Howdy!

"From the outside looking in, you can't understand it. From the inside looking out, you can't explain it." Aggies know that Texas A&M is a very special place that has had a great impact on our lives. Here are 12 of the many reasons why we decided to make the greatest university in the world our home--and why we hope that you will join us.

1. To be happy!
   • We are the happiest campus in the nation, according to the Huffington Post and The Daily Beast. Who doesn't want to be happy?
2. To get a great education and be prepared for your future.
   • The average starting salary of an Aggie graduate is $51,900, and average mid-career salary is $94,300, higher than that of any other public university in Texas (and second only to Vanderbilt in the SEC).
3. To join great on-campus organizations.
   • At MSC Open House, you can explore over 1000 student organizations on campus, including (but certainly not limited to) sororities, fraternities, service organizations, class councils, and FLOs (Freshman Leadership Organizations).
4. To be a part of the Aggie Network.
   • Part of the reason that Aggies are so successful is because we look out for each other. Aggie bosses go out of their way to hire other qualified Aggies. We even have a website where Aggies who are looking to hire or looking for jobs can be connected. Check it out in the links section below!
5. To watch some Fightin' Texas Aggie sports.
   • It's an exciting time for Aggie sports. With our entrance to the SEC in 2012, Aggie sports entered a whole new realm of competition. Since then, Aggie women have won SEC titles in Soccer (twice), Basketball, Tennis, Golf, and Outdoor Track & Field as well as a national title in Outdoor Track & Field, while Aggie Men have won SEC titles in Tennis (twice) and Outdoor Track & Field. All of this is in addition to Fightin' Texas Aggie Football which has absolutely taken off since the arrival of Coach Kevin Sumlin.
6. To live in Bryan/College Station.
   • The people in Bryan/College Station are friendly. Aggies are welcomed into the town's churches, restaurants, grocery stores, and lives with open arms. It has the small, college-town feel, but a lot of the amenities of bigger cities. I love the hills and the abundantly green plant life. As far as events go, Downtown Bryan hosts "First Friday," a free event with food, music, art, and cool shops. Lake Bryan is also a fun place for campfires and picnics. And if you're not up for any of that, movies are only $4.75.
7. To experience Aggie Traditions.
   • There's a saying at A&M that if something happens twice, it becomes a tradition. Although this isn't entirely true, it explains the desire by Aggies to keep around the things which set us apart from other schools. Silver Taps and Aggie Muster honors Aggies that have passed away, while Fish Camp, T-Camp, and Impact Retreat welcome new Aggies to the family. Days are made exponentially better with a Reveille sighting or when pennies (and occasionally Visa gift cards) are laid at Sully's feet before tests. Only a few people tempt fate by walking under the Century Tree alone or stepping on the school seal.
8. To serve others.
   • Aggies are all about service--it's one of our core values. Many campus events and organizations are devoted to helping others. The Big Event brings about 20,000 Aggie students together for "one big day" of serving Bryan/College Station. Chi Omega hosts Songfest, where organizations compete to win money for the charity of their choice, as well as for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. MSC Hospitality, BUILD, Habitat for Humanity, Global Brigades, and so many other organizations are dedicated to serving A&M, our community, and our world.
9. To eat great food.
   • It may seem silly, but the food scene in CStat is awesome. We have The Dixie Chicken, Fuego, Layne's, Gumby's, Blue Baker, Napa Flats, Hullabaloo Diner, Pita Pit, Blackwater Draw, The Potato Shack, and so many other great places. The Northgate District, while famous for bars and dancing, is also home to some pretty delicious restaurants. Need I say more?
10. To earn an Aggie Ring.
    • You will work your butt off for 90 credit hours to get this beautiful little piece of gold that lets the world know that you're a member of the Aggie Family. That ring can open a lot of doors thanks to the Aggie Network (see number 4.)
11. To make incredible memories with amazing friends.
    • At A&M, you will meet so many different people from different backgrounds and places who will become your second family. Everything from late nights in Evans, to pond hopping, to hammocking in Academic Plaza, to sawing Varsity's horns off, to cramming at A+, to trips to IHOP at 2 a.m., to eating more pizza rolls than previously thought possible, to enjoying coffee and laughs at MugWalls or Sweet Eugene's with them makes Texas A&M the place where the memories that outlive college will be formed.
12. To be part of the 12th Man.
    • It may be 100 degrees, and you may be surrounded by 110,633 of your closest friends, but Aggie students never sit at a football game. Unless the opposing band is playing during halftime, we stand to show solidarity with the team. This is in reference to E. King Gill, an athlete that had quit football to play basketball, but was called down from the press box by the football coach and told to suit up because the only 11 players left uninjured were on the field. He did not ever go in and play, but was standing on the sideline as the 12th man on the team, in case he was needed. It's who he was and it's who we are.

Sources and links to explore:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/31/happiest-...
• http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2014...
• https://studentactivities.tamu.edu/
• http://www.aggienetwork.com/
• http://www.12thman.com/
• http://traditions.tamu.edu/traditions/#top
  
• http://www.tamu.edu/
  
• http://cpc.tamu.edu/
  

Thanks and Gig 'Em!