2012-2013 Texas A&M Application Thread

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They interview once a week on thurs I believe. Someone correct me if I am wrong

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How Exciting! Congrats!
I think I need to send a letter of interest to Filo as well...
I have 3 degrees from the A&M System and I havent received an II from TAMHSC 🙁
which is a little disappointing.... If accepted to TAMHSC I would definitely attend, with or w/out scholarship offers!
What is the best way to put it tho w/out sounding desperate?!
Anyone who has written a successful letter of interest please feel free to jump in! :luck:

What are your degrees? And I think letters of interest can be helpful if they are genuine and they have some relevant update info on what you've been up to since applying. Definitely don't make it sound like you're going through a checklist on what you're including in your letter. Also, I don't know when they're going to finish sending invites, but it would be good to get in your letter sometime this week.
 
I interviewed here on 12/13 and absolutely loved it! A&M is definitely my #1 choice (although, part of this probably has to do with the fact that this is the one and only interview invite I've received :laugh:)

I thought this place had a really laid back and familial culture. The curriculum is fantastic (it strikes the right balance between the orthodox, modular approach of learning a couple of the basic science subjects at a time and the newer emphasis on integrating basic sciences with clinically relevant material early on). Temple is a really quaint town but I think it'd be great for me as I'd be much less likely to get distracted here than in a bigger city.

I loved the way Leila broke down the pros and cons of each campus. I thought she did a really fantastic job and it'll make my job of choosing that much harder. I had a faint idea that I'd like to do CS/Dallas as my first choice, but I thought Leila did great job of emphasizing the strengths of doing all 4 years at Temple (for example).

Anyways, this is all probably moot because the probability that I'll be accepted to any medical school given that I've only received one interview invite is so astronomically low that I've sort of given up hope this year 🙁, but I'm used to disappointment so this is nothing new. I'll come back stronger 2 years from now and apply again. If that doesn't work? I'll come back stronger 1-2 years from then and apply again.

But, you know, all in all I have to say I really appreciate the fact that I at least have a chance somewhere. It's an absolute dream come true for me. It quite literally brought tears to my eyes (in fact the day I received the phone call that I had been invited to interview, I was heading home from work and had to pull over because I just couldn't stop crying (tears of joy! 🙂)

Anyways, best of luck to all of you going through this process, and congratulations to those holding pre-match offers of acceptance (here at A&M or any Texas medical school)!
Congrats and stay persistent. Would you mind sharing your stats?
 
What are your degrees? And I think letters of interest can be helpful if they are genuine and they have some relevant update info on what you've been up to since applying. Definitely don't make it sound like you're going through a checklist on what you're including in your letter. Also, I don't know when they're going to finish sending invites, but it would be good to get in your letter sometime this week.

Thank you for your input BigTruckGuy,

I have a BS in Biomedical Science and a BA in Psyc and Span from Texas A&M University.
I have an MPH in Hlth Policy & Mgmt from A&M's School of Rural Public Health.

As to what I've been up to since applying, Ive been working as a Patient Advocate in an agency (which I mentioned in my app) and I've also been completing a public health online course through Harvard School of Public Health (which is free and so much fun and I'll receive a certificate of completion when done in 3 weeks; and this I didnt mention in my app)

Im planning to send the letter tonight for A&M's admission (Filo) to read in the morning.

Thoughts?
 
Congrats and stay persistent. Would you mind sharing your stats?

Sure 🙂

I graduated Phi Beta Kappa/Phi Kappa Phi with a dual B.S. (Biochemistry and Neuroscience) from UT Austin. Cumulative GPA = 3.86. Science GPA = 3.91. Pre-med requirements GPA = 4.0
MCAT = 33R.

I dabbled a bit in research (one summer's worth of research experience in our Chemical Engineering department, and a semester's worth of research experience in developmental biology, culminating in a poster/presentation (no publication)).

As far as healthcare experience goes, I have the standard experiences that most applicants have. Nothing too extraordinary or extravagant, but I have put in an extensive number of hours (not because it would "look good" on an application, but because I genuinely enjoyed the experiences 🙂).

I do have Texas residency so I'm "in state"

and I've also been completing a public health online course through Harvard School of Public Health (which is free and so much fun and I'll receive a certificate of completion when done in 3 weeks; and this I didnt mention in my app)

Small world! I'm taking that HSPH certificate course as well 🙂. I didn't mention it in my application (because, as you know, the course started after the deadline to submit applications), nor did I bring it up during interviews.

I think if the pre-match offer period passes and I don't hear anything, I might shoot Filo a letter of update bringing this up.

How are you enjoying the course so far? I think the biostatistics side of the course is pretty basic, but I have learned a couple of interesting, clinically-relevant things along the way. I thought the segment on Bayesian analysis (what's the probability that person X has disease Y given that he/she tested positive on test Z with an arbitrary cutoff C) was pretty interesting (and useful), although from what I understand it's not something physicians really use on a day-to-day basis.
 
Sure 🙂

I graduated Phi Beta Kappa/Phi Kappa Phi with a dual B.S. (Biochemistry and Neuroscience) from UT Austin. Cumulative GPA = 3.86. Science GPA = 3.91. Pre-med requirements GPA = 4.0
MCAT = 33R.

I dabbled a bit in research (one summer's worth of research experience in our Chemical Engineering department, and a semester's worth of research experience in developmental biology, culminating in a poster/presentation (no publication)).

As far as healthcare experience goes, I have the standard experiences that most applicants have. Nothing too extraordinary or extravagant, but I have put in an extensive number of hours (not because it would "look good" on an application, but because I genuinely enjoyed the experiences 🙂).

I do have Texas residency so I'm "in state"

Small world! I'm taking that HSPH certificate course as well 🙂. I didn't mention it in my application (because, as you know, the course started after the deadline to submit applications), nor did I bring it up during interviews.

I think if the pre-match offer period passes and I don't hear anything, I might shoot Filo a letter of update bringing this up.

How are you enjoying the course so far? I think the biostatistics side of the course is pretty basic, but I have learned a couple of interesting, clinically-relevant things along the way. I thought the segment on Bayesian analysis (what's the probability that person X has disease Y given that he/she tested positive on test Z with an arbitrary cutoff C) was pretty interesting (and useful), although from what I understand it's not something physicians really use on a day-to-day basis.


I too am Phi Betta Kappa/Phi Kappa Phi!

I'm enjoying the course, but I like the Biostats side better. Epi is pretty easy to understand. I really wanted to refresh my memory in the biostats portion and get a hands on with Stata...so glad it's almost over!
 
I too am Phi Betta Kappa/Phi Kappa Phi!

I'm enjoying the course, but I like the Biostats side better. Epi is pretty easy to understand. I really wanted to refresh my memory in the biostats portion and get a hands on with Stata...so glad it's almost over!

Awesome 🙂

Yeah I'm glad it's almost over as well! I agree - the hands on experience with Stata has been really useful (arguably the most useful part of the course).
 
Sure 🙂

I graduated Phi Beta Kappa/Phi Kappa Phi with a dual B.S. (Biochemistry and Neuroscience) from UT Austin. Cumulative GPA = 3.86. Science GPA = 3.91. Pre-med requirements GPA = 4.0
MCAT = 33R.

Did you apply late by chance? With your stats/ECs, I think you should have gotten interviews to other schools in Texas including UTSW.
 
Just received an interview invite for 1/17! I really wasn't expecting it this late in the game.
 
What time do the interview days end in Bryan/College Station? I know it says 5p, but I need to schedule a flight later that evening and want to know if that's an accurate time or the day ends earlier.

Thanks!!
 
I feel like it was pretty close to that. Maybe 4:30pm? Great school - you will enjoy your interview day!
 
It really depends on when your interviews are. They have a set of blocks assigned for interviews and if you are the first two you could get out really early. I guess it ends up being luck of the draw. Some people at my interview were able to swap around the blocks. Good luck guys!
 
Thanks guys, so psyched to be interviewing here. Didn't expect it at all!
 
Holy cow I just got an interview invite for UT southwestern! I'm really excited about that 🙂

There's something about having 2 chances to match as opposed to 1 that just makes me feel far more at ease. I know this is the A&M thread but I wanted to share the news with my A&M brothers and sisters. This is the only thread on SDN I've posted in so far and I kind of feel like this is my family in a way 🙂
 
Did you apply late by chance? With your stats/ECs, I think you should have gotten interviews to other schools in Texas including UTSW.

"Late" is the understatement of the century :laugh:. If I don't make it in this time, I'll do things correctly next time around. I was really late.
 
I e-mailed Dean Filo the other day to give updates and see if I could get an interview. I was told that they had filled their OOS slots so far. I should have e-mailed sooner. Good luck to everyone else though.
 
I e-mailed Dean Filo the other day to give updates and see if I could get an interview. I was told that they had filled their OOS slots so far. I should have e-mailed sooner. Good luck to everyone else though.

How did you ask for if you could get an interview, I've been wanting to do this, but didn't know if they would feel that I was pestering them
 
What time do the interview days end in Bryan/College Station? I know it says 5p, but I need to schedule a flight later that evening and want to know if that's an accurate time or the day ends earlier.

Thanks!!
Last interview is scheduled at 4pm, but mine started around 4:10 and didn't end till 4:50 or so. The school is right down the street from the airport, and the airport is small, so security should be quick, but I still wouldn't schedule a flight before 6pm. But I've never flown in/out of the airport, so I can't say for sure.
 
Thanks man, I appreciate the info. The last flight out is at 5:30 and I had no choice but to go for that one and hope for the best to make a meeting the next day. Interview is much more important though!
 
Thanks man, I appreciate the info. The last flight out is at 5:30 and I had no choice but to go for that one and hope for the best to make a meeting the next day. Interview is much more important though!

E-mail the school and let them know that. I'm sure they can accommodate your schedule and get you out of there by 3:30 or 4 at the latest.
 
Officially submitted my rankings last night! Looks like I will be an Aggie for sure 🙂 👍
 
I know apps are released at the end of December, so I assume no more IIs are going out since the holidays are coming.
 
How did you ask for if you could get an interview, I've been wanting to do this, but didn't know if they would feel that I was pestering them

Basically, I talked about my interest in the school (for me MD Plus Program) and then spoke about my qualities that matched their mission. I also indicated my updates and SES background. I also made sure I mentioned that I was OOS and why Texas. When I indicated why TX I mentioned my essays in the TMDSAS.

Just be creative and sell yourself like a product. Like, I said he said they had choosen their OOS slots already. If you are IS then you have a better chance. Good Luck Bhandal!
 
Does anyone know if there will be any pre-match offers extended this week? I'm assuming that there won't be, but I've been proven wrong many times before so thought I'd ask. And by my asking, you know I haven't received one yet - but am hopeful!

If not, ONWARD TO FEB 1!!!!
 
Haven't really seen a large second batch, normally previous years have them. Didn't seem like too many prematches were sent out in general.

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Haven't really seen a large second batch, normally previous years have them. Didn't seem like too many prematches were sent out in general.

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I read about the snafu they had in 2011 (or thereabouts) with too many acceptances given out, so maybe they've changed their processes to avoid similar challenges. I enjoyed everything about the interview and what I've learned about the program so I've got my fingers crossed that match day will bring good news. Thanks for the info, phant0m0o0o! And congratulations on your acceptance!
 
Yay!!! Interview invite yesterday for January 10th!! I opened the email expecting it to be a rejection because I had received an email from one of the deans saying all interview slots were full. On the same day of my II, however, I received an email from Filo saying there were still a couple of slots left. Any other SDNers heading there that date? I was wondering if there was one particular hotel at which most people stayed. Or a get together the night before of some kind. Anyone? Thanks!
 
Congrats and good luck Mischief! Will be there the following week and was shocked to get a late interview as well. Can't wait... Just got back from the Cotton Bowl last night and more excited about A&M than ever. Whoop!
 
Anyone remember what all they said about the curriculum here? I know they were saying that they're integrating it and all that, but from their presentation it sounded a lot different from the integrated curriculum at PLF. I should've probably taken more notes or asked more questions.
 
Just withdrew my pre-match offer from here. Good luck to all! This is a fantastic school
 
Anyone remember what all they said about the curriculum here? I know they were saying that they're integrating it and all that, but from their presentation it sounded a lot different from the integrated curriculum at PLF. I should've probably taken more notes or asked more questions.

mmmm... they run histo anatomy biochem and genetics together in first year and then have some some distinct class like ethic and clinical skills that run along side but are not tested with them. Later they have blocks of disease like neuro etc that run for x amount of weeks and the ethics/ clinical skills still run along those. If you have any specific questions just msg me. I'm sorry I don't remember what the curriculum was like at PLF so can't compare 🙁


Yay!!! Interview invite yesterday for January 10th!! I opened the email expecting it to be a rejection because I had received an email from one of the deans saying all interview slots were full. On the same day of my II, however, I received an email from Filo saying there were still a couple of slots left. Any other SDNers heading there that date? I was wondering if there was one particular hotel at which most people stayed. Or a get together the night before of some kind. Anyone? Thanks!

Yay! I'm excited I get to be on your panel then too! First time, hope I don't mess up too much lol 😛 Oh sorry no get togethers but if you want to msg me I get a couple peeps together for dinner if you want? I stayed at the cheep and cheerful La Quinta on University and South Texas.. it's 10 min away and cheep as chips.
 
Well, I just ranked A&M number 1. Looking forward to being an Aggie doc!
 
Does anyone know when the admissions committee meets and makes decisions after interviews? Thanks!
 
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