Hi, Texans and wannabe Texans, how is everything going this Independence Day?
A quick "Freedom of Information" post from Wysdoc:
I am happy to answer general questions about the TMDSAS application process.
I try to post any updates I hear from schools on the school-specific threads.
I post updates about which schools are sending interview invites and any schedule changes.
I am not on the admissions committee of any med school. I just know stuff because it interests me and I keep up.
I am open to PMs from people who want to ask something or tell me something off the public threads. I keep all PM info confidential and don't share it on the open boards.
Here are the questions I don't, or can't answer:
1. When will X school invite me for an interview? also, Why has Elmo been invited before me and I got my app in first? I don't know, each school has their own priority on whom to interview, schools do not go in order of submission date, and I have no ability to predict the future.
2. What should I write on my essays? This is up to you, use your best judgement, it's what makes us all unique. I will sometimes comment on whether something fits a certain prompt.
3. Will you read my personal statement, essay, secondary, etc.? Sorry, no. Ask teachers, advisors, etc. to read it over for you. Not your mom. Not other pre-meds. If anything on there could be cringy, childish, over-critical, over-arrogant, or over-dramatic, you need to rewrite it. There are some great threads on SDN about how to write a personal statement, search bar for the win.
4. I'm the BEST, why can't I get interviews from ALL the Texas schools? Because they go by mission fit as well as the numbers. A person who wants to do research in the big city wouldn't possibly fit the profile of a school looking for family practitioners who would love to live in Dime Box, Texas. It is rare for an applicant to get interviews from all the TX schools.
How should I keep up with things once I submit my TMDSAS app?
1. Check your email and spam mail daily. (Not hourly)
2. Check your TMDSAS portal for messages once a week. Especially soon after you submit, as your application liaison might contact you for clarifications. You will get a message to verify your PCR (Prescribed Coursework Report) to see if you agree with the classifications for your pre-reqs.
3.
Treat your TMDSAS liaison courteously. They are there to help you. They are darn good at it and very patient.
4. Follow TMDSAS, AMCAS, and your schools on Facebook, SDN, and Twitter as you prefer.
5. When you get word about a secondary, write it sincerely and try to get it back within 2 weeks. Remember they have already read your primary app, so don't rehash the essays but if you need to address the same topic, bring out different points.
6. The time you get called for an interview has no bearing on whether you will get in.
SDN Tips:
1.
Try not to interrogate your homies on SDN. There will soon be a LOT of posts that just say, "When were you complete? What are your stats, if you don't mind?". To avoid this issue, you might want to put a couple of things in your signature, like "TX resident" or "OOS applicant" or "
LizzyM 68". You can post the "LizzyM score" instead of your exact GPA and MCAT to preserve some shred of anonymity. If you prefer not to answer such questions, ignore them.
2. Be positive and encouraging to one another.
3. Search for your question before starting a new thread. It has probably been asked before.
4. Try to keep your school-specific comments on that school's thread.
5. "Watch" the threads of schools you are interested in. You will get a notice on SDN every time a new post is made.
Keep up the hard work on your applications and secondary essays!
Wysdoc
