College Station, TX
Texas A & M University-College Station

Texas A&M students exude a community mindset, a unique spirit for their school, and an eagerness to learn at a university that is supportive and willing to help their graduates succeed.

Choosing the right college is undoubtedly complex. There are money issues, desires of the parents, desires of the students, and other external factors that have to be weighed. There are a few things that can help you find a good fit for your goals, personality, and specific desires. Social environment and extracurricular activities available can make an enormous impact on picking the right college. If you know you want to be involved in the Greek community, try to visit a few sorority or fraternity houses both during the week and on the weekends to get a feel of what everyday life will be like. If you are interested in being abroad, seek out schools that support and encourage these endeavors. College is about finding a balance between mind, body, and spirit. Find a college that can support you in cultivating all three. Look at where the graduates of their school end up, but also realize that nothing is going to be handed on a platter to you when you graduate. The future depends on the hard work you put in in college, the relationships you make, and your initiative.

I am most proud of the spirit of Aggieland. Until someone has been to a football game, Midnight yell practice, or Muster, they have not experienced what Texas A&M has to offer. Texas A&M is academically competetive and has impressive faculty, but the enthusiasm of the students is not something that can be captured in a video or conveyed in a college brochure to be skimmed over. A&M possesses that extra quality that no piece of paper is able to convey.

This university is best known for the school spirit and pride that surrounds the campus. It is a school full of traditions most people would and do not understand unless they have been here. It is a school of great friendliness and most people that attend call it home. Which to me, it is home.

When looking for the right college, I would tell the student to make sure the college can get you on your path to what you really want to do. Always look for extra curricular activities that allow you to be involved at school. Make sure you have the money to spend or can get the loans because colleges are expensive everywhere and they want there money. Strong tradtion is always a great part of college. It offers the oppurtunity to learn about the past and the accomplishments the people before you made. Make sure that the college invironment is what you are looking for, where its not to big or too small. You want it just right for yourself so you can learn to the best of your ability. There are always people around willing to help. Do not be afraid to ask those willing to give you information, because it could be a deciding factor for you. All in all the the college a student chooses impacts the rest of there life and career, so make a good one you, not anyone else, will always be happy with. Its your life and your future.

When applying to the University it was my understanding that it would be easy to find financial aid. What I came to realize is that tutuion price raises every year and if you have no one with good credit to co-sign, it is near impossible to get help. I feel like I work hard and do very well in this school and its not fair that things are made difficult because of my family's financial situation.

My classmates are fun people who also know that they have to study. Some are very intelligent and are the top of their high school class. Some have are average and have to try harder than others. Overall everyone is really nice and if you ask someone to help you 99% of the time they will. Everyone is very friendly saying "Howdy!" to people that they see that they may or may not know. Everyone is very into the school. Most people are very into the atheltics but others support the school through organizations and clubs.

The advice I would give to parents would be to allow your student to choose their schools. You can give your own input and help them with applying for the schools and financial aid but let the decision be their own. Push them to try as hard as they can in High School and in College, and push them to finish the applications and those dreaded essays. Continue talking to them because although they are on their own now and want their own independence they still love and miss you and want to talk to you. Expect high things, but realize college is harder than you remember and unfortunately your student needs to face problems and figure out themselves. Students this is the time of your life. You will have friends with you forver. Be involved on campus, no matter where you go. There will be some sort of club to join. Be social. You dont tell stories about studying when you are 40 you tell it about hanging out. But still study. If you have to not go out to study do it. College is harder than you think, but if you actually study you will be just fine

If I had to pick any bad thing about this school it would be that the town that it actually is in is a little small. Yes there is the college atmosphere. Yes there are plenty of off-campus housing options. Yes there is a club scene. However it seems small at times. The good thing is you are right up the road from houston, the beach and mexico. If you wanted you could make a weekend trip out of the beach, Mexico, San Antonio, New Orleans, Austin, or Dallas.

Find a college that will not only meet your needs financially and academically, but one that will also make you feel at home, and is friendly. No matter how good you are at studying or focusing, without a little fun and friends now and then, you will not succeed.

The constructrion work currently in progress.

The constructrion work currently in progress.

Extremely spirited and giving.

When it comes to finding the right college, go for what will help you excell in the degree or carreer you are pursuing. Don't settle for less than what you know you can do just because a lot of your high school friends are going to a different school. Most of your lifelong friends are going to be the ones you meet in college anyway. For making the most of your college experience, GET INVOLVED!!! There shouldn't be any problem finding a student organization or club, or even a few of them, that interests you. Try and live on campus your first year if possible because it is the best way to get to know people and know about all of the activities going on on campus. Have fun but try and keep it in moderation. There are definitely students who get caught up in all of the fun and forget how to balance school work with fun and end up flunking out and ruining their lives just for a few extra "fun" nights. Overall, JUST BE YOURSELF!! People will admire you for exactly who you are.

How amazing the Aggie network is once you graduate! The Aggie Network is one of the most powerful networks I know of.

My school is best known for its traditions. Aggies are known for having specific ways of doing things, such as football games. We don't have cheer leaders, we don't need them. Instead, we cheer for out team, and we call ourselves the 12th man to symbolize that each of us is willing to jump in and play the game if need be. We all support each other, and aggies across the nation are kind and helpful to other aggies upon first meetings in whatever location.

Finding the right college is simple. Go to different campuses and read up on their histories and traditions, then pick the one that makes you feel most at home. Making the most of your college experience is a little harder. I would say study often and stay caught up with your schoolwork, otherwise you get exhausted trying to catch up and are left with no free time. Enjoy the time you have, and don't be afriad to meet new people. Introduce yourself, the worst that can happen is they decide not to be your friend. Try to go to campus activities. You may not get another chance, and you may regret it. I was homeschooled for the last half of highschool, and the only thing I regret are the activities that I was unable to participate in. If you can help it, don't miss the things that you won't get back.

When I tell friend about my school, academically I brag most about the subjects taught in my English (my major) classes. I love the books we read and the discussisons we have. Socially, I mostly brag about the school spirit and football games. Everyone is so enthusiastic and much of the school spirit is rooted deep in tradition.

Classmates at my school are willing to help eachother out.

Look at every school possible. I had my mind kind of set as to where I thought I wanted to go, and it turned out I was not even close. In fact, I was not even in the correct geographical region of the country! So, if there is a school that seems to hard, or too expensive, still give it a look because it probably is not as intimidating as it appears. If you work hard enough, you can go to school anywhere you want.

My classmates are friendly, determined, and very proud to be an Aggie.

I would like to give parents and students the same advice I wish someone would have given me and my family. To the parents, realize that college is the place your child will be for the next 4 years, and their major is one that they are stuck with for life. Let them choose. I know you want the best for your child, but they're old enough to make decisions for themselves now. To the students, don't take school too seriously. I know it's the most important thing in your life currently, but after these 4 years, you are going to want to be able to say you networked and made some meaningful relationships with people. If you feel overwhelmed with studying, take a day off and have some fun time. It will keep you from losing your mind. Good Luck and STUDY!

A person who shouldn't attend this school would be someone who just doesn't like friendly people or want to attend school on a rather large campus.

This is the most tradition rich university in the nation that has some of the biggest names in all fields directing research in between classes. We are on of the few schools who has sent a man to space and we have made some of the most important advancements in agriculture.

The main reason people go to college is to become a more skilled individual to get better jobs. When you look at universities and their alumni networks, compare them to that of Texas A&M. The Aggie ring is a relic and is one of the most powerful bands to be worn on anyones hand. I have friends who have had entire hotel bills covered while on a study abroad in Europe when and Old Ag saw her ring and talked to her. The Aggie Network is the largest of its kind and will connect you to anyone or any job you could ever want!

How much fun I was really going to have. It has been the best time of my life and I wish that I could do it all over again!

a video for the Aggie Wranglers

Shows the "Midnight Yell" tradition -- students gather in the stadium at midnight before football games, sing, go crazy.

A tribute to the 12th Man -- the Texas A&M tradition of the crowd being the "12th Man" on the football team

dreadlocked heartthrob/weiner/Aggie student Jason Castro is interviewed.

A news report about the Aggie "Yell Leaders" pumping up the crowd at Aggie sporting events.