****tmdsas 2014****

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I would go to Houston or Baylor.
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They're all about the same and anyone who wants to be a great dentist can do that anywhere. Talking to a small sample of folks to get a "consensus" only breeds misinformation. None of them are better, they are different.
 
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I don't think you're being misinformed if you take advice from people currently attending the program. I mean to each his own. You can personally message me if you want to know my personal reasons for not having the time of my life first year. I agree in the sense that none of them are better in generating a good dentist, but some schools are better in the quality of life you acquire while attending the program. Just my 2 cents.
 
azimmer said:
I don't think you're being misinformed if you take advice from people currently attending the program. I mean to each his own. You can personally message me if you want to know my personal reasons for not having the time of my life first year. I agree in the sense that none of them are better in generating a good dentist, but some schools are better in the quality of life you acquire while attending the program. Just my 2 cents.
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Well that's sorta my point. What you're saying is things that didn't work for you, as are others, when in science we know how important empiricism is. What we get instead is a lot of hearsay and a few personal accounts. Your words carry more weight than mine, my only hope is that the OP gets about 50 opinions. I place no value in "this school is best because this dentist said so!" What you're saying is actually relevant to the question, namely, how does a person fit in with the school?
 
azimmer said:
I don't think you're being misinformed if you take advice from people currently attending the program. I mean to each his own. You can personally message me if you want to know my personal reasons for not having the time of my life first year. I agree in the sense that none of them are better in generating a good dentist, but some schools are better in the quality of life you acquire while attending the program. Just my 2 cents.
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Can you voice your opinion of the right or wrong 'fit' at UTHSCSA for our reference, or would that put you in an awkward position?
 
I already responded to the messages in my inbox but I will just say this: I was sort of venting last week because we have so many exams this month. It isn't that bad I don't want to scare any of you from coming here. My friends at Houston and Baylor are having an easier time but that could just be due to the fact that they were more ready to start dental school than I was. I'm one of the youngest in my class so I guess I still had the undergraduate mentality entering dental school. I went to UT so I kind of went by the phrase "study hard but party harder." Lol that being said, I have really poor time management that is why this month especially has been pretty hard on me because I wait to the last minute to do everything. If you prioritize school over social activities, I can imagine that it wouldn't really be that bad. And there were weeks in like March and January where I did nothing. I won't mention any specifics but there are things about UTHSCSA that are pretty unfair but besides that it is a good school. The tuition is reasonable and you will become a competent dentist when you leave here.
 
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Any updates as far as acceptances???
 
@azimmer

I'm not sure who you spoke to at Baylor, but this semester has been pretty crazy as far as tests go (I'm a first year Baylor student). I spoke to a couple friends from Houston, and a friend of a friend who goes to SA and they all seemed to have pretty similar experiences as I have had this semester, although the San Antonio student seemed to be more relaxed. This does not mean that I think SA is easier. I think it just depends on your level of stress and your ability to cope with stress. It also depends on your ability to manage your time, stress, AND SLEEP! I feel more relaxed this semester, although most of my classmates think this semester is far more stressful/difficult. I definitely stressed myself out last semester, so I have tried to give myself more personal time to destress (even if I knew I had to study for a test I had in a day or two)....and it has worked! I guess it just depends on your study habits and your routine study schedule (I am now a test taking machine it seems, so I know when to start studying for a specific test or a series of tests).

Based on my experience, I would not agree that the students at Baylor and Houston are having an easier time (compared to SA)... In fact, Baylor has adjusted the first year curriculum to allow the D1 (becoming D2) students to take NBDE1 by this August 2014. I believe the course load was subsequently increased slightly in order to fit in all the required courses that are covered on NBDE1.

So far I have probably had something like 30 Exams this semester, maybe 7-8 practicals, and 12-13 or so quizzes. Exams started by the end of January and have been fairly constant since. We typically get 2-3 exams per week, with practicals and quizzes randomly distributed throughout the semester. There was only one week this semester with no exams (though we had 2 quizzes that week). On the other hand, we had one week with 4 Exams, and 2 practicals. This doesn't even count our biweekly EBD assignments and presentations and other homework assignments. The thing that stresses me out the most is not being able to study during the 15 hours/week of operative lab or other labs (especially if they are the morning of the test). Last semester I had 50 Exams/Practicals by the time the semester was done. I guess by the way you make it seem, you had a drastically low number of exams in january and february and now you're getting slammed, though I do think Baylor could do a better job at spacing out exams (i.e., having more weeks with 2-3 exams, rather than more weeks with 1 exams followed by a week with 5 exams.

My point being, I'm pretty sure we are all getting our fair share of exams :)
 
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Applications open in 2 days!! I am nervous!!!!!
 
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Someone needs to make TMDSAS 2015 already. lol.
 
I have everything ready except 1 LOR from a science professor, who told me he would write one but now I cant get a hold of him. I'm going to have to stalk him until I get one :) Also Im thinking about the academic fresh start program in Texas since my grades in my undergrad were pretty bad and I have since retaken all my prereqs. It would only benefit me to go that route. I need to go talk to an advisor at UNT about it asap.

Anyone gone through the process of the "Fresh start program"?
 
if i'm not a texas resident, should i bother applying?
 
@fatboy123

actually this is from the Baylor website

Out-of-state applicants have three options. They may apply through the TMDSAS, through the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) or with the Baylor College of Dentistry application packet available on-line at: Procedure for Application.
Please note: Out-of-state applications who apply through the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) MUST also submit the Baylor College of Dentistry application.
If you have further questions you may contact the Office of Recruitment and Admissions by email [email protected] or by telephone at (214)828-8231.

source:http://bcd.tamhsc.edu/admissions/ddsadmissions.html
 
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pwr_wrx said:
@fatboy123

I think you apply via AADSAS? since you are out of state and their applications don't open until ~June 1st? Im not 100% sure so don't quote me on it but that's what it seems like would be the process.
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100% correct.
 
I plan on applying to the 3 Texas schools via AADSAS. It appears each school takes no more than 10 OOS students per class. I have solid stats (3.81 GPA, 26/26/22 AA/TS/PAT) and have ties to the state (Go to school here, was born here). Do you think these ties to the state of Texas will benefit me as an OOS applicant?
 
tcufrof824 said:
I plan on applying to the 3 Texas schools via AADSAS. It appears each school takes no more than 10 OOS students per class. I have solid stats (3.81 GPA, 26/26/22 AA/TS/PAT) and have ties to the state (Go to school here, was born here). Do you think these ties to the state of Texas will benefit me as an OOS applicant?
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That 10 number is more like 3-4 per school, and some schools have been taking 0 OOS the past few years. It's like 10-15 total out of the 300 taken. Your odds are simply terrible. Furthermore, Baylor's OOS folks are often from their post-bacc auto-admission program. Then there's the Arkansas people, who have a deal with some schools in-state. So...I would estimate the true number of traditional OOS students to be 10 total for the entire state.

That being said, those things might help you, but who really knows? I'm just trying to be realistic. My stats were, well, about as good as humanly possible, but I knew I had virtually no shot without residency.

FWIW, why are you not a Texas resident?
 
Illfavor said:
That 10 number is more like 3-4 per school, and some schools have been taking 0 OOS the past few years. It's like 10-15 total out of the 300 taken. Your odds are simply terrible. Furthermore, Baylor's OOS folks are often from their post-bacc auto-admission program. Then there's the Arkansas people, who have a deal with some schools in-state. So...I would estimate the true number of traditional OOS students to be 10 total for the entire state.

That being said, those things might help you, but who really knows? I'm just trying to be realistic. My stats were, well, about as good as humanly possible, but I knew I had virtually no shot without residency.

FWIW, why are you not a Texas resident?
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Yeah I figured it's a long shot, but I really like living in Texas so I plan to apply anyway. I thought about changing my residency to Texas, but I decided I wasn't 100% committed to switching. That would have eliminated almost all chances of me getting into my state school (Nebraska).
 
tcufrof824 said:
Yeah I figured it's a long shot, but I really like living in Texas so I plan to apply anyway. I thought about changing my residency to Texas, but I decided I wasn't 100% committed to switching. That would have eliminated almost all chances of me getting into my state school (Nebraska).
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Residency for education purposes isn't just "changed" unless you have parents here or work here. I understand Nebraska is also very tough OOS. Best of luck in the upcoming cycle.
 
Illfavor said:
Residency for education purposes isn't just "changed" unless you have parents here or work here. I understand Nebraska is also very tough OOS. Best of luck in the upcoming cycle.
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Yeah I worded that wrong. I meant that I looked into applying for residency in Texas, and some of the requirements would have been difficult to meet so I decided not to pursue it. Thanks man and congrats on getting accepted!
 
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tcufrof824 said:
Yeah I figured it's a long shot, but I really like living in Texas so I plan to apply anyway. I thought about changing my residency to Texas, but I decided I wasn't 100% committed to switching. That would have eliminated almost all chances of me getting into my state school (Nebraska).
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With your stats, Creighton is a definite reality as well! Staying with the husker vibe, that is.
 
Hey guys! Quick question. On TMDSAS, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to organize my shadowing experiences. I've shadowed in different states, so should I add two separate healthcare activities sections? One for the shadowing in GA and the other for the shadowing in TX? Also for the description box, do we clump up all of the procedures we've seen and the doctors we've shadowed? Or do we add a new healthcare activity section for each shadowing activity with different dentists? Please help!
 
sebared said:
Hey guys! Quick question. On TMDSAS, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to organize my shadowing experiences. I've shadowed in different states, so should I add two separate healthcare activities sections? One for the shadowing in GA and the other for the shadowing in TX? Also for the description box, do we clump up all of the procedures we've seen and the doctors we've shadowed? Or do we add a new healthcare activity section for each shadowing activity with different dentists? Please help!
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Two separate healthcare activities. I did three different shadowing, and added them all separately. For each one, I describe what I did in that office. Some offices I get to observe root canals as oppose to others. This is my opinion.
 
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BabyShades said:
Two separate healthcare activities. I did three different shadowing, and added them all separately. For each one, I describe what I did in that office. Some offices I get to observe root canals as oppose to others. This is my opinion.
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Thank you @BabyShades! Much appreciated. Also, another question came to mind. Would research journal editor go under research activities or leadership?
 
sebared said:
Thank you @BabyShades! Much appreciated. Also, another question came to mind. Would research journal editor go under research activities or leadership?
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I'm 99% sure you can throw it down on both, thereby killing two birds with one stone.
 
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