Why don't people like A&M?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Texas A&M University
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<p>Well, I guess my comments really struck a nerve.</p>

<p>fusionshrimp, there is SO much more to getting a good education than just going to class and making good grades. Interacting and becoming a part of the society around you is just as important to your education for life as what you experience in the classroom.</p>

<p>And it is absolutely reasonable to expect each college to have its own personality. That is why you do a college search in high school, to help find the school that "fits" your personality best, academically and socially.</p>

<p>As far as all the rejected students not being academically qualified, that is patently wrong. There are many more excellent students than A&M has places for. They had 26,000 applications for 8,100 openings this year. I assure you there were many top notch students that won't get in but who deserve to. It serves an organization better to have participants who are happy to be there than those who are not.</p>

<p>If, in your opinion, the A&M traditions are too much to stomach, so be it. I hope you find the satisfaction you are looking for at UT and wish you all luck in the future.</p>

<p>ag54, looking forward to hearing your son's impression of his visit next week.</p>

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<p>Well, so be it; but just so you know my education is leading to a career as a research mathematician, so there's not much interaction to be had. It's pretty much all about going to class and making good grades right now. And I guess you can have all that other stuff you said.</p>

<p>And I will concur about how nice the new engineering building is. The new physics building is looking good too! They're going to have to tear down blocker and put something nicer up.</p>

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<p>
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If you're a Texan and not in the top 10% (my ds isn't), then you sure can't count on UT. So that leaves A&M, even with all our reservations.

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<p>Sure you can. 20% of UT's class next year will be non-top 10%, compared to 40% of A&M's. While small, those numbers are still enough to secure a spot in the freshman class of any school. They also show that now, admissions at A&M is nearing the competitiveness of UT. So keeping A&M as a backup to UT is not necessarily a safe bet.</p>

<p>Plus, a new bill has passed through the Texas Senate and is going through the House to limit the amount of top 10% students automatically accepted to 50% (or 60, can't remember) of the incoming freshman class. That should go in effect for future students (probably Class of 2014).</p>

<p>
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And I will concur about how nice the new engineering building is. The new physics building is looking good too!

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<p>Have you seen the new life sciences building? It's really nice looking.</p>

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They're going to have to tear down blocker and put something nicer up.

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<p>Why? Blocker is still in good shape. I'm actually currently in their computer lab. Nothing wrong with this building.</p>

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<p>gstein - the kicker is the House of Reps - they're the ones that have blocked the same type bill that has gotten out of the senate the past few legislative sessions. If it happens this year, it will be a miracle (but one that I'm sure both UT and A&M will jump for joy about!).</p>

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<p>I'm just saying blocker is an ugly building. And the elevators are scary (and out of inspection I might add!) Oh yes, I forgot about the Life sciences building, I don't go over there that often. I guess A&M will have a handful of some pretty nice buildings in the near future.</p>

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<p>gstein, I don't believe that 20% will be non-top 10%. More like 12-15%. Ds can get into A&M under the assured admit program (unless BC Cal grade plummets!).</p>

<p>As ag says, the House is the stickler with top 10% changes. Not sure things will change enough to help the '10ers.</p>

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<p>
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gstein, I don't believe that 20% will be non-top 10%.

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<p>Read it in the paper the other day. 81% will be top 10. So yes, roughly 20%.</p>

<p>
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gstein - the kicker is the House of Reps - they're the ones that have blocked the same type bill that has gotten out of the senate the past few legislative sessions.

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<p>Very true. But I feel this one will be different. It still allows for the top 10% that "helps minorities" while also allowing the schools more of what they want. So we'll see how it plays out.</p>

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<p>From The Daily Texan last month: "Powers said 86 percent of Texas freshmen were admitted to UT under the top 10 percent law in the fall of 2008, and the proportion of top 10 percent students is on the rise."</p>

<p>I actually think it was 81% fall 2008, but, regardless, the percentage is on the rise and will no doubt be more than 81% in fall 2009 and definitely more than that in fall 2010, when my son hopes to enroll, unless something is done.</p>

<p>Also, want to correct the impression that support is only from "minority" districts. Rural legislators are a huge voting bloc on this.</p>

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<p>
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Also, want to correct the impression that support is only from "minority" districts. Rural legislators are a huge voting bloc on this.

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<p>If this was in reference to my statement, I never said support was only from minority districts. I merely said the new proposed bill will help the schools as well as maintaining its potential aid to minorities, which was the purpose of origination for the top 10% law.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Very true. But I feel this one will be different. It still allows for the top 10% that "helps minorities" while also allowing the schools more of what they want. So we'll see how it plays out

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<p>I hope you're right, although in my son's case it might hurt him because he's in the top 10%! But, I feel strongly that it is in the best interest of the state as a whole to, at least, tweak the law. Texas is losing too many strong students to out of state universities, and then they stay!! Case in point, my oldest - went to UF, staying in Florida!!</p>

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<p>Well, we're back! Here are our impressions and experiences from our visit.</p>

<p>First let me say that we drove in on hiway 6 from Houston. The drive is gorgeous, farmlands and blue bonnets everywhere. Then you hit the outskirts of College Station - and (sorry to say) UGLY. too many strip malls - no personality. </p>

<p>On campus, we went to the new Chemical Engineering Building and it is gorgeous! We met with a counselor there, and the meeting went extremely well. He spent alot of time with my son, and had the perfect mix of questions and information. He obviously was biased pro- A&M, but he wasn't overt about it and it made the session more persuasive. My son left that meeting feeling like he should really consider A&M.</p>

<p>THEN, we went on the tour. Mistake we made was going on a Friday afternoon when there were few people on campus, and the ones that were, were either in the corps or people who don't have better things to do on a Friday afternoon ;). While we were impressed with the traditions (Muster and Silver Taps in particular - what beautiful and meaningful traditions), we were not impressed by the campus. It just looks like an office complex, like it could be an IBM campus in California. It doesn't look "college-y". And, the forced Howdy-ing by the tourguide was really off-putting. Noone in the group really wanted to say Howdy, and we were chided for our lack of enthusiasm ;).</p>

<p>Finally, we went to an admissions session. Since there were only 2 juniors there, we had a pretty open discussion with lots of chances for questions. That was REALLY informative and I think the admissions rep was great! It looks as if my son would qualify for quite a bit of merit money which would be awesome! And, the job placement opportunities are impressive. All in the plus column.</p>

<p>We went to the UT vrs A&M lacrosse game, which was fun and really close (UT won narrowly) and then headed home, and being only 1 1/2 hours away was nice.</p>

<p>As asides: </p>

<p>My nephew goes there and was busy with Chilifest; I wish my son had been able to hang out with him to see that side of A&M, it would have given him a different impression of the social life at A&M.</p>

<p>I wish we had gotten to see where people just hang out. There have to be places where there are coffee shops with Wifi (right? it can't just be stripmalls with Jack in the Boxes).</p>

<p>I wish we had gone on a Tuesday, or a day when more people were walking around campus, so he could see a true reflection of the types of kids there.</p>

<p>And finally, one weird thing that happened - we went to eat dinner at the Dixie Chicken before the game. My husband was wearing an orange shirt (didn't say UT or Texas or Longhorns or anything UTish - just orange with a tiny polo!) and he was confronted by a guy for being a Longhorn. Wow! My husband is 50 years old, definitely not a student, especially since he was standing there with his middle aged wife and teenage son. I'm all for a friendly rivalry, but that is ridiculous!! :eek:</p>

<p>I want my son to get a chance to go there on his own for a weekend, to just hang out and see if he can see himself there. Unfortunately the tour didn't give him that impression. While he is extremely impressed with the engineering school and the opportunities for employment, he just doesn't know if he could spend 4 years in College Station based on this visit.</p>

<p>I told him that he would probably feel the exact same way about UT (or any college) if he went on a tour on a Friday afternoon with noone on campus ;)</p>

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<p>the time of the tour is important. Our first tour was the last day before Thanksgiving break... and in the afternoon. The campus was vacant. The second tour was on a Monday. Huge difference.
If your son is a Jr, then see that he goes to one of the leadership camps SLOT is a good choice - it is in February, there are others. 2 nights in a dorm with regular students as host.
It would be a good idea to do this type of camp at all schools he is interested in.<br>
But if you do go on a tour of UT - or anyother school.... go at the same time to compare apples to apples.
I disagree about the campus - but that is just me.</p>

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<p>Will keep timing in mind! I really want ds to at least not hate A&M.</p>

<p>What is SLOT? There are so many days that I can't keep them straight.</p>

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<p>SLOT</a> - Home Page
Student Leaders of Tomorrow. It is a student led event aimed at High School Jr/Sr</p>

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<p>Good advice klparker, I will have him look into SLOT - is that something that they will contact him about or does he need to look out for it?</p>

<p>I think if the campus had been bustling, it might have looked different, you know what I mean? It just looked so forlorn and brown. UT is not a pretty campus either, so it doesn't win on the "pretty scale" ;) But, you expect an urban campus when you go there.</p>

<p>My oldest goes to UF in Gainesville, Florida, which is a small college town like College Station. I think the difference is that at UF, all the buildings look similar (red brick with white trim) and they are laid out like a distinct campus with oak trees shading the pathways (I will say - A&M does have that beautiful Century Tree but don't walk under it alone ;)). Also in Gainesville, there are tons of little restaurants, cafes and bars lining the streets of the campus with a beautiful little downtown area with town squares within biking distance, and the area surrounding the campus is residential, so there aren't any strip malls until you get far away from campus. It just looks more "campus-y".</p>

<p>I wish College Station had that type of thing and less "Old Navy" and "Olive Garden" type places right up next to it. :)</p>

<p>edit to add - Thanks for the link!!</p>

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<p>Thanks. Looks like we've missed it for this year.</p>

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<p>Well, I went to visit A&M this weekend and stopped by Chilifest.
It was fun! I really liked the people. I'm just now waiting to see if I get in.</p>

<p>Two things I didn't like:</p>

<p>-Cops can be total jerks. But hopefully it was just because of chilifest.
-The "saw 'em off" sticker. It think it's a bit disrespectful.</p>

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<p>you will have to watch for SLOT registration, they don't contact you. Our High School Counsiler does keep tabs on what kids are interested in what schools and notifies the kids with stuff like this, but otherwise, we would not have known. There are several things simular to SLOT that are fun, Gameday is a good one, but usually there are way more kids interested in going - because it does include a football game - tried to get into that one, but didn't get name pulled out of the hat.
I'll look up a link for stuff like slot and put it out here for you.</p>

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<p>Oh, and I do understand about beautiful college campus...
I worked for St. Marys College of Maryland, I doubt there is a more beautiful college campus anywhere. Down in southern Maryland between the Patuxent & Patomic rivers - beautiful colonial red brick buildings with sidewalks and gree grass and tall trees. Rowing teams out on the river - Simply beautiful.... but small.
College Station didn't even start out as a town, it was a train station. There just isn't a historical downtown.
I think very few campus' the size of A&M would fit the most beautiful bill... UF must be an exception. I know this is coming from an aggie - but I do see a beautiful campus.
Nothing like the one I mentioned above, but the buildings are fabulous and the historic buildings are there too. I think a campus that is continually growing - like A&M - will never fit the image of the schools that are not growing.</p>

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<p>Admissions</a> Events</p>

<p>The above link explains about several events for High School Jr/Sr's</p>