Texas Academic Fresh Start Megathread

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chicandtoughness said:
You invoke AFS before medical school. Most folks do it the semester right before applying at a community college (many 4 year colleges will not do it).

If your CHEM111 disappears in AFS you will need to retake it.
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thanks so much for your reply!
I assume you have to be a TX resident to even apply, and that pre-req's taken at a community college during that first year of residence would surely transfer(so I'd essentially jump the gun and start from scratch)

*So is it correct that I'd need to choose only 1 medical school in TX and invoke AFS through them? If this is true, what if I get denied? could I pick another school and try again?
If I'm only picking one school, which is "easiest" to get into? Tyler and Galveston look good...
 
MDby43 said:
thanks so much for your reply!
I assume you have to be a TX resident to even apply, and that pre-req's taken at a community college during that first year of residence would surely transfer(so I'd essentially jump the gun and start from scratch)
*So is it correct that I'd need to choose only 1 medical school in TX and invoke AFS through them? If this is true, what if I get denied? could I pick another school and try again?
If I'm only picking one school, which is "easiest" to get into? Tyler and Galveston look good...
Click to expand...
Yes, you will need to be a TX resident before applying for AFS.

You do not invoke AFS at a medical school. You do so at any public Texas institution (who is willing to do it for you) BEFORE you apply. Most people do it at a cc because it’s the smoothest process, but some 4-year colleges supposedly will do it too. It does not apply to graduate admissions so it will have to be an institution that has undergraduate admissions.

Also be careful implying that UTT and UTMB are easy to get into… you never know who is lurking around here (check my signature lol)
 
chicandtoughness said:
Yes, you will need to be a TX resident before applying for AFS.

You do not invoke AFS at a medical school. You do so at any Texas institution (who is willing to do it for you) BEFORE you apply. Most people do it at a cc because it’s the smoothest process.

Also be careful implying that UTT and UTMB are easy to get into… you never know who is lurking around here (check my signature lol)
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ah, ok. I'm not getting any younger so I'd need to get started on pre-req's immediately, especially if I'm forfeiting my 50 hours of college credit. In that scenario, I would pay OOS tuition for a year at cc, then, upon being classified in-state, invoke AFS at the 4-year college I plan on applying to and graduating from.

my other plan would be to move to South Dakota, and finish undergrad there. I'd apply with a 3.3cGPA, 3.6sGPA and aim for a stellar MCAT. I've got nearly 3 years to study haha.

Of these two strategies, it almost seems like South Dakota gives me better odds, considering their low applicant pool, extreme in-state preference, and lower-than-average mcat scores.
 
I cannot give you advice on Texas vs South Dakota, but I will say that in-state bias speaks more to people who genuinely have lived and been in the state for a while, not just someone who moved there a couple years ago for the premed process. So be careful about how you spin regional preference.

I would also definitely plan to apply broadly for med school. Only dropping a small handful of apps, even if they are regionally targeted, is dangerous.

You do not need to declare AFS at the 4-year (and many will not let you do that). The recommended plan is to take all your prereqs whenever you want. Then, in your final semester before TMDSAS app opens (aka spring of your application year), you apply to and invoke AFS at a community college you have not been to before, take 1 class there, and you’re set.
 
this keeps getting more confusing. I guess you mean that the process is easiest at a cc, so it's better to invoke there.

I'll definitely apply to many schools, but it's not hard to imagine being rejected by 20 schools with a 3.3 GPA. I like my chances at one school with a 40% IS acceptance rate better than 10 schools with a 4% acceptance rate, and tougher competition.

As for in-state bias, I see what you mean, however, I've lived in 7 different states, so it's less of a red flag, considering I don't really have a "home" - this actually gives me "ties" to several states, some of which may be OOS friendly, like Iowa. I'd plan to work in South Dakota, and maybe even buy land, set up an RV! Also, this same concern applies to a Texas move. I imagine the med schools are acutely aware of infiltrators!
 
State of Texas Academic Fresh Start official legal text
"a resident of this state"

State of Texas Residency for Tuition Purposes official legal text
(1) a person who:
(A) established a domicile in this state not later than one year before the census date of the academic term in which the person is enrolled in an institution of higher education; and
(B) maintained that domicile continuously for the year preceding that census date;

It is probably easier to obtain Fresh Start at a community college. See this post about my experiences with 7 schools.

You can invoke Fresh Start multiple times. The first time I used Houston Community College. The second time, I used San Jacinto College.

My San Jacinto College transcript shows two courses, one of which is more than 10 years old.

Here's my TMDSAS Record of College Work for San Jacinto College. Only courses completed within the last 10 years appear in the Record of College Work.

San Jacinto College Central

TermYearCourseTitleTypeAreaSem HrsTrans
Grade		TMDSAS GradeAcad LevelLast Time?
Sp2024EDUC 1100Learning FrameworkDLNonSci1AAPBY

Here's what it looks like when all courses at a school are more than 10 years old:

Some University

TermYearCourseTitleTypeAreaSem HrsTrans
Grade		TMDSAS GradeAcad LevelLast Time?

 
ahnonemoose said:
State of Texas Academic Fresh Start official legal text
"a resident of this state"

State of Texas Residency for Tuition Purposes official legal text
(1) a person who:
(A) established a domicile in this state not later than one year before the census date of the academic term in which the person is enrolled in an institution of higher education; and
(B) maintained that domicile continuously for the year preceding that census date;

It is probably easier to obtain Fresh Start at a community college. See this post about my experiences with 7 schools.

You can invoke Fresh Start multiple times. The first time I used Houston Community College. The second time, I used San Jacinto College.

My San Jacinto College transcript shows two courses, one of which is more than 10 years old.

Here's my TMDSAS Record of College Work for San Jacinto College. Only courses completed within the last 10 years appear in the Record of College Work.

San Jacinto College Central

TermYearCourseTitleTypeAreaSem HrsTrans
Grade		TMDSAS GradeAcad LevelLast Time?
Sp2024EDUC 1100Learning FrameworkDLNonSci1AAPBY

Here's what it looks like when all courses at a school are more than 10 years old:

Some University

TermYearCourseTitleTypeAreaSem HrsTrans
Grade		TMDSAS GradeAcad LevelLast Time?
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thanks for the information. this raises a concern I hadn't thought of. I assumed that I could be taking classes and paying OOS tuition at a community college for 12 months, then apply to a university and invoke AFS as a TX resident. My plan was to be a part-time student while working as an EMT for one year to establish residency. Would this suffice, or would I need to be in TX without taking classes anywhere in TX for a year? (perhaps I could just take online from somewhere like U Arizona?)
 
ahnonemoose said:
In checking with schools about Academic Fresh Start, these are my findings:

1. Houston Community College appears to be the easiest school to work with.
2. Blinn College was responsive to emailed questions and might be easy to work with.
3. Alvin Community College's registrar answered all questions after about a 2 day delay each time. They put AFS on the transcript.
4. Galveston College said AFS will not appear on the transcript. Don't use them.
5. San Jacinto College updated my transcript to indicate Academic Fresh Start. I recommend using a different school. They made things too difficult.
6. University of Houston will not provide it for people who already have a bachelor's degree as previously discussed.
7. Lone Star College is pretty good administratively. They might be a good option, although there is one historic post stating they are slow to process AFS.

You can complete the requirements of AFS by taking a 1 semester hour course. No need to pay more tuition and spend more time on a course than is necessary.
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I'm interested in moving to TX from out of state, starting from scratch on my college coursework, not having any delay in starting my coursework, and obtaining AFS successfully before applying to med school.

1. From what I understand you have to be a TX resident to invoke AFS. That would require being in TX for 12 months but could I take any classes in the meantime?
2. Could I invoke AFS at a community college 12 months after beginning classes? If so, the credits should transfer since they are less than 10 years old. And would I need to change to a different community college?

I'm interested in moving to TX from out of state, starting from scratch on my college coursework, not having any delay in starting coursework, and obtaining AFS successfully before applying to med school.

your advice is so helpful, thanks for taking the time to share your insights. I just want to be sure I'm not overlooking anything!
 
The official State of Texas laws were provided above. They are clear.

Here's more:

Lone Star College Academic Fresh Start Program "a Texas resident is entitled to apply for admission or re-admission to LSC" and "The applicant must complete the Academic Fresh Start agreement with the college admissions office prior to registration"

Texas A&M Academic Fresh Start | Admissions - Admissions "Texas residents who apply for admission (or readmission)"

Admissions - Houston Community College - Modern Campus Catalog™ "Texas residents seeking to apply for admission or re-admission" and "The notation will be entered on the student record after the student enrolls and attends the semester invoked in the petition."

Academic Forgiveness | Texas State University "allow a Texas resident" and "must submit Academic Fresh Start paperwork prior to being admitted"

If you move to Texas to establish residency, you can't take courses in Texas for 1 year. You could enroll in out-of-state online courses. The Great State of Texas has a historical aversion to people coming to Texas to exploit its resources. For higher education resources, a commitment to the state must first be established.

1. Establish Texas residency.
2. Apply to a Texas school known to be easy to work with for AFS.
3. Apply for AFS.
4. Register and enroll.
5. Complete a course.
6. Texas Academic Fresh Start appears on the transcript. If it doesn't, you've wasted your time.
7. Apply using TMDSAS.
8. Send every transcript to TMDSAS. AFS is the exception to the rule about submitting transcripts.
9. Wait. Depending on what time of year you applied, you may wait longer.
10. TMDSAS notifies you that it's done.
 
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ahnonemoose said:
The official State of Texas laws were provided above. They are clear.

Here's more:

Lone Star College Academic Fresh Start Program "a Texas resident is entitled to apply for admission or re-admission to LSC" and "The applicant must complete the Academic Fresh Start agreement with the college admissions office prior to registration"

Texas A&M Academic Fresh Start | Admissions - Admissions "Texas residents who apply for admission (or readmission)"

Admissions - Houston Community College - Modern Campus Catalog™ "Texas residents seeking to apply for admission or re-admission" and "The notation will be entered on the student record after the student enrolls and attends the semester invoked in the petition."

Academic Forgiveness | Texas State University "allow a Texas resident" and "must submit Academic Fresh Start paperwork prior to being admitted"

If you move to Texas to establish residency, you can't take courses in Texas for 1 year. You could enroll in out-of-state online courses. The Great State of Texas has a historical aversion to people coming to Texas to exploit its resources. For higher education resources, a commitment to the state must first be established.

1. Establish Texas residency.
2. Apply to a Texas school known to be easy to work with for AFS.
3. Apply for AFS.
4. Register and enroll.
5. Complete a course.
6. Texas Academic Fresh Start appears on the transcript. If it doesn't, you've wasted your time.
7. Apply using TMDSAS.
8. Send every transcript to TMDSAS. AFS is the exception to the rule about submitting transcripts.
9. Wait. Depending on what time of year you applied, you may wait longer.
10. TMDSAS notifies you that it's done.
Click to expand...
thanks, I agree that the law is clear. how I work around it to take advantage of the system is not
 
chicandtoughness said:
Yes, you will need to be a TX resident before applying for AFS.

You do not invoke AFS at a medical school. You do so at any public Texas institution (who is willing to do it for you) BEFORE you apply. Most people do it at a cc because it’s the smoothest process, but some 4-year colleges supposedly will do it too. It does not apply to graduate admissions so it will have to be an institution that has undergraduate admissions.

Also be careful implying that UTT and UTMB are easy to get into… you never know who is lurking around here (check my signature lol)
Click to expand...

Neither of those schools is easy to get into. UTT is a long shot if you don't have ties to East Texas. UTMB often trades spots with Baylor and UTSW for the highest GPA of matriculants in the state. Also, even if you apply for AFS, the schools 100% will see what other schools you went to, they just won't see those grades. There is no "easy to get into" med school in the TMDSAS system, particularly if there is a hint that someone moved to Texas specifically for med school.
 
For TMDSAS, some secondaries ask about prior academic challenges, do we have to discuss the reasons we invoked AFS or are those credits considered "non-existent". Would like some clarity on this. Thanks
 
When discussing academic challenges, brevity with accountability is essential. Quickly transition to a discussion of your new academic approach that is successful.
 
Goldilocks_ said:
For TMDSAS, some secondaries ask about prior academic challenges, do we have to discuss the reasons we invoked AFS or are those credits considered "non-existent". Would like some clarity on this. Thanks
Click to expand...
I personally did not say anything. When your TMDSAS app gets transmitted, you essentially have blanks in the semesters that got wiped by AFS. They do not know if the grades were all bad or some good/some bad, they don’t know if they were F’s or if they were B-minuses. Don’t volunteer information that might hurt you.
 
If you have an academic suspension, you'll have to address that because it is specifically asked about. If you were a 2.0 student in good standing, say nothing. Look at your transcripts. Do they have a notation about poor academic performance? If not, you're okay. Do not tell us anything bad about yourself.
 
Do AFS applications take longer to process than regular apps. I submitted my application on June 11 and wondering if primary processing should be complete around July 11 [ the case for regular applicants] or if I should expect something closer to end of July
 
Goldilocks_ said:
Do AFS applications take longer to process than regular apps. I submitted my application on June 11 and wondering if primary processing should be complete around July 11 [ the case for regular applicants] or if I should expect something closer to end of July
Click to expand...
For TMDSAS? It will take longer because they need to process your transcripts (we send them in now, everyone else sends them in much later).
 
chicandtoughness said:
Oh, just had another thought. If you’re doing AFS please submit your primary SUPER EARLY. You have to send all transcripts before TMDSAS will transmit your primary to schools, and their verification process can take a while. It took a whole month before my app was transmitted.
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When you say, "SUPER EARLY", what would you say is the ball park? Before June1?
 
Goldilocks_ said:
When you say, "SUPER EARLY", what would you say is the ball park? Before June1?
Click to expand...
Academic Fresh Start slows down the processing of your application. Submit it on the first day. Prewrite secondary essays so they can be submitted the day you receive them.
 
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Goldilocks_ said:
For TMDSAS, some secondaries ask about prior academic challenges, do we have to discuss the reasons we invoked AFS or are those credits considered "non-existent". Would like some clarity on this. Thanks
Click to expand...

I did this, and I regret doing so for the reasons mentioned above. I would have much preferred to explain what happened during an interview rather than giving away the information, which took up precious space that I could have been better spent in bolstering my application.
 
Once AFS is invoked, and you previously hold a degree, do you only need to complete 90 credit hours before you apply to medical schools, or do you need to obtain a second degree? From what I understand, all the prerequisites need to be completed before applying, and most schools need about three upper 3000/4000 level biology courses. So, if I have all my prerequisites completed along with the suggested 3 upper level courses, and I meet the 90 credit hour minimum, can I apply, or would it be safer to apply when you are close to graduating with a second bacc degree?

Thanks
 
Huan2024 said:
Once AFS is invoked, and you previously hold a degree, do you only need to complete 90 credit hours before you apply to medical schools, or do you need to obtain a second degree? From what I understand, all the prerequisites need to be completed before applying, and most schools need about three upper 3000/4000 level biology courses. So, if I have all my prerequisites completed along with the suggested 3 upper level courses, and I meet the 90 credit hour minimum, can I apply, or would it be safer to apply when you are close to graduating with a second bacc degree?

Thanks
Click to expand...
90 hours. I thought we'd been clear about this. Don't overthink this. You still hold your degrees after AFS.
 
I am worried that medical schools may be prejudicial against those just completing the min 90 hrs/favor individuals completing a post bacc degree.
 
Huan2024 said:
I am worried that medical schools may be prejudicial against those just completing the min 90 hrs/favor individuals completing a post bacc degree.
Click to expand...
They don’t see your grades but I believe they do see previous institutions attended and the timeframes. It’s not hard to guess that you’re an AFS candidate and they will keep that in mind when evaluating post bacc things. My interviewers knew from my application that I had worked for 10 years in jobs that required at least a 4-year degree, so from that they can surmise what happened. (I also offered it up myself in a few interviews as my “overcoming resilience” answer 😂) They understand there is no reason to get a whole new undergrad degree (you don’t magically lose your last one) unless you REALLY ABSOLUTELY want to (and you don’t - you’ll have enough student debt from med school).
 
chicandtoughness said:
They don’t see your grades but I believe they do see previous institutions attended and the timeframes. It’s not hard to guess that you’re an AFS candidate and they will keep that in mind when evaluating post bacc things. My interviewers knew from my application that I had worked for 10 years in jobs that required at least a 4-year degree, so from that they can surmise what happened. (I also offered it up myself in a few interviews as my “overcoming resilience” answer 😂) They understand there is no reason to get a whole new undergrad degree (you don’t magically lose your last one) unless you REALLY ABSOLUTELY want to (and you don’t - you’ll have enough student debt from med school).
Click to expand...
ahnonemoose said:
That's irrational fear. I did the 90 hours and have been on two TMDSAS interviews this cycle.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your interviews. It is difficult not to be irrational, considering this journey will be very expensive and time consuming. The 90 credit hours will help me save some time to allocate towards clinical experience/volunteer activities. It would be very challenging, otherwise, to have to complete all the credit hours for another degree, and find time to do the clinical experience and volunteering work while working a full time job as well. Thank you all for the replies and insights!
 
It's common for premeds to worry about the minutiae in this process. The reality is that GPA + MCAT are (almost) everything, with a healthy splash of who you are (are you rare in the applicant pool, aka, URM, Olympic athlete, PhD, etc). You likely can't do much at this phase regarding the "who you are" portion, so focus on grades and MCAT. For almost a decade now I have watched people on SDN hinder their applications by doing too many EC's, trying to prove they can take classes at a harder school and end up with a worse grade, etc. The MSAR data, however, tells a story of large numbers of matriculants who have little to no shadowing hours, work experience, research, etc, which suggests that everything outside of grades and MCAT is far less important than most people make it out to be.
 
WoeBot62 said:
I have spent thousands of dollars and lots of time taking postbacc courses, the mcat, and applying to as many OOS DO schools as possible, because 10 years was a very long waiting period. To now know that I could've just waited for 2027 to invoke fresh start....that would've changed everything for me. Feeling a little blue for sure.
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Definitely understandable. The logistics changes that occur during the decade-long process to medical school can significantly impact applicants who have expended significant resources to navigate the system. I remember when I was early in the process and retaking old classes under the previous AACOMAS policy of grade replacement when they decided to simply pull the rug on the practice. I definitely retook a few courses that I didn't need to for AFS because it would have provided a significant GPA boost for OOS osteopathic schools.
 
I am currently trying to invoke AFS at a local university and their admissions/advising dept is giving me some hurdles. They are stating that if I invoke AFS at their institution, my transcripts for the classes taken at their university will not have "academic fresh start" annotated. They stated that it would be coded internally in their system and only for them to use. Even after I kept trying to tell them that medical schools in Texas honor AFS, they kept trying to tell me that AFS is non-transferrable and only good at the institution you invoke it at. I told them I would like to invoke it anyway. So once I actually apply to medical school and the application systems (TMDSAS), how is this going to work for me? How will TMDSAS know that I invoked AFS and know to leave out grades from 10 years ago if these advisors at the university I'm invoking AFS at are telling me there won't be any mention of AFS on my transcript when I apply to medical school?
 
potatopuncher said:
I am currently trying to invoke AFS at a local university and their admissions/advising dept is giving me some hurdles. They are stating that if I invoke AFS at their institution, my transcripts for the classes taken at their university will not have "academic fresh start" annotated. They stated that it would be coded internally in their system and only for them to use. Even after I kept trying to tell them that medical schools in Texas honor AFS, they kept trying to tell me that AFS is non-transferrable and only good at the institution you invoke it at. I told them I would like to invoke it anyway. So once I actually apply to medical school and the application systems (TMDSAS), how is this going to work for me? How will TMDSAS know that I invoked AFS and know to leave out grades from 10 years ago if these advisors at the university I'm invoking AFS at are telling me there won't be any mention of AFS on my transcript when I apply to medical school?
Click to expand...
They are correct in that AFS is non-transferrable. You can't invoke AFS at UT Dallas and then have it show up on UT Arlington's transcript. Texas medical schools do not "recognize AFS". The wording you are using with them is probably causing some confusion.

TMDSAS has a very specific policy regarding AFS that states if it shows up on any of your transcripts, 10 years of grades will be wiped out from the date of that transcript and back on your transmitted TMDSAS primary app only. (This is notable, because once you are admitted to a school you need to send your transcripts to them directly and then they will see your grades, but it doesn't matter because you're admitted hehe)

TMDSAS does not speak to any of your schools to check your status. It doesn't go into some centralized database. They solely rely on that designation to show up on your transcript, so you MUST have it on your transcript. No exceptions. Honestly, do it at HCC, they are the easiest to work with and you can always take your 1 class remotely.
 
Thank you for your replies. I took the advice of using HCC and was just told by their advisor that students that hold a degree already cannot use AFS. This is frustrating considering I just spent $65 sending all of my transcripts to them thinking I could do it with HCC. Not sure why I'm having so much trouble getting an institution to work with.

Are there any other institutions that will let you invoke it even with a previous undergrad degree?

-Edit-
After I explained my goals, HCC was actually understanding of my intent and are going to let me invoke AFS! Their director is awesome!
 
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potatopuncher said:
Thank you for your replies. I took the advice of using HCC and was just told by their advisor that students that hold a degree already cannot use AFS. This is frustrating considering I just spent $65 sending all of my transcripts to them thinking I could do it with HCC. Not sure why I'm having so much trouble getting an institution to work with.

Are there any other institutions that will let you invoke it even with a previous undergrad degree?

-Edit-
After I explained my goals, HCC was actually understanding of my intent and are going to let me invoke AFS! Their director is awesome!
Click to expand...

Glad that got sorted. I know a current medical student who had a degree and invoked AFS at HCC, so I was surprised to see you post that they gave you grief.

Also, on a related note, every time that student talked about HCC, I kept thinking they meant hepatocellular carcinoma 😱
 
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