double b said:

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The information posted there by Christi is great about the mechanics of submitting your application and what to expect afterwards. However, that's not going to help you in the years leading up to your application submission.

I believe with this person's daughter, something was off by a small margin to push her out of auto-admit status, which either has to do with her college resume (something lacking) or how she packaged the information.

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you are correct......I was referring to the process once you have applied. There is some really helpful information in there on timeframe and how to navigate the different options that might be given to the students.

Thank you so much for the information and advice. I'm trying to fully understand her aversion to Blinn Team as well, but I think she's just hurt and a bit reactive. I'll get her to reconsider I'm sure.

She got accepted at Ohio State yesterday with a 27% out of state acceptance rate. I know our institution has gotten tough, but man….

Okay, I think I have my daughter convinced. Do you happen to know that contact point to change her to being open to Team Blinn? It doesn't seem we can do it through the portal she got as she already selected waitlist only, and I can't find it anywhere

My kid was recently accepted at UT and still hasn't heard anything from A&M. When she applied, she wanted to be a PT and so she applied to KINES but that will probably change because she's leaning towards being a PA.

Anyone dealing with a similar situation? She's becoming frustrated with A&M and so now is leaning towards UT. She goes to a competitive high school and isn't in the top 10% but again, UT accepted her in their first round of acceptance letters.

Aggiemundo said:

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Okay, I think I have my daughter convinced. Do you happen to know that contact point to change her to being open to Team Blinn? It doesn't seem we can do it through the portal she got as she already selected waitlist only, and I can't find it anywhere

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we went through this 3 years ago. I would find the online contact in the admissions office and send them a message.

It seems like there was a help link or contact link in the portal that we clicked on.

My daughter is going through the exact same situation. Tons of AP classes (all 5's), 1430 SAT, but missed top 10% at an ultra competitive HS.

She was really butt hurt about the Blinn Team waitlist but we talked her into selecting it for now.

What does housing look like for Blinn Team? Can you live on main campus and dine on campus?

My daughter is not ready for apartment life and ultimately this might be the determining factor for her. Both Tennessee and Arkansas are throwing money at her to come....I have to admit that Tennessee was really nice when we visited.

HalifaxAg said:

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My daughter is going through the exact same situation. Tons of AP classes (all 5's), 1430 SAT, but missed top 10% at an ultra competitive HS.

She was really butt hurt about the Blinn Team waitlist but we talked her into selecting it for now.

What does housing look like for Blinn Team? Can you live on main campus and dine on campus?

My daughter is not ready for apartment life and ultimately this might be the determining factor for her. Both Tennessee and Arkansas are throwing money at her to come....I have to admit that Tennessee was really nice when we visited.

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With Blinn Team, she will be an A&M student and can live on campus/off campus. The only difference between her and full admit students is that she has to take a couple of classes at Blinn....that is it.

DM me if you have more questions or want feedback from my son's experience with Blinn Team.

Mundo/Halifax

Completely understand your kiddos frustrations and disappointment with Blinn offers as we were in same boat about 3 years ago. As Furacao referenced above, the only real difference is going to Blinn twice per week. No one even knows unless you tell them. Our kids experience was similar... pissed off at first but in hindsight, I think it was a really good entrance for him. Kind of a hybrid first year on a really big campus. ETAM after year + 1 summer semester and is doing really well.

Happy to answer questions or connect your kiddo with him if you have more questions. DM me if you would like.

While we did get in contact with A&M to get my daughter back on the Blinn Team list, they unfortunately have stated they can only mark her file, but are unable to actually put her on the list on the system because of her initial decision. It's disappointing, but I fear she may miss her window because of a rash emotional decision. Please make sure your students don't make the same mistake.

Aggiemundo said:

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While we did get in contact with A&M to get my daughter back on the Blinn Team list, they unfortunately have stated they can only mark her file, but are unable to actually put her on the list on the system because of her initial decision. It's disappointing, but I fear she may miss her window because of a rash emotional decision. Please make sure your students don't make the same mistake.

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that sucks. Hopefully, somehow it will work out for her.

I gotta be honest, that's a heartbreaking recommendation. My wife and I met at A&M and bleed for our school and would love to see our kids have the same experience.

My son chose Baylor between the two and it's been the right pick for him. Baylor has thrown a huge scholarship at my daughter so I suspect that's what she'll decide as well if she opts not to take the Ohio State offer. I'm just at a loss over the whole thing.

Somebody is bitter!!

Parents and kids need to gather all info and make best decision. Don't look back. Hope your kiddo finds their happy place.

HalifaxAg said:

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My daughter is going through the exact same situation. Tons of AP classes (all 5's), 1430 SAT, but missed top 10% at an ultra competitive HS.

She was really butt hurt about the Blinn Team waitlist but we talked her into selecting it for now.

What does housing look like for Blinn Team? Can you live on main campus and dine on campus?

My daughter is not ready for apartment life and ultimately this might be the determining factor for her. Both Tennessee and Arkansas are throwing money at her to come....I have to admit that Tennessee was really nice when we visited.

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Is there not an auto admit for a 1300 + SAT score these days?

Texas A&M eliminated it. Fall 2020 was the last semester it was available for student admissions.

Didn't realize that. Was there a reason given for why? Seemed like a good way for smart kids to still get in.

Aggie1205 said:

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Didn't realize that. Was there a reason given for why? Seemed like a good way for smart kids to still get in.

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Less yield control with it. TAMU was losing its ability to shape its admission classes and academic majors.

double b said:

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Texas A&M eliminated it. Fall 2020 was the last semester it was available for student admissions.

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yup. My son got in with that. Had a bad semester in HS and had to get the 1350.

I would echo to choose Blinn Team. Waitlist is very iffy and will only be "opportunity majors". With Blinn Team, they are still an A&M student - housing, meal plans, sports passes, etc. In fact, your odds of housing are better with Blinn than waitlist because you'll get in earlier. And there is no stigma. My daughters were holistic full admits, but had a ton of Blinn Team friends. One of my younger daughter's roommates is Blinn Team. No one cares - there are a TON of them. They are A&M students, they are Aggies, and that is how they are seen and treated by everyone there

Aggie1205 said:

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Didn't realize that. Was there a reason given for why? Seemed like a good way for smart kids to still get in.

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Top 10% rule and growth of Texas. We are cranking out over 400k grads per year now and that means 40k can get auto admit just by applying. That doesn't count private school kids, homeschool kids, or OOS. Texas has the same issue but they are down to 5%.

We need a major overhaul of our admissions. We have a patchwork process that is out of step with virtually every comparable institution and it causes confusion and loses us a lot of talented students. A few thoughts:

Get rid of rolling admit, we are the highest rated school in the country that still does it.
Either get rid of Top 10% or reduce it down to a much lower number, or worst case just make it admission to Liberal Arts just like Texas does.
Make all colleges have separate admissions policies similar to Engineering, especially Business.
Have clear dates for application deadlines and decisions. Ideally for Early Admission Oct 15 for In state, Nov 1 for OOS. Decisions for In State by Mid December, Decisions for OOS late January. Regular admission applications by Jan 1 for both, decisions in March. Essentially aligning us with how other comparable large publics do it.

I thought A&M had switched to top 8% for auto admits. Has that not taken effect?

Buck Turgidson said:

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I thought A&M had switched to top 8% for auto admits. Has that not taken effect?

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No. It's under discussion within the upper ranks. When it may go into effect, I don't know for sure. It was shared with some high school counselors (from two different sources), who then shared it with me.

My guess is that since UT went to the Top 5%, it is giving them more freedom to admit students holistically. Eventually, this will affect TAMU and our admissions pool.

As a parent this has been so much harder than we anticipated having a kiddo with good grades and ECs but not in top 10%. I understand what A&M is battling through with growth, but just am so frustrated for all these great kids out there getting wooed by other schools and in a much earlier timeline with early decision.

Yes, I was class of 96 and when I graduated, the state had 19mm people. Now it's at 32mm - all while tu has barely grown in 30 years and Tech has done a lousy job of making itself a desirable school, so A&M gains so much interest from a ton of great students. Mix in top 10% law and it makes for a tough process.

I am hearing of a lot of BlinnTeam offers going out today.

Just kill the top 10% rule. It is not an indicator of anything useful. There should be ZERO ability to be 'auto admitted'.

Why can't we go back to a GPA/SAT graph? It was nice and objective. That's even how it was for my masters degree at A&M - a GRE/GPA graph. You're in if you are above the line on the graph.

Plus it creates a GPA game in high school. Which stresses the students and parents because the game becomes the experience of high school.

oldag941 said:

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Plus it creates a GPA game in high school. Which stresses the students and parents because the game becomes the experience of high school.

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And the GPA game becomes more about points and less about learning. Lots of cheating as well, especially with more high schools accepting online classes.

oldag941 said:

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Plus it creates a GPA game in high school. Which stresses the students and parents because the game becomes the experience of high school.

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I believe we'd need a change in the education code, which I assume means we'd need a legislative session where someone cares enough about it to amend the language. Districts try to adjust their policies to offset gaming the system, but until the top 10% (or 5%) changes it will always be a thing.

Update from my original post on this thread: my daughter got into A&M at the end of last year, accepted the spot, then got into tu two weeks ago, declined the A&M admission, and accepted the tu spot as of 36-hours ago. My wife and I have a little whiplash right now. Hurts a little from the family perspective (she would have been a 4th generation Aggie), but it's the right decision for her.

Good luck to all the families still waiting to hear or in the middle of trying to decide. It's not easy.

Ags that have children getting accepted into the Blinn TEAM program… I've read the previous posts but just wondering if there are more thoughts?… How do you feel about it? Are your kids jumping on the opportunity to be an Aggie? Are they considering other options where they might have a better situation or at least the degree plan of their choice right off the bat?
For those that have kids that have gone through it, were they actually able to get into their first choice major at A&M after 1-2 years?

Nephew is choosing between SMU and Baylor. Baylor teeing up nice scholarship money that makes them only slightly more that what A&M would be. Neither plays mickey mouse admission/major games and I think the smaller campus environment is a huge draw for him.

At this point my daughter is going to either be a Buckeye, a Bear (who threw money at her on day one), or a horn. She felt insulted by the Team Blinn thing and now the ridiculously long wait for if that's even going to happen. 10.1% in her class at one of the top 5A high schools in the state, all State French Horn player, leader, amazing personality, and an Aggie legacy. 18 years of brainwashing, gone due to what I call mismanagement.

She's going to build a great legacy for another school, and for me that sucks, but I couldn't be prouder of her. Our institution needs major change.

The top 10% needs revisiting, but I'll say this as far as the friends of my recent Aggie grad and my fish -> the kids that are holistic admission are a cut above. Extremely impressive kids. The competition for those limited spots is massive. Blinn Team leaves a bitter taste for some, but I imagine it has been successful in determining both who really wants to be an Aggie and who can establish they will succeed

Aggiemundo said:

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At this point my daughter is going to either be a Buckeye, a Bear (who threw money at her on day one), or a horn. She felt insulted by the Team Blinn thing and now the ridiculously long wait for if that's even going to happen. 10.1% in her class at one of the top 5A high schools in the state, all State French Horn player, leader, amazing personality, and an Aggie legacy. 18 years of brainwashing, gone due to what I call mismanagement.

She's going to build a great legacy for another school, and for me that sucks, but I couldn't be prouder of her. Our institution needs major change.

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what is insulting about Blinn Team?