Should I ask if someone would be willing to make a call to an adcom for me? (OOS Texas applicant)

[j_diggity]

I’m an OOS applicant applying to TX med schools. In the past I worked in a particular industry in Texas and I have a couple of connections there. One prominent firm in TX where I used to work has some collaborations with a med school there, including a director at the school who was a director at the firm when I worked there. While I don’t have a connection to that director, I have a decent connection with one of the leaders of the same industry there who might be able to make a call on my behalf to this director or someone else involved in admissions there.

Should I ask if they’d be willing or able to make a call on my behalf to boost my chances? If so, how should I approach this and when? If it gives me an advantage, I’d like to take it - I’m normally the type to want to earn everything on my own and I’ve never done anything like this before, but this is a dream school and I think I have a unique fit/story for this school and my app may not receive consideration otherwise.
Any advice for this situation?

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[wysdoc]

I’m an OOS applicant applying to TX med schools. In the past I worked in a particular industry in Texas and I have a couple of connections there. One prominent firm in TX where I used to work has some collaborations with a med school there, including a director at the school who was a director at the firm when I worked there. While I don’t have a connection to that director, I have a decent connection with one of the leaders of the same industry there who might be able to make a call on my behalf to this director or someone else involved in admissions there.

Should I ask if they’d be willing or able to make a call on my behalf to boost my chances? If so, how should I approach this and when? If it gives me an advantage, I’d like to take it - I’m normally the type to want to earn everything on my own and I’ve never done anything like this before, but this is a dream school and I think I have a unique fit/story for this school and my app may not receive consideration otherwise.
Any advice for this situation?

I don't advise doing this, as they would like all letters of recommendation to go through proper channels on the TMDSAS application portal.
If you have only submitted 3 letters of recommendation you could ask this person to write #4 for you and send it.

Also, for Texas schools you don't have to prove any Texas ties. Strong applicants are recognized on their merits and regional ties are only important at UT Tyler.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Should I ask if they’d be willing or able to make a call on my behalf to boost my chances? ...

Agreed... that's not how it works. You get a chance to explain your interest through your application. It should be obvious if you lived in Texas before. The school with a relationship with the collaborating company won't need a reminder.

 

[pablo213]

Also, for Texas schools you don't have to prove any Texas ties. Strong applicants are recognized on their merits and regional ties are only important at UT Tyler.

Ooh didn't know they were open to people without ties. Do you think it's too late to apply TMDSAS?

 

[Goro]

Ooh didn't know they were open to people without ties. Do you think it's too late to apply TMDSAS?

Be aware that since 90% of seats are reserved for Texans, you need to be a superstar for TX schools.
The DO schools are different, though.

 

[wysdoc]

Ooh didn't know they were open to people without ties. Do you think it's too late to apply TMDSAS?

Check out this post #57
Since you already have 3 interviews at AMCAS schools you're doing great as you are.
Doing a TMDSAS app would require you to write 2 more 2500-character essays, and verification time has been running 4 weeks right now so your app would be sent to TMDSAS schools at the earliest in mid to late September.

 

[Med Ed]

How these calls actually go (in my head, at least):

"Hello, I'm a leader in the same industry as a prominent firm in your state that has previously collaborated with your institution. I would like to express my personal support for an applicant named"

*click*