Texas Academic Fresh Start Megathread

[chicandtoughness]

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To be clear, what is the order of operations here? 1.move to Texas.
2.enroll at a tx community college
3. After establishing residency(12 months) transfer to university in TX.
4. Invoke AFS at ONE medical school in Texas?
What if I completed CHEM112 in 2020, but my CHEM111 is from 2010? Would I need to retake CHEM111?

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.

 

[MDby43]

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.

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...

 

[chicandtoughness]

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...

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)

 

[MDby43]

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)

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.

 

[chicandtoughness]

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.

 

[MDby43]

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!

 

[ahnonemoose]

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

Term	Year	Course	Title	Type	Area	Sem Hrs	Trans Grade	TMDSAS Grade	Acad Level	Last Time?
Sp	2024	EDUC 1100	Learning Framework	DL	NonSci	1	A	A	PB	Y

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

Some University

Term	Year	Course	Title	Type	Area	Sem Hrs	Trans Grade	TMDSAS Grade	Acad Level	Last Time?

 

[MDby43]

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

Term	Year	Course	Title	Type	Area	Sem Hrs	Trans Grade	TMDSAS Grade	Acad Level	Last Time?
Sp	2024	EDUC 1100	Learning Framework	DL	NonSci	1	A	A	PB	Y

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

Some University

Term	Year	Course	Title	Type	Area	Sem Hrs	Trans Grade	TMDSAS Grade	Acad Level	Last Time?

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?)

 

[MDby43]

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.

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!

 

[ahnonemoose]

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.

 

[MDby43]

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.

thanks, I agree that the law is clear. how I work around it to take advantage of the system is not

 

[esob]

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)

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.

 

[Goldilocks_]

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

 

[ahnonemoose]

When discussing academic challenges, brevity with accountability is essential. Quickly transition to a discussion of your new academic approach that is successful.

 

[chicandtoughness]

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

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.

 

[ahnonemoose]

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.

 

[Goldilocks_]

Thanks for the input. Really helpful as I navigate this.

 

[Goldilocks_]

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

 

[chicandtoughness]

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

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).

 

[Goldilocks_]

For TMDSAS? It will take longer because they need to process your transcripts (we send them in now, everyone else sends them

Correct.. TMDSAS.. Thanks for the clarification

 

[Goldilocks_]

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.

When you say, "SUPER EARLY", what would you say is the ball park? Before June1?

 

[ahnonemoose]

When you say, "SUPER EARLY", what would you say is the ball park? Before June1?

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.

 

[esob]

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

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.