Hello everyone, I’d like to know the pros and cons of going to TAMS. For example, at my public high school, I participate in orchestra and do TMEA All-Region. I was wondering if I could still do this at TAMS. If any of you go to TAMS or are really familiar with it, please respond. Thanks!!
Pros: All classes transfer to Texas public universities
Smaller class sizes, like a college curriculum where on most of your days you are free to do whatever you like with a lot of free time
Lots of research and EC opportunities
Cons: No classes transfer to out of state or private universities
If you don’t get a 4.0 (89.5+ in all classes), you are basically screwed for college
I would’ve loved to go to TAMS, but you basically have to give up all your friends to go to Denton. I am also deeply invested in my music classes. I think a huge pro is the research you can do there and the flexibility of choosing courses. If you want to have a good high school music experience, TAMS probably won’t have it b/c of the few number of kids attending. My choir teacher was in charge of their unofficial choral group and basically told me I wouldn’t have the best music experience if I went. If you can find a lesson teacher that goes to UNT that would be awesome, since UNT in general has a phenomenal music program. I don’t know if you’d still be able to do all-Region, so I would ask. Look at what you want to get out of your education, since TAMS is a huge time and financial investment. You can still have a competitive schedule while attending a normal high school by taking Dual Credit and AP.
There’s a small orchestra type club, but I don’t know too much about it.
Pros: I agree that research is a huge plus. My research professor here is super cool and I’ve even published a few papers under him. Lots of active clubs and volunteering opportunities. The community here is also really nice (but it’s obviously not for everyone). Credits are transferable to public Texas schools. The counselor is great. Large variety of electives to choose from. Good gym facilities.
Cons: Yeah, you do have to leave your old friends, but I made new ones almost immediately (during summer orientation), and I still visit and talk to my old friends all the time. The food gets a bit old after a while, but UNT is building a new student union and hopefully they’ll open new restaurants in there. I’ve also been eating off campus and bringing food from home. Some of the classes are a bit large (200 in first semester bio, and my psych class has 500 or so students in it right now), so it’s a bit hard to get close with your professor (especially if their office hours are during your other classes).
Pros: intellectual environment
Cons: this, even more so than HYPSM, will be a quite literal group of socially awkward nerds. A friend of mine transferred out of TAMS precisely due to this reason. He said, and I quote, the he “felt awkward just looking at half of the kids.” Often, the really really awkward phase hits these sorts of kids hard in high school and slowly adjusts itself later.