*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2024-2025 *~*~*~*~*

[texasvandy]

I've just been informed that my committee letter packet won't be sent until about a week from now, and TMDSAS looks like it has about 1.5 weeks of delay in transmitting letters right now.

Is there any point submitting my secondary essays within the 2 week mark (i.e. this Thursday) if my letters aren't going to make it by then? I'd like to have a quick secondary turn-around but will they even check my application if my letters haven't been received yet?

Looks like some schools are not looking for your recs to say your app is complete which means it goes into review process. There was some discussion in UTMB thread saying several of them were marked complete without recs.

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[CheeesyBoi]

I can smell it in the air. My o'l II harvesting senses are telling me several II waves are inbound.

I sincerely hope you're right

 

[wysdoc]

Here's our new Republic of Texas thread: The Republic of Texas XLIII

I'm hoping for a positive & encouraging vibe like we had last year, not a lot of news on it yet and just 3 schools have invited for interviews so far.
Activity should pick up in the next few weeks!
Keep working steadily on your secondary essays & proofread lots of times

 

[malpacca90]

Since TMDSAS doesn't count certain science courses in BCPM, my science GPA for texas schools is lower than it is for AMCAS (3.57 vs. 3.74), so I was wondering if Texas school adcoms factor in the other courses in house when looking at your science GPA or if they just take the calculated BCPM from TMDSAS?

 

[wysdoc]

Since TMDSAS doesn't count certain science courses in BCPM, my science GPA for texas schools is lower than it is for AMCAS (3.57 vs. 3.74), so I was wondering if Texas school adcoms factor in the other courses in house when looking at your science GPA or if they just take the calculated BCPM from TMDSAS?

They will use the official GPA calculated by TMDSAS. But those “other science” grades will be seen and used in the overall GPA averaging.

 

[texasvandy]

Since TMDSAS doesn't count certain science courses in BCPM, my science GPA for texas schools is lower than it is for AMCAS (3.57 vs. 3.74), so I was wondering if Texas school adcoms factor in the other courses in house when looking at your science GPA or if they just take the calculated BCPM from TMDSAS?

which courses did they not count? did you classify them in correctly?

 

[malpacca90]

which courses did they not count? did you classify them in correctly?

They do not include certain zoological/ecological biology courses (I took a Deep Sea Biology course which I classified as Animal and Agricultural Sciences following the TMDSAS guide)

 

[malpacca90]

They will use the official GPA calculated by TMDSAS. But those “other science” grades will be seen and used in the overall GPA averaging.

Will having a science GPA of 3.57 prevent me from making interview cutoffs for Baylor and UTSW? I know that they review holistically, but I also know that they strongly prefer applicants with a science gpa of 3.7+

 

[wysdoc]

I could really use some advice. I made a big mistake on my TMDSAS application. I put the wrong dates for one of my clinical activities. This overlapped with one of the jobs I listed in employment, where I moved states and started a new job.

My application basically states that I have clinical activity in a state that I was not in for a whole year, while being in another for work! I am not sure how I can explain this away to schools without raising red flags. I don't believe TMDSAS allows applications to be updated.

I am thinking of withdrawing from TMDSAS to just focus on AMCAS applications. Worst comes to worst, I can reapply to TMDSAS.

I think it might be important to withdraw because if I withdraw before it's submitted, I can have a clean slate with schools next year (if I don't get in via AMCAS), as the Texas schools would not receive my primary.

1. Are you a Texan? If so, your best chances are in Texas. It would be foolish to withdraw.
2. Have you submitted your TMDSAS application? If so, you can't change these details, unfortunately.
3. You could email all your Texas schools after you get secondaries from them and tell them of the activity entry error and tell them the proper dates for your activities. Don't go wild with the apologies & stuff, just the facts, ma'am/sir.
4. BE SURE you didn't copy/paste these same dates to your AMCAS app!

 

[wysdoc]

1. Yes.
2. Yes, not processed yet, probably won't be until mid-August anyways.
3. i looked at everything again and also realized I have more errors - messed up hours, put wrong states and cities for multiple other activities (i.e san francisco being in colorado 🤦‍♂️).
4. my amcas app is correct. i did tmdsas first and luckily my amcas app has no errors

hey thanks for responding so fast.

at this point, do you think having multiple errors across a wider timeline are still too significant to try and rectify via email? im on the side that i have too many flags

i rushed applying because i took my exam late / got my score (513) late. my fault, just contextualizing the app. sent in tmdsas in early july, same for amcas.

It will be interesting to see what TMDSAS makes of this timeline, especially showing you in 2 different states at the same time.
How did your Chronology of Activities look ? Or did you look at it?
They are not red flags just evidence of a careless and rushed application.
You can message TMDSAS in your portal to let them know you have found some errors, but 99% they are going to tell you what I did, that they will not correct those for you.

 

[wysdoc]

Yes, they wouldn't correct them.

I ended up withdrawing from TMDSAS this cycle. I felt it was too much of a risk to apply with a careless app in a cycle that I was less likely to receive responses, since I submitted my primary on July 7th , while people from mid-June still haven't even gone through verification.

If it had been transmitted, I'd have to hope to still be interviewed in a late cycle and successfully explain these mistakes, and if I failed then next year's schools would still have access to all the original errors I made. Withdrawing mid-processing does not send these mistakes.

Sticking with AMCAS now. Thanks for the perspective, much needed. Sucks, but that's what I get for being careless.

none of us want our doctors to be rushed and careless

 

[decrepit2023]

dang, I shouldn't have looked at my primary. I made one typo in the state for an activity, but no other typos. submitted 5/19 so I wasn't even rushing, just had a brain fart . am i cooked?

 

[CheeesyBoi]

dang, I shouldn't have looked at my primary. I made one typo in the state for an activity, but no other typos. submitted 5/19 so I wasn't even rushing, just had a brain fart . am i cooked?

lmao this exactly why I didn't look at it after I clicked submit. I am also an applicant, but if its one small typo, I can't imagine it would significantly hinder your application.

 

[decrepit2023]

lmao this exactly why I didn't look at it after I clicked submit. I am also an applicant, but if its one small typo, I can't imagine it would significantly hinder your application.

no fr I have no idea why I checked, I'll feel more secure if I get an II (LM 72). Gl on ur cycle, 520 is insane!

 

[ryanh77]

When it comes to interviews, do we know how they are assigned? For instance, I see invite dates ranging from July to December for most schools. However, are September-December interviews primarily reserved for those who are complete in August-November? Like would a June/July applicant expect any interview invites to come in July and August (in the majority of cases, barring exceptions)?

Or is it truly up to the school's discretion/we don't know how they pick the order?

 

[decrepit2023]

When it comes to interviews, do we know how they are assigned? For instance, I see invite dates ranging from July to December for most schools. However, are September-December interviews primarily reserved for those who are complete in August-November? Like would a June/July applicant expect any interview invites to come in July and August (in the majority of cases, barring exceptions)?

Or is it truly up to the school's discretion/we don't know how they pick the order?

I'd expect July and August II to come to apps completed in June or July. Completing in August/late July might only net you August interviews if you are high-stat or mission fit (think UTRGV or apps with LM>76+). At least that's what I gathered looking at 2023-24 threads.

 

[ryanh77]

I'd expect July and August II to come to apps completed in June or July. Completing in August/late July might only net you August interviews if you are high-stat or mission fit (think UTRGV or apps with LM>76+). At least that's what I gathered looking at 2023-24 threads.

That makes sense, thanks!

Just getting nervous seeing lots of IIs come in when I was completed in June/early July😅 but patience is key I know lol

 

[decrepit2023]

That makes sense, thanks!

Just getting nervous seeing lots of IIs come in when I submitted in June/early July😅 but patience is key I know lol

haha yeah, I have pretty much identical stats and seeing IIs come in is nerve-wracking. I trust we'll have our day soon!

 

[awesome27]

Hello, my friend has applied this cycle around 1st week of June and has not heard back from any schools for secondaries. Is that normal ? Any advice ?

 

[wysdoc]

Hello, my friend has applied this cycle around 1st week of June and has not heard back from any schools for secondaries. Is that normal ? Any advice ?

Sounds unusual, they may have forgotten to release their MCAT score to TMDSAS or maybe don’t have a score yet?

 

[awesome27]

Sounds unusual, they may have forgotten to release their MCAT score to TMDSAS or maybe don’t have a score yet?

She does have a pretty good score ! Would really be helpful if anyone has any advice on whom to contact.

 

[wysdoc]

She does have a pretty good score !

That’s great but make sure she gave MCAT permission to release it to TMDSAS. It’s an extra step not needed with AMCAS

 

[awesome27]

That’s great but make sure she gave MCAT permission to release it to TMDSAS. It’s an extra step not needed with AMCAS

Thank you. Let me check and confirm.. I really hope that is all it is.

 

[awesome27]

Thank you. Let me check and confirm.. I really hope that is all it is.

So just checked and confirmed that MCAT scores were released and recd. Casper is still pending. Does that matter ?

 

[wysdoc]

So just checked and confirmed that MCAT scores were released and recd. Casper is still pending. Does that matter ?

Lots of people are waiting on CASPer scores. Not sure what the issue is

 

[awesome27]

Lots of people are waiting on CASPEr scores. Not sure what the issue is

In her case she still hasn’t taken the Casper test. Scheduled to take sometime next week. But do they need Casper score for secondary though ?

 

[wysdoc]

In her case she still hasn’t taken the Casper test. Scheduled to take sometime next week. But do they need Casper score for secondary though ?

No

 

[FlyingJit]

Do typically students with an earlier interview invite have a better chance at an acceptance? For example someone getting an interview end of July compared to later in August or September?

 

[wysdoc]

Do typically students with an earlier interview invite have a better chance at an acceptance? For example someone getting an interview end of July compared to later in August or September?

They don’t publish the data like that. Some good students turn their things in early and others are delayed for various reasons

 

[FlyingJit]

They don’t publish the data like that. Some good students turn their things in early and others are delayed for various reasons

That is fair, I was complete on July 20 (was waiting on my rec letters) and got an interview 2 days later. I was hoping that was a good sign, I don't think I have killer stats or anything.

 

[wysdoc]

That is fair, I was complete on July 20 (was waiting on my rec letters) and got an interview 2 days later. I was hoping that was a good sign, I don't think I have killer stats or anything.

Don’t get me wrong getting an early interview is exciting and it means you are probably going to get more- just don’t know the correlation with acceptance

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Don’t get me wrong getting an early interview is exciting and it means you are probably going to get more- just don’t know the correlation with acceptance

I cannot speak for the TMDSAS process for pre-matching or matching. However, in general, you can view an early interview through several lenses.

1) The good lens: your application was a "four chair" turn on The Voice. Clearly you have everything a school would want in a star candidate, and everyone can't wait to meet you. Your interviewers are emotionally energized and excited to meet you on the first interview day (or the first few) compared to the later interview days where people get burned out, distracted with finals, or get overwhelmed. You cannot be compared to earlier candidates one has interviewed in the cycle, so your best impressions set the standard for everyone who interviews after you.

2) The bad lens: Because you're among the first applicants out of the interview gate, the admissions committee doesn't want to be too enthusiastic and high-mark every candidate they see early on as "perfect". Just like in the "judging sports" (gymnastics and figure skating), interviewers and adcoms may score you closer to the middle so they can leave room for higher scores when more outstanding candidates come later on (and there will be). Some may play their scores much more literally to the rubric since most would have just gone through calibration to start the interview season.

3) The neutral lens: your interviewing group will share similar metrics and volume of experiences, so you will be compared against a slice of applicants most like yourself (you are all superstars). Later groups may have slightly lower metrics or volume of experiences compared to the earlier groups (especially once offers are out and people start dropping their invitations because they got offers elsewhere), so it would have been easier to be more "impressive" in later interview dates. However, you never know if being in a more competitive "heat" of interviewers means that those groups get more offers or get placed higher on the alternate priority list (higher staircase levels) compared to those in the later "heats".

 

[Mybosswontapproveofthis]

My application was verified recently, but one of my letter writers has not submitted the LOR. I emailed him earlier in the week asking about if they needed anything and they responded stating they wouldnt be able to get to submitting it until August. Is it too late to replace them with another LOR? I have 6 writers for AMCAS but since TMDSAS only allows 4 I figured an extra letter from a professor vs a work supervisor would look stronger(non-trad military). Is there anything I can do? Or am I kinda stuck in secondary pergatory until they submit? Since I submitted 5 secondaries tonight and it said "does not consider an application complete and eligible for review until the Secondary Application Form and all supporting documents have been received. These include the Secondary Application fee, the TMDSAS and/or AMCAS application with letters of evaluation, official MCAT scores, and a photograph."

 

[wysdoc]

My application was verified recently, but one of my letter writers has not submitted the LOR. I emailed him earlier in the week asking about if they needed anything and they responded stating they wouldnt be able to get to submitting it until August. Is it too late to replace them with another LOR? I have 6 writers for AMCAS but since TMDSAS only allows 4 I figured an extra letter from a professor vs a work supervisor would look stronger(non-trad military). Is there anything I can do? Or am I kinda stuck in secondary pergatory until they submit? Since I submitted 5 secondaries tonight and it said "does not consider an application complete and eligible for review until the Secondary Application Form and all supporting documents have been received. These include the Secondary Application fee, the TMDSAS and/or AMCAS application with letters of evaluation, official MCAT scores, and a photograph."

You need a minimum of 3 letters for TMDSAS.
It's only a few more days until August.

Let's say he doesn't send it by the 3rd week of August, and you don't want to hold up things any longer.
Then message TMDSAS and tell them that last letter is no longer expected. The schools will consider you complete with 3 letters

 

[LCA]

I submitted on 6/24 and my tmdsas still hasn't finished processing. Anybody else in the same boat

 

[wysdoc]

I submitted on 6/24 and my tmdsas still hasn't finished processing. Anybody else in the same boat

You can follow the progress on the TMDSAS Homepage here: TMDSAS Homepage View on tablet or computer***

Look at the blue box to the right of the page
Today (7/29) it says they are processing applications submitted on 6/22.
I think they will get to your submission date later this week.

@LCA while you wait, are you working on writing the secondary essays?

 

[texasvandy]

You can follow the progress on the TMDSAS Homepage here: TMDSAS Homepage View on tablet or computer***

Look at the blue box to the right of the page
Today (7/29) it says they are processing applications submitted on 6/22.
I think they will get to your submission date later this week.

@LCA while you wait, are you working on writing the secondary essays?

Yep, why worry about the release date -complete your essays since you have all the info needed for secondaries on each thread in SDN.

 

[LCA]

Anyone not receive a secondary from UH? Or how fast did you receive one if you did after your primary was processed.

 

[wysdoc]

Anyone not receive a secondary from UH? Or how fast did you receive one if you did after your primary was processed.

Here is their page: U H Fertitta
You will notice they only started sending out secondaries on July 23 so it may take a little time for them to get to you.

 

[ChairWallington]

So I know this is a useless question since it has no effect on what I do, but I'm curious about it. Does the time between the interview and the option to rank have any indication at all about how much they like you? For example, maybe they review the interviewees they liked the most first and then unlock the option to rank one at a time until they get to the last interviewee? Or is it all released at once?

 

[wysdoc]

So I know this is a useless question since it has no effect on what I do, but I'm curious about it. Does the time between the interview and the option to rank have any indication at all about how much they like you? For example, maybe they review the interviewees they liked the most first and then unlock the option to rank one at a time until they get to the last interviewee? Or is it all released at once?

All in-state applicants who interview will be able to rank all the schools which interviewed them.
As you might imagine, workflow is probably batched and it requires an updating of the school’s side of the TMDSAS portal to reflect who has interviewed. A school’s staff might do this after each interview day, or only once a month.

Your part as the applicant is to be sure, later in the application cycle, that all the schools where you have interviewed appear on your TMDSAS portal to be ranked. If a school is missing by then, contact the school and ask them to please update their portal.

 

[okayyyalx]

Hello I have a question regarding whether it is worth for me to apply to TX schools. It might be a little too late in the cycle but I am curious.

I am currently a CA resident and went to undergrad in CA, but my immediate family are all in TX. My parents owned a home there, but sold it two years ago and now rent in TX. My dad is no longer in TX because of military but my mom and brothers still reside there, and I believe they are TX residents. Would these ties be considered strong enough for me to shoot my shot at TX schools, or should I just save the time and money?

 

[wysdoc]

Hello I have a question regarding whether it is worth for me to apply to TX schools. It might be a little too late in the cycle but I am curious.

I am currently a CA resident and went to undergrad in CA, but my immediate family are all in TX. My parents owned a home there, but sold it two years ago and now rent in TX. My dad is no longer in TX because of military but my mom and brothers still reside there, and I believe they are TX residents. Would these ties be considered strong enough for me to shoot my shot at TX schools, or should I just save the time and money?

how are you a CA resident, did you stay there and work after graduation? What are your stats?

 

[okayyyalx]

how are you a CA resident, did you stay there and work after graduation? What are your stats?

Yes, I did stay and work here after grad. I have a 3.87cGPA, 3.82sGPA, 517 MCAT

 

[wysdoc]

Yes, I did stay and work here after grad. I have a 3.87cGPA, 3.82sGPA, 517 MCAT

@okayyyalx here are some stats to help you decide: (these are from 2023, the most recent year with complete stats)
There were 1670 OOS applicants, with a mean GPA 3.73 / MCAT 508
295 of these were accepted, mean stats of those accepted were GPA 3.91 / MCAT 516
151 of those accepted matriculated to a TMDSAS school - the rest went OOS to a school they preferred.
This puts the raw chance of acceptance in TX at 17% (295 of 1670) .

Your signature suggests you have already applied to 40 AMCAS schools, so unless your school list was overly top-heavy your chances are better to get in to one of those.
Applying to TMDSAS would involve filling out the separate application, writing 2 more major essays for the primary, and taking CASPer + Duet.
If you got all this done by the end of August, schools would get your app around the end of September. (late-ish)
The TX schools don't care so much about Texas ties as about your good qualifications as an applicant.
The stats may help you decide where to focus your time now: on starting another app, or on writing those 40 AMCAS secondaries

 

[texasvandy]

@okayyyalx here are some stats to help you decide: (these are from 2023, the most recent year with complete stats)
There were 1670 OOS applicants, with a mean GPA 3.73 / MCAT 508
295 of these were accepted, mean stats of those accepted were GPA 3.91 / MCAT 516
151 of those accepted matriculated to a TMDSAS school - the rest went OOS to a school they preferred.
This puts the raw chance of acceptance in TX at 17% (295 of 1670) .

Your signature suggests you have already applied to 40 AMCAS schools, so unless your school list was overly top-heavy your chances are better to get in to one of those.
Applying to TMDSAS would involve filling out the separate application, writing 2 more major essays for the primary, and taking CASPer + Duet.
If you got all this done by the end of August, schools would get your app around the end of September. (late-ish)
The TX schools don't care so much about Texas ties as about your good qualifications as an applicant.
The stats may help you decide where to focus your time now: on starting another app, or on writing those 40 AMCAS secondaries

The Texas cycle starts really early compared to AMCAS and date of application plays a big role at schools that will consider your app competitive with these stats as an OOS.

 

[okayyyalx]

@okayyyalx here are some stats to help you decide: (these are from 2023, the most recent year with complete stats)
There were 1670 OOS applicants, with a mean GPA 3.73 / MCAT 508
295 of these were accepted, mean stats of those accepted were GPA 3.91 / MCAT 516
151 of those accepted matriculated to a TMDSAS school - the rest went OOS to a school they preferred.
This puts the raw chance of acceptance in TX at 17% (295 of 1670) .

Your signature suggests you have already applied to 40 AMCAS schools, so unless your school list was overly top-heavy your chances are better to get in to one of those.
Applying to TMDSAS would involve filling out the separate application, writing 2 more major essays for the primary, and taking CASPer + Duet.
If you got all this done by the end of August, schools would get your app around the end of September. (late-ish)
The TX schools don't care so much about Texas ties as about your good qualifications as an applicant.
The stats may help you decide where to focus your time now: on starting another app, or on writing those 40 AMCAS secondaries

Thanks for the information, I’ll keep this in mind! @texasvandy made a good point about it being a little too late in the cycle, but I think it’s good to know if it doesn’t work out for me this year. Thank you both for the help!

 

[CutMyLifeIntoPieces]

Does anybody know if TMDSAS adcoms know which schools you are applying to on AACOMAS and AMCAS? How much do the application services communicate?
I originally selected "no" to the questions asking if I would use the other application services and forgot to update before submitting my final application, and I did end up putting some applications through the other services. Will I get in trouble for this?

 

[wysdoc]

Does anybody know if TMDSAS adcoms know which schools you are applying to on AACOMAS and AMCAS? How much do the application services communicate?
I originally selected "no" to the questions asking if I would use the other application services and forgot to update before submitting my final application, and I did end up putting some applications through the other services. Will I get in trouble for this?

No, you just changed your mind and your answer was true at the time.

 

[CutMyLifeIntoPieces]

No, you just changed your mind and your answer was true at the time.

That is reassuring. So to clarify, they don't have access to seeing that I applied to those other services? Or just that it won't be an issue?