Texas Tech Early Decision Program

The ASU Honors Program — Texas Tech School of Medicine Early Decision Program allows students meeting certain criteria to apply to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine a year early, in the summer after their sophomore year. Interviews are usually conducted in November or December of their junior year, and acceptance decisions are announced in early February. Students accepted through this program can waive the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

ASU students compete with students from Texas Tech, Austin College, West Texas A&M University and Lubbock Christian University for a limited number of seats; therefore, building a competitive résumé is critical for acceptance.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, students must meet the following criteria prior to admission to Angelo State:

1. Must have at least a 1360 (Math and ERW) composite score on the SAT, or at least a 30 ACT composite equivalent, based on a single test administration. Superscores are not accepted.
2. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
3. Must have graduated from a high school in Texas and be a Texas resident.
4. Must enter Angelo State as a freshman. Students classified as transfer students are not eligible for this program.
5. Must be in good standing with the Angelo State Honors Program.
6. Must submit a “checklist” to the Honors Program director during the semester of application.
7. Must meet all of the following criteria:

Criteria

1. Students must complete all course work at Angelo State. AP and dual credit science courses are generally not accepted, but may be replaced with a higher-level course in the same discipline. Courses for non-science majors or for health career majors (nursing/health science professions) will not satisfy the required course work.
2. Thirty-eight (38) of the following science credits must be completed by the end of the first semester of the junior year with a minimum grade of “B” in each. Thirty-two (32) of these hours must be completed at time of application in the summer of sophomore year.
   • CHEMISTRY
   • CHEM 1311/1111
   • CHEM 1312/1112
   • CHEM 3451 (must be completed or in progress during semester of interview)
   • CHEM 3452
   • CHEM 4331
   • BIOLOGY
   • BIOL 1306/1106
   • BIOL 1307/1107
   • Any 6-9 hours of junior/senior-level courses that apply towards a biology degree. Genetics or Cell Biology is recommended.
   • PHYSICS
   • PHYS 1301/1101 or PHYS 2325/2125
   • PHYS 1402/1102 or PHYS 2326/2126
   • Credit for MATH 3321 (Statistics) OR BIO 4480 (Intro to Biometry) is required.
   • Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.7 and a science GPA of at least 3.6 at the time of application.
   • Students must complete a minimum of 100 hours in healthcare and service activities in the freshman and sophomore years.
   • Early decision students will complete the Health Professions Advisory Council (HPAC) interview process during their sophomore year.

Advising

Students considering applying to the Early Decision Program should notify the Honors Program director during their initial semester, as specialized advising is needed throughout the process. Students will be advised by both the Honors Program director and the senior pre-med advisor (currently Dr. Russell Wilke) each semester prior to and after acceptance into the Early Decision Program.

Required Application Components

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

Step 2: TTUHSC School of Medicine Application

This application is sent to the applicant by the TTUHSC School of Medicine after the TMDSAS Application is submitted and the student’s information is verified. This process typically takes about two weeks, so students applying for the Early Decision Program need to submit their primary application by the end of August.

Step 3: Honors Program Early Decision Program Checklist

The Honors Program director will provide this checklist to applicants.

Step 4 (****NEW****): CASPer Assessment

The CASPer test is an online screening tool designed to evaluate key personal and professional characteristics that the TTUHSC School of Medicine feels is important for medical students and graduates. A completed CASPer test submitted by the application deadline is required to maintain admission eligibility.

After Acceptance

Accepted students must complete four full years at Angelo State, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.7 overall and 3.6 in sciences through graduation, and graduate in good standing from the Honors Program. Students must also continue to complete the 100 hours per year in healthcare and service activities in both the junior and senior years.

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