Believe it or not, Spring registration begins in just over three weeks! That’s right, Blinn registration begins October 21 at 9:00 a.m. (A&M registration lags behind, starting in mid-November.) Now is the time to plan your entire schedule for next semester, including both Blinn and A&M courses. Academic advisors are available to assist. Currently there is no significant waiting time for walk-in advising, and appointments are readily available. Three weeks from now you may have to wait 90 minutes or longer to see an advisor.
Where should I go for advising?
Academic advisors “exist to assist.” Unless you have registration holds at both schools, you do not have to meet with both a Blinn advisor and an A&M advisor! Remember, identification of your next semester’s courses should be done as a single process, not separately.
As a TEAM student enrolled at two schools, you have double the advising options of most students. However, Blinn’s 12,000+ students will register before registration begins at A&M. You may discover that it will be easier to meet with an A&M advisor before October 21 since A&M registration is still two months away.
The Transition Academic Programs (TAP) advisors are your TEAM advisors at A&M. The TAP office is adequately staffed with advisors based primarily on meeting the advising needs of TEAM students. If you try to meet with departmental advisors of your intended academic major at A&M, don’t be surprised if you are turned away—their primary job is to advise their current students, not prospective students.
TAP advisors are currently available on a walk-in basis in Hotard Hall (third floor) Monday through Friday 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. Afternoon appointments are available and may be reserved on the TAP website (https://tap.tamu.edu/default.aspx). A TAP advisor is also available on the Blinn campus in S-157 each morning except Thursdays from 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. No appointment is needed on the Blinn campus to meet with a TAP advisor, but check the TAP website to determine walk-in versus appointment availability in Hotard Hall. (These hours change during the semester based on anticipated demand.)
How should I prepare for meeting with an academic advisor?
You need to self-identify appropriate courses for your intended major. The best way to do this is to produce a “What If Degree Evaluation” (also called a “Degree Audit”) in Howdy. Instructions for producing the evaluation are found on the Transition Academic Programs website, see: https://tap.tamu.edu/Main/audit.aspx.
This report compares your previous coursework against the curriculum for any major that you choose, making identification of the remaining courses a simple task. Be aware that the report will take into account your in-progress A&M courses, but will not include your in-progress Blinn courses. (You’ll have to mentally subtract these from the report to determine what’s left to take.)
Next, you should read course descriptions and check for registration restrictions, such as prerequisites or classification limitations (i.e., juniors only, majors only, etc.). This will help you determine the proper timing and sequence of the courses identified by the Degree Evaluation. Bring the Degree Evaluation with you when you meet with an advisor.
How do I conceptualize my schedule(s)?
Think of your upcoming Blinn and A&M Spring schedules as a single integrated plan, not as two separate processes. After first identifying appropriate courses (as described above), compile a “shopping list” of courses that would work for you in the Spring. List more courses than you will actually take so that you have some back-ups in case a time conflict or non-availability is encountered during registration. Finally, decide which one academic course will be your primary A&M course. Register for the others at Blinn.
Be sure to leave space (including travel time) in your Blinn schedule to accommodate your course(s) at A&M. (Remember that it is always wise to add a one or two credit hour course at A&M to your schedule. In the unforeseen situation of having to Q-drop your academic course, the “extra” course would keep you enrolled for the remainder of the semester.) Good extra courses include KINE 198 and KINE 199 (required by the core curriculum for all students), and introductory courses offered by some colleges, such as AGLS 101 (for future Agriculture & Life Science majors) or ENDG 105 (for future engineering majors who are not TEAM-E). Another option might be STLC 101 (if you need to improve your college success skills).
What should I consider when selecting my main A&M course?
Your GPA at A&M is more volatile than at Blinn because you take fewer courses at A&M. Therefore, choose an A&M course in a subject of your strengths or interests. Research A&M grade distributions for courses and professors from previous semesters here: http://registrar.tamu.edu/facultystaff/report/default.aspx. Some departments prefer to see you take a challenging course pertaining to your intended major at A&M, rather than an elective or a comparatively easy Visual & Performing Arts course. The department that insists upon this is Petroleum Engineering—they want to see you complete MATH or PHYS at A&M.
When is registration at A&M? Can I register early if I have a documented disability or a job?
At A&M, students who are registered with Disability Services will begin registration Nov 14. Sophomores begin Nov 22. Freshmen begin Nov 27.
For A&M registration only, students who work on or off campus a minimum of twelve (12) hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday are allowed to preregister for their classes earlier than the general student population so they can schedule their classes around their work schedules. Qualified student employees will be assigned registration times as follows. Sophomores: Thursday, November 21. Freshmen: Tuesday, November 26. In order to qualify, student employees must submit the Texas A&M University Student Employment Verification form (http://registrar.tamu.edu/forms/StudentWorkerfForm.pdf).
Forms will be accepted NO EARLIER than 8:00 a.m., Monday, September 30, 2013 and NO LATER than 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2013.
For your specific Registration Time Assignment at A&M, refer to Howdy (MyRecord Tab) when registration is near:
What happens if I’m currently taking a prerequisite course at one school and need to take the subsequent course at the other?
A&M has adjusted the Howdy system to recognize prerequisites based on “In-Progress” Blinn courses. However, your In-Progress Blinn courses must be listed in Howdy for this to work. If you plan to take a course at A&M for which you are currently taking the prerequisite at Blinn, send a Blinn transcript to A&M now to avoid problems. Use the online Blinn Transcript Request feature located here: http://blinn.edu/admissions/transcripts.php. If you are planning to take a course at Blinn in the Spring for which you are currently taking the prerequisite at A&M, send an email to tap-blinnteam@tamu.edu that includes the following: Your name, Blinn ID number, Course title, Section and CRN.
What happens if I have a registration hold?
If you have a hold at either school that will prevent you from registering, contact the office where it originated for instructions about clearing it. Be sure to check for holds before your registration day to avoid delays!
What about TEAM-E?
The TEAM-E cohort classes are being finalized now. You will be invited to a group advising presentation soon to inform you of how your registration will work.
All TEAM Sophomores will receive a registration hold prior to A&M registration!
This will NOT have any effect on your ability to register at Blinn. Sophomores will have to meet with a TAP advisor to review your progress toward full admission, and to ensure you are pursuing a realistic academic major. This meeting must be accomplished prior to your A&M Registration Time Assignment.
What are the Payment Deadlines at Blinn and A&M?
After registering at Blinn, students who do not have financial aid must pay their bill by December 5. Students who miss this deadline will have their schedules dropped on December 6. Students with financial aid will have until January 10 to make payment.
The A&M payment deadline has not been announced, but it will be in January.
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