Tmdsas 2010

[cher25]

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Do you think it's okay to go ahead and submit if your application still has some of the 'glitches' listed on the main page, ie terms listed multiple times, etc. I guess they will fix this on their own, but I'm hesitant to hit the button...

I submitted mine.. I figure that they'll work out the glitches... I didn't want their glitches to affect the timing of my application submission.

 

[tripride]

Can letters of evaluation be sent in online along with the evaluator form and the document request form? I was under the impression that you could, but the emailed request doesn't have instructions for submitting the letter online? sigh...

 

[cher25]

Can letters of evaluation be sent in online along with the evaluator form and the document request form? I was under the impression that you could, but the emailed request doesn't have instructions for submitting the letter online? sigh...

This year, they've changed the rules and the evaluations must be submitted with the form. My advisor mentioned something about online through virtual evals, but I'm unsure if they can still be submitted this way. So my suggestion is to ask your health professions office.

Please, has anyone received clarification on whether or not they can be submitted online... please do post.

 

[RecyclingBinh]

I saw that TMDSAS also calculates your nonscience GPA as opposed to your science and cumulative GPA. I am a bit concerned because my nonscience GPA is a 3.3 and only consists of 13 hours compared to my science and cumulative GPA that are 3.5. I thought schools only looked at your science and cumulative GPA. Will my low nonscience GPA have any effect on my competitiveness for Texas schools?

where is this? I submitted my app 6/2 and cannot find where my gpa is at all.

I am in a personal debate about the optional essays on the application. I don't feel like I have anything profound to say but I could probably figure something out for the personal characteristics essay. Should I do both, one, none?

the unique experience is more like mandatory these days. if you don't have anything, then i wouldn't bs it b/c they can smell it.

Ya I'm working on my secondaries. I know I should take them seriously.... but I just can't focus because I just submitted my TMDSAS and is trying to cut myself so slack....... I'm also studying for MCAT >.<

In my opinion, the only secondary that's easy is UTSW.... TTU and A&M ask weird question that I really need to "think" to make up a good response. Anyone know how long do those essays have to be? UTSW has a limit of 500 words, TTU and A&M didn't specify.

Also if any of you have spare time, please feel free to comment on my MDApps.

Appreciated

i commented on your app. 😀 yeah same here. i don't feel like doing secodnaries until i finish my july 2 mcat. but the bad thing is I heard that TMDSAS sends out the first batch mid June? I hope this is wrong or else my apps for UTSW, Tech, A&M are late. 🙁 good luck!

This year, they've changed the rules and the evaluations must be submitted with the form. My advisor mentioned something about online through virtual evals, but I'm unsure if they can still be submitted this way. So my suggestion is to ask your health professions office.

Please, has anyone received clarification on whether or not they can be submitted online... please do post.

I think if you do it online, your recommenders send it to interfolio directly or something? I had mine send it with the form i printed online. I think after they submit it, it goes directly to interfolio where you can choose to send them anywhere you want. Someoen correct me on this please. Thank you.

 

[cher25]

According to the TMDSAS FAQ:

"What is validation?

Validation is a process by which TMDSAS verifies what you entered in the [Colleges and Coursework] section against official transcripts for those applicants who have received at least one interview. We compare each transcript to verify that the course work entered matches exactly to what is on the transcripts. All official transcripts must be received by TMDSAS before the validation process can be completed."

Am I reading this incorrectly? Does this mean that we won't be validated (summary page with calculations and all) until we're offered an interview????

 

[twoinone]

My health professions director informed me today that the apps will be submitted to the schools beginning June 15th.

I called TMDSAS for something else and while on the phone, I also asked them about this. According the lady I spoke with, the first application will go to schools starting jun 24th.

 

[cher25]

I called TMDSAS for something else and while on the phone, I also asked them about this. According the lady I spoke with, the first application will go to schools starting jun 24th.

Thanks for that update. With all of their technical problems with interfolio, who knows when they'll go out LoL. This date seems to line up with the AMCAS date.

 

[Curlyfriez12]

I'm taking the MCAT on June 18 too.

You mean your taking it on July 17th right?

 

[Curlyfriez12]

I've done the required essay (basically a shortened version of my AMCAS personal statement) - but I'm not sure about the two Optional essays. I could write something I guess, but do students typically fill that section out? Will it be seen as a red flag if (I'm lazy) and I don't write the optional essays?

I'd definitely write something for those essays. Better be safe than sorry imo. But if you have something more important to do, like study for the MCAT, I guess you have to pick and chose.

 

[clifftacopter]

I just did one of the optional essays. One of them was interesting to me and I enjoyed writing about it... the other one I made a draft but it just wasn't all that interesting, so I scrapped it. I would suggest doing at least one so it doesn't make you seem lazy or uninteresting.

 

[cher25]

You mean your taking it on July 17th right?

no, i'm taking it Thursday, June 18th. I moved it a few times. First planned March, then May... but this time I'm sticking to June 18th. LoL

 

[Rach83]

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere in this thread, but does anyone know if it's best to submit 2 science LORs or 1 science and 1 non-science? Or does it not matter?

Also re: the discussion about whether or not the LOR form is required.... I know someone said that it was not required as per a TMDSAS employee, but does the "letters MUST be submitted with the form" instruction scare anyone? I'm debating going back to my profs to get them to fill it out. 😕

 

[cher25]

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere in this thread, but does anyone know if it's best to submit 2 science LORs or 1 science and 1 non-science? Or does it not matter?

Also re: the discussion about whether or not the LOR form is required.... I know someone said that it was not required as per a TMDSAS employee, but does the "letters MUST be submitted with the form" instruction scare anyone? I'm debating going back to my profs to get them to fill it out. 😕

I gave the form to my hp committee since the instructions said it was mandatory. The best way to know for sure is to send an e-mail to TMDSAS. At the meetings that I had with ADCOMS, they said at least 1 needs to be science and that two sciences are not mandatory. The most important thing, per Dr. Kellaway at UTH, is that the recommenders know you well so that they don't just write a generic letter.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rach83]

I gave the form to my hp committee since the instructions said it was mandatory. The best way to know for sure is to send an e-mail to TMDSAS. At the meetings that I had with ADCOMS, they said at least 1 needs to be science and that two sciences are not mandatory. The most important thing, per Dr. Kellaway at UTH, is that the recommenders know you well so that they don't just write a generic letter.

Hope this helps.

Thanks cher for the info. I did email them about the form and was told that yes those needed to be filled out, but someone said they called and were told they were not required. I had decided not to bother my profs again but now I'm getting nervous after reading the capital letter "MUST" on the application. 😕

 

[cher25]

Thanks cher for the info. I did email them about the form and was told that yes those needed to be filled out, but someone said they called and were told they were not required. I had decided not to bother my profs again but now I'm getting nervous after reading the capital letter "MUST" on the application. 😕

If TMDSAS instructed you that the form was necessary, I think that you should definitely bother your profs and get the form sent in. Buy them a gift card, or some chocolate or something Lol and tell them that this new system has new requirements that you were previously unaware of.

 

[twoinone]

For those of you whose transcript has been received by Interfolio, does it show yes or no next to the Transcript on the main page of TMDSAS. I know they said they have been working on this but I that message has been there for a long time and I'm not sure if they fixed the problem but forgot to update the status.

 

[Rach83]

I have a question, might be silly but bear with me. 🙂 If I get my profs to send the evaluation forms with their letters, will I be able to separate the letter from the form in order to send the letter only to AMCAS schools? Or will the two be sent as a "package" since they were received using the same interfolio barcode?
On the flip side, if a prof has already sent in a letter, and then sends the evaluation form weeks later, is this a problem for TMDSAS?

Also, I'm having trouble figuring out which 2 letters to send out of my 5-6 letters. If I choose certain profs for my LORs and make request forms, can I change my mind and switch to another letter-writer if I end up feeling that someone else was able to write a better letter? Wondering if this can be done even AFTER the letters are received by interfolio.

 

[cher25]

For those of you whose transcript has been received by Interfolio, does it show yes or no next to the Transcript on the main page of TMDSAS. I know they said they have been working on this but I that message has been there for a long time and I'm not sure if they fixed the problem but forgot to update the status.

Though all of my transcripts have been acknowledged as received, it still says 'No'. My app has been complete and reflected 'submitted to TMDSAS' since June 4th.

 

[twoinone]

Though all of my transcripts have been acknowledged as received, it still says 'No'. My app has been complete and reflected 'submitted to TMDSAS' since June 4th.

Thanks! Mine is also the exact same status.

 

[Isabell Ringing]

hey guys, for the tmdsas under the chronology of activities, they have a subsection called "other activities"...what did you guys list?

 

[twoinone]

hey guys, for the tmdsas under the chronology of activities, they have a subsection called "other activities"...what did you guys list?

I didn't list any. All my activities fell under one of the categories there already was. But if you have an activity that doesn't fit under one of those, I guess you would use that section

 

[T12]

I had to create an Other Activity called "High School" because the timeline wouldn't let me leave a gap between the first college class I took as a 16 yr old and the next listing. I was 16, what was I supposed to be doing??

 

[msbbc833]

I am taking the MCAT for the first time on August 6th but will hopefully have my app sent in in late June. Is taking the MCAT so late in the cycle going to substantially hurt my chances?

 

[cher25]

hey guys, for the tmdsas under the chronology of activities, they have a subsection called "other activities"...what did you guys list?

I used it to list the activities that I plan on doing between now and August 2010.

 

[cher25]

I am taking the MCAT for the first time on August 6th but will hopefully have my app sent in in late June. Is taking the MCAT so late in the cycle going to substantially hurt my chances?

This is very late for Texas because the interview season is July thru December. Your scores won't arrive until September and most interview spots will be taken by then. However, from personal experience, if you won't be ready until August, then don't take it until August. Better to take your time and do well than to rush it and do badly. As encouragement, I know two people who applied in October in the past and still got interviews and acceptances in Texas.

 

[msbbc833]

This is very late for Texas because the interview season is July thru December. Your scores won't arrive until September and most interview spots will be taken by then. However, from personal experience, if you won't be ready until August, then don't take it until August. Better to take your time and do well than to rush it and do badly. As encouragement, I know two people who applied in October in the past and still got interviews and acceptances in Texas.

Yeah Ive been told that as well, I am not trying to rush, plus my TPR course ends at the end of July. Oh well..

 

[BrainDocta]

have any of yall been notified that you've been processed?

 

[T12]

My thought would be just put N/A for that question. I heard that adcom can sniff the BS and it will impact ur app more negatively than putting N/A.
Any other opinions? I'm interesting about this question too. I already wrote the optional essay about challenging part of your life and I don't want to repeat the same thing in the secondary....

What if you were up front about the mild nature of your experience. Coming right out and saying you've never been through any dramatic or severe financial distress, but you have had to work several jobs and spend/live wisely. That way you have something to say and sell yourself a little more, but you're not obviously hyping the situation. I'm still wafflinng on this one too.

 

[cher25]

have any of yall been notified that you've been processed?

I e-mailed interfolio about this a couple of days ago. They told me to be patient, that no-one has been processed.

 

[cher25]

What if you were up front about the mild nature of your experience. Coming right out and saying you've never been through any dramatic or severe financial distress, but you have had to work several jobs and spend/live wisely. That way you have something to say and sell yourself a little more, but you're not obviously hyping the situation. I'm still wafflinng on this one too.

An adcom told me that the optional essays are strongly recommended and that they don't have to be dramatic experiences of struggle and adversity. She said that it's important to say something interesting about yourself. She said, for example, unique or challenging experience that could contribute to the diversity of the class could be about how you excel at a sport/hobby, or learned a foreign language. I think that people always assume that they have to tell a sob story. This is not always the case.

 

[redrower]

do you guys know if we can send in LORs after we submit, like with AMCAS? or do we have to have the LORs in before we submit??

im thinking about getting a last minute LOR in July/August and wanted to send these to them but wasnt sure if i needed to put it down even though it hasnt been sent in

 

[msbbc833]

Are we required to submit two letters of rec? can we get away with just one?

 

[cher25]

do you guys know if we can send in LORs after we submit, like with AMCAS? or do we have to have the LORs in before we submit??

im thinking about getting a last minute LOR in July/August and wanted to send these to them but wasnt sure if i needed to put it down even though it hasnt been sent in

TMDSAS will process your app and send them to schools with or without your rec letters. Schools, however, may put your app on hold without them. I submitted mine, and my letters have not arrived yet. Though my pre-med office sent them last week, TMDSAS has not yet acknowledged receipt.

 

[cher25]

Are we required to submit two letters of rec? can we get away with just one?

You must submit two.. if not, one committee letter will do.

 

[prone2xl]

Hey guys- my transcripts are showing as received by TMDSAS application, but the letters of rec that I sent along with them have not shown up yet. I looked and was about to call them, but it said Interfolio was having a problem. I didn't know if it would make any difference if I didn't request them from the TMDSAS site since I already had them in Interfolio. so I created request forms for both.

any ideas? will they show up?

 

[hellacool]

hey guys I need your honest opinion I applying this cycle only to DO schools. My GPA 3.45, MCAT 25P, lots of extra cur... The only texas school im interested in TCOM. What are my chances at TCOM plus im OOS? Should I even spend the money and take a chance? or save it for other schools?

 

[cher25]

hey guys I need your honest opinion I applying this cycle only to DO schools. My GPA 3.45, MCAT 25P, lots of extra cur... The only texas school im interested in TCOM. What are my chances at TCOM plus im OOS? Should I even spend the money and take a chance? or save it for other schools?

Texas is highly competitive for out of state students allocating roughly 10% of acceptances to oos (Baylor is the exception). Having said that, I would recommend that you do include TCOM in your list. I'd advise you, however, to call or e-mail and speak with someone on admissions to find out what their oos stats are.

 

[cher25]

Hey guys- my transcripts are showing as received by TMDSAS application, but the letters of rec that I sent along with them have not shown up yet. I looked and was about to call them, but it said Interfolio was having a problem. I didn't know if it would make any difference if I didn't request them from the TMDSAS site since I already had them in Interfolio. so I created request forms for both.

any ideas? will they show up?

my rec letters haven't shown up either.. nor have they been acknowledged as received. I suggest that you e-mail interfolio through the support link on the TMDSAS app. They have a pretty quick turn around with answering questions.

 

[twoinone]

i checked tmdsas and it shows my application as being submitted to schools today.

 

[cher25]

i checked tmdsas and it shows my application as being submitted to schools today.

How does it read? Mine still says submitted to TMDSAS.

 

[hanjg]

Mine shows this:

Application Submitted
5/29/09 Transcripts No Test Scores Yes Letters 1 Received Payment Yes


Schools you have applied to:Status Texas A&M HSC-College of Medicine Submitted to School UT Houston Medical School Submitted to School UT Medical Branch at Galveston Submitted to School UT School of Medicine at San Antonio Submitted to School UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Submitted to School

I know they have reviewed my transcripts so I think that is just a website problem. I've already submitted my secondaries to A&M and UTSW and my "1 letter" is my committee packet.

 

[hellacool]

thanks cher25 for your reply. I took your advice and contacted TCOM and they said they limit the class to 10% (like you said). They also talked about the stats for last years entering class and told me they don't discourage any student from applying. But im still not sure I wanna track down letter writers and pay the fee if my chances are that low to start with. My thinking is OOS + sub par GPA + Sub par MCAT = quick rejection

 

[cher25]

thanks cher25 for your reply. I took your advice and contacted TCOM and they said they limit the class to 10% (like you said). They also talked about the stats for last years entering class and told me they don't discourage any student from applying. But im still not sure I wanna track down letter writers and pay the fee if my chances are that low to start with. My thinking is OOS + sub par GPA + Sub par MCAT = quick rejection

no prob, glad I could help.

 

[cher25]

Mine shows this:

I know they have reviewed my transcripts so I think that is just a website problem. I've already submitted my secondaries to A&M and UTSW and my "1 letter" is my committee packet.

Do you have a summary page with your calculated gpa? I e-mailed them about this last week and they replied me Monday saying no-one's had been done.

 

[twoinone]

How does it read? Mine still says submitted to TMDSAS.

mine reads exactly like hanjg's.

Mine shows this:

I know they have reviewed my transcripts so I think that is just a website problem. I've already submitted my secondaries to A&M and UTSW and my "1 letter" is my committee packet.

 

[bigslick]

Does anybody know if submitting mid-July is too late for Texas? I don't have my two optional essays written, but I'm leaving this Saturday to go on a two-week medical mission abroad. Any thoughts? I know for AMCAS if you submit in July, it'll take up to 3-4 weeks to get verified.. is this the same for Texas apps?

 

[hanjg]

Do you have a summary page with your calculated gpa? I e-mailed them about this last week and they replied me Monday saying no-one's had been done.

Where would this be? On my coursework it shows an * by every beginning entry and a TMDSAS grade but no "summary" or GPA. I don't see a place that has been left blank.

 

[hanjg]

bigslick, I'm just a noob but I think the first invites start going out at the end of July. Maybe someone who actually "knows" something has a better answer.

 

[cher25]

Does anybody know if submitting mid-July is too late for Texas? I don't have my two optional essays written, but I'm leaving this Saturday to go on a two-week medical mission abroad. Any thoughts? I know for AMCAS if you submit in July, it'll take up to 3-4 weeks to get verified.. is this the same for Texas apps?

I was told by two texas adcoms that July is not late. They advised that apps be complete before August. They strongly suggested applying early, however. Early, I'm assuming is by the end of June. Having said that, I personally know someone who applied to Texas in October and got accepted.

 

[cher25]

Where would this be? On my coursework it shows an * by every beginning entry and a TMDSAS grade but no "summary" or GPA. I don't see a place that has been left blank.

It's not on the app. Based on the e-mail that Interfolio sent me, I think that there will be a summary page at some point. I submitted June 4 so maybe I'm late in line for submission to schools.