Anyone participated in Texas Academic Fresh Start Program?

[ZPakEffect]

I was able to do AFS with a prior degree by going through a community college after several 4-year universities turned me down.

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[Zorro2015]

I used this program in Texas and got into med school. A very difficult journey, but if anyone needs advice on this matter, send me a message.

Hi! I'm thinking about invoking the TX Academic Fresh Start and I'd like to hear what you have to say about the program. I think I know how it works by reading the threads in this forum. I'd like to know if you have any input on how medical schools look at an Academic Fresh Start candidate. Do medical schools frown upon Academic Fresh Start candidates? How was your experience? What kind of advice do you have for someone before invoking the Academic Fresh Start? Was being an Academic Fresh Start candidate mentioned in your interviews? Is the Academic Fresh Start program seen differently among TX medical schools?

 

[Zorro2015]

I applied this cycle with Academic Fresh Start and thus far have received 6 interviews from 8 TMDSAS schools applied to. My uGPA without AFS is 3.3; with AFS, it's 3.9.

You can go through a community college to get Academic Fresh Start. After your AFS is approved at the CC, you only need to take and pass one course for that semester.

Hi! I'm thinking about invoking the TX Academic Fresh Start and I'd like to hear what you have to say about the program. I think I know how it works by reading the threads in the forum. I'd like to know if you have any input on how medical schools look at an Academic Fresh Start candidate. Do medical schools frown upon Academic Fresh Start candidates? How was your experience? What kind of advice do you have for someone before invoking the Academic Fresh Start? Was being an Academic Fresh Start candidate mentioned in your interviews? Is the Academic Fresh Start program seen differently among TX medical schools? Can you apply for Academic Fresh Start if one has earned a bachelor's degree?

 

[ZPakEffect]

Hi! I'm thinking about invoking the TX Academic Fresh Start and I'd like to hear what you have to say about the program. I think I know how it works by reading the threads in the forum. I'd like to know if you have any input on how medical schools look at an Academic Fresh Start candidate. Do medical schools frown upon Academic Fresh Start candidates? How was your experience? What kind of advice do you have for someone before invoking the Academic Fresh Start? Was being an Academic Fresh Start candidate mentioned in your interviews? Is the Academic Fresh Start program seen differently among TX medical schools? Can you apply for Academic Fresh Start if one has earned a bachelor's degree?

I have applied to 9 schools this cycle (after adding UTRGV) and have received 7 interviews (just got invited to UT Austin). Obviously, invoking Academic Fresh Start has not hurt me at all. Yes, you can apply for AFS even after having earned a Bachelor's degree. I did it through a community college after several 4-year universities turned me down. AFS has not been mentioned by any of my interviewers through interviews at 5 different schools.

 

[Zorro2015]

I have applied to 9 schools this cycle (after adding UTRGV) and have received 7 interviews (just got invited to UT Austin). Obviously, invoking Academic Fresh Start has not hurt me at all. Yes, you can apply for AFS even after having earned a Bachelor's degree. I did it through a community college after several 4-year universities turned me down. AFS has not been mentioned by any of my interviewers through interviews at 5 different schools.

ZPakEffect,

Thank you for your prompt response! Could you tell me the name of the community college that accepted you under AFS? Can one only take an online course in the community college under AFS? Did you complete the 90 credits or bachelor's before applying this cycle?

 

[ZPakEffect]

ZPakEffect,

Thank you for your prompt response! Could you tell me the name of the community college that accepted you under AFS? Can one only take an online course in the community college under AFS? Did you complete the 90 credits or bachelor's before applying this cycle?

From TMDSAS:

Complete a course of study. (For TMDSAS purposes, an applicant must complete a minimum of one course in residence during the initial term of enrollment under the Academic Fresh Start provision. This term must be completed before the application deadline - October 1.)

Online courses probably will not work for AFS.

 

[esob]

From my understanding, its actually a state law, ie, state schools are legally prohibited from using your old grades against you if you have fulfilled the requirements of the AFS program. Doesn't affect private schools ofc but every med school in Tx except for I think Baylor is public.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

I was able to do AFS with a prior degree by going through a community college after several 4-year universities turned me down.

I'm a little confused. It seems that UH has a form that has written "I understand that if I currently hold a bachelor's degree I will be denied admission to UH under academic fresh start."

So you got around this by applying at a CC? Then what did you do... did you then apply to get into UH or another university?

 

[esob]

Here's a link to the actual statute: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/ED/3/A/51/Z/51.931

TBH, I don't think UH has a legal leg to stand on because subsection b clearly lists it as an entitlement, not a privilege. They also clearly fall under the heading of a "public institution of higher learning" as defined in 61.003. They could choose to deny your admission by any standard other than grades (prohibited by the statute), but if they choose to admit you, I don't see how they can legally admit you while simultaneously denying you the legal right to invoke Academic Fresh Start. If you really wanted to go to UH under AFS, I would first contact your representative and present them with this information. I've been pleasantly surprised in the past how fast giant bureaucracies fall into line when someone who is in a position to affect their funding intervenes on your behalf.

 

[ZPakEffect]

I'm a little confused. It seems that UH has a form that has written "I understand that if I currently hold a bachelor's degree I will be denied admission to UH under academic fresh start."

So you got around this by applying at a CC? Then what did you do... did you then apply to get into UH or another university?

Ummm, I never had anything to do with UH or any other 4-year university as far as AFS went. I only did AFS at a CC, period.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

Ummm, I never had anything to do with UH or any other 4-year university as far as AFS went. I only did AFS at a CC, period.

so did you invoke it after you had completed your 90 hours or before?

 

[ZPakEffect]

so did you invoke it after you had completed your 90 hours or before?

I did AFS after already having a bachelor's and already finishing all of my pre-reqs. My AFS semester was my very last post-bacc semester and consisted of a single class.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

I did AFS after already having a bachelor's and already finishing all of my pre-reqs. My AFS semester was my very last post-bacc semester and consisted of a single class.

ok.. so basically you took all the pre-reqs as a post bac and then found someplace to take one class -- and enrolled as AFS? I ask because UH won't grant AFS if one already has Bachelors degree. So I guess an option would be just to take classes a-la-carte and then enroll at some CC under AFS the semester before applying?

 

[esob]

If it were me, I would do the 1 semester of AFS first, to make sure u have it out of the way. From my experience, most schools aren't familiar with it at all. For example, I tried to do AFS at TCC (a community college) and they were like "nope" we don't do it b/c we don't even take in anything from your old transcripts, the only way we do it is if u were a student here > 10 years ago and took classes with us then. Once u have the AFS out of the way, it doesn't matter what else u do or where u take you classes

 

[Jerryp83]

I have applied to 9 schools this cycle (after adding UTRGV) and have received 7 interviews (just got invited to UT Austin). Obviously, invoking Academic Fresh Start has not hurt me at all. Yes, you can apply for AFS even after having earned a Bachelor's degree. I did it through a community college after several 4-year universities turned me down. AFS has not been mentioned by any of my interviewers through interviews at 5 different schools.

Hi, I am a returning student going to Pre-Med with UTRGV, and in the same boat as many people here (with a previous bachelor’s degree, with low GPA from the first bachelors and slowly building the GPA with As and Bs). I recently contacted the admissions office in UTRGV and they say that if I have a previous degree I wouldn’t be able to apply for this program at all Therefore my overall GPA would not be near the 3.5 even with As and Bs by the end of the Pre-Med. Can you tell me a little more as to how did you apply into the community college?
Was there a specific department that would handle this other than admissions?

 

[esob]

You basically have to find a school that will accept you under the AFS provision. Any public school will do but there seems to be a lot of latitude given to the the schools in deciding under which conditions they will accept someone. Many draw the line at a previous bachelor's, though I have no idea why (my guess is $$). Some will only allow you to invoke it at their school IF you took classes specifically at that school more than 10 yrs ago.

There are schools that will do it, you just have to call the ones around you and ask if they will take you. There is at least 1 in DFW and one in Houston, but unfortunately I can't help you out with the UTRGV area.

AFS is anything but easy, especially if you already have a degree. I think the mix of financial motives coupled with general ignorance of the program are probably the driving factors that make it so difficult. It is invaluable though if you use the 2nd chance wisely.

 

[esob]

Does anyone know if moving to Texas with poor grades from another state would be removed under AFS?

Texas AFS wipes out grades that are greater than 10 years old regardless of where they came from. I had grades wiped out from two states other than Texas when I declared AFS.