What to Expect
Making an appointment
To begin the process of making an appointment, log into the Student Portal. There you will be directed to some registration paperwork, and after that is completed, you will have the option of scheduling a first-time appointment or a single session depending on the time of semester. You will receive an email confirming your appointment within one business day. If you have trouble logging in or cannot find an appointment at your preferred time, call CAPS at 979-845-4427 or email caps@tamu.edu to request help. Routinely, first-time appointments may take up to 10 business days to be scheduled. Check out resources to utilize while you wait. You can also select various workshops through the portal.
Appointments are available between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. Limited evening services are sometimes available for ongoing appointments in the fall and spring semesters.
The first appointment
During your first appointment at CAPS, the counselor will spend time unpacking what led you to schedule an appointment, along with how those concerns are impacting your life and any safety concerns for you or others. We will also invite you to discuss information related to confidentiality. We’ll spend this time learning more about you as a person and discussing best next steps to secure the support you need — whether that means continued services at CAPS or utilizing other on-campus resources at Texas A&M or in the community. This appointment focuses on resolving what we can in the short term and strategizing for sustained success. Visit our Services page to explore the various appointment types we offer.
Getting the most benefit from counseling
Personal commitment to your own growth and change is crucial to success in counseling. You can enhance your development by being open and taking risks, such as disclosing information that is difficult to talk about, and by actively participating in sessions. You can continue the counseling process between sessions by thinking about what you have talked about and experienced during sessions, focusing on the changes you want to make, and working on specific goals discussed with your counselor.
Eligibility
To receive services at CAPS, students must be currently enrolled at Texas A&M University and have paid the University Advancement Fee for the semester in which they are seeking services. During the summer, Texas A&M students who are not currently enrolled in courses can still utilize CAPS services if they were enrolled in the Spring, are enrolled in the Fall, and pay a $25 bridge charge. If you are only enrolled in one summer session, then the charge will be $12.50 instead of $25. If you meet this criteria, please fill out our Summer Services Request Form. If you have additional questions about eligibility or accessing the student portal, please give us a call.
*If you are a new incoming student, you will be able to register for our services on the first day of class. In the meantime, explore our self-help resources.
Canceling or missing appointments
Keeping appointments and being on time is part of the personal commitment to counseling you must make. If an illness or a rare emergency causes you to be unable to keep your appointment, you must contact us and cancel the appointment as far in advance as possible so that we can offer your time slot to another Aggie. Since it is not usually beneficial to engage in shortened sessions, your appointment may be rescheduled if you are late.
PLEASE NOTE
Failure to show for an appointment at the scheduled time will result in a $25 charge added to student accounts (also visible to anyone with access to a student’s account).