Student experience ratings at College of Agriculture and Life Sciences soar

The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is rated No. 2 among Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences in America with the latest Niche 2022 college rankings. 

Niche is a school insight website aimed at helping parents and students, K-12 to grad school, find the right fit. 

Making the Niche rankings unique, its review system takes a student-based approach by combining a thorough analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education with evaluations from current and past students. These statistics include the time needed to acquire a degree, graduation rates and employment after graduation, among other factors. 

Trailing only after Cornell University, Texas A&M students boasted about the strong bond current and past students share, as well as the efforts of professors to create an engaging and safe environment for learning. 

Cullen Eppright, Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council president and senior in the Department of Agricultural Economics, said this ranking is not surprising.

“Students ranked the College highly due to the countless number of opportunities and high-impact experiences available to students,” Eppright said. 

People, Programs and Passion

Eppright said the College excels at providing students with access to knowledgeable, engaging faculty and creating safe spaces for every type of student. 

“Although Texas A&M is the second-largest campus in the nation, the College feels like a home where you run into familiar faces consisting of both students and faculty every time you set foot on campus,” Eppright said. “While we do have extraordinary facilities, the buildings do not make the magic happen – it’s the people. We have some of the most dedicated faculty members with driven students and that creates a recipe for success.”

The College consists of 15 departments and more than 300 world-class faculty members who are leaders in dozens of disciplines.

“Our college offers a plethora of professional opportunities, programs and degree plans that can apply to any career,” he said. “You will not find a more supportive group than in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. At the College, a student is not limited to their particular degree to find their passion.” 

“We’re moving in the right direction,” said Danielle Harris, Ph.D., assistant dean for student success. “Our incoming freshman class is our largest and most diverse, due to intentional recruitment to meet the land-grant mission of our college and the university.
 

“We take pride in hosting programs that equip students with information to make an informed decision about college. We created partnerships with community colleges to make higher education more affordable. Low-cost camps and day programs to showcase our campus and faculty were also provided.”

Harris went on to say, “The student experience and our campus is what seals the deal for most students. Groups such as our College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Ambassadors, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, and our first-year experience course ensure all incoming students feel welcome and are well-informed of the resources available.

Harris also said the advocation from students speaks highly of the college’s faculty and experience.

“Incoming freshmen are increasingly using these rankings to guide their admissions decisions, so I’m proud to see our students are actively supporting and recruiting for the College,” she said.

The College has had exciting rankings in recent similar listings. In another notable ranking, it was ranked a top 30 program among the best global universities for agricultural sciences by U.S. News & World Report.