@trinley On the McAllen A&M page, it claims “Freshman applicants are considered for admission to the Higher Education Center at McAllen as part of the freshman admission process to Texas A&M University. Students applying to majors that are offered in College Station and McAllen may indicate a preferred location on their application.” While it doesn’t sound exactly like PSA, it sounds like an alternative admission decision.
okay so I have been stalking this chat behind the screen since October and finally decided to make an account to comment.
im so nervous. I haven’t gotten anything and I’m still in review. Are they from now on sending only denial letters and other offers?
@lulu9002 You are still in the game according to Luke at TAMU Admissions. They are still sending out full, Blinn Team and PSA admissions AND it could go thru mid march due to the number of applicants that they have received this year.
Can someone explain the difference between Gateway and PSA. I read their website but it all sounds the same to me - that the kid has to go to another tamu school for a year and then transfer in.
I just checked my portal and I was offered PSA. I’m actually really confused and don’t know much about it, can someone give me more information on it?
@tdawns No… PSA is you go to another TAMU systems school for a year and meet certain requirements. Gateway is a summer program before freshman fall semester. You take the classes and live on campus at TAMU main campus (College Station). You are required to take certain classes for credit and two classes for no credit but HUGE benefits. This is an amazing program and offer. Once completed, you are a full fledged Aggie in the fall along side everyone else!
@AggieMomhelp
So it’s the summer before your regular fall semester you live on campus, take classes, and then this fall would be full admission? This sounds better than Blinn Team to me if that’s the case!
@tdawns it definitely perceived as a better offer. The focus of the program initially was to provide support to those that don’t have it (first gen, international, etc). It went away from that over the years but my understanding is they are wanting to get back to it’s intended purpose (eventually).
@tdawns Gateway is offered for incoming freshman. I believe Gateway offers are the smallest of all programs, and highly coveted. You don’t apply for it, you are offered it, and yes, it’s a great deal!
For all…there is a wealth of information on this thread about PSA and Gateway. If you search the thread, you will find links to all the information you are looking for. I am fully expecting PSA for my DS, so I used the links long ago to weigh the options. Still in review here…applied in August or September. I’ve lost track by now!
Does anyone know when the 5 week program for Gateway begins during the summer? (Do you move in+stay for start of school, or is there time in between the program and beginning of semester?)
@GManmom123 Thanks! Best of luck at Tech! However, If your daughter still prefers to go to A&M check out the Brenham Engineering Academy. its only 40 minutes from CS and you are co-enrolled. My son is there as I think you are ware, he got a sports pass, TAMU ID and went to Fish camp. It is a delayed gratification but a great way to get to A&M at the end. Also much much cheaper…
@stillhopeful581 2nd summer term
@reddy2go information about PSA is on the admissions website. Check it out. If you have questions after people here can help
@stillhopeful581 check out this link - if you scroll through the dates /FAQ etc are already posted
tap.tamu.edu/gateway
okay so i applied at the end of october. my sat is 1140, my gpa is 3.29 and im not a us citizen and im still in review. what are my chances of getting in. im really getting stressed about that and I dont want to end up getting psa. if yall have any advices or thoughts please let me know. that will be greatly and deeply appreciated
@tdawns: This is info I have gleaned from CC, not actual experience for our family. You might try searching the CC site for info on both programs posted for previous years. Although some requirements might have changed, some will be same/similar as current info available online.
PSA is an offer of going to another TAMU campus for a year, making the required grades and then on to CStat for the Sophomore year as Full Aggies. That year is hardly remembered by graduation time!
Gateway is going to TAMU CStat for a Summer session before the Freshman Fall Semester. Successful completion of their classes with the required grades of the Gateway program earns the student a Full Admit spot for their Fall Freshman semester. The Gateway students live in a dorm on campus for that session. It is my understanding that the student takes a couple of classes for credit and a couple of classes without credit, and all of these classes are assigned by TAMU, I don’t think the student gets to choose their classes. I remember a previous year’s parent commenting that one class their child was assigned was a Theater class in which they had absolutely no interest, but it fulfilled an elective class spot. From what I have read, the classes without credit are ones which help with things like time management skills, etc.
Gateway is sometimes offered if a student has some issue which caused some type of difficulty in HS or who may need a little help in adjusting to college life. We had hoped for Gateway for our youngest daughter as she had a serious concussion in the 8th grade. She was still recovering in early HS and her grades in 9th and 10th grade were what lowered her HS rank. But she was offered Blinn-TEAM and that worked out for her!
One caveat for the Gateway Program is that I have heard that the cost for that Summer session can be expensive, one parent mentioned that it Gateway cost several thousand because of dorm, meals, tuition, books, etc. Not sure if there are scholarships for the Gateway program or not.
Hope that there are still Gateway offers on the way, this has been a very odd year! Such a large high achieving HS class all across the state.
also does anyone know when they are going to stop sending the psa to applicants and when the last batch going to be in??
Being that TAMU is close to the tail end of admissions is it bad to send them an email to see what the status of an application is? My guess is that it wont matter because they will just tell you what you already know that they are close to making decisions.
@howdyyeeyee my daughter’s stats are similar and I am expecting PSA for her. We have our Plan B of straight Blinn. Info on CC and coming from Admissions is all over the board. Some saying TEAM and full admits are done and others saying there are more to come. Some say all offers will be done by March 1 (that is what admissions told me) but now some are saying it is stretching till mid March. Make your Plan B, C, D… and take whatever you read or hear with a grain of salt.