texas a&m engineering honors essay

Applying to Texas A&M’s Engineering Honors Program

• Sasha Chada
• May 9, 2022

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Engineering is incredibly popular for students (we have a whole guide on it), and for good reason. Everything around you was designed and built by engineers, and they literally reshape the world we live in. Of course, a lot of work is required to become an engineer, beginning with a college education.

In this article, we’ll examine one such engineering program, engineering honors at Texas A&M. We’ll look at what the program is, how you can apply, and what the benefits are. We’ll also give a case study of a past Ivy Scholars student who applied to the program.

About the Program

The Craig and Galen Brown Engineering Honors Program seeks to offer a “small school” feel with all of the resources of Texas A&M’s program. The course sizes are smaller, and students get additional opportunities to interact with faculty, both in and out of their coursework. 

Every major the A&M offers in engineering has an honors counterpart. Each major follows its own track , to ensure that you graduate on time. While not all of the courses you take will be honors level, the majority of them will be. 

The other benefits of the honors program come from specialized advising and related opportunities. This gives you increased chances to learn and network with professionals, and to gain additional opportunities in your field. Further, there are increased undergraduate research opportunities for honors students. 

Finally, there is an honors-program specific career fair, which can help you land a job right out of undergrad. While networking is less important in engineering compared to some other fields, recruitment at colleges is still a key part of the job hunt process, and recruiters know that honors students have received more preparation and research experience. 

While you can get a great engineering education at A&M regardless, we recommend the honors program for advanced students who want to push themselves more, or for students looking for a backup option when applying to higher tier engineering programs. 

How to Apply

Admissions to the program are competitive, with around 10% of each class admitted. The applications are reviewed holistically; there is no single GPA or test score which will guarantee you admission. Overall, admissions officers are looking for how well you will fit with the program, and how you will benefit from it. 

You may apply to the honors program as a freshman if you have an intended major in engineering or are admitted to the engineering college. You may apply as a current A&M student if your GPA is above 3.5. Incoming transfer students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher may register for honors classes and may apply for the program after a semester at A&M. 

The application to the program is separate from your application to A&M as a whole. You may apply online . The application requires the following materials: 

• A high school transcript. Current A&M students (or transfer students) also require a college transcript.
• One letter of reference. 
• An essay describing your interest in the engineering honors program and your general career goals. 

Incoming freshmen and transfer students must submit their applications by May 1st. For a spot in the honors dorm , you must complete your application by March 1st. Current students may submit their application at any time during the school year, but must submit at least two weeks before the start of the semester to be eligible for priority course registration. 

Once accepted, you may begin participating in honors activities immediately. You need to be an honors student to register for honors-level courses. 

Your application is reviewed based on your academic and extracurricular achievements, your fit for the program, and your passion for engineering. While high academic performance alone will not get you in, it is required for acceptance.

For the case study, we’ll discuss who the student was, what they had done with their activities, and finally go through their application essay. We hope this will give you a sense of what a competitive candidate for this program looks like, and how you can prepare to do the same. 

Student B had an unweighted GPA of 3.9 and graduated in the top 10% of their high school class. They had a cumulative ACT score of 31. This academic excellence was enough to qualify them for the program, but it was with their activities that Student B was able to properly differentiate themselves. 

First was their coding knowledge; 2 years each of C++ and Python, and 1 year of experience with Linux. Not all engineers are computer engineers, but they all work with software to some extent, and being able to manipulate code is a useful skill for any engineer. 

They were further able to apply their coding knowledge through an internship with Code Park Houston. During the course of which they worked to teach coding to others, as well as help research and build out the program’s curriculum and web presence. Thus the student showed an ability to apply their knowledge. 

Student B showed further proficiency with coding through their participation in a cybersecurity camp at UT Austin, along with taking part in the science olympiad. These activities continue the themes seen elsewhere and demonstrate an even deeper commitment to engineering.

Finally, Student B was a co-captain on their soccer team. While this does not directly relate to engineering, it allows them to demonstrate leadership, a key quality this program is looking for. Not every activity you participate in needs to be completely tied to engineering, but the majority of your extracurriculars should be. Your goal is to create a story about who you are and what you’ve done, and for that to clearly demonstrate why you’ll be a great engineer. 

Wandering through the dense jungles of the Malaysian peninsula as a second grader I was awestruck by the vibrant colors: vast green leaves, yellow moss creeping up the trees, and massive red petals from the giant rafflesia flowers that secreted a putrid smell. Birds squawked and monkeys howled within the deep greenery, while insects scurried over the foliage strewn ground beneath my feet.

This experience showed me that nature is necessary for life to flourish. However, the delicate balance is now in danger. By 2050, researchers project millions of animal species will face extinction and many million more humans will be displaced from their homes due to climate change, careless fossil fuel prioritization, forestry, and land degradation.

With these dangers in mind, I want to use my mathematical and analytical knowledge to be an environmental engineer. The best engineers are focused on preventing problems so well that nobody may ever know those problems were possible in the first place.

This was most apparent when I met Mr. Pankaj Rai, a senior engineer at Bechtel. Over the course of our engagement, he helped me understand his job at the intersection of mechanical and environmental engineering.

Mr. Rai’s job was designing something that everybody I know uses, but nobody thinks about: underground gasoline tanks. Balancing between safety and flexibility is tricky because focusing on one quality too much will make the other untenable. Trying to make a system foolproof, he taught me, will also make it less accessible to the technicians that need to work on it. However, the risk of containment failure increases for every convenience and feature added to a tank. 

While before, the tasks of engineering seemed arcane, talking with him showed me how ubiquitous this global issue is. Engineering a tank that is a little more reliable could save hundreds of lives; making the tank a little more flexible for technicians could save millions of dollars.

Mr. Rai helped me see that engineering is the application of optimization questions I’ve tackled in statistics and math classes for the past two years. The size and scale of these engineering problems excite me.

As a concerned global citizen and a future student of civil and environmental engineering, I appreciate the meticulous forethought required to cultivate new solutions to crises that threaten some of the world’s oldest and most beautiful landscapes.

Essay Analysis

The purpose of this essay is to explain and explore student B’s interest in and passion for engineering, and why they want to study the specific branch of the field that they do. This specificity is key; engineering is a broad discipline, and interest in one facet doesn’t necessarily translate to another. 

The essay begins in the middle of the action, setting a scene for the reader. This is a good way to begin, as it draws the reader into the essay, and invests them in the action. It also helps to set this essay apart, as beginning in a jungle is outside the norm for engineering essays, which more often begin with screens or numbers.

Here, the jungle is appropriate, because student B is specifically interested in environmental engineering. While this requires the same skill in math and science as any other discipline, it also requires an appreciation for the natural world.

This concern then forms the basis for why they want to study environmental engineering. They are passionate about math and science, and they want to use their skills in these fields to better the world as a whole. This is a noble goal, and while your own reasoning does not need to be so grand, having a higher purpose in what you do is often a good approach. Honors programs want to admit students who will go on to change the world, so expressing a desire to do so is a good way to start.

Student B next explains why engineering is their chosen path, based on their interaction with another engineer. This allowed them to see the possibilities in the field, and further solidified their desire to pursue engineering.

Your own reasons for being an engineer can and will vary, but you should elucidate them clearly in your own essay. Explain your reasoning for being an engineer, and what you want to do with the career. You should provide concrete examples from your own experiences, the more specific the better. 

You can speak concretely about the specific benefits of the honors program, though this essay does not. That can be a good way to explain how the environment created by the program will benefit you, and why you are a strong applicant. 

Final Thoughts

Engineering is a very popular and rewarding field, in which many students want to get involved. Honors engineering allows you additional networking opportunities, smaller class sizes, and greater opportunities to conduct research and meet industry professionals. While attending an honors program is not necessary to become a great engineer, many students are interested in the additional opportunities such programs afford.

We hope that this guide has introduced you to the possibilities offered by A&M’s engineering honors program, and how you can go about applying to it. College applications are always stressful, and honors applications are even more so. If you want to hear how we can help you with your applications, schedule a free consultation today. We have a depth of experience helping students apply to colleges, and are always happy to hear from you.

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• Ryan Murphy
• Oct 11, 2018

How to Write Texas A&M (TAMU) Honors Essays

Texas A&M University, or TAMU, has a separate honors program application for college admissions. For the application, you have to answer a few short honors essay prompts. Today I will provide you some strategies and outlines for writing the best TAMU honors essays.

Prompt #1 :

Thousands of non-honors graduates of Texas A&M are well prepared for and obtain their first choice medical school, law school, graduate school, or employment after they graduate each year. If you were guaranteed the admission or job of your choice without being in the University Honors Program, why would the Honors Program be an essential experience for you? (250 words max.)

What is the the general strategy?

You want to show admissions officers that you have a reason for participating in the University Honors Program (a reason that goes beyond simple prestige).

In other words, they want to know that you have done your homework and know what kinds of opportunities TAMU honors offers students. Then they want to know that you can see yourself using these resources to their full potential.

After all, if they are claiming that regular students have great success, why would they waste a space on someone who doesn’t really know how they’d benefit from the University Honors Program?

You need to identify 1-2 KEY components of the honors program. Maybe there is more access to research. Maybe there are better relationships with professors. Maybe you have to complete a senior thesis. Whatever the case may be, focus only on a couple elements, so you can speak to those program offerings in detail.

What should your outline look like?

Paragraph 1 (50 words): Introduce why you think honors studies are generally important and identify the 1-2 key components of the TAMU honors program. Ex: You could say how you’ve taken honors classes in high school and how this rigorous environment has led to your best thinking. You think that TAMU honors represents the best environment because of its professor-mentored independent projects and access to high-end research materials.

Paragraph 2 (90 words): Describe Key Component #1 and how you would benefit from it. Ex: You talk about the importance of professor-mentored independent projects. You specify what your honors program offers and how this independence will be pivotal for creating cutting-edge technology for medical sciences.

Paragraph 3 (90 words): Describe Key Component #2 and how you would benefit from it. Ex: You talk about the resources that are more readily available to students and how these resources will be essential to applying lessons from the classroom.

Paragraph 4 (20 words): Conclude by restating your thesis and try to include a meaningful image or phrase that calls back the beginning of the essay or some thematic element. Ex: You reiterate the value of independence and research materials, and you call back the notion of pushing yourself as the best way to be successful and engaged.

Note: You may not have enough space to discuss two key components. In that case, simply combine Paragraphs 2 and 3 into a longer 180-word paragraph. My advice is to go deeper on fewer points, so that you can come across more realistically and meaningfully as a person behind the essay.

Prompt #2 :

What force of nature are you and why? To respond to this prompt, you may define “force of nature” as whatever that means to you from a cultural or disciplinary perspective. (250 words max.)

What is the general strategy?

Honors programs are known for their creative thinkers, regardless of discipline. This second question (and any like it) wants to see more of your personality, and more importantly, get admissions officers to understand your thinking. Honors students are typically people who think outside of the box, who conduct groundbreaking research, who found new and exciting businesses, who value both science and humanities, etc. You need to show that you are imaginative as well as mature, creative as well as thoughtful.

What do these traits mean for your essay? Well, there are a couple different approaches. For one, you want to think about what a “force of nature” is generally. Often we consider a force of nature something that breaks through all barriers, that doesn’t listen to directions. It can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It could be someone who gets work done but who also doesn’t care what others want. Obviously you will want to present yourself in the best way, so be mindful that your “force of nature” is one that is constructive and ultimately helpful.

Notice how the prompt also gives you two suggestions on how you could define “force of nature.” There is the “cultural” perspective and the “disciplinary” perspective. So, is a “force of nature” something related to your upbringing, or could it be something related to a field of study, such as researching medicine or creating works of art? And of course there is the literal meaning of “nature.” Could you be an agent of the natural world, out to do its bidding?

Let's think about a “force of nature” as a cultural trait. Maybe as part of your upbringing, your family taught you to be independent and verify the truth for yourself.

Now let's think about a “force of nature” as a term in your science field. Perhaps you can use one of the literal forces, such as gravity, as a way to define yourself. Perhaps people gravitate to you, and you connect others in meaningful ways.

Basically, there is no “wrong” answer to this question, but you should consider how your answer will reveal who you are and what you consider important. You have to make a choice on how you represent yourself.

My recommendation is that you choose something creative and fun, especially since the previous question will cover more “serious” topics. Remember that you want to be able to use each new essay as a way to showcase something different about your personality and background.

Paragraph 1 (50 words): Introduce how you define “force of nature,” providing a thesis that explains what kind of force of nature you are and why you are this particular force of nature. Ex: You define “force of nature” as it relates to your chosen field of study, physics, as one that is gravitational. You say that you are a gravitational force because you bind people to a single core mission.

Paragraph 2 (90 words): Provide the context, or definition, of “force of nature” and how you got to this definition. Then state that you see yourself as this force of nature. Ex: First you explain how, even though it is an essential, regular part of everyday life, gravity has always fascinated you. As a prospective physics major, you see its influence and have even studied it in high school through research and personal projects. With this background, you see yourself as a similar “force of nature.”

Paragraph 3 (90 words): Transition from the type of force of nature you are and say why you think you are this force of nature. Draw on past experiences to do so. Ex: You provide support to back up why you are a gravitational force of nature. You talk about experiences (focus on one good one) that illustrate how you draw people to a single goal.

Paragraph 4 (20 words): Restate the kind of force of nature you are and why, and end on an interesting image or phrase. Ex: You say again what force of nature you are and why. Then you end on an image about keeping Earth grounded (or something like that).

Okay! You should be all set to write TAMU honors essays that make an impression on the admissions officers. Of course, you want to make sure that you have a quality ApplyTexas A essay as well.

Planning to apply to Texas A&M honors and need more personalized feedback on your honors essays? Need help with other essays in your college applications? Get the best advice on how to revise and sharpen your unique image!

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Texas A&M University Supplemental Essay Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Texas A&M essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Texas A&M application essays will breakdown the Texas A&M essay requirements and show you exactly how to write engaging Texas A&M essays to maximize your chances of admission. If you need help answering the Texas A&M essay prompts, create your free or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

Texas A&M Essay Guide Quick Facts

• Acceptance rate of 63.0%— U.S. News ranks Texas A&M as a more selective school. 
• Every student must submit a Texas A&M essay through ApplyTexas or The Coalition Application . If you are applying as an engineer, you must write an additional Texas A&M essay.

Does Texas A&M have any supplemental essays?

Yes, there are two Texas A&M application essays. The Essay tab of Admission’s Freshman Application Page , lists the Texas A&M essay requirements. You’ll find both Texas A&M essay prompts there. In the first essay, you’ll share a bit about your high school career. The second, is an engineering-specific short answer question.

Does Texas A&M require a supplemental essay?

Yes, the Texas A&M requirements require all applicants to write Texas A&M application essays. While there are two Texas A&M essay prompts, there is only one required Texas A&M essay. Only students applying to the College of Engineering need to answer both Texas A&M essay prompts. 

To summarize, students applying as engineers will write two Texas A&M admissions essays. All other non-engineering students will write one Texas A&M essay. Now that we have established the Texas A&M essay requirements, let’s write those Texas A&M admissions essays!

How do I write my Texas A&M supplemental essay?

After you’ve reviewed the Texas A&M essay requirements, you can begin brainstorming topics for your Texas A&M essays.  Remember, there isn’t a perfect topic or a formulaic approach to writing your essay. Your Texas A&M admissions essays are an opportunity to infuse your application with your life, personality, and voice. Rather than trying to impress Admissions with your Texas A&M essays, go for honesty! That means being true to yourself and your experiences. 

No matter what topic you end up choosing to write about in your Texas A&M essays, it is important you remember your audience. Your Texas A&M application essays are part of an application, so you need to appeal to the needs of your reader: the Admissions team. They are looking to get a sense of who you are and how you’ll add to the vibrancy of their student body.

Here are three questions you should keep in mind when writing each of your Texas A&M admissions essays:

• Have I answered the prompt in my Texas A&M essay?
• Does my Texas A&M essay reflect who I am?
• Do I show how I will be an asset to the school’s community in my Texas A&M essay?

Now that we have our essay goals in mind, let’s move on to the first step: brainstorming. We have provided the 2021-2022 Texas A&M essay prompts below. You’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each question, as well as tips for writing Texas A&M application essays that will help you stand out in admissions. 

Texas A&M essay – Question 1 (Required)

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? (no word limit).

The Texas A&M essay prompts do not have specified word limits. Because there is only one required Texas A&M essay and this prompt is open-ended, we suggest sticking between approximately 500-700 words. Remember, if your essay is too short, you may not be telling a complete or detailed story. Too long, and you may not keep your reader’s attention.

Generate ideas

This Texas A&M essay is going to be about cause and effect. As you brainstorm , split your page into two columns: “Opportunities/Challenges” and “How I Was Affected.” The first column addresses the “what” part of your Texas A&M essay. The prompt asks about plural opportunities or challenges. Therefore, it is important you write down as many memories you can think of, as you’ll likely be picking more than one to include in your Texas A&M essay. Also, this prompt specifically asks about your high school career . Restrict your brainstorming to high school memories. 

The second column will be the “why” of your Texas A&M essay. Why is it important for the admissions team to hear this story? For each opportunity or challenge, write a corresponding bullet point that summarizes what you learned, how you grew, why you were proud of yourself, or why it was important to you.

Look for patterns

Once you’ve completed your brainstorm, start looking for patterns or ways to group your experiences. Was there a particular class you grew in? Perhaps there was a challenge that later reappeared as an opportunity. Or maybe there’s an aspect of your personality that shined through in multiple situations.

Whatever you settle on, be sure to refer to the three objectives before you start drafting your Texas A&M essay. This breakdown has already helped you be sure you are responding to the prompt, so you need to be sure the story you’ve outlined will reflect something about who you are and how you might positively impact Texas A&M’s community.

Tell your story

All that’s left to do is tell your story. As you begin drafting your Texas A&M application essays, be sure you aren’t simply listing facts or details. Instead, string them together with your thoughts, feelings, and interpretations. Even if the events on paper are simple, your voice is what makes will make you stand out .

Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your Texas A&M essay tell a story about opportunities or challenges you faced in high school? 
• Did you show how your experiences helped shape who you are?
• Does your Texas A&M essay have a point of view?

Texas A&M essay – Question 2 (Required for Engineering Applicants)

Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals? (no word limit).

According to the Texas A&M essay requirements, all applicants to the School of Engineering must respond to a second prompt and write a total of two Texas A&M admissions essays. Neither of the Texas A&M essay prompts has word counts, so there is no specific word limit for your Texas A&M essays. Because this question is more straightforward, we suggest keeping your second Texas A&M essay between 300-500 words.

Although the topics are different, both Texas A&M essay prompts are cause & effect questions. For this brainstorm, split your page into two columns: “Academic and Career Goals” and “Who/What Inspires Me.” List out what you hope to learn and the kind of work and research you might want to do at college as well as the kind of positions or work you’d like to hold or be involved in post-graduation (including grad school if you’re already thinking of attending). Remember, whatever you include on your inspiration list needs to have “contributed to these goals,” so as you list people, topics, or events, also write down how they helped lead you to your goals. 

Focus on what’s important

Once you have all the information and details you’d like to include, all you need to do is write about them in a way that shows who you are and what is important to you. For example, if you already know the kind of job you’d like to have one day, you could start with your academic goals, reflect upon your inspirations, and end with your career aspirations. Or if there was one pivotal moment that has defined your path, maybe start with that moment and tell the story of how that has led you to have the goals you have today.

Everyone’s goals and inspirations will be specific to them. However, a strong Texas A&M essay should focus on your passion for engineering. Let that passion shine through in your writing, and you’ll be sure to have Texas A&M application essays that will blow the admissions team away. 

• Did you describe your academic and career goals in your Texas A&M essay? 
• Have you shown what has inspired you to reach for these goals?
• Does your Texas A&M essay reflect your passion?

What does Texas A&M look for in essays?

To begin, you should think of the Texas A&M essays as a chance to introduce yourself. They’re also an opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants. Therefore, you’ll want to write your Texas A&M application essays in your own voice and show how your unique experiences have impacted how you view the world. The admissions team cares about more than just your grades and test scores; they care about the person behind the numbers.

Although it is not specifically mentioned in the Texas A&M essay requirements, it is expected your essays have the correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. In addition to telling your story, the admissions department is looking for Texas A&M admissions essays that are clear and polished. Excellent editing and proofreading are a must. The less distracted your reader is by little mistakes, the easier it will be to focus on the story your Texas A&M essays are telling.  

Tips for writing Texas A&M essays

In addition to providing the Texas A&M essay requirements, the university has a College Readiness page with resources and tips to help you through the application process. Be sure to review these tips on the website or below.  Approaching the Texas A&M application essays can be daunting. CollegeAdvisor offers 39 Essay Tips from Admissions Experts that will you navigate the writing process.

Answer the question

Our guide has already broken down the Texas A&M essay prompts to be sure you’ve answered the question completely. As you settle on a topic, be sure to use your Texas A&M admissions essays as an opportunity to touch on something not mentioned anywhere else in your application. Although the Texas A&M essay requirements don’t specifically tell you to, providing new information will help give the admissions team a full picture of who you are and the experiences that have prepared you for college.

Be authentic

We’ve said to “use your voice,” which is just another way to say be authentic. While it is important you keep your audience in mind (and specifically use language appropriate to the formality of a college application), it is also important you stay true to who you are. There’s no need to try to sound smarter or funnier or more serious in your Texas A&M essays than you do in real life – Admissions wants you to be yourself. 

Focus on details

The details you include will make your Texas A&M application essays stand out from the rest. Even if your circumstances or experiences seem like everybody else’s, your experience of them is what makes them special and unique to you. Being specific will also help bring your story to life and help drop your reader into your shoes so they can better understand who you are and what you bring to the table. 

Proofread your essay

Proofread, proofread, proofread! Grammar or spelling mistakes aren’t the end of the world. However, they do distract your reader from what is important: your story. Whether or not you are a strong proofreader, have a second pair of eyes on your Texas A&M essays. A teacher, counselor, or guardian is a great place to start. Even a fellow peer can be a good resource. Most importantly, your reader should give feedback on both grammar and story. This will ensure your final draft is as polished as it can be. 

As you begin compiling all the information you’ll need for your application, check out the Admissions blog for prospective students. Additionally, if you’d like more tips from Texas A&M’s undergraduate admissions team on approaching your essays, check out this video on telling your story!

Texas A&M Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

If the essay requirements seem daunting to you, remember that the admissions team wants to be impressed by you. There are so many types of students and people in the world. It is impossible to know who a person is by their grades and test scores alone. Consequently, the admissions teams reads the Texas A&M admissions essays to get a better understanding of each candidate as a person. Unlike the other aspects of your application, you have complete control over your Texas A&M application essays. Take that freedom and use your Texas A&M essays to show them your best, most curious self. Start early. Then, you’ll have time to brainstorm, draft, edit, rewrite, and proofread. With a little preparation, your Texas A&M application essays can wow the admissions team.

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Texas A&M was written by Stefanie Tedards. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on Texas A&M, click here . Want help crafting your Texas A&M admissions essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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TAMU engineering honors

Hey I was accepted into A&M engineering at College Station back in November and I was looking at TAMU engineering honors program and thought it was pretty interesting.

So I was wondering if anyone knew how competitive TAMU engineering honors is to get in. Given that my class rank is right outside of top 10%(12%) and my SAT is at a 1440(650R, 790M).

And if anyone can provide some feedback on what are some advantages and disadvantages of the program, that would be great too.

My son was admitted OOS to engineering honors. 35 act, top 6% of class, IB program, grades 3.6. I have read on another thread that TAMU engineering is often a regular class with more assignments. I am wondering if anyone else has more or accurate info as well.

There’s more info in this thread: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/texas-m-university/2167634-engineering-honors-decision-came-today.html#latest About 10% are accepted into the program. It seems like they weigh certain things more than numbers. The biggest advantages imo are early registration, people around you (you have the option to stay together at dorm), and some smaller sized classes. I think you also get the recognition at graduation as well.

Thanks! That is helpful!!

My son is a jr bmen in engineering honors. Most of his honors classes have been in the regular class with an extra assignment attached. The only exception has been freshman year for engineering 101 and 102, which have been renamed so don’t know the numbers. There was a huge advantage for honors at this level. He got the better prof and good groups to work with. Bmen is a small major, bigger majors might have more separate honors sections. But I don’t know if that would have made a difference to my son. He was fine with it being a part of the regular section.

We spoke to honors students at Aggieland Saturday this past weekend. They said that you do have extra work, but it is not hard… just more in-depth. They said that a lot of the extra work counts as extra credit… so for example if you get a 7 out of 10 on the extra project they will add an additional 7% to your grade. So if you have an 85 in the class, it could be the difference between a B and an A.

TexasMTDad, just want to say my son has never encountered the extra work for honors being counted as extra credit. It has always just been a part of the grade distribution. One class there were 3 major projects instead of 2, so each counted as 1/2 rather than 1/2. One class he had a major paper to write, it counted for 5% of his grade. So the amount the honors portion counts varies greatly but has never been extra credit.

Interesting. We spoke to a senior yesterday (and a junior), but I think they were both university honors and not specifically engineering honors, so maybe their experience was different.

@texasmtdad @wlufmom I agree with @rosegeo my son, who is a junior meen major, has never got extra credit in an honor’s course for the extra honor’s work. You explained it when you said the students were university honors, most of those kids are liberal arts majors and have a completely different program than engineering. My son had dedicated honors engineering classes his freshman year that were an advantage with small class sizes, better teachers, and groupmates that were also honor’s students. After that his honor’s classes have been “stacked” with normal classes which in MEEN means fairly big classes 50-80 range, although he is in a 90ish one now. In all the stacked classes the honor’s kids get a different syllabus with typically one extra thing to do. That extra assignment can be just a bit more depth in something they are already doing as part of the class or something completely extra. My son studies the syllabus now before taking an honor’s class because he feels some are fair but some are extra work that can affect the overall grade. For MEEN he only has to take a total of 18 credits of honors engineering classes and his freshman year there were already 5 of those credits completed; so that is not many more to get over 3 more years.

Another advantage to engineering honors is the easy access to honor’s engineering research. My son has been doing that for 3 semesters now and has an additional 5 of the honor’s credit hours just for that.

@pbleigh well… they were university honors… but Engineering majors.

@TexasMTDad The arbiter of what is acceptable for honor’s credit is your honor’s advisor. In the case of honor’s engineering I have never heard of extra credit for honor’s work but perhaps they do allow that in university honors. My guess is that the student works out the syllabus with their teacher and then gets it approved by their university honor’s advisor if they are engineering kids.

Excellent stats! Gig 'em!

I’m going to share a little honesty here that may burst some bubbles, but I didn’t see it coming nor did my kid. Auto admit and accepted into engineering honors. Freshman year was a bit rough with online labs and quarantining protocols, etc. Kid came in just under 3.5 and got holistic review for ETAM. We weren’t worried at all - National Merit Scholar, confident in his application and essays. Would have been happy with any of his 3 chosen engineering majors. He did not get an offer from any of the 3. He did get offers from ones that are not headed in the direction he wants.

He is suddenly realizing that, despite wanting the same career path for a long time and researching to ensure he knows what it entails, decisions have been made that could keep him from doing what he’s always wanted to do.

I have never before heard of someone not getting any of their 3 choices at all, but here we are.

Hopefully it never happens to your child. I am almost happy he had never heard of this happening before because last year was hard enough with Covid restrictions and glitchy wifi. He never missed a class or an assignment and didn’t fail any tests but just ended up with more B’s than would allow for an auto admit. Now that they are raising that to 3.75, the pressure will increase even more.

It’s great to get all of these wonderful things coming in, but it feels quite different when your options are suddenly limited and someone else decides your path, and none of the options are what you want.

3.75 GPA threshold to get into an engineering major after first year? Is that for all engineering majors or the most popular? If I’m reading that right, that is a super high bar for to cross. IMO, that would be a huge detraction.

My D has two close friends that are TAMU and we always speak highly of their program to friends with younger students, but that would give me great pause going forward.

That’s crazy. I’m so sorry to hear this. He sounds like he did really well and being in honors. Jeez. 80% get their first choice so I’m really surprised.

And @ the other reply… 3.75 is auto admit for all majors going forward in engineering. Otherwise you are holistic review for your top 3 choices but list 5.

It’s very competitive and many choose not to do engineering at Tamu for this reason. They’d rather be in control of what discipline they choose in engineering.

What were his choices? Getting shut out is certainly possible if his choices were the most competitive ones.

See TAMU ETAM statistics - #172 by pbleigh and the following posts.

That is a really high auto admit threshold! Thanks for clarifying. I’ll definitely share that with potential students going forward.

@AeroEngMom I’m sorry. Unfortunately I have heard this story many times since my eldest son started in 2017. If you look at the data, the auto admits were greatly expanded during Covid because of the allowed Pass/Fails of some of the required classes. This means departments which have to take anyone who selects them that met the auto admit GPA ended up with more students then they wanted. If you look at the following semester they then could take very little if any students in those same departments. What that means for a holistic student during that time frame is that there was very little available to them. Remember the college station students are competing for these holistic spots with all the academy students as well. My suggestion would be for your son to go to the departments he is interested in and talk to them about his situation, I have heard of this working in the past. Also talk with the Engineering Honors advisor as well; he may have some insight into the department your son wants to get into and could advise him. What were his 3 choices? He could turn down all the offers and try again; with the 3.75 requirement going forward and no more Covid Pass/Fails more holistic seats will likely be available. The problem with turning down all the choices is making a decent Fall schedule since many classes will be off limits outside a major. However, I do know that advisors within the departments can elect to let you take the class (this happened with my son), if you talk to them and they think your chances are good to get into their particular department at the next ETAM.

@AeroEngMom my heart hurts with you. I spoke to a friend last night, whose uber bright student didn’t get his top 3 choices either; it definitely happens, I just think many don’t post about it. I always cringe when I see incoming freshman parents comment “My daughter/son is Aero, Biomedical, Chemical, etc”. All freshman enter as General. The competition is fierce at A&M, and it can be a very rude awakening to many students, especially those who coasted thru high school. My friend said her son is actually loving his new Eng major, it’s been a blessing in disguise. I hope your student will be able to say this down the road.

Nephew is attending an academy and didn’t get the required math test placement score so has to start with precalc instead of Calc I. Parents think it’ll take an extra semester now before trying to transfer to CS.

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2 Terrific Texas A&M Essay Examples by an Accepted Student

Founded in 1876, Texas A&M University has the distinction of being the oldest institution of higher education in Texas. Texas A&M has grown considerably since its founding as an Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) college—today, it’s home to 17 academic colleges and offers more than 130 undergraduate degrees. 

Texas A&M’s wide range of academic offerings, and national reputation as an athletic powerhouse thanks to their success in the Southeastern Conference, makes it desirable to many applicants. To help yourself stand out from the crowd, you’ll want to make sure your essays are as strong as possible. Here, we’ll provide you with two examples of essays submitted by a student who was eventually accepted to Texas A&M, to give you a clearer sense of what admissions officers are looking for.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Texas A&M University essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Essay Example 1 – Success in College

“How much are you looking to make.” This was the question I had feared; a wrong answer could’ve meant I wasn’t ready for the job, and I’d look like a fool, but if I answered wrong for myself, I’d be stuck knowing I could’ve asked for more. 

Walking into my first job ever, I had immediately begun to shake; it had hit; this had been my first ever job interview, and the person I was about to meet would decide how my summer would go. I shook hands, sat down, and introduced myself. After a couple of questions, I was offered the position, but then that million-dollar question came. I had gone over this question several times during the car ride here. After an extensive debate with myself, I decided it wouldn’t look good if I were to shoot too high, but I also did not want to undervalue myself. I wanted to get the job; I said a number I thought was fair, making sure not to shoot ‘too’ high.

“We start everyone at the same pay.” It turns out I underestimated myself; I had told him something I thought he’d want to hear for the sake of the position. I learned not to underestimate or doubt myself, to always believe in myself, and reach for whatever I dreamed of. Now in life, I always try to achieve the highest level and believe in myself, never selling myself short and always having faith in my capability.

What the Essay Did Well

The author does a great job of centering their essay around a down-to-earth anecdote which still contains a life lesson that directly relates to their future success as a college student. With this prompt, many students will likely write about awards and achievements, but by choosing a more “ordinary” moment, the student shows that they have the ability to reflect on and learn from daily life as well.

As a quick aside, with that being said, you want to be authentic in your college essays. If you’re brainstorming for this prompt, or a similar one, and you feel your strongest response would be about an award or achievement, that’s completely fine! We just want to highlight that sometimes, writing about something less stereotypically impressive can be an incredibly effective way of humanizing yourself for admissions officers.

Another strength of this essay is the author’s personal, conversational writing style, which allows us to step into their shoes and imagine the situation as if we were there. By describing their thoughts and feelings with lines like “I immediately began to shake” and “then that million-dollar question came,” the writer keeps us invested in their story.

Finally, the student also does a great job of both telling a complete story and leaving enough space to reflect on their experience. That reflection leads to clear takeaway lessons which they explicitly connect to the prompt, so there’s no risk of the admissions officer finishing the essay wondering what the point was.

What Could Be Improved 

One small change this student could make is in the final paragraph, where they reflect on how they “ learned not to underestimate or doubt [themself], to always believe in [themself], and reach for whatever [they] dreamed of.” While the first lesson, to not underestimate themself, is a logical takeaway from the experience, the next two feel tangentially related at best. 

The lack of a clear connection makes the end of the essay feel a little too much like a Hallmark Card. Since readers don’t have anything to anchor the second and third lessons to, they seem generic, when the whole point of the college essay is to set yourself apart. While you do want to maximize the limited space given to you in college essays, this is an example of a place where less is more.

Essay Example 2 – A Teacher’s Impact

Walking into my first class of senior year, Securities and Investments, I thought, “Just another class with just another basic teacher.” Mr. Anderson was standing outside the classroom, I walked in and saw no one, I knew no one. All of my friends were in separate classes, it was just me.

He started the class immediately after the bell rang by telling us, “Ok, class, let’s go outside.” Instead of just doing a regular old lecture, Mr. Anderson teaches outside and around the school. I was immediately hooked: to me, a class where I didn’t have to sit in a rock-hard chair for 90 minutes every other day seemed thrilling. However, it wasn’t just the outdoors that intrigued me, but the content: investments we can make throughout our lives, and how to benefit from the stock market. I was attached; I was drawn to business; I was drawn to the financial aspects, technological aspects, all the aspects of a business. Finally, a class that I yearn to be in, a class about the inner workings of the stock market and business.

Mr. Anderson taught me to keep an open mind when doing anything new, from joining a new class to researching a stock. That mindset has led me to new opportunities, such as volunteering for Wells International Foundation to create clubs. Now, whenever I’m feeling apprehensive about something new, I remember how much I ended up loving Mr. Anderson’s class, and do my best to change my apprehension into anticipation.

This essay’s greatest strength is that the writer has chosen someone who has clearly made a genuine impact on their life. While that may seem like a strange thing to highlight, since that’s the whole point of the prompt, a pitfall some students fall into is trying to impress the admissions officers by choosing someone famous, or a historical figure, who hasn’t actually been that important for their growth. 

But for this prompt, who you choose doesn’t matter–what does is that you can articulate why they’ve been influential in your life, which this student does an excellent job of. The overall lesson of keeping an open mind clearly follows from the student’s description of Mr. Anderson’s unconventional teaching style, and also connects to another aspect of the student’s life (their work with Wells International Foundation).

Additionally, in the first two paragraphs the author builds a personal connection with their readers by letting us in on their thoughts and feelings in real time, through lines like “a class where I didn’t have to sit in a rocking chair” and “finally, a class that I yearn to be in.” This open, honest tone helps us better understand just how impactful the student’s experiences with their teacher were.

While the student clearly lays out the bigger picture lesson they learned from Mr. Anderson in the final paragraph, the first two paragraphs lack detail about how his actions, or personality, helped them learn that lesson. Talking about the outdoor class is a great start, but that’s just one example, and this prompt is asking about “the person who has most impacted your life.”

The student hints at Mr. Anderson helping them engage with topics they initially didn’t find interesting, but in the college essay, hinting isn’t enough–remember, your readers are complete strangers, so they don’t have any background context to fall back on if they don’t fully understand something. The essay would be much stronger with a concrete example of a time Mr. Anderson helped motivate the student academically, like:

“Before I was taught by Mr. Anderson, ‘investments’ was just a word I heard my dad occasionally say while reading the newspaper. I had never cared to learn more, but that disinterest died the day Mr. Anderson put us into teams and had us try to invest responsibly even as he rolled a die to trigger random misfortunes or windfalls.”

This anecdote provides readers with the detail we need to understand how Mr. Anderson specifically encouraged this student’s budding interest in business and finance, which is the connection that’s missing in the original essay.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay

Want feedback like this on your Texas A&M essay before you submit? We offer expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with one of our experts to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers.

Haven’t started writing your essay yet? Our advisors also offer expert college counseling packages . You can purchase a package to get one-on-one guidance on any aspect of the college application process, including brainstorming and writing essays.

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Texas A&M University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Impactful person short response.

Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why.

Opportunities and Challenges Essay

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Life Even Short Response

Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college.

Overcoming Challenges Short Response

If there are additional personal challenges, hardships, or opportunities (including COVID related experiences) that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, which you have not already written about, please note them in the space below.

College of Engineering Essay

Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals? It is important to spend time addressing this question as it will be considered as part of engineering review process.

ApplyTexas Essays

Schools using ApplyTexas will have specific guidelines for how many of the following essays are required, if any. Some schools are also on the Common App, so you may respond to those prompts instead in that case.

Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

(specific to majors in architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education): Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Writing a Standout Response to Texas A&M's Engineering Application Prompt

A&m requires 3 short answer prompts this year - learn the k eys to writing them here ..

The Texas A&M University College of Engineering is the biggest college at the university and one of the largest engineering schools in the country, with more than 20,000 students across 14 departments. According to the American Society for Engineering Education, it ranks second in undergraduate enrollment and eighth in graduate enrollment.

As part of the application to A&M’s College of Engineering, students are asked to write a short answer to the following prompt.

Texas A&M Engineering Short-answer prompt

Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering (including computer science, industrial distribution, and engineering technology). What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

How to approach this question

In responding to the prompt, the students’ goal should be to communicate to the admissions committee what makes their proposed field of study engaging and exciting to them. The committee doesn’t expect students to be an expert in the field, or to have their career mapped out in advance. What it does want is to understand why students want to pursue studies in the field—and to see that they’ve thought carefully about academic and career goals and are prepared to devote four or more years to studying engineering.

• To stand out, students’ responses should demonstrate the following: They’ve already begun exploring their proposed field of study, either through independent study or through organized opportunities like classes, summer programs, and internships.
• They have a sense of purpose about becoming an engineer and can articulate how their interest in engineering has grown over time and the program they’re applying to will help them meet long-term career goals.
• They’ve thought about what makes Texas A&M the right place to pursue their proposed field of study.

Remember: Students should show how and why they, specifically, are eager to take advantage of the opportunities that A&M offers, not about what some generic student might get from A&M.

Questions for reflection and freewriting

It’s not enough to answer this prompt with a list of classes, extracurriculars, and awards pulled straight from a resume. Instead, students should identify two or three experiences that have been especially meaningful for them, and reflect on how those experiences helped inspire and shape their interest in engineering. 

How did these experiences shape your interest in the field of study you want to pursue? Did they expose you to issues or problems that you hadn’t been aware of, or help you gain new perspective on your life, culture, or community? Did they help you learn new skills or approaches to solving problems?

How did you grow through these experiences? Did they help you understand something important, or spark you to take action of some kind? Clarify or deepen existing interests? Open doors to careers or fields of study you hadn’t previously considered?

Personalizing your answer

Students who haven’t participated in summer programs or taken directly relevant courses might need to get a little more creative here. Remember: learning experiences take place in all areas of life, not just in formal classroom settings. If students have taken the initiative to explore a topic independently, it can demonstrate that they’re self-motivated and intellectually curious—just the type of applicants that Texas A&M is looking to admit. Here are some ways that students may have independently explored their interests:

• Reading books or other publications
• Watching lectures on YouTube
• Listening to podcasts
• Having conversations about what they’re learning with friends, family, or classmates
• Finding ways to incorporate their interests into school assignments 
• Applying classroom knowledge or practical skills from one area of life to solve problems or tackle challenges in other areas
• Talking with teachers or reaching out to professionals in their field of interest
• Gathering information from real-world experiences, even if they don’t seem directly connected to students’ field of interest

Bottom line: For a student’s application to stand out from others in the stack that the admission committee will be reviewing, his or her answer to this prompt can’t just regurgitate information from a resume or personal essay. Instead, students should focus on and offer new insight into their connection with and passion for engineering. 

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Enhancing the Development of Global Engineers

Are you a first-year engineering honors student interested in becoming the next leader in global engineering? If so, Enhancing the Development of Global Engineers (EH EDGE) is the perfect program for you. EH EDGE prepares scholars to be at the forefront of solving society’s greatest challenges by achieving key competencies:

• Communication
• Drive for Success
• Self-Awareness
• Critical Thinking
• Global Mindset

What To Expect

Application Details:

This four-year program is designed for students to begin their first year of study in the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. To be eligible to apply, you must be a first-year general engineering student in Engineering Honors. You must also have a minimum of seven semesters remaining before graduation.

To be accepted and remain in the program , students must have at least a 3.5 GPA and be in good standing with the Engineering Honors Program.

Applications are accepted during the fall semester each year with a new cohort of 35 students starting the program each January. The next application period will open Fall 2024.

Contact for more information

Kayla hanson.

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• Phone: 979-458-9393
• Email: [email protected]