Being an ag student at a major university while maintaining horses, competing on weekends, and keeping your grades up is a specific kind of challenge. This page is for students who are living that same life — resources I've found helpful, honest advice, and a few affiliate links to gear that actually improves the college ag experience.
Why I chose it and what it's actually like in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources.
The College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources (COALS) at Texas Tech is one of the most respected ag programs in the state. I'm pursuing a degree in Agricultural Education with plans to teach — whether at the high school level through FFA or eventually at the university extension level, I want to spend my career helping the next generation connect with agriculture.
I'm also exploring a minor in either Ag Business or Ag Communication — both are genuinely useful paths. Ag Business makes sense if you're thinking ranch management or production ag. Ag Communication is a better fit if you're interested in media, marketing, or extension education — which, honestly, is where running this website fits in.
The AgEd program at TTU blends classroom coursework in education theory with hands-on animal science, plant science, and production agriculture labs. It's a real education, not just a paper degree.
Prepares students to teach ag at the secondary level with options for extension work and higher education. Strong FFA advisor pathway.
Farm management, ag finance, production economics — essential if you plan to manage a ranch operation or enter ag lending, supply, or commodity markets.
Digital media, writing, public relations, and journalism for ag audiences. Directly applicable to this website and to extension education work.
What an actual week looks like when you're a full-time student and a full-time horse person.
Most of my training happens before 7 AM. Horses are fed, feet are checked, and I can put 45–60 minutes of riding in before my first class. It's early, but it becomes a rhythm.
I put all show dates on my calendar at the start of the semester and communicate with professors during syllabus week. Most ag faculty understand the show schedule — but you have to ask early, not the day before.
Show weekends involve a lot of waiting. I keep my textbooks, notes, and laptop in the truck. Some of my best study sessions have happened sitting in a trailer at 6 AM waiting for my class to start.
The TTU ag student community is one of the best parts of the program. Finding other students who understand the horse life — and who will cover for you when you're at a show — makes everything easier.
When you're at the barn, be at the barn. When you're in class, be in class. Mixing the two — stressing about school while riding, or stressing about horses while in lecture — makes both worse.
You cannot do 5 AM barn mornings, full class days, and evening training sessions on five hours of sleep indefinitely. Protecting your sleep schedule is what makes everything else sustainable.
Things I've found genuinely useful as a TTU ag student balancing barn life and academics.
What you can do with an ag degree — and why it’s broader than most people think.
Teaching high school ag and advising FFA chapters is one of the most impactful careers in agriculture. Every FFA advisor I've had made a real difference. This is the path I'm most seriously considering.
Agriculture needs communicators who understand the industry from the inside. Content creation, digital marketing, extension media, journalism — these careers are growing and the ag industry needs people in them.
Running an operation — whether family ranch or commercial — requires business skills that aren't always taught in traditional ranch life. The Ag Business minor fills that gap directly.
The collegiate chapter connects future ag teachers and ag industry professionals. Great networking, conference opportunities, and leadership experience that employers notice.
One of the oldest and most active livestock organizations at Texas Tech. If you're an animal science or ag ed student, this is the social and professional community you want to be part of.
The ag fraternities and sororities at TTU are tight-knit communities with strong alumni networks. Many ag industry relationships start here and last decades.
Internships, research positions, and extension work are all excellent ways to build a resume while still in school. Start looking in your sophomore year — competition is real.
TTU COALS hosts career fairs where ag companies, ranches, banks, and government agencies recruit students. Show up with a resume, in good jeans and boots — not a suit.
There are ag scholarships available at every level — departmental, college-wide, and industry-sponsored. Most go unclaimed because students don't apply. Check the COALS financial aid page every semester.