Why Texas A&M

4,258 Views | 17 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by histag10
BRAVEAG
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Howdy everybody, so I wanted to ask this on the A&M boards to see what some of ya'll have to say. My parents and grandparents went to Texas A&M, and they're leaning on me to go there heavily. I'm only going to be applying to Texas schools. Right now my top choices are (no specific order) UT(Austin), TAMU, Baylor, TCU. I'll also be applying to UTEP as an ultimate last resort. I plan to major in Business since I've been in Deca (business club) since freshman year and it's what most interests me. So, assuming I get into all of my top choices with my intended major in mind, where would ya'll go?

FancyKetchup14
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AG
I would have gone to Texas A&M again.

This all depends on what YOU as the individual value outside of curriculum. You can make the case that all those schools are equal from a general scope of academia. However, from a business school point of view A&M and UT have the best ones out of your list.

Where do you live right now? Do you want to go to school in a big city? If so, A&M isn't for you. I had a lot of friends go to those other schools you listed (except UTEP), and when I hear their experiences it confirms even more the reasons I went to A&M. There's really nothing quite like Aggieland, and you won't realize that until you set foot on campus. Good luck. You're about to enter the best 4 years of your life.
TheMasterplan
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quote:
I would have gone to Texas A&M again.

This all depends on what YOU as the individual value outside of curriculum. You can make the case that all those schools are equal from a general scope of academia. However, from a business school point of view A&M and UT have the best ones out of your list.

Where do you live right now? Do you want to go to school in a big city? If so, A&M isn't for you. I had a lot of friends go to those other schools you listed (except UTEP), and when I hear their experiences it confirms even more the reasons I went to A&M. There's really nothing quite like Aggieland, and you won't realize that until you set foot on campus. Good luck. You're about to enter the best 4 years of your life.
Maybe the best consecutive four years.

I would've gone to Texas A&M again as well. UT would've been just as fun and probably would've met a similar group of friends but Texas A&M's network is just much larger.

I was an engineering major though so really the only schools to go to were A&M, UT and lesser extent Texas Tech.
histag10
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AG
I enjoyed a&m and love my friends from there dearly, but I'd I had to do it all over again, I likely would have went out of state. But my major was history
ChoppinDs40
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AG
Business - go to UT if you get into mccombs. A lot more opportunities in banking coming out of that finance program.
Kugelfang52
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The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.
histag10
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AG
Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
Kugelfang52
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histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
They should know, but that doesn't mean they will. Many rely on staff to prep them for the interview. I get your point though and you are right. However, the Alumni network of Aggies is certainly more loyal than in most other schools.

You did history here? When? I am in the history department.
double b
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AG
Texas A&M as an institution has changed a lot in the last ten years and is not a good fit for everyone. Most of the academic programs are solid, especially in the STEM fields. However, I feel that many of their degree programs are not specialized enough. Some of the more progressive schools are developing more career-oriented tracks within their degree plans. Thus, allowing students to receive an introduction into career disciplines that you wouldn't normally receive until graduate school in some cases.

Also, it is becoming too big. I know the College of Engineering is doing their best to keep their classes small, which will help with their retention rates. However, many of the new sections being created are either online or night courses. It's not a bad thing but goes to show you how much they had to expand their course offerings to try and keep class enrollments down. However, for many students, they are ill-equipped to manage the rigors of college and even fewer are prepared well enough to succeed in our rigorous STEM majors.

The one thing that Texas A&M has going for it that many cannot touch is the value of their education. Value can be a good thing depending on how you wish to perceive it. They do a terrific job in providing solid financial aid packages for those from under-represented and low-income families. However, their merit-based awards are severely behind when compared to many of their peer related institutions. National merits are pretty well compensated, although many institutions do a much better job in financially recruiting them. Other merit-based awards, their awards are simply too little (in comparison to other schools) and they certainly lack the numbers to offer all of the quality students who often deserve some.

College is a lifetime investment, and you're either buying an expensive car ($80 plus for public) or a house ($200 plus) with your education. It's best to treat is as such and due your diligence when deciding where you are going to make your home for the next four - six years. Too often, I see many families who casually go through the college selection process and really do not understand all the implications that come choosing X,Y or Z college.
JustPanda
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AG
Disagree - Mays and McCombs are both well respected. FWIW, Simmons (now Pipar Jaff) used to recruit McCombs hard and take maybe 1-2 kids from Mays. Last year they took a majority of kids from A&M, and none from Texas.

Simmons is O&G, but think about that before you listen to blanket statements.

Mays also have a commercial banking focus if interested in that field, and TRIP if interested in risk mitigation, etc.
ChoppinDs40
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AG
Yes - A&M puts kids into O&G banking. Maybe it's getting better for underwriting on a broader scale and commercial banking, but to say it has the presence that mccombs does with investment banks as a whole is ignorant.

I've spent my career (yes 7 years wow you say) in M&A, and I've never met an Aggie banker NOT heavily focused on O&G. I worked on a deal with a boutique firm out of Minneapolis a few months ago - lead analyst, McCombs.

Even the real smart Aggies (ones that went undergrad and ended up at Wharton, Kellogg, etc. for BSchool), still seemed to gravitate towards O&G.

Hell, even Tom Hicks' kids (whom I work with) got put into O&G at their banking jobs - must be a Texan thing. Their daddy made his hay in soft drinks and sports teams.

The real problem is... unless you plan on being #1 in your class, a minority with a rich daddy, banking coming out of Mays will land you in Houston dealing with energy.

Some may think that's grand. I've got buddies driving 911s at 27 with their oil bonuses. Putting all your eggs in that basket is foolish. If you want finance and have the funds, go to a wealthy, WASP private school and join a top tier frat.

From their, work a few years and then go to BSchool at one of the schools on the east coast / mid Atlantic or west coast. Try Kellogg, Wharton, Stanford, Hbs, Columbia, UVA, SMU, USC, Richmond, vandy or another well connected WASP private school.

Finance has become more and more of an elitist work field, get all the advantages you can.
pikedawg
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Do you like traditions and are you a bit country - A&M
You like Bernie Sanders and slaying hippie poon - UT
Is your daddy rich - TCU
Do you like slaying brown poon- UTEP


Decision Made.
histag10
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AG
Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
They should know, but that doesn't mean they will. Many rely on staff to prep them for the interview. I get your point though and you are right. However, the Alumni network of Aggies is certainly more loyal than in most other schools.

You did history here? When? I am in the history department.


Sorry, I've been on a short time out.

I graduated with my BA in history in 2010. Are you in the history department as a student or professor?
Kugelfang52
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histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
They should know, but that doesn't mean they will. Many rely on staff to prep them for the interview. I get your point though and you are right. However, the Alumni network of Aggies is certainly more loyal than in most other schools.

You did history here? When? I am in the history department.


Sorry, I've been on a short time out.

I graduated with my BA in history in 2010. Are you in the history department as a student or professor?
PhD Student
histag10
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AG
Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
They should know, but that doesn't mean they will. Many rely on staff to prep them for the interview. I get your point though and you are right. However, the Alumni network of Aggies is certainly more loyal than in most other schools.

You did history here? When? I am in the history department.


Sorry, I've been on a short time out.

I graduated with my BA in history in 2010. Are you in the history department as a student or professor?
PhD Student
Oh fun! What is your area of focus?

Edit- Also, I really wish A&M offered more than a general history degree at the Bachelor level (maybe they do now, I dont know, but they didnt when I graduated). I know several of the liberal arts school do offer bachelors with an area of focus, and I think it would have helped open up more avenues for students upon graduation.
blingard
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AG
aggiepridewhoop said:

Howdy everybody, so I wanted to ask this on the A&M boards to see what some of ya'll have to say. My parents and grandparents went to Texas A&M, and they're leaning on me to go there heavily. I'm only going to be applying to Texas schools. Right now my top choices are (no specific order) UT(Austin), TAMU, Baylor, TCU. I'll also be applying to UTEP as an ultimate last resort. I plan to major in Business since I've been in Deca (business club) since freshman year and it's what most interests me. So, assuming I get into all of my top choices with my intended major in mind, where would ya'll go?




UT would be your top choice for a business undergrad degree in Texas. This new Poets & Quants undergrad B School ranking seems to measure a few more relevant things than the US News rankings.

http://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/2016/12/05/poetsquants-best-undergraduate-business-programs-2016/3/

Bill in Denver
LOllipop1
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Id go to UT
Kugelfang52
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histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

histag10 said:

Kugelfang52 said:

The ring does something no diploma can do. It is a constant reminder to everyone of your degree. No UT, TCU, etc graduate has that going for them. If they go into an interview with an alum of their school, that person may never know it.


As much as I love my ring, outside of Texas it really isn't recognized. UT also has a very recognizable ring.

Also, when interviewing, the potential employee should do their homework on who is interviewing them. With professional networks, it isn't hard to do. You should be able to find out their Alma mater, along with job related information to help ease the interview. Also, the interviewer would know if the interviewee was an alum from their respective school.
They should know, but that doesn't mean they will. Many rely on staff to prep them for the interview. I get your point though and you are right. However, the Alumni network of Aggies is certainly more loyal than in most other schools.

You did history here? When? I am in the history department.


Sorry, I've been on a short time out.

I graduated with my BA in history in 2010. Are you in the history department as a student or professor?
PhD Student
Oh fun! What is your area of focus?

Edit- Also, I really wish A&M offered more than a general history degree at the Bachelor level (maybe they do now, I dont know, but they didnt when I graduated). I know several of the liberal arts school do offer bachelors with an area of focus, and I think it would have helped open up more avenues for students upon graduation.
I study the way that the formation of memory in America. Specifically pertaining to Holocaust memory.
histag10
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AG
so kind of like how biases and perceived biases are formed based on a historic event? Or more about the collective memory of the holocaust in American history? Who is your adviser?

Honestly, I was never much a fan of American history (no offense). It just wasnt my thing. Thought I did have a class with Dr. Bickham that wasnt horrible, and a Civil War class that I cant remember who taught it. I really enjoyed it though.
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