Want to become part of the Aggie family as a student at Texas A&M? You’re not the only one! Last year, Texas A&M received 59,647 applications from high school students hoping to enter their incoming freshman class. To make sure your application stands out, we’ve put together this post on all the Texas A&M admissions requirements. We’ll cover everything from the Texas A&M acceptance rate all the way to insights and tips for nailing the application essays. Let’s dive in!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(click to skip ahead)- How hard is it to get into Texas A&M?
- Texas A&M Acceptance Rate
- Texas A&M GPA Requirements
- Texas A&M SAT Requirements
- Texas A&M ACT Requirements
- What does Texas A&M look for in students?
- Texas A&M Application Deadlines
- Texas A&M Supplemental Essay Prompts
- Texas A&M Essay Tips
- Texas A&M Major Specific Supplemental Essays
How hard is it to get into Texas A&M?
It is moderately difficult to get accepted to Texas A&M. The average student accepted to Texas A&M is in the top half of their class. Students who successfully get into Texas A&M also tend to have impressive extracurricular activities.
Texas A&M Acceptance Rate
The Texas A&M acceptance rate is 64%, making it a moderately competitive university. Acceptance rate is an indication of how competitive a school is, but it is also an indication of how popular a school is. To get into a school like Texas A&M, you will need to perform well in most areas of your college application.
Texas A&M Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Transfer Acceptance Rate
Texas A&M only has an Early Action option for students applying to the College of Engineering. The university does not release official information about the acceptance rate for students who apply Early Action.
Texas A&M does not have any Early Action or Early Decision options for regular applicants. During Texas A&M’s 2022 regular decision cycle, the college accepted 64% of applicants. Texas A&M is a widely popular school to apply to, especially for Texas residents who can receive automatic admission if they rank in the top 10% of their graduating class.
Texas A&M’s most recent data on transfer applications shows that the transfer acceptance rate is 52%.
Texas A&M GPA Requirements
Texas A&M University does not share any official GPA requirements or averages on their website. However, given the competitiveness for admission, you’ll likely need a moderately high GPA and graduate at the middle of your class to have the best chance of being admitted to Texas A&M.
If your GPA is lower than suggested at the time you apply, you may have to perform above average on your standardized tests. If your grades aren’t as high as they could have been due to life experiences or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section.
Texas A&M SAT Requirements
The SAT requirements for Texas A&M are a 1160 to 1370 composite score, combining the reading and writing and math sections together. If your SAT is lower than suggested at the time you apply, you may have to perform above average on your other standardized tests or have spectacular extracurricular activities to compensate. If your grades aren’t as high as they could have been due to life experiences or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section.
Texas A&M Average SAT Composite Score: 1160-1370
| SAT Score Distribution | Reading % | Math % |
|---|---|---|
| 700-800 | 18.72% | 26.28% |
| 600-699 | 46.71% | 38.98% |
| 500-599 | 30.32% | 31.01% |
| 400-499 | 4.16% | 3.62% |
| 300-399 | 0% | 0% |
| 200-299 | 0% | 0% |
What SAT score is required for Texas A&M?
Applicants should score between 1160 to 1370 on their SAT to be strong candidates for admission to Texas A&M University. Having less than this will require compensating by using a substitute ACT score or having an above-average GPA. During the last admissions cycle, Texas A&M had a test-optional policy, meaning students didn’t need to submit standardized test scores to complete their application.
Texas A&M ACT Requirements
The ACT requirements for Texas A&M are a 25-31 composite score combining all English, mathematics, reading, and science sections. You will need a high ACT score in order to get into Texas A&M University. If your ACT is not what you’d hoped by the time you apply, you may have to make it up by getting above-average scores on the SAT and having an above-average grade point average. If your ACT wasn’t as high as you’d like because of difficulties or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section.
Texas A&M Average ACT: 28
| ACT Score Range | Composite Score % |
|---|---|
| 30-36 | 39.92% |
| 24-29 | 42.68% |
| 18-23 | 15.49% |
| 12-17 | 1.92% |
| 6-11 | 0% |
| Below 6 | 0% |
What ACT score is required for Texas A&M?
Applicants should score between 25 and 31 on their ACT to be strong candidates for admission to this school. Having less than this will require compensating by using a substitute SAT score or having an above-average GPA. During the last admissions cycle, Texas A&M had a test-optional policy, meaning students didn’t need to submit standardized test scores to complete their application.
What does Texas A&M look for in students?
Texas A&M prides itself on preparing its students to take on leadership roles to serve society. They’ve stated this directly in their mission statement. It’s also reflected in how they evaluate applications from prospective students. The university considers extracurricular activities and talent to be two of the most important factors for admission.
How do you demonstrate your potential for leadership as a prospective Texas A&M student? To start, make sure the activities section of your college application highlights your accomplishments and core responsibilities in your extracurricular activities. If you’re not sure how to do that, check out this resource on writing a strong activities list.
Also make sure at least one of your supplemental essays gives clear, memorable examples of times you’ve taken the lead in an extracurricular activity. You’ll also want to thoughtfully reflect on what you learned from that experience and how it might continue to influence you as you enter college. More tips on how to write this type of essay below.
How else can you demonstrate that you’re a good fit for Texas A&M? Think about your answers to these questions:
How committed and involved in your extracurriculars have you been, and how can you help Texas A&M admissions readers see that?
When have you taken on leadership roles, and how will you continue to do so?
When have you shown you value diverse interests and perspectives?
Do you have any unique talents? How and why have you developed them over time?
Texas A&M Application Deadlines
The Texas A&M application deadline for regular decision is December 1. Texas A&M also provides an alternative form of application in addition to regular decision: early action. However, this option to apply early is only available to students applying to the College of Engineering. The application deadline for Texas A&M’s College of Engineering early action application is October 15. Below is a table showing the deadlines for each of the steps of the Texas A&M admissions process.
| Notification Plan | Application Material | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester: College Station | Submit Test Scores | December 15 |
| Submit Application and Financial Aid Application |
December 1 | |
| Admissions Decisions Released |
Between January 1 and late March *Students who qualify for Top 10% admission will typically receive a decision within three weeks of completing their admission file. |
|
| Fall Semester: Higher Education Center at McAllen (HECM) |
Submit Test Scores | March 1 |
| Submit Application and Financial Aid Application |
March 1 | |
| Admissions Decisions Released |
Between January 1 and late March | |
| Spring Semester: College Station | Submit Test Scores | October 15 |
| Submit Application and Financial Aid Application |
October 15 | |
| Admissions Decisions Released |
Early December *Students who qualify for Top 10% admission will typically receive a decision within three weeks of completing their admission file. |
|
| Early Action Engineering | Submit Test Scores | October 15 |
| Submit Application | October 15 | |
| Admissions Decisions Released |
Mid-December |
Texas A&M Early Action Policy (Only for Students Applying for the College of Engineering)
“Applicants who apply to the College of Engineering and have a complete admission file by the Early Action Deadline of October 15 will receive a communication regarding their admission decision by mid-December. The communication will notify the student of admission or deferral to the standard decision timeline. Applicants who apply on the Early Action Deadline will not be able to complete their admission file for several days. On average, it takes 3-5 business days from the time your application is successfully submitted to communicate information needed to link and submit your SRAR. Please apply early to allow time to complete your file by the deadline.”
Texas A&M Supplemental Essay Prompts
To complete Texas A&M’s supplemental essay requirements, applicants must respond to an essay prompt and at least two short answer questions. Their prompts are below and the Texas A&M supplemental essay guide that they were sourced from can be found here.
PROMPT #1
Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? (Required, 10-650 words for Common App, recommended 500-750 for ApplyTexas)
PROMPT #2
Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college. (Required, 10-250 words for Common App; max 439 for ApplyTexas)
Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why. (Required, 10-250 words for Common App; max 439 for ApplyTexas)
PROMPT #3
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. (Optional, Max 250 words for the Common App; max 439 words for ApplyTexas)
Texas A&M Essay Tips
Tip #1 for Texas A&M University Supplemental Prompt #1
End with a clear “So what?” Explain how the opportunities or challenges have changed you and made you a better person. This should be more than just an enumeration of experiences, but rather an exploration of why and how the event truly made a difference in your life. For more on how to write a personal statement, check out that guide.
Tip #2 for Texas A&M University Supplemental Prompt #2
While you must describe the person and event, that’s not really the admission officers’ focus. Be sure to spend a good chunk of your word count focusing on HOW this has prepared you and WHY it matters. How have you changed because of this person/event? What have they taught you about yourself or the world? How is your perspective different because of them?
Tip #3 for Texas A&M University Supplemental Prompt #3
Don’t fill this section out if you feel it doesn’t apply to you: This section is optional (really!). So don’t feel like you have to write something just because there’s space there. You want to add value to your application, not empty words. That said, if there are additional challenges, hardships, or opportunities that have shaped you, take advantage of this section. If you’re not sure what to include, head over to our guides on How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section and How to Write About Coronavirus/COVID-19 in Your College Essay & Application.
Texas A&M Major-specific Supplemental Essays
If you’re applying to the College of Engineering, you must submit an additional essay answering the prompt below with your application. If you’re applying Early Action, you must submit this essay with the rest of your application materials by the October 15 deadline.
Essay Prompt for Engineering Majors
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? (Required, 50-500 words for Common App; max. 539 for ApplyTexas)
Tip for Texas A&M University College of Engineering Supplemental Prompt
You can largely treat this as a Why Major essay. Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest, and create a simple, bullet point outline. Can you find (and describe) the unique influences that set you apart from other aspiring engineering students? For example, who are the people in your life that inspired you to pursue engineering? What unique experiences have you had with technology (e.g., robotics or programming)? And what aspects of engineering stand out most to you? Tell the story that answers those questions.
Special thanks to Ameer for writing this blog post.
Ameer Drane
Ameer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about college admissions and career development. Prior to freelancing, Ameer worked for three years as a college admissions consultant at a Hong Kong-based education center, helping local high school students prepare and apply for top colleges and universities in the US. He has a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago and an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from UCLA. When he’s not working, Ameer loves traveling, weight lifting, writing, reading, and learning foreign languages. He currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
Top values: Growth / Diversity / Empathy
