Texas A&M University—College Station (TAMU)

Texas A&M University-College Station is more than just the massive 60*,000+ undergraduate centerpiece of the Texas A&M system with "top-notch professors" and "worldchanging research": it's a place where "you learn to be a well-rounded, moral, and ethical person." As you'd expect of a premiere institution-one of just 24 to be a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university-the academics can be challenging, but that's in service of setting students "apart from the rest, so we can excel." Moreover, the size of the school results in students feeling "part of something bigger than themselves" with professors that "effectively prepare students for world-class challenges." And don't let the size of the school fool you: according to students, at Texas A&M's heart lie "deep-rooted values" and traditions that make it an "open, friendly place to learn and grow" that "runs as a tight-knit family." Students are guided by professors who "all have life experiences working with the topics that they teach, making them the perfect resource for information." These teachers "love the atmosphere and the students," and vice versa: "I have never skipped a class because I thoroughly enjoy going." That goodwill creates students who are "loyal to their school forever," which means that there's a vast "Aggie network" of alumni that is "good for getting jobs after graduation," especially if you're into the sciences.

The school brings a distinctly Texan flair to the college experience, and the typical Aggie is "involved in at least one club, spends a fair amount of time studying, and learns to twostep for Thursday nights." You can also expect some peers to "wear cowboy boots, a flannel shirt, a cowboy hat/baseball cap, and jeans." Thousands of students attend a weekly nondenominational Bible study in the arena, and much of the population leans conservative, but students emphasize-most importantly-that regardless of their beliefs, they're "loyal to one another and are always willing to support their fellow Aggies." It's a large campus, but students note "a lot of classes are pretty small, so it's easy to make friends in class." Students add that there are "no pretenses" among their fellows and "everyone shows who they are." As one student elaborates, "Most of the people I have met here are truly genuine individuals."

Texas A&M is a big school with even bigger spirit: When the football team is "belting the war hymn and linking arms, I feel like I am part of a huge family." Students point to many such instances of community and traditions. The Corps of Cadets, a leadership program of over 2,000 uniformed students, plays a key part of many activities, like the famed Fightin' Texas Aggie Band that puts on football half-time spectacles. There are also over 60* fraternities and sororities and a student government with over 1,400 active participants. As one student puts it, "There's a club for just about everything." Service also unites many students, so much so that the Big Event is the largest one-day, student-led service project in the country, with tens of thousands of students thanking the residents of the surrounding community by doing yard work, window washing, and house painting. During the week, students tend to work hard "so we can party hard on the weekends." This usually takes place off-campus at Northgate, known as the "bar street." Other off-campus activities include seeing movies, going to dance halls and restaurants, and shopping at the mall. There is also "an ice-skating rink, bowling alley, and miniature golf place." Whether oncampus or off-campus, students say it's not hard to "get involved in something you're passionate about."