*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2012-2013*~*~*~*

[CodeRedDew]

If a withdrawn course doesn't appear on your official transcript, should we still report it? How will they find out?

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[pfaction]

You should put down whatever is on your transcript. That's what the instruction manual says. AMCAS will make the appropriate conversions.

I have serious issues. I called AMCAS about my PharmD problem, and figured I'd ask my other questions twice to get solid answers.

1) How do I classify my courses? All are undergraduate, but I have a PharmD, so now what?

Answer #1: all undergraduate because that's how it's on your transcript.
Answer today: 3 and 3.

2) Should I expand the courses I have "D&D" and "Core:STAT and Core:CALC?"

Answer #1: Not core:STAT, but D&D-->drugs and diseases is ok
Answer #2: Nothing at all should change not even abbreviations


DAFUQ AMCAS

I'm seriously melting down from inputting, deleting, re-entering grades. I'm ****ing going to have to wing it and get rejected or something.

 

[pfaction]

Look at it this way... if you enter what's exactly on your transcript, they can't say you're wrong. If you change what's already in your transcript, they have a reason to correct you. You're worrying about it all for no reason. They correct what they can and verify it. They'll only RTS your application if it is vastly different compared to your trancripts.

Chill out a bit. Entering coursework into your application isn't supposed to be the stressful part.

Raise your hand if you have 6 years of undergraduate courses leading to no bachelor's degree, and are getting screened out of schools left and right because you have a ****ing PharmD.

If you can't raise your hand, you have no IDEA what stress is.

 

[yellowfish]

Raise your hand if you have 6 years of undergraduate courses leading to no bachelor's degree, and are getting screened out of schools left and right because you have a ****ing PharmD.

If you can't raise your hand, you have no IDEA what stress is.

I think you're overreacting a bit. He's just trying to be helpful. We all have different backgrounds, but we're all going through a similar experience with this application process. Just do your best to relax a little.

 

[dmf2682]

Just because I have a bachelor's degree and not a PharmD doesn't mean I have no idea what stress is.

Everybody's life is different... and you're assuming that because I don't fall in your shoes, I haven't experienced stress? You'll relate to your future patients very well.

As a wolverine fan you've probably had your share of stress with DR the turnover king the last few seasons!

 

[dreamer67]

I took classes in high school that I paid to receive college credits for. I never attended this college though. Should I include it under "colleges" on my application?

 

[sector9]

I took classes in high school that I paid to receive college credits for. I never attended this college though. Should I include it under "colleges" on my application?

Yes

 

[CodeRedDew]

Don't bother reporting it. I'm assuming you withdrew from the course early in the semester, and the policy of your school dictates that it doesn't appear on your transcript if you withdraw from it before a certain deadline.

I withdrew from it during the middle of the semester, well after the "drop without penalty" deadline. However, it doesn't appear on my TS. Just don't bother reporting it?

 

[kryptonian]

I'm having a problem regarding transcript. Long story short: I need to order totally 3 transcripts to be sent to AMCAS. Due to immigration issue, when I enrolled at the first 2 institutions, I did not have a social security number. Thus, at each of these 2 schools, I was given some random 8-digit number that had been used to fill in the SSN space on my student records. Before enrolling at the third institution, I was able to obtain an official SSN. Now, highly likely the transcripts of the first 2 institutions will carry my institution-generated "SSN" that misleadingly appear to be my SSN while the transcript of the third institution will carry my official SSN. My question is, will this cause confusion and doubt to AAMC when they verify my primary app ? On the transcript request forms for all 3 institutions, beside my AAMC ID, I put my official SSN as alternate ID.

I'm super worried right now. What should I do now ? Will they think this is a fraud (while it's actually NOT) and make a big fuss of it ?

 

[dreamer67]

If my major is technically "biological sciences" do I just choose "biology," or do I choose biology and use the "If the major name is wrong, or if you selected Other Major, please correct the name here" option and edit biology to biological sciences, or do I just select other?

 

[dreamer67]

Also, if I had a double major, but am dropping one of the majors but it is still officially listed on my transcripts, would it be okay to leave it off my application? I don't want AMCAS to edit it and put the second major on because I am dropping it

And about the high school college credits - they were year long courses, but only worth 3 credits (1 semester). So although I took the classes in high school from august-june, they are only listed as Fall 2008 credits. So would I just put my date of attendance as august 08-december 08? or do I put it as the full time I was in the courses august 08-june09

 

[kryptonian]

If it is highly likely that the transcripts will carry institution-generated SSN's, order a few official transcripts and check. If it turns out to be true, add in your two institution-generated SSN's to your alternative IDs, and then affiliate those respective SSN's to their matching transcript request forms. After that, request the transcripts from the two schools, and wait for AMCAS to add those two transcripts to your application.

The problem is I already ordered the transcript to be sent at one of the two school. Should I cancel that order immediately ? What if they already mailed it to AMCAS ?

Also, if I add those institution-generated SSN's into my alternate IDs, would that cause confusion to AAMC as they wouldn't know which one is my real SSN, since everything is labeled as "SSN" ?

If they are unable to verify the transcripts, call AMCAS. It's still early May. You should be able to match up the transcripts by mid-May if all goes well.

I thought they would only verify the transcript after application is submitted in June ?

 

[kryptonian]

Well, if you've already ordered the transcript, you might as well see if it will be matched up with your application. If you add the institution-generated SSN's to your alternative IDs, I would add them as "Other" IDs, and not as a SSN ID. I don't think it's even possible to add two or more SSNs in the AMCAS.

They do verify the application after it's submitted (after June 5), but prior to this, they'll actually match up your transcript(s) to your application (in May or whenever you send the transcript). This is what I meant by matching the transcript... sorry for the misunderstanding. I assume that if the transcript is matched to your application, they'll be able to verify your coursework without a hitch.

You can always call AMCAS and ask them on Monday.

I see what you mean. Sorry I wasn't clear in my question. The transcripts will be sent along with the request forms which have my AAMC ID on them. Hence, I'm not worried about the transcripts not matched up to my application. What I'm worried about is that, since each transcript contains a different "SSN," they may think that these transcripts are not mine and I purposefully deceive AAMC (which is NOT what it is)

I'll call AAMC on Monday to see what they say.

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

Hey Guys I have a question.

I go to a large state school, and when "ordering" an official transcript, you can request that it be electronically delivered-which is the way we recieve our official transcripts via PDF form- to whereever you want. Should I have it sent this way to AMCAS, or does the registar office need to send a hard copy paper version to AMCAS's mailing address?

Thanks

 

[muhali3]

Is the request form a requirement? I can request the official transcript to be sent to the amcas address online through my school. Is this not allowed? Its a huge state school so its not practical for everyone to come in person.

I would like to know this as well. I have a school that I also transferred from, that can send official transcripts through an online system. I would rather not go through the hassle of sending the request form and waiting.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

I remember calling AMCAS when I was about to order transcripts and asking if a request form was necessary. I was told it makes it easier for them to match your transcript to your application, but it's not a requirement. I know for one of my transcripts I didn't include a request form and AMCAS received it just fine.

 

[sector9]

Hey Guys I have a question.

I go to a large state school, and when "ordering" an official transcript, you can request that it be electronically delivered-which is the way we recieve our official transcripts via PDF form- to whereever you want. Should I have it sent this way to AMCAS, or does the registar office need to send a hard copy paper version to AMCAS's mailing address?

Thanks

Hard copy is required

 

[pfaction]

Sorry about my earlier statements, I was just really angry. I'm still angry, but I'm calming down. This is a really bad, frustrating experience.

I have to turn in two transcripts without a letter, oh well...damn it.

 

[sector9]

Hey guys I dont know why but Im a bit confused about sending transcripts to AMCAS. Basically once you put down your colleges you have to print out a request form for each college that you attended/took classes in. After that you bring your request form to the college and from there they send it to AMCAS based on directions written on the form? Is that correct?

Also whats the best time to send transcripts? As soon as possible? Is it okay to send transcripts before AMCAS is submitted on June 5th?

Everything you said is correct. Send them in now.

If we have spring grades coming in, are you supposed to tell the registrar to submit transcripts only after grades are out? I'm working on finishing a masters right now. Do I have to wait to submit my AMCAS after I get the grades so I can list them?

You don't have to wait to submit, but your application can't be verified until AMCAS receives your transcript(s). I would wait to send in the transcript until after your grades came in.

So do you mean you can submit without the grade filled in on AMCAS and submit, and after AMCAS gets the transcript, they will add in the grade for you once you get verified?

How do you relay the request form if you're abroad?!?!

Is the request form a requirement? I can request the official transcript to be sent to the amcas address online through my school. Is this not allowed? Its a huge state school so its not practical for everyone to come in person.

I would like to know this as well. I have a school that I also transferred from, that can send official transcripts through an online system. I would rather not go through the hassle of sending the request form and waiting.

I remember calling AMCAS when I was about to order transcripts and asking if a request form was necessary. I was told it makes it easier for them to match your transcript to your application, but it's not a requirement. I know for one of my transcripts I didn't include a request form and AMCAS received it just fine.

Merging

 

[pfaction]

So do you mean you can submit without the grade filled in on AMCAS and submit, and after AMCAS gets the transcript, they will add in the grade for you once you get verified?

Is this one true?

 

[DOCTAfoHIRE]

Raise your hand if you have 6 years of undergraduate courses leading to no bachelor's degree, and are getting screened out of schools left and right because you have a ****ing PharmD.

If you can't raise your hand, you have no IDEA what stress is.

Ok, I have seen this issue brought up before and I frankly am unsure of where people are getting their info from. I personally know people who were admitted into my two state schools with a Pharm.D. (no bachelors) and a guy who went to harvard. I have also personally talked to the offices of Columbia, Cornell, and NYU. All of them have said that having a Pharm.D. with no bachelors is NO PROBLEM. This was confirmed with the dean of admissions at these schools.

Please list the schools that have told you that having a Pharm.D. and no bachelors disqualifies you. Or please stop listing misinformation.

Also, where do you go where you only take undergrad classes to get your Pharm.D? My six year school has 4 years of undergrad and two years of grad classes. Is it a new school? Seems kind of weird that you dont have to take any graduate level coursework to obtain a doctorate.

 

[Camy99]

I have a question concerning Placement Tests. These aren't shown on my unofficial transcript, and idk if they'll be on my official transcript but I've satisfied 2 GE requirements (language and global issues) from 1) My spanish placement test and 2) My score on my SAT II French exam.
I didn't see anything on AMCAS about SAT stuff, but I did about placement test. But since it's not actually shown on my transcript idk if I should include it.

 

[virtuoso735]

When I'm describing my volunteer activities that are still ongoing, should I write in the past or present tense? The past tense feels more natural and sounds better to me, but they're still ongoing so using the present tense would make sense. What tense did you guys use for activities that are still ongoing?

 

[pfaction]

Ok, I have seen this issue brought up before and I frankly am unsure of where people are getting their info from. I personally know people who were admitted into my two state schools with a Pharm.D. (no bachelors) and a guy who went to harvard. I have also personally talked to the offices of Columbia, Cornell, and NYU. All of them have said that having a Pharm.D. with no bachelors is NO PROBLEM. This was confirmed with the dean of admissions at these schools.

Please list the schools that have told you that having a Pharm.D. and no bachelors disqualifies you. Or please stop listing misinformation.

Also, where do you go where you only take undergrad classes to get your Pharm.D? My six year school has 4 years of undergrad and two years of grad classes. Is it a new school? Seems kind of weird that you dont have to take any graduate level coursework to obtain a doctorate.

We already had this conversation before, and I'm going to have to find the links again, amn't I?
NYU
USF
Hofstra
Jefferson
Einstein

I just stopped looking for a while. I called 21 schools so far, some of them like some South Carolina school refused as well.

I go to St. John's.

EDIT:

You should probably call NYU again, because they ****ing lied to you:
http://school.med.nyu.edu/admissions/how-apply/admissions-requirement-0

NYU SOM requires completion of undergraduate study and a baccalaureate degree.

Your move.

 

[DOCTAfoHIRE]

NYU
USF
Hofstra
Jefferson
Einstein

I just stopped looking for a while. I called 21 schools so far, some of them like some South Carolina school refused as well.

I go to St. John's.

EDIT:

You should probably call NYU again, because they ****ing lied to you:
http://school.med.nyu.edu/admissions...-requirement-0

NYU SOM requires completion of undergraduate study and a baccalaureate degree.

Your move.

This isnt the place for this discussion. NYU I was put on hold and the woman went and checked with the dean of admissions. I dont really see how they are lying to me. I was very clear about having heard that some schools do not accept pharmacy students and I was assured that while some schools may have those policies, they had never heard of anything like that and that they did not have such policies. Just because the schools list a bachelors as a requirement on their website doesnt mean they wont make an exception for a Pharm.D. student. After our discussion I talked to several advisers at my schools. Its a large state school and they have seen a decent share of pharmacy students who have went on to medical school. They have not heard a single student ever mention anything about being denied from a school due to not having a bachelors. They didnt know where I was coming from at all.

Im not saying that there arent schools who have this policy. Im just saying that its definitely not the norm. Also I was told that some schools list a bachelors as a requirement but they really require a certain number of credits. They just list a bachelors because most people applying will have a bachelors.

Btw mayo also accepts pharm.ds.

 

[pfaction]

Lemme know what you find, because PharMed got rejected from his own school for not having a Bachelor's, and I got the same results when I called his list of schools. Unwavering *******s.

 

[Trisphorin]

Hey guys, i am a senior and studying for my finals this week. I just sent out my transcript without my last semester of college grades to amcas yesterday. by the time i am filling out and be done with my app in june i will have all the grades including my last semester grades that were not on the transcript i sent out. do i include them or not? if i do, then i would have to send out an updated transcript to amcas ?

good luck!

 

[Trisphorin]

sorry about the duplicate.

 

[sector9]

Hey guys, i am a senior and studying for my finals this week. I just sent out my transcript without my last semester of college grades to amcas yesterday. by the time i am filling out and be done with my app in june i will have all the grades including my last semester grades that were not on the transcript i sent out. do i include them or not? if i do, then i would have to send out an updated transcript to amcas ?

good luck!

Relevant LizzyM quote

My opinion: Juniors should wait and submit after Spring quarter grades are posted. Seniors are ok submitting without Spring quarter grades.

Also, I'd be sure to have a grade for all pre-reqs so if you've taken any of those in Spring quarter, submit after grades are posted.

Finally, if your quarter gpa is anticipated to be higher than your current total gpa, it is in your best interest to wait and get that little bump in gpa before submitting your application.

Relevant AMCAS FAQ
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/183144/amcas_2010_faqs-6.8.html

Questions?

 

[pfaction]

Will your GPA increase dramatically after this semester's grades? If so, it might be worth sending an updated transcript to AMCAS.

I have a question then. I'm sending mine out Tuesday after meeting with my adviser, but I think our transcripts are "updated" around mid-June. If for some reason I'm verified by then, would it be worth it to re-send? I have clinical rotations on them and I think maybe 5-6 A/A-'s on those will look quite good.

 

[Trisphorin]

Will your GPA increase dramatically after this semester's grades? If so, it might be worth sending an updated transcript to AMCAS.

it will actually be lowered by a tiny bit... i am just worried that it might create discrepancy between my sent transcript and the amcas app i am sending out.

 

[sector9]

I have a question then. I'm sending mine out Tuesday after meeting with my adviser, but I think our transcripts are "updated" around mid-June. If for some reason I'm verified by then, would it be worth it to re-send? I have clinical rotations on them and I think maybe 5-6 A/A-'s on those will look quite good.

it will actually be lowered by a tiny bit... i am just worried that it might create discrepancy between my sent transcript and the amcas app i am sending out.

As the FAQ I linked to above mentions, AMCAS does not do grade updates. If you want the grades to be reflected on your primary application, you have to wait to send in your transcripts until after the grades are posted.

 

[pfaction]

As the FAQ I linked to above mentions, AMCAS does not do grade updates. If you want the grades to be reflected on your primary application, you have to wait to send in your transcripts until after the grades are posted.

Ooooh. So Monday I'm going to see when the transcripts are going to be sent out, and if my grades aren't in for a very long time, I'll just send it the way it is. I ended on a high note anyways, my first ever 4.0 Thanks for your continual help.

 

[Trisphorin]

I didn't know you could do that...but thanks alot !

 

[sector9]

FAQ:


It states your AMCAS GPA will not be recalculated, which implies that it was already calculated earlier.

I was always under the impression that the FAQ meant *after* they begin verifying. If you send in both transcripts - an older one and an updated one - before you submit your application, they should be able to enter in all of your grades. If you send an updated one after you submit, it'll be useless.

I'm a little confused about what you mean. So you're saying you would send in your transcript without your spring grades, then send in one with your spring grades, then submit your application? I'd save some money and send it in when your grades are posted but you're right on the technicality that you could do it that way.

 

[sector9]

I wouldn't send both. But for some of the people in this thread that have already submitted their older transcripts, they should still be able to send in an updated transcript if they want to, before they submit.

It does have an advantage... if you're not sure how your semester's grades will end up, you could do it this way. For both of my universities' transcripts, they don't charge a dime for sending official transcripts.

Gotcha. Correct

 

[1289]

If I submit my amcas with an expected test date included, but already have one score, and it goes to a school where my original score is competitive, will they review w out the new score? I know that right now I am competitive enough at a couple of schools in my state to not need the retake, but am not sure if I want to go to those schools so I am planning a retake mid-July. As such I don't want to hold up my app at those places for a retake that I'm pretty sure I don't really "need" for them.. any insight? can I submit a separate amcas to them w out the test date included?

also to anyone who reads this and wonders why I'm bothering with a retake in the first place, I was told by a pre-med adviser that the National average has been going up every year, and while my mcat was "okay" this year, who knews what will happen with scores next year..

 

[DanGee777]

If I submit my amcas with an expected test date included, but already have one score, and it goes to a school where my original score is competitive, will they review w out the new score? I know that right now I am competitive enough at a couple of schools in my state to not need the retake, but am not sure if I want to go to those schools so I am planning a retake mid-July. As such I don't want to hold up my app at those places for a retake that I'm pretty sure I don't really "need" for them.. any insight? can I submit a separate amcas to them w out the test date included?

also to anyone who reads this and wonders why I'm bothering with a retake in the first place, I was told by a pre-med adviser that the National average has been going up every year, and while my mcat was "okay" this year, who knews what will happen with scores next year..

No option for separate AMCAS apps. Assuming that most of your schools will send secondaries automatically, I would e-mail the admissions office at the state schools and confirm with them that you're retaking, but say that you're happy to have them review it with your current MCAT score. I don't know if they'll agree to do this considering you're going to have a "planned" date on your AMCAS app, but they'd be able to advise you better.

If you don't mind sharing, knowing your state of residence as well as your current MCAT score (with breakdown into PS, VS, BS and writing subscores) would probably help.

 

[dreamer67]

Well these were high school courses I took that I paid to receive college credits for. So, for example, I took history in HS during the 07-08 academic year, and paid to earn 3 credits at a state college for this course. On my transcript at this state college it lists my credits under Fall 2007 (although it was a full academic year in HS that I was taking this course). This was the only year in HS where I earned college credits at this state college, so my transcript from this college only has credits for Fall 2007 - for history and one other course. So, would I enter my attendance at this college as Aug 07-June 08 (the time period during which I was taking this course work in HS), or would I enter it as Aug07-Dec07 (since only Fall 2007 is listed on my transcript)?

Even after I enter the dates of attendance of this college, and choose to add a course, it asks for the academic term. I am not sure what to put for this either. Would I just put "1st semester fall" since this is what is on the transcript?

Sorry, I know it is confusing, but hopefully that clears it up. Thanks for your help

When do you plan to drop the second major? If it's within the next week, I'd wait for the transcript to reflect the drop and then send it in to AMCAS. If it's early next semester, I'd call AMCAS and ask, or just add in the second major for simplicity's sake, and later update your major information via secondary applications.

For the high school college credits... I don't completely understand. For schools attended, you have your high school and your college, right? For high school dates of attendance, you'd enter August of '05 to June '09. When you enter in each course from high school, you should be able to just label them as "HS" status.

 

[pfaction]

Yeah dreamer that's what I did, I took 2005-2007 courses and I put them in exactly, under "HS" designation. If you took a class in 2005 only in the fall, and 2008 only in the spring, I would put 2005-2008 and the courses exactly how it was put.

 

[UCUCUC]

Am I suppose to see my mcat scores in my application????

It currently says "not loaded"

I took the mcat last summer and scores have already been released.

 

[235788]

the second you register for another it appears on your application, if I remember correctly. Or you just declare that you're taking it again.

 

[sector9]

If I submit my amcas with an expected test date included, but already have one score, and it goes to a school where my original score is competitive, will they review w out the new score? I know that right now I am competitive enough at a couple of schools in my state to not need the retake, but am not sure if I want to go to those schools so I am planning a retake mid-July. As such I don't want to hold up my app at those places for a retake that I'm pretty sure I don't really "need" for them.. any insight? can I submit a separate amcas to them w out the test date included?

also to anyone who reads this and wonders why I'm bothering with a retake in the first place, I was told by a pre-med adviser that the National average has been going up every year, and while my mcat was "okay" this year, who knews what will happen with scores next year..

No option for separate AMCAS apps. Assuming that most of your schools will send secondaries automatically, I would e-mail the admissions office at the state schools and confirm with them that you're retaking, but say that you're happy to have them review it with your current MCAT score. I don't know if they'll agree to do this considering you're going to have a "planned" date on your AMCAS app, but they'd be able to advise you better.

If you don't mind sharing, knowing your state of residence as well as your current MCAT score (with breakdown into PS, VS, BS and writing subscores) would probably help.

the second you register for another it appears on your application, if I remember correctly. Or you just declare that you're taking it again.

Merging

 

[kryptonian]

I'm sorry if this is potentially a very dumb question, but I'm just curious: Can we view our transcript copy via AMCAS after it is received ? Or the only thing we can see on AMCAS is its status "received"/"not received" ?

 

[badgerpride]

Hi- I have a ton of activities- more than the 15 activity/job spaces we have space for. I was thinking of grouping my two publications together, as well as my two summers as an Undergraduate Research Fellow.

Do you think this is a good idea? I know publications are a big deal, so I want the app. readers to see that I have two! But I'm not sure how else to keep all my other activities in the application...

 

[sector9]

I'm sorry if this is potentially a very dumb question, but I'm just curious: Can we view our transcript copy via AMCAS after it is received ? Or the only thing we can see on AMCAS is its status "received"/"not received" ?

They'll only tell you that it has been received

 

[sector9]

Hi- I have a ton of activities- more than the 15 activity/job spaces we have space for. I was thinking of grouping my two publications together, as well as my two summers as an Undergraduate Research Fellow.

Do you think this is a good idea? I know publications are a big deal, so I want the app. readers to see that I have two! But I'm not sure how else to keep all my other activities in the application...

Here is a better location for your question http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=896983

 

[REPTAR013]

Sorry, I've been having trouble figuring out my academic year to put down for my courses. Basically I matriculated into my university with 32 hours (20AP, 12 dual credit).

AMCAS says to enter the AP grades as Freshman, but then when I have to start entering my classes for that first year I am considered a Sophomore by credit hours. Should I simply have all my classes that term year listed as freshman or switch from freshman to sophomore within the term?

 

[REPTAR013]

Thanks a bunch Wolverine Fan. I'm just gonna make my first semester all freshman, switch to sophomore second semester, and then switch to junior status for my second year.

 

[kryptonian]

They'll only tell you that it has been received

Thanks