1st and 2nd choice for majors on application

9,143 Views | 8 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by 1Aggie99
ag97tx
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AG
My son is working on his application for Fall 2022. He is applying to engineering so he listed his 1st choice of major as Mechanical Engineering. I know that they are all general engineering as freshman so should he list a 2nd choice as another type of engineering (i.e. aerospace) or list another degree like Physics as a back up in case he doesn't get into engineering.

Does it increase his chances into engineering if he list it as 1st and 2nd choice? What happens if he list 2 choices for engineering and doesn't get into engineering will they offer him admission into something else since he is top 10% and would be auto admit outside of engineering?

WhoHe
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AG
My daughter is an incoming freshman in engineering, so we just went through this

Your choice of engineering discipline makes absolutely no difference right now - all freshman regardless of qualifications, timing of acceptance, etc., are enrolled in general engineering. Then they go through a process called ETAM - entry into a major - where they are placed into their specific engineering types based on their freshman grades. As I understand it, a 3.75 freshman GPA guarantees you the type of engineering you want, and then from there they start going down the list and placing kids in their specified majors based in ranking until those slots start filling up.

So as far as your application goes, select an engineering first and something else second - not another type of engineering because it won't matter.

Here's the catch engineering applicants have to go through a second round of admissions review. So you'll start seeing kids getting admitted to TAMU in September in your son's second choice major, even though they are "less qualified" while you have to wait until January to hear if you got into engineering. The problem with that is by the time you find out you didn't get engineering, those other majors are pretty well filled up (depending on what you chose).

TAMU does everything they can to get you into engineering if you choose engineering as your first option - including The Engineering Academy at Blinn, Galveston, McAllen, etc. - you'll get those options over your second choice major in most cases.

In February our daughter was offered Engineering at Blinn, which is still a great option, over her second choice major (forensics), after she had friends accepted into forensics back in the fall with MUCH lower grades and scores - but it's all about timing and if you want engineering. She then got offered full admission a few weeks later, so it all worked out for her in the end, but it was a frustrating, stressful and confusing process for her.

Keep in mind, all of this is based on academic admission, not top 10% - there's a different set of rules if you're top 10%.

Hope that helps good luck!

ETA: just re-read your post and see he is top 10% so he's guaranteed admission to the university, but still has to go through engineering review. Same thing holds true here - putting engineering first and second doesn't increase his chances. He'll either be accepted into engineering or not. If he is not admitted into engineering for some reason, as an auto admit he's guaranteed a spot at the university still, as long as his second choice is still available - if not, then they will give him the option of choosing a third major based on what's available at that time.
robprall
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AG
I would definitely keep the second choice in engineering. The hardest to get into is Petrolium the easiest is industrial distribution . My son ended up in ID and loved it.
specul8or
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No, the hardest to get into in Engineering is Computer Science. Auto admits we're 3.5 last year and prior. Every student in computer science was an auto admit, no slots for holistic review. They changed to 3.75 this year hoping for more holistic reviews. We'll see how that turns out.
tx98ag
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We just took our daughter on an official tour to A&M. During the admissions session, the speaker said that if you are wanting engineering as your major, there is no second choice. I asked him to clarify that and he said they will not look at your second major choice if you choose engineering as your first choice and you can not put engineering as a second choice. If you are given any option for admittance, such as Blinn Team or another campus, it is take it or leave it. I was surprised as I had never heard that before. During the engineering tour, the speaker said everyone will go in as general engineering and if you have at least a 3.75 after your first year, you are guaranteed your first choice. He also said many students do not have a 3.75 but that does not mean you will not get your first choice. He gave stats - 75% of the students get put into their first choice and 85% are put into at least their second choice and 100% are put into something. Another interesting stat - they admit about 4000 students into engineering at A&M each year. Of those, about 50% are top 10% admittance. They admit about 500 students to the Blinn Team Engineering each year.
ag97tx
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AG
This was my post about my son from last year. He is now currently a freshman in engineering at A&M. He is trying to stay focused on that 3.75 for auto admit into the type of engineering he wants. His class is the 2nd group to have the grade of 3.75 instead of 3.5. We have heard that computer science is the most competitive right now and you need to be auto admit.

Did your daughter already apply or will be applying?
Mookie
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My son just finished TEAB and is now fully enrolled at A&M. It was a great experience.

He ended up with a 3.7 GPA and got into his first choice (MEEN) over the summer.
tx98ag
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She will be applying this summer. She's right outside the top 10% at 13%. Her first SAT score was a 1300, but she will be retaking it in March. She fell in love with the campus on our tour. Praying she gets into engineering!
1Aggie99
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98... just to give you a little info as we are in this circus right now!

HS Sr - outside top 10% (top 12ish%) w/ 30 ACT. Not admitted into engineering but ultimately offered Blinn Engineering route. My understanding of the 2nd major part is that A&M offers Blinn, Galveston, McAllen in place of 2nd option for engineering students. Our kiddo did select BioMed as second option but that must have just fallen off the radar.

Blinn is a great offer and probably the better avenue but he's bummed. We are hoping he goes that route but who the hell knows at this point.

Best of luck to your daughter... every year is different but maybe this helps with expectations.
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