Hi everybody! I just finished my first semester here and I loved it. I can't tell you much about clinicals but here's my experience so far:
The first semester is pass/fail (no high pass or low pass or honors or anything like that, just straight up pass fail) to help you get adjusted to medical school. It's still difficult but at least you have one less thing to worry about, if that makes sense. In terms of attendance, expect to have to be there every Friday for about 2-3 hours, and on dissection days. You only take gross anatomy the first semester. Every once in a while you have a required class (I'd say, maybe every few weeks). I went to class the first block but ended up streaming the second and third blocks so that I could use commute time to study. Plus, there are some pretty cute coffee shops to study at
The school buys you resources like Firecracker, Pathoma, and I think UWorld later, so you can use those! There are others too but I'm drawing a blank now. By the end of your first semester, you'll be able to give a comprehensive physical exam and take a history--and next semester we get to start preceptorships, which is when we each get to work with a physician in a clinical setting!
I love the camaraderie here. We have a big class drive and we share notes and anki decks with each other, and we have group chats and facebook pages where you can ask each other questions. People tell you when they're going to coffee shops or wanting to do dog playdates or whatever, and you can join in! We also have a lot of social events. I've made some of my best friends here--some of the people in my class you could literally call at 3 AM if you're struggling and they'll be there for you. When I was deciding where to go, the class culture was super important to me--probably one of the most important things, honestly, since I need to be happy to do well--and I am super pleased with where I went.
I'm not certain if you guys have submitted your rank lists yet (to be honest, I don't remember when I did that, lol) but my advice would be to try and visit the schools, talk to students there, and get an idea of what kind of culture and curriculum works for you. Because in the end, what is ideal for me may not be for you. If you work hard, you're going to be great doctors no matter which of the awesome TX schools you pick! Congratulations on your hard work so far and happy holidays!