Texas A&M University-San Antonio is now part of the A&M system’s Pathway Program, which allows students who were not admitted to A&M in College Station because of capacity limits to spend their first year at another A&M campus and then transfer to College Station.
Brandy McLelland, vice president of Enrollment Management at A&M-San Antonio, said Pathway, also known as the Program for System Admission, will be available here in fall 2024.
“I think It’s important to be a part of the program to keep our students in the (A&M) system,” McLelland said. “We want students that go to A&M — regardless of the campus — as a system to get that education and support that they need.”
Pathway has a similar process to a lower-division school transfer where students complete prerequisite courses during their first year.
Pathway eligibility is determined by A&M College Station’s admissions office, which offers the program as an option for select students who have chosen majors that participate in Pathway.
To successfully complete the Pathway program and transfer to College Station, students must:
- complete specific course requirements from one of the approved TAMU program degree plans
- complete at least 24 transferable hours at A&M-San Antonio during the fall and spring semester
- maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on all transferable coursework
McLelland said A&M-San Antonio has been adding majors over the past couple of years — such as water resources, chemistry, community health and applied behavior analysis — that make it possible to have a wider variety of courses, which are necessary for students to complete the Pathway Program.
At least one campus community member expressed concerns about a decline in retention rates for A&M-San Antonio. The former Student Government Association president here posted on instagram that he feels the program could reduce enrollment numbers and graduation rates.
McLelland acknowledged that other A&M campuses in the Pathway Program have seen “a little bit of” reduction in retention rates. However, she said the benefits of the program will outweigh drawbacks.
“Ultimately we feel like we have a lot to offer,” McLelland said. “We feel like a number of students are going to stay.”
McLelland said some students actually graduate from their Pathway campus and never transfer to College Station.
“We’re the only A&M in a metropolitan area and students haven’t had that option,” McLelland said. “Giving them a different choice in terms of school or education is important for us.”
According to McLelland, other campuses participating in Pathway have seen enrollment growth and occasionally a development in different majors they can offer.
“That’s a big deal,” McLelland said. “We don’t have a lot of majors that College Station has right now. If we start to have more interest, that could potentially help us to invest in majors.”
The admissions office at A&M-San Antonio will integrate Pathway transfer students and give students tours. Once students are enrolled in new student orientation, students will be working with the advising office to work on registration for classes.
“I think this program is beneficial for our community,” McLelland said. “Sometimes people don’t know we are here, especially outside of San Antonio, so I think that it is going to give us more of a reputation in the state.”
For more information about the Pathway Program and eligibility visit: https://admissions.tamu.edu/apply/freshman/program-for-system-admission
