Section Overview of the Application
TMDSAS strongly recommends that you print out the following overview so that you can refer back to it while filling out the application.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to read, understand and follow all TMDSAS and school-specific instructions. Applicants must certify that they have read, understand, and agree to comply with TMDSAS instructions when submitting a TMDSAS application.
Once you have registered for a TMDSAS account, you may login to update your information as often as you wish prior to submitting your application. After submitting your application, you are able to make changes to the Contact Info yourself from within the application.
To make changes to the following: Test Score Information, Letters of Evaluation, and to add planned course work to the Colleges and Coursework section you must email TMDSAS.
Email tmdsas@utsystem.edu - include your full name, TMDSAS ID and the exact change that needs to be made.
Email is the primary mode of communication between TMDSAS and applicants. Urgent TMDSAS correspondence will only be sent to you via email. Be sure to keep your email address updated at all times. It is the applicant’s responsibility to regularly check both their email and TMDSAS application for important messages from TMDSAS. Providing an incorrect email address will result in you not receiving important messages from TMDSAS and/or the schools to which you are applying. Some email messages from TMDSAS are sent to multiple applicants, which makes some email systems identify TMDSAS messages as spam or junk email. Some email providers use filters to prevent users from receiving spam. Email filters may interpret an email from TMDSAS or a school as spam and automatically delete a message to you about the status of your application. To avoid missing important TMDSAS emails, turn the “spam” or “junk” email filters off during the application cycle. If your email provider does not allow you to turn the filter off, you may have to access a “junk mail file” that archives all messages identified as sent to multiple addresses. Periodically check your spam/junk email file for TMDSAS or school related messages.
The TMDSAS online application consists of multiple sections, each section must be saved individually. It is imperative that you save each page BEFORE moving to the next page. Information will be lost if you do not save each page.
Following is a listing of the sections. Click on each section to learn more.
SCHOOLS TAB
Select Schools and Programs : Other Schools : Manage Schools
QUESTIONS TAB
Part 1: Personal Information:
Contact Info : Demographic : Personal : Photograph : Socioeconomic : Financial : Childhood :
Private and Military : Family Info : Siblings : Proof of Residency
Part 2: Education:
High School : Colleges and Coursework
Part 3: Employment and Activities:
Academic Recognition : College Leadership : Employment : Research Activities :
Healthcare Activities : Dental Questions : Community Service : Extracurricular/Leisure Activities
* Important - Be sure to proofread your application thoroughly BEFORE submitting. Applications will be forwarded to the schools exactly as they are submitted.
Schools Tab
Select Schools and Programs
Check the box of each school you wish to apply to. If you plan on applying to any of the dual degree programs offered at each school (e.g. DDS/PhD, etc.) you will check the box of each dual degree program you wish to apply to.
In this section, you will also indicate if you are applying through any special/assured admission program such as the UT HSC San Antonio Dental Early Acceptance Program or the UT Dental Branch at Houston Dental Early Acceptance Program.
Other Schools
In this section, you will indicate if you are applying to any non-TMDSAS schools. You will also indicate if you have previously applied to medical, dental or vet school. You will indicate the school(s), the entry year you applied for, if you were accepted and if you are currently enrolled. If you were ever accepted, you will need to indicate if you were ever dismissed or withdrawn from medical, dental, or vet school.
Manage Schools
More information coming soon.
Questions Tab: Part 1: Personal Information
CONTACT INFO
*You may make revisions to this section any time during the application process.*
NAME
Enter your first, middle and last names. You will also enter any salutations or prefixes associated with your name.
LEGAL NAME
If your full legal name is different than what you entered under Name you will indicate this. You will then be required to enter your full legal name.
PREFERRED NAME
Enter the first name that you prefer to be addressed by.
OTHER NAME
If there are any other names listed on your academic records than what you have already entered, you must indicate those names.
MAILING ADDRESS
- Address 1 - Enter your current mailing address. TMDSAS and the schools you apply to will use this address to send you any correspondence. If your address changes at any time during the application process, login to your application and update your address. Keeping your address updated helps assure that you do not miss important information.
- Address 2 - If needed, enter an apartment number or additional address information in this field. If not, leave this field blank.
- City - Type the name of your city.
- State - Select your state from the pull down menu.
- Zip Code or Postal Code - Enter your zip or postal code.
- Address County – Select your county from the pull down menu.
- Phone number - Provide the phone number where TMDSAS and/or admissions officers can contact you. If your phone number changes, login to your TMDSAS application account to update it. If you do not live in the United States, enter your local telephone number in this field.
- Cell phone number - Provide the cell phone number where TMDSAS and/or admissions officers can contact you. If your cell phone number changes, login to your TMDSAS application account and update it. If you do not have a cell phone, select [I do not have a cell phone].
- Work phone number – Provide your work phone number, if one is available.
PERMANENT ADDRESS
Enter your permanent address information if different from your Mailing Address. Select [Same as above] if this information is the same as the Mailing Address. If your permanent address changes, login to your TMDSAS application account and update your address online.
- Address 1 - Enter your Permanent Address. If your Permanent Address changes at any time during the application process, login to your application and update your address.
- Address 2 - If needed, enter an apartment number or additional address information in this field. If not, leave this field blank.
- City - Type the name of your city.
- State - Select your state from the pull down menu.
- Zip Code or Postal Code - Enter your zip or postal code.
- Address County – Select your county from the pull down menu.
- Phone number - Provide the phone number for your Permanent Address. If your phone number changes, login to your TMDSAS application account and update. If you do not live in the United States, enter your local telephone number in this field.
DEMOGRAPHIC INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
Colleges and universities are asked by the federal government, accrediting associations, college guides, newspapers, and our own college/university communities, to describe the racial/ethnic backgrounds of their applicants and students. Information on your race or ethnic group is requested in order to facilitate reporting of this information to those agencies. The table below provides guideline for self-identification:
Hispanic or Latino |
A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. |
|---|---|
Black/African American |
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. |
Asian |
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam. |
American Indian or Alaskan Native |
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment. Applicants may be expected to provide official documentation/certification of active affiliation with a recognized tribe or reservation community. |
White/Caucasian |
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa. |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander |
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. |
International |
A person who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and who is in this country on a temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. A person who is PR pending (applied for permanent resident status but has not yet received permanent resident status) should be classified as international status until permanent residency has been granted. Note : A Non-Citizen who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence is to be reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens. |
PERSONAL INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
The questions in this section will ask:
- Are you a member of the first generation in your family to apply to, attend or graduate from an undergraduate program?
- Are you a member of the first generation in your family to apply to, attend or graduate from a graduate or professional program?
- Are you a parent or guardian of dependent children?
- What do you consider your primary language?
- Are you bilingual or multilingual?
PHOTOGRAPH
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application.*
You will upload a photograph of yourself. The photograph should provide a clear picture of your face.
SOCIOECONOMIC INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
The questions in this section pertain to the household in which you were raised or spent the majority of your life from birth to age 18. If you moved frequently during this time period, enter the information for the location you spent the majority of your childhood.
FINANCIAL INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
You will enter the percentage of your college expenses provided by family, spouse, academic scholarships, financial need-based scholarships, loans, employment, or other sources. The total percentage must add up to 100%.
If you have graduated college, you will also be asked to indicate the percentage of your living expenses provided by family, spouse, employment or other sources. The total percentage must add up to 100%.
CHILDHOOD INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
BIRTH INFORMATION
- City – Enter the city where you were born.
- State/Possession/Canadian Province – Select the state, possession or province in which you were born from the drop-down menu.
- County – Select the US county in which you were born from the drop-down menu.
- Country – Select the country in which you were born from the drop-down menu.
HOMETOWN
The following questions refer to what you consider your “home town”.
- City – Enter the city name of your home town.
- State – Select your home town state from the drop-down menu.
- Approximate population – Select the approximate population range of your home town from the drop-down menu.
- Describe the area – Select: Rural, Urban, Inner City, Suburban, Military or Government Installation or Other.
- Primary language spoken at home - Select the primary language spoken at home from the drop-down menu.
PRIVATE AND MILITARY INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
You will answer questions concerning interruptions to your education, criminal background information, academic probations and military service, if applicable. Below are examples of some of the questions:
- Has your education or vocation ever been interrupted for any reason?
- Are you currently under charge or have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, or have you ever received a felony or misdemeanor deferred adjudication?
- Were you ever the recipient of any action by any college or professional school for unacceptable academic performance (academic probation, suspension, dismissal, etc/)?
Note: Answering “yes” to the questions above will not automatically disqualify you for admission. Many individuals learn from the past and emerge stronger as a result. Full disclosure enables programs to evaluate more effectively within the context of your credentials. Failure to provide accurate information in response to this question may jeopardize your application.
- Have you ever been active duty in the US military?
FAMILY INFO
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
You will enter information regarding your parents as well as any signigicant male and/or female figures in your life.
SIBLINGS
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
You will indicate how many siblings you have. You will then indicate the following for each of your siblings:
- Age
- Relationship – brother or sister
- If they have ever attended college
PROOF OF RESIDENCY
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
This section contains questions regarding your citizenship, state of legal residence, etc. These questions will determine whether you are classified as a Texas resident or a non-resident.
Applicants who are not US citizens MUST provide TMDSAS with a copy of both sides of their Permanent Resident card or Visa stamp in their passport. An application will NOT be processed until we receive these copies. The documentation can be uploaded directly to the application or mailed to TMDSAS. The documentation must be legible.
A non-US citizen must indicate his/her country of citizenship and complete the required information regarding his/her Visa. If your Permanent Resident card has no expiration date, please enter the expiration date as ten years after the issue date.
Questions Tab: Part 2: Education
HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
If you were home-schooled or obtained your GED, click on the [Home Schooled] or [GED] links located under the [State] field.
STATE
Select the state of high school graduation from the drop-down menu box. If you were home-schooled and/or obtained a GED, indicate the state where your secondary education took place.
CITY
Enter the city name where your high school is located. If you were home-schooled and/or received a GED, enter the city where your secondary education took place.
HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDED
Select the name of the high school from which you graduated. Click [Confirm]. Enter [Home-schooled] if you received in-home private tutoring. If you did not graduate from high school, but received your GED, enter [GED].
ZIP CODE
Enter the zip code of where your high school is located. If you were home-schooled and/or received a GED enter the zip code where your secondary education took place.
COUNTY
Enter the name of the county where your high school is located. If you were home-schooled and/or received a GED, enter the county where your secondary education took place.
MONTH GRADUATED
Enter the month you graduated from high school or completed your home-schooling or GED.
YEAR GRADUATED
Enter the year you graduated from high school or completed your home-schooling or GED.
CLASS SIZE
Enter the size of your graduating class.
CLASS RANK
Enter your ranking in your graduating class. If your school did not rank, enter [Not Applicable].
HAVE YOU TAKEN THE SAT OR ACT
If you have taken either the SAT or ACT you will need to enter your score. If you took the SAT, enter your verbal, math and writing scores. If you took the ACT, enter your english, reading, math and science scores.
If you took the old version of the exams, leave the field blank for the section that you do not have a score for; for example, the writing section of the SAT.
COLLEGES AND COURSEWORK
*You may request updates to this section any time during the application process.*
ADD COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
List all undergraduate, graduate and professional institutions you have attended OR plan to attend through the completion of Summer 2010. Enter all colleges and universities you attended EVEN IF THE COURSES transferred to another institution. List each school in chronological order of attendance. List schools once for each type of degree, even if there was a break in attendance. If you attended the same school for undergraduate and graduate or professional programs, list attendance for each program separately.
TMDSAS requires a separate official transcript from each US and Canadian institution attended, including branch campuses if they issue transcripts separately from the parent university. All transcripts must be sent directly to TMDSAS.
INSTITUTION INFORMATION
Click on the Add College or University link and a new screen will open. Enter a distinctive part of the college or university name and a list of matching institutions will appear. Select the correct institution and click the Confirm button. If there is not a match, click on School Not Found link and enter the Name and Campus City of the College or University you attended.
ATTENDANCE DATE
Enter attendance dates.
DEGREE INFORMATION
Enter your degree information for degrees that have already been received as well as any planned to be received that is currently in progress. If no degree is expected, select Non-degree Seeking.
GENERAL INFORMATION
You will indicate if you were enrolled in an honors program at this school.
You will also be asked if you want to release your information to the Health Professions Advisor at this school. Checking [Yes] permits your advisor to view information about the status of your application. Your TMDSAS application will be processed regardless of how you answer the question. TMDSAS strongly encourages you to give permission to release selected information about the status of your application to your health professions advisor. Having this information helps your advisor provide services to you and informs the advisor about the success of students from your college/university in being admitted into medical/dental/vet schools. However, your application will not be adversely impacted if you do not agree to have your information released to your health professions advisor.
The final set of questions asks if you were enrolled in the institution under the Texas Academic Fresh Start provision. Academic Fresh Start is a program which allows non-traditional students to apply on equal footing as a traditional applicant. If you have credits for courses taken ten or more years prior to the planned enrollment date, those credits (and grades) will be deleted from your academic record and GPA calculation for admission to medical/dental/vet school if you enroll in a public undergraduate institution under the Academic Fresh Start provision.
Click Save at the bottom right corner of the screen. Continue to enter additional colleges and universities attended.
ENTERING COURSEWORK
Enter all course work – click on Add/Edit Courses next to the school you would like to enter coursework for.
The Term Year drop down menu will allow you to create or add a term within the time frame of your attendance at the college. When ready to add a new term, select Add term and a box will open to create a new term of attendance. Select the calendar year in which the course was taken, the corresponding term, term type, course level, and whether the term is completed or in progress.
Planned/ In progress: You may designate a term as Planned/In Progress and enter courses which you are presently taking or courses you plan to take before matriculation. Credit hours expected may be entered under Semester Hours. It is important to list all courses that you are presently taking or plan to take and not just those courses that have been completed.
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Report ALL coursework from every institution attended exactly as it appears on your official transcript(s). Include information and corresponding grades for every course you have ever taken at any US, US overseas or Canadian institution, regardless of whether credit was earned. All courses that appear on your official transcript (s) and for which a grade and credit was ever assigned will be included in the TMDSAS GPA calculations, even if they are not included in the GPA calculations of the transcript-issuing school. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Courses that have been repeated
- Courses that you failed, regardless of whether they have been repeated
- Courses you took in high school for college credit that appear on a college transcript
- Courses taken at American colleges overseas
Use a personal copy of your official transcript(s) to enter ALL of your college coursework attempted and earned (do not attempt to do this from memory). Enter courses chronologically, beginning with the oldest to most recent. Enter each course once from the transcript where it was originally taken, even if the credits transferred to another institution.
TMDSAS verifies your self-reported courses against your official transcript(s) and will report any discrepancies to your selected institutions. TMDSAS does not enter courses for you. TMDSAS will contact you and return your application for corrections or explanations if it identifies a significant number of course discrepancies or omissions. Failure to properly enter all course information and to make corrections as requested may result in processing delays and may jeopardize your chances for admission.
ACADEMIC STATUS
Indicate your academic status for each course you enter. Refer to the table below for definitions.
PF: Pre-Freshman |
Any advanced placement, CLEP or dual enrollment courses that you received credit for BEFORE beginning college. |
|---|---|
FR: Freshman |
Approximately 0 - 30 semester hours completed. |
SO: Sophomore |
Approximately 31 - 60 semester hours completed. |
JR: Junior |
Approximately 61 - 90 semester hours completed. |
SR: Senior |
Approximately 91 - completion of undergraduate degree. |
PB: Post-baccalaureate |
Courses taken after completion of the Bachelor’s degree including those for a subsequent Bachelor’s degree, but not while enrolled in a graduate degree program. Includes graduate level course work not applied to a graduate degree. |
GR: Graduate |
Courses taken while enrolled in a graduate degree program. |
TYPE OF CLASS
Indicate if the course you are entering has any of the Type of Class designations. Select [Regular Class] if the course being entered does not have a Type of Class designation. Most courses will be labeled [Regular Class]. Type of Class designations are:
- Regular Class - Most courses will be designated [Regular Class]. This is a regular class taken in the classroom.
- Distance Learning/Online Course - Indicate if the course you are entering was completed as an on-line, correspondence or other form of learning at a distance. Distance learning/online courses are considered for credit and grades earned are computed into the TMDSAS GPA.
- Honors - An honors course is one taken as part of an undergraduate honors program, not a course for which you may have received academic honors.
- Study Abroad - Indicate if you enrolled in courses at a foreign university as part of a Study Abroad program, and received credit for those courses on a U.S. or Canadian school transcript. (Courses completed overseas that are not part of a Study Abroad program should be treated as foreign coursework and will not be included in the TMDSAS GPA computation.)
- Advanced Placement/CLEP - Indicate if you have received credits on your transcript from AP or CLEP examinations. The subjects and credit hours you received for these courses must appear on your official transcript. If these do not appear on the transcript, an official letter from the registrar is required. Advanced placement credit appearing on the transcript without subject or course names will be classified as non-science unless official documentation is received. If a letter grade is shown on the official transcript, the letter grade should be listed in the Grade column and will be included in your GPA calculations. If a letter grade is not given on the official transcript or the course is indicated as being passed, then enter the semester hours and, under Grade column, select CR – credit.
- International Baccalaureate - Indicate if you have received credits on your transcript for completion of an International Baccalaureate Program, an intensive pre-college curriculum sponsored by the International Baccalaureate Organization.
- Credit by Institutional/Departmental Exam - Indicate if you have received credits on your transcript for successful completion of an institutional or departmental examination.
PREFIX AND NUMBER
Enter the course prefix and course number - for example, CHEM 1201.
COURSE NAME
Enter the full course title as it appears on the official transcript. For example, General Chemistry I.
COURSE AREA
Indicate the course area from the drop-down menu for each course. Following are the subject codes and courses which qualify for each. For courses that are not listed, use your judgment – TMDSAS will determine the subject on review.
Biology |
Anatomy & Physiology |
|---|---|
Biochemistry |
Biochemistry |
General Chemistry |
General Chemistry |
Organic Chemistry |
Bio-Organic Chemistry |
Physics |
Electricity & Light |
English |
Bible Literature *Most English department courses |
Calculus or Statistics |
Biostatistics |
Other Science |
Agricultural Science |
Non-Science |
Acting |
SEMESTER HOURS
Enter the number of semester or quarter hours for each course, including failures and withdrawals. All entries must be made in semester or quarter hours. Some institutions grant credits as course units. Please convert these course units into semester hours as defined by your institution on the back of your transcript.
GRADE
Record the grade as it actually appears on your official transcript. This can be a letter grade, with or without a plus or minus sign.
If narrative evaluations are used in your system in lieu of grades, list "Pass" if pass credit was awarded. Copies of narrative evaluations will be forwarded to your designated colleges.
CR – CREDIT: Record CR as the grade when credit is granted without actually taking the course (e.g. Advanced Placement, credit by exam, departmental waiver, and transfer of foreign or military experience).
NY – Not Yet Received: Record NY as the grade for courses not yet reported, courses currently in progress, and planned coursework.
TMDSAS GRADE
The TMDSAS grading system standardizes the way grades will be reported to your designated schools. TMDSAS grades include: A, B, C, D, F, CR, P, FL, I and NY. The TMDSAS Grade is assigned a numeric value to calculate your grade point average. As you enter your grades, the TMDSAS system will convert the grade to a TMDSAS Grade.
LAST TIME TAKEN
Last Time Taken is asking “Was this the last time you took this course?” Most coursework will be answered as [Yes]. Courses repeated for additional credit, but not for a better grade, such as physical education, chorus, or thesis/research are not considered a repeat and should be answered [Yes].
Instances where you would answer [No]:
- If you withdrew and re-took or plan to take the course again. For the first time you took the course enter [No]. When retaken, enter [Yes].
- If you received a C, D, F, took a Pass/Fail or Credit/No-Credit course then re-took the course for a better grade, enter [No] for the first time taken and enter [Yes] for the last time taken.
Course was taken and passed |
Enter [Yes] for Last Time Taken. |
|---|---|
Course was taken and grade received was C, D, F, Fail or No-Credit and class was retaken for a higher grade |
Enter [No] for first time the course was taken (with the low grade). Enter [Yes] for the last time the course was taken (with the higher grade). |
MILITARY CREDIT
Individuals in the US Armed Services frequently receive credit for special courses that they have taken while in service. These courses are considered post-secondary, but do not appear on a college transcript. In other situations, information about these courses may be posted to something called a “SMART” transcript (SMART stands for Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript – official document colleges and universities can use to evaluate an applicant’s experiences to determine if they want to award college credit.) TMDSAS does not consider these courses to be college courses and they should not be added to the application.
In certain situations, colleges/universities may award academic credit for these same military courses, or for experiences gained during military service. Such credit is usually considered “life experience credit” and is awarded as credit hours towards the completion of a degree. In situations such as this, the applicant should indicate the credit hours on the TMDSAS application, under the college/university granting the credit. Only the credit hours actually awarded by the college/university should be included in the TMDSAS application.
You can submit your SMART transcript to TMDSAS and we will forward it to the dental schools for their review.
TRANSCRIPTS
You must arrange for a sealed official transcript, accompanied by a Transcript Request Form, to be sent directly to TMDSAS from every accredited US and Canadian institution you have attended.
TMDSAS will accept a transcript sent by an applicant as long as it is in the official sealed envelope from the Registrar. The transcript MUST be accompanied by the Transcript Request Form. Transcripts submitted by applicants cannot be more than a year old.
Transfer credit(s) appearing on a transcript cannot be accepted in lieu of an original transcript from the institution where the coursework was originally taken. Send transcripts for all colleges and universities you have attended regardless of whether course credit transferred to another college or university and appears on that transcript.
TMDSAS recommends that you obtain a personal copy of each transcript for your records to help you properly complete the Colleges and Coursework section of your application.
It is your responsibility to verify and ensure that TMDSAS has received all of your official transcripts. Check the status of your transcripts regularly by logging into your application and viewing the TMDSAS Status on the homepage.
Transcript Request Form - TMDSAS requires that you print a Transcript Request Form for each transcript being requested and advise your Registrar’s office to attach the Transcript Request Form to each official transcript. This form contains the school’s name and a bar code that helps TMDSAS properly match your official transcripts to your TMDSAS application.
Do not use forms from previous TMDSAS application cycles. They will not be accepted.
How to Print a Transcript Request Form:
- Login to your TMDSAS application; select the [Colleges and Coursework] section from [Part 2: Education, Employment & Activities] under the [Questions] tab.
- Enter the names of the colleges you have attended or plan to attend.
- Click on the [Credentials] tab.
- Click on the [Document Status & Request Forms] tab.
- Click [Request Form] listed to each college name.
- Submit to the Registrar’s office of every accredited U.S. and Canadian college/university you have attended.
- Be sure to advise the Registrar’s office to enclose the Transcript Request Form with your official sealed transcript and mail it directly to Interfolio. Transcripts that are not accompanied by the Transcript Request Form can result in a delay in processing your application.
Canadian Transcripts - Follow steps 1 – 6 above to have your English-speaking Canadian transcripts to be sent to TMDSAS.
Study Abroad - If you participated in a Study Abroad program under the sponsorship of a US or Canadian institution and the international coursework appears on the US/Canadian transcript as regular itemized credit, only list the US or Canadian institution on your TMDSAS application. DO NOT list the international (foreign) institution. Arrange for only the US or Canadian transcript to be sent to TMDSAS. TMDSAS processes study-abroad coursework in the same manner as US and Canadian coursework.
Overseas US Institutions
Overseas US institutions are:
- Located outside US borders,
- Accredited by a regional institutional accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education, and
- Use English as the primary language of instruction and documentation.
If you attended an overseas US institution, report it to TMDSAS in the same manner as your US and (English-speaking) Canadian institutions and arrange for an official transcript to be forwarded to TMDSAS. List all coursework on your TMDSAS application. US institutions with campuses overseas are also considered US colleges for which transcripts are required and all coursework must be listed.
International Transcripts - Enter coursework taken at all international colleges/universities in the Coursework section. Although TMDSAS permits you to list foreign coursework in your application, TMDSAS does not verify this coursework for authenticity and does not use grades from international transcripts in computing TMDSAS GPA’s.
You are required to submit one transcript from every international college/university you have attended. TMDSAS also encourages international applicants to submit a copy of any evaluation of international coursework that has been completed by an official credential evaluation service.
TMDSAS will forward a photocopy of your international transcript and evaluation to your designated dental schools.
Questions Tab: Part 3: Employment & Activities
ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List academic honors, awards and other recognitions received since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Award Title or Name of Award, the date received and a brief description of the award. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no honors or awards to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
COLLEGE LEADERSHIP
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any leadership roles or positions of responsibility held since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Role Title, start date, end date and a brief description of the position. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no leadership positions to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
EMPLOYMENT
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List all jobs (paid work experience) held since beginning college to the present, including military service. Indicate the Job Title, employer, type of work, start date, end date, hours worked per week, city, state, and when the job was held. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no employment to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any significant research activities (paid or volunteer) you have participated in since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Research Title, start date, end date, hours worked per week, and a brief description of the research. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no research activities to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
HEALTHCARE ACTIVITIES
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any healthcare activities you have participated in since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Activity Title, start date, end date, hours worked per week, and a brief description of the activity. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no healthcare activities to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
DENTAL QUESTIONS
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any relatives who are dentists, are in dental school, or who have studied or are studying Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, Dental Laboratory Technology or related dental fields.
If you do not have any information to enter, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any all community service you have participated in since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Activity Title, start date, end date, hours worked per week and a brief description of the activity. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no community service to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
EXTRACURRICULAR/LEISURE ACTIVITIES
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
List any significant extracurricular, leisure activities or hobbies you have participated in since beginning college to the present. Indicate the Activity Title, start date, end date, hours worked per week, and a brief description of the activity. Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
If you have no activities to list, select [I have nothing to enter on this page] at the bottom of the page.
Questions Tab: Part 4: Essays
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
It is important that you proof your essays thoroughly AFTER saving. Your essays will be sent to the schools exactly as they appear. TMDSAS will NOT contact you about incomplete essays or margin cut-offs. You will not be given the opportunity to correct any grammatical or typographical errors in your essays once your application has been submitted to TMDSAS.
DENTAL PERSONAL STATEMENT
The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry. You are asked to discuss your philosophy of the dental profession and indicate your goals relevant to the profession.
The essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.
OPTIONAL ESSAYS
- The first optional essay asks you to briefly state any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application. This is not an area to continue your essay or reiterate what you have previously stated: this area is provided to address any issues which have not previously been addressed. Optional Essay 1 is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.
- The second optional question asks you to describe any personal characteristics and/or important or challenging experiences you have had that will contribute to the diversity of/ or provide educational benefits to the student body. Optional Essay 2 is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM ESSAYS
Essays limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.
DDS/PHD ESSAYS
- Explain your motivation to seek a DDS/PhD dual degree. Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.
- Describe your significant research experiences. Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project. List any publications which have resulted from your work.
Chronology of Activities Tab
*You will not be able to make any changes to this section once you have submitted your application. Review your entries carefully before submitting.*
This section will automatically compile all of your activities you have previously entered and list them in chronological order. The timeline MUST be a general accountability of your time since graduating from high school. It MUST also include what you plan to do between the time of application and the planned entry date – Summer 2010.
You will be able to add records to fill any gaps in time. Example below:
What have you done since graduating from high school - when and where did you do it?
5/2004 - 5/2004: Graduated from William B. Travis High School, Austin, TX
6/2004 - 8/2004: Attended summer school at Austin Community College, Austin, TX
8/2004 - 5/2008: Attended Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
6/2005 - 8/2005: Ace Construction, Dallas, Texas, Carpenter, 50 hrs/wk, summer job
9/2005 - 5/2006: Tutoring job with Texas A&M University Reads & Counts; 6 hrs/wk; Tutored math and reading to elementary students; College Station, TX
12/2005 - 1/2006: Shadowed Dr. Smith, family practice, 5 hrs/wk; Austin, TX
6/2006 - 8/2006: Worked at CVS as a pharmacy technician; 25 hrs/wk; Austin, TX
8/2006 - 8/2006: Took MCAT
5/2008 - 5/2008: Graduated from Texas A&M University with BS in Biology
What do you plan to do between the present and planned entry date (August 2010) into Dental School?
5/2008 - 8/2009: Work as Research Assistant I, UT Health Science Center San Antonio; 40 hrs/wk; San Antonio, TX
9/2008 - 8/2009: Volunteer at Prenatal Clinic; 10 hrs/wk; San Antonio, TX
Credentials Tab
*You will be able to make changes to this section once you have submitted your application. You will be able to add planned test dates and/or update your evaluators by emailing tmdsas@utsystem.edu with the changes.*
LETTERS OF EVALUATION
Applicants are required to submit one of the following plus the option of one extra individual letter.
- Two individual letters of evaluation
OR
- One Health Professions Committee Letter/Packet
PLUS
- Baylor College of Dentistry applicants must submit an additional evaluation letter from a practicing dentist.
TMDSAS accepts letters from Interfolio and Virtual Evals. Please make sure that your TMDSAS ID is entered into those systems so that we can match your letters properly.
SUBMITTING INDIVIDUAL LETTERS OF EVALUATION
Prior to providing names in the Letters of Evaluators section, applicants should ask individuals if they are willing to serve as evaluators. If so, ask each evaluator if he/she wishes to provide the Letter of Evaluation to TMDSAS electronically or prefers to provide a paper letter that is mailed to TMDSAS. If the evaluator is sending a letter electronically, TMDSAS needs the evaluator’s email address so we can send a message to the evaluator that indicates the process for electronic submission.
SUBMITTING A HEALTH PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE PACKET
Many institutions utilize a Health Professions Committee Packet for their professional school applicants. These packets come in three basic formats:
- Committee letter with supporting letters attached.
- Committee letter that is composed and uses quotes from various evaluators but may or may not have supporting letters attached.
- Composite letter which usually consists of a cover letter from an advising office and a collection of individual evaluation letters that are attached. With composite letters, the advising office serves as a central collection service for the applicant, but does not make additional assessments of the candidate.
All three types of HP Committee Packets are acceptable to TMDSAS, regardless of the number of evaluations that may be contained within the document. TMDSAS respects the varying philosophies of colleges and universities as to how best to provide a HP Committee Packet and therefore does not limit the number of evaluations included. If you are having an HP Committee Packet submitted on your behalf, indicate the name of the school that will be submitting the packet.
DAT TEST SCORES
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
Disclosure of your social security number is requested for the purpose of identifying documents associated with your application. No statute or other authority requires that you disclose your social security number, but it is important in the identification of DAT scores that are incorporated into your application.
Indicate whether this is a US Social Security Number or a Canadian Social Insurance Number.
DAT TEST DATE
Enter all dates you have taken the DAT. You must also enter all dates you PLAN to take the DAT between the application and December 2009.
PLANNED OR TAKEN
Indicate if the test date entered is planned or taken.
Additional records can be added by selecting [Add Another Record].
* Important: Any change in planned test dates MUST be immediately reported to TMDSAS. You can update this information by logging into your application. Failure to do so will cause your application to be incomplete which could affect your evaluation at one or more of the participating schools.
Pay & Submit Tab
In order to submit your application, you are required to certify three statements. Your certification of these statements serves the same purpose as a legal signature, and is binding.