Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University (also known as TAMU, Texas A&M, or A&M) is a public land-grant research university located in College Station, Texas. It was established in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. In 1948, it emerged as the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System, the state university system in Texas

While the college flourished over the decades, the 1960s was a landmark period in its history. Under the leadership of Gen. James Earl Rudder, a former US Army general and A&M’s 16th president, the college diversified and began admitting women and African-Americans. In 1963, the school was renamed Texas A&M University by the Texas state legislature.   

TAMU holds a special distinction: it is among the handful of universities in the world to be designated a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university. Also, Texas A&M is one of the only six senior military colleges, and its Corps of Cadets is among the largest uniformed body outside the national service academies. Historically, the university has produced more military officers than any other academic institution in the US.  

The university is home to some of the premier research institutes and centres in the country that engage in cutting-edge research. Some of them include the Cyclotron Institute, Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine, and Texas Transportation Institute, among others. Also, A&M’s total R&D expenditure in 2020 was over US$ 1.1 billion. Aptly, TAMU is classified as an ‘R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity’ by the  Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Texas A&M is ranked among the best universities in the US and the world by several prestigious international publications. The US News & World Report 2022 placed the university 67th and 140th on its lists of ‘Best National Universities’ and ‘Best Global Universities’, respectively. Also, the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022 ranked TAMU 79th among colleges in the US. Let us learn more about Texas A&M in this article. 

Courses Offered at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M offers over 130 undergraduate degrees. In addition, 268 graduate and professional degrees are also provided by the university. These courses are imparted through it 17 constituent schools and two branch campuses. Some of the most sought-after courses are: 

• Bachelor of Environmental Design
• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical engineering
• Master of Engineering Aerospace Engineering
• Master of Science  in Human Resource Management
• Master of Architecture
• Master of Science in Architecture
• Master in Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Ph.D in Management

Admissions at Texas A&M University

The admissions process at TAMU varies depending on the type of applicant (international or domestic) and the course they are applying for. Therefore, it is essential that aspirants visit the departments’ pages on the university’s official website in order to learn more about the specific admissions requirements and deadlines for their courses. However, some of the requirements common to most programmes are mentioned below: 

• Pay a non-refundable application fee of $90
• Submit all your transcripts from college and university. 
• Present scores secured on competitive exams such as GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) [depending on whether the programme applied to is an engineering or non-engineering one]
• Provide proof of English proficiency through the submission of scores secured on tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo. 
• Submit department-specific documents such as Letters of Recommendation (LOR), Statements of Purpose (SOP), and Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Fees and Financial Aid 

The cost of attendance at A&M for a non-resident or international undergraduate student is around $58,550, which is inclusive of tuition and fees, loan fees, travel, books & supplies, housing and meals, and personal expenses. In the case of graduate and professional programmes, the expenses vary depending on the chosen course. Aspirants can visit the Financial Aid page on the university’s official website to learn more about the basic budget for a specific graduate or professional course. 

There are several types of financial aid available to both undergraduate and graduate students. It can be a combination of loans, scholarships, and grants. Some of the scholarships provided by  Texas A&M are the Lechner Scholarship, McFadden Scholarship, and Aggie Ring Scholarship programme, among others. The university also offers multiple need-based grants to help students pay for their education and tuition fees.

Placements

Texas A&M has a dedicated Career Center to help students improve their interview skills, hone their CVs or resume, and much more. The center is manned by experienced staff who are dedicated to assisting students to reach their professional goals. There are also numerous workshops and events which are conducted periodically for the benefit of the students. 

An example of A&M’s student-assistance initiative is its automated resume viewing tool known as VMock. It uses machine learning and benchmarks to provide suggestions to improve a candidate’s resume. Furthermore, the career center also organises career fairs and symposiums periodically for enabling students to explore lucrative career options. 

So, if you seek to pursue an education at one of the top universities in the US and in the world, then Texas A&M University is the right option for you. We hope this article has provided you with all the information you require in order to consider applying to this institution. Good Luck!