Fast Track Program
Introduction
Studies show that you are more likely to get better grades, stay in engineering, and get better, higher paying jobs if you have enhanced study skills before starting college and if you understand how your engineering degree can be used. To help you along the road of success, the Whitacre College of Engineering offers the Fast Track Program at Texas Tech.
What is the Fast Track Program?
The Fast Track Program provides study skills training, academic preparation training, tutoring, mentoring, and other academic support services. After completing the Fast Track Program, we believe that you will have an academic foundation and the confidence to succeed in engineering.
The focus of the program is a concentrated math review course that begins one week before the fall 2013 semester begins. Mentoring and academic support opportunities will continue through the fall semester with the support of peer mentors.
Participants have the opportunity to move in early to the residence halls on Saturday, August 17 or Sunday, August 18. The first activity is the Welcome to Fast Track reception on Sunday, August 18 from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Parents and siblings are invited to attend.
The program consists of a basic math concepts review, combined with hands-on learning experiences, to show how math is fun and a critical component of all aspects of engineering. In the past, more than 80% of participating students were eligible for Calculus I at the completion of the week-long course. The total program cost is $640, including a non-refundable deposit of $175. $465 will be added to the student's fall semester tuition bill at the beginning of the program.
Who Should Apply?
PreEngineering Students
For students in PreEngineering, completion of 12 hours, including Calculus I, while maintaining a GPA more than 2.5 will help you qualify to be a Foundational Curriculum1 student. As an added benefit, completion of our Fast Track Program will allow you to qualify2 as a Foundational Curriculum student without having to complete the 12 hour requirement. More than 50% of students who participated in a similar program in the past completed Calculus I after their first semester at Texas Tech. This program can put you on the fast track through PreEngineering and toward completion of the Foundational Curriculum.
Foundational Curriculum Students
For Foundational Curriculum students who have not yet completed Calculus I, the math review course and academic support services provided by the program can help to build a foundation of success in Calculus I and other engineering courses. More than 50% of students who participated in a similar program in the past completed Calculus I after their first semester at Texas Tech. This program can put you on the fast track to completion of the Foundational Curriculum.
Questions
Take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about the program.
Application
To know if this program is right for you, take the Texas Tech Math Placement Exam now. If you score a 4, 5, 6, or 7, the Fast Track Program may be right for you. Complete the application on the Fast Track Application page.
1The Foundational Curriculum at Texas Tech consists of 24 hours of courses common to all degree programs. The Foundational Curriculum requirements must be completed before entry to a degree program, while maintaining a minimum GPA. (2.75 for Mechanical Engineering majors, 3.0 for Petroleum Engineering majors and 2.5 for all other Whitacre College of Engineering majors.) Timely and successful completion of Foundational Curriculum courses ensures that students will graduate on time.
All new admissions to the Whitacre College of Engineering initially work to complete a foundational curriculum consisting of English I, English II, Calculus I, and Calculus II plus two science courses and a first engineering course that vary among the engineering degree programs. The foundational curriculum is supplemented with courses from the university core curriculum and first general engineering courses (statics, thermodynamics, circuits, and materials science) to provide the opportunity for full course loads and scheduling flexibility.
2 To qualify as a Foundational Curriculum student through the Fast Track Program, you must satisfy each of the following requirements:
- Earn a grade of "B" or better in ENGR 1106
- Score a "7" on the Texas Tech Math Placement Exam
If you have questions, email FastTrack.coe@ttu.edu.