Announcements

1. Announcements Please silence cell phones Please remain seated for the entire presentation

2. Welcome to General Academic Programs’College Meeting Hotard Hall Dr. Kriss Boyd Executive Director

3. College Meeting Objectives • First Semester Transition 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. • Registration Preparation 3:15 – 5:00 p.m.

4. Purpose of the University Experience • To better understand the world • To learn to accomplish complicated tasks • To develop the ability to function as a self - sufficient adult • To create lifelong learners

5. What isGeneral Studies?

6. Our Goal We “EXIST to ASSIST” students as they “PREPARE to DECLARE” by . . . • Maximizing students’ career options through careful course selection • Allowing students to graduate without taking excessive hours

7. How many A&M majors can you name? • 65-85% of all college students change their major!

8. When should I meet with an Academic Advisor? At least once in the middle of each semester.

9. G P S Global knowledge of Texas A&M University (Student Counseling Service, Scholarships & Financial Aid) Position students to declare a major (Change of Curriculum Requirements, Degree Plans) Systems to help students succeed (Processes, Referrals)

10. Cost of an Extra Semester Tuition & fees: $4, 207 Books & supplies: $ 675 Room & Board: $4,004 TOTAL: $8,886* Graduating on Time: PRICELESS! * Future value of $8,886 at 5% after 25 years = $30, 091

11. High School vs. College College deadlines are REAL deadlines.

12. SyllabusPrint, Read, Save, and Refer to the Course Syllabus • The course syllabus contains the following important information: • Course title & number • Term / meeting times / location • Course description • Prerequisites • Learning outcomes or course objectives • Instructor informationTextbook and / or resource materials • Grading policies • Course topics • Calendar of activities, major assignment & exam dates

13. SyllabusPrint, Read, Save, and Refer to the Course Syllabus • A link to the course syllabus is provided in Howdy:

14. Come on in… Hotard Hall

15. Make an Appointment • How to make an appointment http://gest.tamu.edu • If unsure of available times, call the office at 979.845.5916

16. Texas A&M University System TAMUS UNIVERSITIES STATE AGENCIES TAMU -TAMUG/TAMUQ HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER

17. University Structure UNIVERSITY Texas A&M University COLLEGE College of Agriculture & Life Science DEPARTMENT Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics MAJOR Genetics

18. Colleges General Academics Agriculture & Life Sciences Engineering Texas A&M University Architecture Geosciences Liberal Arts Business Science Education & Human Development Veterinary Medicine

19. University Studies Curriculum HoursComponent 43-45 TAMU Core Curriculum Courses 21-24 Concentration 30-36 Two Minors 15-26 Electives/prerequisite requirements 120 Total hrs required unst.tamu.edu

20. High School vs. College Don’t wait to cram the night before a test!

21. Tips For Academic Success

22. Tips for Academic Success • Go to class!!!! • Take lots of notes or record lecture. • Study for each class every week.

23. Communication with Faculty & Staff

24. Communication with Faculty • Read and keep a copy of each syllabus. • Stop by and talk to your professor before the first exam. • Email your professor immediately if you will be missing class for an excused absence. **Always use TAMU email account.

25. Report Classroom Communication Concerns • If you experience a communication problem with your professor (i.e., does not speak fluent English), report the problem with a Classroom Communication Concerns form (available online).

26. Communication With Academic Advisors • The quality of the advice you get is impacted by the quality of information you provide your advisor. • Learn to run a ‘What if’ degree analysis before you meet with your advisor. • There are shorter waiting lines for advisors in October and February.

27. Employment • Less than 15 hours per week • Look into work study & other on-campus work opportunities • https://jobsforaggies.tamu.edu/ • http://hireaggies.tamu.edu • Work in Bryan/College Station area • Work for necessary items only

28. Extracurricular Activities Over 800 recognized organizations Great way to meet new friends Develop leadership skills

29. Time Management15 hrs class, 15+ hrs study (more during exam weeks), 15 hrs work, 1 Organization, 1 Intramural Sport

30. High School vs. College • Each professor can grade differently, but the basis for grades must be provided in the course syllabus. • ALL grades of A-F are utilized and assigned at A&M.

31. 60 Hour Limit Get Ready for a Road Trip General Studies students have 60 hours to prepare to declare

32. Freshmen with College Credit • SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS ASAP for accurate advising • A&M can’t award college dual credit from high school transcripts.

33. Freshmen with College Credit • REPORT (do not accept) your AP credits today • DO NOT ACCEPT any AP credits until you talk with an advisor (no hurry) • AP credits cannot be removed once awarded • Acceptance of excess credits may: • Limit your choices of major due to hour restrictions • Shorten your decision time for a major • Cause you to pay the out-of-state tuition rate • Ruin your chance for a tuition rebate • Prevent you from receiving Texas B-on-Time loan forgiveness

34. Freshmen with High Hours • Freshmen entering TAMU with 45+ hours of college credit will have challenges…some majors won’t admit students who have 60+ hours. • There will be a special advising session later today for students in this situation

35. How to Calculate a GPA Grade/Quality Points GPA Hours Total hours attempted at A&M (includes F’s & U’s) Don’t include hours for courses in which you received grades of “S”, but “U” grades count as F’s S/U classes receive a grade of “S” for “C” level work or better, and a grade of “U” for “D” or worse performance. • Grade points are earned per credit hour A = 4 B = 3 C = 2 D = 1 F = 0

36. How to Calculate a GPA Formula Sample Total Grade Points / GPA hours = GPA 39 / 13 = 3.000

37. Importance of 1st semester grades Semester Hours Grades 1 14 1.75* 2 15 2.25 3 15 2.50 4 16 3.25 TOTALS: 60 ** 2.46*** * This student is on academic probation. **At 60 hours students in General Studies must declare a major *** 2.46….not prepared to declare most majors including: Business, Architecture, Teacher Certification, etc.

38. Importance of Good Academic Standing • Students with a GPA below 2.0 are on academic probation. • Students on academic probation who do not return to good standing may be blocked from continued enrollment at TAMU.

39. First Year Grade Exclusion MUSC – 201 B 3 hours STLC - 101 A 2 hours MATH - 141 F# 0 hours KINE - 199 S 1 hour POLS - 207 B 3 hours ENGL - 104 C 3 hours Semester credit: 12 hours / TAMU semester GPR: 2.909 F# The final grade IS recorded on the transcript with a Grade Exclusion symbol (#). --- 3 Grade Exclusions on grades of D, F or U ---

40. Q-Drop MUSC – 201 B 3 hours STLC - 101 A 2 hours MATH - 141 Q 0 hours KINE - 199 S 1 hour POLS - 207 B 3 hours ENGL - 104 C 3 hours Semester credit: 12 hours /TAMU semester GPR: 2.909 Q 3 Q-drops allowed (1 hour classes do not count) ----- Deadline to Q-drop is the 50th class day -----

41. High School vs. College Levels of knowledge tested in college: • Evaluation • Comprehension (memorization) • Application to new areas of knowledge • Analysis of conflicting data or points of view • Synthesis – creating new concepts If you only memorize material in college, you will lose points on exams.

42. Academic Advising Sessions (Next) • These sessions are organized into areas of primary interest consisting of majors that require similar coursework. You will attend the session that most closely matches your primary interests: • Technological & Scientific • Pre-Health, Environmental & Agricultural • Business & Administrative • Interdisciplinary & Undecided

43. Technological & Scientific (Identified as requiring at least one 4-hour calculus course) • Biochemistry • Biology (for research) • Chemistry • Computer Science • Construction Science • Engineering • Genetics • Geology   • Geophysics • Industrial Distribution • Mathematics • Meteorology • Physics • Visualization

44. Pre-Health, Environmental, & Agricultural • Health Fields • Any major (professional schools do not limit students by major) • Environmental Studies • Food Science • Forensic & Investigative Sciences • Health • Horticulture • Kinesiology • Nutritional Sciences • Agronomy • Animal Science • Biology • Bioenvironmental Science • Biomedical Science • Entomology

45. Business & Administrative • Human Resource Development • Information & Operations Management • Ag Communications & Journalism • Agricultural Economics • Sports Management • Accounting • Agribusiness • Finance • Economics • Marketing • Management

46. Interdisciplinary, Exploratory & Undecided* • Liberal Arts • Social Sciences • Psychology • Sociology • Communications • Humanities • Arts • Languages • Cultures • Interdisciplinary • Teaching • Elementary • Middle Grades • Health Education • Physical Education • Architecture • University Studies * Undecided = “no idea.” If torn between two or more options, attend the breakout session for the more restrictive (specific) option.

47. Instructions • We will now transition to the Academic Advisement sessions. • Please save your questions for this session • During the next session you will be assigned a registration location for tomorrow.

48. Academic Advisement Sessions (Next) • Technological & Scientific Rm 110 • Pre-Health, Environmental & Agricultural Rm 203 • Business & Administrative Rm 108 • Interdisciplinary & Undecided Rm 209