<p>Full ride go aggiessssssssssssssssss
Please answer some questions?
Is there a lot of racism. I am African and also Muslim
How’s the off campus food, and housing?
How big is the school?
Is their an active gay community?
How hard are the science classes and pre-med classes?
Thanks go Aggiesss gig em</p>
<p>“Is there a lot of racism,” as written, assumes there is racism. Not a good start. And not an accurate, or fair, assumption.</p>
<p>Agreed tshusker. While A&M is a conservative environment, it is also an inclusive one. </p>
<p>I am on campus right at this moment, with my son, having requested a day for him to visit classes, meet with professors, financial aid,honors staff, etc. We were told this morning that 2/3 of the students in his field of interest, chemical engineering, are international students, and I am in the lobby of the physics building listening to four lovely young students speaking, perhaps, Arabic. I have seen every color, creed, you name it, on this campus today, and they are the friendliest, most open, and wonderfully connected and collegiate group of students. Great vibe. My personal view/experience.</p>
<p>I am originally from California, by the way, and presently reside in Arkansas–if that matters.</p>
<p>Wonderful post, yakker! Thank you!</p>
<p>@yakker. Nice post. My son has decided on A&M and has been accepted into Honors/Honors Housing. Do you think it will be A&M for your son, or is Colorado School of Mines still in the running?</p>
<p>I can’t remember if I linked my visit report before, so forgive me if it’s a repeat:
<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/texas-a-m-university/1376245.html”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/texas-a-m-university/1376245.html</a></p>
<p>Sorry about the post can anyone answer please thanks</p>
<p>Sorry about the post can anyone answer please thanks</p>
<p>@Beaudreau – I believe son may have ruled out CSM after our second visit there a couple weeks ago, and he really liked A&M (during our third visit there!) yesterday, but he will visit Rice for Owl Days next week and then decide. At present, Rice is probably at the top of the short list between the two, if only because he thinks he would prefer a smaller school. But, he loved the energy at A&M, was impressed that the students were really engaged in the class he attended, and really liked and felt accepted by the many students and faculty he met–and likes the price! They really do a great job of recruiting top students. In his words, “that was the most productive college visit I think I’ve had.” He’s definitely leaning toward A&M. </p>
<p>And, yes, saw your trip report! It is spot on! Sounds like we had an identical itinerary with different “NASA” students leading us around, of course. We, too, got to see the honors dorms, but our dorm tour started in a non-honors dorm – the grand Hullabaloo Hall – the newest “dorm” if you want to call it that! With a Starbucks in the lobby of the dorm building, I’d have a tough time heading off to class everyday! I loved your description of the drive to A&M, which, this time of year, is absolutely spectacular from my direction – heading down through northeast Texas – with Texas bluebonnets and clover in bloom, wild Dogwood trees blooming deep in the forests before all the other trees, lush greenery. It’s a well-kept secret! Great place/great people.</p>
<p>@135pipe </p>
<p>In answer to some of your questions, if you’re serious:</p>
<p>Question 1 – I, too, think your assumption of racism is misguided and is, itself, your unfair judgment of a group of people based on nothing other than the geographic area where they go to learn. I saw no evidence of racism at any of the times I have been to A&M. If you have such a negative, preconceived, and unfair notion about the place that supposedly has welcomed you with a “free ride” as you say, perhaps it’s really not the best fit for you or A&M. </p>
<p>Question 2 – The off campus food choices are abundant – Freebird, Chipotle, Dixie Chicken, McDonald’s, etc. all across the street from campus; grocery stores near campus. Nicer restaurants a mile or so away.</p>
<p>The same is true of off-campus housing; it is abundant and inexpensive.</p>
<p>Question 3 – You can easily find this information online at the school’s website and other “ranking” type websites. The school is one of the largest in the nation. The student body numbers over 50,000 and the physical size of campus is large, but walkable – with the exception of west campus, which would be a long walk, but which is geared toward specific programs, like veterinary medicine, the med school (not premed), and some agricultural programming, I believe. Free buses for A&M students also make navigating campus and town a breeze. No car is necessary.</p>
<p>Question 4 – I don’t have the knowledge/information so as to offer an answer to this question.</p>
<p>Question 5 – You will see on other threads that some of the classes are quite difficult. I have read and heard from more than one student and parent that apparently Physics 208, for example, is the most failed course on campus. Many advise taking it as a pass/fail class at a community college, but I doubt that top performing students would have a problem if they are serious about their studies. </p>
<p>@Beaudreau – meant to say son is leaning toward A&M if the price is not right at Rice! A&M really showed him that you can make a very large institution feel like a smaller campus by carving out a niche, such as engineering and honors programs help to do. Will keep you posted!</p>
<p>Thank you very much. </p>
<p>@yakker. We are registered to attend the same new student conference that you signed up for. We’ll say “howdy” if your son makes the right decision.</p>
<p>@135pipe. You need to be aware of a phenomenon called confirmation bias. In a nutshell, people tend to see and believe what confirms their own biases. (And everyone has biases: politics, food, music, clothes, etc.) This manifests itself in several ways. First, people tend to hang out with people that look at things the way they do. Second, people tend to read material, visit websites, watch TV, and listen to talk radio that is consistent with their own outlooks. In this way, they are not exposed to contrary views. Third, even if exposed to information that is contrary to their biases, people tend to ignore or disregard it.</p>
<p>So if you expect small-town Texans to all be red-neck bigots who drive pick-up trucks, drink Jack Daniels, and ride around yelling “yee-haw,” then you will probably find evidence to support your bias. If you expect the A&M community (students, faculty, and administration) to be biased against African-Americans, Muslims, gays, transgendered, and so on, you will discover supporting evidence. Similarly, if a boy from a Texas small town expects every African-American to have a chip on his shoulder and wanting preferential treatment, he might could meet you and find evidence to support his bias, particularly if you treat him like a redneck.</p>
<p>You have asked many times in several threads about the prevalence at A&M of racism and homophobia. You are clearly concerned, maybe even afraid. Now, I have no real first-hand experience, but I doubt that A&M is much different than any other large public university. Certainly, it is one of the friendliest campuses I have ever visited. I firmly believe that if you go to college at A&M with an open mind and are willing to work very hard (pre-med and other science courses are really hard at any college), you will have the best experience of your life. You will leave A&M with an outstanding education and with friends who you will cherish for life. But, if you go in with your head down and a suspicious mind, and are not willing to work hard, you will end up unhappy and be gone in a couple of years.</p>
<p>You seem like a nice kid and I want you to succeed. You have a great opportunity that others would practically kill for - a full ride to a great university! It’s up to you whether you take advantage of it or not. Anyway, take my advice for what it’s worth coming from an over-50 white guy with his own set of biases.</p>
<p>Thank you I dint mean to come off with a bias tone or whatever. I have heard some negative things an out tamu, and rather than believe what people said, I wanted to ask fir someone or propose who went their got ther experience and answer some questions. Thank you very much @Beaudreau you are so helpful. </p>
<p>You are going to be an Aggie. I want you to be thrilled. And in four years, I want you to be a proud Aggie graduate, recommending the school to anyone who will listen, and talking trash to Longhorns.</p>
<p>Hahah thanks my brother goes to tu coming out about 60k in loans. I am rubbing this is his face hahah lol I know it’s mean, even he regrets not applying to texas a&m </p>
<p>" I have heard some negative things an out tamu, "
If you go looking you can/will find some negative things everywhere. You will also find positive things everywhere.</p>
<p>I agree that’s why I came here to hear the positive things about tamu. Now I am really excited can’t wait to visit campus. But I have one fear. I have a horrible phobia of dogs of all shapes and sizes. So tamu will not have dogs running around otherwise I will collapse from a heart attack. I just can help being scared of them.</p>
<p>Also on out was a typo it was supposed to say about</p>