How Do I Select My School Rank Preferences?

Part of the TMDSAS Match process for Texas resident medical applicants requires that you rank your schools based on your attendance preference. How you rank schools will determine likely outcomes on Match Day, February 14th.

Use this article to understand what the School Rank Preference is, when and where to rank your schools, and review the guidance provided to help you rank your schools effectively (especially if you have a pre-match offer).

Note: Only medical applicants who are Texas residents will participate in the Match process and rank their schools.

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What Is the School Rank Preference?

The School Rank Preference is available as early as August 1st at 8:00 a.m. CST, when the medical interview season starts.

You can rank all schools where you have interviewed within the TMDSAS Application Portal, based on your attendance preference. The deadline for the TMDSAS Match school ranking is January,  31st, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. CST. 

Medical schools will submit their ranked lists of the applicants they have interviewed to TMDSAS. TMDSAS then matches applicants with their highest preference school in which they were also in the match range for the school's list. The results are announced on Match Day, February 14th, at 8:00 a.m. CST.

 

School Rank Preference Guidelines

By the Rank Preference Deadline: January 31st by 5:00 p.m. CST:

• You must rank all the schools where you interviewed, regardless of whether you received a pre-match offer.
• If you interviewed at only one school you still need to rank the school by the deadline. 
• You can rank the school(s) where you did not receive a pre-match offer higher than the school(s) that did offer a pre-match offer without the risk of losing your pre-match offer (unless you match to a higher ranked school on Match Day). 
• Schools DO NOT see your rankings, and your rankings DO NOT prevent you from receiving interviews or acceptance offers at other schools.
• You can make changes to your rankings as many times as you would like up until the deadline of January 31st by 5:00 p.m. CST. when your school rankings are locked in.
• Take a screenshot of your preferences for your records! Note: The Rank Preference page is no longer accessible after January 31st.

After the Rank Preference Deadline:

• If you do not submit a school rank preference by the deadline you will automatically be withdrawn from all medical schools, even if you have a pre-match offer. (You will be notified via internal message prior to being withdrawn.)

Match Day - February 14th at 8:00 a.m. CST:

• If you have one pre-match offer and you match to a higher-ranked school on this day, then you will automatically be withdrawn from that pre-match offer school.
• You will be withdrawn from all other lower-ranked schools beneath the school where you matched to on this day.
• If you matched to your 3rd ranked school, All other schools ranked below are automatically withdrawn. Note: No need to contact the schools about your withdrawal.
• If you are holding multiple pre-match offers you will come out of the match holding only one offer.
  

After Match Day:

• Following the match, the standard rolling admissions process will continue through the beginning of orientation at each medical school.
• Your application remains active for any school you ranked higher than the school where you matched on Match Day.

Where Do I Select My School Rank Preferences?

Log into the TMDSAS Application Portal. Once you log in, click on the [School Rank Preference] link under [Pending Actions] on the right-hand side of the page.

Note: You will only see this link once a school has updated your status to "Interviewed" on their end. If you don’t see this link, the medical school(s) haven’t updated your status.

If a school doesn’t appear on your [School Preference Rank] page, it means that the school hasn’t updated your status to "Interviewed." TMDSAS does not make any updates or changes to your status.

Only the medical schools can update statuses, and they have specific procedures for when to make updates. Please allow a few weeks after your interview before contacting the school about updating your status. 

 

Step-by-Step Instructions on Entering Rankings

As you complete your interviews, new unranked schools will appear in your School Preference Rank list. Be sure to check back for new schools to rank. You can update your preferences until January 31st by 5:00 p.m. CST, when rankings will be locked.

Schools will appear on your list as soon as the school admissions offices update this information in their system. There may be a delay between the time you have your interview and the time the system is updated. TMDSAS is NOT involved in this process and does not control when schools update your status on their end.

To give you an example how to enter your rankings, image the schools listed below are the schools where you have interviewed and maintained an active application. (The screenshots are for explanation purposes only, please disregard the dates.)

You will rank these two schools in order of your attendance preference. The school ranked #1 will be your top choice school.

Your preferences are used in the match process to match you to your highest ranked school (if that school ranks you accordingly). Schools do NOT see your rankings, and your school rankings do NOT prevent you from receiving interviews or acceptance offers at other schools.

Once you’ve entered your rankings, select the ‘Save & Submit Your Preferences’ button (which is essentially your ‘Save’ button) to save your school rankings as many times as you wish. You can change your preferences until January 31st by 5:00 p.m. CST. 

Be sure to take a screenshot of your rankings for your reference. Once the deadline passes, this page will no longer be accessible. 

 

How Should I Select My Rank Preferences?

This video covers scenarios that could occur on TMDSAS Match Day, depending on how you rank your schools on the [School Rank Preference] page. It also includes examples of when and how pre-match offers come into play.

Additionally, you should consider other factors that can help you create the best ranking list:

• Review notes from your interviews
• The school’s mission and values as it aligns to your professional goals
• Cost of Attendance
• How much financial aid is offered?
• Location (weather, area, transportation, leisure activities, etc.)
• Proximity to your hometown
• Campus culture
• What does their student support look like? Do they offer the community you’re looking for?
• Curriculum
• Research opportunities
• Match List
• Step Scores
• Prestige
• Do they offer the resources you need to succeed?

For example, if you’re interested in women’s healthcare you may want to consider schools that engage with their community, have community clinics, serve BIPOC communities, and provide services targeted towards women. Consider what activities they have so that you can work in the areas you would like to pursue in the health professions.

All schools offer unique opportunities and different missions and values. Refer to your notes from past interviews and ask yourself these questions in future interviews. Pay attention to which schools align with you and your values in order to determine how to best rank these schools.

Watch this video to get an idea of other considerations when selecting your rankings.

Still unsure how this process works? Watch the TMDSAS Office Hour: Medical Acceptances with TMDSAS Director Enrique Jasso to learn more about this process and see the FAQs from applicants who are also going through this process, just like you.

Good luck!

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Inside Health Education

• Topics: TMDSAS,  Match
• Authors:
• Date:  January 8, 2025