The Austin College—Texas Tech School of Medicine Early Decision Program allows students meeting certain criteria to apply to the Texas Tech School of Medicine a year early, in the summer after their sophomore year. Interviews are usually conducted in November or December, and acceptance decisions are announced in early February. Students accepted through this program can waive the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
To be eligible for this program, students must meet the following criteria prior to admission:
- Must have at least a 1360 (Math and Verbal) composite score on the SAT, or at least a 30 ACT composite equivalent.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen and/or Permanent Resident.
- Must have graduated from a high school in Texas and be a Texas resident.
- Must enter Austin College as a freshman (students classified as transfer students are not eligible for this program).
Critera
Students must then meet the following criteria while at Austin College:
- Students must complete all coursework at Austin College (AP and dual-credit courses are accepted under certain circumstances).
- Ten of the eleven medical school prerequisite (or BCPM) courses must be completed by the end of the first semester of the junior year (with a minimum grade of “B” in each).
- Those courses are: introductory biology (x2), inorganic chemistry (x2), organic chemistry (x2), upper-level biology elective, biochemistry, introductory physics (x2), and statistics.
- Students must have an overall GPA of 3.7 and a BCPM GPA of 3.6 (at the time of application).
Accepted students must maintain minimum GPAs of 3.7 (overall) and 3.6 (BCPM) until graduation. They are also required to complete 100 hours of community service and medical shadowing in both their junior and senior years.
It is recommended that students acquire health-care experiences prior to applying to these early acceptance programs. These students are a small unique group and are competing for a limited number of seats; so, the more competitive their application can be the better chance they will have for acceptance. Their interviews, if selected, will focus on their ability to balance academic with extracurricular/work activities, evidence of caring behaviors, health-care experiences, awareness of the health care system and its current changes and interpersonal skills.