorn in trouble. We'd be polite to one if we met him on the street. Fans of other teams who come here for football games tell me that everyone is very polite and friendly to them. We'll hiss you during Midnight Yell and root against you at the game, but most of us have more class than to be truly rude or mean.
I remember that the traffic in College Station was awful during move-in week. Nobody would let you in, and people were driving badly and being generally crazy. But then (sorry, but it's true) the parents left, and now people will let you into their lane and drive very considerately. The traffic really only gets bad when non-Aggies are in town for the game. Part of it is that there's just more traffic, but part of it's not.</p>

<p>Academically, we're very well respected, and A&M gains more and more prestige all the time. Our honors students receive the same special treatment the athletes and faculty do. And the money is good, too. (The equivalent of a full ride for National Merit kids.)
Socially, A&M is a very friendly, good-natured sort of place. Most people here are very, very happy. Sure, we get stressed about tests and stuff, but overall, most people I've met are very excited to be here, and that makes for a wonderful place to live. Of course there are a few bad eggs, but it's nice to go about your business and see evidence of the good character of the Aggies all around. People will leave stuff places, and it will still be there when they get back. You can ask a total stranger to keep an eye on your laptop while you go get something, and they will. There are literally hundreds of opportunities to serve in various ways, and I've only been here a few weeks. The Aggie honor code ('An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do') pervades everything here. To the vast majority of Aggies, it's not just words; it's a binding statement of how an Aggie should go through life.
My advice to prospective students: don't let anyone tell you that this is some sort of magical place where nothing bad ever happens and that it's the only place you could go and be happy. But this is an almost magical place, and so many good things happen here, and it's the only place you can go to be an Aggie.</p>

28

<p>I was wondering how much of a role fraternities and sororities play on campus life. Are you basically a social outcast if you are not in one? Because i know some schools are like that...</p>

29

<p>Guys is racism a problem in TAMU? I live in the north Mississippi area and comments about my being asian is somewhat frequent. Seeing that the minority group represented in TAMU is a bit miniscule, I'd kinda figured I might be picked on quite a bit...</p>

30

<p>
[quote]
Guys is racism a problem in TAMU? I live in the north Mississippi area and comments about my being asian is somewhat frequent. Seeing that the minority group represented in TAMU is a bit miniscule, I'd kinda figured I might be picked on quite a bit...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>ABC News: The Blotter
Gates' Unfinished Business: Racism at Texas A&M
November 10, 2006 1:26 PM
Vic Walter Reports:</p>

<p>
[quote]
At the same moment, Pres. Bush was introducing Texas A&M Pres. Robert Gates as his nominee for Secretary of Defense, hundreds of students at the university were protesting a videotape featuring a white student wearing black shoe polish on his face, acting as a slave.</p>

<p>It is an example, some professors say, of the unfinished business Gates will leave behind at Texas A&M: ending racial hostility on campus.</p>

<p>"It is institutional and has permeated the university for a long time," says Zulema Valdez, a professor of sociology at Texas A&M.</p>

<p>Just before leaving for Washington, Gates condemned the blackface video as "so utterly disgusting that, regardless of race, religion, or background, I believe virtually any member of our Aggie family would be outraged and ashamed if they viewed it." </p>

<p>Sociology professor Rogelio Saenz says while Gates has done more than his predecessors in addressing the issue of racism on campus, "there have only been surface changes where deeper changes need to be made in this structural and cultural problem."</p>

<p>The student-produced video came to the university's attention on Monday, according to university officials. Sherylon Carroll, a university spokesperson, said she could not answer questions about whether any students had been disciplined, citing privacy laws, but did say the students are "no longer enrolled at the university." It is not known when the tape was originally produced.</p>

<p>On the tape, the white student in blackface is disciplined by a second white student playing the role of a slave master with a belt. Professors say the white student is carrying a "12th Man Towel," a symbol of how Texas A&M fans help the football team. In the three-and-a-half minute tape, the student in blackface is put through a mock whipping and sexual assault.</p>

<p>Click here to see a 19-second excerpt.</p>

<p>In a letter to students on Tuesday, Gates wrote, "The hateful video is not simply an example of poor judgment and insensitivity; it appears to have been purposefully produced to insult and demean."</p>

<p>Gates adds, "Texas A&M is doing more than ever to attract, retain and graduate a diverse student body."</p>

<p>A spokesperson for Texas A&M says Gates returned to the campus after his White House appearance in order to further address the racism issue with students and faculty.

[/quote]
</p>

<p><a href="http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112705/local_20051127008a.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112705/local_20051127008a.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

31

<p>That sounds terrible.I'm Asian too,maybe TAMU is not for me.</p>

32

<p>
[quote]
I was wondering how much of a role fraternities and sororities play on campus life. Are you basically a social outcast if you are not in one? Because i know some schools are like that...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>They are not as big a deal as the corps of cadets. See the corps in action on national television here:</p>

<p><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2593052798357561954&q=texas+a%26m+nut&total=3&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2593052798357561954&q=texas+a%26m+nut&total=3&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

33

<p>
[Quote]
I have never heard about any A&M student putting manure on a fan from another school

[/quote]
</p>

<p>A&M cavalry member charged in UT incident
Accused of throwing horse feces at band
Eagle Staff Report</p>

<p>
[quote]
A sophomore member of Texas A&M University's Parsons Mounted Cavalry was charged Friday with throwing horse feces onto members of the University of Texas band before the A&M-UT football game.</p>

<p>John Richmond Sullivan, 20, was seen by a University Police Department lieutenant throwing a shovel full of horse feces onto band members at Kyle Field at about 10 a.m. Friday, according to an officer's affidavit.</p>

<p>UT band director Robert Carnochan told police that he and the band members did not want to press criminal charges, though they did want Texas A&M to discipline Sullivan, the court documents state.</p>

<p>Sullivan was arrested and charged with criminal mischief because the feces had to be removed by Texas A&M personnel, causing "substantial inconvenience and a pecuniary loss of $50 or more," according to the affidavit. He was released from the Brazos County Jail on Friday afternoon after posting $2,000 bail.</p>

<p>Normally, A&M does not take disciplinary action in a situation like this until an investigation is complete, said David Parrott, dean of student life. But there is no excuse for such behavior, he added.</p>

<p>"We look dimly on any student treating a guest of the university in such a manner that's inconsistent with Aggie values," Parrott said.</p>

<p>Parsons Mounted Cavalry formed in 1973 to revive the legacy of A&M's horse-drawn artillery program. It remains the only collegiate military cavalry unit in the nation.

[/quote]
</p>

<p><a href="http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112705/local_20051127008a.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112705/local_20051127008a.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Oh, and then there is the classic, when a member of the aggie pulled his sword on an SMU cheerleader in 1981. Apparently, this event is a source of pride – the tenth picture down on this cite:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.mattwalters.com/web/texastech/images/rivalry/aggies.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.mattwalters.com/web/texastech/images/rivalry/aggies.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

34

<p>
[quote]
Seeing that the minority group represented in TAMU is a bit miniscule, I'd kinda figured I might be picked on quite a bit...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>UcMichigan, picked on? Please tell me you’re joking, this is a major research university we’re talking about here, not some Podunk high school filled with redneck bullies. The vast majority of A&M students could care less whether someone is Asian, Black, White, Hispanic, or whatever. I have no doubt there are a handful of racists at A&M, but that does not make A&M unique. Racism, to one degree or another, is an unfortunate fact of life on EVERY college campus. </p>

<p>
[quote]
ABC News: The Blotter
Gates' Unfinished Business: Racism at Texas A&M
November 10, 2006 1:26 PM

[/quote]
</p>

<p>quixotic, thanks for posting this article and so eloquently putting the racism question at A&M to bed. Interested readers should also check out: </p>

<p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2560958%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2560958&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-10-31-fraternity-hopkins-race_x.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-10-31-fraternity-hopkins-race_x.htm&lt;/a> </p>

<p><a href="http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2005/11/07/News/Party.At.U.Of.C.Not.Quite.Pc-1047617.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2005/11/07/News/Party.At.U.Of.C.Not.Quite.Pc-1047617.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3580350&page=1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3580350&page=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/education/23princeton.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/education/23princeton.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102087.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102087.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/11/dartmouth_presi.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/11/dartmouth_presi.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6387183.stm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6387183.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2007/02/06/News/black.Theme.Party.Elicits.Concerned.Response-2701102.shtml?sourcedomain=wildcat.arizona.edu&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2007/02/06/News/black.Theme.Party.Elicits.Concerned.Response-2701102.shtml?sourcedomain=wildcat.arizona.edu&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
That sounds terrible.I'm Asian too,maybe TAMU is not for me.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>yucca, only you can decide whether A&M is right or wrong for you, but hopefully your decision will be based on more than an article about a couple of moron students who didn’t deserve to get into A&M in the first place. </p>

<p>
[quote]
hey are not as big a deal as the corps of cadets. See the corps in action on national television here:

[/quote]
</p>

<p>
[quote]
A&M cavalry member charged in UT incident
Accused of throwing horse feces at band
Eagle Staff Report

[/quote]
</p>

<p>
[quote]
Oh, and then there is the classic, when a member of the aggie pulled his sword on an SMU cheerleader in 1981. Apparently, this event is a source of pride – the tenth picture down on this cite:

[/quote]
</p>

<p>quixotic, right now you’re only at about a 5 out of 10 on the douchebag scale, so post a little more and let’s see if we can’t raise you up to a 6 or 7.</p>

35

<p>Kyler242:</p>

<p>Unfortunately, racist incidents do happen on other campuses; however, it’s quite unusual for a professor to point out that his own institution has a “structural and cultural problem” when it comes to racism on campus. Professor Saenz also stated that, “there have only been surface changes where deeper changes need to be made.”</p>

<p>Perhaps the professor had these instances in mine when he made his comments:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Srikanth Sastry, president of the International Graduate Student Association (IGSA), said it is common for international students to be verbally assaulted in the Northgate area, and that he recommends international students walk home from campus in small groups. </p>

<p>"Especially on the weekend, it's common to see beer bottles being thrown and abuse shouted at (international students)," Sastry said.</p>

<p>Sastry said several A&M international student organizations plan to create a support system for international students who are assaulted, in case they are scared to go to the police because of cultural differences.

[/quote]

<a href="http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2005/06/22/News/Police.University.Review.Procedures.After.June.1.Assault-958533-page2.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2005/06/22/News/Police.University.Review.Procedures.After.June.1.Assault-958533-page2.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

36

<p>I have to agree with quixotic. </p>

<p>Of course, racism will be prevalent in most, if not all, college campuses. However, given the percentage of minorities on campus (as oppose to, say, UT), it seems obvious to assume these occurrences of racism may be more frequent. </p>

<p>I don't know about you, but I have been a victim of a number of racial remarks. Most depends on where I am. In some areas where I live, people will yell random racial remarks, but there are some places (that I go to just as much) where these events have never occurred. For me, one more event of racism is one too many.</p>

37

<p>
[quote]
it’s quite unusual for a professor to point out that his own institution has a “structural and cultural problem” when it comes to racism on campus.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>LOL quioxitic, thanks for the laugh. A professor lamenting institutional racism on his/her college campus is not novel, and is definitely not unique to A&M. Hell, Duke University has 88 of them. (<a href="http://www.concerneddukefaculty.org/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.concerneddukefaculty.org/&lt;/a&gt;) </p>

<p>
[quote]
Perhaps the professor had these instances in mine when he made his comments:</p>

<p>Quote:
Srikanth Sastry, president of the International Graduate Student Association (IGSA), said it is common for international students to be verbally assaulted in the Northgate area, and that he recommends international students walk home from campus in small groups. </p>

<p>"Especially on the weekend, it's common to see beer bottles being thrown and abuse shouted at (international students)," Sastry said.</p>

<p>Sastry said several A&M international student organizations plan to create a support system for international students who are assaulted, in case they are scared to go to the police because of cultural differences.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>quioxitc, come on, are you really this naïve? The Northgate area is OFF CAMPUS and is frequented by hundreds (if not thousands) of people each night, many of whom are NOT EVEN AFFILIATED WITH A&M. </p>

<p>
[quote]
given the percentage of minorities on campus (as oppose to, say, UT), it seems obvious to assume these occurrences of racism may be more frequent.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That is of course until you do some research and discover that UT, despite its slightly higher percentage of minorities, is no stranger to racial problems. I would also encourage you to look into Dartmouth College, another school that nulls your assumption. </p>

<p>
[quote]
For me, one more event of racism is one too many.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Ah, finally something we can agree on.</p>

38

<p>"That is of course until you do some research and discover that UT, despite its slightly higher percentage of minorities, is no stranger to racial problems."</p>

<p>Well, of course UT may be no stranger to racial problems, and I realize that. that still doesn't address what I'm saying: that there may be more occurrences in TAMU than in UT.<br>
UT has about 38% minority, while TAMU has about 21%. That isn't "slightly higher." That twice the amount - roughly 7,000 students difference; also, UT has about 17% asians, and, compared to TAMU's 4%, that's nearly four times as much.</p>

39

<p>This is the most ridiculous thread I've read in a long time. It is obvious that quixotic and UcMichigan have other issues with TAMU. If anyone would let a few morons (from any school) taint an entire student body, then they are looking for something to fight over. As long as we perpetuate the negative and fail to see the positive in people, racism will never end. Let's move on.</p>

40

<p>
[quote]
Well, of course UT may be no stranger to racial problems, and I realize that. that still doesn't address what I'm saying: that there may be more occurrences in TAMU than in UT.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>UcMichigan, at least you’re using the word “may”, I have to give you credit for that. However, if embarrassing national media coverage of campus racism is any barometer, then both schools seem to be on pretty equal footing. </p>

<p>
[quote]
UT has about 38% minority, while TAMU has about 21%. That isn't "slightly higher." That twice the amount - roughly 7,000 students difference; also, UT has about 17% asians, and, compared to TAMU's 4%, that's nearly four times as much.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>OK, let me rephrase: UT has SLIGHTLY higher minority percentages than A&M for Black, Hispanic, and International students. UT has the SAME percentage of American Indian students as A&M. UT has a SIGNIFICANTLY higher percentage of Asian students. Here is the most current certified data from Spring 2007:</p>

<pre><code> A&M / UT

</code></pre>

<p>Black: 1,266 3.0% / 1,841 3.9%
Hispanic: 4,640 11.0% / 7,073 15.1%
Asian: 1,609 3.8% / 6,869 14.6%
American Indian: 216 0.5% / 222 0.5%
International: 3,383 8.0% / 4,203 9.0%
Unknown/Other: 177 0.4% / 345 0.7% </p>

<p>Source:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.tamu.edu/opir/reports/student.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tamu.edu/opir/reports/student.html&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.utexas.edu/academic/oir/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.utexas.edu/academic/oir/&lt;/a> </p>

<p>
[quote]
This is the most ridiculous thread I've read in a long time. It is obvious that quixotic and UcMichigan have other issues with TAMU. If anyone would let a few morons (from any school) taint an entire student body, then they are looking for something to fight over.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I couldn’t agree more. If there is one theme running throughout this thread, it’s how disturbingly comfortable some people feel caricaturing and stereotyping A&M and its students based on the actions of a few select jackasses. As I stated in post #18, there are idiots at every school. To allow those type of people to color one’s perception of an entire university requires a certain amount of immaturity, which unfortunately is all too often in bountiful supply on CC.</p>