Summary of Fall 2022 TEAM Meeting

A number of presentations of the TEAM Fall 2022 TEAM meeting were held in September and October to:

– Cover important information not addressed during your New Student Conference

– Reinforce timely advising information introduced during your New Student Conference

– Discuss preparations for Spring registration

– Discuss importance of first semester grades, GPA calculation, Q-drops, etc.

– Discuss final exams

– Highlight important dates

Below is an outline of the most important topics.

Your Home at A&M

Transition Academic Programs (TAP), a unit within the Undergraduate Studies Division, provides:

– Academic Advising

– Accurate, timely information

– Administrative Support

– Advocacy for TEAM students

In support of student success in the TEAM Program at A&M and beyond.

Guarantee

Guarantees at Texas A&M are rare, but here’s one: If you don’t read and heed TEAM emails we GUARANTEE you will encounter problems! Use your A&M or Blinn email accounts when you email an advisor or professor and always include your A&M UIN/Blinn ID.

The Co-enrollment Challenge

– Co-enrolled students must pay close attention to “double the amount of details” as students who are only enrolled at one school.

– You are attending two separate schools with two different sets of rules!

— Examples: Attendance policy, holidays, deadlines

– You will have to accomplish most tasks twice (once for each school), but at different times.

How TEAM Works

– TEAM is designed to be a two-year co-enrollment program.

— However, it is possible for students to transition out of TEAM sooner when they have:

— Completed 2 or more semesters, and

— Maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at both schools, and

— Satisfied all entry requirements for their intended major (to include submitting a change of major request)

– Early transition is more likely for some majors than others.

— For some majors, satisfying all of the entry requirements usually takes two years.

– Students who are still in TEAM at the end of the two years must meet specific credit hour requirements at each school.

Differences Between High School and College

(1) College deadlines are REAL. Don’t expect professors to give extensions for assignments. Published or announced deadlines really are the last day to accomplish certain tasks.

(2) AP and Dual Credit courses are not as rigorous as Blinn and A&M courses. Don’t assume college courses taken in residence will be easy just because you did well in AP and dual enrollment courses in high school.

Extracurricular Activities

– Get involved! Choose from more than 1,000 recognized organizations.

– Make new friends, network, develop leadership skills.

– Limit your involvement to one activity or organization during your first semester.

– NCAA varsity sport participation isn’t available to TEAM students due to national-level organizational rules (NCAA).

– Some Greek and Sports Club organizations are also bound by national organizational rules which require full-time enrollment at the sponsoring university for participation.

Keys to Success

(1) Ask Questions, Seek Help. Help is readily available but you will have to ask for it.

(2) Take personal responsibility for your success.

(3) Consider giving your parents/guardians access to your grades.

— Per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the parents of a student claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) may be given access to the student’s educational records.

— Academic advisors cannot legally discuss a student’s academic record with a parent or guardian without a Certificate of Dependency verification on file.

— Students must initiate the request, which will also require parent name(s) and signature(s).

— For A&M, the Certificate of Dependency online form is located here:

Click to access Dependency_Certification.pdf

— For Blinn, the FERPA release form is found under the Admissions Forms icon in myBLINN.

.— At A&M, students may also authorize parent/guardian access to view certain information (e.g., grades) within Howdy. Click Parent/Guardian Access for more information about setting up a parent profile in Howdy.

(4) Limit employment hours. Work 15 or less hours per week starting out. Work in Bryan/College Station rather then maintaining your hometown job. Work Study & other on-campus work opportunities are available.

Academic Advising

When should you meet with an academic advisor?

– At the fist sign of a problem

– Before Blinn registration begins

– Early in the semester to avoid long waits near registration

Academic Advising Locations

– TAP Advising (Your primary advising location): is in the Academic Building (Room 107).

– To make an appointment go to http://tap.tamu.edu and click “make an appointment.” If there are no appointments available check for walk-in hours.

– Blinn Advising is primarily through Mr. Mullins at the RELLIS Campus in the Administration Building, (Room 150D)

– Email him (team@blinn.edu) for an appointment or call with questions at (979) 209-8067.

Communicating With Academic Advisors

– The quality of the advice you receive will be affected by the quality of information you provide to your advisor.

– The official means of communication between students and advisors is email.

— Always email from your TAMU or Blinn account.

— Always include your name & UIN or Blinn ID number.

— Send your Blinn questions to team@blinn.edu

— Send your A&M questions to tap-blinnteam@tamu.edu

To Make an A&M Advising Appointment

– Go to http://tap.tamu.edu and click on the “make an appointment” tab

– Appointments can also be made via the Navigate app on your smartphone

TEAM Terms & Conditions

– To view the program’s terms and conditions at any time, go to: http://tap.tamu.edu, select “programs,” select “TEAM,” and select “Terms and Conditions.”

GPA Calculation

The only difference between A&M and Blinn’s calculation of a student’s GPA is that Blinn has a grade replacement policy and A&M does not. For example, if a student repeats a course taken at Blinn, only the better of the two grades will be used in the student’s Blinn GPA calculation. Both A&M and Blinn use the Four Point Scale in which the grade points per credit hour listed below are earned.

A = 4

B = 3

C = 2

D = 1

F = 0

The formula for calculating GPA is Total Grade Points ÷ GPA Attempted Credit Hours

Here is an example of a TEAM student GPA calculation for a schedule containing two courses totaling four credit hours:

COURSE GPA CREDIT HOURS GRADE GRADE POINTS EARNED

GEOG 202………………..3……………………………B(3)………………………..9

KINE 120………………….1……………………………A(4)………………………..4

TOTAL ……………………4…………………………………………………………13

13 ÷ 4 = 3.25 GPA

Importance of First Semester Grades

Assume a TEAM student earns the following semester GPAs for two years while in the TEAM Program:

SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS GPA

Fall ’22……………………….4………………….2.0

Spr ’23……………………….5………………….2.4

Fall ’23……………………….6………………….3.0

Spr ’24……………………….6………………….4.0

TOTAL:………………… ….21………………….2.95 cumulative GPA

This student consistently improved, but still fell short of the goal of obtaining the 3.0 cumulative GPA that was required to qualify for his/her intended major. The main reason for the shortfall was the low GPA earned during the very first semester. It is difficult to overcome a poor start. There is no “warm up semester,” your grades are important starting right now!

Course Drops (“Q-Drops”)

– Dropping a course is a way of avoiding a poor academic start.

– Your GPA will suffer tremendously if you receive a grade of D or F during your first semester.

– Some A&M freshmen never received a low grade in high school, and might not think it is likely. These determined students often have the idea that they would be “quitters” if they were to drop a course.

— (Question: Has the Aggie football team quit if they punt the football on fourth down? Answer: No–they have employed a tactical move to enable a strategic victory. Think of a Q-Drop as an academic punt that will allow you to achieve your goal of a high GPA.

– There are 2 sets of deadlines for dropping courses (A&M’s and Blinn’s).

— A&M Deadline = 60th class day

— Blinn 16-week course deadline = 12th week (November 18)

— Blinn 8-week course deadline = September 30

– Q-drops begin after the 12th class day of the regular semesters. Drops before the 12th day are “schedule adjustments.”

– Dropping below 12 total credit hours will not remove a student from TEAM.

– Students drop courses on their own at Blinn via the MyBLINN portal, but must meet with a TAP advisor to drop a course at A&M.

– ALWAYS see an advisor to discuss possible course drops before doing so.

– The time a course drop will benefit you the most is when you are a freshman because your GPA is volatile. When you are a senior, a low grade in one course will not destroy your GPA because your average is based on many grades.

Your Upcoming Registration!

– Blinn registration for Spring 2022 began OCT 10 at 9:00am.

– In order to register for your Spring ’23 Blinn courses, you must first identify ALL courses that would be appropriate to take next (at either school).

– If you need to meet with a TAP academic advisor to discuss courses, do so as early in the semester as possible to avoid the last-minute advising rush.

– Your A&M freshman registration will begin in late November.

– Don’t wait until A&M registration begins to register at Blinn.

Preparing for Registration

Prior to the start of registration, students should:

– (A&M & Blinn) Check for registration holds

– Contact the offices having placed the registration holds to determine what is needed in order to remove the holds PRIOR to your registration date.

– (A&M) Complete the “Location Update” for the Spring term

– (A&M) Complete the “Terms of Use” acknowledgement for the Spring term

– (A&M) Complete the “Lab Safety Acknowledgement”

– (A&M) Registration Tutorial Videos and Guides are available in Howdy to assist students in preparing for registration.

— Log into Howdy > visit the My Record Tab > go to the ‘Learn About the My Record Tab’ portlet > Click on ‘Registration Tutorials’ > click on ‘Preparing for Registration’ for a list of available tutorials

Early A&M Registration for Students Who Work

– Students who work on or off campus 12 or more hours per week, Monday-Friday, between 8am-5pm, may request an early registration time.

— This helps them schedule classes around their work schedules.

— For freshmen, this early registration date will be the last day of sophomore registration.

— Eligible students must submit a “Texas A&M University Student Employment Verification Form” by the deadline (October 6).

— Students must also ensure their supervisors complete their portion of the form on or before the deadline.

– For information go to: https://registrar.tamu.edu/Courses,-Registration,-Scheduling/Registration-Enrollment-Information/Student-Worker-Early-Registration

Registration Strategies

– Think holistically about registration (Think of your Blinn + A&M schedules as one schedule.)

– Before Blinn registration, determine all courses that would be appropriate choices to take next semester for your intended major.

– Create a wish-list that includes extra course choices as “back-ups.”

— TAP advisors can assist. You can also consult a degree plan from these sources:

http://catalog.tamu.edu reference your major’s degree plan in the undergraduate catalog

— The website of your intended major usually has a link to the degree plan

— Run a degree evaluation in Howdy

– Plan which course(s) you will take at A&M.

– Register for the others at Blinn.

How to Produce a Degree Evaluation in Howdy

– Log into https://howdy.tamu.edu.

– Click the “MyRecord” Tab.

– Scroll down to the window titled “Degree Evaluation.”

– Click “View Degree Evaluation.”

– You will be prompted to select a term (semester). Click “submit” to indicate the current semester.”

– You will now be at a screen titled “Degree Evaluation Record.” Scroll down and click “What-if Analysis.”

– The next screen asks for your “entry term” (semester). Select your first semester in college, then click “Continue.” (This is important—degree requirements sometimes differ from year to year.)

– You will be prompted to select your intended major. Click the arrow at right to scroll, then click on your selection.

– You will move to a page to verify the major you selected. In the “First Major” block, click the arrow on the right and select your major again. On the next screen click “Generate Request.” There will be a 5 to 10 second delay while the evaluation is prepared.

– Now click “Detailed Requirements,” followed by “Submit.” The required courses for your major will appear, showing those you have completed and those remaining.

How to Decide Which Courses to Take at A&M

Consider these factors when deciding which courses to take at A&M:

– Consider an introductory course in your intended major that isn’t available at Blinn.

— Example: If your intended major is Construction Science, take COSC 253 at A&M

– Example: If your intended major is Animal Science, take ANSC 107 & 108 together at A&M (Blinn doesn’t offer ANSC 108).

– If your intended major prefers that students complete a particular subject at A&M, take it at A&M (if possible).

— Example: Both schools teach Biology but take it at A&M to get preference in changing your major to Biology sooner.

– For courses offered at both schools, take your strongest/favorite subjects at A&M

– If there is a course you need that has a very high grade history, take it at A&M.

– Eventually, your A&M GPA will be your only GPA.

– Some Blinn science courses (CHEM 1411 & PHYS 1401, PSYC 2317) have a prerequisite of College Algebra (MATH 1314). A&M doesn’t require College Algebra to be completed to take these subjects.

– Most Blinn courses are taught in an 8-week format and cover material at twice the usual pace. If you are concerned about being able to keep up in a particular subject, take that subject at A&M.

How to Decide Which Courses to Take at Blinn

Consider these factors when deciding which courses to take at Blinn:

– Blinn does not offer all of the courses that are available at A&M.

– Blinn offers some courses that are in different formats or modes than might suit your learning style. For example, some are 16-weeks, while others are 8-weeks and cover the material at twice the normal pace. Some are face-to-face, while others are online or blended. The online courses might be at a set time, or asynchronous.

– Blinn classrooms usually have about 32 students or less, whereas many A&M classrooms are huge.

– It is easier to ask a question or get assistance from the professor in a small Blinn MATH class than in an A&M MATH class with 150-250 students.

– Math tutoring is more available at A&M than Blinn.

– If a course you need is restricted to students currently in that major, take the equivalent at Blinn (if available).

– Example: If you are pursuing Business you’ll be unable to take required Business courses at A&M (ACCT 229 & 230, ISTM 210, and BUSN 203) 

– Blinn courses cost less than A&M courses–save money by taking more at Blinn and fewer at A&M.

Beware Switching Campuses During a Course Sequence!

– Freshmen who attempt to switch campuses in the middle of a subject sequence will encounter problems, particularly during their initial semester.

— Examples of course sequences include (but are not limited to):

— CHEM: 119 (1411), 120 (1412), 227/237 (2423), 228/238 (2425)

—- SPAN: 101 (1411), 102 (1412), 201 (2311), 202 (2312)

— MATH: 151 (2413), 152 (2414), 251 (2415)

– Blinn and A&M haven’t yet exchanged Fall transcripts, so neither school knows which courses you are currently taking at the other.

– If you are taking the first course of Chemistry, Spanish, Math, etc. at Blinn, and attempt to register for the second course at A&M, your attempt will fail because Howdy doesn’t know you are satisfying the prerequisite.

– In general, it is usually advisable to complete course sequences at the school where the sequence was begun.

Resolve Final Exam Conflicts Now

– Final exams are not given during normal class meeting times

— The final exam for each course is likely to be on a different day of the week, and at a different time, than your class meets during the semester.

– Now is a good time to check the syllabus for each of your courses to determine if you will have any time conflicts between final exams at Blinn and A&M.

— If you will be taking any 2nd 8-week courses at Blinn, you may have to wait until you get the course syllabus.

– If you discover that you will have a time conflict between a Blinn and A&M final exam, here is what to do:

— Check the schedule of courses in Howdy and myBLINN to determine if either professor teaches more than just your section of that course.

— If so, check the final exam schedules to see if a different section has its final exam planned for a time that would avoid a conflict.

— If so, contact the professor (in person) and explain your dilemma. Ask for permission to take the final exam with the other section.

— If your professor wants a letter from your department to verify your request, let TAP know the details and we will gladly provide documentation.

— If neither professor teaches more than one section, ask one or both if you can be allowed to take the final exam early.

— If your professor agrees to allow you to test at an alternate time, it is recommended that you confirm this via email so that you will have a written record of the agreement.

— If neither professor is willing to work with you, notify TAP of the details and we will appeal on your behalf.

-TAMU Student Rule 8.4 states that A&M students who have three final exams on the same day may request to reschedule one of the exams.

— Most TEAM students are not taking three courses at A&M.

— However, if you have three final exams on the same day and wish to request that an A&M final exam be rescheduled, complete the “Final Exam Conflict” form.

— See instructions and a link to the form here: https://us.tamu.edu/Students/Final-Exam-Conflict.

— Instructors are not obligated to approve requests if all three final exams are not in A&M courses.

Important Fall Semester Dates

Oct 8 BLINN Last day to drop 1st 8-week courses

Oct 11 BLINN Spring Registration Begins

Oct 20 BLINN Final Exams for 1st 8-week courses

Oct 25 BLINN 2nd 8-week courses begin

Nov 17 A&M Freshman Spring registration begins. (Check Howdy for your time.)

Nov 19 A&M Last day to drop a course or withdraw

Nov 24 A&M “Reading Day” (no A&M class)

Nov 24 BLINN No Class

Nov 25 BOTH Thanksgiving Holidays

Nov 26 BOTH Thanksgiving Holidays

Dec 3 BLINN Last day to drop 2nd 8-week and 16-week courses

Dec 6 A&M (Mon) “Redefined Day” students attend Friday classes*

Dec 7 A&M (Tues) “Redefined Day” students attend Thursday classes*

Dec 8 A&M Last class day

Dec 9 A&M “Reading Day” – no class

Dec 11 BLINN Last class day

Dec 10-15 A&M Final Exams

DEC 13-16 BLINN Final Exams

Final Exams and Redefined Days

Remember to check your final exam times if you haven’t already done so 

• The A&M Final Exam Schedule is here: https://registrar.tamu.edu/Courses,-Registration,-Scheduling/Final-Examination-Schedules#0-Fall2021
• The Blinn Final Exam Schedule is here: https://www.blinn.edu/academics/pdf/blinn-final-exam-schedule.pdf

Here are some points about final exams:

• Final exams are usually not given during the class’ normal meeting times
  • The final exam for each course is likely to be on a different day of the week, and at a different time, than your class meets during the semester
  • Check the syllabus and/or final exam schedule for each of your courses to determine if you will have any time conflicts between exams at Blinn and A&M
• If you discover that you will have a time conflict between a Blinn and A&M final exam, here is what to do:
  • Check the schedule of courses in Howdy and myBLINN to determine if either professor teaches more than just your section of that course
    If so, check the final exam schedules to see if a different section has its final exam planned for a time that would avoid a conflict
  • If so, contact the professor (in person) and explain your dilemma. Ask for permission to take the final exam with the other section
  • If your professor wants a letter from your department to verify your request, let TAP know the details and we will gladly provide documentation
  • If neither professor teaches more than one section, ask one or both if you can be allowed to take the final exam early
  • If your professor agrees to allow you to test at an alternate time, it is recommended that you confirm this via email so that you will have a written record of the agreement
  • If neither professor is willing to work with you, notify TAP of the details and we will appeal on your behalf
• TAMU Student Rule 8.4 states that A&M students who have three final exams on the same day may request to reschedule one of the exams
  • Most TEAM students are not taking three courses at A&M
    • However, if you have three final exams on the same day and wish to request that an A&M final exam be rescheduled, complete the “Final Exam Conflict” form
    • See instructions and a link to the form here: https://us.tamu.edu/Students/Final-Exam-Conflict
    • Instructors are not obligated to approve requests if all three final exams are not for A&M courses

Texas A&M has two “redefined days” next week 

• Monday, December 6, and Tuesday December 7 have been “redefined”
  • On Monday, students are to attend their Friday classes
  • On Tuesday, students are to attend their Thursday classes 
• This year, these redefined days might not create any changes for you, but in some years they can change your week significantly and cause time conflicts
  • However, it’s important to check to see if the redefined days will create any time conflicts for you between your Blinn and A&M classes
    • If so, you might have to make a decision about which class to attend 
      • Inform the professor (in advance) of the class you will be unable to attend 
      • Remember that Blinn College has an attendance policy!    

What TEAM Students Need to Know About Registration

This is a lot of information. Please read and heed!

If you haven’t yet registered for Blinn spring classes, keep in mind that courses offered at the RELLIS campus fill quickly. If you need to meet with a Transition Academic Programs (TAP) advisor to plan your spring courses, now is the time. The TAP advisors are currently assisting students on a walk-in basis, both face-to-face in Hotard Hall, and remotely via Zoom, whichever you prefer. Check our website at http://tap.tamu.edu for advising hours and the Zoom link.

 Think of Co-enrollment as One Schedule, Not Two

Other than at your freshman new student conference, registration at Blinn and A&M always occurs at different times—Blinn goes first, followed by A&M a short time later.  Because of this, it is important for TEAM students to think of their two registrations as a single, holistic process.  There is no need to consult an advisor at both schools to produce separate schedules.  Instead, meet with one advisor to plan appropriate course options for your combined schedule. Your primary advisors are in Transition Academic Programs (TAP) in Hotard Hall on the A&M campus.

 Identify Needed Courses for Your Intended Major

You have the ability to identify appropriate courses for your intended major without the help of an advisor. There are at least four easy ways to do this:

1. Produce a “What-If” Degree Evaluation in Howdy. (See Attachment 2 for instructions)
2. Use the Undergraduate Catalog to find the requirements for your intended major.
   – Go to http://catalog.tamu.edu
   – Select “Undergraduate Catalog.”
   – In the column on the right, select the academic college that administers your intended major.
   – A new page for the college will appear. Select “Majors.”
   – Find and select the major you are interested in pursuing.
   – Select “Program Requirements.” You will see a four-year degree plan showing a recommended order to take required courses. (Note: The plan shown is not mandatory, but is one that will work in terms of the order and pairing of course requirements.)
3. Find a one-page curriculum handout (sometimes called a “major pager”) on the website of your intended major. (Check the catalog number/year, as some of these may be outdated.)
4. Refer to your Degree Planner in Howdy if you have already completed it.

 Determine Course Sequencing and Restrictions

After identifying the required courses for your intended major, check course descriptions in the Blinn or A&M catalog for the freshman/sophomore courses you have not yet completed.  Each course description will indicate if there are any prerequisites or restrictions.  Postpone courses for which you have not yet satisfied the prerequisites or restrictions. For A&M, In the Online Schedule of Courses in Howdy, you may click on the course title to see a pop-up menu. Click on “restrictions” to check for limitations.  Students who do not check for restrictions are often frustrated when their attempt to register for a course is unsuccessful. This is usually due to not checking for restrictions.  Check all sections of a course, sometimes there will be sections of a course that are reserved for students who are currently in the major, whereas other sections might be open to any student.

Make a List of All Courses that Make Sense to Take Next Semester (i.e., not junior or senior courses)

Include some back-up options in case you encounter time conflicts or unavailability issues with your preferred choices. Check your transcript to avoid repeating courses you might have previously completed, such as through AP or dual enrollment in high school. Finally, strive for a balance of subjects—avoid listing too many “reading” or “numbers” courses for a single semester.

Decide Which Courses to Take at Each School

Identify your A&M courses first, and plan to take the remainder at Blinn.  Consider the following strategies when deciding how to pick the campus for courses on your list:

– Take your “best” subjects at A&M based on your previous high school and college success. All courses and grades are important, but after you transition to full enrollment at – A&M only your A&M grades will affect your A&M GPA.
– If you’ve already completed your strongest subjects, identify one that is particularly interesting to you as an A&M course.
– Consider a course in your future major at A&M that might not be available at Blinn.
– Consider classroom size. A Blinn math course might hold 32 students, whereas the same course at A&M might include 150 to 300. (In front of which audience would you like to ask your questions?)
– Consider the format/mode of instruction for the courses (face-to-face, live online (Zoom), flex online (asynchronous), blended, etc.)
– Often advisors can recommend a course option that fulfills a needed core curriculum requirement, while also having historically good grades.

Check the Schedule of Courses at Both Schools

Determine when courses will meet. Most students prefer to have “Blinn class days” and “A&M class days,” with no campus changes during the day.

Consult an Academic Advisor
Students aren’t required to meet with an academic advisor, but capitalize on their knowledge because they “exist to assist.” Take your “wish list” of courses to be reviewed by an advisor. Check availability of Transition Academic Programs (TAP) advisors at https://tap.tamu.edu/, or via the Navigate App on your smartphone.

Check for Registration Holds

Few things are as frustrating as being prevented from registering at the appointed time due to a hold you could have resolved in advance. Check for registration holds at both schools now, and resolve them.

Avoid Registration Mistakes

See Attachment 3.

Register

Once you have determined appropriate courses and checked the restrictions, times, and availability, register for your classes.  Then consider making an appointment to meet with an advisor to review your schedule.  Afterward, it would be a good idea to complete your Degree Planner in Howdy so you will have your future semesters planned well in advance.  All students must submit their degree plan when their total of completed credit hours reaches or exceeds 30. This task must be re-accomplished each year by 9/30 to avoid a hold that will take effect on 10/1. Freshmen who arrive in TEAM with 30 or more completed credit hours must submit a degree plan during their first semester to avoid a registration hold.

Attachment 1: TEAM Registration Tips from Blinn College

http://www.blinn.edu/team/registration-tips.html

• When searching for classes you will occasionally come across sections that may not yet have a time or day of the week listed. It is not advised that you sign up for this section as once the information is posted it may conflict with your current schedule, and there may not be alternatives at that time.
• When signing up for classes, many students will try to build their schedule around a specific professor. Professors can and will change, without notice, from what is posted when you first sign up for a class. We cannot change or switch courses due to a student’s preferred professor changing.
• If you plan to attend courses at both the RELLIS and Texas A&M campuses on the same day, you will want to allow at least one hour between classes to give you enough time to leave one campus and arrive at the other. Make sure to also factor in time to get lunch or review study materials if needed.
• Blinn’s RELLIS Campus has relatively limited course offerings, therefore classes will fill up quickly once registration begins. Students need to ensure that they are able to register for classes as soon as registration opens.
• Blinn registration will always occur prior to Texas A&M’s registration. Students will want to set their Blinn schedules first and then add their Texas A&M classes when registration opens at Texas A&M. Students are encouraged to think of registration as a single process: First, identify a list of appropriate courses for the next semester. Next, decide which courses you will take at Texas A&M. Finally, register for your Blinn courses, leaving room for your A&M courses. Preparation for registration includes seeking advising early and checking for holds on your account.
• Prior to registration, be sure to check your file for any holds (several times) that could prevent you from registering for classes. Holds could be placed for several reasons ranging from missing transcripts to a parking ticket. You want to be sure that your file is clear prior to attempting to register for your classes.
• Although a “D” is considered a passing grade, you may be required to earn a “C” or better in some prerequisite courses. Students will need to remember this when grades are posted because if the required grade is not earned in the prerequisite course, then the subsequent class will be dropped from their schedules automatically.
• When planning classes, you must be mindful that prerequisites can and will be different between Texas A&M and Blinn. You will need to make sure that you meet the requirements at the school you are taking the class.
• You must check both your Texas A&M and Blinn email accounts. These accounts are the official method of communication between the colleges and the student. Students are responsible for all email communication they receive. As most students have smart phones, it is best to set up your phone, so you will know when you receive an email. If you do not have a smart phone, you should get in the habit of checking your account on a weekly basis (even between semesters).
• Once you register for classes, do not assume your schedule will remain the same. Your course location or instructor may change without notice. It is advisable to check your schedule during the semester break and before the first day of class to make sure you are aware of any changes.

Be mindful of what classes you are registering for and how they transfer to Texas A&M and your degree plan. You can check how courses will transfer via Texas A&M’s Transfer Course Equivalency website (https://howdy.tamu.edu/uPortal/p/tce-ui.ctf1/max/render.uP). Taking classes that do not transfer or work in Texas A&M degree plans could lead to issues, therefore it is always suggested to have an advisor review your schedule.

Attachment 2:  How to Produce a What-If Degree Evaluation to Determine Appropriate Courses for Any Major:

1. Log into https://howdy.tamu.edu.

• Click the “MyRecord” Tab.

• Scroll down to the window titled “Degree Evaluation.”

• Click “View Degree Evaluation.”

• You will be prompted to select a term (semester). Click “submit” to indicate the current semester.”

• You will now be at a screen titled “Degree Evaluation Record.” Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click “What-if Analysis.”

• You will move to a screen that asks for an entry term (semester). Select your first semester in college, then click “Continue.”

• You will be prompted to select the major you are considering (this is the “what if” major).     Click the arrow at right and scroll down to make the selection. 

• Now you will move to another page that verifies the major you selected. In the “First Major” block, click the arrow on the right and select your major again. To add minors, (if needed) you will need to click on the “Add more” button. Use the drop-down boxes to select the minor(s) you wish to add. To move on to the next step, click on the “submit” button.

1. On the next screen click “Generate Request.” There will be a 5 to 10 second delay while the evaluation is prepared.

1. Now click “Detailed Requirements,” followed by “Submit.”

You will see a degree evaluation for the major you selected. Print this document for use in identifying appropriate courses for this major. Be sure to pay attention to the “Met” column on the far left. “Yes” in this column indicates you have satisfied that particular course requirement. “No” in this column indicates you still need to take the course or courses listed to the right.

You may produce degree evaluations for multiple majors if you are considering more than one. By comparing two or more evaluations it will be possible to identify courses that would count toward either/all majors, thus allowing more time to decide without making a commitment.

Remember that Howdy doesn’t know which courses you are currently taking at Blinn, so you will have to mark those on your degree evaluation manually. The courses you have not yet completed will be obvious.  Your next task is to decide which order you should take these courses.  The best way to do this is to look up the degree plan for your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog (http://catalog.tamu.edu).

Attachment 3:  Top 20 Registration Mistakes to Avoid

1. Delaying Blinn registration and trying to do it when registering for A&M courses (one month later). If you don’t register for Blinn courses quickly, you will either not get the best possible schedule, or may not even get the courses you need.  Plan ahead and meet with your academic advisor BEFORE Blinn registration begins.

2.  Failure to seek advising until shortly before A&M registration begins. If TAP is advising by appointment, it could be that all appointments have been reserved.  If TAP is advising on a walk-in basis, the wait to meet with an advisor can exceed two hours just prior to the start of registration. Students are often turned away because the students signed in ahead of them will monopolize the advisors until the end of the workday.  Walk-in, or schedule an appointment with a TAP academic advisor far in advance.  The advice you receive early in the semester is exactly the same advice you would receive just before registration, but without the wait!

3.  Meeting with a Blinn advisor to plan Blinn courses, then meeting with a TAP advisor to plan A&M courses. This is inefficient–you only need to meet with one advisor. Planning your combined schedule should be a holistic process. Determine the courses you still need for your major* without regard for where you will take them.  Next, assemble a “wish list” of the most appropriate courses, including some back-up choices in case your top choices are unavailable. Take the list with you when you meet with an advisor. Then decide which course(s) you should take at A&M (your “best” subjects).  Take the other courses at Blinn.  Your best grades need to be at A&M because entry to your intended major will be based on your A&M GPA.

4.  Forgetting to check for registration holds in advance, only to discover a hold when attempting [unsuccessfully] to register. To check for A&M registration holds, logon to Howdy / My Record / Grades and Transcripts / holds.  To check for Blinn registration holds, logon to MyBLINN and scroll to the My Holds window.   Note: Avoid a registration hold at A&M by submitting the new, signed TEAM contract to TAP (if you have not previously done so).

5.  Not checking in advance to determine when registration will occur.

6. Ignoring advice to complete a math or science series at the same school. Plan to take all courses in a series at the same school to ensure preparedness and continuity. For example, if you start with Chemistry I at Blinn, take Chemistry II at Blinn. Another issue can occur if you attempt to change campuses mid-sequence.  If you are taking Chemistry I at Blinn you will be unable to register for Chemistry II at A&M unless you sent a Blinn transcript to A&M that lists Chemistry I as “in progress.”  Otherwise, Howdy does not sense that you are satisfying the prerequisite for Chemistry II and your attempt to register for it will fail.  Conversely, if you are taking Chemistry I at A&M and decide to take Chemistry II at Blinn, MyBLINN will not sense that you are satisfying the prerequisite for Chemistry II, and you will be unable to register for Chemistry II until your A&M transcript showing your final course grade in Chemistry I is received by Blinn.

7. Selecting A&M online courses inappropriately. The purpose of the TEAM program is to provide the four-year A&M experience for as many freshmen as possible.  During this period in which most A&M course(s) are online, you aren’t getting the traditional A&M experience.  Be aware that if students register for an online course with a 700 series section number, that course is considered “distance education.” In other words, that course is intended for students who are not in the College Station area. These students pay a large convenience fee for taking this course from a distance, but are not charged campus service fees because they are supposedly away. Such fees include use of the Student Recreation Center, campus bus service, etc.  Previous TEAM students who exclusively registered for the 700 section of online courses have been denied campus services (to include use of the Student Recreation Center and participation in intramural sports) because they have not paid campus services fees.  If you must take an online course, ensure it is a 599-section number. 

8. Registering for KINE 120 more than once. This course may only be completed for credit one time. Howdy will not prevent you from registering for KINE 120 for a second time.  Students who retake it will not receive a credit hour for the course, and the grade you earn will not be included in your GPA. Repeating this course could cause you to fall short of the TEAM A&M credit hour requirement. Repeats of this course have caused a few TEAM students to fail to qualify outright for Mays Business School.

9. Believing it is likely that a friend can “hold a course for you” by registering for it. This is usually attempted for courses that fill quickly.  Such attempts to reserve a space in a course usually fail.  There is no way for the students who registered for the course to guarantee you will be the one to get it when they drop it.  If advisors have forced any students into the course over the normal course limit, and the available seat balance is a negative number, it will not be possible for you (or anyone else) to get the course when your friend drops it. The number of available seats must be zero or a positive number, or no space will become available when one student drops it.

10. Panicking if the needed courses are not available, and feeling compelled to “just register for some courses” solely for the purpose of being enrolled. Registering for courses you do not need produces only negative consequences.  For example, if you receive financial aid and register for courses that do not apply toward your intended major, your financial aid eligibility will initially be denied and your eventual approval delayed. Do not register for courses you do not need.

11. Forgetting to update your location, agree with the “terms of use,” and complete the Lab Safety Acknowledgement (LSA) in Howdy before registration. Without having completed these recurring requirements, students are prevented from registering. This causes frustration and delays, sometimes resulting in courses filling before students realize what is preventing their registration.

12. Attempting to register for a science course and its accompanying lab “one at a time.” Some science courses require that the lecture course and accompanying lab course be added to your schedule simultaneously.

13. Failure to check the “restrictions” link to determine if a particular course, or section of a course, is limited to a specific group of students. Failure to check restrictions causes delays and frustration.  Always check the restrictions link before attempting to register for each course.  Be aware that some sections might not be available to you, whereas other sections of the same course might be open to you.  Be thorough in checking or you might miss the chance to get into a course you need.

14. Registering for graduate courses. Graduate courses don’t always restrictions in Howdy because no one thinks undergraduate students would be so foolish to register for them! An excuse that never works is: “The computer let me register for it.” The prerequisites for such courses include having earned a particular bachelor degree, and also having been admitted into a Master or Doctorate program. Graduate course numbers usually begin with “6” instead of “1,” “2,” “3,” or “4.”  Some of these past inappropriate registrations were not discovered until the semester was well underway. The students were dropped by the professors, but it was too late for students to receive refunds or replace the dropped courses with appropriate ones.

15. Forgetting to limit searches for Blinn courses to the RELLIS campus. A basic MyBLINN course search produces a list of offerings at all of the Blinn College campuses. TEAM students should do an advanced search for courses taught at the RELLIS campus. TEAM students may also take online courses. Don’t forget to look at courses that may be offered during the full 16-week term, as well as the first 8-week and second 8-week terms.  Be careful not to overload yourself with too many eight week courses, which cover material twice as fast as those taught in the regular term.  Students should carefully check the start and end dates of their Blinn courses to ensure they are enrolled in a balanced number of 8-week and 16-week courses. Students should aim to enroll in an equal number of 8-week courses per 8-week session. If you plan to take an odd number of courses at Blinn, we recommend trying to find a full-term course or enrolling in the extra course during the first part of term so that the difficulty of the course load decreases as the semester goes on.

16. Accidently registering for an A&M minimester course instead of a regular semester course (or vice versa). It is easier to identify minimester courses at Blinn than at A&M.  At Blinn, it is very easy to do an advance search to sort out minimester courses.  This is possible at A&M, but not as straightforward.  If you search for Spring or Summer courses, the Winter or May minimester courses will be listed along with courses offered during the regular sections.  Unless you look at the start and stop date for the term, you could easily register for the wrong section. 

17. Registering for ROTC courses first (for Corps of Cadets members), and then being unable to register for an academic course due to an insufficient credit hour limit. This frequent problem represents a confluence of three mistakes:  (1) Failure to read TEAM email, (2) Failure to submit a request for an increase in the credit hour limit, and (3) registering for a low-demand ROTC course while the high-demand academic courses fill quickly.  Always register for ROTC courses last—not many students are competing for space in ROTC courses.

18. Registering for an inappropriate TEAM schedule. TEAM policy specifies that students must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours, consisting of a “solid academic course.”  A solid academic course is defined as a three or four credit hour course that satisfies a degree requirement.  Examples of inappropriate TEAM schedules include:  enrollment in only an ROTC course, enrollment in a two-credit hour course (such as STLC 101) and a one credit hour course (such as KINE 199), etc.  Students with inappropriate TEAM schedules violate their TEAM contract and receive a registration hold that will prevent registration at their assigned time.

19. Registering for a non-transferable Blinn course. Blinn College offers many vocational/technical training courses that are not usable at A&M.  Examples include courses in the Emergency Medical Technician program, or courses used toward a real estate license. Always check with an advisor, or refer to the TAMU Transfer Course Equivalency System in Howdy, if you do not know if a Blinn course is transferable to A&M.

20. Registering for a course that you previously completed! An alarming number of students accidently retake courses for which they earned AP or dual credit. Even worse, some retake courses completed during a previous semester at A&M or Blinn!  The most common scenarios for repeated courses are:  (1) failure to realize a Blinn course is equivalent to a particular A&M course (or vice versa), and   (2) failure to report previously earned AP/dual credits to A&M.  The courses that are most likely to be erroneously repeated include: ECON 202 and 203 (these courses are numbered in the opposite sequence at A&M and Blinn), and POLS 206 and 207 (the content of these courses is similar).

Attachment 4:  Frequently Asked Questions

Q1:  Since I register for Blinn and A&M at different times, what happens if the classes don’t fit together?

A:  Check Howdy to see if the A&M schedule has been published before registering at Blinn. This usually occurs just as Blinn registration begins. If not, you could look at a previous year’s class schedule in Howdy to see which days and times certain courses were offered. Classes are often planned on the same days and times as the previous year.                 

Q2:  When will freshmen be able to change majors?

A:  TEAM students may change majors when they have:

• Completed two or more semesters, and
• Maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at both A&M and Blinn, and
• Satisfied all entry requirements for the major. 

Entry requirements often include: Completion of specific courses, a GPA higher than 2.5, and submission of a Change of Major Request in Howdy.  

Pay close attention to the Change of Major request dates, which are listed in the Academic Calendar.             

Q3:  I applied for a change of major for spring.  Can I skip Blinn registration? Can I register for all of my courses at A&M?

A:  Skipping Blinn registration carries some risk.  Meeting the minimum change of major requirements doesn’t guarantee acceptance.  If you skip Blinn registration and are not approved for a change of major, you will have poor course selection when you eventually register at Blinn.  A more prudent approach is to register at Blinn as usual. Once your major has been changed you may add more A&M courses.  Only drop your Blinn courses once you have secured a complete schedule at A&M.  (Students are allowed to continue to take courses at Blinn after they have left TEAM.) If you receive financial aid be aware that you must enroll in at least 12 credit hours at A&M to qualify for A&M financial aid. In other words, once you leave TEAM the financial aid rules change.  Students may register for a full-time A&M schedule only after their majors have been changed.

Q4:  How do I register?

A:  Registration will be online via the MyBLINN portal for Blinn College, and via the Howdy portal for Texas A&M.  This will be the same as you experienced during your New Student Conference. Registration tutorials are available in Howdy for A&M. A video demonstrating Blinn registration procedures is available at:  https://www.blinn.edu/admissions/registration.html

Q5:  What courses should I register for if I haven’t decided on an intended major?

A:  There are two categories of “undecided” students: 

• Students who have no idea what their major will be (i.e., “clueless”), and
• Students who have not chosen between two or more possible majors of interest (i.e., “deciding.”)  

If you are clueless about your intended major, take core curriculum courses.  The core curriculum is approximately three semesters of basic/general courses which all TAMU students must complete.   These subjects include:  Math, Science, History, Political Science, Creative Arts, Social & Behavioral Science, Language/Philosophy/Culture, and Communication.  You may view the courses that satisfy these requirements at http://core.tamu.edu.  Be aware that some majors require specific courses in some of these subject areas.  If you have narrowed your options and are considering several possible majors, produce “What-If” Degree Evaluations for each major (see Attachment 2) and take courses needed by all of the majors you are considering.     

Summary of Fall 2021 TEAM Meeting

Purpose of the Meeting
– Cover important information not covered during your New Student Conference
– Reinforce crucial information covered during your New Student Conference
– Discuss preparations for Spring registration
– Provide information about recent changes to TEAM policies.

Your Home at A&M
Transition Academic Programs (TAP), a unit within the Undergraduate Studies Division, provides:
– Academic Advising
– Accurate, timely information
– Administrative Support
– Advocacy for TEAM students
In support of student success in the TEAM Program at A&M.

Guarantee
Guarantees at Texas A&M are rare, but here’s one: If you don’t read and heed TEAM emails we GUARANTEE you will encounter problems! Use your A&M or Blinn email accounts. Always include your A&M UIN/Blinn ID.

The Co-enrollment Challenge
– Co-enrolled students must pay close attention to double the details as students enrolled at only one school.
– You will be attending two separate schools with two different sets of rules!
— Examples: Attendance policy, holidays, deadlines
– You will have to accomplish most tasks twice (once for each school), but at different times.

How TEAM Works
– TEAM is designed to be a two-year co-enrollment program.
— However, it is possible for students to transition out of TEAM when they have:
— Completed 2 or more semesters, and
— Maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at both schools, and
— Satisfied all entry requirements for their intended major
– Early transition is more likely for some majors than others.
— For some majors, satisfying the entry requirements will take two years.
– Students who are still in TEAM at the end of the two years must meet specific credit hour requirements at each school.

Differences Between High School and College
(1) College deadlines are REAL. Don’t expect professors to give extensions for assignments
Published or announced deadlines really are the last day to accomplish certain tasks.
(2) AP and Dual Credit courses are not as rigorous. Don’t assume college courses taken in residence will be easy just because you did well in AP and dual enrollment courses in high school.

Extracurricular Activities
– Choose from more than 1,000 recognized organizations.
– Make new friends, network, develop leadership skills.
– Limit your involvement to one activity during your first semester.
– NCAA varsity sport participation is not available to TEAM students.
– Some Greek and Sports Club organizations are bound by national organizational rules which require full-time enrollment at the sponsoring university for participation.

Keys to Success
(1) Ask Questions, Seek Help. Help is readily available but you will have to ask for it.
(2) Take personal responsibility for your success.
(3) Consider giving your parents/guardians access to your grades.
— Per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the parents of a student claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) may be given access to the student’s educational records.
— Academic advisors cannot legally discuss a student’s academic record with a parent or guardian without a Certificate of Dependency verification on file.
— Students must initiate the request, which will also require parent name(s) and signature(s).
— For A&M, the Certificate of Dependency online form is located here:
https://registrar.tamu.edu/Registrar/media/REGI_Forms/Dependency_Certification.pdf
— For Blinn, access the form in the MyBLINN portal.
— At A&M, students may authorize parent/guardian access to view certain information (e.g., grades) within Howdy. Click Parent/Guardian Access for more information about setting up a parent profile in Howdy.
(4) Limit employment hours. Work 15 or less hours per week starting out. Work in Bryan/College Station rather then maintaining your hometown job. Work Study & other on-campus work opportunities are available.

Academic Advising
When should you meet with an academic advisor?
– At the fist sign of a problem
– Before Blinn registration begins
– Early in the semester to avoid long waits near registration

Academic Advising Locations
– TAP Advising (Your primary advising location) is in Hotard Hall (Opposite Northgate/near the A&M water tower/next to the A&M Post Office)
– Blinn Advising is primarily through email this semester (team@blinn.edu)

Communicating with academic advisors
– The quality of the advice you get is affected by the quality of information you provide to your advisor.
– The official means of communication between students and advisors is email.
— Always email from your TAMU or Blinn account
— Always include your name & UIN or Blinn ID number.
— Send your Blinn questions to team@blinn.edu
— Send your A&M questions to tap-blinnteam@tamu.edu

To Make an A&M Advising Appointment
– Go to http://tap.tamu.edu and click on the “make an appointment” tab
– Appointments can also be made via the Navigate app on your smartphone

TEAM Terms & Conditions
– To view the program’s terms and conditions at any time, go to: http://tap.tamu.edu, select “programs,” select “TEAM,” and select “Terms and Conditions.”
– In August the officials from A&M and Blinn renewed the TEAM Program Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) once again for another five years. The most significant change is that the new MOA decreased the number of Blinn credit hours required to complete the program if students remain in in TEAM for the full two years. Students will still need to complete a total of 60 credit hours, but only 36 are required to be from Blinn College instead of the former total of 45. Students who transition out of TEAM before the end of the program (as described in the “How TEAM Works” paragraph above) are still not required to have a specific number of Blinn credit hours.

GPA Calculation
The only difference between A&M and Blinn’s calculation of a student’s GPA is that Blinn has a grade replacement policy and A&M does not. For example, if a student repeats a course taken at Blinn, only the better of the two grades will be used in the student’s Blinn GPA calculation. Both A&M and Blinn use the Four Point Scale in which the grade points per credit hour listed below are earned.
A = 4
B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F = 0

The formula for calculating GPA is Total Grade Points ÷ GPA Attempted Credit Hours
Here is an example of a TEAM student GPA calculation for a schedule containing two courses totaling four credit hours:
COURSE GPA CREDIT HOURS GRADE GRADE POINTS EARNED
GEOG 202………………..3……………………………B(3)………………………..9
KINE 120………………….1……………………………A(4)………………………..4
TOTAL ……………………4…………………………………………………………13

13 ÷ 4 = 3.25 GPA

Importance of First Semester Grades
Assume a TEAM student earns the following semester GPAs for two years while in the TEAM Program:

SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS GPA
Fall ’21……………………….4………………….2.0
Spr ’22……………………….5………………….2.4
Fall ’22……………………….6………………….3.0
Spr ’23……………………….6………………….4.0
TOTAL:…………………….21………………….2.95 cumulative GPA

This student consistently improved, but still fell short of the goal of obtaining the 3.0 cumulative GPA that was required to qualify for his/her intended major. The main reason for the shortfall was the low GPA earned during the very first semester. It is difficult to overcome a poor start. There is no “warm up semester,” your grades are important starting right now!

Course Drops (“Q-Drops”)
– Dropping a course is a way of avoiding a poor academic start.
– Your GPA will suffer tremendously if you receive a grade of D or F during your first semester.
– Some A&M freshmen never received a low grade in high school, and might not think it is likely. These determined students often have the idea that they would be “quitters” if they were to drop a course.
— (Question: Has the Aggie football team quit if they punt the football on fourth down? Answer: No–they have employed a tactical move to enable a strategic victory. Think of a Q-Drop as an academic punt that will allow you to achieve your goal of a high GPA.
– There are 2 sets of deadlines for dropping courses (A&M’s and Blinn’s).
— A&M Deadline = 60th class day
— Blinn 16-week course deadline = 12th week
— Blinn 8-week course deadline = Oct 8
– Q-drops begin after the 12th class day of the regular semesters. Drops before the 12th day are “schedule adjustments.”
– Dropping below 12 total credit hours will not remove a student from TEAM.
– Students drop courses on their own at Blinn via the MyBLINN portal, but must meet with a TAP advisor to drop a course at A&M.
– ALWAYS see an advisor to discuss possible course drops before doing so.
– The time a course drop will benefit you the most is when you are a freshman because your GPA is volatile. When you are a senior, a low grade in one course will not destroy your GPA because your average is based on many grades.

Your Upcoming Registration!
– Blinn registration for Spring 2022 began OCT 11 at 9:00am.
– In order to register for your Spring ‘22 Blinn courses, you must first identify ALL courses that would be appropriate to take next (at either school).
– If you need to meet with a TAP academic advisor to discuss courses, do so in September to avoid the last-minute advising rush.
– Your A&M freshman registration will begin in late November.
– Do not wait until A&M registration to register at Blinn.

Preparing for Registration
Prior to the start of registration, students should:
– (A&M & Blinn) Check for registration holds
– Contact the offices having placed the registration holds to determine what is needed in order to remove the holds PRIOR to your registration date.
– (A&M) Complete the “Location Update” for the Spring term
– (A&M) Complete the “Terms of Use” acknowledgement for the Spring term
– (A&M) Complete the “Lab Safety Acknowledgement”
– (A&M) Registration Tutorial Videos and Guides are available in Howdy to assist students in preparing for registration.
— Log into Howdy > visit the My Record Tab > go to the ‘Learn About the My Record Tab’ portlet > Click on ‘Registration Tutorials’ > click on ‘Preparing for Registration’ for a list of available tutorials

Early A&M Registration for Students Who Work
– Students who work on or off campus 12 or more hours per week, Monday-Friday, between 8am-5pm, may request an early registration time.
— This helps them schedule classes around their work schedules.
— For freshmen, this early registration date will be the last day of sophomore registration.
— Eligible students must submit a “Texas A&M University Student Employment Verification Form” by the deadline (October 6).
— Students must also ensure their supervisors complete their portion of the form on or before the deadline.
– For information go to: https://registrar.tamu.edu/Courses,-Registration,-Scheduling/Registration-Enrollment-Information/Student-Worker-Early-Registration

Registration Strategies
– Think holistically about registration (Think of your Blinn + A&M schedules as one schedule.)
– Before Blinn registration, determine all courses that would be appropriate choices to take next semester for your intended major.
– Create a wish-list that includes extra course choices as “back-ups.”
— TAP advisors can assist. You can also consult a degree plan from these sources:
http://catalog.tamu.edu reference your major’s degree plan in the undergraduate catalog
— The website of your intended major usually has a link to the degree plan
— Run a degree evaluation in Howdy
– Plan which course(s) you will take at A&M.
– Register for the others at Blinn.

How to Produce a Degree Evaluation in Howdy
– Log into https://howdy.tamu.edu.
– Click the “MyRecord” Tab.
– Scroll down to the window titled “Degree Evaluation.”
– Click “View Degree Evaluation.”
– You will be prompted to select a term (semester). Click “submit” to indicate the current semester.”
– You will now be at a screen titled “Degree Evaluation Record.” Scroll down and click “What-if Analysis.”
– The next screen asks for your “entry term” (semester). Select your first semester in college, then click “Continue.” (This is important—degree requirements sometimes differ from year to year.)
– You will be prompted to select your intended major. Click the arrow at right to scroll, then click on your selection.
– You will move to a page to verify the major you selected. In the “First Major” block, click the arrow on the right and select your major again. On the next screen click “Generate Request.” There will be a 5 to 10 second delay while the evaluation is prepared.
– Now click “Detailed Requirements,” followed by “Submit.” The required courses for your major will appear, showing those you have completed and those remaining.

Which Courses to Take at A&M
Consider these factors when deciding which courses to take at A&M:
– An introductory course in your intended major that isn’t available at Blinn.
— Example, If your intended major is Construction Science, take COSC 253 at A&M
– A course that your intended major prefers to see students complete at A&M
— Example: Consider taking BIOL at A&M if you will major in Biology
– For courses offered at both schools, take your strongest/favorite subjects at A&M
– If there is a course you need that has a very high grade history, take it at A&M.
Eventually, your A&M GPA will be your only GPA.

Which Courses to Take at Blinn
Consider these factors when deciding which courses to take at Blinn:
– Blinn does not offer all of the courses that are available at A&M.
– Blinn offers some courses that are in different formats or modes than might suit your learning style. For example, some are 16-weeks, while others are 8-weeks and cover the material at twice the normal pace. Some are face-to-face, while others are online or blended. The online courses might be at a set time, or asynchronous.
– Blinn classrooms usually have about 32 students, whereas many A&M classrooms are huge.
– It is easier to ask a question or get assistance from the professor in a small Blinn MATH class than in an A&M MATH class with 150-250 students.
– Blinn courses cost less than A&M courses–save money by taking more at Blinn and fewer at A&M.

Beware Switching Campuses During a Course Sequence!
– Freshmen who attempt to switch campuses in the middle of a subject sequence will encounter problems, particularly during their initial semester..
— Examples of course sequences include (but are not limited to):
— CHEM: 119 (1411), 120 (1412), 227/237 (2423), 228/238 (2425)
—- SPAN: 101 (1411), 102 (1412), 201 (2311), 202 (2312)
— MATH: 151 (2413), 152 (2414), 251 (2415)
– Blinn and A&M haven’t yet exchanged Fall transcripts, so neither school knows which courses you are currently taking at the other.
– If you are taking the first course of Chemistry, Spanish, Math, etc. at Blinn, and attempt to register for the second course at A&M, your attempt will fail because Howdy doesn’t know you are satisfying the prerequisite.
– In general, it is usually advisable to complete course sequences at the school where the sequence was begun.

Resolve Final Exam Conflicts Now
– Final exams are not given during normal class meeting times
— The final exam for each course is likely to be on a different day of the week, and at a different time, than your class meets during the semester.
– Now is a good time to check the syllabus for each of your courses to determine if you will have any time conflicts between final exams at Blinn and A&M.
— If you will be taking any 2nd 8-week courses at Blinn, you may have to wait until you get the course syllabus.
– If you discover that you will have a time conflict between a Blinn and A&M final exam, here is what to do:
— Check the schedule of courses in Howdy and myBLINN to determine if either professor teaches more than just your section of that course.
— If so, check the final exam schedules to see if a different section has its final exam planned for a time that would avoid a conflict.
— If so, contact the professor (in person) and explain your dilemma. Ask for permission to take the final exam with the other section.
— If your professor wants a letter from your department to verify your request, let TAP know the details and we will gladly provide documentation.
— If neither professor teaches more than one section, ask one or both if you can be allowed to take the final exam early.
— If your professor agrees to allow you to test at an alternate time, it is recommended that you confirm this via email so that you will have a written record of the agreement.
— If neither professor is willing to work with you, notify TAP of the details and we will appeal on your behalf.

-TAMU Student Rule 8.4 states that A&M students who have three final exams on the same day may request to reschedule one of the exams.
— Most TEAM students are not taking three courses at A&M.
— However, if you have three final exams on the same day and wish to request that an A&M final exam be rescheduled, complete the “Final Exam Conflict” form.
— See instructions and a link to the form here: https://us.tamu.edu/Students/Final-Exam-Conflict.
— Instructors are not obligated to approve requests if all three final exams are not in A&M courses.

Important Fall Semester Dates
Oct 8 BLINN Last day to drop 1st 8-week courses
Oct 11 BLINN Spring Registration Begins
Oct 20 BLINN Final Exams for 1st 8-week courses
Oct 25 BLINN 2nd 8-week courses begin
Nov 17 A&M Freshman Spring registration begins. (Check Howdy for your time.)
Nov 19 A&M Last day to drop a course or withdraw
Nov 24 A&M “Reading Day” (no A&M class)
Nov 24 BLINN No Class
Nov 25 BOTH Thanksgiving Holidays
Nov 26 BOTH Thanksgiving Holidays
Dec 3 BLINN Last day to drop 2nd 8-week and 16-week courses
Dec 6 A&M (Mon) “Redefined Day” students attend Friday classes*
Dec 7 A&M (Tues) “Redefined Day” students attend Thursday classes*
Dec 8 A&M Last class day
Dec 9 A&M “Reading Day” – no class
Dec 11 BLINN Last class day
Dec 10-15 A&M Final Exams
DEC 13-16 BLINN Final Exams

Fall 2020 TEAM Reminders

We know you’re receiving many informational emails, so your advisors haven’t added to them during this busy time.  However, below is some important, timely information as the start of the semester quickly approaches.

Check Your Blinn and A&M Class Schedules for Changes to Course Modalities and Times

Both Texas A&M University and Blinn College made sweeping changes to Fall 2020 course schedules after many students had already registered.  These changes were intended to improve student health and safety during the COVID pandemic by increasing social distancing.  Check and compare your Blinn and A&M class schedules to ensure you do not have any time conflicts created by the recent changes.

A&M:   Many courses are now online, or a combination of online and face-to-face.  The online courses might be synchronous (held on specific days at specific times) or asynchronous (students may view content at their own convenience). The “face-to-face” courses may have you attend class only one day per week, with participation alternating between classroom attendance and online viewing. If you are in a face-to-face course and are interested in opting to take it online exclusively, refer to the course syllabus.  (Once posted, the course syllabus may be found by looking up the course in the Online Schedule of Courses in Howdy, clicking on the course title, and then selecting the “syllabus” link in the pop-up box.)

Blinn:  Please take time to review your Blinn schedule via the My Schedule icon on MyBlinn. Check for any changes that may have been made since registration began. Note the type of course modality you are enrolled in as well as the start/end dates. If you are in a course that meets in-person and well as remotely, take note of which days you will attend in person and which days are remote. Course modalities include:

• Full Term Courses: August 24 – December 10
• First 8 Week Courses: August 24 – October 13
• Second 8 Week Courses: October 19 – December 10

Schedule Adjustments

A&M:  Students may add and/or drop courses during the first five days of each term.

Blinn:  Students may add and/or drop courses the first two days of the term for 16-week courses, and the first day (only) of the term for 8-week courses.

Note:  Schedule adjustments at the start of each term do not count as course drops.

 

Start of Classes

A&M:  Classes begin Wednesday, August 19.

Blinn:  Classes begin Monday, August 24.

(This means final exams will start at A&M the Tuesday before Blinn’s start on a Monday.)

  

Start of Semester Advising Availability*

A&M: Virtual Walk-in advising (August 17-25) with TAP advisors will be available Monday-Friday, 8:00–11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Join the waiting room here:  https://tamu.zoom.us/j/94821582471.

Blinn: Virtual Walk-In advising (August 19-21, 24-26) with Lindsay Stadter will be available for questions about Blinn courses from 8:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:30–4:30 p.m. Join the waiting room here: https://blinn-edu.zoom.us/j/5136250125 Passcode: BlinnTEAM

*Note:  During periods of high advisor demand, such as the start of the semester or registration, advisors can assist more students on a walk-in basis than via scheduled appointments.  A student who no-shows for an appointment wastes advisor time. Some appointments take only 10 minutes and the remaining 15 or 20 minutes are wasted while waiting for the next appointment.

 

Bacterial Meningitis Holds (Freshmen Only)

Note:  You must submit proof of vaccination to both Texas A&M and Blinn. Students without proof on file will not be allowed to attend Fall classes.

A&M:  Check Howdy to see if you have a hold for proof of bacterial Meningitis vaccination.  If you have a hold and already provided proof, email Connie Ealy in the Office of Admissions (cealy@tamu.edu). Include your UIN.  If you haven’t yet provided proof, see this link for information: http://admissions.tamu.edu/meningitis.aspx

Blinn:  Check the MyBlinn home screen to see if you have a hold with Blinn for your proof of bacterial meningitis vaccination. Proof may be uploaded to MyBlinn via the Admission Forms icon.

 

RELLIS Campus Parking

The RELLIS campus will accept Texas A&M University parking passes for their RELLIS parking lot. Students without a Texas A&M permit can purchase a TAMU or RELLIS-specific permit through TAMU’s Parking website: https://transport2.tamu.edu/Account/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2faccount

 

 Student ID Cards

A&M:  Your Aggie Card will be ready for pickup within 24 hours of the time you receive your approval email. Pick-up is located at the Westside Kyle Field ticket window (between Hall of Champions & McFerrin). Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Blinn:  Upload your photo to MyBlinn via the Admissions Forms icon and then pick it up starting August 17 at the Tejas Central Administrative Services Building (located at 3125 Texas Ave #1900, Bryan, TX 77802, behind the H.E.B. supermarket near the Whataburger).

 

Expectations for Campus – Back With Blinn:

Please take time to review the Back with Blinn website for information regarding expectations for the fall semester: https://www.blinn.edu/back-with-blinn/

 

 

 

 

 

Essentials of Course Selection for Registration

Blinn registration begins Monday, October 14.  Because course availability at the RELLIS campus is somewhat limited, it is important that students in the TEAM program be ready to register as quickly as possible. If you have not visited Hotard Hall to plan your Spring courses with an advisor, you may find that the waiting line to consult an advisor is long once registration begins. You have the ability to identify appropriate courses yourself. After you have registered you can then consult an advisor to review your schedule and make any changes, if necessary.

The best way to determine appropriate courses for your intended major is to produce a “What-If” Degree Evaluation in Howdy.  Here is a step-by-step checklist:

1. Log into https://howdy.tamu.edu.
2. Click the “MyRecord” Tab.
3. Scroll down to the window that is titled “Degree Evaluation.”
4. Click “View Degree Evaluation.”
5. You will be prompted to select a term. This term is the current semester. Click “submit.”
6. You will now be at a screen titled “Degree Evaluation Record.” Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click “What-if Analysis.”
7. You will move to a screen that asks for an entry term. Select your first semester in college, then click “Continue.”
8. You will be prompted to select the major you are considering (this is the “what if” major). Click the arrow at right and scroll down to make the selection.
9. Now you will move to another page that verifies the major you selected. In the “First Major” block, click the arrow on the right and select your intended major again. To add minors, (if needed) you will need to click on the “Add more” button. Use the drop down boxes to select the minor(s) you wish to add. To move on to the next step, click on the “submit” button.
10. On the next screen click “Generate Request.” There will be a 5 to 10 second delay while the evaluation is prepared.
11. Now click “Detail Requirements,” and then click “Submit.”
12. You will see a degree evaluation for the major you selected. Print this document for use in identifying appropriate courses for this major. Be sure to pay attention to the “Met” column on the far left. “Yes” in this column indicates you have satisfied that particular course requirement. “No” in this column indicates you still need to take the course or courses listed to the right.
13. You may produce degree evaluations for multiple majors if you are considering more than one. By comparing two or more evaluations it will be possible to identify courses that would count toward either/all major(s), thus allowing more time to make your decision.

Your next task will be to decide the order in which you should complete the remaining courses. The easiest way to do this is to reference the degree plan for your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog. Here is a checklist to do this:

1. Go to http://catalog.tamu.edu
2. Select “Undergraduate Catalog.”
3. In the column on the right, select the academic college that administers your intended major.
4. A new page for the academic college will appear. Select “Majors” to view the options.
5. Select the major you intend to pursue.
6. Select “Program Requirements.” You will see a four-year degree plan which depicts a recommended order to complete the required courses. (Note:  This is just one plan, but it is one that is recommended in terms of the order and pairing of course requirements.)

Once you have determined appropriate courses and checked the restrictions, times, and availability, register for your classes.  Then make an appointment to meet with an advisor to review your schedule.  Afterward, it would be a good idea to complete your Degree Planner in Howdy so you will have your future semesters planned well in advance.  (All students must complete their degree plan by the Fall semester of the sophomore year anyway.)

 

 

Ready, Set, Register!

Fall Registration Will Begin Soon

Registration at Blinn and A&M always occurs at different times—Blinn goes first, followed by A&M a short time later.  Because of this, it is important for TEAM students to think of their two registrations as a single, holistic process.  There is no need to consult both an A&M and Blinn advisor to produce two potential schedules.  Instead, meet with one advisor in advance to confirm course options for your one combined schedule.

Now is the Time to Prepare

During the Spring semester, registration for Fall courses at both schools begins in April.  Blinn registration for continuing students will begin on April 1, and assigned A&M registration times will begin April 4. This essentially means that only the month of March stands between you and registration for Fall 2019 courses!  Students who postpone advising until the last week of March will encounter waits of two hours, or might even be turned away and asked to come back another day.  There are no waiting lines to meet with advisors right now.

Obtain a List of Course Requirements for Your Intended Major

As of today neither the A&M or Blinn Fall 2019 schedule of courses is available to review online, but schedules are not necessary for identifying your course options.  There are at least four easy ways to identify the courses required for your intended major:

1. Refer to the Undergraduate Degree Planner in Howdy (if you already completed it)
2. Generate a “What If” Degree Evaluation in Howdy
3. Reference your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog
4. Locate and print a one-page degree plan (“major-pager”) on the website of your intended major

Create a Course “Wish List”

After identifying the required courses for your intended major, check course descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog for the lower level (freshman/sophomore) courses you have not yet completed.  Each course description will indicate if there are any prerequisites.  Postpone courses for which you have not yet satisfied the prerequisites. Next, list all courses that would make logical sense for you to take next semester.  Include some back-up options in case you encounter time conflicts or unavailability issues with your preferred choices. Check your transcript to avoid repeating courses you might have previously completed, such as through AP or dual enrollment in high school. Finally, strive for a balance of subjects—avoid listing too many “reading” or “numbers” courses for a single semester.

Decide Which Courses to Take at Each School

Identify your A&M courses first, and plan to take the remainder at Blinn.  Consider the following strategies when deciding how to pick the campus for each course on your wish list:

• Take your “best” subjects at A&M based on your previous high school and college success. All courses and grades are important, but after you transition to full enrollment at A&M only your A&M grades will affect your GPA.
• If you’ve already completed your strongest subjects, identify one that is  particularly interesting to you as an A&M course.
• Consider a course in your future major at A&M that might not be available at Blinn.
• Consider classroom size. A Blinn math course might accommodate 30 students, whereas the same course at A&M might include four or five times that many.  In front of which audience would you like to ask your questions?
• Listen to your advisor. Often advisors can recommend a course option that fulfills a needed core curriculum requirement, while also having the added benefit of a record of high student enjoyment or success.
• Avoid switching campuses in mid-subject; complete multi-course sequences, such as science or foreign language, at the campus where you started the subject. This helps avoid prerequisite registration errors and minimizes transition issues from one course to the next. For example, if you are taking Chemistry I at A&M this Spring and decide to take Chemistry II at Blinn in the Fall, you will not be able to register for Chemistry II in April since MyBLINN doesn’t know you are in the process of satisfying the prerequisite (Chemistry I).
• Check the course schedules at both schools (when they become available) and choose courses that avoid campus changes during the day. Most students prefer to have “Blinn days” and “A&M days.” Also check for course restrictions.  For example, some department’s courses are not available to students who are not yet officially in that specific department/major.

Consult an Academic Advisor

Students aren’t required to meet with an academic advisor, but capitalize on their knowledge because they “exist to assist.” Take your “wish list” to have it reviewed by an advisor.  Check advising hours for A&M Transition Academic Programs (TAP) advisors in Hotard Hall here: https://tap.tamu.edu/. Check advising hours for Blinn advisors in the Tejas Center here:  http://www.blinn.edu/academic-advising/hours.html.

Check for Registration Holds

Few things are as frustrating as being prevented from registering at the appointed time due to a hold you could have resolved in advance. Check for registration holds at both schools now, and resolve them.

Avoid Registration Mistakes

Read Blinn’s registration tips here:  http://www.blinn.edu/team/registration-tips.html. Read the blinnteam blog entry for March 29, 2018.

First Announcements, Fall Semester

Here are some important first announcements and reminders as the Fall 2018 semester begins.  Topics:  Appropriate Class Schedules, Schedule Adjustments, Online Courses, RELLIS Campus, Blinn ID Cards, First Football Game, Degree Plan Due for Sophomores

Appropriate TEAM Class Schedules

Each semester TEAM students must be enrolled in a minimum combined (Blinn+A&M) schedule of 12 credit hours. At A&M students must be enrolled in a minimum of one “solid academic course,” which is defined as a three or four credit hour course that satisfies a degree requirement in the student’s intended academic major. The course may be a general elective if your intended major allows any general electives in the degree plan.

• Courses required for participation in the Corps of Cadets, such as Military Science, Naval Science, or Aerospace Studies, are not considered “solid academic courses.” Cadets must enroll in one solid academic course in addition to any ROTC/SOMS/KINE (Band) courses.
• Enrollment in less than three credit hours at A&M is a violation of  TEAM policy, as is enrollment in three or more credit hours which do not include a three or four credit hour course.

Schedule Adjustments

Students may add and drop courses at A&M to adjust their schedules during the first five class days of each semester. At Blinn, courses may be dropped without penalty during the first five class days, but a course may not be added after it has met for the first time. This means that it is best to make any needed adjustments before Monday. After Monday classes have met, only Tuesday/Thursday classes may be added.

Online Courses

Both Blinn and A&M offer online courses. These have certain benefits.

• Some online courses are available to students who have not yet entered their intended major, whereas the traditional classroom sections of that same course are often restricted to students already officially in that major.
• Online courses can sometimes help avoid time conflicts for students who are co-enrolled at Blinn and A&M.

There are several reasons students should avoid schedules at A&M consisting entirely of online courses.

• The purpose of TEAM is to provide the complete A&M experience, including time on campus and in classrooms.  Online courses don’t provide these things.
• Being too anxious to take online courses in your intended major deprives you of the opportunity to get to know your professors and fellow students, and interact with them. By waiting to take your major courses in a classroom setting you’ll gain these  intangibles in addition to the knowledge, credit, and grades.
• Online courses have cost implications.
  • Online courses include convenience fees.  If you take an A&M online course, it should be in a section that has a 500 series number, such as 599. Sections with a 700 series number are considered “distance education.” These sections are even more expensive and are intended for students who are not within the local area. Students exclusively in these sections aren’t charged campus use fees, and can discover they’re ineligible for certain on-campus services/activities such as use of the Student Recreation Center or participation in intramural sports.

For more information about online courses see the Blinn TEAM Blog entry from August 29, 2017.

RELLIS Campus

This year TEAM freshmen will break-in the brand new RELLIS campus by attending their Blinn classes there. Most questions about RELLIS center on Transportation (bus routes and parking). Texas A&M Transportation Services will send a representative to Blinn’s Walter C. Schwartz Building at RELLIS to answer questions about parking options and bus services. They will distribute Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) handouts for future reference.

• Where: Schwartz Building, 1st Floor, Student Study Pod 2 (Room 184)
• When: Mon, Aug 27, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• For information about parking at RELLIS, go to: https://transport.tamu.edu/Parking/faqrellis.aspx.
• For information about bus transportation to and from RELLIS, see Route 47: http://transport.tamu.edu/busroutes/Routes.aspx?r=47

At the start of each Fall semester it takes a week or two for many new students to determine the best plan for getting to-and-from class. During this period it’s important to start early if you will be traveling by bus. Our best advice is to catch the earliest bus you can until students develop their routines. After a couple of weeks you’ll learn how late you can sleep and still be on time.  Remember: First thing in the morning no passengers will be exiting at your local bus stop, students will only be boarding buses to get to class. When a bus reaches capacity the driver will not stop to take on more passengers. If you have to wait for later buses you might not arrive on time. Be early!

Blinn ID Cards

You’ll need a Blinn ID card for many things, to include: printing on campus, checking out materials from the Blinn library, and using financial aid at the Blinn bookstore. Student ID cards may be picked up at Enrollment Services in the Central Administrative Services Building located at 3125 S. Texas Ave., Suite 1900. This is in the “Tejas Center” shopping center at the intersection of Texas Avenue and Villa Maria Street in Bryan. The H-E-B grocery store and Whataburger are your landmarks.

First Football Game

Texas A&M will host a Thursday football game at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, against Northwestern State. This means the university will host two typical days in one: regular classes and football gameday. Here are the objectives:

1. Plan ahead for the day – things will be different.
2. Know your travel options and allow extra time.
3. Attend class and the game.

• This article can help you plan ahead for the first game day experience:
• https://today.tamu.edu/2018/06/04/plan-ahead-for-thursday-football-aug-30-at-kyle-field/.
• Downloading the Destination Aggieland mobile app can help: http://transport.tamu.edu/parking/events/da.aspx.
• Freshmen: A good explanation of how to “pull tickets” for an Aggie football game can be found at https://www.reddit.com/.

Degree Planner Due For All Sophomores!

All sophomores at A&M have a future registration hold in place (from the Registrar) that will become active on October 1 for those who have not submitted a complete, accurate degree plan for their intended major. Failure to complete a degree plan will prevent your registration for Spring 2019 courses! The Degree Planner feature in Howdy can be found in MyRecord (see below). Transition Academic Programs advisors will conduct classes in the use of the Degree Planner. Watch the Event Registration System (http://ers.tamu.edu) for dates, times and locations.

 

 

Top 20 Registration Mistakes to Avoid!

Registration is approaching quickly. Below are the 20 most frequent TEAM registration mistakes. Please familiarize yourself with these and avoid them!  (These are not listed in any particular order.)

1. Delaying Blinn registration and trying to do it when registering for A&M courses (several weeks later). If you do not register for Blinn courses quickly, you will either not get the best possible schedule, or may not even get the courses you need.  Plan ahead and meet with your academic advisor BEFORE Blinn registration begins.

2.  Failure to seek advising until shortly before A&M registration begins. The wait to meet with an advisor can exceed two hours just prior to the start of registration. Students are often turned away because the students signed in ahead of them will monopolize the advisors until the end of the workday.  Schedule an appointment with a TAP academic advisor far in advance.  The advice you receive in February (for Summer/Fall registration) or September (for Spring registration) is exactly the same advice you would receive in April or November, but without the wait!

3.  Meeting with a Blinn advisor to be advised about Blinn courses, then meeting with a TAP advisor to be advised about A&M courses. This is inefficient–you only need to meet with one advisor. Planning your combined schedule should be a holistic process. Determine the courses you still need for your major* without regard for where you will take them.  Next, assemble a “wish list” of the most appropriate courses, including some back-up choices in case your top choices are unavailable. Take the list with you when you meet with an advisor. Then decide which course(s) you should take at A&M (your “best” subjects).  Take the other courses at Blinn.  Your best grades need to be at A&M because entry to your intended major will be based on your A&M GPA.

4.  Forgetting to check for registration holds in advance, only to discover a hold when attempting [unsuccessfully] to register. To check for A&M registration holds, logon to Howdy / My Record / Grades and Transcripts / holds.  To check for Blinn registration holds, logon to MyBLINN / My Records / Holds.  Note: Avoid a registration hold at A&M by submitting the new, signed TEAM contract to TAP (if you have not previously done so).

5.  Not checking in advance to determine when registration will occur. Blinn Registration begins for all students on April 2 at 9:00 a.m.  Be ready!  Your A&M registration is assigned individually. Check Howdy / My Record / Registration / Registration Time Assignment–CS for your assigned registration time. Registration at A&M for most freshmen falls between April 18th and 20th.

6. Ignoring advice to complete a math or science series at the same school. You should plan to take all courses in a series at the same school to ensure preparedness and continuity.  Even though courses may officially be equivalent between the two schools, they are never exactly the same due to different professors, textbooks, and some content. For example, if you start with Chemistry I at Blinn, take Chemistry II at Blinn. Another issue can occur if you attempt to change campuses mid-sequence.  If you are taking Chemistry I at Blinn you will be unable to register for Chemistry II at A&M unless you specifically sent a Blinn transcript to A&M that lists Chemistry I as “in progress.”  Otherwise, Howdy does not sense that you are satisfying the prerequisite for Chemistry II and your attempt to register for it will fail.  Conversely, if you are taking Chemistry I at A&M and decide to take Chemistry II at Blinn, MyBLINN will not sense that you are satisfying the prerequisite for Chemistry II, and you will be unable to register for Chemistry II until your A&M transcript showing your final course grade in Chemistry I is received by Blinn.

7. Selecting A&M online courses inappropriately. The purpose of the TEAM program is to provide the four-year A&M experience for as many freshmen as possible.  If your main A&M course(s) is/are online, you are not getting the A&M experience.  Additionally, if students register for an online course with a 700 series section number, that course is considered “distance education.” In other words, that course is intended for students who are not in the College Station area. These students pay a large convenience fee for taking this course from a distance, but are not charged campus service fees because they are away. Such fees include use of the Student Recreation Center, campus bus service, etc.  Previous TEAM students who exclusively registered for the 700 section of online courses have been denied campus services (to include use of the Student Recreation Center and participation in intramural sports) because they have not paid campus services fees.  If you must take an online course, ensure it is a 599 section number.  Note:  For more information, see the August 29, 2017 TEAM Blog entry on this topic.

8. Registering for KINE 120 more than once. This course may only be completed for credit one time. Howdy will not prevent you from registering for KINE 120 for a second time.  Students who retake it will not receive a credit hour for the course, and the grade you earn will not be included in your GPA. Repeating this course could cause you to fall short of the TEAM A&M credit hour requirement. Repeats of this course have caused a few TEAM students to fail to qualify outright for Mays Business School.

9. Believing it is likely that a friend can “hold a course for you” by registering for it. This is usually attempted for courses that fill quickly.  Such attempts to reserve a space in a course usually fail.  There is no way for the students who registered for the course to guarantee you will be the one to get it when they drop it.  If advisors have forced any students into the course over the normal course limit, and the available seat balance is a negative number, it will not be possible for you (or anyone else) to get the course when your friend drops it.  The number of available seats must be zero or a positive number or no space will become available when one student drops it.

10. Panicking if the needed courses are not available, and feeling compelled to “just register for some courses” solely for the purpose of being enrolled. Registering for courses you do not need produces only negative consequences.  For example, if you receive financial aid and register for courses that do not apply toward your intended major, your financial aid eligibility will initially be denied and your eventual approval delayed. Do not register for courses you do not need.

11. Forgetting to complete the Lab Safety Acknowledgement (LSA) in Howdy before registration. Without having completed the LSA each semester, students are prevented from registering for lab courses.  This causes frustration and delays, sometimes resulting in courses filling before students realize what is preventing their registration.

12. Unsuccessful registration experienced when attempting to add a course and its accompanying lab “one at a time.” Some science courses require that the lecture course and accompanying lab course be added simultaneously.

13. Failure to check the “restrictions” link to determine if a particular course, or section of a course, is limited to a specific group of students. Failure to check restrictions causes delays and frustration.  Always check the restrictions link before attempting to register for each course.  Be aware that some sections might not be available to you, whereas other sections of the same course might be open to you.  Be thorough in checking or you might miss the chance to get into a course you need.

14. Registering for graduate courses. Graduate courses do not necessarily have restrictions in Howdy because no one thinks undergraduate students would attempt them! An excuse that never works is: “The computer let me register for it.” The prerequisite for such courses include having earned a particular bachelor degree and having been admitted into a Master or Doctorate program. Graduate course numbers usually begin with “6” instead of “1,” “2,” “3,” or “4.”  Some of these past inappropriate registrations were not discovered until the semester was well underway. The students were dropped by the professors, but it was too late for students to receive refunds or replace the dropped courses with appropriate courses.

15. Forgetting to limit searches for Blinn courses to the Bryan campus. A basic MyBLINN course search produces a list of offerings at all of the Blinn College campuses. TEAM students are only able to register for courses taught at the Bryan campus. Save yourself the frustration by doing an “advance search” and specifying the Bryan campus. This will only show you the courses you are able to take.

16. Accidently registering for an A&M minimester course instead of a regular semester course, or accidently registering for a regular semester course instead of a minimester course. Unlike at Blinn, at A&M it is not possible to search for minimester courses.  Available minimester courses at A&M are mixed in with regular semester courses.  The only way to differentiate between minimester and regular semester courses is to look closely at the dates a course is scheduled to run.

17. Registering for ROTC courses first (for Corps of Cadets members), and then being unable to register for an academic course due to an insufficient credit hour limit. This frequent problem represents a confluence of three mistakes:  (1) Failure to read TEAM email, (2) Failure to submit a request for an increase in the credit hour limit, and (3) registering for a low-demand ROTC course while the high-demand academic courses fill quickly.  Always register for ROTC courses last—not many students are competing for space in ROTC courses.

18. Registering for an inappropriate TEAM schedule. TEAM policy specifies that students must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours, consisting of a “solid academic course.”  A solid academic course is defined as a three or four credit hour course that satisfies a degree requirement.  Examples of inappropriate TEAM schedules include:  enrollment in only an ROTC course, enrollment in a two credit hour course (such as STLC 101) and a one credit hour course (such as KINE 199), etc.  Students with inappropriate TEAM schedules violate their TEAM contract and receive a registration hold that will prevent registration at their assigned time.

19. Registering for a non-transferable Blinn course. Blinn College offers many vocational/technical training courses that are not usable at A&M.  Examples include courses in the Emergency Medical Technician program, or courses used toward a real estate license. Always check with an advisor, or refer to the TAMU Transfer Course Equivalency System in Howdy, if you do not know if a Blinn course is transferable to A&M.

20. Registering for a course that was previously completed! An alarming number of students accidently retake courses for which they earned AP or dual credit. Even worse, some retake courses completed during a previous semester at A&M or Blinn.  The most common scenarios for repeated courses are:  (1) failure to realize a Blinn course is equivalent to a particular A&M course (or vice versa), and (2) failure to report previously earned AP/dual credits to A&M.  The courses that are most likely to be erroneously repeated include: ECON 202 and 203 (these courses are numbered in the opposite sequence at A&M and Blinn), and POLS 206 and 207 (the content of these courses is similar).

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*There are three easy ways to determine the required courses for your intended major:

• Run a “What-If Degree Evaluation” in Howdy. This computer program will compare your course work against the degree requirements for your intended major. The required courses you have not completed are the ones from which you should choose for the next semester. (Your current Blinn courses will not be included in the evaluation.) Take into account those courses that will be unavailable to you due to restrictions (such as those reserved for students who are currently in the major, or those for which you have not completed prerequisites). Instructions for producing a Degree Evaluation are provided on the Transition Academic Programs (TAP) website (http://tap.tamu.edu) under the “Run Your Own Degree Evaluation” tab.

• Use the Undergraduate Catalog to view the list of course requirements for your intended major. The catalog is available online at http://catalog.tamu.edu. In turn, select the links for “Undergraduate catalog,” the college that houses your intended major, “Majors,” and finally the major itself.

• Find the one-page curriculum for your intended major (a “major pager”) on the department’s website.

Long Awaited TEAM Improvements Have Arrived!

The Texas A&M-Blinn TEAM Program is changing!

For almost two decades the TEAM partnership has enabled Texas A&M to admit thousands of additional qualified students into the Aggie freshman class (through co-enrollment at Blinn College) than would have otherwise been possible due to enrollment limitations. The agreement between the two schools that defines TEAM’s policies has been periodically renewed, but without significant changes. Recently the presidents of both institutions approved a new agreement that introduces student-friendly changes aimed at making the program even more successful!

Students will have a choice during the transition.

There will be a one-semester transition period from the current TEAM policies (i.e., TEAM contract) to the new one. TEAM students will be able to choose which contract they will follow during the Spring 2018 semester. By Fall 2018, all students will follow the new contract.

What will be the main differences?

The TEAM credit hour requirements remains unchanged: Students must earn 45 Blinn and 15 A&M credit hours by the end of the two-year program for guaranteed transition to full enrollment at A&M. The new terms and conditions are outlined in the 2018 TEAM contract that has been provided to all TEAM students by email.  Here is a summary of the significant changes:

• The required minimum cumulative GPA will be lowered from 3.0 to 2.5 at each school!
• Transfer admission will be discontinued for TEAM students after the Spring 2018 semester. Under the new contract TEAM students will transition to full enrollment at A&M exclusively by the change curriculum process.
• Students may seek a change of curriculum after completing two (2) or more semesters if they have maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at each school and have also satisfied all entry requirements for their intended major.
• Students will be allowed to register for 6 A&M credit hours each semester!
• Students will be allowed to register for up to 14 A&M credit hours during summer school (or a combination of up to 14 credit hours between Blinn and A&M during summer school).

The chart below enables side-by-side comparison of major points of the current and new TEAM contracts. Frequently Asked Questions are listed below the chart.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does the new TEAM contract change the requirements to enter Mays Business School, or any other major?

A:  No.  The Pathway to Business requirements are not affected by the new TEAM contract. The TEAM contract has no effect on any change of curriculum requirements established by departments at A&M. Many majors require GPAs above 2.5 for entry, and TEAM students must satisfy all entry criteria for their intended major. Such criteria may include: a minimum cumulative GPA, prerequisite courses, credit hour limitations, and an application.  For a current listing of most change of curriculum requirements, go to http://tap.tamu.edu and select the “change of major” tab.

Q: What factors should FRESHMEN consider when deciding which TEAM contract to follow during Spring 2018?

A: Practically all freshmen will benefit from transitioning to the new TEAM contract right away. The only foreseeable scenario in which a freshman might benefit from remaining under the current TEAM contract is if the student:  (1) will not qualify to apply for a change of curriculum during Spring 2018 (because he/she will not meet the criteria before the application deadline), but will be competitive for Fall 2018 Transfer Admission by the time Spring final grades are posted. Freshmen who have been planning to apply for Fall 2018 transfer admission during Spring 2018 are encouraged to meet with a Transition Academic Programs advisor before making a decision about which TEAM contract to pursue during the Spring.

Q: What factors should SOPHOMORES consider when deciding which TEAM contract to follow during Spring 2018?

A: Sophomores who have done their research and are confident they will be competitive for transfer admission, or who are on track to complete a Pathway agreement that guarantees entry to their intended majors, would probably benefit from remaining under the current TEAM contract. Sophomores who are not on track to complete the current TEAM 3.0 GPA and/or credit hour requirements, and are not competitive for transfer admission into their intended majors, would benefit from changing to the new TEAM contract.

Q: If I change to the new TEAM contract for Spring 2018 will I still be eligible to apply for transfer admission?

A: No. Only students who remain under the current TEAM contract for the Spring 2018 semester will be eligible to apply for transfer admission. Spring 2018 will be the last semester TEAM students will be eligible to apply for transfer admission.

Q: How do I indicate which TEAM contract I want to follow for Spring 2018?

A:  (See below)

• All students who wish to transition to the new TEAM contract: Sign the new contract (sent to you by email) and submit it to Transition Academic Programs prior to the start of the Spring 2018 semester.

• Sophomores who wish to remain under the current TEAM contract for the Spring 2018 semester do not need to take any action. The current TEAM contract is still valid.
• Any freshmen who choose to remain under the current TEAM contract for the Spring 2018 semester will need to sign a new contract before the start of the Fall 2018 semester.

Q: As a sophomore, if I switch to the new TEAM contract and am able to change curriculum into my intended major before the start of the Spring 2018 semester, will I be able to get a full schedule of relevant courses at A&M?

A: Probably. However, do not drop your Spring 2018 Blinn courses until you have been accepted by your intended major and have assessed course availability at A&M. If you can’t get into some of your needed courses at A&M, you may keep them on your Blinn schedule. (It is common for some former TEAM students to continue their co-enrollment after earning full enrollment at A&M.) The only drawback to remaining co-enrolled would be if you need to receive financial aid through A&M. After students transition out of TEAM they are no longer eligible to combine their Blinn and A&M credit hours to qualify for financial aid through A&M. Non-TEAM students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours at A&M to qualify for financial aid through A&M.)

Q: Why has transfer admission been removed as an option for TEAM students?

A: It was decided that it isn’t right to charge Aggies an application fee and make them compete in the external admission process of the university to which they already belong! The fact that TEAM students are regular Aggies will be reinforced when TEAM students enter majors exclusively by the same process as all other A&M students.  Historically transfer admission provided the possibility of “early” transition from TEAM to full A&M enrollment. Early transition from TEAM to full A&M enrollment will continue to be possible through the new change of curriculum opportunities.

Q: Will I be able to leave TEAM after two semesters and be in my intended major by the start of my sophomore year?

A: Maybe. Under the new TEAM contract students may submit a change of curriculum application if/when they have:

• Completed two or more regular semesters, and
• Maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at both institutions, and
• Satisfied all entry requirements for their intended major.

Since the TEAM program began in 2001, the number of participants who earned full enrollment at A&M after only two semesters (via transfer) has averaged about 25%. In some years this number was as low as 17%. On average, TEAM students have spent three semesters in the program before transitioning. These numbers might continue to be the norm under the new two-or-more semester change of curriculum opportunity that is replacing transfer admission.

It will be unrealistic for many TEAM students to qualify for a change of curriculum after only two semesters. Some majors have a long list of prerequisite courses that could potentially take up to four semesters to complete. (Examples include Business and Engineering.) Additionally, many majors have application processes with deadlines. Often students must meet all change of curriculum requirements before they are allowed to apply. If you are taking prerequisite courses during your second semester, you will not satisfy all change of curriculum requirements until the end of the semester. By that time the application deadline might have passed. In such cases students will have to continue in TEAM during the next regular semester (or summer school) before another opportunity to apply opens.

Some majors do not have applications or deadlines. Students pursuing such majors will naturally be able to transition more quickly.

Q: If I’m anxious to transition out of TEAM, can I just change curriculum to an “easy” major after two semesters and then change again later into my intended major?

A:  This is an unethical strategy known as “closet majoring.” Some departments require applicants to write an essay explaining why they wish to pursue that particular major. If students are seen to have misrepresented themselves, there could be consequences. Also, closet majors who later fail to meet the change of curriculum requirements for their intended majors can become stuck in a major they don’t want. Finally, when students enter a major they must follow the curriculum of that major. Courses completed for that major might not satisfy degree requirements for other majors. Changing majors more than once is inefficient, often causing graduation delays and additional costs.

Q: Why has the GPA requirement been reduced to 2.5?

A: The TEAM Program was a first-of-its-kind initiative that was scrutinized during its early years. With the logistical challenges of simultaneously attending two schools, it was considered important for TEAM students to set high academic goals. TEAM students have continuously surpassed expectations.

More importantly, many majors at A&M are accessible via the change of curriculum process to students with GPAs of 2.5 or below. Preventing former TEAM students from continuing uninterrupted at A&M if they qualify to enter these majors would slow their degree progress and adversely affect the university’s retention and graduation goals.

Q: I’m following a TEAM Pathway agreement that guarantees entry to my intended major. Will the Pathway agreement still be honored?

A:  Students who choose to stay with the current contract are still guaranteed entry by completing the TEAM and Pathway requirements that are in place. TAP will work with departments to reevaluate Pathway agreements in light of the lower TEAM GPA requirements. Some Pathway agreements will undoubtedly remain in effect, while others might become unneeded if the regular change of curriculum requirements for that major become easier to achieve than the current TEAM and Pathway requirements.

Q: Are there any reasons I should not pursue early transition out of TEAM?

A: Many TEAM students are anxious to become fully enrolled at A&M, and academic advisors assist students in planning toward such goals. However, there are several things to consider before leaving TEAM early:

• Only enter a major you would be satisfied to pursue all the way to graduation. Getting out of TEAM “early” into the wrong major usually produces negative consequences. Better to remain in TEAM until you can qualify for your true intended major.
• Co-enrolled TEAM students enjoy savings compared to fully enrolled A&M students.
• Blinn’s smaller classrooms provide a more ideal transition to college than A&M’s large lecture halls. For example, a US History classroom at Blinn might hold 35 students, whereas a US History lecture hall at A&M might hold 250-300 students.
• Blinn offers the opportunity to earn an associate degree while working toward an A&M degree. Staying in TEAM longer and completing more Blinn courses can make this more of a possibility.

Q: The new TEAM contract will allow students to enroll in six credit hours at A&M each regular semester, and even more during summer school—should I maximize my credit hours at A&M?

A: Not necessarily.  Just because you can take 6 credit hours at A&M doesn’t mean you have to take exactly six credit hours at A&M every semester. One consideration is that A&M credit hours cost more than Blinn credit hours. Currently the average TEAM student saves $1,000-$1,200 per semester compared with students who take all of their courses at A&M. Students who maximize A&M credit hours and minimize Blinn credit hours will incur more costs than those who continue to take the bulk of their courses at Blinn College.

Another consideration is that some majors will remain reachable from TEAM only after four semesters. To satisfy the requirements for guaranteed transition to A&M at the end of four semesters, students need to have accumulated 45 Blinn credit hours (versus only 15 A&M credit hours). Students pursuing such majors will be well advised to keep their Blinn-to-A&M credit hour totals in a 3-to-1 ratio as they progress through the program.

Finally, many students have a goal of earning an Associate Degree from Blinn College while enrolled in the TEAM Program. A Blinn graduation requirement is that students must earn at least 25% of the credit hours required for an Associate Degree in residence at Blinn College.

Q: How will the academic advisor of my intended major know that I’m eligible to change curriculum and leave TEAM in less than two years?

A: Prior to granting any change of curriculum requests, university academic advisors will contact Transition Academic Programs to confirm each TEAM student’s eligibility.