AMCAS AP Credit Exempt Concern

[gyngyn]

But does having one ambiguous prerequisite incident mean no interview? To my knowledge, you don't have to complete all prerequisites in order to get an interview.

You are right. The screeners do often miss this.

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[gettheleadout]

The thing is that my transcript clearly shows calculus AP credit, but AMCAS changed some things around and gave me 2 AP credits that can "presumably" go anywhere to the courses indicated?

Yes, my point is that unless you are accepted and choose to matriculate, schools will never see your school transcript, only what AMCAS has listed.

 

[gettheleadout]

You are right. The screeners do often miss this.

I was under the impression that completion of prereq's prior to application was not required anyway (at least not at most schools.) Is that inaccurate and/or are there schools that do require prior prereq completion?

 

[Sean Lee]

Yes, my point is that unless you are accepted and choose to matriculate, schools will never see your school transcript, only what AMCAS has listed.

Do you think it would be possible to send schools my official transcript in order to clarify things? Or do schools refuse to look at transcripts and only rely on AMCAS?

 

[gettheleadout]

Do you think it would be possible to send schools my official transcript in order to clarify things? Or do schools refuse to look at transcripts and only rely on AMCAS?

You'd have to ask the schools themselves.

 

[gyngyn]

I was under the impression that completion of prereq's prior to application was not required anyway (at least not at most schools.) Is that inaccurate and/or are there schools that do require prior prereq completion?

You are right. One is only required to complete them by orientation everywhere I know. The school can also waive their rules if they have interviewed and want you. By the same token, they can choose not to waive their requirements.

 

[mehc012]

So, to me it seems like they're explaining that a 4 or 5 counts toward the requirement because it often grants one a semester of actual credit at one's undergrad

No, because they go on to explain that you can only get undergrad credit at their institution if you got a 5, and specifically phrase it as 'the AP examination score of 4 or 5'.
I think the debate here is whether, if the AP course shows on your transcript, and you get 'AP credit' aka an exemption, it is necessary that you also receive credits towards graduation.

 

[Sean Lee]

No, because they go on to explain that you can only get undergrad credit at their institution if you got a 5, and specifically phrase it as 'the AP examination score of 4 or 5'.
I think the debate here is whether, if the AP course shows on your transcript, and you get 'AP credit' aka an exemption, it is necessary that you also receive credits towards graduation.

It does show up on my transcript, I got AP credit via exemption/placing out of the equivalent course, and I got 2 university credits as well, though the 2 credits aren't specifically tied to any AP course.

 

[Sean Lee]

@LizzyM

 

[mehc012]

It does show up on my transcript, I got AP credit via exemption/placing out of the equivalent course, and I got 2 university credits as well, though the 2 credits aren't specifically tied to any AP course.

I KNOW.
The question is whether 'AP credit' refers to, specifically, credits towards graduation, or whether the 'Exempt' counts for anything.

 

[Sean Lee]

I KNOW.
The question is whether 'AP credit' refers to, specifically, credits towards graduation, or whether the 'Exempt' counts for anything.

I would like to hope that the vast majority of med schools will deem my case as fulfilling their math requirements.

 

[mehc012]

I would like to hope that the vast majority of med schools will deem my case as fulfilling their math requirements.

And I'd like to think that my 11 AP credits counted for jack, considering that they're all listed on my transcript (but not given graduation credit), but until we find something concrete, it looks like it's down to each individual school's discretion.

 

[gyngyn]

I would like to hope that the vast majority of med schools will deem my case as fulfilling their math requirements.

Especially since calculus is not necessary to success in medical school anyway. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Sean Lee]

And I'd like to think that my 11 AP credits counted for jack, considering that they're all listed on my transcript (but not given graduation credit), but until we find something concrete, it looks like it's down to each individual school's discretion.

11? Wow!

What does your AMCAS say? If they are listed on your transcript, it should at least be listed on AMCAS, regardless of whether it is credit for exempt.

 

[mehc012]

11? Wow!

What does your AMCAS say? If they are listed on your transcript, it should at least be listed on AMCAS, regardless of whether it is credit for exempt.

I'm not submitting this year. I'll see.
Problem is, only some of them are listed as specific exemptions...the others are just...listed.
But my school doesn't do credits, so the transcript looks weird anyway.

 

[Sean Lee]

I'm not submitting this year. I'll see.
Problem is, only some of them are listed as specific exemptions...the others are just...listed.
But my school doesn't do credits, so the transcript looks weird anyway.

I am sure med schools are aware of all sorts of bizarre transcripts and credit issues.

 

[Sean Lee]

Fortunately, no DO schools require math, and my stats are very competitive for DO schools.

Other than USUHS, which is by far my top choice, I really don't care at all about the distinction between MD and DO. In the likely scenario that I don't get into USUHS, I will most likely take a DO acceptance along with the HPSP scholarship.

 

[el_duderino]

Here we go! The top image is my official transcript. The bottom is my verified AMCAS app.

I can't figure out why they would do that. I'd put a call in to AMCAS to see what they say.

 

[Sean Lee]

I can't figure out why they would do that. I'd put a call in to AMCAS to see what they say.

I think that even though my transcript lists 6 courses with AP credits, my school only allows 2 credits to be used towards graduation. Because there's no way to specify which 2 of the six courses should receive actual AP credit, AMCAS decided to exempt all of them and add in 2 separate, unassigned credits at the bottom. It makes sense if you think about it.

But I am going to call them to see if it is possible for them to get rid of the unassigned credits and simply place them next to the two calculus courses.

 

[LizzyM]

I have no idea. I have no responsibility for determining whether someone has met all the pre-reqs for my school.

 

[Sean Lee]

Update!

I just realized that next to the supplemental hours category (which appears your GPA totals) where it indicates whether you have Pass/Fail, AP, CLEP, or OTHER credits, it says 8.0 semester units under A/P. So AMCAS did include 8 semester units of AP credit, but it did not indicate which of the six courses these semester units correspond to! Oh God...

 

[el_duderino]

Interesting. My original Transcript says, for example:
TRANSFER CREDIT ACCEPTED BY INSTITUTION
Advanced Placement Credit:
CHEM 1100 CHEMISTRY I Grade: S Hours: 4.00 Quality Points: 0.00
CHEM 1200 CHEMISTRY II Grade: S Hours: 4.00 Quality Points: 0.00
etc

My AMCAS lists the 38 A/P credits under Supplemental. Each credit from the original transcript looks like this:
Course class: Chem
Course No.: CHEM 1100
Course Name: AP Credit: Chemistry I
Course Type: Advanced Placement
OT Hours: 4.00
Sem Hours and OT grade blank
AMCAS Grade: G

 

[el_duderino]

dupe

 

[Sean Lee]

Interesting. My original Transcript says, for example:
TRANSFER CREDIT ACCEPTED BY INSTITUTION
Advanced Placement Credit:
CHEM 1100 CHEMISTRY I Grade: S Hours: 4.00 Quality Points: 0.00
CHEM 1200 CHEMISTRY II Grade: S Hours: 4.00 Quality Points: 0.00
etc

My AMCAS lists the 38 A/P credits under Supplemental. Each credit from the original transcript looks like this:
Course class: Chem
Course No.: CHEM 1100
Course Name: AP Credit: Chemistry I
Course Type: Advanced Placement
OT Hours: 4.00
Sem Hours and OT grade blank
AMCAS Grade: G

If AMCAS lists 38 A/P credits, then that means you received 38 AP credits.

My AMCAS lists 8 A/P credits, which means I received two semester worth of AP credits. The only thing that AMCAS doesn't say is WHICH two semesters these 8 credits correspond to!

So frustrating!

 

[Sean Lee]

I have no idea. I have no responsibility for determining whether someone has met all the pre-reqs for my school.

 

[Sean Lee]

Here's hoping that I am just overly neurotic, which tends to be the case when premed are on their first app cycle.

 

[Heday]

If AMCAS lists 38 A/P credits, then that means you received 38 AP credits.

My AMCAS lists 8 A/P credits, which means I received two semester worth of AP credits. The only thing that AMCAS doesn't say is WHICH two semesters these 8 credits correspond to!

So frustrating!

It's HOURS not CREDITS. Two semesters worth of AP credits is not equal to 8 hours necessarily. Most intro calc and science w/lab course count as 4 hours, but others such as microeconomics or psychology is only 3 hours. It would be more appropriate to say I received two courses of AP credit (which is 8 hours).

Don't sweat it. Maybe it means that you get to pick 8 hours worth of credits to count towards graduation (meaning you can cherry pick the courses). Regardless, contact individual schools and see what they have to say. You're worry over something that is 1) out of your control, 2) does not warrant worrying until you have all the facts. Just take a deep breath, if you worry yourself like this all cycle (and it's only really been 2 days since it's begun), you'll die.

 

[Sean Lee]

It's HOURS not CREDITS. Two semesters worth of AP credits is not equal to 8 hours necessarily. Most intro calc and science w/lab course count as 4 hours, but others such as microeconomics or psychology is only 3 hours. It would be more appropriate to say I received two courses of AP credit (which is 8 hours).

Don't sweat it. Maybe it means that you get to pick 8 hours worth of credits to count towards graduation (meaning you can cherry pick the courses). Regardless, contact individual schools and see what they have to say. You're worry over something that is 1) out of your control, 2) does not warrant worrying until you have all the facts. Just take a deep breath, if you worry yourself like this all cycle (and it's only really been 2 days since it's begun), you'll die.

Thanks. But I just want to clarify that I did receive 8 semester hours of A/P credits as explicitly stated on AMCAS!

And that's exactly how my school works. But you don't get to choose which 8 hours; you just get 8 hours towards your total number of hours needed to graduate.

 

[Heday]

Thanks. But I just want to clarify that I did receive 8 semester hours of A/P credits as explicitly stated on AMCAS!

And that's exactly how my school works. But you don't get to choose which 8 hours; you just get 8 hours towards your total number of hours needed to graduate.

I understood that; the root of the problem seemed to stem from the fact that the 8 hours of AP credits were just "credits" and did not specify which courses you received credit for... which is why you created the thread.

 

[Sean Lee]

I understood that; the root of the problem seemed to stem from the fact that the 8 hours of AP credits were just "credits" and did not specify which courses you received credit for... which is why you created the thread.

EXACTLY!!!!

But hopefully med schools are aware of this issue. After all, Calculus courses ARE listed on AMCAS and their OT grade of AP are also listed. They just all have "exempt" status next to them with 8 semester units of AP credits tucked away at the bottom.

 

[mehc012]

It's HOURS not CREDITS. Two semesters worth of AP credits is not equal to 8 hours necessarily. Most intro calc and science w/lab course count as 4 hours, but others such as microeconomics or psychology is only 3 hours. It would be more appropriate to say I received two courses of AP credit (which is 8 hours).

Don't sweat it. Maybe it means that you get to pick 8 hours worth of credits to count towards graduation (meaning you can cherry pick the courses). Regardless, contact individual schools and see what they have to say. You're worry over something that is 1) out of your control, 2) does not warrant worrying until you have all the facts. Just take a deep breath, if you worry yourself like this all cycle (and it's only really been 2 days since it's begun), you'll die.

Some schools don't use hours OR credits!

 

[Heday]

Some schools don't use hours OR credits!

I meant for AMCAS.

 

[singingscribe]

Hey Sean, I had the exact same thing happen to me when I was verified. Did you ever speak to anyone that confirmed that med schools will understand the "exempt"/accept it as a prereq? I am guessing they will figure it out but am also a little paranoid!