*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*~*

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stalepitachips said:
Should update letters be emailed to the school or uploaded to AMP?
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If there is a tab or a spot for uploads or updates on the school portal, you can place it there: upload it as a .pdf.
If there is not something like that, send it via email to the admissions office with an appropriate subject line in the email.
McGovern, Dell, UTMB, UH Fertitta, and SHSU all state that updates are only accepted after you have interviewed.
 
chillstill said:
How is everyone doing
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Anxiously waiting for II movement this month. Feel lucky and thankful to have a couple invites so far this cycle but thought there might be an uptick last week with the new deadline. How about you?
 
NonTradMed25 said:
Anxiously waiting for II movement this month. Feel lucky and thankful to have a couple invites so far this cycle but thought there might be an uptick last week with the new deadline. How about you?
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what new deadline?
 
NonTradMed25 said:
The October 1 vs Nov 1 primary submission deadline.
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Oh, well the deadline had just moved to November 1 for 3 cycles (2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24) then moved back to its usual October 1 date in the 2024-2025 cycle
 
What the heck is a prematch and what does it mean?
A pre-match offer is a true offer of admission, and gives you an early clue that the school really likes you and wants you to attend. If you get a prematch offer, you can take the pressure off yourself and know you are going to med school next year. Prematch offers are only for Texans applying in the TMDSAS system. Schools MAY begin making pre-match offers on October 15, but they don't HAVE TO.
(Offers made to OOS applicants can happen any time after October 15, but they don't get to rank schools in our TMDSAS Match).

Can I keep on attending more interviews after I get a pre-match offer?
Yes, you can, especially if you would like to give yourself more options or a chance at the school you "think" is your favorite. Sometimes your opinion of a school can get better or worse after your interview day, so your ranking of the schools where you interview can change with time.
But hey, what if the pre-match is to your dream school? Up to you: go to further interviews, or stop here.

How many applicants get a Pre-match offer?
For the first time, in the 2020-2021 cycle, TMDSAS published the data on how many applicants got prematch offers.
Here is the link to the data from my post in 2021: #46
Prematch offers go to a minority of applicants (about 1 in 7, on that one published stats report)
Don't let this small part of TMDSAS Match system affect your self-worth!
Most Texas matriculants match on Match Day (this year it's February 13, 2026), having had no prematch offers at all.

Can I rank a school I didn't Pre-match with higher than a Pre-matched school? Will I lose everything if it doesn't work out?
You can rank your favorite schools in any order you wish. If you rank a non-Prematched school as #1 and they don't choose you, you still have your Pre-Match school to fall back on. Remember, your pre-match is a true offer of admission, and you can't gamble it away by taking a risk with your ranking list. If you happen to have more than one pre-match school, the one you ranked highest is the one you'll be going to.

If I accept or respond to a school that made me a Pre-Match offer, is it binding?
No, you are allowed to accept and hold more than one TMDSAS offer up until Match Day. You will come out of Match Day with one school only.
All the TMDSAS schools know the system, nobody will be offended if you wait until Match Day for your final determination.
 
Great info by @wysdoc, to add a few more tidbits, remember that even if you prematch at your dream school, you still must fill out your match preference list. I can't emphasize enough that you can't game the system, put them in the order of your preference. Also keep in mind that since pre-matches are binding on the SCHOOL, they can only prematch in-state a proportion of their final class size (they may go a bit over, but they won't prematch 3 times their class size), taking into account slots set aside for JAMP and possibly out of state prematches. So, bigger schools can prematch a lot more folks than smaller schools.

Schools will also take into account where they are in their interview cycle relative to a determination they've made of their planned total prematches to determine how many prematches to offer "early". As such, schools can use different strategies to determine who to pre-match. All will be highly desirable applicants, but some schools may focus on those with higher stats they are competing for, others may look to try to give a message to candidates with a close connection to them, others may use a random number generator among their top tier (nah, not really...). None of that determines your likelihood to match there.

In offering prematches, schools are trying to sell you on the school but they should not be pressuring you, making any form of promises unless it is a specific scholarship they are offering, or pushing you to withdraw other schools. Certainly if you get an offer from a school that is in the city where your parents have a dog you can't live without seeing and playing with, then you CAN withdraw any or all other applications, but no school should be pushing you to do that.

Finally, it takes a while to send out a bunch of acceptances. They can be "batched" but I think many places prefer not to risk a mistake and send them one by one. So, if you read on SDN an "I got a prematch today" post, keep your phone turned on, watch your emails and you might be next, or the next day.

And if you do get a prematch at your dream school, please celebrate by giving your dog a big treat, don't break that treat in half either!!!
 
Worriedpremed427 said:
Anyone hear anything?
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Keep watching your individual school threads & let us know if you get news!
So far I see Texas Tech Lubbock but people might call their moms first, then post on SDN 🤠 :highfive:
 
Good morning ya'll!!!

Congrats to everyone that pre-matched. When do they start sending out scholarship offers to students????
 
Man I seriously no I shouldn't be complaining with an A somewhere, but I so badly wanted to go to a TMDSAS school. Like the delay in my application by a year or two was so I could go to a school closer to my family at an affordable price tag. All these hoops I crossed, but I can't help but feel I fumbled it without a single II. I know TCOM and SHSU got highly competitive as well, but thought they could see past the MCAT below their average and see my genuine passion. I suppose my writing was not as good as I expected.
 
thepl.eb said:
Man I seriously no I shouldn't be complaining with an A somewhere, but I so badly wanted to go to a TMDSAS school. Like the delay in my application by a year or two was so I could go to a school closer to my family at an affordable price tag. All these hoops I crossed, but I can't help but feel I fumbled it without a single II. I know TCOM and SHSU got highly competitive as well, but thought they could see past the MCAT below their average and see my genuine passion. I suppose my writing was not as good as I expected.
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Hang in there, you could still get Texas interviews in October, November, December
 
wysdoc said:
Hang in there, you could still get Texas interviews in October, November, December
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That's true. I guess at this point it is better for me to remove my hope of Dell and UH sending me a secondary. But I thought I had a strong mission fit with SHSU and TCOM who haven't called me either.
 
thepl.eb said:
That's true. I guess at this point it is better for me to remove my hope of Dell and UH sending me a secondary. But I thought I had a strong mission fit with SHSU and TCOM who haven't called me either.
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I have a 508 MCAT, 3.9 GPA, but sadly a 1st quartile Casper. UH sent me a secondary, but still just silence for me from UH, SHSU, and TCOM. I think the Casper score ruined my application ngl.
 
Hey y’all,

I had a few general questions about the TMDSAS prematch process. I’ve been getting mixed answers, so I’d love some clarification:
  1. Can you accept multiple prematch offers?
  2. If you can only accept one, can you later change which prematch offer you’re accepting?
  3. If you accept a prematch offer, can you still match to a different school if you rank it higher?
  4. Will accepting a prematch offer make other schools less likely to send you an interview or offer?
  5. Lastly, if you don’t accept a prematch offer, is there still a chance that school could match you on Match Day?

Thanks in advance for the help!!!
 
unmaskedvillian said:
Hey y’all,

I had a few general questions about the TMDSAS prematch process. I’ve been getting mixed answers, so I’d love some clarification:
  1. Can you accept multiple prematch offers?
  2. If you can only accept one, can you later change which prematch offer you’re accepting?
  3. If you accept a prematch offer, can you still match to a different school if you rank it higher?
  4. Will accepting a prematch offer make other schools less likely to send you an interview or offer?
  5. Lastly, if you don’t accept a prematch offer, is there still a chance that school could match you on Match Day?

Thanks in advance for the help!!!
Click to expand...
All your questions are answered in this post HERE
except for your question #5.
I advise accepting all prematch offers at this point. You don't know what's coming to you in the future.
The TMDSAS Match will sort it all out.
If you have 3 prematch offers and you rank one of those as your #1 choice, someone else will be matched up with the other two.
If you rank some other school above them and you don't happen to match to that one, your highest ranked prematch school will be where you end up.
 
wysdoc said:
All your questions are answered in this post HERE
except for your question #5.
I advise accepting all prematch offers at this point. You don't know what's coming to you in the future.
The TMDSAS Match will sort it all out.
If you have 3 prematch offers and you rank one of those as your #1 choice, someone else will be matched up with the other two.
If you rank some other school above them and you don't happen to match to that one, your highest ranked prematch school will be where you end up.
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Omg THANKKK YOUUU!!!
 
Hi, do the following schools accept update letters:

1.University of Houston
2. Mc Govern
3. UT Tyler
4. Dell
5. UTMB Galvaston

Thank you!
 
keepingtrack said:
Hi, do the following schools accept update letters:

1.University of Houston
2. Mc Govern
3. UT Tyler
4. Dell
5. UTMB Galvaston

Thank you!
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UH told me they won't. UTMB never responded to mine, nor did McGovern
 
keepingtrack said:
Hi, do the following schools accept update letters:
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1.University of Houston No
2. Mc Govern Not until after you interview
3. UT Tyler yes - but have something new to talk about
4. Dell No
5. UTMB Galveston Not until after you interview
 
wysdoc said:
1.University of Houston No
2. Mc Govern Not until after you interview
3. UT Tyler yes - but have something new to talk about
4. Dell No
5. UTMB Galveston Not until after you interview
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Thank you!
 
wysdoc said:
1.University of Houston No
2. Mc Govern Not until after you interview
3. UT Tyler yes - but have something new to talk about
4. Dell No
5. UTMB Galveston Not until after you interview
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I thought Tyler explicitly did not? That’s what they’ve said the past 2 years and in my interview day
 
Hello. I was extremely lucky and prematched to 2 schools this past week. School A requires that I pay a $100 non refundable fee to secure my spot, however, I am 90% sure that I will be ranking School B above School A.

I understand that it’s generally advised to accept all pre-match offers, but I’m wondering if it’s worth doing so in this situation. I’ve already spent quite a bit on applications, and paying another fee for a school I’m unlikely to attend feels financially burdensome. Would it be unwise to decline School A’s offer now, or should I still accept it as a precaution?
 
lexus765 said:
Hello. I was extremely lucky and prematched to 2 schools this past week. School A requires that I pay a $100 non refundable fee to secure my spot, however, I am 90% sure that I will be ranking School B above School A.

I understand that it’s generally advised to accept all pre-match offers, but I’m wondering if it’s worth doing so in this situation. I’ve already spent quite a bit on applications, and paying another fee for a school I’m unlikely to attend feels financially burdensome. Would it be unwise to decline School A’s offer now, or should I still accept it as a precaution?
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Only you can decide if that 10% chance you do really want School A is worth $100.
 
I'd really appreciate some feedback. I've been feeling really discouraged lately and am starting to wonder if I should begin preparing for a reapplication cycle. I applied to all TMDSAS schools with a 509 MCAT and a 4.0 GPA. I also received a fourth quartile Casper score. I submitted all of my secondaries by the first week of August, so I'm confused and frustrated by the continued silence.


Right now, I’m working in a non-medical job, and I’m debating whether I should start studying to retake the MCAT in the spring and look for new clinical experiences to strengthen my application, just in case. I’m not sure what to make of the lack of responses at this point. I had somewhat good extracurriculars and diverse experiences but not sure why this is the response.
 
notjoemama said:
What are update letters?
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Hi, these are letters that you might send to schools informing them about any significant developments at your end that might enhance your application. From what I have read, some of the schools may or may not accept them.
 
If there’s been paper/ papers published or if you have more research to inform them about, if you started a masters program etc, it can go on the update letter. This is what I learned
 
engenir said:
is prematch binding for OOS?
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OOS applicants do not participate in the TMDSAS Match process so do not have prematch, per se, but you can already get As starting Oct 15. If you get them then yes, they are binding.
 
Does anyone know what kind of update letters Texas A&M likes? I did an event that they donated to, but I had no idea they donated. So idk if that would make me seem gunner or like I’m trailing them just to have something to update them about.
 
engenir said:
is prematch binding for OOS?
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No admissions/acceptances are binding at any school throughout the nation.

OOS students are allowed to keep all their prematches in Texas until late April unlike Texans who have to narrow down to 1 by Match day in February.
 
TMDSASSY said:
OOS applicants do not participate in the TMDSAS Match process so do not have prematch, per se, but you can already get As starting Oct 15. If you get them then yes, they are binding.
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I am going to correct this comment here, sorry @TMDSASSY and @engenir
@texasvandy is right.

OOS applicants will treat a Texas acceptance like any other AMCAS school acceptance and go by the rules that AMCAS has for narrowing down your schools (if you have more than one offer) by April 2026.
You do need to say "yes" to the EnMed offer now to hold your spot, and consider it against other offers you may get in the next 5 months.

Once you are quite sure of one school over another, you may withdraw from an acceptance by directly communicating with the school you are leaving behind, in April or before then.
 
wysdoc said:
I am going to correct this comment here, sorry @TMDSASSY and @engenir
@texasvandy is right.

OOS applicants will treat a Texas acceptance like any other AMCAS school acceptance and go by the rules that AMCAS has for narrowing down your schools (if you have more than one offer) by April 2026.
You do need to say "yes" to the EnMed offer now to hold your spot, and consider it against other offers you may get in the next 5 months.

Once you are quite sure of one school over another, you may withdraw from an acceptance by directly communicating with the school you are leaving behind, in April or before then.
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Thank you and everyone else for clarifying 🙂!
 
Does anyone know how your personal ranking of the medical schools affects match day outcomes? I'm just unclear on how the applicant ranking factors into the decision.

For example, I loved A&M's interview day and would love to go there, but after reviewing all the schools I already interviewed at, I cannot rank it higher than 5th on my list. If it comes to Match Day, I am just worried that the A&M adcoms will see that 5th place ranking as a lack of interest in the school... leaving me without any offers. Does being strategic with your list have any merit?
 
axpathetic said:
Does anyone know how your personal ranking of the medical schools affects match day outcomes? I'm just unclear on how the applicant ranking factors into the decision.

For example, I loved A&M's interview day and would love to go there, but after reviewing all the schools I already interviewed at, I cannot rank it higher than 5th on my list. If it comes to Match Day, I am just worried that the A&M adcoms will see that 5th place ranking as a lack of interest in the school... leaving me without any offers. Does being strategic with your list have any merit?
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Fortunately, the schools cannot see where you ranked them in relation to other schools.
I have a question for you though, if you liked them so much, why “can’t “ you rank them above #5?
Rank your schools how you really like.
 
wysdoc said:
I have a question for you though, if you liked them so much, why “can’t “ you rank them above #5?
Rank your schools how you really like.
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That's true - may rank A&M over Long once I'm sure my impression of the school isn't just recency bias.

If the schools can't see how you ranked them, is the applicant's match list just used to determine the order in which the schools decide on an applicant?
 
axpathetic said:
That's true - may rank A&M over Long once I'm sure my impression of the school isn't just recency bias.

If the schools can't see how you ranked them, is the applicant's match list just used to determine the order in which the schools decide on an applicant?
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This would be a good time for you (& all the other applicants who have had some interviews) to watch this video explaining the TMDSAS Match. TMDSAS Match
In a nutshell, the schools will each create their own lists of people they would like to see in their class, and the Match algorithm compares this to the rank lists made by students. The wishes of the students are slightly favored in the algorithm.
 
wysdoc said:
This would be a good time for you (& all the other applicants who have had some interviews) to watch this video explaining the TMDSAS Match. TMDSAS Match
In a nutshell, the schools will each create their own lists of people they would like to see in their class, and the Match algorithm compares this to the rank lists made by students. The wishes of the students are slightly favored in the algorithm.
Click to expand...
Do you have any more information on the algorithm? I thought it'd be something as simple as 'do you like me? I like you... let's match'.
 
TMDSASSY said:
Do you have any more information on the algorithm? I thought it'd be something as simple as 'do you like me? I like you... let's match'.
Click to expand...
If you're both high on each others' lists, it is that simple.

But, if there is a mismatch, it gets slightly more complicated, but it isn't too bad.

Lets say you rank schools as follows:
1)A
2)B
3)C

Match day comes and the algorithm has been run. School A did not like you very much because you wore your birthday suit to their interview, so you fell to the bottom of their list, even if you have them at #1. However, you had a great interview at school B and they put you near the top of their list. So, because you didn't get in to school A and they filled their seats, you are put into school B. Because you are in at school B, you now are withdrawn from school C because it was lower on your list - no point in keeping an active application to a school you 100% won't go to now that you are at a school you said you liked better.

School A might put you on a waitlist, they also might not. Some Texas schools are choosey about it.

This is helpful for many because top schools UTSW/Baylor will likely share a lot of applicants and there isn't a clear-cut #1 between the two; we don't know this for sure but hypothetically we can assume their applicants will be perfectly split on ranking them #1 on their own lists, so you don't have to be in the top 220 out of 1000 for either school, it really comes out to top ~450-500 if you include waitlist movement - maybe even more depending on how everything shakes out.

The video from @wysdoc should explain everything but that is a simplified version of it. All you have to do is rank the schools how you want. You cannot 'trick' the algorithm or have a better chance at XYZ school just from ranking them higher. Tell TMDSAS where you want to go and they take care of the rest.
 
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