We delivered the letters to PSC on Friday. Received access to AIS on Saturday lol. However, his application is 100% completed and all dociumentd were received. He is now in review. Fingers crossed. Thank you!

@TAMUAdmissions My daughter is from a competitive school with a GPA of 4.806 and missed the 25% Class Rank cutoff for her school by .04%. Therefore, she has a 25.X% rank and was put into the 2nd Quartile for holistic review. I am concerned that now she is lumped into the 25%-50% range without indication that she was so close to 1Q. Do the admissions counselors know that she is 25.x% or just that she is 2Q? At this point, I wish her school would not have stopped ranking because then at least they would know for sure when reviewing it.
Would it help for her to call and talk to an Admissions Counselor?

@TAMUAdmissions My son applied 9/30 for admission for the Fall 2019 semester. Unfortunately, he too quickly applied (hit submit too soon - he is also ADHD) and did not complete the volunteer and extracurricular sections. He "quickly" put together a resume outlining this and submitted roughly 1-2 weeks later (I am not sure when). Then a week after that, I encouraged him to add a sheet outlining volunteer hours, which he did. Then (I know) his teacher finally gave him a letter of recommendation which he uploaded 11/16. His rank is 13% out of 931 students and has a 29 on ACT (meeting minimum requirements for English and Math). He is worried about 1) admissions officers seeing less than exciting application due to not completing the ECs and Volunteer sections and then not taking the supplemental documentation into account to cover this; and 2) he took the residual ACT and scored even lower than his 29 - we know that the site says they look at highest sitting but how do they ignore the bad ones? Has he hurt his chances? His AIS does say Complete and In review.

Also I have a question - just out of curiosity - what is the holistic review process? Is there any documentation describing in detail the process at TAMU? How many officers, typically, review any one applicant? I am very curious as to what happens behind the scenes...especially with so many applicants to review every year.

AggieDreamin,

I believe you had an on-line chat with this question previously. Admissions will have access to all her paperwork. She can call an admissions counselor at 979-458-0950.

@TAMUAdmissions Thank you for the reply. She will call this afternoon.

jaceyk,

Anything received by 5 p.m., Monday, December 10 was added to his file and will be considered. We only consider the best, one day score received by the deadline.

For holistic review, Admissions evaluates class rank (not specifically GPA), test scores and everything else submitted with the application - outside activities, leadership, employment, the essays, etc. Like most universities, A&M does not detail the process.

@TAMUAdmissions Thank you for your reply! I guess a whole can of worms would be opened if disgruntled applicants (and their parents) knew what the process is exactly (it would be dissected and could turn ugly I guess).

Anyway, I know that there have been acceptance waves for auto and academic admits with a few review (for Mays and Engineering, I guess); when will TAMU Admissions start rolling out acceptances for Review Admits? I have heard varying answers from people at Aggieland visits, calls to Admissions, etc - with answers ranging from mid-December to end of February. We are now at mid-December so I am thinking not this month - is it possible that we will see the next wave in January or will we all have to wait until February?

It was not until this week that the deadline passed. Many documents were received just before the deadline as many applicants waited until then. As those documents are processed, Admissions will have a better idea of the competition for review admits. Decisions are not "held" as they are made. As a result, review admits may hear any time but most likely after the first of the year. Admissions hopes to finish by March. Also as a result of the above, it is difficult to give a precise date, however.

My son was accepted to A&M September 20 (applied July 4), but is currently under Engineering Review. His acceptance letter states:

"You have been admitted to Engineering Review (UNEN). Your NSC Registration will be delayed until the College of Engineering review has been completed. Files completed by October 15th will be reviewed and a decision notification posted here by mid-December. Decisions will post in mid to late January for files completing after October 15."

Since it is now December 15th and he applied July 4 shouldn't we have heard something by now?

Thanks!

We have recently been told by late December for those Engineering applicants who had files complete in time for Early Action. So it should be soon.

Any word on when review admits will be rolling out, even Texas did a big wave last week. I hate to get beat by tu in anything!

Admissions does not know until the deadline what the competition is for those who are Review Admits. In addition, since Top 10 and Academic Admits can apply right up until the December deadline, and many do, it is not known how much room there is for Review Admits until that occurs. As a result, Review Admits may hear a decision anytime (but more likely after the first of the year). The process hopefully will be finished by mid-March.

@TAMUAdmissions I have another question, if you don't mind. I am wondering about leverage between AP vs. Dual Credit courses. For example, if Johnny had 7 AP classes and Suzy had 7 Dual Credit classes - which one has more leverage? Are they equal? Or does AP carry more weight? Thank you!

They are considered equally. But there are variables to consider. For example, Students with more than 40 hours cannot be admitted to Blinn TEAM, Gateway or Engineering Academy at Blinn. You can call an admissions counselor at 979-458-0950 to discuss your particular situation.

Thank you @TAMUAdmissions. No, my son is good there. He has good stats in every category but fell short on ACT by .25 of a point for academic admit so now we are anxiously waiting to find out if he will pass the holistic review process. With that said, I do have just one more question - without realizing the potential repercussions of doing so, he selected No Preference for location with regards to McAllen location (he selected BIMS as first major and Public Health as second major). What is the process for deciding who gets CSTAT vs. McAllen? Do the reviewers look hard at their location request? Does having both of these major selections make him a more ideal candidate for McAllen? And will these decisions be deferred until February? Again, we are very anxious - trying hard to be patient. Thank you very much for your responses.

If your son is interested in perhaps attending A&M in McAllen, he can go to Contact Us through his AIS page and let Admissions know. That will make Admissions aware of his interest for that location. http://admissions.tamu.edu/HECM also has info about McAllen. He always can call an admissions counselor at 979-458-0950. Review decisions are ongoing and will hopefully be complete by March.

@TAMUAdmissions No, he isn't interested in McAllen - he is just worried that, if accepted, he will be assigned McAllen because he put No Preference for the question of preferred location on the Apply Texas application. If he is assigned McAllen, does he have the option to change to Blinn with the opportunity to transfer to TAMU College Station?

I would encourage your son to review Other Pathways and Alternative Admission Decisions at http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/admitted

Due to limited space on the College Station campus, A&M may make different offers as discussed above. Those who begin in McAllen can change campuses after one year if they choose. There is limited space in McAllen as well.

The best course of action is to wait and see what offer is forthcoming (if any) and your son can determine at that point if A&M's offer coincides with his career goals.

He can always attend Blinn College on his own and later try to transfer to A&M but that is competitive as well.

@TAMUAdmissions

When establishing a rank for a student from a non-ranking high school, does A&M use the weighted or non-weighted GPA?

Additionally, when a student from a ranking high school applies with a percentage rank,or X/XXX, do the high schools send in the weighted or non weighted GPA and does A&M ever adjust the rank according to the grading profile?

In a nutshell, is the playing field leveled for all applicants to a non weighted GPA when rank is considered for admission and when GPA's are used to establish a rank (combined with their test scores).

Regarding non-ranking high schools, A&M will use the information the school provides on the transcript along with the school profile to determine a class rank that is appropriate for each student.

Regarding schools that do rank, A&M does not later change the rank of their students.

@TamuAdmissions

If an applicant has already been admitted to A&M and placed in their major, can they now apply for engineering?

Change of major would be extremely limited at this point. The request would be made through Contact Us on your AIS page or change of major option through your Howdy portal. It would be decided on a case by case basis. Change of major is not guaranteed.

Currently enrolled students at A&M would discuss change of major options with their academic adviser.

Any word on review admit decisions coming out?

My daughter is really starting to think Auburn is a better choice. I hate to say but I am beginning to think the same. They have sent non stop information, given her a very healthy scholarship and in-state tuition rates.

We have heard zip from A&M even after going to the information day last month.

The non ranking small school is definitely looking like a disadvantage when it comes to Texas state schools. 3.8 GPA and A&M put her in the 2nd Quartile.

However her 1460 SAT puts her in the top 5% of all incoming freshman last year.

I just wonder how many good students A&M is losing out on that are getting wooed to other schools during the waiting game.

A&M isn't losing good students. All of the one's admitted are good students. They just cannot accept them all. A&M doesn't give out a lot of money to entice excellent students to attend. They don't have to. She may get a decision yet. It is said that those under review typically don't get decisions until January. A&M has to place all of the Auto and academic admits first and then they know how much room is left for those under review. School just started Monday so I wouldn't lose hope just yet. Good luck to your daughter.

I disagree that A&M is not losing good students, I also disagree with the idea that we do not need to recruit because there is already a line waiting to get in.

Does Apple stop marketing when it is leading the market? Does Wells Fargo stop marketing when they are one of the largest banks?

I can tell you that Stanford, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Duke have sent my daughter at least 5 solicitations in the mail. I do not even know how much email. All of the auto admits are getting the same if not more from some very good Universities. Princeton sent 3 mailers each highlighting different areas academic, student life and financial which gave how much scholarship money she had already qualified for based on her SAT. You think that these schools are not skimming off talent from A&M?

Does that mean that A&M is not getting good students? I do not think so, but I think they should be striving for greatness not just good.

I believe that A&M is a top school, but I am 2nd Generation Aggie and not 18 anymore. Bottom line for me after going through the process I am disappointed in the effort A&M is putting out versus the competition.

It really seems like they know they will fill up so why bother.

Receiving materials isn't being accepted. Receiving materials isn't saying you are qualified to be accepted. Mailers and marketing materials get students to "feel" like they are wanted and get students to apply whom the university will not ever accept. It's a lucrative revenue stream.

Your daughter is receiving all of this recruiting material because she checked the box on her SAT that she wished to receive solicitations from colleges/universities. Schools didn't ask her high school for her info or College Board for her scores without her asking to be sent information.
The out of state tuition one will pay is also a great plus for them.

Top students from Texas do go off to other places in state and out of state, than A&M but that in no way dilutes the students that do attend A&M. They do recruit top students and they have many scholarships they offer them. These are national merit kids and valedictorians and other very top students. They don't recruit good and average students. Plenty of them apply on their own. Last year was like 27,000 review admit applications. There are all types of scholarships set aside for various types of students but as for merit awards, an applicant is tippy top, not great, good or average.

I was national merit commended and top 8% of my class. I got a ridiculous amount of mailers. Not because they really wanted me. It is because I hit all the points on there radar, as did millions of students. No one called me up or visited me to express REAL interest. I got computer generated emails and postcards, just like your daughter.

I was denied my first choice school out of state for engineering. Offered me any major other than STEM. I was disappointed but I didn't go around blaming the school, their lack of recruitment of me or others, or the wait I had to endure before I received the decision. A&M accepted me for engineering and offered me no scholarship or funds to offset the cost of tuition. I was offered full ride scholarships at UT Arlington for engineering. I chose A&M. The school that rejected me for the major is also competitive for admissions and I just wasn't as competitive as others that admissions cycle. That doesn't mean I am not smart, capable, or that they were disrespecting me in the slightest. I wan't good enough compared to the competition. That is life. I didn't take it personal.

Being a second generation Aggie, I can sense that you are disappointed that your daughter may not be generation 3 and your feelings are hurt because your daughter isn't a top 10% auto and wasn't competitive enough to make academic admit. You take it personally that they have not recruited her and being an average student, she may break that legacy. Mark my words, she feels it and is afraid to disappoint you and break that legacy. So it is understandable that you direct that disappointment onto an inanimate object that is the university instead of her.

I am sure she is a smart and capable kid and she could end up being admitted after all or receive a pathway admission offer. The review process is competitive and it seems there are limited spots for them. Good luck to her. And if for some reason she isn't offered admissions, it isn't personal. It is that competition was tough and if she really wants to be an Aggie, there is more than one way. It doesn't end at freshman admission.
.

Thank you sharing 3in33.

Piggybacking on your personal journey.

My now Sophomore Son with a 1560 SAT, all AP's and all kinds of EC's, Eagle Scout etc. was put into the 2nd Qtr by A&M missing the 1st quarter "Academic Admit" by only .09 % (Graduated from a smaller non-ranking private High School loaded with other bright kids)

He got a full admit offer into the University of Texas at Austin as a Geo-Sciences major.

His offer from Texas A&M was Blinn team.

Initially a confusing result but as he dug deeper he came away with a good understanding of just how competitive it was getting into Texas A&M. I gave him kudos for figuring this out and that Texas A&M had created the "Blinn Team" option to be able to offer more review applicants a chance to be an Aggie.

He made multiple visits to the Geo-Sciences Dept's at both Texas A&M and at The University of Texas. Interestingly, my Son chose to turn down his UT offer and enrolled at Texas A&M as a Blinn Team student. (BTW During that process I can't say enough great things about the Geo-Sciences Dept at Texas A&M).

He lived on campus, got into the Geo-Sciences LLC , and joined a fraternity his Spring semester. He had an awesome freshmen year at Texas A&M and absolutely loved it. Fortunately there ARE many paths into Texas A&M and the opportunity of becoming an Aggie does NOT end at Freshman admission.

@TAMUAdmissions

Is the Engineering Academy at McAllen an admissions decision like Blinn Engineering Academy? My buddie's little bro is applying to A&M, probably not going to get full admission to engineering. It's going around that kids can now be offered to go to McAllen if they don't get the academy at Blinn. I know Galveston was always an option but is there really such thing as a McAllen decision?

https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/entry-to-a-major/engineering-at-mcallen-program.html has the details (and there are many) for Engineering at McAllen.

He also can go to http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/admitted and look under Alternative Admission Decisions and Other Pathways. We try to put as much information as we can on our web site.

However, what many applicants do is wait until they see if they get an offer from A&M and then check out the details of the specific offer A&M was able to make to them.

He also can call an admissions counselor at 979-458-0950 if he has further questions.

@TAMUAdmissions My daughter is thinking about changing majors from BIMS/Biology to Biology/Psychology. Is it still possible and could it have any negative impact on the possible outcome for admissions? Thank you!

Engineering admission options came today @TAMUAdmissions for buddie's brother. Lots of conflicting info on websites.

If he accepts the Blinn Academy for Engineering and he applies to a major in April of freshman year, is he considered a transfer student if he doesn't stay co enrolled for the 2 year Blinn Academy Program?
http://www.blinn.edu/engineering-academy-bryan/benefits.html

• Guaranteed full admission to Texas A&M University upon timely completion of all program requirements.*

* Engineering Academy students who choose to transfer to Texas A&M prior to completing the program requirements will be considered for full admission on the same basis as all transfer students.

Where as if he selects Galveston, there are no such 2 year requirements for transitioning to College Station.

Can you clarify? I just can't see why they would make an academy decision easier to get into a major (taking the math and science at a community college vs at A&M) vs how hard it is for full admits at Galveston and College Station unless there was a condition that they had to be in the Academy for 2 years or be considered a transfer student.

The Blinn-Bryan academy info says that a student can enter A&M full time after getting entry to a major by usin reverse articulation to finish the two year degree (I think they meant program). What exactly is reverse articulation?

AggieDreamin, For freshmen applicants, they can check their AIS page to see if the change of major link is still available to them. Choice of major is not a factor in deciding whom to admit as a freshman.

3in33, your buddy's brother needs to contact an admissions counselor at 979-458-0950. There can indeed be a lot of complexity involved for understanding the offer if he has questions beyond what is explained on the web site. Your buddy's brother needs to fully understand for himself what the offer is and what his requirements will be. As he discusses this one on one, he probably will have additional questions that he will want to ask and that he needs to understand. A counselor can explain more as to why he received the offer he did and the pros and cons of the various offers A&M makes. There are a number of different requirements new students have to meet to continue in the program they were offered. Generally ETAM (entry to a major) is one year. There is cost savings being at Blinn longer that is just one factor of many that may be important to some students. Once in the program, he will have academic advisers to help him be successful. If his conditions change while he is in the program, he can discuss that with his advisers about the best course of action for him at that point in time.

miaggie1, reverse articulation refers to someone who has attended a junior college and then attends a program at A&M where that is offered. In that situation, hours taken at A&M can enable them to receive an Associate's degree back at the junior college they had previously attended.

@TAMUAdmissions By changing majors we are hoping to avoid a possible offer to attend McAllen. This is not a viable option for her and having BIMS as #1 seems to put her at risk for that option. The change of major option is still available on AIS.

When will review decisions most likely be made?