PSA...? "Good offer" or still a rejection basically??

SimpleLife
Sat, 21 Feb 2015 21:21:27 +0000

I totally agree with @emilyKB.

I’ll expound.

I would say that PSA is for the kid who really wants to attend A&M over all other school options on that kid’s list AND for the kid who already hopes to major in one of the participating departments/colleges. If attending A&M is not necessarily towards the top of your list OR if you hope to major in something other than what is offered through one of the participating departments/colleges (like engineering, for example), then I would say that PSA may not be the best option for you.

And I think that’s why a lot of kids don’t want to accept PSA, @LifeAsWeKnowWeIt. If a kid has his heart set on engineering, for example, PSA is probably a bad plan … unless that kid’s desire to attend A&M far outweighs his desire to be an engineer. (excuse all the male pronouns – it’s just easier to pick one gender and stick with it)

Even the pertinent FAQ on the PSA webpage steers kids away from accepting PSA with the hopes of transferring into a non-participating major at the end of freshman year.

What if I’m not interested in one of the participating majors (i.e., Engineering)?
The PSA was designed for students who are interested in a participating major. We never recommend using the PSA to be admitted to TAMU with the intention of switching to the major you really want. We recommend taking the coursework and making the grades for your intended major and then applying as a standard transfer student directly to your intended major. You can still attend a System Institution (or any other institution), but you will have to apply as a regular transfer and go through a competitive review process.

I guess another reason that some people don’t like PSA is that you will be attending one campus for one year, surrounded by one group of kids, only to move one more time to another campus (College Station) for three more years, surrounded by a whole other group of kids. Some kids find the thought of moving after one year a little more stressful and undesirable than others.

Also, if you don’t keep your gpa up, your options will be limited and the automatic transfer to TAMU is off the table.

So, I’m guessing those are the main reasons that some people are hesitant to accept PSA. There are more unknowns with PSA than if you simply accept another school on your list and begin your desired major there.

That’s not to say that PSA is a bad thing! There are people who WISH they got PSA instead of being denied admission altogether! It can really serve you well.

If you really want to be an aggie, want to major in one of the participating departments (I see that you do), feel confident that you can keep your grades up (TAMU thinks you can, or you wouldn’t have received the offer), and don’t mind moving after one year, then I would say it’s a really good option for you!

As for other people knowing later on that you arrived to College Station via PSA – they won’t even know unless you tell them; and even if you tell them, nobody will care. Students arrive at College Station in all sorts of ways and I can promise you that people don’t make any distinction whatsoever. You’ll be just like the rest of the gang. So, please don’t worry about that.

Like @emilyKB said, if this is something that YOU want, then don’t worry about what other people think of PSA. Weigh all the factors – would you rather be at Tech or UTD or one of your other options, or would you rather go to A&M CS via PSA. What other students decide to do with their PSA offers is irrelevant. Right?

All my best to you, and congratulations on your PSA offer!