Admission Information Per University/College:
This area will provide you with the information sent to our Post Secondary Counselor, Ms. Franklin through a Counseling/University Communication email. For any questions about what is written below, please contact the university directly:
College Grading 101 - How do the college professors grade your work? Be prepared to read all the way through....
Texas A&M University – Fall 2017 Admission Decisions
All final admission decisions for Fall 2017 Freshmen have been released by the Office of Admissions at Texas A&M University. It was another extremely competitive year with more than 42,000 applications received by the university. There was an increase in the number of applicants who qualified for automatic admission - both Top 10% and Academic admits. In addition, more than 27,000 applicants were scored through the holistic review process. Over 19,800 students were offered full admission to the university with approximately 3800 of those coming through holistic review.
OTHER ADMISSION OPTIONS
Aggie Gateway to Success (Gateway) is a summer provisional admission program that gives students a unique chance to gain full admission to the university the following fall semester. Approximately 530 students were given the opportunity to participate in Gateway.
Texas A&M University Blinn TEAM Program (TEAM) is a collaborative admission program between Texas A&M University and Blinn College. Students are co-enrolled at both institutions. 2400 students were selected to be a part of TEAM.
Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn-Bryan (TEAB) provides students an opportunity to pursue their engineering degree in a co-enrollment program between Texas A&M University and Blinn College-Bryan Campus. 855 students were chosen to participate in TEAB.
Engineering at Galveston (EAG) allows students to begin their engineering studies on the Texas A&M Galveston campus and to complete their engineering degree in College Station as part of the College of Engineering. This year approximately 1200 students were given an opportunity to be a part of EAG.
Engineering at McAllen offers uniquely designed degree options specially tailored to meet the expected engineering needs in the Rio Grande Valley. Students who begin their engineering career through this program are eligible to complete an engineering degree in College Station as part of the College of Engineering. 580 students were given the option to select Engineering at McAllen.
Program for System Admission (PSA) offers students who are denied freshman admission the opportunity to enroll in a Texas A&M system school for one year with the intention of achieving guaranteed transfer admission to Texas A&M College Station upon successful completion of the program. Approximately 10500 students were given the PSA option.
Additional students were denied admission to the university without any admission options.
Please encourage your students to check their admission status on the Applicant Information System (AIS) via Howdy.tamu.edu. Information about accepting an offer and the required next steps will be displayed online.
2017-2018 Admission Season
Texas A&M will begin accepting applications for Fall 2018 beginning JULY 1, 2017. Both the ApplyTexas and Coalition applications will be available July 1. The deadline to apply is December 1, 2017.
Texas A&M will no longer require the essay portions of the SAT or ACT. Scores must be received by December 1 to complete an admission file.
All applicants to the College of Engineering, including those who qualify for automatic admission, will once again be reviewed holistically for placement into the college. Engineering applicants will also have an Early Action Deadline October 15, 2017. Applicants whose admission file is complete by October 15 will be guaranteed an admissions communication in early December. The Early Action Deadline is only for applicants seeking a major in the College of Engineering.
Prep Talk - College Admissions Process Video: click here
NOTE: The rumor that all colleges want the Common App and recommendation letters completed by August 1st.....THAT IS NOT TRUE. Colleges start after they [the college/university] start classes and enroll their students currently on campus. Meaning, they DO NOT START PROCESSING PROSPECTIVE/NEW APPLICATIONS UNTIL AFTER SEPTEMBER 1st. If a college specifically states a due date then that due date applies. Remember if you need to know something, come straight to the source, Ms. Bishop and/or Mrs. Franklin, the Post-Secondary Counselor for SHS.
Another Way to Look at Colleges - Which One Is Right and How Stressed Should I Be?
No one has graduated with the HB 5 plan. The first class to do so will be the class of 2018. When those students graduate, we will have a better idea of who/how/why students get into different colleges/universities. Counselors do know that Endorsements will have value when looking at the rigor of coursework completed while at SHS. For more information look under the Graduation Requirement Tab. Focus on good grades, have as many endorsements as you can (all students will have one andmost kids will have 2 or 3; see our webpage for more info), have a talent (sport, instrument, anything....), and volunteering is good too. If you want to know specifically what each school wants....call the admissions office at that particular college/university.
All A's are not for all kids...that doesn't mean a student won't get into college. There are so many places to go and ways to get somewhere in life. If your goal is all A's then keep working toward that goal. If your goal is to have a good GPA, but maybe not all A's are who you are...then keep working!!!
The best advice is get the best grades as possible, while having something like a sport, fine art, or other talent that you do well. Scores on the ACT/SAT are important BUT the scores are contingent upon what school you want to attend. Many successful people attend many different colleges/universities. If the goal is to go to college, be successful while in college, and get a degree...the world is open. Yes there is competition, but it is only contingent upon where you go. If you have goals to attend a specific college or university....GO FOR IT.
Everyone at some point during their sophomore year will research 3-5 colleges (even if you know where you want to go). The best place to start is through Naviance and Road Trip Nation from the College Board. If you want to look at more places that's fine, and on the student. The thing to remember is.....how could 10 colleges fit your kid or you; why research so many? For some students, applying to 10 is what they want to do; that is fine and supported, but at the end of the day, what school fits you?
Bottom line, the get best grades you can, do as well as you can on ACT/SAT, volunteer, have a talent of some type, and find a place that fits you.
Sometimes it is better to be a big fish in a little pond than a small fish in a big pond. If you want to be in that big pond...GO FOR IT!!! But if you want something more or different....GO FOR IT TOO!!!!
Be an individual....go where you want to go. Go where you fit and not everyone else. There are options EVERYWHERE!!!!
For more information on application timelines, you may reach any of these local/state personnel. The information below, for college contacts, are as of December 2016. Information and contacts can change at any time, go directly to the university website for any updates. Not all universities in the US are listed below, research your university of choice through Naviance or a Google search and view the entire university website.
Local College Contacts:
Texas A&M University - College Station www.tamu.edu
Courtney Chapman - Regional Admissions
1225 North Loop West Suite 200
Houston, Tx 77008
713.454.1990
The University of Texas at Austin www.bealonghorn.utexas.edu
Jane Vo - Regional Admissions Counselor
8 Greenway Plaza, Suite 824
Houston, TX 77046
713.871.2385, Fax 713.871.2380
Texas Tech University www.ttu.edu or www.gototexastech.com (admissions website)
8588Katy Freewat Suite 350
Houton, Tx 77024
713.467.5100
University of Oklahoma - Norman www.ou.edu or www.go2ou.edu
Melanee Hamilton- Prospective Student Services
713.869.1637
Louisiana State University (LSU) www.lsu.edu
Pedro Cobos, Regional Admissions Counselor
225.578.1175
Southern Methodist University (SMU) www.smu.edu
Joseph Lopez Regional Director of Admission
713.320.2273
The University of Texas-Dallas www.utdallas.edu
Guy Graugnard Houton Area Enrollment Specialist
281.980.5476
University of Alabama www.ua.edu
Elizabeth Thomson, Regional Recruiter
281.389.8308
Texas State University-San Marcos www.txstate.edu
Kelly Tallerine-Undergrate Admission Counselor
832.510.9294
Texas Christian University (TCU) www.tcu.edu
Kristy Dewaal-Houston Regional Director
817.257.7490
Balyor University www.balyor.edu
Hunter Haston- Admission Counselor
254.710.3435
University of Georgia www.uga.edu
Campus Counselor - Melinda DeMaria
[email protected]
University of Houston - Main Campus
Max Rodriguez - Admissions Counselor
713.743.4870
College Applications:
Common Application for Texas Public Universities:
www.applytexas.org
Common Application for over 350 private colleges/universities:
www.commonapp.org
College Information:
Information regarding Division I & II eligibility, how to register with NCAA, Click 'eligbility center':
www.ncaa.org
Direct Links to all American universities:
www.clas.ufl.edu/au/
College and University information, foreign universities, graduate programs and etc:
www.colleges.com
Free site with direct link to college websites, college search, college major:
www.collegetoolkit.com
National Association for College Admissions Counseling - college admission news:
www.nanacnet.org
Texas Independent Colleges and Universities:
www.window.state.tx.us/scholars/schools
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board - Covers all aspects of getting ready for college and free online test prep:
www.collegeforalltexans.com
Virtual college campus tours:
www.youvisit.com
When it comes to going to college, the options are open wide for you. The link below is a space where several colleges/universities have information about the process of applying, financial aid, and many more important facts.
Prep Talk - click here
Planning for Your Future: Helpful Web Sites Check out these web sites…
TEST REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION:
www.collegeboard.com Register for the SAT I and SAT II.
Do college and financial aid searches.
www.act.org Online registration for ACT.
www.Shmoop.com Check with your counselor on creating a free Shmoop account to help you prepare for ACT and SAT INTEREST INVENTORIES AND CAREER INFORMATION
www.careerkey.org Click on “CONTINUE,” then “YOU” on the second page, and “Take the Career Key” to help select a potential career interest. There is a fee of about $8.
www.cdr.state.tx.us Students can search for careers, salaries, and expenses.
www.bls.gov/oco Nationally-recognized resource offers information on job responsibilities, earnings, and job prospects.
COLLEGE SEARCHES AND APPLICATIONS:
www.commonapp.org Common application for over 200 private colleges and universities with complete instructions for applying online.
www.applytexas.org The Common Application for Freshman Admission to Texas Public Colleges. Most colleges prefer this application and for it to be completed and submitted online.
www.collegeview.com Allows you to create a list of schools that meet your preferences for size, geography, areas of study, and student body. Link to the home pages of many universities and email the colleges’ admissions offices for more information.
www.collegenet.com Search for colleges using your defined criteria.
www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds Search for a school by name, location, program, degree offerings, or a combination of criteria.
www.collegeforalltexans.com Here is everything a Texan needs to know about preparing for, applying for, and paying for college or technical school.
www.college.gov Search for information on preparing for, applying for, and paying for college or technical school.
www.naviance.com Helps students be better prepared for attending college and preparing for a career.
FINANCIAL AID
www.fastweb.org Build a personal profile to search a massive database of scholarships and get applications for those matching your qualifications.
www.fafsa.ed.gov The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Title IV codes. This is the one application for need-based aid, such as grants and loans. DO NOT SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION UNTIL JANUARY of your senior year!
www.fsaid.ed.gov At this site you can create your FAFSA ID number.
www.studentaid.ed.gov Federal student financial aid information from the U.S. Department of Education. Includes texts of Funding Your Education, and Student Guide, which is a comprehensive description of the federal student aid programs.
SELECTIVE SERVICE:
www.sss.gov All males 18-25 must register for the selective service. Register online at this site. Utilize Family Access, a password-protected site that provides both parents and students access to course grades, homework, attendance, and other data.
Visit www.springbranchisd.com, click on “For Parents,” and locate Naviance (Family Connections).
TOP TEN COLLEGE SURVIVAL TIPS:
1. Know how to do your laundry- it is possible to wash your clothes without turning them pink.
2. Know how to balance your checkbook and bank account. Just because you have checks or a debit card does not mean you have money left.
3. Attend class- even if all the professor does is read from the book. The first step in successfully completing college is to go to class.
4. Know where the Student Health Center & Student Union are located.
5. Allow sufficient study time for reviewing notes, reading, studying, projects, etc. Find study partners and do not wait until the last minute to study for tests or complete projects. Stay in touch with instructors by office hours or e-mail.
6. Join at least one activity during your freshman year. Getting involved makes your college experience more meaningful and fun.
7. Stay in touch with home. Parents want to know how things are doing- not just when you need money.
8. Keep communication open between you and your roommate(s.)
9. Eat healthy sometimes - fast food is convenient but needs to be done in
moderation.
10. Learn to be self-reliant, but know you have a support team (parents, siblings, relatives, friends, college instructors, tutor centers) that want you to succeed and have a meaningful college experience.