Where will I go for academic advising?You will be able to consult academic advisors at both schools. Your primary academic advising office is Transition Academic Programs (TAP) located in the Academic Building Suite 107 on the A&M campus. Blinn College academic advising for TEAM students is located in the Student Services center inside the Blinn RELLIS Administration Building (BLRA) on the RELLIS campus.
How will I set up my class schedule(s)?Incoming TEAM students will register for courses while attending a New Student Conference on the Texas A&M University campus. Academic advisors from both A&M and Blinn will be present to make appropriate course recommendations. Factors that influence suggested courses include: Core Curriculum requirements, previously-earned college credits (such as dual credits or AP credits), choice of academic major, exam scores such as TSI/SAT/ACT or Math Placement Exams, prerequisite limitations, and course availability.
TEAM students must coordinate their class schedules between the two schools to avoid time conflicts. The goal is to minimize transitions between campuses. Many students have found that a Monday/Wednesday/Friday class schedule at A&M and a Tuesday/Thursday schedule at Blinn (or vice versa) is most efficient. If such a schedule is not possible, you may need to have classes on both campuses on the same day. If so, you should try to schedule one campus in the morning and the other in the afternoon to minimize transitions. Always allow at least one hour between classes (for commuting and parking) when you change campuses during the day.
Where will I eat? All students living on the A&M campus are required to purchase a dining plan, but any student may purchase a plan regardless of where they reside. The dining plan will be linked to your student ID card and can be used in all University Dining locations.
Wait until you know where you will live, and what your class schedule will be, before you decide on meal arrangements. Students, particularly members of the Corps of Cadets, should evaluate where they will be at mealtimes before deciding on the A&M dining plan to purchase. Visit the A&M Dining Services website for details (https://mealplans.tamu.edu/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2F).
On the RELLIS Campus, the Blinn Marketplace convenience store (in the Schwartz Building) offers snack, sandwich, and beverage options for students. The Houston Street Deli (in the RELLIS Academic Complex Bldg. 1) offers hot & cold food options. (These RELLIS locations are not part of A&M’s Dining Services.) As the RELLIS Campus continues to grow, expect additional food options to be added.
Can I apply for on-campus housing at TAMU?Yes, TEAM students are eligible to apply for on-campus housing. Start the process by logging into the myHousing Portal (https://reslife.tamu.edu/tamu-housing-portal/) using your NetID and password. If you encounter a notice that housing has filled to capacity, sign up for the waitlist. Often on-campus rooms become available later when some students decide to live off-campus.
Students who participate in the Corps of Cadets are guaranteed on-campus housing. TEAM students who wish to join the Corps should submit a housing application, and answer “yes” to the question about Corps participation.
May TEAM students join the Corps of Cadets?Many students participate in the Corps of Cadets while in TEAM. The Corps of Cadets is the oldest student organization in the state of Texas, and is a premier leadership organization. The majority of cadet graduates (over 60%) go into the public and private sector, while 40% commission into the military. Information on how to join the Corps of Cadets is available at http://corps.tamu.edu, 1-800-TAMU-AGS.
Will I be able to join a sorority or fraternity at TAMU?
YES: Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) sororities
YES: Multicultural and National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations
YES: Fraternities (Interfraternity Council Organizations)
If I run into a problem in a course, will I be able to drop the course?Yes, you may drop a course at Blinn or A&M, but there are deadlines for dropping courses at each school. (Consult the Blinn and A&M academic calendars.) If you drop a course you may fall behind schedule and need to make up those credits in summer school or subsequent semesters. You must plan to complete the TEAM Program requirements by the end of the first summer session following the sophom*ore year. Never drop a course without first consulting an academic advisor!
Do I have to have a certain grade point average (GPA) at both Blinn and A&M every semester?No, it is your cumulative GPA that is most important. It is easier to maintain a high GPA each semester rather than trying to raise it late in the program.
Will I be able to enroll for courses in my future major at A&M?Students are able to enroll in some courses that apply to all majors. However, there may be limited or no access at A&M to freshman and sophom*ore-level courses in majors such as Architecture, Business, Engineering, and Kinesiology. (TEAM students are able to take some equivalent courses in these subject areas at Blinn.) There may be increased possibilities of taking courses in these majors at A&M during summer school. If you have questions about making the transition to these majors, talk to a Transition Academic Programs advisor.
What happens if I fall short of the TEAM program’s academic requirements?Many TEAM students strive to transition before the two year TEAM program ends. Students who have not transitioned to degree-granting majors by the end of the program may be able to gain readmission into majors (as returning former students), subject to current readmission policies.
What tuition and fees do I have to pay?You will have to pay all required tuition and fees (separately) at both schools. The payment of fees made to each institution must meet the respective institution’s deadline. Both schools drop courses if payment deadlines are missed.
Students who are otherwise eligible to receive financial aid are able to combine their A&M and Blinn enrollment to be classified as full-time students for financial aid purposes. The Texas A&M Scholarships & Financial Aid Office disburses financial aid to TEAM students who qualify for aid. The final Blinn College payment deadline sometimes occurs prior to financial aid having been disbursed, nevertheless each student is responsible for meeting the payment deadline. Registering for Direct Deposit will speed the flow of financial aid (http://sbs.tamu.edu/refunds/).
The Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan (TGTP), formerly known as the "Texas Tomorrow Fund," may be used simultaneously at both schools. Students must follow the established procedures for Blinn and A&M each semester. Contact the respective financial aid offices for details.
May I take classes during the summer at A&M and/or Blinn?Yes. Students do not have to attend summer school, or be co-enrolled at both schools if they choose to attend summer school. However, after a student begins the TEAM program, only courses completed at A&M and Blinn may satisfy the TEAM program requirements. (Courses taken at hometown community colleges may still be transferred to A&M to satisfy degree requirements, but such courses will not count toward completion of TEAM program requirements.) Blinn College offers many distance education courses during the summer that will count toward the TEAM requirements while allowing a student to complete them from home.
Do college credits I earned while in high school count toward completion of the TEAM program requirements?Yes. Transferable credits earned prior to beginning the program will count toward completion of the Blinn 36-credit hour requirement, but course grades earned at other schools will not affect the Blinn or A&M GPA. After a student has begun the TEAM program, courses completed at schools other than Blinn College or Texas A&M University will not count toward completion of the TEAM program requirements.
May I manage a part-time job while attending college?We recommend that you limit work commitments until you meet the academic requirements of the TEAM program.
Will I be able to participate in NCAA sports?While in TEAM, students are unable to enroll in enough credit hours at A&M to become eligible to compete in NCAA athletics. At Blinn College it is possible, but complicated, to enroll in sufficient credit hours to represent Blinn in NJCAA athletics. (This requires considerable planning.)
Will I be able to participate in Sport Clubs?You may be able to participate in sport clubs. All sport clubs are associated with National Governing Bodies (NGB) of Sportsand may require full-time status at one school. Please contact the sport clubs office or the club directly for specific information. Any student can participate in intramurals.
The TEAM Program is administered by Transition Academic Programs (TAP) within the College of Arts & Sciences at Texas A&M--are TEAM students limited to pursuing academic majors in that college?
Transition Academic Programs serves the entire campus, and TEAM students may pursue any major offered at Texas A&M. Students are not guaranteed transition to a particular major. It is up to each student to complete the required courses and earn the specified grades to qualify for their intended major.
For a list of frequently asked questions about the RELLIS campus, go to https://www.blinn.edu/RELLIS/rellis-campus-faq.html
