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.
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