Tips for getting into TX med schools from out of state

[Ricegrad05]

I'm active duty Navy and I want to go to med school in TX (that's where my wife is from). I'm not a TX resident although I went to school at Rice in Houston. Any tips for getting into TX med schools from out of state? I know TX med schools typically have 90% TX residents (by state law). I have pretty good stats so far, 3.9 undergrad GPA from Rice in Mech Eng, but I haven't taken the MCAT yet.

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[sunny1]

bump! I'm curious too.

 

[Dr Serenity]

Don't have much "advice" to give other than it can't hurt to "go for it"...the worst thing that will happen is that you don't get accepted and you have to wait another year to apply (in which case you can obtain a job in TX and gain residency that way...).

BTW, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is a private medical school, so (I don't think) they're obligated to follow the 90% rule (someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). On the flipside, being a private medical school, their tuition is probably significantly higher than the public Texas medical schools (which are a BARGAIN for in-state residents).

Good luck.🙂

 

[LonghornMD]

I am not sure about facts on resident vs. non-resident admissions at Baylor. But I heard that they get state funding. So they may have to admit more residents. Or maybe it is only reflected in tuition differences.

Speaking of tuition, here's tuition information for Baylor. Baylor College of Medicine Tuition Information

Texas Resident pay about $20,000 the first year and about $15,000 for the remainder while non-resident pay about about $30,000/year.

If someone has better information regarding this, please post.

 

[Renkat2sj]

well . . . how long do you have to live there to be considered a resident? one year? if its only a year could you move there while you begin applying? then if you were NOT able to get in, well, by the next year you WOULD be a resident when you reapply. or you could just move there and wait a year . . ?

waiting sucks but if you are determined, it would certainly help your case to be a resident.

and as far as Baylor goes, US News has it listed, i think, in the top 10 or 15 of hardest schools to get into!

 

[SWOVandal]

have you considered buying some property and establishing your residency in Tx? If you are active duty you usually don't need to reside somewhere to establish your residency ... just have a legit claim. I don't believe that TX has state taxes for active duty either.

 

[viostorm]

have you considered buying some property and establishing your residency in Tx? If you are active duty you usually don't need to reside somewhere to establish your residency ... just have a legit claim. I don't believe that TX has state taxes for active duty either.

Texas residency is obtained by 1 year of full time employment in the state of texas. It has nothing to do with owning property.

And you have to prove you did not move there to exploit the education system.

Check out tmdsas website.

 

[LonghornMD]

Here's Texas residency information from College for Texans Website.

Hope this helps.

 

[canjosh]

Don't have much "advice" to give other than it can't hurt to "go for it"...the worst thing that will happen is that you don't get accepted and you have to wait another year to apply (in which case you can obtain a job in TX and gain residency that way...).

BTW, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is a private medical school, so (I don't think) they're obligated to follow the 90% rule (someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). On the flipside, being a private medical school, their tuition is probably significantly higher than the public Texas medical schools (which are a BARGAIN for in-state residents).

Good luck.🙂

I believe Baylor has a 75% rule.

 

[alpha62]

See if you can get stationed in Texas. Kingsville is a turd pile, but S. Padre Island not that far away.

Plan B would be to Go to Mexico, lose your passport, declare yourself a Mexican National and get caught wading the Rio Grande.

You'll be an illegal alien then, thus qualifying for in-state tution.

 

[Jolie South]

Texas residency is obtained by 1 year of full time employment in the state of texas. It has nothing to do with owning property.

And you have to prove you did not move there to exploit the education system.

Check out tmdsas website.

You can buy property to gain residency. This was mentioned at my Baylor interview. Many OOS people do this. They buy property as a first year then after 12 months have passed they can petition for residency.

PS. Texas does not have state income tax.

 

[Jolie South]

BTW, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is a private medical school, so (I don't think) they're obligated to follow the 90% rule (someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). On the flipside, being a private medical school, their tuition is probably significantly higher than the public Texas medical schools (which are a BARGAIN for in-state residents).

Good luck.🙂

Nope, they have instate and OOS tuitions. Instate is on the same level as the other Texas schools.

 

[QofQuimica]

I believe Baylor has a 75% rule.

Right.

Texas residency is obtained by 1 year of full time employment in the state of texas. It has nothing to do with owning property.

And you have to prove you did not move there to exploit the education system.

Check out tmdsas website.

Baylor does not use TMDSAS; that is only for the TX state schools. You apply to Baylor using AMCAS like you do everywhere else outside of TX. If you want info about Baylor's rules and requirements, read the Baylor website, *not* the TMDSAS website. This booklet explains how residency reclassification works. The reclassification requirements are on page 16.

Nope, they have instate and OOS tuitions. Instate is on the same level as the other Texas schools.

Correct. If you're an OOS resident, you'll pay OOS tuition for first year and then you can apply for in-state classification for years 2-4 if you've bought a condo or something.

You can buy property to gain residency. This was mentioned at my Baylor interview. Many OOS people do this. They buy property as a first year then after 12 months have passed they can petition for residency.

PS. Texas does not have state income tax.

Correct again. Most things are bigger in TX, but not the local income taxes or the medical school tuition bills. 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

I'm active duty Navy and I want to go to med school in TX (that's where my wife is from). I'm not a TX resident although I went to school at Rice in Houston. Any tips for getting into TX med schools from out of state? I know TX med schools typically have 90% TX residents (by state law). I have pretty good stats so far, 3.9 undergrad GPA from Rice in Mech Eng, but I haven't taken the MCAT yet.

Getting into another state's schools is always hard, particularly if you don't have strong connections to the state. It sounds like you possibly do though since you went to college in TX and your wife is also from TX. Your GPA is very competitive, and from a school that anyone in TX knows very well. See how you do on the MCAT. Assuming you do well, apply to Baylor for sure since they take the highest percentage of OOS residents, and consider applying for the TMDSAS match. I did not do TMDSAS two years ago when I applied as a FL resident. In retrospect it may have been a mistake because the TX state schools are excellent, and I now believe I could have had a realistic chance of matching into one of them even from OOS. Based on what you've said, it sounds like your academic record is strong enough that it would be worth giving the match a try.

Besides having excellent numbers, you will also want to ensure that your LORs are excellent. Have people who know you well write them and comment on your potential for success, how you compare to most other premeds they've taught, etc. It's best if they can give specific examples to illustrate their comments. Also, ECs are very important. Hopefully you have been doing shadowing and/or clinical volunteering; if not, you should start yesterday. When you write your essays, emphasize your connections to TX and that you intend to reside there permanently (assuming that you do). Oh, and one more thing: if you speak Spanish, Baylor at least will find that interesting and a plus. Don't exaggerate how well you speak though, because one of my interviewers conducted part of my interview in Spanish since I had written that I speak Spanish on my app.

 

[LonghornMD]

Correct again. Most things are bigger in TX, but not the local income taxes or the medical school tuition bills. 🙂

You will get robbed blind on property tax though. 🙁

 

[QofQuimica]

You will get robbed blind on property tax though. 🙁

I suppose this depends on what kind of property taxes you were used to in your previous state. 😉