Your academic advisor can help you navigate your academic degree plan and guide you towards graduation. It's important to schedule time with your academic advisor at least once a semester, but more frequently if needed. An academic advisor is a reliable source of information about majors, one who can help students explore their interests, consider alternative majors, select courses, develop a degree plan, and meet degree requirements. Academic advisors can connect students with academic and personal support programs, co-curricular opportunities, and career options.
Find My Advisor
Students should use the Find My Advisor page to find their academic advisor.
Find My AdvisorThank Your Advisor!
Has your advisor gone above and beyond in their support? Fill out this form and recognize their efforts!
Show Your AppreciationUniversity Advising
The Office for Student Success University Advising team will provide both virtual and in-person appointment options. Any current student can schedule an appointment with the University Advising academic advisors during the designated advising hours listed below.
The University Advising Team is a resource for students who encounter roadblocks or barriers to help them stay on track for graduation, preferably within four years. The University Advising Team staff actively listens to student issues or concerns and determines the best course of action to help find a resolution. University Advising staff explains general policies and procedures, talks through the situation and possible solutions with the student, gives student action items to work on, and directs the student back to their major academic advisor or other appropriate campus resources.
Student Checklist
- Have you made contact with your Academic Advisor within the Department/College? They are most knowledgeable about your degree plan, curriculum, and other policies/processes in your department/college.
- Have you made contact with Student Business Services and Scholarships and Financial Aid to resolve all financial issues?
- If your wellbeing is contributing to the problems you are experiencing, have you used the resources provided by University Health Services, Counseling and Mental Health Care or a private provider?
- If you have attempted the above and have not been successful and still have questions or concerns, contact us by email: advising@tamu.edu or schedule an advising appointment.
Academic Advising Hours (We are not open on weekends or on university recognized holidays.)
Monday - Thursday
8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 4:00pm
By appointment only.
Friday
8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 3:30pm
In-person Drop-ins only.
Reminder: Be sure to follow the checklist above before scheduling a university advising appointment.
| Bonnie Bustos-Rios | Schedule an appointment with Bonnie |
| Chris Reyes | Schedule an advising appointment with Chris |
| Emily Creed | Schedule an advising appointment with Emily |
| Tabitha Fritz | Schedule an advising appointment with Tabitha |
- Click the purple Appointments icon in your Navigate Student App.
- Select your college and appointment service.
- Click on an available time and confirm your appointment.
- You will receive an email instantly notifying you have scheduled the appointment and a reminder the day before your appointment.
- Be sure to read any comments in the email for office locations or Zoom links.
Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar is an essential resource for students to plan the semester based on important due dates and mark down future dates in advance. The calendar includes important dates like the first and last day of school, the last day of add/drop, starting date for pre-registration, the deadline to apply for degrees, last day to Q-drop, breaks, holidays, reading days, finals, and more. It is important to note that a lot of deadlines are 5 p.m., not the end of the day.
Academic CalendarDegree Planner
The Undergraduate Degree Planner is a course planning tool designed to facilitate the timely completion of your degree and to assist in planning the courses required to fulfill your degree program requirements. As its name implies, it is a planner for your degree so that you meet all the requirements needed to graduate in a timely manner. If this is your first time using a degree planner or you are confused on how to use it well, download the Undergraduate Degree Planner Student Guide. There is also a short tutorial that explains how to use the degree planner.
All students admitted with 30 or more cumulative semester credit hours must submit a degree planner the semester they are admitted. Additionally, students in the following colleges/schools/departments are required to submit a degree planner annually:
- College of Engineering
- College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts
- School of Public Health
- Department of Anthropology
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of English
- Department of History
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Philosophy
- Department of Physics
- Department of Statistics
Degree planners must be submitted each year between March 1 and September 30. Students will receive registration holds if degree planners are not submitted and approved by September 30. Degree planners can be submitted multiple times a year, but it is important to note that degree planners are not binding. Students are allowed to take different courses that are not on the degree planner. All degree planners, if not most, must be manually approved by an advisor. To be approved, your degree planner must have all the required courses and meet other degree requirements.
GPA Calculator
Yes, we know this can sometimes be daunting and a little complicated. So we provided some information the university has to calculate your semester and overall GPA.
The Grade Point Average (GPA) is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of hours attempted. Courses for which a grade of S, W, Q, or NG was given are excluded from the GPA calculation. Grades of U are included in the GPA calculation for undergraduate students; grades of U are excluded from the GPA calculation for graduate students.
Each letter grade carries the following grade point value per credit hour:
|
Letter Grade |
Grade Points |
|
A |
4.00 |
|
B |
3.00 |
|
C |
2.00 |
|
D |
1.00 |
|
F |
0.00 |
|
U |
0.00 |
Here you can find more information about GPA and how it is calculated:
Aggie Gradebook: this is a great resource to calculate the semester and overall GPA. It even offers a way to show how all your assignments are weighted into your final grade in a class.
TAP GPA Calculator: This is a great way to help you calculate your GPA for the semester.
FAQ - Academic and Non-academic
Need help finding a quick answer? Perhaps, the answer is here.
What questions do I need to take?
With differing degree requirements, it can be hard to figure out what classes you need to graduate with. The Texas A&M Course Catalog is a great way to see what classes are expected for your degree.
How many core classes do I need to complete?
All Texas A&M students have to complete certain requirements of core curriculum to graduate from a Texas public institution. Here are the current requirements:
- Communication - 6 credit hours
- Mathematics – 6 credit hours
- Life and Physical Sciences – 9 credit hours
- Language, Philosophy and Culture – 3 credit hours
- Creative Arts – 3 credit hours
- American History – 6 credit hours
- Government/Political Science – 6 credit hours
- Social and Behavioral Sciences – 3 credit hours
To fulfill these requirements, Texas A&M has a wide variety of courses that you can take. These classes can be found within the University Course Catalog or the Core Curriculum Search. If you took college-level classes during high school, community college, or another 4-year institution, those courses can be counted for these credits.
Should I Q-drop a class?
This is an important decision that should first be discussed with your advisor. Students can drop a course without a penalty on their transcript (Q-drop) through the 60th class day of a fall or spring semester, the 15th class day of a 5-week summer term, or the 35th class day of the 10-week summer semester. Currently, all undergraduate students will normally be permitted four Q-drops during their undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University, regardless of transfer status. You will either have to fill out a Q-drop form manually and send it to your advisor or through the Howdy Portal. For more information about Q-drops, please refer to Student Rule 01.
If you notice really early in the semester that you shouldn't be taking a certain class, you are given the first five class days of the fall or spring semesters or during the first four class days of the summer terms or a 10-week summer semester to add/drop a course.
I am interested in studying abroad. How do I find more information about that?
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to take courses, conduct research, volunteer, and explore a new culture while being an undergraduate student. Texas A&M was a wide variety of study abroad options that can fit into a majority of degree requirements. For more information about what programs are available or financial aid options, check out the Education Abroad Website. Here is also information of how to start an application.
Is it possible for me to transfer credits (AP/IB-SAT Subject Tests/Other institutions?
Absolutely! This is very common as a majority of our applicants have taken at least one college-level course before coming to Texas A&M.
If you took an AP/IB test in high school and wish to receive credit at Texas A&M, here is the link for our course equivalency.
If you took an SAT Subject Test and want to see if the score is high enough for credit, here is the link for our course equivalency.
If you previously studied at another institution, contact your advisor on steps you would need to take. It will most likely be that you will have to send an official transcript of your previous institution to Texas A&M to receive credit.
Is it possible for me to withdraw from a semester at Texas A&M? How would I do that?
Yes this is absolutely possible at Texas A&M. It is strongly recommended you talk to your advisor before making this decision and explaining your situation. For more information on how this process works please refer to this Aggie One Stop page.
How do I fill out a graduation application? When do I need to do this?
In order to graduate at Texas A&M, you will need to fill out a graduation application. On the semester you plan on graduation go to Howdy portal to fill out a graduation application. The deadline closes about a month before graduation, so make sure to complete it soon. For more information on the steps you need to complete, check out Texas A&M's graduation website and contact your advisor.
How can I receive financial aid & scholarships at Texas A&M?
Even if you did not receive as many scholarships as you would like when entering college, Texas A&M has a lot of opportunities to gain scholarships during your time as an undergraduate. Make sure to complete your FAFSA (or TANSA if you are an international student) and it's received to the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office by June 30th of the following year.
Some scholarship opportunities include the University Wide Scholarship available for all students. It's strongly recommended to apply. Check out information about opportunities offered in the Financial Aid and Scholarship office.
For the scholarships you may have, check for the status requirements, such as half-time (<12 hours), full-time (12-19 hours), and overtime (19-21 hours), to make sure your scholarships can still fund your education.
How do I send my official transcript?
This is very common for students going to an internship, accepted job offer, medical school, or graduate school. Some of these areas may even require you send an official transcript during the application process. To do this, either fill out an official transcript request to Howdy portal or going to Aggie One Stop. When filling out these requests, make sure to put a note on when you would like it sent or indicate that through the forms. Here you can find more information about official transcripts.
How can I ensure I have the tools to succeed post-graduation?
Texas A&M has a lot of resources to make sure you have all the tools to be successful in your post-graduation plans, wherever they might be. For information about general professional skills and getting into the job market, the Career Center is a great resource.
Can I get involved with honors programs at Texas A&M? If so, how can I stay in them?
Texas A&M has a multitude of honors programs from university-wide to departmental-wide. A list of the honors programs offered at Texas A&M can be found here. Some of the advantages of honors programs are earlier registration times, more 1:1 contact with faculty, increased undergraduate research opportunities, and so much more. If you are a current student, you have to fill out an application to get into any of these programs. But as long as you have and maintain a 3.5 GPA and complete the requirements, you should be accepted and in good standings in whatever honors program you choose.
I am struggling with a class, where can I receive additional resources or help?
There are a lot of resources to help you academically succeed at Texas A&M. Included are some options below:
- Supplemental Instruction: This is taught by a student who did very well in the class. They offer mostly science courses, but it is an excellent resource.
- Math Learning Center: This was created by the math department to offer extra help with math at all levels. Their week-in reviews are a must!
- University Writing Center: They are a great resource whether you are working on a final essay, scholarship essay, or you just want to improve your writing/presentation skills.
- 1:1 Tutoring: Tutor Matching Services allows Texas A&M students to tutor you either for free or a price. This is a great resource if you need some 1:1 help.
Where can I find my textbooks?
We understand that textbooks are very expensive, and with the amount of required textbooks we are supposed to buy, it can cause a financial burden. A trick many students use is to buy the required textbooks until the second week of class to see if they are actually required. That way, you buy the textbooks that you actually need. You can find some no-cost options of textbooks as PDFs online.
Currently, the Student Government Association is working to increase open educational resources. This means increasing the number of electronic options for textbooks so it'll help reduce the cost of textbooks for all students.
How can I make sure I get to class on time?
The AggieSpirit Bus Service has more than 35 bus routes to take you to all parts on campus and even some locations outside of campus. To find what bus route is best for you, check out this information here.
The Texas A&M app has the bus route information as well. In addition, there are a few student-made apps on the App Store or Google Play that can update you on the bus routes.
How do I get a job on campus?
A lot of students get part-time or jobs during the summer/winter breaks. This is also a great resource for finding post-graduation job opportunities. You can find job openings on campus on JobsforAggies. Here are some steps on how to plan out your job search.
What additional resources are there for me at Texas A&M?
This is very important to know how each resource can help you succeed during your time at Texas A&M. Currently, we offer more than 20 campus resources. Transition Academic Programs (TAPs) has a great compiled list of these campus resources that you can access.
How can my advisor help me?
Your advisor’s primary goal is to ensure you earn your bachelor’s degree on time. With an extensive knowledge of the school’s major and minor requirements, advisors gauge your academic progress and help you pave a direct path to graduation. They also provide information on the courses, certificates and programs you are eligible to pursue.
When should I meet with an advisor?
You’ll first meet with an advisor during your New Student Conference. Once enrolled in your programs, you’re always welcome to meet with an advisor to review your degree progress. We recommend at least once a year. Beyond general advising, they can help you with specific inquiries, including:
- Change of major/minor requests
- Declaring a minor
- Declaring a certificate
- Add/Q-drop deadlines
- Degree planning
How do I schedule an appointment?
Advising appointments can be virtually scheduled in the Navigate student success portal. However, your advisor may have walk-in hours or a different way to schedule appointments. Make sure to stay up to date on your advisors emails, which will most likely contain information on how to schedule meetings. Appointments should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. It’s recommended that you schedule the meeting a few weeks prior to ensure your advisor’s availability.
How to prepare for an advising meeting?
Although advisors have access to your academic history and files, you are still responsible for coming to your meeting ready to discuss your degree plan. Prepare questions for your advisor and, if necessary, fill out student forms and review your degree evaluation in the Howdy portal. If you’ve never used these resources, your advising meeting is the perfect time to start. As always, our advisors are happy to serve and accommodate you. Here are some important forms that may be used before or during your appointment.