Was I truly considered as a TX resident?

[taeyeonlover]

I have been living in Texas since summer 2018 and I applied during this application cycle (2019~2020) to Texas medical schools through TMDSAS application system. TMDSAS marked me as a Texas resident because I met the requirements such as living and working full time in Texas for at least a year and submitting the necessary documents such as utility bills and lease agreement. I received 3 interviews from Texas schools and one from a medical school in a state where I grew up in. Right now, out of the four schools, I am waitlisted at three of them and rejected from one Texas school.

I am wondering if Texas schools truly saw me as an in state applicant? Do you think it's possible that I lost the competition against other Texas applicants who have stronger ties (grew up in Texas, went to school there, have family there etc.)?

I am wondering if it would be more advantageous to move back to my old state if I don't get in during this cycle and change residency back to my old state? Should I just stay in Texas?

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[taeyeonlover]

@Goro @LizzyM @Mr.Smile12 You guys helped me before. What do you think? If you are an admission officer at a state school, would you consider someone who spent the majority of their life in the state in a more positive light than someone like me who lived only for a year or two? Am I worrying too much and it wouldn't make any difference?

 

[WhatasizedBurger]

Our admission system is different.
Potential to practice in texas is a heavy deciding factor, stronger than any mcat or gpa or EC.

 

[KnightDoc]

@Goro @LizzyM @Mr.Smile12 You guys helped me before. What do you think? If you are an admission officer at a state school, would you consider someone who spent the majority of their life in the state in a more positive light than someone like me who lived only for a year or two? Am I worrying too much and it wouldn't make any difference?

What do you think?

I'm certainly no Texas expert, but, if Texas values commitment to Texas as much as it seems like it does, it's kind of obvious that someone who appears to be gaming their system by establishing residency for the bare minimum amount of time would be at an inherent disadvantage to those who were born and bred there. Did you even attend UG there? The mere fact that you are considering leaving to gain an advantage somewhere else kind of lends credence to what they might have done, doesn't it?

Bottom line -- If you didn't grow up there, don't have family there, didn't go to school there, and your only tie is the year you established residency before applying, yeah, it looks like you wouldn't get the full benefit of being IS in an insular system like TX's, since it's readily apparent that the extent of your commitment to the state is your desire for enhanced admission rates to its highly subsidized medical schools.

 

[Goro]

@Goro @LizzyM @Mr.Smile12 You guys helped me before. What do you think? If you are an admission officer at a state school, would you consider someone who spent the majority of their life in the state in a more positive light than someone like me who lived only for a year or two? Am I worrying too much and it wouldn't make any difference?

Yes, it's more of a hook for those 10% superstars from OOS. Are you a superstar? Or have substantial service to Hispanic communities?

 

[taeyeonlover]

Yes, it's more of a hook for those 10% superstars from OOS. Are you a superstar? Or have substantial service to Hispanic communities?

But I wasn’t marked as oos applicant by tmdsas because I technically met the requirements for texas residency. I’m not a superstar but I think I have a solid app.

 

[Goro]

But I wasn’t marked as oos applicant by tmdsas because I technically met the requirements for texas residency. I’m not a superstar but I think I have a solid app.

If you're a Texan, then why are we having this conversation?

 

[WhatasizedBurger]

Tmdsas can say you are Texan on paper, but it's a group of 30-40 Texans who decide if you truly are or aren't

But I wasn’t marked as oos applicant by tmdsas because I technically met the requirements for texas residency. I’m not a superstar but I think I have a solid app.

 

[taeyeonlover]

If you're a Texan, then why are we having this conversation?

I don’t know...I guess I’m just trying to figure out anxiously why I’m waitlisted at 3 schools I interviewed at (2 Texas schools and 1 from my old state). I got rejected from one other Texas school after interview.

Schools don’t really tell you why they made such decisions.

I have been living and working in Texas only for 2 years since 2018.

 

[Goro]

I don’t know...I guess I’m just trying to figure out anxiously why I’m waitlisted at 3 schools I interviewed at (2 Texas schools and 1 from my old state). I got rejected from one Texas school after interview.

Schools don’t really tell you why they made such decisions.

I have been living and working in Texas only for 2 years since 2018.

You didn't get WL because of your short time in TX.

Work on interview skills.

 

[makennacompton]

On the Texas application, there is a line where you identify which high school in Texas you went to. That probably is a bright line for ‘true’ resident status.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

I believe they give preference to those who went to school in TX (HS or UG) but I also know who got in 2 years back by establishing residency only.

 

[KnightDoc]

I believe they give preference to those who went to school in TX (HS or UG) but I also know who got in 2 years back by establishing residency only.

Okay, but 10% also get in without establishing residency, so that's not the be all end all!

OP asked whether he received all the benefits of TX residency under his circumstances. Nobody except an adcom at one of his schools can answer definitively, but OP's question does not seem unreasonable. While TMDSAS certainly applied the rules to OP and processed him as IS, it does not seem crazy that schools would not confer the same level of IS preference on OP as on someone with stronger ties to the state. On the other hand, once he received an II it's unlikely that his weak ties to the state would be the reason he didn't receive an A.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Okay, but 10% also get in without establishing residency, so that's not the be all end all!

OP asked whether he received all the benefits of TX residency under his circumstances. Nobody except an adcom at one of his schools can answer definitively, but OP's question does not seem unreasonable. While TMDSAS certainly applied the rules to OP and processed him as IS, it does not seem crazy that schools would not confer the same level of IS preference on OP as on someone with stronger ties to the state. On the other hand, once he received an II it's unlikely that his weak ties to the state would be the reason he didn't receive an A.

I agree, the two candidates I know got 1 and 2 interviews only. One had below 3.5 GPA and other one above 3.5 with high MCAT scores and strong ECs and they felt not attending TX schools may be the reason. Again, purely speculation

 

[Isoval]

When I was interviewing, I interviewed at four schools and was waitlisted at three of them.

Why do you think this is uncommon?

1) Yes, you are a Texas resident.
2) No, you are not entitled to a Texas acceptance with three interviews.
3) ?????

 

[taeyeonlover]

When I was interviewing, I interviewed at four schools and was waitlisted at three of them.

Why do you think this is uncommon?

1) Yes, you are a Texas resident.
2) No, you are not entitled to a Texas acceptance with three interviews.
3) ?????

Did you apply to Texas schools as IS?

 

[Isoval]

Did you apply to Texas schools as IS?

Yes.