I was just wondering what everyone's perception on Texas A&M is. I have not read much from anyone about A&M other than getting interviews there.
Texas A&M
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Hey!
The reason it is not talked about much in comparison to other schools is that because it accepts so few OOS and that it requires a whole separate application process than VMCAS, so not as much OOS'ers apply there as to the other schools discussed here.
I did apply there. Let me preface this post by saying that Texas AM is a great school. IN my job, I work with several of their graduates and they are all very intelligent people in their career field. However here are my issues:
First of all for my career choice (public health) it is not the best. They don't offer much in the way of activities and research to be done outside of the classroom. At least that was my impression from talking to the interviewers. Don't get me wrong, they do offer some, just not alot like a couple of other schools do.
Second of all, their application process is well . . interesting. I have a MPH from Yale and during my MPH I had taken several graduate level Microbiology courses because my emphasis was in infectious diseases. They said I had to retake General Microbiology courses, because they couldnt count the ones from Yale since Yale graded us on a P/F system and not with letter grades. Even though I had taken General Micro with my undergrad, they said it wasnt upper level cause it was numbered in the 2000's (even though my undergrad URI, didnt have a General Microbiolgy course above that and looking at the descriptions they looked both the same, plus I had taken Immunology/Virology upper level at URI but those could not be counted either
). They also said I had to retake my animal science course because my school didnt have an agricultural program and the course needed to be taken through that . . so go figure. There are several other people I know that had some issues with their pre reqs along the same lines. Plus they skew HEAVILY towards GPA/GRE
Finally, they are a little behind technology wise. Again, I am not a student so this is just from my application perspective. They also TRY to instate a dress code. . . .
PROS? If you are instate it is very cheap. They do alot of work with cloning and beef cattle. In fact, they are pretty well known for their cloning work, so that may be interesting. Their facilities are very nice and Texas AM is a nice school. The people are very friendly and down to earth. They also accept alot of instaters. In fact I was told that, if offered an interview you had a 60% chance of acceptance. They have some interesting internships once you get to your clinical level. So I guess it depends on what is important to you. If you are instate and are interested in LA/SA and have good scores, this is probably the place for you, go for it!!
The reason it is not talked about much in comparison to other schools is that because it accepts so few OOS and that it requires a whole separate application process than VMCAS, so not as much OOS'ers apply there as to the other schools discussed here.
I did apply there. Let me preface this post by saying that Texas AM is a great school. IN my job, I work with several of their graduates and they are all very intelligent people in their career field. However here are my issues:
First of all for my career choice (public health) it is not the best. They don't offer much in the way of activities and research to be done outside of the classroom. At least that was my impression from talking to the interviewers. Don't get me wrong, they do offer some, just not alot like a couple of other schools do.
Second of all, their application process is well . . interesting. I have a MPH from Yale and during my MPH I had taken several graduate level Microbiology courses because my emphasis was in infectious diseases. They said I had to retake General Microbiology courses, because they couldnt count the ones from Yale since Yale graded us on a P/F system and not with letter grades. Even though I had taken General Micro with my undergrad, they said it wasnt upper level cause it was numbered in the 2000's (even though my undergrad URI, didnt have a General Microbiolgy course above that and looking at the descriptions they looked both the same, plus I had taken Immunology/Virology upper level at URI but those could not be counted either
). They also said I had to retake my animal science course because my school didnt have an agricultural program and the course needed to be taken through that . . so go figure. There are several other people I know that had some issues with their pre reqs along the same lines. Plus they skew HEAVILY towards GPA/GREFinally, they are a little behind technology wise. Again, I am not a student so this is just from my application perspective. They also TRY to instate a dress code. . . .
PROS? If you are instate it is very cheap. They do alot of work with cloning and beef cattle. In fact, they are pretty well known for their cloning work, so that may be interesting. Their facilities are very nice and Texas AM is a nice school. The people are very friendly and down to earth. They also accept alot of instaters. In fact I was told that, if offered an interview you had a 60% chance of acceptance. They have some interesting internships once you get to your clinical level. So I guess it depends on what is important to you. If you are instate and are interested in LA/SA and have good scores, this is probably the place for you, go for it!!
I was not aware that so many people had problems with them. I guess since I'm from Texas the information I get is alittle bias since most people around here LOVE A&M. I have not visited any other schools and after hearing all the great things you all have to say about them I regret not research them more. I got an interview at A&M this year but if I do not get accepted I am definitely going to look into some other schools too.
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I don't think alot of people have problems with it and it is a GREAT school if the above mentioned things don't affect you.
Those were just reasons that I had issues with, but someone else might look at it in a completely different way. I just wanted to give anyone a heads up on how their applicaiton process works.
I would be very proud if you are accepted there because they are a great school. Also, if you are not, contact Yolanda Brinkman, even though we did not always see eye to eye (like prereqs) she is still very sweet and very helpful.
Those were just reasons that I had issues with, but someone else might look at it in a completely different way. I just wanted to give anyone a heads up on how their applicaiton process works.
I would be very proud if you are accepted there because they are a great school. Also, if you are not, contact Yolanda Brinkman, even though we did not always see eye to eye (like prereqs
) she is still very sweet and very helpful.
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I think it's more a problem with A&Ms application process than the school itself. The TMDSAS application is completely separate from the VMCAS one. I've filled them both out and they're absolutely the same. Ask the same questions and what not, just the TMDSAS one is easier (you don't have to click a button and reload pages to add each and every new activity/class/etc) to use.
I don't know why they don't use the standard system though. Maybe it's to cut down on applicants ('if you really want to be here...' kind of thing), I dunno.
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I didn't know that Texas A&M had a different application process than the rest of the vet schools so I'm glad you started this thread so I can think about whether it will be worth the effort/$ of applying. I'm from NJ but will be a PA resident when it comes time to apply this Summer. I spent a lot of my summers in TX as a kid and looked at A&M when I was looking at schools for undergrad. I absolutely love the place! I'm not sure if I will apply since they accept so few OOS'ers and their emphasis on GPA/GRE would hurt me, but I will say that if I were a TX resident I would go there in a half a heartbeat! I don't know what your primary area of interest is, but they've got a really strong equine repro program going and are especially ahead of the pack with the study of stallions/stallion management etc. I too have heard the "technology fear" about A&M. It would be worth looking at the "Factors when picking a vet school" thread b/c there was at least one person that posted plenty of good info on the school. Good luck!
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I talked to Yolanda today and she said that the letters have gone out!! I'm assuming they just went out either yesterday or today, because I told her that my permanent address was in Houston and she said I should be getting a letter "soon". Both acceptances and rejections are being sent. Let the panicking begin!! 
I'm assuming they just went out either yesterday or today, because I told her that my permanent address was in Houston and she said I should be getting a letter "soon". Both acceptances and rejections are being sent. Let the panicking begin!! 
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Oh geez, now I'm scared! I hope my letter comes today!
Does that mean you were rejected HopefulAg? How frustrating, you sound like such a good applicant. What more could they possibly want?
Does that mean you were rejected HopefulAg? How frustrating, you sound like such a good applicant. What more could they possibly want?
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Gig 'em to those that are accepted! Congrats!!! If it didn't work out this year, schedule an appointment with Yolanda- they break down every aspect of your application and tell you where you stood/ what to improve. They do HEAVILY skew towards GPA...trust me, I've completed 2 degrees there and it took me 3 years to be accepted. GPA = 3.2
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Yah I have a 3.4 overall, 3.5 science, and I think 3.5 last 45. Last year I had 3.4 across the board and lost half my points on GPA alone so I wasn't expecting too much more this year.
But one can always hope...
so I wasn't expecting too much more this year.But one can always hope...
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Rejected.
Oh well, I saw it coming. I'm sure they weren't too impressed with my low science GPA.
I'll focus on the positive: I loved Ohio State, and now I'm definitely going there.
Oh well, I saw it coming. I'm sure they weren't too impressed with my low science GPA.
I'll focus on the positive: I loved Ohio State, and now I'm definitely going there.
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Ya I've heard A&M is a really good school too, but I've heard a lot of people say they did not feel very prepared to work in the real world when they get out of school, but many people just get internships afterwards and are very successful! I do know that A&M has a very good program for the cattle part of vet med, (however I had a friend who had to work in the cow fields on christmas day! poor guy!) but if you're more interested in small animals and exotics you may want to consider elsewhere. And unfortunately you cannot get any animal experience there until your fourth year. But if you're looking for a good school with a small country town feel this would be a great place!
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Regarding the reasons whey Texas A&M is not a member of VMCAS. There has never been fraud on the part of VMCAS. The State of Texas, as you may know, has an excellent Central Application Service (CAS) of their own. As such, Texas simply uses the state run service rather than becoming members of VMCAS.
I've discussed this with the Office of the Dean at Texas A&M and re-confirmed that this was the case. The Academic Dean at Texas A&M will make sure that inquiries regarding A&M's decision not to use VMCAS are given the correct information.
Thanks!
Your VMCAS Staff
I've discussed this with the Office of the Dean at Texas A&M and re-confirmed that this was the case. The Academic Dean at Texas A&M will make sure that inquiries regarding A&M's decision not to use VMCAS are given the correct information.
Thanks!
Your VMCAS Staff
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A&M offers amazing opportunities for both exotics, equine, small & large animal.
I am pleased to say that you are grossly misinformed with the "cannot get animal experience until 4th year" and also "if you're more interested in small animals and exotics you may want to consider elsewhere."
Just to cite one example, within your 1st month of 1st year every body does a bovine jugular draw. That same month you're also in charge of caring for an ostrich/cow/or horse (depending on which area you are lacking in experience). Within 2 months you have already performed enough physical exams to get your own technique down.
There are weekly clinic correlate labs where you spend 3 hours wrestling goats, chasing deer, working up imaginary cases on real life horses, performing physical exams on the animals at the local animal shelter (and you get to name them too! cool!), touring the raptor center, going out to livestock auctions....this particular course goes on for the 1st two years. 3 hours a week for 4 semesters.
On top of that there are monthly mare palpation & ultrasound wetlabs, daily hospital rounds, etc. Plus all students are welcomed and encouraged to just hang out at the clinics. They'll put you to work.
We have a very fancy & respectable small animal clinic, as you would expect from any major veterinary school. And if that weren't enough, they're building a completely new vet school, which'll be ready in a few years.
Also the small town feel...its not quite the small town anymore. Its two cities side by side each with ~ 75,000 people = ~150,000. Its a fully functioning metropolis of coffeeshops, bars, movie theatres...
If anyone has any questions what so ever, please don't hesitate for a moment to contact me.
Does anyone know how the waitlist works for A&M? Did they only give out 125 offers? Or did they dive out alot more expecting people to decline them for other schools? And does anyone know any stats about how many people have gotten off the waitlist in the past? I couldn't find anything about A&M in the previous years' waitlist posts.
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All of which I am so absolutely incredibly head over heels excited about (though admittedly the ostrich possibility scares me a tad ). Thanks InfiniVet!!
Tsuky, is A&M your final decision?
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That's the big question right now!
I'm still a tad hesitant to say 100% yes, simply because I still have one more interview I'd like to go on, but I'm becoming more and more excited about A&M every day, and IS tuition counts for a lot, regardless. I'm SO very terrible at making decisions, it once took me 20 minutes of standing in Target just to decide if I wanted a black or a white microwave...."Well, this one would brighten up the kitchen...but this one looks more sleek...but then again I'm only going to be here for another 6 months so does it even matter? I think I like the white one...no black...no...wait...."
That said, I'm going to go ahead and say yes for right now, but it probably won't be official for another 3 weeks
Are we going to be classmates?
Are we going to be classmates?
If you decide on A&M, then most definitely
. I was rejected from the 2 other schools I applied to, so that leaves me with the option of the closest and cheapest school. I'm quite okay with this. Good luck on your interview and good luck deciding.
