Just wanted to give a bit of news here, take it for what it’s worth because it DOES appear the absence of the change major button does indeed lead to PSA in most cases, but… I’d inquired here awhile back regarding chances for my daughters best friend, who is like a second daughter to me. Her rank had changed and I got overly excited in hopes that it would change anything (which I was wrong since it goes by junior year). Anyways, her chances were not good with very so-so if that, test scores. The rest of her app was wonderful (I helped her so I did see the essay) this girl has had a very bad home life with druggie parents so we’ve really taken her under our wings this year. She’s pretty much raised by our wonderful small community. Last night, her change major button went bye bye. So, we sat and talked for hours about a potential game plan for her. Today, low and behold, she received Gateway. We checked at 8:00 am and it was there. This is everything we’d hoped for her as we really do feel she needs that extra push before fall. My daughter also got Gateway but hers came yesterday. I do not know if her button was gone first or not as we didn’t even know to pay attention to that, so if it was, we didn’t notice. So, there are now three Gateway students at our school of 144. Last year we had two in our school get Gateway (if there are more, I didn’t know them, just two that I personally know). All had some sort of challenge such as loss of a parent etc. so I do truly believe those are the types of students they’re looking for. We had many of our kids get all three engineering pathways between yesterday and today. While I know Gateway is a tiny program, just felt the need to share just in case things are a bit different this year as far as usual patterns since we’ve had some kids get other things besides just PSA with the button disappearing (I don’t know much about engineering pathways so if it is considered PSA I apologize). Anyways, I’m praying for you all to get some news. It’s really frustrating to have to watch for all of the little clues, but so far, our have not been much like what we’ve been hearing is the usual way, so there’s that.
Any idea what it mean to still be in review and the change and withdraw button is still available?
@IT22379 No unfortunately not 
We are personally expecting a denial because BIMS doesn’t have a PSA option but honestly do not really know. There is always a slight possibility of something else given how odd this cycle has been.
I have been wondering how a denial comes about??? On the portal or do you have to wait for a letter in the mail?
@BlueBayouAZ , know that there is no longer PSA for Viz, even though it is listed on the PSA page (I learned this after contacting the department this week). If your D gets PSA as a Viz 1st choice, she may be given PSA but the expectation is that she chooses a different major. You will also see that Viz is not on the list of majors from which to choose for the listed PSA schools. The only other route into Viz is to transfer in by meeting their transfer sheet requirements.
All who have majors NOT participating in PSA:
Admissions may still give you PSA. My correspondence with admissions this week on this very topic yielded the below response from them:
"The Program for System Admission (PSA) program is a pathway that we offer students whom we were not able to offer full admission to but wanted to be able to provide an alternative pathway. PSA students complete 24 hours at the system school and if they have a 3.0 GPA and complete the required courses, they will be admitted to Texas A&M for their sophomore year.
You are correct, Visualization will not be a participating major for the 2019-20 school year. We will still offer PSA to students even if they do not have a participating major as a first choice on their application. This is because high school seniors change their mind on their major quite frequently and we want to give them an option to get to A&M."
First post here, been a lurker for some time. My change major button disappeared but I know someone who has BIMS first major that still has their button. They were asking what to expect. Should I expect PSA and they expect Gateway? Thanks
@jgtamu22 I don’t know much about transfer applications, but I’d imagine this could be hugely problematic for you. Have you not checked in with TAMU this entire time to inquire about your net id? As far as straight applicants for freshman, the portal is EXTREMELY important as it’s the tool you use to upload any requested, or required documents, and keep up with where things stand as far as your application. Like I said, with transfers, I have no clue what kind of information they ask for when you apply, but freshman have to upload all kinds of things, so if you were supposed to do that, you could be in a pretty sticky situation. I’d definitely call first thing Monday morning ?
@jgtamu22 I took a peak at the application dates and if the deadline was March 1st and you only sent it in on Wed it may not be a big problem. Did you submit all other documentation that is required such as transcripts, etc? I would probably call Monday too just to check in and make sure all is in order.
howdy! Yes, all transcripts, payments, and required documentation were sent early in February and were received. I just don’t want to seem too pushy trying to call and ask.
Thanks @TexasTrue - PSA really did not seem that advisable anyway - based on the doubling up of a math and science in the first year that is not expected of full admits. Plus my daughter has 4 AP class test scores that are useable already for 5 classes and I expect 4 more this year. PSA would have meant her paying for classes she could get credit for.
Much like Mays - Viz really seems to be a program you need to get into on day one. (Yes, I know there are transfers, but they are few and far between). Last year we spent 2 hours with the now retired professor in charge of the undergraduate program. Wonderful one-on-one tour and presentation. But he pretty much told us TEAM would not work and if you did PSA, you are pretty much a year behind, so that was not ideal.
It is looking like UTD for my daughter. Their program is nationally ranked too and gaining for animation and with game design (not my daughter’s interest - but that’s part of the school’s/program’s reputation) TAMU, UT and UTD are very closely ranked.
It’s sad because my daughter has done three educational summer camps at TAMU and really grew to like the campus and LOVE the visualization program. But for the future I think UTD will be just fine.
@jgtamu22 If you sent it in early Feb and not late Feb I would definitely call Monday. If the NetID you are talking about is like a UIN as an incoming Freshman applicant, then I would have expected it within a few days of application. Don’t feel bad about calling especially for that.
@BlueBayouAZ , my D was accepted to UT Austin, UTD, Tarleton Honors, and Sam Houston. I think she applied to TAMU too late for Viz. That was her procrastination and her consequence for such. She is really liking UT for their network and location. She also wants a full university experience and to likely march in the band, so UTD is not her top choice. Good luck to your D at UTD! Go Comets!
@Mommydoodle Ag science is listed as a participant on the page for PSA. My daughter wants to major in that also.
@jjbryce there are a few of us with BIMS first major that still have our buttons. I am actually not aware of anyone with BIMS that has lost their buttons but we are of course a small subset on this forum. We are not sure what that exactly means but with regard to Gateway it may depend on whether your friend had a hardship that they expressed in their essay. Gateway seems to be used for applicants with extenuating circumstances.
As for your situation losing your buttons generally it means PSA is coming but we have seen an instance where it lead to Gateway for a student that fit the profile as I mentioned above.
congrats to her!! hopefully this is the same result for at least some of the many, many others- including myself- that have had their change of major button disappear as well.
@TMImomof2 it is but if you click on that option, the Nutrition major isn’t there. So I don’t know if that means it isn’t an option for her. All so confusing. And we’re still in limbo waiting to see what the missing “change major” is going to bring us
@Mommydoodle aha ok didn’t see that about Nutrition. I did just read in a thread about PSA on here that they will
still offer PSA for you to take other requirements and then you can actually take your major as a sophmore at College Station. This is apparently due to the fact that a lot of High School seniors end up changing their major before they get started , but they want them to still have a chance to attend A&M. She would just have to take whatever the basic courses they are asking of her.
@AggieDreamin thanks for the response! I initially thought I had a chance at Gateway but had given up after the button disappeared. Expecting PSA, but I guess there’s still some slim hope
@TMImomof2 that sounds great! At this point, she is hoping for any path that will let her become an Aggie!
here’s the deal. You don’t have to take Psa or pta… as long as your student follows the intended major transfer requirements and makes a decent gpa 3.25 or higher in
Most majors (not engineering business or specific sciences), they will
Stand a competitve chance. More than as. Freshman. There are ways in, you just have to work for it. Trust me. Forget they hype that’s some have thrown on here. Those of us that have lived it, are more than happy to share what it took to get in. Ask me, and I will help.