The Hitchhiker's Guide to TAMS

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to TAMS (stylized as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy TAMS) is a guide maintained by Ambassadors and was created by two former Ambassadors execs, Megan Hoenig and Sydney Jones. The guide contains information on most things a new student should know transitioning to TAMS though readers should note that the guide may be, and has frequently been, out-of-date. Originally, this guide was distributed via Facebook as a PDF but has been adapted for the TAMS Wiki.

Note: the below text is taken from the 2020-2021 edition of the guide. Much of the content is from the 2019-2020 school year, and may be outdated.

Introduction

Dear incoming Juniors,

Congratulations once again on your acceptance into this wonderful establishment. The TAMS Wiki admins and other seniors have put together a “little” guide to help you transition into the unique environment that is TAMS. Some parts of this guide are completely our own, but a lot of it was written by previous Ambassadors Execs and your grand, grand, grand, grand... seniors, Megan Hoenig & Sydney Jones. This really is the best guide to succeeding at TAMS. It is a collection of years of wisdom and advice from past TAMS students in addition to us, your seniors who were in your shoes a year ago.

We understand that the guide is just a ​tad​ bit long, so the the ​table of contents has the section titles linked to the sections that you are interested in​. This way you don’t have to scroll through all 16,259 words of this guide!

Happy reading & Good luck in the coming year!

Summer

Summer Orientation

Summer O is a weekend of fun, making friends, and learning more about life at TAMS. This is also when you will be taking the math and chemistry placement tests. Wondering what to bring? Just what you would bring to a sleepover (pillow, sleeping bag/comforter/sheets) plus toiletries and maybe a few notes for the tests (THAT DOES NOT MEAN BRING A CALCULUS CRAM TEXTBOOK). You’ll receive an itinerary of everything you’ll be doing at Summer O, but just as an overview:

Friday - You’ll arrive Friday around noon and check in with the orientation leaders (OLs) to get your room key and information. There will also be picture taking. Roommates for Summer O are paired by last name. You’ll only be together for 1 night, so it’s not so bad. After you get situated, they’ll tell you guys what you’re going to do for the rest of the weekend and split you guys up into small groups with a couple OLs/Ambassabuddies each. In the small groups, you’ll get to know each other through some ice breakers and then head to Roommate Rumble. These small groups are a great way to make friends before school starts especially since they will be the same groups for Fall O. At Roommate Rumble guys and girls will be split up; you’ll have some time to talk to a few people and try to find a roommate for the upcoming year. Also try to talk to as many people as you can! Don’t worry if you don’t hit it off with anyone right away. Some people found their roommate after Summer O, and ended up the best of roommates. When you do find your roommate (either at Roommate Rumble or outside of TAMS), you’ll both submit a roommate request form online. At night, you’ll experience a wing meeting (we have these every Wednesday at TAMS), and this meeting lasted from 11:00 to 11:45 pm which is pretty typical of a normal wing meeting. Try to get a good night's sleep too because your Saturday will be quite busy.

Also, there will be placement tests Friday evening​. The chemistry and pre-cal tests are mandatory, but if you want to test into a higher math class you’ll have to test for those later in the day. There will not be a CS placement test.​ Don’t stress out too much about these tests. These tests are designed to place you in a class that will allow you to be the most successful. (If you get placed in Honors Chem, you can always choose to switch to Gen Chem).

On Saturday, you guys will do some activities to show you what life at TAMS is like as well as get your textbooks and summer assignments.

The summer orientation schedules vary from year to year and keep in mind that there will be plenty of time in between to socialize and chill. Be sure to get contact information with people that you meet (Facebooks, numbers, Instagrams, Snapchats, etc.) and talk to your seniors!

One of your super grand seniors, Amit Banerjee wrote a blogpost recounting his experiences as an OL, so if you’re interested, go check out his blog post! (https://brandedbyamit.blogspot.com/2015/06/tams-summer-o_16.html).

During the Summer

Some of you might have applied for summer research, but most of you will hopefully be enjoying your last summer before TAMS. In a few months, you won’t be living with your family anymore, so spend time with them while you can! If you haven’t already, join the 2022 TAMS Facebook group and add your future classmates. Summer is a great opportunity to get a head start in getting to know people. Feel free to post and comment on the TAMS Facebook page!

You’ll also have some summer homework to do. It’s not that bad, just a bit of note-taking for Biology and Chem and a light summer reading assignment. It’s not for a grade, just for your own benefit.

We highly recommend having a Facebook account​, so if you don’t​​have one already, summer is a great time to get one and figure it all out. It’s a great way to keep in touch with both your old and new friends. During the school year, Facebook can help you with your classes – letting you know what your homework is and whether or not class is canceled.

Most professors will communicate through Canvas (canvas.unt.edu - bookmark it!), but some will use Blackboard (learn.unt.edu) because UNT is trying to switch over to Canvas from Blackboard. Your username is your EUID that you should get through paper mail. Typically, it is your three initials (2, if you don’t have a middle name) with four numbers (ex abc1234 or ab1234). You will get lots of information (like how to apply for housing) so try your best to keep it all together. Also, you will be receiving an ID number (This should be 8 digits long), different than your EUID which you will basically only use to log into things. Try your best to memorize both your EUID and ID numbers or at least save it somewhere (screenshot and favorite it for easy access) because you will use them frequently. There will be lots of other things that you will have to do over the Internet, so if you can’t quite figure it out, either call the department in charge or ask another student (benefit of Facebook).

Over the summer, about mid-July, you will get your roommate assignment. Contact your roommate and try to get to know them – maybe have lunch together if y’all live close. At the bare minimum, figure out who is going to bring what appliances. Usually one roommate brings the fridge, one brings the microwave depending on who already has what and maybe how far they live from TAMS- people that live farther away will usually have more stuff to bring/take back on move in/move out days, so keep that in mind. Once the rooms and roommates are decided, you will be assigned to two senior mentors that will cover your wing. We’ll talk in detail about this later in dorm life, but they will reach out to you and maybe make a wing Facebook group to bring everybody closer. Finally, the roommate assignment will say your room number and what type of room (community, suite, or private) you will get. You can look up your room and the location on the TAMS website under Student Life and then Dorm Info. You can also look up the staff, get to know them, and learn their names. This is under Student Life then Student Life Staff.

Another important thing online is your schedule, which you can find on my.unt.edu. You log in with the same EUID/password combination from your Canvas account. From there, click on the Student Center/Register button on the left side. Below the big picture of your schedule is a button called “Weekly Schedule.” You can then edit it at the bottom where you can click checkboxes to see your instructor or class title. Be sure to adjust your time frame to see all of your classes, but we’ll explain your schedule later.

The only other pertinent thing over the summer is packing and getting your dorm room ready. I highly recommend buying all the things that you will need over the course of the summer, rather than at the very end. This helps to ensure that you can 1) get better prices, 2) avoid hot sellers from going out of stock, and 3) minimize stress especially if you’re ordering online. Also, bring only the necessities for move-in day; you can bring the rest on a closed weekend. Here is a basic list of what all you need, but what you bring totally depends on the person.

What to Pack

Packing for TAMS

Dorm Room

• Twin XL sheet sets
• Bed Bug protector
• Comforter
• Pillows & Pillowcases
• Extension cord/Surge protector with no/off switch
• Clothing hangers
• Hamper
• Detergent & Dryer sheets
• Fridge & Microwave (split between roommates)
• Water kettle
• Desk lamp
• Bath towels
• Dish soap & Hand soap
• Broom
• Paper towels/Napkins
• Eating utensils (Disposable are great)
• Microwavable Bowls & Plates
• Mugs
• Water bottle
• Air Freshener

Optional:

• Memory foam bed topper (actually a must)
• Backrest pillow
• Rug
• Desk Chair (MC provides one but it's trash)
• Extra seating (beanbag chair/saucer chair)
• Tiny table (for eating with friends)
• Full-length mirror
• Floor lamp
• Rice Cooker
• Organization Boxes
• White board and Expo markers (useful during finals)
• Sleeping mask & earbuds

Clothes & Accessories

• Casual & nice shirts
• Jeans, shorts, leggings
• Formal clothing (girls you will need a lot of dresses for different TAMS events)
• PJs
• Workout clothing
• Close-toed shoes
• Shower shoes
• Hates, belts, sunglasses, jewelry, ect.
• Rain gear

Bathroom Necessities

• Shower caddy (NEED for community and suite rooms)
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash & lotion
• Razor
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
• Deodorant
• Glass cleaner, contact solution, eye drops
• Medicine: Advil, allergy med, cold/flu
• Band-aids

For suites and privates

• Toilet paper
• Bathroom Mat
• Plunger & toilet bowl brush
• Cleaning supplies (Lysol, bleach, etc.)

Optional

• Makeup
• Fair products
• Hairdryer, curler, straightener
• Skincare products

Electronics

• Laptop/Desktop
• Chargers

Optional:

• Printer
• Ethernet cable (24 hour internet!!)
• Headphones
• Speakers

School Supplies

• Pencils, pens, highlighters
• Erasers & whiteout
• Tape, glue
• Calculator (scientific calculator for Gen Chem)
• Notebook & notebook paper
• 8.5x11 Minilla folders
• Stapler (need!)
• Sticky notes & Index cards
• Backpack (duh)

Misc.

• Food (homemade, instant food, snacks, fruits)
• Bottled water and drinks
• Instant Coffee and creamer and sugar
• Duffle bags (for closed weekends)
• Bike or skateboard (optional)

Life in McConnell Hall

General Info on the Dorms

Well, it’s finally time to move into your very first dorm. This first week will be exciting yet busy. It can be a bit crowded, but the staff at TAMS tries really hard, especially on move-in day, to make it as painless as possible. Now, if you packed a ton of stuff, I recommend going earlier in the day. This is because there will be a bunch of TAMS student leaders, consisting of senior mentors and execs, who will help you move all of your things if you get there early; however, as the day goes by, they will get more tired. And, if you brought a lot of things, then you will need more time to unpack. With that being said, if you live a good distance away, do yourself a favor and simply spend the night in Denton the day before moving in. While you are moving in, leave the door open. For one, the dorm will be hot. Really hot. Also, if you have your door open, people like your senior mentors feel more welcome to drop in and introduce themselves. However, the doors usually don’t stay open on their own - you have to secure it with a hook that’s attached to either your closet door or higher cabinet door. Some doors don’t have hooks, so in that case you’ll just have to use your textbooks or something as a doorstop. They also tend to slam, so be careful! You can attach a piece of tape onto the hook and the door to help keep it from slamming. Your room will either be community, suite, or private which generally make up the different wings. A wing is suite, B wing is community & private, C wing is community, and D wing (for mostly seniors) aka Siberia is private. I’ll go over the basics of each room, then the pros and cons.

The community rooms share a big bathroom with the twenty or so other people in your wing, although people not in your wing will sometimes use this bathroom as well. The bathroom has 5 toilet stalls, 5 shower stalls, and 2 sinks (you also have a sink in your room). One pro to having a community bathroom is that you get the largest room with the largest closet. Another is that you don’t have to clean it at all – a janitor will clean it every weekday. A minor setback is that the bathroom is cleaned every day during a set time, so if you gotta go, you have to use another bathroom (but that is no biggie). The last drawback to having a community is that, well, it is community and in the hallway, so you would have to wear a bathrobe or clothes to go shower. This can be awkward for some people, but it also makes it weird to shower late. You’re not supposed to shower after 12 AM, so remember to get in before then!

On to suite rooms. Suite rooms are slightly smaller, a con, and share a small bathroom, consisting of a toilet and a shower, with another room they are connected to through the bathroom. The pro to this is that you have your own bathroom, which can be pretty nice. Also, you automatically get 2 more friends – your suitemates; however, this can be a con, too – if your suitemates are loud, then you can hear them, which can get annoying if you are studying or trying to sleep. Another con is that you have to clean your bathroom and provide your own toilet paper. Finally, your rooms and closets are smaller than community rooms and closets.

Lastly, there is private bath where only you and your roommate share a bathroom. The closets in the private bathroom are the same size as community so you aren’t really missing out. However, you do still have to clean the bathroom and provide your own toilet paper. You might hear stuff about “Siberia,” which just means all of the private wing (D wing). D wing on the guys’ floor is split into D300A and D300B - D300A is for juniors, but B is typically saved for seniors. The rooms in D300B are a nicer version of the private rooms.

Now that you are all moved in, time to party – literally! The first couple of days are filled with dances, scavenger hunts, community service, and a couple of talks; be sure to cherish and remember this fun week. Make sure to call your parents as frequently as you need to during this first week and throughout the year - whether that be 4 times a day or 4 times a month is completely up to you!

Over the course of the week before school starts up (Fall Orientation), you will get into the same small groups that you had in Summer O. You will attend a couple of talks about study habits, community service, etc, but then you are on to the fun part. You receive yet another tour, so make sure you pay attention. I spent a lot of time getting lost the first week. I advise printing off a map from the UNT website, and going to your classes BEFORE the first day. Please take a little time before school actually starts to go look at where your classes are, because nobody wants to be late on the first day. You will also get your IDs made and learn about the bus system you have access to; it’s free if you show your ID.

You’ll go to the ESSC sometime during move in day to pick up your ID. Don’t worry if you don’t know where to go. Follow the big group of TAMS students or ask a senior if they can walk you to the ESSC. You will take a picture and within a few seconds, you’ll have your ID. If you lose your ID anytime during the school year, you will have to come back to this location and pay $10 for a new one.

Then your small group will also do some volunteer work – your first hours – like gardening or hanging out at the senior center. Afterwards there will be various optional activities, like dances, that I highly recommend going to for socializing (even if you think it’s lame, trust me, it’s a great way to meet people). Your first month or so at TAMS will be the one with the most free time, so take advantage of that to be social and make some friends.

One other event that takes place during this week is Club Bonanza. This is where all the clubs have booths and you learn all about them and join, if you’d like. There will be a ton of people and noise and clubs, but try to visit every booth and get an idea of what clubs of which you’d like to be a part of. You will probably be interested in ten or so clubs, but two to four is a more realistic number of the clubs you actively participate in. With this in mind, join all the clubs you want and then use the semester to figure out which ones you are really interested in.

The Friday evening of Fall O, you will have Frog Night where you get paired up with a senior and do an activity in a group. This is to give you an idea of the fun things to do in Denton, and it’s another opportunity to get to know more people, juniors and seniors alike. Hopefully by this time you’ve met a lot of people and gotten to know your way around McConnell/the campus. One totally unique thing about TAMS is that there are so many people with similar academic interests and abilities and you live with your friends. This unique combination for high schoolers allows you to make incredible friends exceptionally fast.

Eventually, the party will end and you will go to class. Be sure to bring, at the bare minimum, some paper (maybe a spiral) and pencils/pens. Don’t worry about your first day of class. Just make sure you actually show up and go to the right class. Before class actually starts, you will have some free time that you should most definitely use to locate all of your classes to avoid being late/lost. It also helps to find at least one person in the same class as you for every class before school starts so that you aren’t alone. Sometimes professors lecture during the first class instead of just going over the syllabus; math professors especially tend to get going right off the bat.

TAMS Dictionary

Albino Squirrel – An urban legend of UNT. If you see it (the actual animal or squirrel), be sure to snap a picture! It’s good luck and will help you ace your exams :-)

Bewley - Also known as the study room, it’s a small common room on the second floor, directly opposite the stairs. It can be checked out at the front desk for two hours at a time.

Canvas - Canvas is basically your portal for education. Professors will post your grades, assignments, discussions, calendars, and anything else they want you to have access to on canvas. Check canvas regularly for assignments and grades.

Closed Weekend – Sorry, but you can’t stay at TAMS forever. Scheduled once to twice a month, this is when we go home for a weekend (or for some simply off campus, maybe with a host family). It’s a great opportunity to get some shopping done, spend some time with the family, and hang out with friends from back home. @Houston people: we have a coach bus (we call it the Houston Bus or H-Bus) that takes us to Houston every closed weekend. It has chargers and crappy wifi but it’s honestly not too shabby.

Clubs – There are probably over 50 clubs and committees at TAMS, so it’s kind of impossible to explain it all here. However, there will be a “Club Bonanza” at Fall Orientation where you will get to know the clubs a little better. Definitely try out all the clubs you’re interested in in the beginning of the year (you never know, it might surprise you!), but try to eventually narrow down the clubs you participate in throughout 1st semester. Most clubs hold GA s (general assemblies) at a set time and location each week, so be sure to go to those for information on events, fun activities, volunteering opportunities, etc.

Community Service – There is no community service requirement for graduation; however, volunteering is highly encouraged. Many clubs at TAMS like HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere), Ambassadors, RO (Research Organization), TMS (TAMS Medical Society), and JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society) have frequent service opportunities. If you want to be in National Honor Society you have to do 50 hours over the two years, with 25 by the end of junior year. To graduate with an honors diploma, one of the requirements is 80 hours over two years (40 by the end of junior year). Finally, there is Gold Cord, where you must do over 100 hours (50 by the end of junior year), but it is only given to a handful of people who apply.

Conference Room – This room is attached to the SAC (Student Activity Center) which is attached to Mac. Some clubs have meetings in there and there will also be some tutoring sessions or practice tests.

Curfew – This is the time by which you must be in the dorm (11pm Sun-Thurs, 1am Fri & Sat). After that, all students must remain in McConnell Hall until 6am. For first semester Juniors, you must stay in your room/wing, but second semester you are allowed to hang out in other places within the dormitory.

Docking – This term is used in terms of discipline. Our discipline system is based on a 100 point scale (points are not good) and once you reach 100, you are kicked out. The handbook gives examples of things and their associated point value. Docking itself is a term of receiving points (Docking is short for documenting). However, you may be able to get the points reduced or removed by going to JBoard (Judicial Board)- it depends on the severity of the offense.

Exec/Committee head – An exec, or executive, is a person who has a leadership position in a club like president or secretary. Only seniors can have exec positions, but juniors can apply during “Exec Season” around February-March. Committee heads are pretty much found only in HOPE & TMS and they are in charge of their own specific committee, such as HOPE’s Pet Shelter.

Grand Senior – This is one of your senior’s seniors. They are two years/grades older than you and are typically now in their first “real” year of college. The seniors’ seniors are your grand seniors.

Kitchenette – A kitchen on the second floor where students bake or cook. It has an oven/stove, pots and pans, and some cooking supplies as well. This room can be checked out for two hours at a time from the Front Desk.

Lofting Beds – Because dorm rooms are so small, especially considering you are sharing it with a roommate, lofting beds are highly recommended. You can either bunk your beds together, or raise your bed and put your desk under (more common). Common mistake to avoid: slamming your head on the bed while getting up from your desk.

Mac – This room is the big common area on the first floor where people hang out, study, play games, or have club meetings (GAs/general assemblies).

Offices – All throughout the building of TAMS, there are offices of academic advisors, student life, and other staff. Ask someone if you are having trouble finding someone’s office. There are also offices in Sage Hall.

PA – A Program Advisor used to be an RA, but now they are like a super RA. They advise three clubs and hold some other activities.

Quiet Hours – These are certain hours where you have to be quiet (8pm – 9am on weekday/nights and 12am – 12pm on weekends). They basically mean do not be ridiculously loud, because people will be sleeping. The rule is if staff can hear you 3 doors down, then you are being too loud. During pre-finals week (dead week) and finals week, quiet hours are increased so that we don’t disturb those that are studying.

RA (Residential Advisor) – An RA is a college student at UNT, and they are in charge of one wing each. They do room checks and lead wing meetings, and they are always there to help solve any problems you might have. They are kind of like a super senior mentor.

Research – Research is big and highly encouraged at TAMS. You will learn more about research once you get to TAMS, but if you live near a college and are interested in it, email or message an RO exec to learn how to get started.

Room Check – This is done every night at 11pm on school nights and 1am on weekends. Your RA will check just to make sure you and your roommate are there. Your RA might ask about your day or if anything else; you could ask them about any issues you are having then, too. If you like to go to bed early, don’t worry; just leave your door unlocked and your RA will check you in.

Room Rat – This is a person who basically stays in their room all day and only leaves for food and classes. There are also Mac rats who spend all their time in Mac. Note that neither of these ways are recommended.

Room Time – This is for first semester juniors. After room check time, you have to be in your room from 12am until 6am. This means that you can’t shower during room time. However, if you’re just going to the bathroom, you’re okay.

SAC – This is the Student Activity Center that is attached to Mac. Some clubs will hold activities in here.

Seminar – These are kind of like a GA for the entire grade most Mondays 5-6PM, where they announce important things such as scholarship opportunities and required events like Convocation. Juniors usually have more seminars than seniors.

Senior Mentor – There are two senior mentors per wing and they are there to help guide you and answer any questions you have. They are like your big sisters or brothers.

Smitty – This is the other common room found on the first floor. It has a piano, a ping pong table, and a pool table. Because it is known as “Smitty Study,” quiet hours are observed and no piano, ping pong, or pool can be played. Smaller clubs have meetings here.

TAMSiAM – This is a website that you can use your EUID/password combination to request privileges (travel), view disciplinary points, and record community service hours, etc.

Time Wasting Bench – This bench is located outside of Smitty and is often used as a meeting place.

Travel Weekend – Like a closed weekend, you can go home, or wherever needed, just at a time that you want. You are allowed three travel weekends first semester, and then get more according to semester privileges. Make sure to submit a travel request through TAMSiAM, by the Wednesday before you’d like to leave.

TV Room – This is the other common room on the second floor. People watch TV, study, or hang out here. This room is checked out for three hours at a time.

Visitation – During certain hours of the day (5-8 Sunday through Thursday, 4-10 Friday and Saturday), you can visit the rooms/halls of the opposite sex. The major exception to this is that guys can use the TV room, Bewley, and the kitchenette whenever they want. During visitation, you must be escorted to a room, and then in that room, the door must be open and the light must be on (no major PDA, too— check the handbook for specifics).

Wing – This is your new “family” at TAMS. Consisting of 20-30 people of your age and gender, along with your RA and senior mentors, you will have various wing activities through the year.

Wing Meeting – This is every Wednesday night at 11pm. It takes place of a room check, so it is mandatory. Here, you will have announcements read and maybe do some bonding activities or games.

Buildings & Cafeterias

UNT Main Campus Map 2021

Sage – This is where your second semester biology class will be. You’ll also have Seminar here every other week. It was just recently renovated too and you can study here. TAMS admin also work on the third floor, so you may come here if you have a meeting with any admin.

Art Building - This is the newest academic building on campus. Some math courses may be held in this building along with courses for students in the visual art track. The Art Building has many lounge areas perfect for individual and group studying.

Bruce Cafeteria – This is the cafeteria right next to TAMS, so you will probably spend most of your time eating here. The quality of the food is alright, but it gets worse as the year goes on. The general consensus is the farther you have to walk, the better the cafeteria is.

BLB (Business Leadership Building) – Rather new to UNT, this is simply an awesome building. From taking shortcuts to Kerr to studying on the terrace, this building is loved by many. Some of your math classes will probably be in here. They have rooms on the bottom floor that are perfect for group or solo study parties. It has a pretty decent cafe too.

Chemistry Building – You will have chemistry class and lab here. Fun fact: it looks like the periodic table of elements from Google maps.

Chilton – Found right across the street from McConnell, this building has a computer lab and printing. It is open 7:00 AM -12:00 AM Monday through Thursday, 12:00 PM-12:00 AM on Sundays, and closes at 7 on Fridays and Saturdays. Chilton is often used instead of having your own printer because of how close it is to McConnell. It takes printing credits, which every TAMS student receives $20 of, and printing is around $0.03 for B&W. It’s a really good place to study too because there are quiet rooms and the computer lab has candy and a coffee machine.

Crumley Hall - Crumley is the hall with housing and dining offices. If you need to add flex to your meal plan or just want to change plans, you can go to Crumley (or call ahead).

Discovery Park - Discovery Park (DP or DPark) is a satellite campus located north of the main UNT campus roughly taking 15 minutes via bus. All computer science and engineering courses are held here. Fun fact: the building used to be owned by TI for missile testing and development hence the bland building style.

Eagle Landing - Eagle Landing features retail-like dining in the form of a food hall (all you can eat!). Having opened during Spring 2021, not many current students have had the opportunity to eat at Eagle Landing. From word-of-mouth, Eagle Landing has more variety and better quality food than the other dining halls.

ESSC (Eagle Student Service Center) – This is a place where you go to handle the big problems, like financial aid or IDs. Also, some elective classes, biology, and computer science will be taken here. This is also where you will go to get your transcript and other official documents.

GAB (General Academic Building) – A lot of math classes and offices are here. Many professors have offices here, so you might come here for office hours. There is also a computer lab on the third floor and a cafe on the second floor. (I highly recommend the chocolate croissants and the chai tea).

Kerr Cafeteria – This is one of the farthest cafeterias. It has extended hours and is pretty consistent day to day. The food is generally way better than Bruce’s and they have a wide variety of food (they also have great ice cream & milkshakes!). They have a fried line in the back, plus healthier food near the front, so options are open. Kerr Cafeteria closed during Spring 2021 after the opening of Eagle Landing.

Language Building – This is where your English class and any foreign language electives are held.

Library Mall – This is the fountain area in front of Willis Library. You’ll pass by here on the way to BLB and Kerr/Maple. There are a lot of fun UNT events held here where you can get tons of free stuff (shirts, cups, etc.) Plus they sometimes give out free fresh food here.

Maple Cafeteria – Also known as the Mean Greens Cafeteria, this cafeteria is the same distance as Kerr, but it is the only all vegan cafeteria on campus. It actually has really great quality food, so if you want to try something new or you’re looking to lose a few pounds, try it out! (It’s legitimately really good I’m not even vegetarian or vegan and I love Maple)

Physics Building – This is where physics and some math classes are held.

Life Sciences Building - This is where some chem and bio classes are held. Most bio research is also done in this building. It’s split up into life sciences A and life sciences B - B is newer, and in general if you have a class it’ll probably be in A.

Rec – A beautiful workout center just down the street. Something awesome about the place: the elliptical machines help to power the facility. It has a good aerobic and weight room with various courts, a track, and a leisure and lap pool. It’s super fancy, so check it out.

Sycamore Hall - This building is rather old but has a smaller, more lowkey library. Good place for studying if you want to be by yourself and relatively close to all the classes. Some of the lights are motion sensor, so if you see a dark area, you can probably still try to walk there.

Union – The Union is one of the newer buildings on campus. You probably came here for interview day or preview day. It has various fast food options that take flex (see Meal Plans) such as Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bueno, Fuzzy’s (extended hours), Chick fil a, etc. The bus to discovery park (the compsci and engineering part of campus) has a major stop at the union.

Victory Cafeteria – This cafeteria serves higher quality food, but the drawback is that you have to either take a bus there (around 15 minutes) or walk across the highway (about 1.2 miles). The bus stop is across the street from Kerr. Buses run around every 15 minutes.

West Cafeteria – This is another close cafeteria and they serve really good home style food (meaning lots of butter and fat). After reopening in 2019, West now serves food without the 8 big allergens and gluten.

Willis Library – This is the library at UNT. Obviously, there are books to check out, but lots of people study here and there is a computer lab attached where you can print papers for free. This is definitely a great place to work or keep away from distractions.

Wooten Hall - Many of you will have a math class here, and it has a little cafe on the first front. The muffins and coffee are pretty decent if you forgot to grab breakfast before class. It’s behind the union too, so it is pretty far.

Ok so yeah there might be a lot of buildings, but you have A LOT of freetime the first month so take advantage of this time and explore the buildings. Try to find places that are not only good to relax, but also places you like to study in... trust me... you don’t have to be stuck in your room or just the library. Try to expand your study environments. It really helps during midterms and finals when you might feel overwhelmed.

Official Clubs of TAMS

Official clubs are clubs that are advised by a PA and receive funding from TAMS. There’s a variety of clubs involved with improving the TAMS community. Many clubs sell T-shirts (they’re so cute and comfy!) and hold big TAMS events to raise money for different causes. Clubs also hold weekly GAs which are typically fun (free food). Club life is pretty big at TAMS, so in the beginning of the year try to attend many GAs and figure out which clubs you want to dedicate your time towards.

You can get involved with clubs in all type of ways. First off, attend GAs. The execs will have sign ins at the end of the GA; be aware that attendance will be used when determining who they pick as their successors (a few of you). Clubs also have a lot of volunteering opportunities, and this is a great way to get involved with the Denton community and get volunteer hours.

Now to become an executive of a club you must show commitment towards the club you’re applying for. That doesn’t mean you have to have 50+ hours racked up from volunteering and attended all the GAs. Execs are looking for people who are passionate about their clubs and are willing to put the time and effort into continuing their club’s legacy. During exec season, you can apply for multiple clubs, but being an exec is very time-consuming and involve significant responsibility. Therefore if you are offered multiple official positions, you can only accept one. “Exec season” officially starts at the end of February and this can be an especially stressful time time with all of the school work and competitions, on top of applications and interviews. All the seniors did it, so you can too! Each club has their own selection process, but typically, it’ll entail a paper app, interviews and group projects with cuts between each until only the new board remains. Keep in mind that you must have a GPA of 3.1 or higher to hold a position.

Here’s a list of all the official clubs and a brief description of what each club does. If you’re interested, you can visit the TAMS website or the club website, if it has one (linked after the club description).

Ambassadors - Ambassadors works to bridge the gap between current students and prospective TAMSters by allowing students to share their experiences. Every month, Ambassadors host Preview Days and Spend-A-Days where students all over Texas come to TAMS and experience what’s it like to be a TAMS student. Ambassadors also assist the TAMS Admissions Department with Interview Day and Outreach processes. This club is not only a great way to get consistent volunteer hours, but is also a fun way to meet prospective students!!

Ballot - Ballot is TAMS's club for Model UN, speech, debate, and political awareness. They put on events such as SciMun, an annual conference for high school students, as well as TAMS Talks, the TAMS version of Ted Talks.

CSO - the Computer Science Organization (CSO) is in charge of all computer science competitions, hackathons, and anything computer science oriented! Be sure to visit https://cso.tams.club/ for more information.

Dull Roar - Dull Roar is a music group at the Texas Academy of Math and Science with a primary symphony orchestra as well as ensembles and is introducing many committees such as an Acapella, Composition, Music Theory, and Nursing Home/Hospital volunteering.

FACES - The Fellowship for the Advancement of Cultural Education for Students is a multicultural club at UNT whose mission is to unite people by embracing cultural diversity, realize and respect different perspectives, and discuss and bring awareness to pressing global issues. FACES now has expanded to have committees that include volunteering for refugees, fundraising, and drives. To learn more about FACES visit http://facesunt.weebly.com/. Let’s FACE it, culture is the new trend.

HOPE - HOPE is a club at TAMS that provides a variety of volunteering opportunities to students through our 13 committees, including Pet Shelter, DIY Donations, Boys and Girls Club, Teen Court, High School Tutoring, Henna for Hearts, and many more. We host the HOPE Auction and Dance, a wildly popular two-night social event that attracts all TAMS students and raises money for a nonprofit or charity of choice. HOPE also hosts 4 Carter Blood Drives throughout the year. You can visit our website, tamshope.org for more info, news, committee information, and cute pictures. STAY WOKE FOR HOPE!!

JETS & Robotics - The mission of the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) of TAMS is to cultivate a passion for science, engineering, and technology. During the year, they participate in numerous events including Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, and FIRST Robotics, which helps develop our new generation of STEM professionals with diverse interests and opportunities. In addition, they have an extensive outreach program to inspire STEM interest throughout our community, making scientific discovery accessible to all students.

JBoard - Judicial Board serves as a board of peers who function as the official voice of the student body in the TAMS disciplinary system.

MHA - The McConnell Hall association aims to connect TAMS students through activities and events. We provide high school experiences such as homecoming and prom, leadership opportunities for juniors, information about the TAMS lifestyle, and opportunities to form meaningful bonds with fellow TAMS and UNT students.

MAO - Mu Alpha Theta's (MAO) mission is to recognize and foster mathematical interests in the student body of TAMS and to encourage participation in math activities and competitions such as AMC. In other words, MAO is the best frat on UNT campus and R U S H M A O!!!

Naturally - Naturally, the TAMS environmental club, is committed to not only creating awareness of environmental issues in the community but also actively working towards sustainability at McConnell Hall, UNT, and Denton.

pROfiLE - pROfiLE aspires to encourage self expression through the arts, to provide an atmosphere for creative growth, and to help the community through artistic projects. The "ROLE" in "Profile" is capitalized to emphasize the theatrical aspect of the club while the entire word "Profile" relates to profiles in visual arts.

Project Smile - Project Smile is a club dedicated to boosting TAMS morale, reducing stress, and spreading smiles in the TAMS community and the Denton community.

Replay - Replay consists of yearbook and ION, the TAMS newspaper. Yearbook works to capture the memorable moments of our short time here at TAMS. Students are able to experiment with photography, designing, and writing as they help create the TAMS yearbook. The Ion Newspaper works hard to make the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science a place where not only math and science are important. They offer a place for creative expression and comedic relief through writing, photography, videography, and web design.

RO - Research Organization (RO) is committed to helping TAMS students excel in the fields of research and improve their communication, presentation, and execution skills. We connect you to research-related competitions (TJAS, TJSHS, and the Intel ISEF-affiliated Science Fairs to name a few), university resources, and science-based volunteering in the community through the Aspire Exposition and Mentorship programs. Visit our website http://tamsro.weebly.com for more information.

Sports Club - Their mission is to encourage TAMS students to maintain a healthy lifestyle and interact with one another to foster a sense of community through sports. Our sports teams include football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, softball, swimming, running and tennis. There is also an annual tournament (SLAMT) where you play against other teams from schools like TAMS from different states.

TBO - The mission of TAMS Business Organization is to develop individuals into future leaders by instilling professionalism, leadership, communication, entrepreneurship, and ethics in our members. We will strive to educate and provide a variety of opportunities in marketing, management, and business that will help members develop strong real-world business skills that can be applicable in their futures.

TMS - TAMS Medical Society (TMS) is dedicated to bringing the academy medical opportunities such as volunteering and shadowing. They hope to bring you medical insight through their various speaker GA's and events such as HOSA, hospital tours, etc.

TAMS Academic Society - TAS's goal is to provide academic support as well as numerous volunteering opportunities through its many committees. Throughout the year, they host review sessions before tests, fundraisers for She's the First (an international education nonprofit) and have a variety of experienced tutors for any subject. Their website is updated regularly throughout the school year for easy access to tutors, study materials, and information about volunteering.

There are also a plethora of unofficial clubs at TAMS such as Student Council, TAMS culinary society, the Supply, Morals & Ethics, SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance), Linguistics Society, etc. Basically anything you can think of and more!

VIP's (Very Important People) of TAMS

Sam Earls - He is your academic counselor. Melissa and Sam switch off every other year, and they stay with you for your two years here at TAMS. Both of the counselors are like the counselors at your old school but way, WAY better. For one, they actually get to know all of our names. Also, he goes to Maple for lunch often and will sit with TAMS student, and he also goes to the rec and play basketball.

Melissa Minick - She is also an academic counselor. She is always there to help with any questions you may have about courses or professors. You might find her swiping (taking attendance) for your classes. Make sure to reach out to Melissa as she is a very nice and nice person to talk to.

Mrs. Wendy - She is the seniors’ academic counselor. Mrs. Wendy’s job is the same as Sam’s. She’s super chill and fun to talk to. She might call you in her office to chat some time during the year, but don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. Her office is located on the 1st floor in the boys’ wing. Mrs. Wendy is super nice (so is Sam!), and both counselors become your good friends while you are here. Don’t be shy, and ask if she has time to hang during her free time.

Crystal Romero - Crystal is one of the two hall directors in McConnell. She lives on the junior girl’s floor (2nd floor) in the corner of D wing, but she wanders around McConnell a lot because she always has stuff to do, especially at the front desk. Hall directors are pretty much the bosses of McConnell - they’re in charge of the PAs and RAs and indirectly run everything. If there’s ever an issue that the RAs or PAs can’t handle, it goes to Crystal or Lauren. Crystal is really funny and easy to talk to, and if you have any questions about how McConell runs she’s definitely a great person to ask (so is your RA, of course!)

Lauren Edgar - Lauren is the second hall director in McConnell, who lives on the junior guy’s floor (3rd floor) right at the intersection of B wing near the staircase. Hall director apartments are labelled, so if that confused you, just look for the doors with the sign saying “HALL DIRECTOR APARTMENT.” Lauren and Crystal have the same job, so anything you might need Crystal for Lauren can do just as well. She’s really sweet and wants to help, so definitely talk to her whenever you see her, even just for fun. Unfortunately, Wendy, Crystal, and Lauren retired at the end of 2019-2020 school year. Content will be updated when we learn more about the new hall directors. Melissa is replacing Wendy's role.

Russ Stukel - Russ is the assistant dean for student life at TAMS. He mostly manages McConnell and what goes on in the building, so you’ll see him around a lot. He’s top dog in the student life hierarchy, so anything big will go through him.

Ben Warren - Ben is the assistant director of student life. Ben mainly deals with any issues arising clubs, community service hours, and student events.

Sharon Vann - Ms. Vann manages the applications side of TAMS. She’s also the one that helps with applying to colleges. You’ll most likely come to her office (Sage 3rd floor) at some point to give her transcripts. Fun fact, she was a part of the first graduating class of TAMS!

Cynthia Hoffman - She takes care of most of the administration things, including but not limited to class attendance, textbooks, fees, etc.

Dr. Duban - He is the associate dean for research and national scholarships at TAMS plus UNT in general, so if you’re planning on doing science-fair related competitions you’ll probably bump into him at some point. You’ll see him occasionally at seminar, where he’ll probably talk about the Regeneron competition or the Barium Goldwater scholarship. He’s an English major, so he’s really good at editing papers you may need to submit for competitions. You can find him on the third floor of Sage.

Dean de Oliveira - He is the dean of the Honors college, and he actually cares a lot about TAMS. He’ll pop up at seminar from time to time, as well as show up to a few TAMS events. In general, he’s a nice guy that wants to make the program better. He asks for student feedback occasionally too.

Misc. Dorm Topics

Roommates

During the first week where school is not yet in session and you are making a ton of friends, make sure your roommate is one of them. This helps in so many ways because 1) you don’t want to live with a stranger, 2) if you make a big enough effort near the start, you can see if y’all will actually be compatible to live with, 3) if you are not compatible, then you can already be scouting for a new roommate, and 4) cliques and circles, believe it or not, form fast, so try to be social, but also be yourself. Another thing you should try to do your first week is to make a roommate contract; this instills basic rules and structure on which you can always rely. Topics to consider are sleep hours (with the lights and noises associated with it), cleanliness and who does what, what you guys can share, visitors, study environment, and anything else that is important to you and your roommate. Nobody is just like you, so there can be compromises on either end because, in the end, you both should be happy and feel welcome in your own room. Make sure to TALK to your roommate and figure out living habits that are best for both of you. The best thing to do if there is a problem is to talk it out, rather than letting it go unnoticed. It only adds up. Finally, if you have a suite bathroom, you guys might want to set up an agreement regarding cleaning and noise, too.

Okay, what if you don’t like your roommate? Well, after two weeks, y’all have the option to change roommates. You will have to have another roommate in mind and so will your roommate. This is where there is an advantage to being social with your roommate and other friends, because if you don’t find a replacement, you can’t switch. If you realize too late in the game, you can make amends to the contract to try to make it work better again, but you can change at the beginning of the next semester. By then, you will have a better chance to really know someone who is more compatible with you. Having a roommate is a new experience for a lot of y’all, so do cherish these moments, but make sure to try your best to be a good roommate. You guys don’t have to best friends just as long as you can live with each other. In some cases it might even be better to not room with best friend. That said, roommate drama is one of the worst kinds of drama - if you and your roommate get into an argument, you’ll still be living together, so make sure to clear it up fast.

Rules

For most, there is a lot more freedom at TAMS than at home. For some, this adjustment is hard but it really allow you to develop. One of the most commonly asked questions is along the lines of leaving the dorm at any time. The answer is that you can leave the dorm whenever you want, as long as you get back by curfew (11pm Sunday-Thursday and 1am Friday and Saturday). One thing is that groups are good to travel in, especially if it’s late or far from campus. Other than that, most of the rules are obvious, explained somewhere above, or clearly laid out in the handbook. It is best to be safe than sorry, so ask a staff member or a trustworthy student if you are unsure of a rule. It might be helpful to read through the Rule Manual before school starts to get an idea of what rules there are at TAMS. Here are some basics (definitely not all of them, so be sure you read the manual!) :

Visitation: Guys cannot be on the Girls floor and vice versa unless it is visitation hours (5-8 pm Sunday-Thursday, 4-10 pm Friday and Saturday)

Curfew: Juniors must be in their rooms by Curfew (11pm on Sunday-Thursday, 1am Friday and Saturday). RAs will come around and do room checks each night.

Quiet Hours: During these times (8pm-9am Sunday-Thursday, 12am-12pm Friday and Saturday), you must be quiet (no loud music, no screaming, etc.), and an RA can dock you if they feel you are being too loud. However, keep in mind that it is “24-hour courtesy hours”, so be aware and don’t be too loud even if it isn’t quiet hours. Near finals week, McConnell is updated to 23 hour quiet hours, which only leaves one hour in the day to explode with energy before getting back to the finals grind (which I’m sure none of you will be a part of because everyone will study in advance like good students).

Meal Plans

There are 6 general meal plans : 5 Day Basic, 5 Day Value, 5 day Superflex, 7 Day Basic, 7 Day Value and 7 day Super Flex. The Basic/Value/Superflex is just the amount of flex included with each plan. All of the cafeterias will be open Monday-Friday, but only the Union will be open on Saturday, so you’ll be able to spend your Flex (UNT currency that you can spend at the Union or other food places on campus) there on those days. The “Full Week” or 7 day meal plan just allows you to eat meals at Kerr on Saturdays and Sundays in addition to weekdays. The 5 day meal plan is great if you plan on heading home a lot or wanting a change in meals. With this being said, there are tons of cheap dining places around campus that seniors will show you or that you find on your own. If you don’t want to go out, you can simply have ramen, mac and cheese, or some other easy made meals, but you don’t need to stock up and get three Costco sized boxes. One thing to keep in mind, though, is only one cafeteria is open on the weekends, Kerr; additionally, it has reduced hours. With that being said, this meal plan is also good for people who are good at schedules (actually waking up on the weekends for breakfast and getting dinner before it closes). On main campus, Kerr is also the farthest dining hall to walk to, so keep that in mind. If you feel like you made the wrong choice regarding meal plans, then don’t fret. If it is early on in the semester, I think within the first two weeks, you can change your meal plan, no matter what. After that though, you can only upgrade your meal plan from 5 day to 7 day; downsizing would have to wait until next semester. I personally recommend the 5 day value because no one really likes eating at cafeterias all week (even though the food is much better than regular cafeteria food at a high school). By Friday, you’ll probably be craving Chipotle or Potbelly. Also, the 5 Day Basic has the least amount of flex ($90), so if you like the food at the Union, you’ll probably run out within the first few weeks each semester. FLEX DOES NOT CARRY OVER AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, SO SPEND ALL OF IT.

Fun Stuff!

The clubs at TAMS are always planning events in addition to the weekly GAs, so there will pretty much always be something going or coming up. A couple of them from what I can remember include MHA Pop that Bot (around September), TMS Aid the Cause (November), Homecoming (usually October), Ambassadors Dr. TAMS (October), HOPE Auction (February), Prom (March or April), Holi (April), Battle of the Halls (April), etc.

Outside Mcconnell, there are always events going on around campus, so check out the signs along the walkways on campus. UNT often has cultural festivals (Korean, Japanese, etc.), movie showings, speakers (last year Donald Trump Jr. and Jane Goodall came), and performances. The rec also has a lot of fun options like rock climbing (usually requires a pass, but occasionally free - like the first week of school). The rec also has daily classes which includes Zumba, pilates, yoga, cycling, kickboxing and many more super fun classes! The first week of every semester is free, but after that you can buy passes for cheap (so worth).

Social Life

General Tips :)

• Life at TAMS can be pretty hectic and emotionally overwhelming for people remember to take time for yourself and YOUR HEALTH. Not to scare you, just remember that your health really is more important than school. If you're sick or tired, you won't do well anyway. Take advantage of those meal plans. Eat actual food and please please please sleep! Just because you’re now in college and don’t have as many classes as you used to, is not an excuse to stay up late. We advise you to fall into a regular sleep pattern/schedule - try your best to get at least seven hours of sleep each night!
• Don't be stupid or obviously rude, but live a little at TAMS too. especially for the first few weeks, go out of your way to meet new people and make new friends. Take full advantage of all the new opportunities and then whittle them for based on time and interest.
• Go talk to Sam whenever you have some downtime. He is going to become your new best friend and academic advisor. Sam is very nice and you all will get really close with him, so go to his office and talk to him if you ever need some advice or just want someone to talk to.
• Some people do research and that’s cool, but don’t feel pressured or overwhelmed. Some people join labs that they regret because they went too early. Take your time finding the right professor if you want to research. Of course, don't be afraid to start soon either if you're ready; hesitating is something that you can end up regretting too. Refer to the Research Organization’s guide or message any seniors/execs (seriously we all love to help you guys).
  • We recommend waiting till after the first round of tests so you can see how busy you get with studying :)
• First week of TAMS is an actual party, live in it. Enjoy those moments.
• But if you become a room rat later on, don't worry. There are always cool people out there and TAMS is a great networking opportunity. Also you’ll have much more fun. BUT AT THE SAME TIME... There are other ways to spend your time than constantly socializing if the social life isn’t for you. Just learn to balance “alone time” and “socializing time”. Don’t feel pressured to constantly be out and about just because you see some of your friends doing that. Find what’s right for you and stick to your boundaries.
• There will be someone smarter than you here, but don’t let that bring you down. You’ll find that humility is an admired and valuable trait here at TAMS. It not only impacts your academic life but more importantly your personal life as well. Plus, the TAMS community values collaboration, so don’t burn your bridges when you’re most in need. On another note there will always be people who dislike you for one reason or another; you'll learn to deal with them.
• Many times you will feel pressured to “jump on the bandwagon” and do things that everybody seems to be doing, for example: research. Please don’t. I’m speaking from personal experience, as this was something I struggled with a lot during my first semester at TAMS. Everybody seemed to be doing all sorts of amazing things, and you will inevitably feel pressured to jump in on those opportunities as well. I just wanted to remind y’all that what’s really most important is to find something of your own that you genuinely want to pursue. Don’t be pushed into something that you may not even really like simply because others are all doing it.
• Words spread like wildfire here…lives play out weirdly when everyone's living together. Please don't let your curiosity get the best of you and become a drama magnet.
• Take advantage of your senior mentors. Their job is literally to be your be your big siblings and help you out with whatever or just be a friend to talk to or anything. But seriously please talk to us, otherwise we will be lonely...(this goes for many of us seniors as well; please don’t be afraid to approach us, we may seem like we have our own friends and everything, but nah, we want your company!).
• DO NOT SKIP CLASS!!

Relationship Advice

Relationships are a case by case basis. Don't get hung up if you really crush on someone but they don't like you back. Friendships are more important than relationships, especially when you're in a class of 200 people. Lots of people will get into a relationship here. If you do, great, if you don't, great. You’ll have fun either way. As others said, balance is important, but it’s definitely doable. If you do find your soulmate here at TAMS, and go for a serious relationship, I get that. Also remember that you’re living with the same people you go to school with and people love to talk. If you’re a private person then remember that news does spread like wildfire. However, now it’s such an important time for you that if you’re not committed, a relationship can go awry. Find a balance between school and relationship and talk to your boyfriend/girlfriend if you ever feel like it gets too much. Also, be open and honest with them. Talking creates a lot less drama and a lot of the times it is just really nice to have someone to lean on and count on through all the crazy at TAMS. If you find the right person at TAMS, it’ll be a true blessing :)

School

Schedule/Classes

So you will be getting your schedule sometimes during the summer, and chances are you might not like when your classes are. Unfortunately, you can’t change it until next semester, so treat this as a learning experience – finding out what kind of classes and teaching styles you like and when. One thing I highly recommend is to study like no tomorrow for the first round of tests, that way you either start strong or you figure out what doesn’t work. No matter the outcome of your grades, put the same, full-throttle effort on the second round of exams. Hopefully now you figured out what works and what doesn’t so you can be prepared for the last exams and final. If you have any questions in class, whether it is about a topic, about homework, or just grades, I definitely recommend going to your teacher’s office hours. Office hours are like tutorial sessions at high school, except it’s one on one and you really need to bring questions. Whether it is about a pop quiz or a curve, you are the only one that is truly in charge of your fate. Next we’re going to go over each class and various tips that we can give specific to each subject. To learn about teachers in specific, ask seniors for their own experiences. For bio lab it will say you have Bartush/Lahiri, but you actually get a TA that you will find out the first day of class; the same goes for chem lab and CS lab.

Note: the schedules that you see my.unt.edu over the summer are prone to change, and will only be finalized when you guys report to TAMS in August.

Here is an example of a typical TAMS schedule 1st semester (including Bio lab).

Biology

Last year your seniors had 1 pm bio first semester. However, we had 8 am Biology second semester. First semester will be taught by Dr. Crossley and second semester will be team-taught by Dr. Jagadeeswaran and Dr. Neogi (or Dr. Arye).

Biology is a tough subject with lots of information, concept grasping, and memorization. Tips that will help you succeed is to read and take notes on each chapter of the book before the lecture, that way during the lecture it was a review session and things that I was unsure of could be clarified. Start studying a week ahead of the exam, or more. Ways to study are to reread the book/notes (aloud might help), utilize masteringbio.com (username and password should be emailed to you by the counselors) – it has clarification on notes, activities, vocab, and lots of quizzes, teach a topic to someone (or a wall), quiz each other, learn vocab, etc, whatever works for you. There are usually four exams (including or excluding the final, depending on professor), and Mastering Biology assignments (depending on professor).The grades are the typical 90-100 is an A, 80-89 is a B, so on and so forth and the grades will be posted on blackboard. Definitely go to office hours if you need help with something.

In addition to the regular lecture class, you will also be in a Biology Lab (This is only 1 semester long so you may have it either 1st or 2nd semester). These twice a week classes will let you interact with what you’re learning in biology. It will be taught by a grad student TA -- there are about four bio lab TA’s and the classes are mostly TAMS students. Typically, your grade consists of prelab and postlab quizzes, a lab report, a group presentation, and 2 lab practicals. The difficulty of the quizzes and lab practicals will vary greatly depending on the TA. What I recommend is before class, and before the quiz, write down all the key terms that you should know and any other things, like results. Study those really well and you should be pretty set for the quizzes. The lab report sounds exceptionally daunting, but don’t worry, if you follow the rubric, you should do well. For the lab practicals, study at least a day before kind of like a big quiz. You should get all the vocab down in addition to all the experiments and the results. These are rather challenging, so be sure to prepare well and to do well on everything else to bump this up. Finally, there is the group presentation, and, like the lab report, make sure to follow the rubric. The classes are typically Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3:30pm or 3:30-6pm. If you’re unlucky, you might have 6-8:30pm labs.

Computer Science

Computer science is the other track offered at TAMS. The way the class is structured depends on the professor, but in general the major aspects are consistent: there are homework assignments, weekly labs, and tests. The homework assignments are coding problems that usually take a pretty long time - they assign them pretty far in advance, so definitely get cracking early. Sometimes the professor will actually point out some ways to solve difficult parts of the homework during class, so make sure you pay attention. The amount that homework is weighted in your grade is also variable. If you need help on homework, the TAs are there to help! Make sure to go to office hours and the help lab, because the homework can be tricky sometimes. CS labs are kind of like easier versions of the homework. They’re pretty much just there so that you get a chance to practice the concepts covered in class. A TA will be administering the lab, so if you get confused about something make sure to ask - the TAs want you to understand the concepts, and they’re really willing to help. Labs might have a multiple choice quiz attached to them, too - we had quizzes along with the labs first semester, but not second semester. Your professor will let you know if you have them. Quizzes and tests, of course, you can’t really ask the TAs for help on, so make sure you understand the concepts and the implementations before going into them. Quizzes may be multiple choice but tests are problem solving based, so you’ll need to know how to program the concepts covered, not just understand them. That said, your professor may let you use the textbook on the tests - we were allowed to second semester. The final is multiple choice, which is a nice respite for your fingers after furiously typing for the homework and tests the rest of the semester. Despite that, the final is not something you can blow off and not study for - it can get kinda detailed, so make sure you review the class notes.

Studying for CS is definitely way different than other classes, because it’s a very application based class. I would recommend going over the concepts taught and writing programs on your own that use them, to make sure you know all of their ins and outs before taking tests.

Chemistry

There are 2 chemistry courses which you will test into at Summer O: General Chemistry & Honors General Chemistry. Honors Chem and Gen Chem DO show up differently on transcripts However, the name of the class is much less important than the grade you deserve, so put effort into whatever class you get placed in to get the grades you want!

Honors Chem: Dr. Acree is teaching Honors Chem - in general the course is pretty similar to general chemistry. He really wants people to get the concepts, so make sure you study those for the tests, because not all the questions are just plugging in formulas. He has tests from previous years on his website, so definitely check those out, because they look VERY similar to the tests he’ll give you.

Gen Chem: The biggest difference between honors and gen is that the classrooms include UNT students. You will most likely have professor Broadway or Weber first semester and professor McAfee, Petros or Kelber second semester. The tests vary but they test both conceptual and application. You will most likely not be given any formulas, so you really have to study and know the material well to do well on the tests. Make sure to start studying early and take good notes during lecture. Dr. Petros records her lectures (both video and audio), so you can see and hear exactly what she covered that day. Recitation is once a week and it's where you get put into a group of 5-6 people (combined with both UNT and TAMS students) and complete a worksheet.

Chem Lab: In addition to the lecture class, you also have a chem lab (both semesters) that is once a week. You are graded based on your labs (accuracy) and some TAs might have pre lab quizzes. You will need to provide your own goggles which you can either get from a TAMS senior or buy your own (organizations around TAMS [RO!!!!] sell them in the beginning of the year, so don't go out buying them). One thing worth noting is that there is a mix of UNT and TAMS students for a few labs.

Math

You can’t spell Texas Academy of Math and Science without *the Math*. Below is a description of the classes that you can be placed in at TAMS. You don’t get to choose your math professors, but it’s good to know what to expect.

KEEP IN MIND that although math is a big part of TAMS, it’s not “shameful” or whatnot to not be in Calculus 18293719274341. Most of us start in Precalc/Calc 1, so it’s not so much of a competition.

Pre-Calculus

For Precalculus, you will probably have either Dr. Brozovic, Dr. Iaia, or Dr. Elwood (for the Class of '23). All of these teachers have very different styles of teaching and the structure of each class is also very different. What they do have in common is that they go extremely fast. You will cover what a typical high school student cover over two semesters in one semester. You will be given homework a few times a week, and lengthiness and difficulty depends on the teachers. If you’re placed in precal then your cal 1 teacher is going to be the same.

Calculus I

Most students start at Calculus 1, and usually the professor you get for Cal 1 will also be your professor for Cal 2. There are two professors teaching Cal 1, Dr. Mann and Dr. Cherry. Be sure to do every homework assignment and try to turn them in on time. Reading the textbook, taking notes in class, doing the hw, reviews, and studying for tests leads to a good grade.

Calculus II & Above

Calculus 2 and above (Cal 3 or Linear Algebra) are usually based on what professor you get. Try to search them up on RateMyProfessor before school starts or ask a senior!

Calculus 3

Different professors do things differently, but the initial Cal 3 professor tends to change between years. Last year, all of the students who placed into Cal 3 were placed into Dr. Cherry’s class. As long as you get the homework and do the test reviews he gives out, the tests shouldn’t be too bad either. Also, don’t be afraid to go to his office hours! Dr. Cherry really loves math, and won’t hesitate to help you: he has extended office hours before every exam, in case you couldn’t make it to regular office hours.

Differential Equations

Differential Equations I is essentially concerned with solving different types of differential equations (the course name itself is quite representative of the course itself). Differential equations are essentially equations that involve the derivatives of some function. The class largely consists of learning different methods to solve different types of differential equations: first order, second order, and so one. It used to be required that Linear Algebra be a prerequisite for the course, as the two are deeply related/connected conceptually, so it is useful but not mandatory that the two courses be taken together.

• Dr. Dulock’s notes are easy to follow, and he breaks concepts down into manageable chunks. If you do the hw and the test reviews, you’ll be all set for the class (test reviews were usually harder than the actual tests). He also drops some hw and quizzes, and the final exam replaces your lowest test grade.

Linear Algebra

Linear Algebra is about solving and manipulating systems of equations using matrices. The class is very writing heavy - most answers will need written explanations with theorems learned in the class. It also involves a lot of memorization, because of the number of theorems. That said, the class is really useful if you plan on going deeper into many fields - math, CS, engineering, and economics all use linear algebra in some form.

• Dr. Tran is a good option. She assigns a lot of homework and has quizzes every week, and does this nice thing where her final is optional - she’ll just use your lowest between your homework average, your quiz average, your tests, and your attendance grade to replace the final grade. And attendance is mandatory, as it’s part of the grade in the class.

English

Your English workload will vary heavily depending on which professor you get. 2nd semester you will get to choose your professor. Dr. Schoolfield, Ibarra and Christian are the main professors that teach this course, but you might also get a TA. Their teaching style are very different with different assignments, but essentially you will all read the same books and all of the professors are very intelligent and great. Typically the structure of this class is that you will read a book and do an out of class assignment (including discussion questions). During class you will have discussions about the reading you did. In addition to that, you will also be required to read poems and explicate them. Each professor assigns different writing assignments too. Class participation also varies by professor. Ask the seniors if you want more information.

Electives

You can only take electives beginning in your second semester of TAMS. Depending on your GPA, you’ll be able to take one your second semester. (3.2+ for 1 electives and a research class)

Take electives!! They are fun ways to explore your interests, and some of them give you experience/credits, so why would you not. (Of course, if you believe you can’t handle the workload/you just don’t want to there is absolutely no shame in that - take electives because they are fun but not because you feel you are required to - plenty of kids don’t take any, especially second semester junior year when the work is the most.) Below is just some descriptions on a couple options that are popular within the TAMS community. A full list of courses available can be found here : http://catalog.unt.edu/content.php?catoid=9&navoid=484

Research elective: The Research Elective is an independently scheduled credit that requires no class time, but per class hour usually accounts to about 3 hours in lab a week. Check with your professor for more department-specific details, as well as how to add it to your schedule! It is usually listed as a “Special Problems” course, and the academic counselors should have a special course code to help you register.

Microeconomics/Macroeconomics: The material is different, but both classes work the same way. You’ll be given a workbook for the class at the beginning of the year, which is where your homework and material comes from. You’ll have homework assignments due weekly (or every 2 weeks), where you’ll have to finish assigned pages in the workbook and turn them in class (you can go to Wooten 320 (Econ Help Center) and check your answers there; if you miss any, they’ll tell you the right answers). As for tests, you’ll have two of them over the course of the year, and a cumulative final at the end of the year. These exams are not too hard, and as long as you study for them, you should be fine.

Music: You can take music lessons at UNT if you want. If you take it as an elective, you don’t have to pay for the lessons. If you’re on the edge about taking music lessons, I would definitely give it a shot, especially considering how good UNT’s music program is. You’ll enroll for secondary lessons. Depending on if you’ve met with the professor before, if the professor thinks you are with the time to teach, the professor may choose to teach you him/herself. Otherwise, you will most likely end up taking lessons from the professor’s graduate student.

Foreign Language: If you’ve already taken a language before, you can either choose to send in AP scores to UNT if you have that, or take a Language placement test which should be relatively easy if you’ve taken the course before. Alternatively, you can also take it as an elective 2nd semester. Keep in mind that they might only have some of the more popular languages such as Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, etc. so check the course catalog if you’re interested in a specific language.

More Maths: A chart explaining everything below can be found here: http://math.unt.edu/sites/www.math.unt.edu/files/CourseFlow2015.pdf

UNT offers a variety of higher-level math courses, way more than the normal high school does. It’s impractical to cover every caveat of upper level math – there are different courses, different professors, all of which can change each year. Because of this, you should ask experienced seniors for more detailed info on specific courses. With this in mind, here’s a general overview of taking math past cal 2.

First off, you’ll only really take them if you like math, you think it’ll be useful credits/necessary later. Some of these courses are relevant in every science field - linear algebra and multivariable calculus especially. The classes that lead out of these (see the chart), like differential equations, fourier analysis, are useful for less majors, but still needed in engineering among other majors.

Another useful branch in the chart is statistics/probability – again useful for many fields, notably finance and economics whatnot. On the other side of the chart we have real analysis. Real analysis is like your crash course into proofs. You either take this course for the prereq or to learn how to prove stuff.

After this point we dive deeper and deeper into “taking math for fun”. Following real analysis comes the whole family of number theory, abstract algebra (and abstract II), matrix theory, graph theory, and topology. Again, this branch is very pure math. This isn’t to say, however, that the other side can’t be fun – complex analysis and diff eq II can be just as interesting, and at this point you should just ask people who’ve taken the class on which to choose. And if somehow these are too easy for you, there’s always graduate algebraic topology. All in all, it’s important to figure out if and why you want to take more math, and then probably ask seniors or even math professors on what to do.

AP Credit Transfer

Starting the 2021-2022 year, TAMS will accept AP credit for several core classes. If you got an AP score of 5 on the Biology exam, you can skip Biology 1 and 2 (BIOL 1710, 1720) and take Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 (BIOL 2301, 2302). Similar rule apply to Physics C: Mech and E&M however you must receive a score of 5 on both exams to skip Physics (PHYS 1710, 2220). You are required to take two advanced Physics courses in place of PHYS 1710 and 2220. Most students take Modern Physics (PHYS 3010) as one of their courses. If you received a 5 on the Calculus AB or BC exam, you will place higher than Pre-calc (MATH 1650) regardless of how you do on your placement exam. Outside of core courses, you can use an AP score of 5, based on UNT's AP credit transfer chart, for any course which is not required in your pathway/track. As an example, if you are in a track which does not require Computer Science and you received a 5 on the AP CS A exam, you can skip Computer Science I (CSCE 1030) to take Computer Science II (CSCE 1040) as an elective. Talk to your academic counselor if you wish to utilize your AP scores.

For core classes, TAMS will NOT allow you to place out of or skip a class even if you have the corresponding AP credit. For example, if you took AP Biology and got a 5, congratulations, but you will still be required to take Biology if Biology is your selected track. For AP Calculus, your credits DO NOT determine placement in the appropriate math class. Your math placement exams are the SOLE determining factor in placing you in a TAMS math class. This means you could be placed in Pre-calc even though you’ve taken AP Calculus.

Registration

First semester registration will be handled by the amazing administration, so you don’t have to worry about it just yet. However, 2nd semester will be all up to you. Classes fill up quickly, so make sure you work out my.unt.edu before registration day. The VSB (Visual Schedule Builder https://vsb.unt.edu/vsb/​​) is a very helpful tool to use and see what classes work with your schedule. You will have to stick with the same Bio, Chem, and math professors (if you are in Pre Cal or Cal 1), but English and electives are fair game. Look up professors on RateMyProfessor, but don’t be too caught up in which professor you take (you can only really be the judge of how much you like a professor). Ask your seniors for help! We’ve been through this before, so we’ll know what to do.

Studying & Time Management

Yay, you’re in college, but it’s not all a party. You have to learn time management because there is a ton of free time at TAMS with only about 15 hours of class time a week instead of normal high school’s 35. This free time can be used productively or totally wasted, so do be cautious of what you are doing. With this being said, I am not saying to make a minute by minute schedule unless that helps you; so many things here at TAMS are determined by you and your lifestyle or personality.

One thing Dr. Gruver said to us: ​“It’s not really free time, more like unstructured time.”

It is said that for the average college course, for every one hour you are in class, you need three hours of studying. That is on average, so some class might require five hours or some might require little to none (like chemistry lab). Everyone studies differently, so try to find out what works well for you early on. Some people like to start really early, others find that they can cram all of the material in 1 or 2 days (this method is really not recommended). Hopefully you will have an idea of all the necessary things you need to do to succeed in your classes after the second exams, and then you allow for enough time for these to happen.

You’ll find a lot of an over-glamorization of pulling all nighters at TAMS. While they might work for some people, it is not a feat to be proud of. One thing that TAMS does to promote sleep and time management is cutting off the internet at 1 am. This prevents students from staying up all night and people trying to do last minute studying all night. So, if you are studying for a bio test the next day, make sure to do mastering bio first, before the internet cuts off.

Make sure to not skip class. I say this for multiple reasons. Firstly, you don’t get to learn, obviously. Secondly, if you are doing poorly, professors won’t be swayed to help you out as much if you don’t even attend their class. Thirdly, you will need recommendations for colleges, and skipping class, or sleeping/texting, does not look good.

My last thing to say regarding studying is simply be smart. You are one of 200 amazing students who got admitted to TAMS out of hundreds who applied. You do belong here at least intelligently, but don’t waste your opportunity by not trying, because there are a lot of other qualified students who would love to go to TAMS and who would work so incredibly hard, but you got a spot - make the most of it.

Closing

Our final advice to you is that TAMS is what you make of it. You can choose to be a room rat and waste away your time here holed up inside your dorm room, or you can choose to participate in events, go to GAs, talk to people, etc. and make sure your experience at TAMS is the time of your life. Personally, we’ve probably learned more about ourselves and became closer with the people here than we have for the past 17 years of our lives. We hope this guide was of some use to you, and we wish you good luck through the summer and through your junior year. We can’t wait for this upcoming year with all of you!

With Love,

Lok, Varun, Charlie, Elijah, Suvaacha, Jasmine

Your 2020-2021 Ambassadors Execs:

And a big thank you to everyone that contributed to this guide! P.S. here are some AmbassaTips that each of us have for you guys:

Jasmine: TAMS is going to give you a lot of freedom. This is both a blessing and a curse. Focus on your work, but don’t push yourself to extremes when it comes to studying, because that will ultimately hurt you a lot more. On the flip side, don’t forget to nourish the other important aspects of your life, such as your mental health and social relationships. My number one tip is to manage your time so you have a balance between working and having fun. This is something that I struggled with in the first semester however over time through experience, I learned how imperative it is to find the right balance. My second big tip is to explore as much as you can in your time here. TAMS is an interesting place as it’s a mix of college and high school, and you’re offered many more opportunities here. Find what you like to do and pursue it, whether that be sports, research, volunteering, etc. Remember to seize the moment, find the right balance between work and play, and don’t regret anything.

Elijah: TAMS is 100% what YOU make of it. There are more opportunities than any one human person could ever take advantage of during two years, and you're going to get a chance to explore as many as you want. I just want to remind y'all to never compare yourselves to your fellow classmates, and to find success on your own terms. Maybe you won't have a 4.0 for your whole two years, but you'll discover that you're a research god. Maybe you won't be a leader of a club or committee, but you'll find community service that brings you more fulfillment than anything else. My point is that there's no one path to success at TAMS - if you're happy, passionate, and committed to your life here, that's all the success anyone could ask for.

Charlie: Stress is the number one challenge at TAMS, having new independence comes with a new uncertainty over using your time wisely. While you’re pursuing your incredible academic and club related goals, it’s equally important to pay attention to your mental health. Always make sure to take time for a mental break from studying, do something you enjoy to destress yourself. Play an instrument, listen to some calming music, or even take a nap, just find a way to get your mind off the formulas for a few minutes, and come back to it with a fresh mind. Another crucial thing is to go outside for some time, don’t stay cooped up in your room all day, take a walk from time to time to get some fresh air and clear your head. As long as you don’t let the stress overcome you and maintain a calm demeanor, you’ll find success to be very achievable at TAMS.

Suvaacha: TAMS is an experience that will leave you with long lasting memories, lifelong friends, and the belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Realize that you will face challenges, be compelled to get out of your comfort zone, and try new things, but all of these give you the opportunity to find your passion, do things you would normally not do in a traditional high school, and show you that your life is much more than grades and numbers. Whether it’s research, sports, academics, or anything else, try finding something that you truly enjoy and make the best of these two years because you’ll never get them back. TAMS gives you the opportunity to explore, to discover yourself, and achieve what you want to, so don’t stress yourself out too much and have fun while also focusing on what’s important to you!

Varun: Coming into TAMS, grades and building your resume may seem like the most important things in the world. And while maintaining a strong focus on academics is important, make sure that you’re also leaving time to form friendships, as well as taking care of yourself. Over the course of the year, you’ll realize just how valuable the relationships you develop with the people around you are; it’s a really great thing to have people you can always depend on throughout your two years at TAMS. While you’re pursuing those high grades and achievements, don’t forget to take time every once in a while to enjoy what’s around you, because your most memorable experiences here will be with the people you’ll eventually call family.