The Republic of Texas XXXIII: Lone Star State Pride

[Afford]

@Whatyousay If you don't mind me asking, with stats as good as yours, why do you think San Antonio didn't even offer you an interview when you were accepted into UTSW?

I think it has to do more with the school's fit because when I went to the different Texas schools, each school felt like they focused on different parts of my application. Texas A&M was big on volunteering and helping the underserved. One of my interviews was completely focused on my volunteering and hypothetical questions about how I would deal with underserved populations. I was asked nothing else about my application.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Make Or Break]

18 days left!!

 

[accueil]

Think how far we've come! Only five months ago, I was finalizing my application wondering if I'd ever make it this far into the process. This time last year I was so nervous about the MCAT and had no idea how to even think about writing my personal statement. This process is long in so many ways, but also not really when you think about it. We've all come a long way, and it's kinda crazy when you think about it. Good luck everyone!

 

[Make Or Break]

Think how far we've come! Only five months ago, I was finalizing my application wondering if I'd ever make it this far into the process. This time last year I was so nervous about the MCAT and had no idea how to even think about writing my personal statement. This process is long in so many ways, but also not really when you think about it. We've all come a long way, and it's kinda crazy when you think about it. Good luck everyone!

This.... entire process..... has made me dead on the inside..... I no longer feel emotion.....

 

[Earl Simmons]

This entire process truly tests how bad we want it. Pre-reqs that have little to do with medicine but test your determination (ex. Organic). The most grueling standardized test. More focus on activities, including volunteering, than any other graduate degree program. The application(s) itself is daunting, especially all the essays that ensure that you're suitable for medical school. We have to also interview, unlike some/most PhD/masters programs.

I don't think there's another higher education program that has so many hurdles to jump through just to be competitive, let alone to receive an acceptance.

Edit: Grammar

 

[Silverflash]

It's definitely brutal. Getting an acceptance is practically the only thing I think about anymore. I have to force myself to do things other than browse SDN and other pre-med forums to try to not obsess.

 

[Afford]

Yeah it's tough. I keep on reliving my interviews and I wonder if I said something wrong.

 

[Whatyousay]

@Whatyousay If you don't mind me asking, with stats as good as yours, why do you think San Antonio didn't even offer you an interview when you were accepted into UTSW?

Beats me. I guess they saw something in my application that suggested that I wouldn't be a good fit at their school. Even though most schools send out hundreds of IIs each year, each interview slot is still a precious commodity, so there's no point in "wasting" a slot on a candidate if you don't feel there's a reasonable chance that they would attend your institution if accepted. The general impression I got at Texas schools is that the actual interview doesn't have a whole lot of influence on your odds of acceptance unless it's really good or really terrible, so the adcom has already pretty much made up its mind before IIs go out (just speculation, I could be way off base).

Or it could just be random. Maybe the guy reading my application was just really annoyed because he stepped in dog poo on the way to work. Would have loved to interview at SA, but that's just how the cookie crumbles.

 

[Dr Granger]

Yeah it's tough. I keep on reliving my interviews and I wonder if I said something wrong.

+1

 

[Earl Simmons]

Beats me. I guess they saw something in my application that suggested that I wouldn't be a good fit at their school. Even though most schools send out hundreds of IIs each year, each interview slot is still a precious commodity, so there's no point in "wasting" a slot on a candidate if you don't feel there's a reasonable chance that they would attend your institution if accepted. The general impression I got at Texas schools is that the actual interview doesn't have a whole lot of influence on your odds of acceptance unless it's really good or really terrible, so the adcom has already pretty much made up its mind before IIs go out (just speculation, I could be way off base).

Or it could just be random. Maybe the guy reading my application was just really annoyed because he stepped in dog poo on the way to work. Would have loved to interview at SA, but that's just how the cookie crumbles.

I actually think this is true too except likely at Baylor, where they input an interview score into their algorithm to rank candidates.

 

[Make Or Break]

Like oh my gosh, only 17 days left

 

[Whatyousay]

I actually think this is true too except likely at Baylor, where they input an interview score into their algorithm to rank candidates.

Oh yeah, I totally crapped the bed when I interviewed at Baylor.

 

[Earl Simmons]

Someone needs to find a way to insert a countdown clock into here and pin it to the top.

 

[Make Or Break]

16 days left!!!! We are getting closer.

 

[Silverflash]

So, excuse my ignorance, but do schools hand out things other than acceptances during the pre-match period? I.E. do they handle it like the rest of the country does, where I can get rejections and waitlists as well? Or would I just get silence till the match?

 

[Make Or Break]

So, excuse my ignorance, but do schools hand out things other than acceptances during the pre-match period? I.E. do they handle it like the rest of the country does, where I can get rejections and waitlists as well? Or would I just get silence till the match?

You will just get silence.

 

[Silverflash]

Thanks. Not sure if that's comforting or not. On the one hand, if I just get silence, the dream is still alive for each school. On the other hand... how the hell will I survive till February without knowing?

 

[Earl Simmons]

16 days left!!!! We are getting closer.

This countdown is going to be crazy once we get to 7 days.

 

[SECrazorhogs]

I've got one more interview on Nov 22. As I understand it you can still prematch to a school even if you interview after Nov 15. This school is potentially going to be my number 1 preference. Do we have to have the rankings done before prematch starts and if a school is added during the prematch period does tmdsas reset your rankings when the new one is added?

 

[uth2017]

I've got one more interview on Nov 22. As I understand it you can still prematch to a school even if you interview after Nov 15. This school is potentially going to be my number 1 preference. Do we have to have the rankings done before prematch starts and if a school is added during the prematch period does tmdsas reset your rankings when the new one is added?

No, rankings don't matter until match. You don't need to submit them till... um, January I think? Pre-match offers are completely independant of your rankings.

 

[PreMed015]

Does anyone know which schools prematch heavily and which do not?

I recall Southwestern and UTMB pre-matching heavily from my interviews. I think for Southwestern, if you don't receive an offer on the first day, you are essentially waitlisted. What about San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock and El Paso?

 

[DirkN]

Does anyone know which schools prematch heavily and which do not?

I recall Southwestern and UTMB pre-matching heavily from my interviews. I think for Southwestern, if you don't receive an offer on the first day, you are essentially waitlisted. What about San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock and El Paso?

Not true about UTSW. Both of my friends there received their prematch offer 1 week after the first prematch date, and they interviewed early in the cycle.

 

[Silverflash]

Does anyone know which schools prematch heavily and which do not?

I recall Southwestern and UTMB pre-matching heavily from my interviews. I think for Southwestern, if you don't receive an offer on the first day, you are essentially waitlisted. What about San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock and El Paso?

Word on the street is that Lubbock is reasonably pre-match heavy, though not as much as UTSW or UTMB. Houston, I believe, is one of the more match-heavy schools and doesn't give out quite as many pre-match offers. Unsure about the other two.

 

[RedRaider11]

Does anyone know which schools prematch heavily and which do not?

I recall Southwestern and UTMB pre-matching heavily from my interviews. I think for Southwestern, if you don't receive an offer on the first day, you are essentially waitlisted. What about San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock and El Paso?

According to their website, TT Foster gave out 214 pre match offers alone last year, so for a total class size of 100.... That's a ton.

http://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/fostersom/admissions/plfsom_stats_ey_2009.aspx

 

[Make Or Break]

It's the first of November. 15 days left!

 

[Earl Simmons]

Truly, the closer we get the more painful the wait.

 

[MSUspartansx4]

I think somebody mentioned this elsewhere but it wasn't answered. Does the fact that pre-match day, November 15, falls on a Saturday change anything? It would suck if we were all checking our emails every 2 seconds that night if they're just going to wait until Monday, November 17.

 

[Afford]

I think somebody mentioned this elsewhere but it wasn't answered. Does the fact that pre-match day, November 15, falls on a Saturday change anything? It would suck if we were all checking our emails every 2 seconds that night if they're just going to wait until Monday, November 17.

One of the people at Texas A and M said that she would go in on the weekend to send out the pre-matches. This might vary from school to school.

 

[Earl Simmons]

One of the people at Texas A and M said that she would go in on the weekend to send out the pre-matches. This might vary from school to school.

I hope every school does this or, better yet, has an automated system to send them out at 12am!

 

[chijumi]

I would assume Southwestern would send things out on the 15th too just because their staff is already at the school for Saturday interviews, but that's just speculation.

 

[Afford]

I hope every school does this or, better yet, has an automated system to send them out at 12am!

Some med students at my interviews said they got theirs at 8am, not 12am, so no point in staying up all night. Although, they might not have gotten acceptances at every Texas school.

 

[Afford]

UT Houston has 2 open file interviews and I think they have access to GPA/MCAT, but I'm not entirely for sure.

 

[Earl Simmons]

UT Houston has 2 open file interviews and I think they have access to GPA/MCAT, but I'm not entirely for sure.

I still don't know this either. I've thought about it several times since my interview and nothing tipped me one way or the other!

 

[Make Or Break]

10 more days!!

 

[Earl Simmons]

10 more days!!

Now, the countdown has officially started. 10 days exactly until 8am on Nov. 15th!

 

[chijumi]

Now, the countdown has officially started. 10 days exactly until 8am on Nov. 15th!

Now we get to be obnoxious!

 

[burntorange]

Now, the countdown has officially started. 10 days exactly until 8am on Nov. 15th!

 

[Nogo]

This is how I feel for the next 10 days..

 

[Dare2Dream]

Is it common for interviewers at Texas schools to ask where else one has interviewed? Wondering if folks have experienced this during their Texas school interviews.

 

[Afford]

Is it common for interviewers at Texas schools to ask where else one has interviewed? Wondering if folks have experienced this during their Texas school interviews.

I got asked that at UTMB. I think it was a sneaky way to figure out someone's competitiveness b/c they don't know GPA/MCAT.

 

[Earl Simmons]

I got asked that at UTMB. I think it was a sneaky way to figure out someone's competitiveness b/c they don't know GPA/MCAT.

Yeah, I think that's what it is. I got asked that during both my interviews at UTHSCSA where all they have are applicants' essays. Definitely sneaky!

 

[Nogo]

Yeah A&M asked me as well. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't have told them instead

 

[chijumi]

I hate that, cause you can't lie. If you tell them it's an uncomfortable or inappropriate question/brush it off and don't give a real answer, then it leaves a bad taste in your reviewers mouth right at the end. So you have to answer truthfully, and I feel like it's none of their business: admit me based on if you want me at your school, not based on how competitive/non-competitive my other interviews are.

 

[Earl Simmons]

I hate that, cause you can't lie. If you tell them it's an uncomfortable or inappropriate question/brush it off and don't give a real answer, then it leaves a bad taste in your reviewers mouth right at the end. So you have to answer truthfully, and I feel like it's none of their business: admit me based on if you want me at your school, not based on how competitive/non-competitive my other interviews are.

EXACTLY. Whether I have all the interviews or that interview is my only one shouldn't matter. I personally wouldn't want the interviewer to know where I have interviewed because I want them to judge if I'm a good fit for their school. Where else I have interviewed has nothing to do with that assessment.

 

[Dare2Dream]

UTH, UTMB, A&M, UTHSCSA ... seems like many schools in Texas are asking this question which is both interesting and disconcerting. It introduces an unfortunate extra dynamic which an applicant has no control over.

 

[Nogo]

Well after every interview they usually have evaluation forms we fill out. Future interviewees could write that they're not comfortable being asked where else they have interviewed.

 

[PantherPride]

I hate that, cause you can't lie. If you tell them it's an uncomfortable or inappropriate question/brush it off and don't give a real answer, then it leaves a bad taste in your reviewers mouth right at the end. So you have to answer truthfully, and I feel like it's none of their business: admit me based on if you want me at your school, not based on how competitive/non-competitive my other interviews are.

I had a similar experience at a couple schools in Texas, and both times I was asked where I applied OOS (saying my stats were high enough for "top schools"). I was then asked "since I was good enough to get into those schools" why I was applying in their school. It was really uncomfortable both times but at least I was prepared to answer it the second time it happened. I'm glad many schools have mcat/gpa blind interviews because having those already affects the way an interviewer perceives you

 

[ChEMD]

I had a similar experience at a couple schools in Texas, and both times I was asked where I applied OOS (saying my stats were high enough for "top schools"). I was then asked "since I was good enough to get into those schools" why I was applying in their school. It was really uncomfortable both times but at least I was prepared to answer it the second time it happened. I'm glad many schools have mcat/gpa blind interviews because having those already affects the way an interviewer perceives you

It's a valid question though. The fact of the matter is, a school wants to know if you are genuinely interested in attending and have a decent likelihood of enrolling if you are offered an acceptance. Schools would probably prefer an applicant with lower stats who really wants to be there over someone win higher stats who would be disappointed if that was the only school they got into. Bottom line, going into interviews you should always have an answer as to why you would want to attend that specific school in addition to why you want to be in medical school at all.

 

[Silverflash]

I wasn't asked that at either UTSW or Lubbock, but I've got UTMB and UTH coming up soon so I guess I'll see. Hopefully they won't think that my getting invited to UTSW means I wouldn't come to their school, since that definitely isn't true.

 

[Afford]

It's weird because the person who asked me for my other interviews didn't even ask me why UTMB. The only Texas school that asked me was one person at Texas A and M. I feel that with the match process, everyone is just applying to these schools because he/she is a Texas resident or has strong ties to Texas and the TMDSAS app makes it easy to apply to all of the schools at once.