It’s Time To Prepare To Declare!

1. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! Dr. Kriss Hope Boyd Undergraduate Studies Executive Director General Academic Programs

2. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! • More than a quarter of entering students change their major before they finish attending their NSC. • Half of each TAMU freshmen cohort change colleges before they graduate.

3. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! High school exposes students to a dozen academic disciplines. Texas A&M offers 130+ degree options for undergraduates.

4. A Major Decision A high school senior’s decision is affected by: • Friends’ or siblings’ choices • Perceived financial rewards • Impressive names • Relationship dynamics with parents What they don’t know is whether or not they will enjoy advanced study in that area.

5. A Major Decision Three MOST important reasons to select a major • Passionate love of the topics to be studied • Skills that are competitive compared to other TAMU students • Willingness to work hard

6. A Major Decision • Hollands Career Development Theory

7. A Major Decision • The ACT World of Work Map

8. A Major Decision FIRST BIG QUESTION - Does the student enjoy working extra math problems that aren’t required for homework, and does the student have an SATM score of at least 550?

9. A Major Decision Is the student willing to work very hard every day to understand things like this? Does the student love solving problems not required as homework?

10. A Major Decision • The answer to the math question helps GAP advisors the most --- it indicates a ‘yes or no’ for engineering/physical science majors.

11. A Major Decision Is the student aware of the wide range of majors at TAMU?

12. A Major Decision Does the student have the skill and creative talent to be competitive at the elite level at TAMU?

13. A Major Decision • Majors: Those that require 2.75+ GPA to change majors Majors such as music, dance and viz that require auditions/portfolios

14. A Major Decision • Does the student thrive and gain energy from social interaction?

15. A Major Decision • Majors: Ag Leadership and Development, Urban Planning, Marketing/Management, Education, Geography (GIS - market planning), Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Communications, Languages, etc.

16. A Major Decision • Can the student combine strong quantitative strengths and elite creative talents? Major: sualization Visualization

17. A Major Decision • Is the student passionate • about environmental • issues? Majors: • Ecological restoration, bioenvironmental sciences, landscape, civil engineering, environmental science, geography, history with environmental history classes, political science - public administration, biology, ocean and coastal resources, etc.

18. A Major Decision • Students can complete minimum requirements for med school within the hours listed for a degree plan in all colleges except Architecture and Mays. The possibilities include: • BICH, NUTR, ANSC, KINE, BIEN, ENST, PSYC, BIOL, BIMS, MARS. . .

19. A Major Decision • Students can move from any major to law school successfully, but they need to enjoy writing and logic.

20. A Major Decision • Every major leads to careers, although some career paths require graduate degrees. • Most of our students will complete graduate degrees or the equivalent.

21. It’s Time to Prepare to Declare! Read the Menu - Choosing a major is like deciding what to order at a new restaurant. • Think about what you like. • Ask for advice from friends. • Read the menu. 3. Observe what others are enjoying. 4. Ask for advice from the staff. 5. Place the order.

22. It’s Time to Prepare to Declare! Remind students about the academic roadmap for TAMU . . . the catalog . . . http://catalog.tamu.edu/

23. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! It’s Hard to Schedule an Epiphany. Encourage juniors and seniors to: • Research majors and jobs on the web. Check out the textbooks for key courses. • NOT TAKE TOO MANY CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT COURSES!!! Many don’t count for specific TAMU degrees and use up useful spots for electives that students can pair up with tough courses. • Find out about resources at TAMU.

24. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! TAMU Resources: • General Academic Programs • Student Counseling Service • Career Center • Office of Professional School Advising • University Advisors & Counselors • Student Learning Center

25. It’s Time to Prepare to Declare! • Any TAMU student can run a ‘what if’ degree audit in Compass. • Every TAMU student should run a degree audit prior to pre-registration every semester.

26. It’s Time to Prepare To Declare! The Academic Colleges Within Texas A&M University

27. Agriculture & Life Sciences Agribusiness Entomology Agricultural Leadership & Development Environmental Studies Agricultural Economics Food Science or Industry Agricultural Engineering Forest Resources; Urban Forestry Agricultural Communication & Journalism Genetics Agricultural Science Horticulture or Plant Breeding Agricultural Systems Management Nutritional Sciences Agronomy (3 options including Turf Mgmt) Plant & Environmental Soil Science Animal Science – Production Poultry Science Animal Science - Science Rangeland Resources Biochemistry Ranch Management Bioenvironmental Sciences Recreation, Park & Tourism (4 options) Biological Systems Engineering Renewable Natural Resources Dairy Production Spatial Sciences Ecological Restoration Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences (3 options) Forensic Science

28. Architecture • Environmental Design - Architecture Studies - Visual Studies • Construction Science • Landscape Design • Urban & Regional Science

29. Mays Business School • Accounting • Finance • Management • Marketing • Information & Operations Management -Management Information Systems -Supply Chain Management • Agribusiness

30. Education & Human Development • Interdisciplinary Studies -Elementary/Middle -Technology Management -Human Resource Development • Health & Kinesiology -Allied Health -Community Health -School Health -Sport Management -Exercise Technology -Basic Exercise Physiology -Applied Exercise Physiology -Motor Behavior • Secondary Certification

31. Dwight Look College of Engineering • Computer Engineering • Electrical Engineering • Engineering Technology • Electronics • Telecommunications • Manufacturing & Mechanical • Industrial Distribution • Industrial Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Nuclear Engineering • Ocean Engineering • Petroleum Engineering • Radiological Health Engineering • Aerospace Engineering • Biological & Agricultural Engineering • Biomedical Engineering • Chemical Engineering • Civil Engineering • Computer Science

32. Geosciences • Environmental Geoscience • Environmental Studies • Geography • Geographic Information Science • Geology • Geophysics • Earth Sciences • Meteorology • Spatial Sciences

33. Liberal Arts • Political Science (BS/BA) • Psychology (BS/BA) • Sociology (BS/BA) • American Studies • Anthropology • Communication Speech Communication Telecom. Media (BS/BA) • Economics (BS/BA) • English • European & Classical • Languages French, German, Russian, Spanish • Hispanic Studies • History • International Studies • Performance Studies Music, Theatre • Philosophy

34. Science • Biology • Chemistry • Mathematics • Physics B(x,y) = t^(x-1) (1-t)^(y-1)DT

35. Veterinary Medicine • Biomedical Sciences • Applied Science Option

36. TAMU-Galveston • Marine Biology, Sciences and Fisheries • Marine Engineering Technology; Maritime Systems Engineering • Marine Transportation • Maritime Administration • Maritime Studies • Ocean & Coastal Resources

37. University Studies degrees • Each college has at least one University Studies degree option. • US majors have a concentration (super-minor) and two other minors rather than a major. • The degrees provides some students flexibility to combine several fields of interest that will help lead them toward unique career goals. • Website for University Studies: unst.tamu.edu . . . . I wish there was a degree in . . . . . .

38. General Academic Programs The GAP Department provides academic advising and special freshman programs for 5,100+ General Studies (GEST) majors. • GEST freshmen take basic courses until they meet special requirements for majors. • GAP academic advisors are familiar with the entire range of majors at TAMU, and can discuss requirements and options with students. • Website: http://gest.tamu.edu

39. It’s Time To Prepare To Declare! • Requirements for declaring majors at TAMU: • http://gest.tamu.edu/Main/gpr.pdf • 2.75 AGBU Must have 2: AGEC105, MATH141/142, ECON202/203, ACCT 229, ACCT 230 Application: http://agecon.tamu.edu/undergraduate/future_students/on_campus.html Deadline: Mar 15/Jun 1/Aug 1 for Fall, Oct 15/Jan 3 for Spring, Mar 15/May 15 for Summer • 2.50 AGEC Must have 2: AGEC105, MATH141/142, ECON202/203, ACCT209 or 229, ACCT210 or 230 Application: http://agecon.tamu.edu/undergraduate/future_students/on_campus.html Deadline: Mar 15/Jun 1/Aug 1 for Fall, Oct 15/Jan 3 for Spring, Mar 15/May 15 for Summer • 2.00 ALED At least one Math completed. Application: http://www.aged.tamu.edu/ugadvise/changing.aspxu.edu/Main/gpr.pdf Deadline: Oct 15 & March 15 etc. . . . . . . .