38,430
From its traditions to its academic honors, Texas A&M University has a lot to recommend it. The state’s first public institution of higher education, Texas A&M fosters discipline and leadership through its Honor Code (code of conduct), Corps of Cadets (a leading source for officers for all four branches of the military), and 12th Man tradition, which is best seen at Aggie football games. The students remain standing to demonstrate their support and readiness to the team, although the tradition also embodies Aggie camaraderie in general.
More than 38,000 undergraduates attend A&M, many of them in the second and third generations in their families to call themselves Aggies. The university offers more than 150 courses of study and 94 undergraduate majors. The Mays Business School earns consistently high marks from industry leaders like Forbes, and its programs—including an impressive speaker series—always attract many undergraduate majors. The Dwight Look College of Engineering enrolls more than 10,000 students, making it another top program of study.
The university also offers a host of leadership and enrichment opportunities for its students through 800-plus student organizations. Twenty varsity athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division I-A level, offering many opportunities to participate as an athlete or a fan. Both men’s and women’s basketball programs draw increasingly large crowds, and softball and soccer often attract thousands of fans. But football is still king in these parts.
The 5,200-acre campus is a city unto itself, although “Aggieland” remains a friendly place, with visitors often hearing the university’s familiar “howdy” greeting. The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is one of the school’s most prestigious sites and brings nationally and internationally known speakers to campus. Just north of campus is the Northgate District, which hosts an annual student-run music festival in late March. Antonio’s Pizza is another favorite off-campus haunt.