Essay Prompt: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Engineering Short Answer Question: Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

1. Answer the question.

Your essay shouldn’t be a complete autobiography. Instead, it should use a specific instance to answer the question and reveal more about your unique personality. Be sure your essay doesn’t repeat things listed elsewhere on the application. Do more than recount the experience, explain how it changed or impacted you.

2. Be authentic.

Your writing style should match your personality. If you’re an outgoing, spunky person, your essay shouldn’t be stiff and super formal. At the same time, remember your audience and avoid using terminology that only teenagers would understand. Make sure your writing is natural (no thesaurus necessary).

3. Be detailed.

Essay topics are generally broad, but your response should be specific. For example, COVID-19 is a challenge that has affected everyone in a different way. By focusing on details, you set yourself apart. Everyone is living through the pandemic, but your experience is unique to you. Your essay should highlight that uniqueness and how you’ll be an asset to the university.

4. Proofread your essay.

Check your essay for grammatical errors. Run a spellcheck and then proofread it again. Ask a teacher or counselor to read your essay as well.

A college fair is an event where recruiters from different universities present information about their schools. Whether you’re early in your college search or have a specific question for your dream school, this is a great opportunity to talk to recruiters with first-hand knowledge. Follow these tips to stand out at your next college fair!

• Do your research.
  • Find out which colleges are attending the fair and research them beforehand. Having prior knowledge about a school shows you’re interested. Some colleges consider interest an important part of the admissions process.
    
    
• Prepare questions.
  • Ask questions that can’t be answered by the college’s website. What is the best dorm? Which majors are most popular? Leave the fair knowing something you didn’t know before.
    
    
• Speak with the recruiters.
  • Take the initiative and introduce yourself to recruiters. Standing face-to-face with a college rep allows you to go beyond general inquiries — you can ask questions that are unique to your circumstances. These answers help narrow down your college options.
    
    
• Take notes.
  • Jot down your impressions of different colleges. Taking notes is a good active listening skill to learn and will be useful later when choosing which schools to apply to.
    
    
• Attend an information session.
  • Some fairs offer additional information sessions on specific topics like financial aid, scholarships, admissions essays, etc. These sessions are opportunities to hear from the admissions office and gather more information about certain programs.

Most students apply to as many as 12 colleges and visit a majority of those. Visiting a large campus (like Texas A&M’s 5,200 acres) can be daunting and the colleges you visit might run together. We’ve put together some tips to help you keep track of your touring process:

• Visit during the right time.
  • Schedule your visit while school is in session. Choose a date that allows you to get a realistic idea of student life.
    
    

• Talk to students.
  • No one knows campus better than current students. Ask students at the next table or sitting on a nearby bench what they like best about the college or what they like best about being in college in general.
    
    

• Explore the facilities.
  • In addition to the guided campus tour, wander around campus. If there are any facilities that are important to you, find them and have a look for yourself. Make sure you visit the library and the freshman dorms.
    
    

• Grab a school newspaper and skim it.
  • School newspapers highlight issues that students consider important and give you an idea of the campus culture. Texas A&M’s student newspaper is The Battalion, and it was started in 1893.
    
    

• Take notes.
  • Keep track of the details you like and don't like from your visit. What did you see that excited you? Can you imagine staying in the school’s dorms? The answers to these questions can help narrow down your college options.

Schedule a visit today!

The college admissions process relies heavily on what accomplishments you report. Academic awards, community service, student organizations and more can all look great on a college application. But what should go on and what shouldn’t?

• Committed Involvement
  • Be sure to list organizations you’re heavily involved in. It’s better to have a major impact on a few organizations than minimal involvement in several organizations.
    
    

• Leadership Roles
  • Highlight times you’ve been a leader or shown initiative. Universities like students who arrive on campus ready to lead clubs and organizations.

• Diverse Interests
  • Include your characteristics that will contribute to a diverse and unique student body. Texas A&M promotes diversity and inclusion, which means seeking students with different geographic, cultural, ethnic, political and economic backgrounds.

• Unique talents
  • Let us know what unique skills you will bring to campus and how they’ll add value to the student body.

• Out-of-school experiences
  • If you’re active in the community, we want to know about it. This includes work, community service, youth organizations, religious groups, reading clubs, etc.

Prospective students can submit their applications through ApplyTexas or Common App. Texas A &M is no longer accepting the Coalition Application. The application you choose will not affect your admission decision. Students who are applying to multiple schools in Texas are encouraged to use ApplyTexas.

As part of the application, prospective students will be required to answer the following short answer questions. The questions allow students to share more of their personal experiences. As the name indicates, responses should be short and concise. Typical length ranges from a few sentences to a paragraph.    
 
Short Answer Questions 

• Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college.
• Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why.
• If there are additional personal challenges, hardships, or opportunities (including COVID related experiences) that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, which you have not already written about, please note them in the space below.
  
  

Engineering Short Answer Question

Applicants to the College of Engineering will be asked to answer an engineering specific short answer question as part of their application:
Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

Filling out college applications can be overwhelming, but we’ve got your back! Take a deep breath and follow these tips to simplify your application process:

• Start early.
  • Check the college website for deadlines and plan to complete your essays and forms a few weeks before they’re required. Mark these earlier deadlines on your calendar and don’t miss them.
    
    

• Use proper grammar.
  • In addition to thoroughly proofreading your essay, check your entire application for grammatical errors before submitting it. Save your application, put it aside for a day and then check it over again for errors. If you can, have a teacher or parent proofread it as well.

• Keep copies.
  • Make a copy of each piece of your application. Save personal identification numbers, passwords and notes or emails from admission officers. This documentation can save you if a problem arises with your application.

• Submit additional documents early.
  • Anything that needs to be mailed, including your application itself, should be sent in several weeks before it is due. This allows time for delivery and processing. You should also take required admissions tests well in advance in case you don’t earn a qualifying score the first time you take them.

• Get confirmation.
  • The Applicant Information System (AIS) offers you access to view the status of your admissions application at all stages of the process, from application receipt through display of the final decision. You will gain access once your application is received and processed. AIS can be accessed via the Applicant tab.

SAT and/or ACT scores are not required to complete an admission file. Students are encouraged to continue to submit standardized test scores to help satisfy TSI requirements if admitted. Submission of tests scores will not create any unfair advantage or disadvantage for those students who provide them.

Test-Optional FAQs

Does Texas A&M require SAT and/or ACT scores?

Freshman applicants are not required to provide test scores to complete their admission file.

What does it mean to be “Test Optional?”

Test optional means that you are not required to provide SAT and/or ACT scores to the university as part of your admission file.

Does Texas A&M prefer that I provide test scores?

Texas A&M encourages you to send your test scores if you have them. Test scores will only be used to benefit you in the admission process. You will not be penalized for low test scores or no test scores.

Will it benefit me to provide test scores?

Submitting tests scores will provide additional information with respect to your academics and can be used to satisfy TSI requirements if admitted.

Will I be penalized if I provide low test scores?

No. Low test scores will not disadvantage you or make you less competitive in the review process.

If I have several test scores, will you super score?

No. Texas A&M does not super score.

Will I be penalized if I don’t take the test?

No. You will not be penalized in the admission process if you choose not to take the SAT or ACT.

If I don’t provide test scores, what will you look at?

All academic factors will be considered as part of the holistic review of your admission file.

I’m a home-schooled student, do I have to provide test scores?

No. Freshman applicants are not required to submit test scores.

I’m a home-schooled student and don’t take the test, how will you assign my rank?

Your class rank will be assigned using all academic factors provided as part of your admissions file.

Will this policy stay in place all year?

Yes.  This policy is in place all year and the foreseeable future.

Will subject tests be considered now?

No. Subject test scores will not be used in place of traditional SAT or ACT scores for admission purposes.

Do my scores have to be submitted through the testing agency or will you take them off my high school transcript?

Test scores must be provided to us directly from the testing agency.

If test scores are removed from the equation, how will holistic review work?

We will consider all academic and non-academic factors you provide as part of your admission file.

What is the last date I can take the SAT or ACT and still have it considered as part of my admission file?

Due to recent SAT and ACT scheduling issues, we will accept December test scores as part of your admission file. You should request scores to be sent to us at the time of testing. We must receive your December test scores by December 15 for consideration.

Freshman students who qualify for a fee waiver will be able to certify their eligibility on the ApplyTexas application. Additional documentation may be required upon request. 
 
Transfer students requesting a fee waiver must provide a copy of an award letter from the current institution showing a Pell Grant was awarded or a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR) found within a current FAFSA. The information shown in the SAR will be reviewed to determine eligibility for a waiver. Checking the fee waiver box on the application will not satisfy the fee waiver requirement. The award letter or SAR may be uploaded through the Applicant Information System (AIS) or sent by mail.

Texas A&M University’s recommended coursework includes:

• 4 years of English 
• 4 years of Mathematics - Three of the courses should be Algebra I, II and Geometry 
• 4 years of Science - Two courses should come from Biology I, Chemistry I or Physics I
• 2 years of the same foreign language