AMCAS foreign transcript debacle

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chocolatetreat

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AMCAS requires transcripts from all American institutions, including those overseas. I attended an international campus of an American university in my home country for my freshman year prior to moving to the US (about 10 years ago). I requested an official transcript which has been received by AMCAS but designated as foreign. I contacted AMCAS who responded that not all US universities abroad are going to require an official transcript and that I should enter a transcript exception request. This creates two problems for me:

  • There are certain required courses I took during this year such as math and English. Excluding this transcript means I will not fulfill the required courses at some schools, limiting the schools I can apply to.

  • My core GPA drops from a 3.4 (3.5 if rounding up counts) to a 3.3 if I exclude these courses (using the AMCAS GPA calculators floating around).
I would like to submit my application this weekend. Is it worth holding off and following up with AMCAS or should I follow their instructions at the risk of my cGPA being lower than 3.3? My cumulative GPA for that year was the highest in my 4 years of undergrad at about 3.7. Additionally, AACOMAS has received and processed the same transcript (and they do not accept foreign transcripts). Thanks.

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If the foreign courses are in your current institution transcript, I don't think you need that foreign transcript for AMCAS. However, you will need it for AACOMAS. At least that how it was for for me when I applied two years ago. It was difficult for me to get that foreign transcript and AACOMAS gave me an exemption (or waiver)...

You can't exclude the transcript because you need put down every institution you have attended and the courses taken at such institutions... Again if these courses are in your current institution transcript, they will be counted toward your GPAs and prereq requirements... Getting a transcript exemption does not mean that the courses won't be counted.
 
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If the foreign courses are in your current institution transcript, I don't think you need that foreign transcript for AMCAS. However, you will need it for AACOMAS. At least that how it was for for me when I applied two years ago. It was difficult for me to get that foreign transcript and AACOMAS gave me an exemption (or waiver)...

You can't exclude the transcript because you need put down every institution you have attended and the courses taken at such institutions... Again if these courses are in your current institution transcript, they will be counted toward your GPAs and prereq requirements... Getting a transcript exemption does not meet that the courses won't be counted.

Thank you for your response W19. I included the school and courses and had an official transcript sent to both AMCAS and AACOMAS. It is not a foreign transcript (I did not need WES or any other evaluation when I transferred the credits to the institution I graduated from). My problem is that AMCAS has erroneously designated the transcript as foreign. AACOMAS has processed this transcript without exception and no request for evaluation - it is an overseas American accredited institution.

If I follow the instructions from the AMCAS representative and request a transcript exception:
  • Will the schools have access to see those courses?
  • On my current institution transcript, the transferred courses are not graded. How will these be counted towards my GPA and pre-req requirements?
Thanks.
 
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@chocolatetreat Yes the school will have access to these courses since you put them in your application(s) and they are in the transcript you submitted... Your second question is difficult for me to answer since my situation was a little bit different... My courses had grade and credit hours... Do yours have credit hours even if they have no grade? If they do, you might have to put 'pass' so they can be counted toward your prereqs (if necessary) if your application(s) have not been verified yet...

Based on my experience, AACOMAS and AMCAS were very helpful if you explain them your situation... AACOMAS even called the foreign institution that I attended to verify the courses...
 
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I would try to talk to someone again at AMCAS, especially on the phone. The problem is just because you listed the courses, if you don't have them on a US transcript directly (if they show as transfer that won't help you), then you might have problems with them not being accepted as pre-reqs
 
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On my current institution transcript, the transferred courses are not graded. How will these be counted towards my GPA and pre-req requirements?
non-graded courses are excluded from your GPA.Thus, they won't fulfill the pre-reqs requirement.
 
My courses had grade and credit hours... Do yours have credit hours even if they have no grade? If they do, you might have to put 'pass' so they can be counted toward your prereqs (if necessary) if your application(s) have not been verified yet
can I ask you how did these courses factor in your GPA?. My bachelor is from foreign institution, and I am taking/doing a 2nd bachelor in the US. My school accepted almost 100 credit hours(assigned grades of AT, BT) I think the'' T " stand for transfer, there are quality points for those grades as 4, 3 and so forth, beside my US separate GPA, they still factor into my overall GPA). do you think they will still factor into my AMCAS/ AACOMAS GPA.
 
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can I ask you how did these courses factor in your GPA?. My bachelor is from foreign institution, and I am taking/doing a 2nd bachelor in the US. My school accepted almost 100 credit hours(assigned grades of AT, BT) I think the'' T " stand for transfer, there are quality points for those grades as 4, 3 and so forth, beside my US separate GPA, they still factor into my overall GPA). do you think they will still factor into my AMCAS/ AACOMAS GPA.
First of all, I am a non trad student, so my transcript was translated and evaluated 10+ years ago by Josef Silny and Associate in Miami. I don't know how things are done by these companies now. For instance, I took Calculus at that foreign institution that was 4-credit hour. I just looked at my transcript and they gave me only 2-credit hour for it. Here is how it was translated and/or evaluated:

Crse ID Equiv Crse Course Title CMP TYP GRD ATT ERN GPA
------- ---------- ------------ --- --- --- --- --- ---
DOAMAT MATELECT ADV MATHEMATICS A 02.0 02.0 02.0

So I was able to put a grade and credit hours when I filled out my med school application in AMCAS and AACOMAS.

If there quality points for those grades as they are in your transcript, they probably will factor into you med school GPA..
 
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I would try to talk to someone again at AMCAS, especially on the phone. The problem is just because you listed the courses, if you don't have them on a US transcript directly (if they show as transfer that won't help you), then you might have problems with them not being accepted as pre-reqs

I just got off the phone with the AMCAS representative. He does not have a reason why AMCAS does not recognize my overseas American institution. He didn't receive the email I sent (in response to his) with a link to the accrediting body's website and attachment of the confirmation of accreditation of the school covering the dates I attended the school to present day. He said according to their current policies, they just don't. He says that I should delete all the courses entered and send my transcript to every school I apply to, if need be. I tried to explain that the school satisfies all the requirements per the AMCAS transcript instructions "Any American Institution overseas or not." I even told him that AACOMAS has processed the transcript. He said I can try my luck speaking to a supervisor or manager tomorrow since they had all left for the day.
 
can I ask you how did these courses factor in your GPA?. My bachelor is from foreign institution, and I am taking/doing a 2nd bachelor in the US. My school accepted almost 100 credit hours(assigned grades of AT, BT) I think the'' T " stand for transfer, there are quality points for those grades as 4, 3 and so forth, beside my US separate GPA, they still factor into my overall GPA). do you think they will still factor into my AMCAS/ AACOMAS GPA.
Hello there, I hope you’re still active here . How did the 2nd bachelor/ credit transfer work for you. I am in same situation and don’t know if 2nd bachelor or post bacc is the best route.
 
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