Program Overview

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Introduction to the Early Acceptance Program

The joint TTU-TTUHSC Early Acceptance Program (EAP) offers an exciting opportunity to select Honors College students by allowing them to waive the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and to apply early to the TTUHSC School of Medicine (SOM), typically in the junior year.

Eligibility to Apply

• Are officially enrolled in the Honors College,
• Enter Texas Tech University as incoming first-time-in-college students (students classified as transfer students upon entering TTU are ineligible),
• Have earned a composite score of 1360 on the SAT (verbal and math portions only) or a 30 on the ACT upon matriculation from high school (the composite score must be earned in one test administration),
• Are Texas residents,
• Are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents,
• Are graduates of a high school in Texas
• Submit a "checklist" form to Honors during semester of application, and
• Meet all of the following criteria are eligible to apply.

Required Application Components

Step 1: Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) application

• A primary application, including letters of recommendation and an application fee opens May 1st; submit by August 31st

Step 2: Honors College Early Acceptance Program checklist

• Opens in May; submit by September 15th
• This document should be submitted to the designated Honors College representative, who will confirm its contents and then provide it to the Admissions staff at the TTUHSC School of Medicine.

Step 3: TTUHSC School of Medicine application

• Submit by November 30th
• This application is sent to the EAP applicant by the School of Medicine after the TMDSAS application is submitted and the student's information is verified.

Coursework Requirements

The Texas Tech University/Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Early Acceptance Program (TTU/TTUHSC EAP) is NOT an accelerated program. Students are required to attend four academic years at Texas Tech University. The Early Acceptance Program does not require applicants to submit an MCAT score for admission to the TTUHSC Medical School.

• Students must complete all science courses with a grade of B or better, and have a minimum science GPA of 3.6 and a minimum overall GPA of 3.7.
• Students that receive a "C" in any of the required science courses may retake the course once to maintain eligibility.

Prerequisite Course Requirements

A total of 53 semester hours of prerequisite coursework is required of all students before matriculation to the School of Medicine.

• 8 hours of General Chemistry
• 8 hours of Organic Chemistry
• 8 hours of Introductory Biology
• 9 hours of upper-level Biology
• 8 hours of General Physics

Volunteer Recommendations for Application

Students wishing to apply to the Early Acceptance Program are strongly encouraged to maintain 100 hours of community service per academic year.

• Volunteer, shadowing, and research hours are earned by the academic year: September 1st through August 31st.
• Hours earned before September 1st of a student's First-year student year (i.e., the summer between graduating high school and attending Texas Tech University) do not count.

The Application and Interview Process

Students begin their application following their second year as Honors College students at Texas Tech.

• The application opens annually on May 1st and should be submitted by August 31st.
• Students must return an eligibility checklist to the Honors College by September 15th to indicate that they are participating in the Early Acceptance application process.
• Interviews, for those students invited to do so by the TTUHSC Medical School, will take place in December (fall semester of 3rd year) or January for those selected, and students will be notified of final decisions at the beginning of February.

After Acceptance

If granted acceptance, a student may waive the MCAT requirement.

• If a student elects to take the MCAT for any reason, he or she MUST score at or above the mean of the current First-year student class in the SOM to maintain Early Acceptance status.
• Because the School of Medicine is granting a substantial privilege to Early Acceptance students, the School expects that students who accept the Early Acceptance opportunity to be a full-time enrolled student in their senior year following their medical school acceptance and commit themselves to matriculation at the TTUHSC School of Medicine in the fall following graduation.

Program Timeline

First Year Classification

• Meet all entrance criteria of program
• All coursework MUST be taken at Texas Tech University as students in the Honors College
• Develop a 4-yr plan of both patient care experiences and extracurricular activities including active involvement in the Honors College
• 4 long semesters (fall/spring) prior to graduation
  • (32 hours of science have been completed with "B" or better)
• May 1-Aug 31: TMDSAS (Primary) Application open
• May 1 - Sept 15: EAP checklist (to be submitted to the Honors College) open
• July 1 - Nov 30: TTUHSC School of Medicine (Secondary) Application open
• Dec OR Jan: Interviews held
• Feb: Applicant Notified

Year of Graduation

• Maintain active status with Honors College and complete Honors requirements by graduation
• Maintain GPA requirements
• Submit final transcripts to TTUHSC Registrar's Office and TMDSAS for final verification of grades and eligibility before matriculation.
• Apply to MD/MBA program, if interested (summer prior to graduation)
• Complete undergraduate degree in May