We Bleed Maroon

lifeofdurr: Guys, I’m so happy that registration is now open! I...

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:16:08 -0500

lifeofdurr:

Guys, I’m so happy that registration is now open! I can’t wait for camp #fc13 #classof17 #tamu #aggie #awesome

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Thu, 23 May 2013 12:51:17 -0500

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Sun, 19 May 2013 17:54:45 -0500

prevetcountryaggie: I love my school because they do things...

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:18:02 -0500

prevetcountryaggie:

I love my school because they do things that have never been done before.

For an engineering major, should you apply as soon as it opens (august 1) or wait around until september

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:25:00 -0500

ALWAYS apply early when in doubt. Early is always better for filling slots and for making sure your stuff gets to them on time. YES APPLY EARLY.

For more info, see when I answered a similar question a little while ago, here, here (someone who has inside info from the admissions office), and here.

Yep, BIMS is hard. And, yes, I think ANSC is a bit less-hard. Not in a bad way, just in a...

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:11:21 -0500

Yep, BIMS is hard. And, yes, I think ANSC is a bit less-hard. Not in a bad way, just in a requires-less-hard-science sort of way (You’ll find when you get here that BIMS and ANSC can be kind of competitive, and I’m not trying to put anyone down! I have tons of respect for ANSC majors, I promise!)

I’ve met plenty of BIMS majors who do well without tutoring (my roommate and I do pretty well on our own—but we’re both really good at science) so I hope that doesn’t scare anyone off. But if you have to go to tutoring, that is NOT a bad thing, so if you’re up for it you can learn a lot through the program.

If I had it to do over again, I would still choose BIMS. I’m graduating Friday, and I think my degree has gotten me where I wanted to go. I’m going to be starting vet school in August, and I feel like I’m prepared. But, I think lots of other people feel the same way about their majors, whatever they are!

And if anybody has questions about the vet school application—I’ve been there. It really sucks, I know. If you have anything you want to ask me, please do!

Howdy, Melodie, and congratulations on making it into A&M! I can tell you a little bit about...

Wed, 08 May 2013 23:18:17 -0500

Howdy, Melodie, and congratulations on making it into A&M!

I can tell you a little bit about BIMS versus Animal Science, but of course I am not on the admissions board and don’t have any special insider info, so everything I say is based on my personal observations. This is going to be a little long-winded, so I put it under a cut to save the non-pre-vet people from the text!

Animal Science is a great major, especially for those pre-vet students who are interested in large animal or mixed practice. There are a couple of drawbacks, though, like having to take some classes that aren’t in your curriculum (they’re vet school prerequisites) and missing out on taking some classes BIMS students take because they’re not built into your major.

A quick overview of the two majors is a bit like this: for Animal Science you take a bunch of really great livestock and animal management driven electives (I don’t know what people usually take, but I’ve seen people take meat science, reproduction, and species-specific courses like sheep or horse management-type courses), but for BIMS you take a bunch of hard science electives (I like to call them the “-ologies”: Physiology, Parasitology, Histology, Embryology, etc.) Other than that the majors are fairly similar (the first two years of any major are the so called Common Body of Knowledge Courses or CBKs—English, History, Math, Poli-Sci, etc.), and since lots of Animal Science majors are heading down the road to vet school, they’re very adept at steering you in the right direction.

Both programs have their pros and cons. I think BIMS is objectively a harder major (no offense meant!) because of the science-heavy electives. In order to graduate, BIMS majors must take anatomy and physiology (please do this if you can anyway, or anatomy at least! I’ve been told it’s a life-saver for first year vet students—a sentiment I fully expect to echo next semester!). But, by the same token, I think it’s a good preparation for the type of curriculum vet students face (your first year in vet school resembles a repeat of the senior year in BIMS, and vet school has a very science-heavy focus.) Plus, BIMS majors get the extra little perk of taking the BIMS-major biochemistry if they choose (it’s a little easier, especially for the second semester, because it’s cell-driven instead of hard chemistry-driven. BUT if you plan on applying for vet school outside of Texas, this won’t matter, because you have to take the biochemistry department version anyway.) BIMS is built to be a pre-professional degree and it’s very good at preparing you for medical, dental, PA, and veterinary school, but it’s definitely not the only option. I’m not trying to sound ultra pro-BIMS, but I am a BIMS major, and I can say more things for sure about it!

And as for animal science—I think especially if you are intending to go into livestock, equine, or food-animal practice, it is a great preparation for your career, and you can definitely make it a great preparation for vet school depending on the electives you choose. Many, many Animal Science majors get into vet school and do very well. Plus, I think Animal Science gives you more opportunities for hands-on animal experience than BIMS classes (at least in my limited experience with the ANSC department.) I think maybe it’s a bit easier to “have a life” if you are enrolled in Animal Science, but this may not be representative of the department so much as representative of my friends! I’m not sure!

The most important thing for getting into vet school is getting experience and working hard. Your GPA, vet experience hours, and extracurriculars are important. Your major, not so much. As long as you take the prerequisites and have a good science GPA, you’re going to be a competitive applicant. I’ve seen a bunch of BIMS majors who didn’t get in on their first try, and a bunch of ANSC majors who did (and vice versa!) Plus, there are plenty of non-conventional majors who get into vet school too.

TL;DR: Which major is better is kind of a personal preference thing. Pick your major based on what you want to be learning for four years, and check the boxes on the list of prerequisites (available here or from your advisor!) Make sure you get lots and lots of experience and don’t forget to study. That’s what it takes to get into vet school. Your major is not a shortcut or a requirement. J\

Oh, and Melodie—feel free to message me with ANY questions about being pre-vet or applying, and you can ask me off anon! I won’t bite, and I will answer you privately if I think it’s appropriate. J

randomfootnotes: It’s a gorgeous day and I’m going to miss this...

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:33:17 -0500

randomfootnotes:

It’s a gorgeous day and I’m going to miss this place over the summer.

harvarvard: Kyle Field

Sat, 04 May 2013 10:42:53 -0500

harvarvard:

Kyle Field

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Fri, 03 May 2013 10:51:58 -0500

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Fri, 03 May 2013 10:47:23 -0500

jebertsch: It’s official - the new Kyle Field. 102,000 seats...

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:39:18 -0500

jebertsch:

It’s official - the new Kyle Field. 102,000 seats (largest in Texas and the SEC), twelve of which will remain empty to honor the 12 students who died in the 1999 Bonfire collapse. A lower field level to increase crowd noise. Overhangs on the east and west deck. A larger statue of E. King Gill.

Gig ‘Em, Ags.

http://www.kylefield.com/

To the anon asking about Spring Rush (sorry this is a bit late), some sororities who don't meet their quota may do it. Meaning sororities who have girls drop out, etc. Usually it's not advertised very publicly at all. I think this is because some people think bad of sororities who have to spring rush because they can't retain members or get girls who actually want to join. I also think most sororities only extend invitations to spring rush to friends who they know want to join.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:00 -0500

Thanks again! :)

Also, to the anon asking whether it is difficult to rush as a junior (sorry, I'm creeping through the asks). YES. It is. It's increasingly more difficult the older you get. Most simply put, why would a sorority take a junior who will only be a paying member for two years when they can take a freshman for the same spot who will pay for the full four years. I have a friend in a certain sorority who took about 10 older girls in a pledge class one year and they said they would never do it again.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:12:00 -0500

Thanks! :)

Okay guys, after the flurry of posts last night I have gone back and tagged everything. If you want...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:34:12 -0500

Okay guys, after the flurry of posts last night I have gone back and tagged everything. If you want to use Tumblr Savior to avoid any advice or asks, I will tag all inbox posts with “ask” and relevant posts as “advice.”

I have also created a “Frequently Asked Questions” page if you want a quick answer to a question I get a lot or is a common concern. I would appreciate if you would glance through it before sending me an ask, though if your question is not answered on it, DO NOT hesitate to ask me. :)

I have gone through and tagged posts to divide them if you’re searching for a specific subject. Right now I have Admissions, Student Life, Greek Life (sparse!), and Blinn TEAM.

If there is anything else I can do for y’all, please let me know! Thanks, and gig ‘em!

Whe. I was accepted for re-admittance I did not get my letter until the weekend before class started.

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:56:14 -0500

To the anon worried about getting in: When I reapplied last year, I didn't hear back until the end of July. So, don't fret. It could still happen!

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:51:44 -0500

catchah-in-the-rye says: I was a Blinn TEAM student last year, and now I’m working on a...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:51:33 -0500

catchah-in-the-rye says:

I was a Blinn TEAM student last year, and now I’m working on a double major in International Studies and History! It’s totally worth it, way cheaper, and you get to do pretty much everything a normal Ag would. Also, it only took me a year, but you get in at the most after two years. If there is anyone doubtful about it, I say go for it.

a buddy of mine just got admitted to civil engineering and she was on blinn team. totally doable.

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:44:24 -0500

I applied as a transfer for the fall and haven't heard from them yet. I'm nervous because all my aggie friends are alrady registering for classes; if i had been accepted shouldn't I be too?

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:44:09 -0500

Well, I’m not sure. I’m just a student taking classes here, after all. But, keep in mind that while current students register for classes during the semester, incoming students register at their New Student Conferences (some of which are late July!).

However, according to the admissions website the deadline for applying for your New Student Conference as a transfer student is May 15 so it is possible admissions decisions are still coming out. If you are worried, I would call someone.

Check your applicant.tamu.edu page often if you don’t already. I’d look for any alerts or correspondence on the tabs at the bottom of the page in case you missed the email. At the top of the page there is a “Contact Us” link and you can fill out a form to ask them a question if you don’t want to call. I’d try using one of the prospective student centers maybe or the admissions number on the contact us page on the TAMU website.

My advice would be if you’re worried about it, call. You’ll get an answer, even if it’s not the one you want.