Frequently Asked Questions
Advising Answers
How do I prepare for an advising appointment?
A successful recipe for an advising appointment is an engaged student who is prepared. For example, if you are attending an appointment to plan your next semester schedule, research your degree plan and course descriptions in the catalog in order to have an idea of what you would like to take. Here are a few tips that will make it a more successful appointment:
- Show up on time for your academic advising appointment. Sometimes academic advisors can adjust their schedules when you arrive late but it cannot always be accommodated. We want to value your time.
- If you will be late, please let the academic advisor know. We worry about our students and want to know that nothing bad has happened.
- If emailing, provide your name, program, UIN, and clearly state your issue. Academic advisors work with many students. Help us help you!
- If meeting an advisor in person, have a goal of what you want accomplished at that meeting. Communicate that goal to the advisor.
- Before you leave a meeting, make sure you know the next steps that either you and/or your advisor needs to do.
- Please remember that academic advisors advise, but ultimately you decide.
What should I bring to an advising appointment?
Bring your notes, questions and/or points (written down or typed) that you would like to discuss with your academic advisor. Also, bring something to take notes during the appointment. Bring your calendar in case you need to set up another appointment.
When should I see an advisor?
Reach out to us if you are having academic trouble - we are here to help you thrive A&M Galveston. We can assist you with any questions you have about navigating your degree or utilizing your academic resources. Of course, if you have an advising hold on your account, you should see the advisor or advising office that placed the hold. We also hope you will visit us when you have good news to share! We work with you to see you master your struggles but want to hear all the great things you are accomplishing!
Who is my advisor?
It depends on your major and classification. For a full breakdown on how to identify where to go for advising, visit our Find Your Advisor page.
How do I transfer to College Station?
In short, you don't! We are part of Texas A&M University, and so moving to College Station does not involve transferring. It is as simple as changing your major to any program housed at College Station - exactly the same as it would be if you were changing from one major to another within College Station (outside of the need to move a couple of hours up the road, of course!) Please see the answer below for more details on the change of major process.
How do I change my major?
Each department across A&M (both the Galveston and College Station campuses) set their own process and requirements for change of major. Regardless of which campus your intended major is housed at, you would follow the change of major requirements set by the major's department. All majors on the Galveston Campus use the standard change of curriculum form available here. This form is also used by some College Station department, while others use a specialized form. To view change of major requirements for all College Station majors, click here to view change of major requirements. You are strongly encouraged to reach out directly to an advisor within your intended department to ensure you have all necessary information.
How do I make an advising appointment?
It depends on what advisor you are trying to schedule with:
- For advising within the following departments, you can schedule via Navigate (tamu.campus.eab.com): CALS, ENGE, FSCI, LIST, MARB, MARR, MARS, MART, OCEN, TAMMA
- For advising within the following departments, reach out directly to your advisor via phone or e-mail (for contact information, please visit the Find Your Advisor page): MARA
- For graduate student advising, you can schedule via SWAN (swan.tamu.edu/RGSO)
How do I get force added to a class?
It depends on what kind of course it is and why you can't register. To request a force add for any courses owned by the MARB, MARS, or FSCI departments (this includes all BIOL, MARB, CHEM, MATH, PHYS, STAT, GEOG, GEOL, MARS, and OCNG courses), click here to access the online request form. For all other courses, reach out to the instructor or department directly. If you are unsure where to start, the departmental advisor can point you in the best direction.
What is the difference between degree evaluation, degree planner, and a degree guide?
These things are similar in that they are all tools to help you successfully navigate your degree program. The way you use them, though, is quite different.
- Your Degree Evaluation (Howdy > My Record tab > Degree Evaluation box > View Degree Evaluation link) is the official audit of your progress towards your degree. It shows what areas of requirement are completed utilizing what courses, and must be fully Met in order for you to graduate.
- Your Degree Planner (Howdy > My Record tab > Undergraduate Degree Planner box > Undergraduate Degree Planner link) is a tool for planning out how you will complete your degree. In it, you can plan what courses you will take each semester to ensure you are on track to graduate. Once you complete your first 30 hours of coursework (including transfer courses), you will be required to complete your planner each year.
- Degree Guides are a tool to help you plan for each semester. They are used by some advisors across campus, and can be a good resource for thinking about when you should take courses. You can download the degree guide for your major on the Student Resources page.