Howdy - Parent Account

Overview

Once authorized, parents can access their student’s academic records, financial aid, tax forms and other services by logging in to the Howdy Portal (http://howdy.tamu.edu) with their own NetID and NetID password.

Student information is protected by FERPA laws. It is up to the student to decide if they want to create a Parent Howdy account and what entitlements come with the account. A parent should never know their student's password or be logged into their account under any circumstances. FERPA laws still apply to university students under the age of 18.

Please note that parents can access student bills and pay tuition using the Bill Payment Suite (http://billpay.tamu.edu). Bill Payment Suite access must be set up separately. Instructions are available in our documentation titled Setting up Parent Access to Student Billing.

Setting Up Parent/Guardian Access to Howdy Portal

Student Authorizes Parent

Students must allow parent access to their academic records, financial aid, tax forms, and other services. To get started, the student should log in to howdy.tamu.edu with their NetID and NetID password.

1. Go to the My Record tab and locate the Parent/Guardian Access channel.
2. Click Academic Records & Campus Services to expand the menu.
3. Click on Add or Edit Access to open a new window.
4. Click Add a Parent/Authorized User Access Account.
5. Fill in the appropriate information and check the boxes beside the access you are giving your parent. Click Submit Request.
6. You will see a confirmation screen with the information you have entered. After confirming that the information is correct, click Confirm, Submit.
7. You will now be presented with a window indicating the request was successful.

Parent Creates His or Her Own NetID and Password

An email will be sent to the address provided by the student with the subject Texas A&M Parent/Guardian Access.

1. To begin activating the account, the parent should click on the URL (https://gateway.tamu.edu/activation/) in the email to claim their NetID and password.
   NOTE: The parent must claim their NetID and password by the date given in the email, or the student will have to reauthorize the parent.
2. In the window that appears, enter the token, first name, and last name as they appear in the email message. Click Log In at the bottom of the window to continue.
   NOTE: In the future, if the parent forgets their password, they will need the token ID contained in this email.
3. To set up a new parent account, click the Register a new account option. This will allow the parent to create his or her own NetID. 
   NOTE: If this is a parent’s additional account for another A&M student, click Link to your existing account. You will be asked to enter the parent NetID and password. The student’s credentials should not be entered.
4. Two additional pieces of information must be provided. These options include: Email Address, Phone Number, and Address. Click Update Entry and Continue to proceed.
5. Choose a NetID and password. After choosing, click Activate Account. If someone else already uses that NetID, the parent must choose another NetID. 
6. Once the parent account is activated (it may take up to 24 hours later), the parent can log into the Howdy Portal at howdy.tamu.edu. 
   NOTE: If you attempt to log in to your Howdy account before the account has activated, you will see the error. This is not a cause for alarm, you need only wait out the 24 hours. However, if you are still unable to login after the 24-hour period has ended, contact Help Desk Central by phone at (979) 845-8300 or by email at helpdesk@tamu.edu for assistance.  

Trouble Logging In

1. Make sure you are logging into howdy.tamu.edu and not any other website.
2. Make sure you are logging in with either your Parent Token (3PM...) or your NetID (The username you created). If you do not know your Parent Token, you can find it in the initial activation email you received when setting up the account.
3. If you are not sure of your password, you can change it at password.tamu.edu. You will need your Parent Token (3PM...) to do this.
4. If you know your NetID or Parent Token is correct, but you are still being told that your password is incorrect, perform a password flush. Go to password.tamu.edu and "change" your password to the same thing it already is.
5. If you are getting a "weird" error message, try clearing your cache and cookies.
6. If you need to reset your password but cannot find your Parent Token, see the section below titled "Lost Parent Token".

How to Edit Parent Access

1. Log in to howdy.tamu.edu.
2. Go to the "My Record" tab.
3. Find the "Parent/Guardian Access" section.
4. Click on the + symbol by "Academic Records & Campus Services."
5. Click "Add or Edit Access."
6. Click "Show/Hide Details" on the affected parent account.
7. Check and update the necessary entitlements.
8. Click "Update."

NOTE: Under NO circumstance should the parent be logging into the student's account. It is up to the student's discretion what entitlements they would like to make available to the parent.

Lost Parent Token

Your Parent Token (3PM...) is located in the initial activation email you received whenever you first set up your Parent Account, and would be from helpdesk@tamu.edu. If you no longer have this email, please contact Help Desk Central by phone at (979) 845-8300 or by email at helpdesk@tamu.edu and request that your parent token is resent to you.

Help Desk Central can resend your token to the email address that is associated with your Howdy Parent Account. Your token cannot be sent to a different email address.

Alternatively, your student can look up your token for you by following these directions:

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu with your NetID and NetID password.
2. Go to the "My Record" tab.
3. Find the "Parent/Guardian Access" section.
4. Click the + next to "Academic Records & Campus Services."
5. Click "Add or Edit Access."
6. The Parent Token (3PM...) will be displayed.

Change Parent Email/Troubleshooting Parent Token Errors

The following steps should be completed by the student, not the parent.

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu
2. Go to the "My Record" tab.
3. Select the "Parent/Guardian Access" tab.
4. Click the + by "Academic Records & Campus Services."
5. Click "Add or Edit Access."
6. Remove the account in question.
7. Add a new account. Make sure all the information is entered accurately.
8. Click "Update."

The parent will then receive an email to the new email address. The email will contain a new Parent Token and directions for creating a NetID and password. You should be able to use the same NetID you had previously, but you may need to wait 24 hours for Howdy to properly process the removed account. If you have issues with activating or logging in to your new Parent Account, try these troubleshooting steps:

Make sure you are entering your Parent Token (3PM...) in the field that is asking for your "UIN or Guest Token". Double check that you are entering it correctly.
Make sure you are entering your DOB in the format MMDDYY. The month must come first.
Try clearing your cache and cookies.

If these troubleshooting steps do not fix your issue, please contact Help Desk Central by phone at (979) 845-8300 or by email at helpdesk@tamu.edu.

Accessing 1098-T Tax Form

On the Howdy Parent portal, a parent/guardian can access their 1098-T tax forms by following the steps below:

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu with your NetID or Parent Token (3PM...) and password.
2. Click the "Parent/Guardian Access" tab at the top.
3. Select "Parent Tax Forms."

If you are not able to find the form, contact your student to make sure that they have granted you access to this information. A student can check this by following the steps below:

1. Log into your Student Howdy Portal.
2. Locate the "My Records" tab.
3. Select the "Parent/Guardian Access" section.
4. Find "Academic Records & Campus Services" and click the + icon.
5. Click "Add or Edit Access."

Meal Plan Information

To access your student's meal plan information, follow the steps below:

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu with your NetID or Parent Token (3PM...).
2. Click on the "Parent/Guardian Access" tab.
3. Locate the "Parent Campus Services" box.
4. Click on "Dining Plan Tracker."

Notes: 

If there is not a button that allows the purchase of additional dining dollars, this means that option is not available yet. It should be available after the 9th week of class.
Dining dollars are added in $25 increments.
The Dining Services department can be reached via phone at (979) 845-3005, or via email at dining@tamu.edu.