*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2013-2014*~*~*~*

[wannabeadoc2]

On a side note, they are taking forever to verify. I submitted the 12th..

Same here. I hope it's a sign of them being backed up and not me overlooking something that they have to correct. I think it's the former, given how mixed up they seem to be with the switching of the release dates.

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[jlescher]

Same here. I hope it's a sign of them being backed up and not me overlooking something that they have to correct. I think it's the former, given how mixed up they seem to be with the switching of the release dates.

It is the former. If you check the site they say they are reviewing apps submitted on June 10th.

 

[temporaryumm]

Is there something I have to do to make AMCAS send LOR to schools? I wasn't sure if AMCAS sent letters automatically or if I had tell them.

 

[Ts1991]

Is there something I have to do to make AMCAS send LOR to schools? I wasn't sure if AMCAS sent letters automatically or if I had tell them.

Hmm. Well, if during your application you assigned letters to each school, then they are automatically transmitted once you submit and have your transcripts verified. Is that what you're asking?

 

[snowys435]

can you put anecdotes in work and activites? If someone could respond quickly I'd appreciate it as I'm trying to submit soon. Is it a big no no?

 

[crunch811]

I applied to 4 schools (just primary application) before realizing that I am way WAY below their average numbers and would like to withdraw these applications. Instead, I'd like to apply to 4 others schools that are more within my range. Does anybody know how to? Will I get my $35/school back? If anybody has any previous experience with this, please let me know! THANKS

 

[Ts1991]

I applied to 4 schools (just primary application) before realizing that I am way WAY below their average numbers and would like to withdraw these applications. Instead, I'd like to apply to 4 others schools that are more within my range. Does anybody know how to? Will I get my $35/school back? If anybody has any previous experience with this, please let me know! THANKS

It is my understanding that you can easily add 4 more schools, or remove your application from some if you'd like. However, they seem to be pretty strict about the the no refund policy . Sorry for the bad news. What are your stats? Maybe you've still got a shot.

 

[jlescher]

can you put anecdotes in work and activites? If someone could respond quickly I'd appreciate it as I'm trying to submit soon. Is it a big no no?

Absolutely. Just make sure they actually serve a purpose and exemplify positive characteristics. A lot of secondaries actually have essays like, "what was you most significant patient experiences?" They seem to like anecdotes.

 

[jlescher]

Is there something I have to do to make AMCAS send LOR to schools? I wasn't sure if AMCAS sent letters automatically or if I had tell them.

In your AMCAS application under the school selection tab you designate exactly which letters will go to each school. You need to select letters for each school individually. This is because some schools have different LOR requirements. It lets you check a box next to the writers name if you want that letter to go to a school. You can do this at any time after you have entered a LOR writer into your AMCAS application.

 

[jlescher]

Interesting bit of info for everyone. Despite the fact that AMCAS says they are reviewing applications submitted on June 10th, my application status changed yesterday (July 1st) and my app is currently being verified even though I submitted on June 11th.

 

[TSSVR4]

AMCAS sent me a letter today saying my transcript wasn't official because it took too long to get to them from printing and reception.

My school sat on my transcript until I paid their fee and once AMCAS got it was apparently over a 14 day limit between print date and reception. My application has otherwise been complete and I'm waiting on this and my MCAT (July 23 is when scores come out).

Am I screwed? Can I submit with my transcripts? I'm horrified at the thought I have to send another request, wait a week for the transcript to be sent out, wait three days for AMCAS to get it, and a week for them to look at it, then to start the three week verification process.

What do I do???

 

[ace12345]

None of my schools have actually received my rec letters from AMCAS. Is this just my problem or are other people noticing this?

 

[jlescher]

None of my schools have actually received my rec letters from AMCAS. Is this just my problem or are other people noticing this?

As long as you checked the boxes on your AMCAS application they will get there. It's normal for it to take a few days, even a week or two, for the school to mark them as received.

 

[Ts1991]

Interesting bit of info for everyone. Despite the fact that AMCAS says they are reviewing applications submitted on June 10th, my application status changed yesterday (July 1st) and my app is currently being verified even though I submitted on June 11th.

Oh great! Mine was the 12th and I'm still waiting.

 

[GameTheory29]

So I had AP Credit for General Chemistry I and its Lab, which made me able to take a Freshman Chemistry Honors (which is a school equivalent for Gen Chem II). I later took the lab a couple semesters later on its own.

I put each class in AMCAS as they were listed on my transcript, one as a lecture only course during freshman fall and one as a lab only in my sophomore spring.

My question is only do I need to somehow specify that this Freshman Chemistry Honors is an equivalent to Gen Chem II, and if so how would I do that? Or is AMCAS/Medical Schools not that specific and require simply number of semesters of chemistry (and the assumption that if you have a certain type of degree that you met all the prerequirements which would include two semesters of general chemistry and two of organic chemistry)?


I feel I'm overthinking this, and that I should just go off transcript. I just figure I'd bounce it off some people in here.

 

[Ts1991]

The AAMC twitter said that "you may receive secondaries before your application is verified". But I definitely haven't...has anyone else? I'm seeing a lot of people post secondary prompts and am hoping they just submitted super early

 

[jlescher]

The AAMC twitter said that "you may receive secondaries before your application is verified". But I definitely haven't...has anyone else? I'm seeing a lot of people post secondary prompts and am hoping they just submitted super early

Yeah but very few schools do it. I got Uniformed Services University's and Minnesota confirmed that they got my app and told me to pick which program I was applying to (not really a secondary).

 

[mcat411]

The AAMC twitter said that "you may receive secondaries before your application is verified". But I definitely haven't...has anyone else? I'm seeing a lot of people post secondary prompts and am hoping they just submitted super early

I was wondering the same thing...I've submitted my application but it's not verified. Can anyone let me know if they've received secondaries after submitting (without being verified, of course)?

 

[jlescher]

I was wondering the same thing...I've submitted my application but it's not verified. Can anyone let me know if they've received secondaries after submitting (without being verified, of course)?

Yes, see the post above your. This is completely dependent on the school's policy. Some will send them before you are verified and others won't.

 

[N7chell]

Ok, so I just got verified today (finally), and I found a small mistake in my course work section. The Course Number for my bio lab was entered incorrectly and it looks like the verifier didn't fix it. I submitted an Academic Change Request, but the lady at AMCAS that answered my call said that it might not get approved. I'm wondering if I should communicate this mistake to the schools? It's not a big deal in my opinion, but you never know...

 

[TxsMed14]

I've submitted my application and waiting for verification. But I want to add some schools to my list. will making a permitted change and re-submitting lose my place in line? Or should I wait until I'm verified to add schools?

Edit: NVM, found answer earlier in thread - wont affect verification date.

 

[Bucanneer]

Does anyone know if we are required to put down # hrs/week in the experience description box? I didn't know we had to since it wasn't in the instruction manual until I submitted my app...

 

[underscore]

Does anyone know if we are required to put down # hrs/week in the experience description box? I didn't know we had to since it wasn't in the instruction manual until I submitted my app...

No, probably not. Last year they had to do hours/week (IIRC), but this year they switched it to total hours.

 

[Bucanneer]

No, probably not. Last year they had to do hours/week (IIRC), but this year they switched it to total hours.

Ahh.. thats what I supposed, thanks!

 

[needAmiracle0]

Hi. I submitted my AMCAS primary application (with all the transcripts and LORs received) on July 1st.

However, I may have made a mistake on how I listed my course work. Specifically, I read that you have to add 'and Lab' to the end of the course name if the course had a lab component that is not reflected on the name. For example, I made the mistake by listing 'General Chemistry I' (as reflected on official transcript) instead of 'General Chemistry I and Lab' for every single course with lab I took. However, I did check off all courses that had a lab component.

Will this delay the verification process? What can I do?

 

[SN12357]

Hi. I submitted my AMCAS primary application (with all the transcripts and LORs received) on July 1st.

However, I may have made a mistake on how I listed my course work. Specifically, I read that you have to add 'and Lab' to the end of the course name if the course had a lab component that is not reflected on the name. For example, I made the mistake by listing 'General Chemistry I' (as reflected on official transcript) instead of 'General Chemistry I and Lab' for every single course with lab I took. However, I did check off all courses that had a lab component.

Will this delay the verification process? What can I do?

I did this too (submitted June 27). I'm curious to see what people say but I doubt it's worth too much angst over. We can't be the only ones who have ever done this.

 

[dancingparadox]

I believe you can have up to 10 mistakes in your courses - so as long as you don't have more than 10 lab classes down, or didn't make any other mistakes, you should be okay..

 

[Ismet]

I believe you can have up to 10 mistakes in your courses - so as long as you don't have more than 10 lab classes down, or didn't make any other mistakes, you should be okay..

This. They'll correct the error and it won't be bounced back for just one error.

 

[JJMrK]

Thread entitled "AMCAS Verification Delay?!~ Lab Courses" has been merged.

Please keep AMCAS questions contained to this thread.

 

[needAmiracle0]

Hmm I have exactly 10 courses where I did not put the 'and Lab' extension =.=...
Thanks for the insight. I'm just being paranoid about having my everything done with in the application process 'early'.

 

[plee]

Hi. I submitted my AMCAS primary application (with all the transcripts and LORs received) on July 1st.

However, I may have made a mistake on how I listed my course work. Specifically, I read that you have to add 'and Lab' to the end of the course name if the course had a lab component that is not reflected on the name. For example, I made the mistake by listing 'General Chemistry I' (as reflected on official transcript) instead of 'General Chemistry I and Lab' for every single course with lab I took. However, I did check off all courses that had a lab component.

Will this delay the verification process? What can I do?

I called this morning about the same matter. I have taken a couple of courses in which I forgot to add "and Lab" for 7 of my classes. They told me that they will go off the unit count, and that will show the schools that there probably was a lab portion connected with the lecture. Don't worry too much about it.

 

[wannabeadoc2]

This delay in AMCAS is driving me (and everyone else too, I'm sure) crazy. They have been looking at the 11 June submissions for a week now... Just needed to get that off of my chest.

 

[ukae]

Hi everyone,

I was verified but I have no idea where I can see my AMCAS gpa. Help!!

 

[ukae]

Hi everyone,

I was verified but I have no idea where I can see my AMCAS gpa. Help!!

Nvm, got it. You go to "print application" and see the pdf file, if anyone was wondering

 

[Brocktown]

Does anybody know if it is okay to copy and paste info from amcas to AACOMAS and vice versa?

 

[Bucanneer]

Is it okay to assign letters of recommendation to schools before getting secondaries or even being verified?

 

[circulus vitios]

This is a dumb question, but I can't find the answer on Google. I've assigned 4 LORs to a particular school in AMCAS. Do I have to do anything else in AMCAS for the letters to be transmitted to that particular school?

 

[bunionberry]

If this has been answered already I apologize, the search function seems to be bugging out when I try to use it. I plan on submitting my application in today but still need another LOR for a school (Baylor). If I submit now will that be considered "early" even though I won't get my third LOR until a week later or so? Thanks.

Also, is there a particular way to mark down dual credit courses taken in high school? I took AP Biology in conjunction with a community college biology course at my high school. I got credit for biology I and II and their labs at my university (from the dual credit, not the AP). I have my transcript from the CC sent to AMCAS but there's no option for "dual credit" like there is on the TMDSAS application when filing out the coursework on the AMCAS app. My 4-year university transcript has the two biology lectures and two biology labs listed, but I'm not sure where I would put those courses (if I even have to) on the AMCAS app. My question is, do I include the 4-year university courses I got credit for, and if so, where?

 

[indianjatt]

If this has been answered already I apologize, the search function seems to be bugging out when I try to use it. I plan on submitting my application in today but still need another LOR for a school (Baylor). If I submit now will that be considered "early" even though I won't get my third LOR until a week later or so? Thanks.

Also, is there a particular way to mark down dual credit courses taken in high school? I took AP Biology in conjunction with a community college biology course at my high school. I got credit for biology I and II and their labs at my university (from the dual credit, not the AP). I have my transcript from the CC sent to AMCAS but there's no option for "dual credit" like there is on the TMDSAS application when filing out the coursework on the AMCAS app. My 4-year university transcript has the two biology lectures and two biology labs listed, but I'm not sure where I would put those courses (if I even have to) on the AMCAS app. My question is, do I include the 4-year university courses I got credit for, and if so, where?

I would submit today. You can always upload and submit LORs after your application has been submitted for verification. There's no delay or set back for uploading LORs after you have submitted.

For your second question, is there not a box on the coursework section that says dual credit? Yes, you must put all courses. If you received credit/units and a grade from your CC, you must submit your CC transcript with grades.

 

[sps27]

So if AMCAS receives the transcripts but finds the student has not yet submitted the application, do they hold on to those transcripts ? Or do you guys submit your application first and then mail letters to the school to send in the transcripts.......pardon me if this question sounds stupid.....am not a student anymore and have been out of academic circuit for awhile.....

 

[wannabeadoc2]

So if AMCAS receives the transcripts but finds the student has not yet submitted the application, do they hold on to those transcripts ? Or do you guys submit your application first and then mail letters to the school to send in the transcripts.......pardon me if this question sounds stupid.....am not a student anymore and have been out of academic circuit for awhile.....

They will hold onto them until you submit your application. This is what a lot of people do.

 

[kmp0410]

So this is me being neurotic...

I am in a SMP style program at USF, I don't know if it is technically a SMP because I've never heard anyone call it that. But it is a graduate program that is entirely advanced science classes (IE: Basic Medical Histology) and is held at the College of Medicine. After being verified, it was simply on my application as USF - Main Program.

My success in this program is important for my application, so I wanted to make sure it stood out (or was clearly indicated) compared to just "grad school" which I heard grades aren't weighed very heavily. So I put in an academic change request to have the title changed to USF - COM just kind of on a whim, thinking they would probably deny it.

But indeed they accepted it and now it says USF - COM on my application in regards to these classes. Now, of course I am worried that it looks like I am in med school (though everywhere else I mention I have not applied to med school before) or that it looks like I am trying to mislead schools.

As I type this, I realize how neurotic I'm being but still someone provide me some reassurance. If AMCAS went for it then I should be good right? Thanks.

 

[TSSVR4]

I need some advice. My school messed up the transcripts once before so I had them overnight the transcripts on July 3. They told me it would reach AMCAS on Friday evening on July 5.

Well it's been a week and I still haven't seen any sign AMCAS has gotten it. Should I panic?

 

[stannislaus]

Question:

I was involved in a two-quarter research seminar during Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter of this past academic year.
After Winter Quarter, we get an IP as the grade ("In progress"). Only after Spring Quarter, when we complete our final papers, we get assigned the same letter grade for both quarters.

When I sent in my transcript, Spring Quarter grading did not finish, so the transcript sent to AMCAS has no Spring Quarter grades, but it also still has the IP for that seminar during Winter Quarter.

Will this be okay?

At the moment, I know all my grades and ended up getting A's for everything. Should I re-send my transcript? Or will it only delay my verification process even more.

The initial transcript I sent was received quite a while ago, but I have not submitted my AMCAS yet. I plan to do so within the next two days.

Advice?

 

[wannabeadoc2]

I need some advice. My school messed up the transcripts once before so I had them overnight the transcripts on July 3. They told me it would reach AMCAS on Friday evening on July 5.

Well it's been a week and I still haven't seen any sign AMCAS has gotten it. Should I panic?

I would call AMCAS. Their website says, "We are currently marking as “RECEIVED” those transcripts that were delivered on July 10, 2013. Please remember that it can take up to two weeks for your schools’ transcripts to arrive at AMCAS via mail." I read this as they should have already done yours.

I called them about a similar thing last month and my transcript was marked as received the next day.

 

[nabilesmail]

Actually, Amcas is doing a good job this year. Last year, they were verifying 6/18 on 7/12 today. We should expect them to be 5 days behind because they had 5 less days to work this cycle (because of the 6/10 delay). We are only 4 days behind right now, technically, they overall moved faster this cycle no? lol

 

[wannabeadoc2]

Actually, Amcas is doing a good job this year. Last year, they were verifying 6/18 on 7/12 today. We should expect them to be 5 days behind because they had 5 less days to work this cycle (because of the 6/10 delay). We are only 4 days behind right now, technically, they overall moved faster this cycle no? lol

Here's to hoping they get to 6/20 submissions this week...

 

[peachesncreme]

I am on a bunch of waitlists right now and its hard to say if I will hear back or not. I have promising news from some schools but of course nothing is guaranteed. Since it is getting late into July, I thought I would submit my AMCAS anyway.

But because of the hope from some schools, I am reluctant to dish out the close to 1000 dollars on my new AMCAS.

My question is, if I were to submit my AMCAS with just one school on it, would that be ok? That would give me the entire month during verification to hear back from schools and if I don't, I can just immediately add my remaining schools in mid- August, as soon as my AMCAS is verified. Is that a normal thing? Or will the medical schools I add late see this and will it be used against my application?

 

[krefetz1]

Hi guys quick question-
I'm all verified but my school hasn't sent out my committee letter yet. If they just sent it out today, would it take a while for them to mark as received like getting verified all over again, or should it be imminent? Thanks so much.

 

[i5hina]

Hi guys quick question-
I'm all verified but my school hasn't sent out my committee letter yet. If they just sent it out today, would it take a while for them to mark as received like getting verified all over again, or should it be imminent? Thanks so much.

From what I was told, no it shouldn't mess up your verification process, if you already submitted the application in. I did the same thing as well.