Blinn Team Pros and Cons??

92,420 Views | 83 Replies | Last: 8 days ago by aggiejohn
bpagetx
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I am confused on how I can transfer as a full time student the beginning of my sophmore year. It says you have to have 24 hours to transfer and yet the application is due before you complete your second semester. Do I have to take summer school? If so what junior colleges in the Houston area are acceptable for A&M? or do I have to take them at Blinn? How do I get enough hours to transfer after one year?

Also has anyone followed through with Blinn TEAM and then gone into architecture? Were you behind? How did that work?
TAMUAdmissions
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AG
You do have to have completed 24 transferable, graded hours by the deadline to be able to apply as a transfer. You don't have to take the hours at Blinn. You can use the link at https://compass-ssb.tamu.edu/pls/PROD/bwxkwtes.P_TransEquivMain to see how specific courses at other schools would transfer to A&M. You can call 979-458-0950 during normal business hours and ask to speak with an admissions counselor to discuss your best option.
nickstro66
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AG
I went through the Blinn Team program and I loved it. I will be happy to talk about it for anyone who is interested.
DC81
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AG
#bpagetx
you may be "behind" but really what is behind? Not too many students ever take the 15- 17 hrs they suggest, so everyone is behind. Plus you are looking at working another 45+ yrs after you graduate. So what's the hurry.

If you don't do Blinn Team, then what are your options to becoming an architect? It's a greta program here, so do it if it's the only way you can get in. It beats going to cougar high or UTA.

Get with a advisor, but you can easily focus on math, arts, and sciences at Blinn. I can help you if you really need direction. Been through the college myself and daughter is in Masters program now.
yougotthatright
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My daughter just received her Blinn Team letter and she is quite disappointed. During the Aggie visit and speaking with the recruiter, nothing was mentioned about the Blinn Team. She scored 1830 on her SAT and 24 on her ACT. She is in the 12th percentile of a class of almost 700 students. She feels like this was a slap in the face and it is for the "lower" students. She was accepted to Baylor and received a $54,000 4 year scholarship but it is still too expensive for us to send her. She has been recruited from schools all over the US and is disappointed that A&M has placed her at Blinn. She is pre-med/biology and has 18 credit hours of college courses as a senior. Not sure what is going on.
histag10
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AG
24 on the ACT is not very high. BIMS is a very competitive major.

Tell her to take this opportunity to bump her GPA over what some others may end up with. It will help her become accustomed to college life, save you a little money, allow her more one on one time in her lower level classes, and give her a solid foundation going into her upper level classes.
GVCVAG
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There are so few full admit spots at A&M that Blinn is very competitive, even more so this year with ever growing applications. Using the 48000 applicants on official TAMU 2020 Twitter and prior years roughly 14000 auto / academic admits. That leaves around 34,000 kids competing for about 2500-3000 full and 4000 Blinn
If you read the Blinn stats you will realize she is in good company.
I just read of a 1400 /33 Blinn offer.
Best wishes.
Lone Stranger
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Blinn Team incoming SAT scores have been averaging higher than A&M incoming SAT scores for several reasons and one is the numbers mentioned above. Unfortunately for your daughter if her 2 SAT components and top 25% didn't qualify for academic admit she is competing with lots of kids that look exactly like her or better on paper. Big scholarships at other schools still don't make them the value everyone understands A&M is.

A much larger % of Blinn instructors have english as a first language.
Blinn costs less.
Classes are smaller.

In the freshman weedout classes at A&M the norm on day one is look to your left, look to your right....on avg. one of you 3 people won't be here next year. Once the portion of the top 10% that really shouldn't be there are gone along with the good SAT test takers that can't transition well to studying on their own and end up playing video games all day and flunking out or partying too much, then the best of Blinn Team gets to come in and take those seats. That is how A&M plays the legislative mandate that is top 10%.

TexasAggieJTL
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AG
How is it that Texsas was able to lower their automatic admittance to 7% (assuming what I heard is true) but A&M has a legislative mandate of 10%?
GVCVAG
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Texas was allowed to lower / float theirs when almost all their freshman class became auto .> 75%? A&M does not APPEAR to be there because they keep increasing the freshman class and including Blinn as admits. Academic admits while taking away from holistic review spots, are not auto. That is why it appears A&M admits 21000 with 11000 auto. Looks like about half.
Texas does not have academic, does not have dual enrollment and does not give majors first come first serve which deters some auto from applying or enrolling.

http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/profile
2 years ago roughly-

21700 admits
11000 auto
3000 academic
3000 full
4000 Blinn
600 Gateway
WWmom
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I remember the anxiety this time of the year last year!

My daughter is on Blinn Team and loves it. I resent the uninformed comments I read on this forum that Blinn Team students are somehow less than the full admission students. My daughter had a 2030 SAT and attended a top 5 National High School and entered college with 22 hours from AP and dual credit. She wasn't top 10%. She and the majority of the kids offered Blinn Team are no slouches when it comes to their education - any college would be lucky to have them.

She's taking a full load, has outstanding grades and is a member of the ARC - Aggie Recruitment Committee - among other activities! She went to every single home game and is enjoying TAMU completely.

B-TEAM is a wonderful opportunity- she's finishing up all her CORE classes, we are paying very little in tuition and she plans on transferring next semester - mostly because she's out of classes to take at Blinn and is ready to move into higher level ECON classes.

Orientation was great in explaining to the students and the parents how TEAM works and how to choose classes. She has had no difficulty getting a class she's needed. She's enjoyed the smaller class environment at Blinn and even bumped her hours up this semester and took an additional online class.

I'd encourage anyone to let the ego go and if you really want to be an Aggie - take Blinn if it is offered. Yes, we had other offers and they included scholarships. But TAMU was her first and only choice. It's definitely a personal decision but if your only knock is because it is Blinn Team I urge you to let the hurt and disappointment go.

In our case, my daughter was thrilled to get the offer, accepted it immediately and when the "I'm going to be an Aggie" banner showed up a few days later she knew she was going home.

By the way...a handful of her top 10% friends attending TAMU are struggling...especially with the math. Luckily - she's had time to help tutor them!

Good luck!
TexasAggieJTL
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AG
Nice summary WWmom...thanks for sharing.

My daughter may be in the similar situation. She goes to a very competitive highschool, has a 4.3 gpa, tons of leadership positions and volunteering but she isn't top 10%.

Blinn Team is a good option for high performing kids who miss out of automatic admission.

One question, how is it determined which classes the student takes at Blinn vs A&M? Is it prescribed or can the student choose?

Thanks

histag10
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AG
quote:


One question, how is it determined which classes the student takes at Blinn vs A&M? Is it prescribed or can the student choose?

Thanks




I believe they discuss with their advisor what they need, but they will be taking core classes at Blinn, and classes that are major specific at A&M (I assume).
GVCVAG
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WWmom Hopefully nothing I said was taken as a put down to Blinn Team for I was intending to point out the opposite - the competitiveness and quality of the Blinn admit. My comment about including Blinn in the freshman admits was not to imply they were any less of Aggies or top students, simply a comment on how the top 10% related to the freshman class size, and why the legislative mandate remains different between the schools.
rld1014
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Bravo WWmom & Lone Stranger!

My daughter just clicked the acceptance button for B-TEAM yesterday, and as an OOS, she's thrilled with the offer and considers it a gold ticket.

Interesting note about auto admits (those who don't score well on SAT/ACT): When my daughter saw the testing requirements needed before Fall registration, she realized that she qualifies for exemption from the TSI because of her SAT scores. She's made friends with B-TEAM admits who also qualify for exemption. However, she's met a few full admits who will be required to take TSI because of their low SAT/ACT CR/M composite and/or sub score. In this group of low scorers, I've learned that some auto admits know they'll get into a college and don't put the effort into SAT/ACT (thus they have to bite the bullet), but some, as it's been discussed, miraculously sail to the top of their class but have a very difficult time demonstrating higher learning via these assessments.

From the practice tests provided, the TSI doesn't appear to be a difficult test, and anyone admitted to A&M I presume would most likely pass all sections. But I find it interesting that many, if not all, B-TEAMers (who are all Review applicants, and their scores mattered in the process) would most likely qualify for exemption.

Nonetheless, this is just my observation as an out-of-stater who's unfamiliar with Texas testing practices (I could be misinterpreting everything). So please fill me in if I've gone off into the deep end!
GVCVAG
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Any student who needs to take the TSI after being admitted, not only does not have an exempting SAT score (1070, with 500 math & 500 CR ), or ACT Score (23, with 19 math, 19 reading) but also has not taken a Texas Jr. College Dual course, since TSI (or exemption) is required prior to enrollment in Jr College in Texas as well.
histag10
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AG
TSI isn't really a pass/fail kind of test, but rather a placement test.
rld1014
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Thanks!

Her AIS just updated that she qualified for TSI exemption. However, I understand that ALL admitted freshman must take the MPE (a math placement exam unrelated to TSI) regardless of this exemption -- just confused on why students have to take TSI (the math portion at least) if the MPE is already required.

histag10
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AG
quote:
Thanks!

Her AIS just updated that she qualified for TSI exemption. However, I understand that ALL admitted freshman must take the MPE (a math placement exam unrelated to TSI) regardless of this exemption -- just confused on why students have to take TSI (the math portion at least) if the MPE is already required.




TSI is like the accuplacer. It measures whether you need pre college courses, or college level courses (including trig I believe). MPE measures what placement of college level math you need to start at.

I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong.
rld1014
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Thank you! That makes more sense now.

In Texas, it doesn't appear you can slide in under the radar for University admission. Getting admitted is one thing, but proving you're capable before you register is another! I give a big Whoop! to A&M for that

GVCVAG
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TSI=Texas Success Initiative.

"All new-to-college students are required to take a placement test to determine college readiness in reading, writing and mathematics before enrolling in restricted courses.
The TSI Assessment is the state-approved (Texas) placement test. "

If you are TSI exempt or pass TSI, you take a math placement test at TAMU so that they can advise you on a starting college level math class. For example, pre-calculus, Calculus, Calc II
If you are not exempt and do not pass TSI, then you need remediation to be "college-ready"
rld1014
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What does this reveal about high schools who produce auto admits who end up needing to take remedial courses before they can enroll in regular lower level classes?

I've been hyper-involved in researching the Texas auto admit law ever since my girls decided to apply to Texas Universities. I don't have it all figured out yet, but even though they've both been admitted to universities in Texas, some of the lingering details still fascinate me!
Bayou City
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That the basis for ISD funding in TX is terrible? Rich get rich, poor get poorer. Doesn't mean the students won't succeed.
GVCVAG
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rid1014 -
If you have some time on your hands and want some fascinating / tedious reading of college admissions in Texas, read the Fisher Supreme Court case (400+ pages) It is packed with formulas and insight as to how Texas administers their top 7-8% into majors and how they do review.
rld1014
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I didn't intend to derail the op, but it did prompt my question about testing standards and how Texas universities make their decisions.

From an outsider looking in, it appears that the State can be proud of its admission profile. However, behind the doors of chosen U once you're admitted, it's fair game -- the truth shall be told. If universities up here in the northeast had the 10% rule, rest assure the education would be diluted to keep the retention rate from dwindling.

It'll be interesting if this sticks around for another 10 years. Has there been any studies on the demographics of Texas since its implementation, has it improved/helped public schools, are people moving to podunk towns of west Texas to guarantee a 10% spot in the senior class? I think I would.
histag10
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AG
quote:
I didn't intend to derail the op, but it did prompt my question about testing standards and how Texas universities make their decisions.

From an outsider looking in, it appears that the State can be proud of its admission profile. However, behind the doors of chosen U once you're admitted, it's fair game -- the truth shall be told. If universities up here in the northeast had the 10% rule, rest assure the education would be diluted to keep the retention rate from dwindling.

It'll be interesting if this sticks around for another 10 years. Has there been any studies on the demographics of Texas since its implementation, has it improved/helped public schools, are people moving to podunk towns of west Texas to guarantee a 10% spot in the senior class? I think I would.


No. It's harder to be top 10% out there. My class had 16 people, I was #4 but was an academic admit. Was .04 off of #1, which was the only person in the top 10%. My test scores are what got me in (academic admit). I was angry about the top 10% rule because there were people from larger schools who were in their top 10%, but we're not at the same academic level and did not score as well as most of my class.
rld1014
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quote:
quote:
I didn't intend to derail the op, but it did prompt my question about testing standards and how Texas universities make their decisions.

From an outsider looking in, it appears that the State can be proud of its admission profile. However, behind the doors of chosen U once you're admitted, it's fair game -- the truth shall be told. If universities up here in the northeast had the 10% rule, rest assure the education would be diluted to keep the retention rate from dwindling.

It'll be interesting if this sticks around for another 10 years. Has there been any studies on the demographics of Texas since its implementation, has it improved/helped public schools, are people moving to podunk towns of west Texas to guarantee a 10% spot in the senior class? I think I would.


No. It's harder to be top 10% out there. My class had 16 people, I was #4 but was an academic admit. Was .04 off of #1, which was the only person in the top 10%. My test scores are what got me in (academic admit). I was angry about the top 10% rule because there were people from larger schools who were in their top 10%, but we're not at the same academic level and did not score as well as most of my class.
That's brutal!

It's so interesting to read about everyone's experiences with the admission process. I suspect more info may unfold as my girls venture through their first year... or maybe not, on the other hand, since it'll seem irrelevant being that they'll be on campus having other things to fuss about!
nickstro66
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AG
I was in the Blinn Team program my freshman year. I was able to successfully transfer early out of the program after just 1 year, which a majority of Blinn Team students are able to do. Here I am with my Aggie Ring and getting ready to graduate on-time in May. I highly recommend the Blinn Team program. It is not a "slap to the face" as some people think it is. It is a highly competitive program that offers you the same benefits of being a full-time Aggie. I summarize it by saying that you get the Aggie student experience for the community college cost.
cypress-ag
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AG
PSA offering is a new one I'm hearing about this year. Friends have a daughter and a good number of her friends get PSA where you have to take 24 hours at an ATM Systems campus. A 3.0 with this core classes get you admitted. Is this new because I'd never heard of it
GVCVAG
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"Selected students who are denied freshman admission to Texas A&M University may be offered an opportunity to participate in the Program for System Admission (PSA)"

PSA has been offered in the past. It is becoming more well known because there are a growing number of students who are not admitted to TAMU, but meet the ( sometimes lower) admissions standards of the systems schools. In the past the number of students who actually admit to main campus's this way has been low. Only certain majors participate, so while admission is assured if criteria are met, admission to many majors is not.

I think the calculus and physics with a 3.0 is a bigger hurdle than "core" curriculum usually.
cypress-ag
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AG
One the site it looks like a limited number of colleges do this on ATM campus.
Architecture
Ag and Life Sciences
Liberal Arts
geology
Sciences
Seems like a good way to earn access to ATM. She was a top 12% at a great school and highly involved. Strong SAT scores too. Had heard of Blinn Team but never this one

Beaudreau
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GVCVAG said: "Texas does not have academic, does not have dual enrollment and does not give majors first come first serve which deters some auto from applying or enrolling."

For next year, A&M is engineering moving to holistic admissions, with an early and a regular deadline. Even if you are a 10% admit, you will no be guaranteed a spot: https://engineering.tamu.edu/easa/areas/recruitment/fall-2017-admissions

With everyone in one of two admission pools, this should mean more engineering slots for academic admits who apply late and for other students with top profiles.

I wouldn't be surprised if other popular majors follow engineering's lead.
Rebel-E91
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AG
quote:
PSA offering is a new one I'm hearing about this year. Friends have a daughter and a good number of her friends get PSA where you have to take 24 hours at an ATM Systems campus. A 3.0 with this core classes get you admitted. Is this new because I'd never heard of it
I would recommend doing a lot of research before going the PSA route.
If your son/daughter is going to start at another school and transfer into TAMU, have them meet with an advisor in the desired major at TAMU. To get past the university level of admission, as a transfer student, one needs 24 transferable hours with a 2.5 GPA on those transferable hours.
Each department sets their acceptance requirements for transfer students. Meeting with an advisor from your desired major will let you know exactly what you need to do in order to have a successful transfer application process.

Our department's transfer requirements are easier than the PSA requirements.
We want to meet with our students during their application process. This gives us an opportunity to start building a relationship with our future students. After the initial meeting, we interact with the student by helping them build their schedules to make sure that they are taking transferable classes that will count towards their degree all the way through making sure that register for their transfer student conference.

Students who go the PSA route are admitted by the university rather than the department. We never meet of them, or know anything about them until they show up at the transfer student conference.

I cannot stress enough that if you are planning on transferring into TAMU you should meet with the advisor in your desired major prior to applying. Many students are denied each semester because they are not completely clear on the requirements for transfer. Some majors will not meet with prospective students. If that is your case, do your research. Transfer requirements are posted on the department web pages.
A&Mom
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AG
Thanks for all the helpful information about Blinn TEAM. I hope my daughter sees the value in this opportunity. It's been conveyed to me that freshman applicants often feel that TEAM is a remedial track to TAMU, thus opting to decline the offer.

Those who have posted in the last week or so have shed a positive light on the program; I'm hoping admitted students to TEAM realize they've been given this great opportunity to graduate from A&M.
GAMOM
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I appreciate this entire discussion. My daughter is coming from Ga--and there are no peer groups here to get info from! She is VERY excited to be a Blinn TEAM Aggie! She is on the wait list for on campus housing--should she also apply for off campus housing? I appreciate any tips provided! Whoop!
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