Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) Discussion Thread 2012 - 2013

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School accepts first class August 2013! Discuss away!!

Originally Posted by JamesLMT

School accepts first class August 2013! Discuss away!!

according to cib they use interfolio but i dont see their school when i type in alabama. Is it ok to just manually type in the address in the cib?

Any update on this school? i tried to find more info on their website but it has no info at all about any admissions processes or anything. I'm trying to find out if they accept international students or not.

The school has a website:
http://www.acomedu.org/admissions_requirements.php

It says they will take US citizens or aliens with a permanent resident visa.

Surprised there's not more conversation about this school.

I grew up in a rural setting, and given my lifestyle I'd prefer to be in a school devoted to teaching rural medicine.

Unfortunately I'm applying OOS, I wonder what their regional bias will be.

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

can anyone confirm any regional biases here?

+1
I don't know one way or the other. I would think that it would be a southeastern bias. So we should be good.

I am a bit confused about attending a new school...is it fully accredited? Or, does it require a certain # of years of being open prior to being fully accredited? I guess i just want to know the risks involved if one is to attend a new medical institution... Thanks in advance for your insight!

Originally Posted by LovePeds

I am a bit confused about attending a new school...is it fully accredited? Or, does it require a certain # of years of being open prior to being fully accredited? I guess i just want to know the risks involved if one is to attend a new medical institution... Thanks in advance for your insight!

The thing I'm curious about is I think you're not eligible for federal loans if you goto a provisionally accredited school. (School that hasn't been accredited yet.)

In terms of risk, I don't believe there has been an osteopathic school in the past century that hasn't become accredited since its inception. In the event that it doesn't, I'm assuming the AOA would make arrangements to have the students graduate at another accredited school, but that's just speculation.

Really the risk is that being a new school the curriculum and method of teaching the curriculum might be a lot of trial and error, which may or may not adversely affect your academic performance. Likewise program directors obviously won't have much experience with working with the student body so they may or may not be more resilient in taking on residents from that school. The networking is going to be less than what one could achieve at other schools as well.

However, there are advantages with being apart of the pioneers at this new school such as being able to set the traditions and standards for the future generations of students.

Originally Posted by Ravizzle

Any update on this school? i tried to find more info on their website but it has no info at all about any admissions processes or anything. I'm trying to find out if they accept international students or not.

I would also like to know. As new schools go, this one is attractive because it is being set up by an existing medical center, so that should help with at least a portion of the clinical section.

Originally Posted by UrshumMurshum

The thing I'm curious about is I think you're not eligible for federal loans if you goto a provisionally accredited school. (School that hasn't been accredited yet.)

Oh, no...i did not even think of that...thank you for bringing that point up. Hopefully, someone that is knowledgeable about this topic can expand on it...

there better be federal loans

Originally Posted by LovePeds

Oh, no...i did not even think of that...thank you for bringing that point up. Hopefully, someone that is knowledgeable about this topic can expand on it...

Yea no federal loans until you graduate you're first class.

Originally Posted by LovePeds

I am a bit confused about attending a new school...is it fully accredited? Or, does it require a certain # of years of being open prior to being fully accredited? I guess i just want to know the risks involved if one is to attend a new medical institution... Thanks in advance for your insight!

New DO schools move from provisional accreditation to full accreditation immediately before graduating the first class. Provisional accreditation is the appropriate status for a new school that has yet to graduate a class.

Federal loans are available to students of provisionally accredited schools.

Originally Posted by WDeagle

Yea no federal loans until you graduate you're first class.

Wrong

Anyone here know when the secondary will be released?

I got my secondaries today, but I'm really confused about the LOR situation. They don't accept letters sent from AACOMAS?

Originally Posted by XCourtSmash

I got my secondaries today, but I'm really confused about the LOR situation. They don't accept letters sent from AACOMAS?

AACOMAS does not do letters...

Hello. So I also received my secondary this morning and was a bit confused by the LOR situation because my university had an advisor, not a committee, so I hunted down a phone number and they said if you don't have a pre-advisory committee letter, a letter from an advisor and science professor would work. Just thought I'd put it out there in case anyone had the same concern.

Originally Posted by mdny

AACOMAS does not do letters...

This.

anybody having trouble sending the supp. application? for me, it keeps saying "you have entered the same number more than once"...

I also had some trouble with the secondary yesterday. It wouldn't let me enter my credit card info so I used my checking account, then it didnt give me a way to submit my essays. I had to email their admin and she gave me a separate email to submit my essays to. Overall a mildly frustrating process, but I'm sure they'll work the kinks out in time.

gonna do my secondaries soon!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 to go.... blahhh

I emailed admissions and they said they accept 50 students from Alabama.

Anybody know if they will allow one year deferment if accepted?

figured out my problem yay lol

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

mildly frustrating process is a gross understatement. This secondary has been a nightmare hnestly. I cant submit because everytime I enter my telephone number it gets changed from xxxxxxxxxx to xxx-xxx-xxxx with dashes. and guess what..the application doesnt accept dashes so it gives me an error. and resets all the info...how were you guys able to enter your phone numbers without dashes on the first part? i dont understand.

I had a different issue but when I switched browsers from Chrome to Firefox, it solved the problem. Hope this helps & good luck!

What are my chances realistically if I have:

cGPA: 3.16
SGPA: 3.27
MCAT: 27P
Many extracurricular leadership roles and honor groups.
Shadowing both MD and DO for about 40 hours.

Would I considered competative here or at any DO school or should I go to a graduate school and have a great GPA there? I am a Chemistry major by the way.

anyone receive a fee waiver on this thread? the secondary said to contact them first even though I know I am qualified through AACOMAS already. Is anyone as confused as I am?

Does ACOM determine who gets the waiver from those who are already qualified through AACOMAS ?

Well I just got an email from admissions stating that those who get a FEE WAIVER from aacomas should pay upfront the $50.00 and will get a refund in two weeks.

hope this helps

Originally Posted by pjd9779

can anyone share what the secondary essay prompts are?

What personal qualities do you possess that will make you a successful osteopathic physician?
In your own life, which experiences and people have inspired you to become an osteopathic physician?

Anyone know if they send a complete email?

Originally Posted by Whistle

Anyone know if they send a complete email?

i never got one. in fact the only ones that ever sent me complete emails were lmu and one other that i forget.

does anyone have a phone number we can reach the admissions staff? I cannot seem to submit my application and they are not responding to emails. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ag0637

does anyone have a phone number we can reach the admissions staff? I cannot seem to submit my application and they are not responding to emails. Thanks!

1-334-944-4008. This reaches directly to Linda Goodson (ADMISSIONS)

Oooo this is interesting! I didn't know a DO school started in Alabama! My hubby is in Auburn so this is only like 2 hours away... Unfortunately I'm not an official resident... Maybe they can bypass that?

Also the secondary prompts sounds a lot like my personal statement divided into two different prompts. This blows....

Originally Posted by slowswimmer

I had a different issue but when I switched browsers from Chrome to Firefox, it solved the problem. Hope this helps & good luck!

I'm still having this auto format problem as well. I have tried PC, Mac. Chrome, IE, Safari, and Firefox, but to know avail. How did were ya'll able to turn in your secondary?

Originally Posted by cheff949

I'm still having this auto format problem as well. I have tried PC, Mac. Chrome, IE, Safari, and Firefox, but to know avail. How did were ya'll able to turn in your secondary?

Once I switched to Firefox, I was able to submit and pay successfully. I followed up with the admissions office 2 days after and my application was received without any issues. Also, don't hesitate to e-mail them, they were very helpful! Best of luck.

interviews will be given out late fall according to what admissions told me today when i asked. just a piece of info for you guys.

For the secondary, I filled out the first page, then on the 2nd page made payment, then on the 3rd page uploaded essays. I think after this I hit "finish" but I was never directed to any message saying that my application was submitted or anything of that sort.
Did you guys experience this as well? I just want to be sure that my app. was submitted.

For those of you having trouble submitting this secondary, here's what I had to do. I got the secondary email with the link to the app and I used Internet Explorer to pull it up. I filled out all the blanks and typed out pretty good explanations for work/volunteer experiences, then when I hit Submit at the bottom I was sent back to the top of the page and all my fields had been cleared out! I repeated this cycle of typing/losing/re-typing all my data until I was exhausted and fed up .
So, then I said I'm going to try this one more time and used Google Chrome. It finally worked! And I was able to move on to the payment page. I made my payment then it gives you the option to upload attachments...the essays. So I uploaded my Word document and it wouldn't take it. I tried 3 times with no luck. So I saved my essays in PDF form and submitted again and it worked. So I'm hoping this might help someone else avoid all the hours of frustration I went through

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

i never got one. in fact the only ones that ever sent me complete emails were lmu and one other that i forget.

I just received an email saying my application was complete

As far as filling out the secondary, I highly suggest printing to PDF or typing your responses in word and then copy and paste. I tried to save my responses after spending a lot of time on the 2ndary and even thought the site said they'd email me a link with my saved app., I never got it...it was all gone. Luckily I was able to hit back in my browser a few times and the information was still there.

i filled out mine using google chrome without any problems at all. I did have to save my essays in pdf format as well.

just got my complete email today, yay

Originally Posted by slowswimmer

I had a different issue but when I switched browsers from Chrome to Firefox, it solved the problem. Hope this helps & good luck!

Originally Posted by Late Bloomer

For those of you having trouble submitting this secondary, here's what I had to do. I got the secondary email with the link to the app and I used Internet Explorer to pull it up. I filled out all the blanks and typed out pretty good explanations for work/volunteer experiences, then when I hit Submit at the bottom I was sent back to the top of the page and all my fields had been cleared out! I repeated this cycle of typing/losing/re-typing all my data until I was exhausted and fed up .
So, then I said I'm going to try this one more time and used Google Chrome. It finally worked! And I was able to move on to the payment page. I made my payment then it gives you the option to upload attachments...the essays. So I uploaded my Word document and it wouldn't take it. I tried 3 times with no luck. So I saved my essays in PDF form and submitted again and it worked. So I'm hoping this might help someone else avoid all the hours of frustration I went through

Thanks for the help guys. That online secondary definitely has a lot of bugs that need to be fixed.

Originally Posted by Kmp282

What are my chances realistically if I have:

cGPA: 3.16
SGPA: 3.27
MCAT: 27P
Many extracurricular leadership roles and honor groups.
Shadowing both MD and DO for about 40 hours.

Would I considered competative here or at any DO school or should I go to a graduate school and have a great GPA there? I am a Chemistry major by the way.

You have a shot in about half of DO schools if your ECs are good. No need for graduate school...If you dont get in this cycle, just retake may be 3-4 classes you have C or lower on. DO schools will use your best grades.

Originally Posted by kevnm67

I just received an email saying my application was complete and they'd let me know within 30 days...

As far as filling out the secondary, I highly suggest printing to PDF or typing your responses in word and then copy and paste. I tried to save my responses after spending a lot of time on the 2ndary and even thought the site said they'd email me a link with my saved app., I never got it...it was all gone. Luckily I was able to hit back in my browser a few times and the information was still there.

Kevnm67 it says" If selected for an interview, ACOM will notify you with 30 days for scheduling". not within 30 days.

Well guys I'm adding ACOM to my list!

Just got this email:

"Dear pjd9779,
Your application has been reviewed and you are being considered for admission to our institution."

That's all the email said, no mention of letting me know of any updates within 30 days. Anyone else get this wording?

Originally Posted by pjd9779

Just got this email:

"Dear pjd9779,
Your application has been reviewed and you are being considered for admission to our institution."

That's all the email said, no mention of letting me know of any updates within 30 days. Anyone else get this wording?

when were you complete?

Originally Posted by hmania

Kevnm67 it says" If selected for an interview, ACOM will notify you with 30 days for scheduling". not within 30 days.

My bad