*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2016-2017*~*~*~*

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it wont matter even 3 or 4 weeks; you will still be in the early review at schools

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Will med schools send out secondaries once my primary app is verified regardless of whether or not my committee letter has been received (three other, individual letters have been received though)?
 
For study abroad by a US school, I only need to list the course and grade under the "School in Foreign Country" college attended, correct? Do I also have to include it in my main college's transcript since it appears there?
 
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Question:

I got a 4.0 for 2 years, transferred, got a 3.5, and then worked up to a 4.0.

Does that count as an upward trend, a downward trend, or a get-outta here you obnoxious pre-med trend?
 
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Anyone want to reassure me that my app won't get bounced back because I followed the official AMCAS' Twitter's advice (as well as what I heard here) about marking only the repeated version of the course with Repeat? The original course/grade is on there, just not marked.

Since the official Twitter had confirmed that only the second course needed to be marked (which I checked Monday to make sure, , and of course wasn't officially corrected until after I submitted), I didn't feel I needed to call, and now I'm in full pre-med panic mode that this information was apparently incorrect.
 
I was wondering what I should do about the schools attended section. You see, I will be doing a master's program next year (2016-17) (it's one year long) but don't know if I should list that under the schools attended section (the master's is at the same institution I completed undergrad in). If I don't mention it there, where should I?? Thanks!
I'm in the same situation, although my grad program is at a different institution than undergrad. I included it in my coursework section. I simply put my enrollment dates (9/2016-5/2017), MS expected, then included my classes I will be taking in the Fall and classified them as "current/future"
 
Hey everyone,
I am having a hard time squeezing all of my activities and have a few questions to help condense:
1) For publications I would like to just list the DOIs and include multiple in one activity entry. Has anyone done this? Also, if so, do you think it's ok to just use the latest date as the official date entry (even though they all have mostly different dates) as long as we include the DOI?
2) For awards and poster/oral presentations, would it be OK to also use the same latest date to fit them into the same entry box as long as we list references appropriately and include appropriate dates as they are listed in the text box?
3) Do we have to personally know each contact provided or can they be administrators who could look our name up in a system to verify our work?
Thanks everyone!
-carswarrior
 
Should I have marked a repeated lab credit course as "repeat?" I took credits every semester associated with my research, and they all had the same course code and names, but they're not "classes" per se.
 
Will med schools send out secondaries once my primary app is verified regardless of whether or not my committee letter has been received (three other, individual letters have been received though)?
committee letter has no affect on secondaries at the vast majority of schools
 
Anyone want to reassure me that my app won't get bounced back because I followed the official AMCAS' Twitter's advice (as well as what I heard here) about marking only the repeated version of the course with Repeat? The original course/grade is on there, just not marked.

Since the official Twitter had confirmed that only the second course needed to be marked (which I checked Monday to make sure, , and of course wasn't officially corrected until after I submitted), I didn't feel I needed to call, and now I'm in full pre-med panic mode that this information was apparently incorrect.

it wont matter. it does not affect GPA calculation and is there solely to point out to schools the repeats
 
Should I have marked a repeated lab credit course as "repeat?" I took credits every semester associated with my research, and they all had the same course code and names, but they're not "classes" per se.
no, courses intended to be repeated do not need to be marked
 
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I'm in the same situation, although my grad program is at a different institution than undergrad. I included it in my coursework section. I simply put my enrollment dates (9/2016-5/2017), MS expected, then included my classes I will be taking in the Fall and classified them as "current/future"
thats what i would suggest
 
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Hey everyone,
I am having a hard time squeezing all of my activities and have a few questions to help condense:
1) For publications I would like to just list the DOIs and include multiple in one activity entry. Has anyone done this? Also, if so, do you think it's ok to just use the latest date as the official date entry (even though they all have mostly different dates) as long as we include the DOI?
2) For awards and poster/oral presentations, would it be OK to also use the same latest date to fit them into the same entry box as long as we list references appropriately and include appropriate dates as they are listed in the text box?
3) Do we have to personally know each contact provided or can they be administrators who could look our name up in a system to verify our work?
Thanks everyone!
-carswarrior
There is an AMCAS Work/Activities that would better to ask this in
@Catalystik would be the person to answer quickly
 
I'm not sure if the following experience counts as a study abroad:

I took a class from my school that was hosted at Cambridge University. I was taught by my own home institution professors and received a grade from my home institution. We just used Cambridge facilities and classrooms.

Should I include Cambridge in my list of schools?
 
Also, what is the consensus for the classification of PE classes (swimming, aerobics, ect). My school requires 4 such classes.
 
I'm not sure if the following experience counts as a study abroad:

I took a class from my school that was hosted at Cambridge University. I was taught by my own home institution professors and received a grade from my home institution. We just used Cambridge facilities and classrooms.

Should I include Cambridge in my list of schools?
no you dont include cambridge
 
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regarding repeats, if the initial attempt is a W, does the second attempt still get marked as "repeat"? (both attempts at same institution)

edit: would like some clarification on this.I got 2 different answers when I emailed AMCAS vs when I called them.
 
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I feel like I'm the only one who has NOT yet submitted my primary application. Anyone else in the same boat? :(
 
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How long does it take for the AAMC to receive a transcript? My school mailed my transcript on May 25, and I submitted my app on June 7, but it still shows that my transcript hasn't been received. Should it have been there by now or does it take longer? It's been 15 days since it was mailed, I'm a little worried.
 
But the thing that's getting me is that everything's in past tense (attended and were enrolled, for example).

I'm doing a similar program and listed it under schools attended (even though it's future), and then listed every class as a future course. Then you just check that no transcript is required with your reasoning being it's all future coursework. I called AMCAS and they said I filled it out correctly.


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regarding repeats, if the initial attempt is a W, does the second attempt still get marked as "repeat"? (both attempts at same institution)

edit: would like some clarification on this.I got 2 different answers when I emailed AMCAS vs when I called them.

Mark them both at Repeat.

It doesnt affect AMCAS GPA. Its done for
a) making sure that Repeats that may be wiped from academic record (and not on transcript) are clearly marked for AMCAS verification
b) clear to schools when reviewing
 
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How long does it take for the AAMC to receive a transcript? My school mailed my transcript on May 25, and I submitted my app on June 7, but it still shows that my transcript hasn't been received. Should it have been there by now or does it take longer? It's been 15 days since it was mailed, I'm a little worried.
Call AMCAS and you may need to get another sent.
 
Not sure if this is the right thread to ask these questions, but gonna give it a go anyways!

For the biology prereq's, does genetics count? I have an introductory biology class & lab, and a genetics class. I am deciding if I need to take another class this fall/spring if not.

Thanks!
 
Not sure if this is the right thread to ask these questions, but gonna give it a go anyways!

For the biology prereq's, does genetics count? I have an introductory biology class & lab, and a genetics class. I am deciding if I need to take another class this fall/spring if not.

Thanks!
Unless a school says otherwise, yes!
 
Not sure if this is the right thread to ask these questions, but gonna give it a go anyways!

For the biology prereq's, does genetics count? I have an introductory biology class & lab, and a genetics class. I am deciding if I need to take another class this fall/spring if not.

Thanks!
Many schools specify a year of Bio with labs, by which they mean the basic introductory courses.
 
as for Bio, if a school specifies General Bio I/II you cannot assume a substition will be accepted. The schools need to set admission policy abd follow it. you may request a waivier but again there is no promise it will be granted. not having a prereq ar time of matriculation can result in deferral or acceptance bring rescinded. so it is not worth the risk. go get one even a CC BIO II
 
noobie question: Do we indent (tab?) or add separating spaces between paragraphs for the PS? Or just copy-paste a block of text?
 
I have a lot of medical interpreting throughout high school and college and have included it in work/activities as a separate item. However, in my personal statement I mention my brief stint shadowing an orthopedic surgeon - I was going to mention my other shadowinig (non interpreting experiences) but the jump is all the way back to 2010. I didn't know how bad it would look to include something like 50+ hours back in 2010 and ~8 from this year. I just felt weird not including the one this year since I do mention it in my personal statement (yeah, yeah, I should have more but I have a full time job).
 
Can we add more schools to apply to after we submit our primary to AMCAS?
 
Agreed. And doing so will not change your place in the verification queue (if you are still in it at that time).

Hence why the the single "throwaway" school method when you dont have an MCAT score works by verification with a single school
 
Hmm so I took 2 French classes to satisfy my humanities requirements, elementary French (FREN 001) which I took during my winter term and continuing elementary French (FREN 002) which I took during the following spring semester. I got As on both classes. However, in my official grades, only FREN 002 counted. It's not a year long course where you need to take both classes to get a grade either. I don't know if I should contest this since it doesn't significantly boost my cGPA anyway. Thoughts?
 
Hmm so I took 2 French classes to satisfy my humanities requirements, elementary French (FREN 001) which I took during my winter term and continuing elementary French (FREN 002) which I took during the following spring semester. I got As on both classes. However, in my official grades, only FREN 002 counted. It's not a year long course where you need to take both classes to get a grade either. I don't know if I should contest this since it doesn't significantly boost my cGPA anyway. Thoughts?

Is it really worth the effort and since Transcripts are already in (or soon will be to AMCAS) is it worth the delay in time? I think not
 
Is it really worth the effort and since Transcripts are already in (or soon will be to AMCAS) is it worth the delay in time? I think not
Yeah that's what I figured haha a 0.01 increase in my cGPA will not make or break my application.
 
I had a quick question in regards to course entry. Since one of my BIOS courses changed course names; from homeostasis to Principles of Animal Physiology - would I enter the course description as Homeostasis (that is what appears on my transcript) or as Principles of Animal Physiology (the current name)? Please let me know.
 
I had a quick question in regards to course entry. Since one of my BIOS courses changed course names; from homeostasis to Principles of Animal Physiology - would I enter the course description as Homeostasis (that is what appears on my transcript) or as Principles of Animal Physiology (the current name)? Please let me know.
enter what is says on transcript. AMCAS will check it via the college catalog for the year that you have the course listed
 
Hence why the the single "throwaway" school method when you dont have an MCAT score works by verification with a single school

Can you elaborate on the "throwaway school method" and why one would want to do that? Thanks!
 
Can you elaborate on the "throwaway school method" and why one would want to do that? Thanks!
pretty sure they mean that you pick some random school as the only school you are applying to when you do your initial submission to make sure that everything is exactly as you want it. If changes need to be made (and thus, reverification), the 'wrong' application didn't get sent to a school you actually care about. Correct me if i'm wrong
 
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