TMDSAS vs AMCAS Calendars: How to Coordinate Dual Applications

It is late March of your application year. You have a rough school list that includes both Texas public schools (TMDSAS) and several out-of-state programs (AMCAS). You are staring at two sets of dates, two portals, two letters systems, and you are wondering how to run both application calendars in parallel without missing something critical.

This is where you start treating TMDSAS and AMCAS as two overlapping but distinct projects, each with its own timeline, while you move through a single, coherent year.

Below is your month-by-month, then week-by-week guide to coordinating dual TMDSAS and AMCAS applications.

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(See also: January to June of Application Year for a timeline overview.)

March–April: Pre-Launch Alignment (Building the Foundation)

At this point you should not be clicking “submit” anywhere. You should be aligning timelines and building shared components that will serve both applications.

Weeks 1–2 (late March / early April): Map your calendar and core tasks

Create one master calendar (digital or paper) with two color codes:

• Blue for TMDSAS
• Green for AMCAS

Block off known or typical dates (adjust to the specific year, but this is the general pattern):

• TMDSAS

  • Application opens: early May
  • First day to submit: usually around May 15–20
  • Letters due: can be added after submission, but aim for June–July
  • Interviews: late July–February
  • Match ranking opens: January
  • TMDSAS Match Day: early February
  • Rolling offers continue after Match for remaining seats

• AMCAS

  • Application opens for data entry: early May
  • First day to submit: late May / June 1
  • Transmissions to schools begin: late June (after first verification wave)
  • Secondaries: June–September
  • Interviews: August–March
  • First regular MD offers: October 15
  • “Plan to Enroll” / “Commit to Enroll” traffic rules: spring of the following year

At this point you should:

1. List shared components

   • Core autobiographical content
   • Activity descriptions and impact statements
   • School list rationale

2. List system-specific components

   • TMDSAS:
     • Longer personal statement (5,000 characters)
     • Two optional essays (personal characteristics, unique circumstances)
     • TMDSAS activities limit and format
   • AMCAS:
     • 5,300-character personal statement
     • 15 experiences, 3 “most meaningful”
     • MD/PhD essays if applicable

3. Decide your MCAT timeline

   • If MCAT is not yet taken:
     • Target: latest June test for competitive timing for both systems
     • Block intensive MCAT study weeks and avoid major essay drafting right before test day.

Weeks 3–4 (April): Draft shared narrative pieces

At this point you should focus on shared narrative elements that both TMDSAS and AMCAS will use, but do not worry about character limits precisely yet.

Focus on:

• Master autobiographical document

  • 2–3 pages of:
    • Upbringing and context
    • Key academic inflection points
    • 5–7 major activities
    • Motivation for medicine

• Activities bank

  • For each activity:
    • Name, organization
    • Dates, hours per week
    • Total approximate hours
    • Bullet list: responsibilities, impact, leadership, outcomes
  • Aim for 20–25 activities, even though neither system will use them all exactly as-is.

• Letter strategy

  • Identify:
    • 2 science faculty
    • 1 non-science faculty
    • 1–2 physicians or PI (research mentor)
  • Decide:
    • Will you use a committee letter for AMCAS?
    • Do your Texas schools accept committee letters via TMDSAS, or will they want individual letters?

By the end of April, you should have:

• A clear MCAT date or score in hand
• A list of letter writers and preliminary asks sent
• A rough draft of your personal narrative that can feed two different personal statements

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May: Dual Portal Launch (TMDSAS First, AMCAS Right Behind)

May is portal month. Both systems open, but TMDSAS typically opens a bit earlier and may be submitted slightly before AMCAS.

Week 1 of May: Open both accounts and front-load TMDSAS

At this point you should:

• Create / log in to both TMDSAS and AMCAS accounts.
• Immediately complete:
  • Biographic info
  • Coursework entry planning (request unofficial transcripts to help)
  • Initial school list (you can adjust later, but decide on your Texas vs non-Texas strategy now).

TMDSAS priority tasks this week:

1. Paste in / refine coursework

   • Texas schools lean heavily on TMDSAS GPA calculations.
   • Double-check course classifications (BCPM vs non-BCPM equivalent categories).

2. Start TMDSAS essays

   • Personal statement (5,000 characters)
   • Personal characteristics essay (2,500 characters)
   • Optional unique circumstances essay (2,500 characters) if appropriate

3. Confirm TMDSAS letter submission method

   • Interfolio vs direct upload vs committee letter upload.

AMCAS early tasks:

• Do the basic demographic and educational sections.
• Start preliminary course entry but prioritize TMDSAS data entry if time is tight this week.

Weeks 2–3 of May: TMDSAS essay finalization; AMCAS PS alignment

TMDSAS usually allows submission in mid to late May. To capitalize on Texas rolling timelines, you want TMDSAS essentially ready to go first.

At this point you should:

1. Finalize TMDSAS essays first

   • Complete 1–2 revision cycles.
   • Check character counts and line breaks in the actual TMDSAS text boxes.

2. Use TMDSAS PS to derive AMCAS PS

   • TMDSAS PS can be slightly different in tone, but core story should be aligned.
   • AMCAS PS has a 5,300-character limit:
     • Expand or contract certain examples.
     • Make sure both statements do not contradict details, especially timelines of major events.

3. Finish TMDSAS activities

   • TMDSAS uses 300-character descriptions per activity.
   • Prioritize clarity and outcomes.
   • Make a parallel document for AMCAS where you will expand certain activities to 700 characters and select 3 “most meaningful.”

Target by the end of week 3 (around May 20):

• TMDSAS: essentially complete and ready to submit as soon as submission opens.
• AMCAS: PS in near-final draft; coursework about half entered.

Week 4 of May: Submit TMDSAS; lock in AMCAS components

Once TMDSAS submission opens:

• Submit TMDSAS during this week if at all possible.
  • Texas schools value early submission, because they can begin evaluating and inviting earlier.
  • Double-check:
    • School list
    • Residency status (Texas residency is critical for TMDSAS advantage)
    • MCAT release consent

On the AMCAS side:

• Complete course entry and order official transcripts sent to AMCAS immediately.
• Aim to have AMCAS almost ready to submit by the first submission date (often around June 1).

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June: AMCAS Submission + Letters + Secondary Prep

June is about getting AMCAS into the first verification batch and preparing for the inevitable flood of secondaries.

Week 1 of June: AMCAS submission

At this point you should:

• Submit AMCAS as soon as it opens for submissions (usually late May or June 1).
• Ensure that:
  • All transcripts have been requested.
  • Your MCAT scores are linked or scheduled for release.

Early AMCAS submission impacts how quickly your application gets verified and transmitted. Since TMDSAS is already in, you are aligning both systems in an early, competitive lane.

Weeks 2–4 of June: Letters and secondary essay pre-work

Letters:

• Confirm with letter writers:
  • TMDSAS letter upload routes
  • AMCAS letter IDs or Interfolio slots
• At this point you should aim for all letters uploaded to both systems by late June or early July.

Secondary essay prep:

Even before secondaries arrive, you should:

1. Compile common prompts

   • “Why our school?”
   • “Describe a time you overcame adversity.”
   • “Diversity” and “challenge” essays.
   • Texas-specific: many TMDSAS schools have their own additional essays through school portals.

2. Build a secondary essay bank

   • Draft re-usable 500–750 word versions of:
     • Adversity
     • Diversity
     • Failure / growth experience
   • Later, adjust word counts per prompt.

By the end of June, you should have:

• TMDSAS submitted and in queue.
• AMCAS submitted and waiting for verification.
• Letter logistics under control.
• Core secondary drafts started.

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July: Secondaries and Early Interviews (TMDSAS Leads)

July is when timelines start to diverge. TMDSAS schools often move slightly earlier on interviews than many AMCAS schools, especially for in-state applicants.

Week 1–2 of July: Secondary response sprint

At this point you should:

• Monitor both inboxes daily:
  • TMDSAS-associated schools sending school-specific secondaries.
  • AMCAS schools sending secondary invitations as they receive your verified app.

Response strategy:

• Aim for a 7–10 day turnaround on secondaries from the date you receive them.
• Prioritize:
  1. Texas public schools (your TMDSAS schools)
  2. Highest priority AMCAS schools
  3. Remaining AMCAS schools

To coordinate:

• Color code tasks:
  • TMDSAS secondaries: Blue
  • AMCAS secondaries: Green
• Use a simple table with:
  • Date received
  • Date due or “soft deadline”
  • Word counts
  • Status (not started / drafting / polishing / submitted)

Weeks 3–4 of July: First interview invitations and scheduling

TMDSAS schools may start sending interview invitations in late July for August interviews.

At this point you should:

• Respond to interview invitations within 24 hours when possible.
• Begin geographic clustering:
  • If you have multiple Texas schools, try to group travel (Houston cluster, Dallas cluster, etc.).
  • Assume AMCAS interviews may start slightly later (August–September), but block potential dates.

Maintain a shared interview calendar:

• Blue slots: TMDSAS interviews or holds
• Green slots: AMCAS interviews or holds
• Keep 1–2 “protected” days per month free of interviews for rest and catch-up.

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August–October: Peak Interview Season and Calendar Collisions

This is the highest-risk period for conflicts and fatigue. Both Texas and non-Texas schools are inviting, and you must avoid double-booking or late cancellations.

August: Heavy secondaries + increasing interviews

At this point you should:

1. Finish remaining secondaries

   • By mid-August, aim to have:
     • All TMDSAS secondaries submitted.
     • 90%+ of AMCAS secondaries submitted.

2. Refine your travel and lodging system

   • For each interview:
     • Store confirmation details (date, time, format).
     • Save flight / hotel info or virtual link.
   • Use one folder for TMDSAS (Texas) interviews and one for AMCAS.

3. Prepare for both systems’ interview styles

   • Some Texas schools use MMIs (UT Houston, UTMB, etc.).
   • Combine prep:
     • 1–2 MMI practice circuits.
     • Traditional interview prep with behavioral questions.

September–October: Overlapping offers and timelines

During these months:

• Many AMCAS schools continue sending interview invitations.
• Some TMDSAS schools may already be making offers (especially post-interview rolling offers after the Match, but pre-Match holds and early acceptances vary by year and school).

At this point you should:

1. Track every decision status in a spreadsheet

   • Columns:
     • System (TMDSAS / AMCAS)
     • School
     • Interview date
     • Status: Applied / II / WL / Rejected / Accepted
     • Financial aid follow-up
   • Helps you visualize your options as they begin to diverge.

2. Note any binding policies

   • No Texas TMDSAS school will be “binding” in the early fall, but you must be aware of:
     • TMDSAS Match rules (you cannot hold certain types of offers past specific dates).
     • AMCAS traffic rules (cannot hold multiple acceptances indefinitely after a certain point).

3. Pace your interviews

   • Try not to schedule more than 2–3 interviews per week.
   • Aim to avoid stacking Texas and far-away AMCAS interviews back-to-back without buffer days.

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November–February: TMDSAS Match vs Rolling AMCAS Offers

This is where dual-calendar applicants often become confused. TMDSAS has a match system; AMCAS has pure rolling offers. Your decisions, rankings, and yield strategy must respect both.

November–December: Clarifying preferences and ranking preparation

By late fall, you will know:

• Which TMDSAS schools you have interviewed at.
• Which AMCAS schools have interviewed you and possibly already accepted you.

At this point you should:

1. Begin preliminary ranking of TMDSAS schools

   • Consider:
     • Location (Houston vs Dallas vs smaller cities).
     • Curriculum style (UT Southwestern vs UTMB vs Texas Tech).
     • Support systems and clinical exposure.
   • Draft a preliminary rank list separate from the TMDSAS portal.

2. Categorize AMCAS schools by desirability tiers

   • Tier 1: You would attend over any Texas option.
   • Tier 2: Equal to some Texas options.
   • Tier 3: Below your best Texas options.

This categorization will help when TMDSAS Match and AMCAS offers start interacting.

January: TMDSAS ranking and Match preparation

TMDSAS Match ranking typically opens in January.

At this point you should:

1. Enter your TMDSAS rank list

   • Rank in genuine order of preference, not guessing where you are likely to get in.
   • Remember:
     • You can still hold AMCAS offers even if you match to a Texas school, but you must adhere to TMDSAS and AMCAS rules for final decisions.

2. Revisit AMCAS offer status

   • By January, you may:
     • Already hold 1–2 acceptances.
     • Be on several waitlists.
   • Consider whether any non-Texas offer is clearly superior to your top Texas choice in terms of:
     • Fit
     • Cost
     • Long-term goals

Early February: TMDSAS Match Day

On Match Day:

• You will either:
  • Match to one TMDSAS school.
  • Or not match and remain in post-Match pool (open seats, waitlists).

At this point you should:

1. If you matched

   • Treat this as a firm acceptance at that Texas school.
   • You may still hold AMCAS offers, but must make final decisions in alignment with both systems’ rules closer to matriculation.
   • Update your AMCAS “Plan to Enroll” / “Commit to Enroll” as deadlines approach.

2. If you did not match

   • Keep interviewing and remain active in:
     • TMDSAS post-Match process (schools filling seats).
     • AMCAS waitlists and rolling offers.
   • Reassess your geographic and financial priorities.

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March–May (Matriculation Year): Final Decisions and Traffic Rules

As the cycle closes, both systems become less about new opportunities and more about final commitments.

March–April: Traffic rule alignment

At this point you should:

1. Review AMCAS traffic rules for your cycle

   • Typically:
     • “Plan to Enroll” at one school by a specified date (often April 30).
     • “Commit to Enroll” closer to matriculation, at which point you must withdraw from all other schools.

2. Check TMDSAS specific post-Match policies

   • Once you “Commit to Enroll” at a Texas TMDSAS school, you are expected to withdraw from other offers, including AMCAS schools, by their deadlines.

3. Make final choice scenarios explicit

   • If you matched to UT Southwestern via TMDSAS, but also hold an AMCAS acceptance at, for example, University of Michigan:
     • Compare:
       • In-state vs out-of-state tuition.
       • Family proximity.
       • Career plans (Texas residency advantage for future practice vs national brand name).
   • Decide which you will “Commit to Enroll” based on holistic fit, not just prestige.

May–June: Closing the loop

By late spring, you should:

• Have formally committed to one medical school (TMDSAS or AMCAS).
• Withdraw from all others promptly.
• Confirm housing, financial aid, and any prematriculation requirements at your chosen school.

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Three Anchors to Keep Both Calendars Under Control

1. Submit both applications early, with TMDSAS slightly ahead.
   Aim for TMDSAS submission in mid–late May and AMCAS submission by early June, so you are in the first verification waves for both.

2. Use a single, color-coded system for tasks and decisions.
   One calendar, one spreadsheet, two colors. Track secondaries, interviews, and offers side-by-side so you see how Texas and non-Texas options are evolving in real time.

3. Plan ahead for the TMDSAS Match vs AMCAS rolling offers.
   Think through your ranking and “Plan to Enroll”/“Commit to Enroll” choices months before deadlines arrive, so the February Match and spring traffic rules are execution steps, not last-minute decisions.