The Republic of Texas XLII: You Don't Just Move Into Texas, It Moves Into You

[texasvandy]

They do, and there are several more in Texas aside from the 2 which are represented at the virtual fair today.
I don’t have a good list of all of them right now but it’s something I can work on later.

Any reason why UNT is seems to be the most targeted? It feels like most people with an MS graduating from med schools in Texas get theirs from UNT.

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[wysdoc]

Any reason why UNT is seems to be the most targeted? It feels like most people with an MS graduating from med schools in Texas get theirs from UNT.

Because TCOM is a 1-year program, its graduates are successful, and it has both an in-person and online option.
There’s no direct linkage to TX schools or guaranteed interviews.
TCOM quotes a success rate (to gain admission to MD or DO schools) for those who complete the SMP as >80% for in-person graduates and approx 50% for online graduates.
Attending in person, engaging with your instructors, and finding friends to study with
really makes a difference.

 

[texasvandy]

Because TCOM is a 1-year program, its graduates are successful, and it has both an in-person and online option.
There’s no direct linkage to TX schools or guaranteed interviews.
TCOM quotes a success rate (to gain admission to MD or DO schools) for those who complete the SMP as >80% for in-person graduates and approx 50% for online graduates.
Attending in person, engaging with your instructors, and finding friends to study with
really makes a difference.

Foster residency match video was listing a bunch of people with MS and most are UNT grads. I know one other A&M graduating student personally who probably was in the same class of ex UNT MS students from Foster.

 

[chamomile.tea]

Just to add if this is helpful to anyone regarding the post-bacc discussion, ^^ . Besides the official post-baccs listed on that page, there are multiple MS programs in Texas. This link from UT lists several post bacc and MS programs in and out of state:

GPA Boost & Post-Bacc Options

Information about post-baccalaureate and after-degree options for students who need a higher grade point average for professional school

healthprofessions.utexas.edu

The link above does not include the 1-2 year MS programs at Long (Programs | Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences) and TAMU (Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences < Texas A&M Catalogs < Texas A&M University, College Station, TX). Long has many master's programs, so read through and see which are geared towards people interested in medical school and which ones are not. I think the "Cell Systems and Anatomy" and "Immunology and Infection" are popular for pre-meds (but that's just what I've gathered from talking to ppl, don't quote me on that).

I have been told by multiple people that you can also enroll in additional semesters after graduating at your undergrad institution to bring up your undergrad GPA. However, this is very dependent on your circumstances. If your grades were just lower during a specific 1-2 semesters, this could be an option if you are trying to establish a stronger upward trend. For this to be successful, you would need to enroll in several challenging upper division science courses and be confident that you are going to get As them. (I ended up doing this - and I think it helped my application!)

MS programs will NOT bring up your undergrad GPA, but they DO provide you with connections and counseling that can help you get into med school. When I talked to a representative from the TAMU program (that i linked above), she told me that almost the entire class had gotten into at least one med school the year prior. As for why the UNT program is so popular, I think it has to do with the networking and mentoring. One of my ex coworkers did that program and she told me that she felt a lot more prepared to re-apply bc of the advice and soft skills she was taught, and she felt more confident navigating the application.

If your undergrad has pre med advisors, it can be very helpful to ask them what the best direction is for you when deciding between post bacc vs master's vs just enrolling in more classes postgrad!! I think that decision is very dependent on your specific situation and what you are trying to rectify on your application.

 

[velvetcoffee]

I am confused. Do I have to do anything with AMCAS if I am staying with my TMDSAS school? I did have OOS acceptances but I declined them with the schools individually. Do you still have to “choose your school” on AMCAS? If you don’t does it drop your TMDSAS offer? I haven’t opened AMCAS for months.

 

[wysdoc]

I am confused. Do I have to do anything with AMCAS if I am staying with my TMDSAS school? I did have OOS acceptances but I declined them with the schools individually. Do you still have to “choose your school” on AMCAS? If you don’t does it drop your TMDSAS offer? I haven’t opened AMCAS for months.

Please ask your school directly
Does a person still need to bother with that CYMS tool if they are a Texan and only hold one acceptance at present?
I don’t know the answer to that!

 

[Rite1234]

I am confused. Do I have to do anything with AMCAS if I am staying with my TMDSAS school? I did have OOS acceptances but I declined them with the schools individually. Do you still have to “choose your school” on AMCAS? If you don’t does it drop your TMDSAS offer? I haven’t opened AMCAS for months.

I plan to do it, but I also haven't dropped my OOS As yet.

 

[velvetcoffee]

Please ask your school directly
Does a person still need to bother with that CYMS tool if they are a Texan and only hold one acceptance at present?
I don’t know the answer to that!

I guess the safer option is to just do it anyways lol. I think they have a Texas school option 🤷‍♀️

 

[velvetcoffee]

I plan to do it, but I also haven't dropped my OOS As yet.

Did you do the plan to enroll then?

 

[Rite1234]

Did you do the plan to enroll then?

I plan to do the Plan to Enroll next week and drop my OOS As. The thing due today is just narrowing down to 3 As + WLs which I have already done.

 

[texasvandy]

I plan to do the Plan to Enroll next week and drop my OOS As. The thing due today is just narrowing down to 3 As + WLs which I have already done.

I asked this question earlier and I think @wysdoc said it is a suggestion to narrow down to 3 but not a must action.

 

[texasvandy]

I guess the safer option is to just do it anyways lol. I think they have a Texas school option 🤷‍♀️

If you have only one school with no waitlists, you can CTE anytime.

 

[texasvandy]

Which all have in person interviews - UT Tyler, UT Rio Grande, EnMed - anyone else?

 

[stere0psis]

Which all have in person interviews - UT Tyler, UT Rio Grande, EnMed - anyone else?

SHSU also

 

[wysdoc]

SHSU also

And Texas Tech El Paso and UIWSOM

 

[villain-cold]

And Texas Tech El Paso and UIWSOM

El Paso was virtual this year but had an optional in person tour

 

[ItsNotOgreYet]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

Welcome to the forums.

It's hard to give specific advice if we don't know what you trying to negotiate. Where do you need more money to support you? (Don't answer; we don't want to have you disclose anything personal, so I'm just bringing questions to consider).

Everyone is trying to reduce debt. Has their financial aid office given suggestions of other scholarships to consider? Have you tried your church/house of faith/workshop, local community club (Kiwanis or similar), corporations? Some mentoring organizations will give some "book money" scholarships (like $1k-2k), but that's not going to make a huge dent in the debt number.

You also may be eligible for scholarships once you begin to perform academically as a medical student. The FA office should be helping you look out for those.

Pitch: there is a section in Becoming a Student Doctor that lists resources regarding financial aid, including those from Muslim backgrounds who are heavily concerned about incurring debt.

 

[Sandman23]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

If you already got full tuition + fees, are you seeking more aid to cover the rest of COA?

 

[txapp913945]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

Can I ask which school this is at?

 

[IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

If you've got tuition + fees covered you should be able to afford being a student with federal direct unsubsidized loans that will cover the rest of your Cost of Attendance. E.g. CoA = 20,000 that goes directly to tuition and fees + 35,000 in other costs. You'd only be able to take out loans for 35,000 which falls within the 40,500 limit for unsubsidized loans (health professions students get another 20,000 on top of the normal 20,500 limit).

Direct unsubsidized loans have a more favorable interest rate than grad PLUS loans, and are eligble for tons of income-based repayment plans as well as loan forgiveness plans like PSLF, etc. Private loans (afaik) do not have any of these options, however they may actually have lower interest rates - and some have repayment grace periods, although they are almost universally advised against for various reasons.

Outside of other extenuating circumstances you will be in a great financial situation compared to many of your fellow students in Texas, and a much better situation compared to med students across the US.

^What my research so far has yielded trying to figure all this stuff out for the upcoming year, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC]

Does anyone have experience or advice for negotiating scholarships/aid without any other offers? I am fortunate to have received a full tuition + fees merit-scholarship from my school, but I did not apply OOS so I have no other offers to leverage. I feel lucky to be in a great spot already but anything to reduce debt would be an amazing cherry on top. I have yet to receive a financial aid package, but from my understanding the financial aid is going to consist of loans (not sure if merit aid or grants are possible, but I am not counting on it).

To actually answer your question though, what Mr. Smile said.

Also, there will probably be scholarship applications soon at your school for specific scholarships/grants.

P.s. congrats on the tuition + fees, that's awesome!

 

[texasvandy]

Very hard to get more than tuition and fees at most schools including those that give free financial aid money such as the Ivies. They have always had a required loan amount that was called unit loan that was equal to costs outside of the tuition/fees that was required to be borrowed by the students which amounted to 25-30k. Rest of the financial aid was mostly tied to parental income and assets. Lately some schools like Columbia and Cornell are reducing that unit loan burden down to almost zero if the parental income is less than 115k or something.

The expectation is that doctors will make enough money to be able to carry 150k in loans to be paid off. This same thought process is carried over to most state schools that are trying to reduce the cost of attendance.

 

[ItsNotOgreYet]

If you already got full tuition + fees, are you seeking more aid to cover the rest of COA?

Yes, I was just wondering if this is possible/probable or not worth seeking, and from everyone's replies I think there are many great ways other than asking the school to help supplement the COA.

 

[ItsNotOgreYet]

Can I ask which school this is at?

I will DM you

 

[2023applicantxd]

I will DM you

We already saw it

 

[cranberrylimeade]

Did anyone who had to choose between As ever feel 100% sure? I feel mostly confident in one school but every time I go to finish my email declining my other, I doubt myself. SOS 😭

 

[wysdoc]

Did anyone who had to choose between As ever feel 100% sure? I feel mostly confident in one school but every time I go to finish my email declining my other, I doubt myself. SOS 😭

when's your deadline? Make sure or the choice will be made for you

 

[cranberrylimeade]

when's your deadline? Make sure or the choice will be made for you

April 30 for both 🤘🏼

 

[Rite1234]

Did anyone who had to choose between As ever feel 100% sure? I feel mostly confident in one school but every time I go to finish my email declining my other, I doubt myself. SOS

I mean, I really struggled between ranking UTMB and McGovern. I wasn’t 100% sure then and I won’t know if I made the right decision until after 4 years. I think it’s okay if you are not 100% sure though.

 

[kaitruns]

Did anyone who had to choose between As ever feel 100% sure? I feel mostly confident in one school but every time I go to finish my email declining my other, I doubt myself. SOS 😭

yeah. I've got two emails in my drafts and I know which one to send but my stupid brain won't let me press the button.

 

[texasvandy]

yeah. I've got two emails in my drafts and I know which one to send but my stupid brain won't let me press the button.

Did you get any money from the OOS schools?

 

[jack lock]

Dont know if this was posted but found a link that shows # of waitlist positions and number of ppl taken off of it

https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/7056/download

 

[wysdoc]

Texas Roundup: April 20, 2024: Baby Steps
Texas Roundup posts are where I list all the new regular admissions, WL admissions, and the withdrawals that I see from Texas-school SDN members.

WL action usually starts out slowly and picks up a lot in May, wrapping up for Texas by early to mid-June.
Newly vacated spots in Texas schools are mainly created when a currently accepted person leaves in favor of an OOS school, or can't start school as expected this year for a variety of reasons. Later on, vacated spots might be created from Texans moving up to a preferred school from their current school.

Today's post will include all the WL offers SDN members have shared from Match Day (February 16, 2024) to today. I will also list spots that opened up due to withdrawals that I know about.

After this, the Roundups will be just what's been posted since the prior Roundup. This is just for fun and I can only see what people share on SDN. Reasonably verifiable sources only - you, your friend, your relative. No FOAF or "Saw somebody somewhere say it on Reddit" sources.
I don't have any insider source. I'll say IS or OOS if I know.

Disclaimers out of the way, let's rodeo!
February 2024
2 TCOM offers of admission from WL
1 A&M offer of admission, OOS

March 1-12 2024
7 UIWSOM offers of admission
1 UTSW offer of admission from WL, IS

Up for Grabs Again:
1 of the UIWSOM offers above was declined, IS
1 spot relinquished at UTSW, IS

March 23-29 2024
2 SHSU offers of admission from WL
2 UIWSOM offers of admission (OOS)
1 UTSW offer of admission from WL, IS

Up for Grabs Again:
1 spot relinquished at Texas Tech El Paso, IS

April 5-17 2024
1 TCU offer of admission from WL, OOS, deciding
1 UTMB offer of admission from WL

Up for Grabs Again
1 spot relinquished at UIWSOM, IS
1 spot relinquished at Texas Tech Lubbock, OOS
1 spot relinquished at TCU

 

[astridase11]

So if I’m relinquishing an acceptance, do I just email the schools office of admissions. I looked in the portal of that school and didn’t see any specific instructions. Sorry, just nervous lol thank you 🙏🏼

 

[jack lock]

So if I’m relinquishing an acceptance, do I just email the schools office of admissions. I looked in the portal of that school and didn’t see any specific instructions. Sorry, just nervous lol thank you 🙏🏼

Yep, just say you thank them for the opp. but are formally withdrawing ur app. At least, that is what I did for one of my OOS schools

 

[happy&hungry]

Because TCOM is a 1-year program, its graduates are successful, and it has both an in-person and online option.
There’s no direct linkage to TX schools or guaranteed interviews.
TCOM quotes a success rate (to gain admission to MD or DO schools) for those who complete the SMP as >80% for in-person graduates and approx 50% for online graduates.
Attending in person, engaging with your instructors, and finding friends to study with
really makes a difference.

i agree! to add: the program has been around a good while and is well-known and well-respected by TX adcoms.

I did the UNTHSC MS program (aka MedSci) and it made a huge difference on my app as my uGPA was nothing to be excited about lol. doing well in the program shows med schools one can handle+thrive in a rigorous curriculum, it got me some fresh science professor rec letters, and (most importantly!) it reignited my academic self-confidence heading into med school after taking some gap years to work. def recommend MedSci if you have a uGPA that you feel doesnt accurately represent your abilities

Tech and A&M have similar programs for anyone looking into it.

 

[wysdoc]

So if I’m relinquishing an acceptance, do I just email the schools office of admissions. I looked in the portal of that school and didn’t see any specific instructions. Sorry, just nervous lol thank you 🙏🏼

That's right-

 

[RoamingTexan]

Did anyone who had to choose between As ever feel 100% sure? I feel mostly confident in one school but every time I go to finish my email declining my other, I doubt myself. SOS 😭

I don't know if it's possible to ever be 100% between two good choices. For myself, after I weighed every pro and con for what seemed like forever, I decided to commit fully to my top choice and not look back.

 

[kcblazers19]

Praying for a lot of WL movement this year 🤲🏽

 

[wysdoc]

Texas Roundup: April 29, 2024

April 18 - 24 2024
1 UTMB offer of admission from WL
1 TCU offer of admission from WL

Up for Grabs Again:
1 spot relinquished at SHSU

April 26 - 28 2024
1 UTRGV offer of admission from WL, OOS (deciding)
1 UIWSOM offer of admission from WL
1 UTMB offer of admission from WL IS

Up for Grabs Again:
1 spot relinquished at Lubbock, OOS
1 spot relinquished at El Paso, OOS
2 spots relinquished at Long, (1 OOS, 1 IS)
1 spot relinquished at Baylor, IS
1 spot relinquished at A&M


Remember, all those relinquished (withdrawn) spots will turn into a WL offer for somebody in the near future.
The AMCAS decision guideline date of April 30 will yield some more spots by people currently holding a place in Texas who choose to go OOS or to move up to another school in TX.

 

[jack lock]

Whenever MSAR says like 20-25 ppl get off the waitlist, it doesnt mean they offered that many acceptances off the waitlist cause I was thinking that ppl on the waitlist could decide to decline those offers if their satisfied w their current option. So that means the # of WL offers is higher, right?

 

[wysdoc]

Whenever MSAR says like 20-25 ppl get off the waitlist, it doesnt mean they offered that many acceptances off the waitlist cause I was thinking that ppl on the waitlist could decide to decline those offers if their satisfied w their current option. So that means the # of WL offers is higher, right?

The number is offers, not acceptances.
In your example some of those 20-25 offers are turned down

 

[jack lock]

The number is offers, not acceptances.
In your example some of those 20-25 offers are turned down

Gotcu, ty for the clarification

 

[optimisticdocc]

Just to clarify, if I only have one acceptance and it is to a TMDSAS school and am on the WL for another TMDSAS school, I don't need to do anything on AMCAS CYMS for tomorrow's deadline?

 

[wysdoc]

Just to clarify, if I only have one acceptance and it is to a TMDSAS school and am on the WL for another TMDSAS school, I don't need to do anything on AMCAS CYMS for tomorrow's deadline?

You could select PTE to your accepted school, which will allow you to stay on the WL for the other TMDSAS school until May 15th.
See if your accepted school gives any rules on when they want your commitment, as the individual rules will supersede the AMCAS guidelines.

 

[mindresolve]

Can someone explain what’s the point of amcas cyms? Is it required?

 

[Rite1234]

Can someone explain what’s the point of amcas cyms? Is it required?

I think it is more so for OOS schools to know if you are still interested in them/to know if you want to go to their school. My TMDSAS school that I have an A for straight up told me they have no school-specific guidelines for CYMS/AMCAS. I am still doing PTE (and eventually CTE) just in case though.

 

[medguy0824]

I think it is more so for OOS schools to know if you are still interested in them/to know if you want to go to their school. My TMDSAS school that I have an A for straight up told me they have no school-specific guidelines for CYMS/AMCAS. I am still doing PTE (and eventually CTE) just in case though.

yeah there seems to be no reason to not choose PTE first, if you have an acceptance

 

[mindresolve]

I just don’t want to loose my wait list spot