2009-2010 Texas A&M Application Thread

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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iPodtosis said:
should i submit my LoI/update letter through email or mail? and should i send it to the dean or admission in general? thanks
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i emailed an update letter to filo and got no reply or acknowledgment of the email. which was a little odd since he seemed so on top of things and engaged. maybe email the secretary or the admissions director too because he/she would be more on top of responding to emails i assume, since filo seems really busy. i sent the update letter a week after the prematch date (during which i did not receive a prematch offer). i guess now it doesnt matter so much for me since i prematched elsewhere and will not be ranking texas a&m in the match but...good luck to everyone who is still waiting!!
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roaming said:
i emailed an update letter to filo and got no reply or acknowledgment of the email. which was a little odd since he seemed so on top of things and engaged. maybe email the secretary or the admissions director too because he/she would be more on top of responding to emails i assume, since filo seems really busy. i sent the update letter a week after the prematch date (during which i did not receive a prematch offer). i guess now it doesnt matter so much for me since i prematched elsewhere and will not be ranking texas a&m in the match but...good luck to everyone who is still waiting!!
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you sent in your letter pretty early. since they have so many batch of pre-match offers, i was thinking maybe i should wait until the last batch, which was 12/21/09. is it too late to send now, have they ranked their applicants for the match yet?
 
when is the second look? i want to see the temple campus
 
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iPodtosis said:
you sent in your letter pretty early. since they have so many batch of pre-match offers, i was thinking maybe i should wait until the last batch, which was 12/21/09. is it too late to send now, have they ranked their applicants for the match yet?
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yeah, i sent it in early because i knew there were going to be at least 2 waves of pre match acceptances, and a week after the 1st wave was around thanksgiving (when i sent the letter). i was hoping to catch him before they figured out who to send the second wave acceptances to. that was my rationale. i guess it doesnt matter anymore, but it would still have been nice to receive some sort of acknowlegement of the letter such as "thank you for the update, we will add it to the file" or something of the sort.

anyways, i think that you should send it sometime around january 15th? that is when multiple prematches need to be released, and that is when schools will know how many spots to fill for match and wait list. before then is iffy since no one knows...too much after would be too late because everyone's ranked...

Good luck!! :luck:
 
helicase1 said:
is there a day for people who are not accepted?
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I just spoke to the College Station admissions office, and they said they currently did not have anything like that planned.
 
Is everything graded on an letter scale, or are there some pass/fail courses? Also, has anyone seen both simulation centers in CS and Temple? How would you compare them?
 
Hi,

I recently declined my A&M pre-match offer. Good luck to you all in the match.
 
EbolaScola said:
Is everything graded on an letter scale, or are there some pass/fail courses? Also, has anyone seen both simulation centers in CS and Temple? How would you compare them?
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They're both real neat. I saw Temple on interview day and went to the CS second look. The Temple one is bigger right now, its basically a stand alone mini-hospital attached to Temple Jr. college (i think). CS is building a standalone one with their new building, its supposed to be really nice.
 
fiat said:
They're both real neat. I saw Temple on interview day and went to the CS second look. The Temple one is bigger right now, its basically a stand alone mini-hospital attached to Temple Jr. college (i think). CS is building a standalone one with their new building, its supposed to be really nice.
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Oh really? That's awesome! Do you know when the new CS building is supposed to be complete?
 
After much thought, I had to turn down my A&M offer. I got a last minute scholarship from El Paso, so that sealed the deal. So theres at least 1 A&M seat open for the match. Good luck everybody!
 
fiat said:
.... So theres at least 1 A&M seat open for the match. Good luck everybody!
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On this note... does anyone know if A&M saves seats for the match, and if so, how many/what percent? thanks guys :)
 
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EbolaScola said:
Oh really? That's awesome! Do you know when the new CS building is supposed to be complete?
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You should see what they want the final product to look like; I've seen sketches, and it looks like a small university in itself. It won't all be COM, though, since we are a part of the larger Health Science Center at A&M. It seems like they want to ultimately make the new site in BCS the main hub of the HSC, bringing all the schools together there and having multiple COM branches (which may or may not all separate in the future, into TAMHSC-Temple and TAMHSC-Round Rock, like how UT has UT-Houston, UTSA, etc.).

But that is all long term. For now, I am looking forward to having our own building. For one, we will finally have a sense of identity. People that go the TAMU don't even know A&M has a med school. This is partly due to our school being a relatively small medical school, and partly due to our physical presence being diminished by the main campus (to be specific, the business school complex). Having our own building further away from the main school will make us stand out and be recognized. Secondly, we will have to deal a whole lot less with the main campus (we will have our own parking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, our own wifi, our own library/study area, less red-tape & fewer administrative issues, etc.) while retaining all the benefits of being at A&M (gym access, sports passes, Northgate/undergrads/non-med school peeps!). Finally, everything will be brand-spanking new! Even though I was stunned by the level of technology in the old building, I'm looking forward to the new toys.

On our student page, we have a live picture feed that updates hourly, showing us the progress of the new building. The outer-shell seems to be complete, and they should start filling up the innards soon. They had projected to complete the first phase (the COM building) in the summer of 2010, and it definitely seems like they will meet that target. Concurrently, the phase II building (Medical Research Building) is being erected quite rapidly and seems like it will be completed sooner than expected. We should be moving into the new building this summer! However, it's not just us that will be moving; we will be sharing the building with two other schools in the HSC, including the Nursing school. As a guy, I'm very excited about this...coalescing of student bodies.

Anyhoo, I'm pumped about all the progress A&M is making! I having a feeling that by the time we are done with residency, this school will be well-respected state-wide or even region-wide (we have vastly expanded our research capacity and funding over the last 10 years...something that US News seems to think is very important when they rank schools).
 
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Texan4Life said:
As a guy, I'm very excited about this...coalescing of student bodies.
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:laugh:

Anyway, A&M sounds like it's got great plans for the future! Good to hear :thumbup:

Who knows, maybe I'll be there in the fall to admire it as a med student? 6 1/2 days!
 
DrHiner said:
:laugh:

Anyway, A&M sounds like it's got great plans for the future! Good to hear :thumbup:

Who knows, maybe I'll be there in the fall to admire it as a med student? 6 1/2 days!
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I hope you do as well! I'm guessing you're waiting for the match. I was actually a waitlist-er for A&M. The day I found out about A&M was exciting; though I had to turn down some pretty good schools, my projected debt went from being $100k+ (that's with parental assistance) to...<$10k total (for personal costs, i.e. food and booze). They are talking about raising tuition about 15% to build our prestige a little by increasing the "value" of our education. It seems like most of the money will go to hiring new, more decorated faculty and to research funding and new equipment. Even with that increase, we will still be the second cheapest school in the state and, I think, third or fourth in the country (right now, we are first in the state and second in the country). Knowing that, it's pretty hard to argue against the hike. Plus, we can't rely on the governor anymore for funds (since it looks like Rick Perry may not be governor next term). It's a good thing we were able to milk him for cash while we could though; being a former Aggie, he channeled a lot of money to our school specifically.

Well, I wish you the best of luck on the match! :luck: Hang in thereee!
 
DrHiner said:
Thanks! :)

When did you get accepted off the waitlist for A&M? I assume you're MS1 currently?
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Late...real late...like I-had-plans-to-move-to-another-city-but-had-to-change-them late. I think it was during the second week of June (or around then). Haha, I forgot I was even on their waiting list. If I recall correctly, there wasn't any movement on A&M's waiting list until late May (this is what I heard from others). I definitely consider myself lucky though...I did EVERYTHING last minute. Turned in my apps on the day they were due, took the last possible MCAT, usually had the last few interview days at most schools, etc. I was utterly surprised I even received invites; in fact, I was close to pulling my application all together because I didn't think I had a shot. I am a prime example of how not to approach applying for medical school. For Texas, after the match was a bust for me, I went on the A&M waitlist (they sent a short yes/no app). I submitted another personal statement, an update of what I had been doing and awards, and 2 really strong recs. I think that helped me a ton. Point is: don't lose hope and, like I said before, just hang in there! :) Oh, and yes, I am an M1 (though it feels like I've been here forever!).
 
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Texan4Life said:
You should see what they want the final product to look like; I've seen sketches, and it looks like a small university in itself. It won't all be COM, though, since we are a part of the larger Health Science Center at A&M. It seems like they want to ultimately make the new site in BCS the main hub of the HSC, bringing all the schools together there and having multiple COM branches (which may or may not all separate in the future, into TAMHSC-Temple and TAMHSC-Round Rock, like how UT has UT-Houston, UTSA, etc.).
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Thanks, Texan4Life! Since you're already at A&M, I'm curious to know which track you picked and why. I'll have to decide soon, but I really don't understand what happens during the 3rd & 4th years. If I decide to go to Temple for 4 years, does that mean I have to do my rotations in Temple, or do I have other options?
 
Just wanted to tell you I like your name, EbolaScola :) I'm super interested in ebola/hemorrhagic fevers... though only from afar, because my husband might be a TEENSY bit pissed if I contracted it while working with it...:laugh: Anyway, cool name :)

Oh and if you do 4 years in Temple, I think you have to do your clinical rotations there. There probably are options for a few away rotations in other places; most schools offer that option at least. But don't take my word for it... that's just what I remember from the interview info they gave us.
 
DrHiner said:
Just wanted to tell you I like your name, EbolaScola :) I'm super interested in ebola/hemorrhagic fevers... though only from afar, because my husband might be a TEENSY bit pissed if I contracted it while working with it...:laugh: Anyway, cool name :)

Oh and if you do 4 years in Temple, I think you have to do your clinical rotations there. There probably are options for a few away rotations in other places; most schools offer that option at least. But don't take my word for it... that's just what I remember from the interview info they gave us.
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Haha thanks. The Scola part of my name is for one of my favorite NBA players.

If I remember correctly, during the Temple tour, they told us we could do rotations wherever we wanted, even Houston.
 
EbolaScola said:
If I remember correctly, during the Temple tour, they told us we could do rotations wherever we wanted, even Houston.
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Not sure how the away rotations work, but yes, doing your first two years in Temple only means that you're doing your first two years in Temple. Beyond that, you're not absolutely bound to Scott & White by virtue of where you spent the preceding two years; that's where your preference for 2/2 slots comes in.
 
Did anyone match here? Anyone know the chances for getting in from the waitlist?
 
looks like i'm going to be an AGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek::laugh::eek::laugh:
 
Hello fellow future classmates! It's sinking in now that I'm going to A&M! I really wish I did the second look Temple. Now I need to start planning! Apartments, when to move, fin aid, iphone/blackberry? So many things to do! LoL
 
just matched! yay!!!

...and no e-mail for me either. quick question which would all of you prefer temple or coll. station?
 
I'm going for CS 4 years but will rotate through all the sites, Corpus, RoundRock, Temple, and Houston during the clinical years.
 
I also definitely want to rotate through Houston, and maybe to one of the residency programs I am interested in my 4th year.

Still no email....anyone who just matched today heard anything? It's kind of driving me crazy! :confused:
 
I talked to Leila at the Temple Admissions Office to confirm my match (after TMDSAS saying I DIDN'T match, I later saw that I matched to A&M!), and she said that I should be receiving an e-mail and a packet in the mail in a few days.

Yay! I'm proud to be an Aggie!! Gig 'em!!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Fantastic!

Seems like everyone had issues with that TMDSAS bug this morning. I was bummed that I didn't match for about 10 minutes, but then re-checked and I'm an Aggie now! WHOOP!
 
So I just received my alternate list e-mail also.

Can someone explain to me how many people are on the waitlist? Is it pretty much everyone that interviewed that didn't get in? Is it a reasonable amount of people that they think would be put into the class if people backed out?
 
I'm OOS and was put on the waitlist. I talked to Leila and she said that residents and non-residents will never know how many people, or where they stand on the waitlist. The way she explained it to me was that it isn't really a ranked list, but they have a pool and review applicants each time spots become available. Not very informative if you ask me.
 
LD1234Him said:
I'm OOS and was put on the waitlist. I talked to Leila and she said that residents and non-residents will never know how many people, or where they stand on the waitlist. The way she explained it to me was that it isn't really a ranked list, but they have a pool and review applicants each time spots become available. Not very informative if you ask me.
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Well, honestly, what else is there to be said?
 
Got on the alternate list today too

I called this morning and they said they didn't have the alternate list, and that we'll find out the end of the week. I'm hoping that getting the e-mail today means I'm high on the list (as are all you guys!)

Orrr that's just being overly optimistic, but whatever. I need some optimism in my life at the moment
 
Congratulations to all those recently accepted! You all should be very proud of yourselves; your hard work has paid off. From what I've heard from peeps at other schools, you will be getting a quality education here at A&M, with a faculty that is truly, if not exceedingly, helpful and a student body that tends to get along. Prepare to be challenged, though!

For those of you who may have to wait a little longer, I was accepted off the waiting list so don't lose hope! Turn in an awesome LOI/PS, get some strong recs in, and let them know how productive you've been since turning in your app. Good luck to all of you! :luck: Stay strong!!

EbolaScola said:
Thanks, Texan4Life! Since you're already at A&M, I'm curious to know which track you picked and why. I'll have to decide soon, but I really don't understand what happens during the 3rd & 4th years. If I decide to go to Temple for 4 years, does that mean I have to do my rotations in Temple, or do I have other options?
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I actually attended a school in Boston (but am an in-stater). The reason I went to school there is because I wanted to get out of TX (I lived in a tiny suburb of Houston...or at least it was tiny at the time). So, when I had to pick between CS and Temple...well, I was really hoping that "air-lifting the school to Houston or Austin" would be created as an option. In the end, I picked the traditional 2+2 CS/Temple track so I, for the first 2 years, could be close to home (convenient for food and supplies, getting to see old friends and family more often, being within a couple of hours of the major cities), close to the faculty (I don't like learning from a screen, i.e. the telecasted lectures), close to/in a college town and so I can train primarily at S&W during my clinical years. But then, some people prefer not having lectures at their campus (since you feel less guilty about skipping class). For me, it was really a best-of-both-worlds situation, getting to be in a sizable town surrounded by big cities while getting the most out of my education. You just have to figure where you'll be the most comfortable, where you'll be able to maintain your sanity, and which track will be the most conducive to your learning experience. Many people say location doesn't matter, but, for me, it really does. BTW, aftering being away from TX, I realized it really is the best place in the US, if not the world, to live (thus, my username).

As for the rotations, I picked the 2+2 so I can do the majority of my training at S&W (I might be a little removed from the attendings and might have fewer opportunities to do procedures, etc., but I'll have more exposure to interesting diseases and operations and have more exposure to docs with "names."). However, you do have the opportunity to rotate at the Temple, Houston, B/CS, RR, and Corpus branches regardless of where you are, without it counting as an "away rotation." Technically, you can do the majority of your rotations at branches other than your "home" branch. It just depends on the availability at the other locations and on how much you care about moving around (keeping in mind you might not be guaranteed housing). Hope that helped!

Oh, and I just noticed your name. I'm sorry, but it's all about AB! Haha, Scola is a great player, too. I'm starting to warm up to Landry and Lowry, and I admire Battier's defense. My old roomie and I came up with a nickname for Scola when the Rockets were playing Portland in the playoffs. Oden (probably the ugliest man on the planet) was named "Pre-historic," and Scola got "Neanderthal." I really hope they can make the playoffs this season; they've been slacking lately, and the Western Conference is ridicuously competitive!

cher25 said:
Hello fellow future classmates! It's sinking in now that I'm going to A&M! I really wish I did the second look Temple. Now I need to start planning! Apartments, when to move, fin aid, iphone/blackberry? So many things to do! LoL
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I don't know about Temple, but there are A TON of housing options in College Station. Most of us prefer living in a quieter area (i.e. away from the undergraduate population), but the apartments that cater to undergrads tend to be a little cheaper, and some are very nicely appointed/furnished. The Presidio and Royal Oaks are the most popular among our class, but there are plenty of people living in duplexes, houses, or other apartment complexes. I wouldn't worry too much about finding a place, and most places are as cheap as hell (then again, anything is better than what I was paying to live in Boston). You should move in a few days before orientation week so you can get situated and so you can begin meeting your classmates. Oh, and if you live close to CS, Temple, or RR now, you'd better hit up Ashley, IKEA, or any other furniture store early in the summer (I waited to get my furniture right as I moved in, and my bedframe wasn't delivered until a month after school started...). Financial aid was a last minute deal for most people (the school is very slow on this). Only get the iPhone if you really like it. There isn't a single day where I don't want to smash mine. I don't really care about or use the apps, and it performs basic functions poorly (its browser is the best feature). I bought it because the tech guys said it would be the "most compatible" with the school's wifi. It was a big mistake, for me at least. Also, you don't really need to get the tablet the school recommends. It's hard to find a single person who didn't have problems with their HP. In fact, if they still recommend the HP to you guys, I would suggest getting a Lenovo instead. Lastly, cherish this time you have because you'll never get it back. Once you're in it, you're in it. And don't worry about med school until it starts up. Enjoy your free time!!
 
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Thanks, Texan4Life! That was some great advice! I'm thinking of doing B/CS all four years (have a child, so I don't want to move after 2 years). I'm so excited about being accepted! I can't stop smiling!!!
 
I interviewed at Temple, and was impressed by their Sim center and lab facilities. Can anyone from B/CS tell me about those facilities there?
 
skeye777 said:
I interviewed at Temple, and was impressed by their Sim center and lab facilities. Can anyone from B/CS tell me about those facilities there?
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I would dare say the facilities in Temple are nicer, but only because it's a MUCH newer building. That said, I remember the lady running the current Sim Center in CS being really excited about "the new one." I assume she was referring to a new Sim Center, which is apparently going to be three times as big, in the new building in Bryan (this is where the med school is moving this summer, I believe). As it is, however, the facilities in CS are top notch; you really can't tell, from the inside, that the current building was built in the 70s. The anatomy lab we have in CS was MUCH nicer than most of the labs I saw during interviews (mostly out of state). Though I have yet to visit the Temple campus, I really don't see how the lab there could be much better, other than it being more sparkly, I guess. If you have some time, why don't you email the Office of Admissions or Filo and set up a tour/visit? I did this when I was deciding on whether or not to accept my admission to A&M. Not only did I get to talk for 2+ hours to Filo and other administrators (I was really interviewing them), the OoA set me up with 2 second year students to give me a tour of the school. Haha, this must have won me over, considering it was already June and they went through all that trouble for me. I'm glad you're excited! Keep smiling!! :D
 
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Texan4Life said:
However, you do have the opportunity to rotate at the Temple, Houston, B/CS, RR, and Corpus branches regardless of where you are, without it counting as an "away rotation." Technically, you can do the majority of your rotations at branches other than your "home" branch. It just depends on the availability at the other locations and on how much you care about moving around (keeping in mind you might not be guaranteed housing). Hope that helped!
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So if Temple were my home branch, would I have a better chance of rotating at S&W than if CS were my home branch?

Texan4Life said:
Oh, and I just noticed your name. I'm sorry, but it's all about AB! Haha, Scola is a great player, too. I'm starting to warm up to Landry and Lowry, and I admire Battier's defense. My old roomie and I came up with a nickname for Scola when the Rockets were playing Portland in the playoffs. Oden (probably the ugliest man on the planet) was named "Pre-historic," and Scola got "Neanderthal." I really hope they can make the playoffs this season; they've been slacking lately, and the Western Conference is ridicuously competitive!
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Finally another Rockets fan! I really love the whole team (except maybe Cook :D). My favorites are definitely Landry and Lowry, but when AB's shot is on, he's unstoppable! I hope we can keep everyone next season. Did you hear about Oden's recent mishap regarding some pictures? I swear he looks like he could be LeBron's dad. He's the right age and everything. I think we'll be able to make the playoffs if Ariza figures out what he's doing. We're a pretty good 2nd half team, and we've got experience, unlike Memphis & OKC.
 
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