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dazedanconfused

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For starters, I am a sophomore at a community college about to get my associates degree (was cheaper for me to go the 2 then 4 year path) and have a 4.0. I am working on my extracurriculars for my application as well. I do have some questions though. First, I wanted to know how early I need to work on and eventually turn in my application. (any links to this process would be extremely helpful as my advisor knew nothing about it) Also, I was wondering how much better a degree from a more prestigious school looks, rather than one from a run of the mill college. I ask this because I have the choice of transferring to either SMU or UNT (Southern Methodist or North Texas). I am swaying toward UNT because I know/knew people who went there and they enjoyed it. Although SMU I am told is a much better school than UNT. So without rambling anymore how much better off would I be going to one rather than the other? All help is greatly appreciated and sorry if all lot of this has been asked before, but I did search before I posted this to no avail. Although I probably missed something lol.


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Just started looking through the AMCAS website and it has really helped clear up most of my questions, but peoples opinions and perspectives who have went through the process are still appreciated.
 
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Your undergraduate school is very important. You should go to the best one that you can. Nearly everyone applying to medical school has a high GPA, so a 4.0 at a great school will mean alot more to the admissions committee than a 4.0 from an average school. Next year you need to get involved in research and start studying for the MCAT. The sooner the better. Plan to take the MCAT in your junior year spring or the summer before your senior year. You need to complete your primary application the summer before your senior year. Once again, the sooner the better.
 
For starters, I am a sophomore at a community college about to get my associates degree (was cheaper for me to go the 2 then 4 year path) and have a 4.0. I am working on my extracurriculars for my application as well. I do have some questions though. First, I wanted to know how early I need to work on and eventually turn in my application. (any links to this process would be extremely helpful as my advisor knew nothing about it) Also, I was wondering how much better a degree from a more prestigious school looks, rather than one from a run of the mill college. I ask this because I have the choice of transferring to either SMU or UNT (Southern Methodist or North Texas). I am swaying toward UNT because I know/knew people who went there and they enjoyed it. Although SMU I am told is a much better school than UNT. So without rambling anymore how much better off would I be going to one rather than the other? All help is greatly appreciated and sorry if all lot of this has been asked before, but I did search before I posted this to no avail. Although I probably missed something lol.


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Just started looking through the AMCAS website and it has really helped clear up most of my questions, but peoples opinions and perspectives who have went through the process are still appreciated.


Ok let me start off by welcoming you to SDN. Unfortunately your post is spotty if you can clarify a bit I might be able to help out a bit more.
Turn in your application... For transferring to a 4 year college or to medical school? If to a 4 year your probably to late to transfer to most private schools but state schools should be still accepting till like June. Medical school application's begin to be accepted in June.
I would say that you should apply to which 4 year college you believe will be a better fit and cheaper.
 
Thanks for the welcome I lurk on this site a lot, but havent had many questions until now. Anyway, to clarify I meant applying to med school not the 4 year college I got that down 😉 lol. I ask about the med school app process because my cc advisor made it sound almost impossible and it got me a little worried, but after reading some stuff on the AMCAS website it doesn't seem to bad. I was just a little concerned on the dates and what not for it. I suppose my advisor at my 4 year college will be able to help me better than my cc advisor.

So, I am assuming (yeah probably not good lol) from your post that the difference in prestige has to be significant to really matter on a med school application am I right? (e.g. picking between UNT and MIT)
 
Honestly i'd be blunt to say prestige isn't that important. It depends more on your stats. But yah either way I'd say go to UNT because you'll save more money and either way you'll remain instate and keep your benefits ( in state application to the Texas schools).
 
Your undergraduate school is very important. You should go to the best one that you can. Nearly everyone applying to medical school has a high GPA, so a 4.0 at a great school will mean alot more to the admissions committee than a 4.0 from an average school. Next year you need to get involved in research and start studying for the MCAT. The sooner the better. Plan to take the MCAT in your junior year spring or the summer before your senior year. You need to complete your primary application the summer before your senior year. Once again, the sooner the better.

Undergraduate institution may mean something, but it does not mean nearly as much as this person indicated. Honestly, when compared to your gpa, mcat score, ECs, community service, leadership positions, clinical experience, LORs, personal statement, and secondary essays, it is the least important factor. It is probably as important as the state you are from. If you havent finished all of the pre-reqs for med school, you should go to the school that will prepare you best for the mcat. Like the person above said, applying sooner is better. So take it in the spring of your junior year, preferably by early May so you can be complete as soon as you get verified in early June. You don't want to take the mcat in the summer because, for example, if you take it in June, your application will not be complete until July. Although this is still considered fairly early, if you can be complete in early June, why not do it? It will increase your chances dramatically the earlier you apply. Do not rush into taking the mcat though. So if you are not ready by May but think you will be ready by June, take the June date because if you mess up in May and have to retake it, it will make your application even later than if you initially went with the June date.
 
Thank you all these have been very helpful posts. It seems that I need my app in at the end of my junior year; however, what about my senior year courses? Do I simply put on there what I plan to take or how does that work?
 
Honestly i'd be blunt to say prestige isn't that important. It depends more on your stats. But yah either way I'd say go to UNT because you'll save more money and either way you'll remain instate and keep your benefits ( in state application to the Texas schools).

Agreed. I went to a smaller state school, and got in to two schools (neither one of which is my state school, though they both are state schools). Once you get passed the GPA and MCAT score, your activities are going to be what's most important... after all, they define who you are a heck of a lot better than a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper.

Thank you all these have been very helpful posts. It seems that I need my app in at the end of my junior year; however, what about my senior year courses? Do I simply put on there what I plan to take or how does that work?

I put what courses I was registered for. It doesn't really matter one way or the other, as AMCAS will just put a note that none of those courses are on your application. You can send grade updates to schools that haven't gotten back to you yet when you get your fall grades. If you don't feel you're competitive enough to apply at the end of your junior year, don't be afraid to put it off another year.
 
Thats a great number! 4.0 is what I've wanted if it weren't for my laziness freshman year >.< Transfer to a university and get a consecutive 4.0 there and take the MCAT as early as possible as long as it doesn't go over 3 years as it is its expiration date.
 
I put what courses I was registered for. It doesn't really matter one way or the other, as AMCAS will just put a note that none of those courses are on your application. You can send grade updates to schools that haven't gotten back to you yet when you get your fall grades. If you don't feel you're competitive enough to apply at the end of your junior year, don't be afraid to put it off another year.

How big of a deal would that be to hold off a year? Would that mean I just applied at the end of my senior year or how bad would that throw off the schedule of this process?
 
How big of a deal would that be to hold off a year? Would that mean I just applied at the end of my senior year or how bad would that throw off the schedule of this process?

Yes, you would apply at the end of your senior year, instead of the end of your junior year, and you would have a 'gap year' during interview season. It's absolutely no big deal... in fact, some schools prefer students who take a gap year (or two, or three) to those coming straight out of undergrad. The only catch is that you have to do something with your time off, whether it be a job, volunteering, travel, something. You can't just sit on your couch throughout interview season and expect to get away with it.

Personally, I applied at the end of my junior year (which was actually my second year in school), got rejected, and took a full year off before applying again. Best decision I ever made. I got out of the cycle of school and was able to relax for a while, as well as fully address the weaknesses in my application before I applied again. I also worked full time so that I could actually pay for the application cycle, and I'll be going to med school completely debt free with some money in the bank (some of which will be used for a new car, and some of which will be used for moving expenses).
 
Yes, you would apply at the end of your senior year, instead of the end of your junior year, and you would have a 'gap year' during interview season. It's absolutely no big deal... in fact, some schools prefer students who take a gap year (or two, or three) to those coming straight out of undergrad. The only catch is that you have to do something with your time off, whether it be a job, volunteering, travel, something. You can't just sit on your couch throughout interview season and expect to get away with it.

Personally, I applied at the end of my junior year (which was actually my second year in school), got rejected, and took a full year off before applying again. Best decision I ever made. I got out of the cycle of school and was able to relax for a while, as well as fully address the weaknesses in my application before I applied again. I also worked full time so that I could actually pay for the application cycle, and I'll be going to med school completely debt free with some money in the bank (some of which will be used for a new car, and some of which will be used for moving expenses).

Wow thank you that was very helpful advice. 👍👍
 
Just thought of something that was concerning me. (last question I promise lol). I am planning on moving to Florida after I get my 4 year degree, and know the problems with out of state applicants; however, if I lived there for the required amount of months (12 I believe in this case) am I considered an in-state applicant then? or would that just count toward in-state tuition? Sorry if it is a somewhat self-explanatory question, I just like to be thorough.
 
Just thought of something that was concerning me. (last question I promise lol). I am planning on moving to Florida after I get my 4 year degree, and know the problems with out of state applicants; however, if I lived there for the required amount of months (12 I believe in this case) am I considered an in-state applicant then? or would that just count toward in-state tuition? Sorry if it is a somewhat self-explanatory question, I just like to be thorough.

It will vary from state to state (and even school to school), but generally if you live in the state for a year prior to matriculation and aren't going to school during that time (plus have your driver's license, voting registration, etc transferred to the new state), you'll be a resident of that state.

So, if you applied at the end of your senior year, moved to Florida after graduation and ended up going to a Florida school, you'd probably be considered an in-state student. I'd double check with the individual schools first, though.
 
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So, if you applied at the end of your senior year, moved to Florida after graduation and ended up going to a Florida school, you'd probably be considered an in-state student. I'd double check with the individual schools first, though.

The OP would be considered in-state for tuition purposes AFTER acceptance/matriculation. However, s/he will still be considered an out-of-state applicant during the review/interview process, which may severely hinder his/her chances of acceptance.
 
The OP would be considered in-state for tuition purposes AFTER acceptance/matriculation. However, s/he will still be considered an out-of-state applicant during the review/interview process, which may severely hinder his/her chances of acceptance.

Really? So I would have to have an extra gap year before submitting my application? Could that vary from college to college, because it just makes more sense to me that I would be IS if in fact I had a gap year. Well, I definitely need to find a better way to be considered in-state for application purposes, because I am not going to wait 2 years before med school. Lol I wouldn't ever go back to school if I waited that long 😛
 
Really? So I would have to have an extra gap year before submitting my application? Could that vary from college to college, because it just makes more sense to me that I would be IS if in fact I had a gap year. Well, I definitely need to find a better way to be considered in-state for application purposes, because I am not going to wait 2 years before med school. Lol I wouldn't ever go back to school if I waited that long 😛

I'd call up the specific schools. Some schools ask you if you're an "in-state" applicant, but then don't really verify this information until a few weeks before you matriculate. In that case, you could have just "moved" to Florida (but not technically an in-state student), but by the time matriculation comes around, you would be considered an in-state student.
 
As for your undergrad advisor and/or pre-med advisor (if they are different people), their advice is best taken with a grain of salt. At best they contribute very little to your endeavor besides the committee letter, at worst they provide you with depressingly false information. Go to the source, buy the MSAR. Everything you need to know is in there - MSAR on AAMC Website

As you seem to be in Texas for your undergrad, you should look into the TMDSAS application service. Similar to AMCAS but catering only to Texas Schools (excepting Baylor, which is on AMCAS), TMDSAS has a unique matching procedure that coordinates the admissions process of the 8 medical schools in state.

TMDSAS

I know you mentioned moving to Florida following your undergrad, but being in-state in Texas gives you a leg up over other national schools (depending on your stats and goals), as they are required by state law to admit at least 90% in-state residents to each year's class. Plus the instate tuition is among the cheapest anywhere in the country. I would think long and hard before forfeiting your Texas in-state status.

Also, having a gap year is no big deal. I applied the summer after I finished my undergrad classes and am working in a hospital for my gap year.
 
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I’m too lazy tonight to read all of these posts. All I saw was UNT and wanted to say:

GO EAGLES! Hehehe.

I personally would choose UNT, in fact I did choose UNT. It’s a great school, they have a great biology department and the pre-med advisor is super awesome. She makes it really easy to apply (by reading/editing personal statements, gathering letters in a timely fashion, being totally available anytime I’m having a mental breakdown...)

I think it’s a much bigger school too, which means there are more resources on campus. I loved it there. They have the best gym ever created. Seriously, you have to see it if you go on a tour. Great food places on campus that come in handy during late night studying. And everyone there is really nice. Every time I get on the UNT campus it feels like home.
 
I’m too lazy tonight to read all of these posts. All I saw was UNT and wanted to say:

GO EAGLES! Hehehe.

I personally would choose UNT, in fact I did choose UNT. It’s a great school, they have a great biology department and the pre-med advisor is super awesome. She makes it really easy to apply (by reading/editing personal statements, gathering letters in a timely fashion, being totally available anytime I’m having a mental breakdown...)

I think it’s a much bigger school too, which means there are more resources on campus. I loved it there. They have the best gym ever created. Seriously, you have to see it if you go on a tour. Great food places on campus that come in handy during late night studying. And everyone there is really nice. Every time I get on the UNT campus it feels like home.

I completely agree with everything you said. I have spoken to the pre-med advisor, and she is probably the only advisor I actually like and do not think they are mentallly handicapped lol.
 
The OP would be considered in-state for tuition purposes AFTER acceptance/matriculation. However, s/he will still be considered an out-of-state applicant during the review/interview process, which may severely hinder his/her chances of acceptance.

I was under the impression that your permanent address would be considered your 'state'. If OP moved to Florida in, say, May, and didn't apply until June, the permanent address on the application would be the Florida one.
 
I was under the impression that your permanent address would be considered your 'state'. If OP moved to Florida in, say, May, and didn't apply until June, the permanent address on the application would be the Florida one.

Even so, Florida schools say they want you to have lived in state for 12 months to be considered in-state regardless of address. Even owning property in Florida does not count. At least that is how one college wrote it on their site.
 
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Even so, Florida schools say they want you to have lived in state for 12 months to be considered in-state regardless of address. Even owning property in Florida does not count. At least that is how one college wrote it on their site.

Understood, but do they have a slot on their secondaries asking when you moved to the state? If not, there's no way to prove that you're not an in-state applicant if you have a permanent address in FL (remember, you can only have one permanent address). And once financial aid stuff rolls in, you'll have the 12 months behind you to back it up for tuition purposes.

When I applied to CO a few years ago, I'm relatively certain that I wouldn't have qualified for in-state tuition once the papers went through, but they based it on the honor system for whether you were considered in-state for application purposes. They didn't delve deeper into it until after you were accepted and applying for financial aid. Of course, I was rejected, so it didn't matter one way or the other, but that's even what they stated at our interview day. Florida may do something different, but as I didn't apply there, I don't know for sure.
 
Just thought of something that was concerning me. (last question I promise lol). I am planning on moving to Florida after I get my 4 year degree, and know the problems with out of state applicants; however, if I lived there for the required amount of months (12 I believe in this case) am I considered an in-state applicant then? or would that just count toward in-state tuition? Sorry if it is a somewhat self-explanatory question, I just like to be thorough.

Try calling a Florida school to find out. Talk to someone in both the admissions office and in the financial aid office. You are getting conflicting opinions here, and I don't think there's a clear, consistent answer anyway...

Edit: on second thought, I'd call every school I might potentially be interested in. Policies regarding this could vary widely
 
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Understood, but do they have a slot on their secondaries asking when you moved to the state? If not, there's no way to prove that you're not an in-state applicant if you have a permanent address in FL (remember, you can only have one permanent address). And once financial aid stuff rolls in, you'll have the 12 months behind you to back it up for tuition purposes.

When I applied to CO a few years ago, I'm relatively certain that I wouldn't have qualified for in-state tuition once the papers went through, but they based it on the honor system for whether you were considered in-state for application purposes. They didn't delve deeper into it until after you were accepted and applying for financial aid. Of course, I was rejected, so it didn't matter one way or the other, but that's even what they stated at our interview day. Florida may do something different, but as I didn't apply there, I don't know for sure.

Oh I see, I didnt think of that. Perhaps, I will have to delve deeper into their secondary application process I suppose. Thanks for that insight. 👍
 
Just thought of something that was concerning me. (last question I promise lol). I am planning on moving to Florida after I get my 4 year degree, and know the problems with out of state applicants; however, if I lived there for the required amount of months (12 I believe in this case) am I considered an in-state applicant then? or would that just count toward in-state tuition? Sorry if it is a somewhat self-explanatory question, I just like to be thorough.

Why move to Florida? Is it to get into a Florida school? From what I understand Texas applicants sort of have it made compared to other states. If it's personal reasons for moving, never mind. Florida's great and all, don't get me wrong, but this residency stuff can get complicated if you're looking at less than a year around application time.
 
Why move to Florida? Is it to get into a Florida school? From what I understand Texas applicants sort of have it made compared to other states. If it's personal reasons for moving, never mind. Florida's great and all, don't get me wrong, but this residency stuff can get complicated if you're looking at less than a year around application time.
Its more personal reasons than anything else. I keep hearing that Texas applicants have it made, what is all that about? Is it just for the reasons that TexasMDtobe stated, or is there something else that makes it so good?
 
Its more personal reasons than anything else. I keep hearing that Texas applicants have it made, what is all that about? Is it just for the reasons that TexasMDtobe stated, or is there something else that makes it so good?

There are 8 state medical schools in Texas, while many other states just have 1 or 2. In general if you're applying to an out-of-state school, it's very hard to gain acceptance unless you have strong ties to that state and are really a standout applicant. It's much easier if you're considered a state resident. So, if you're a Texas resident, you have 8 state schools you can apply to.

Also, the Texas medical schools are really great, and the in-state tuition is super cheap! I totally understand if it's something personal and unavoidable, but seriously, you'd be doing yourself a favor to remain a Texas resident if it's possible.
 
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