Question on entering coursework.

[bleiken]

I want to preface this by saying I have searched this forum and read the AAMC Application guide and still have no found answers to my specific questions, so I would appreciate any help.

I'm filling out my coursework on the AAMC website to apply this cycle and I have three questions.

1. The AAMC instructions and video guide say to enter the course title "exactly like on your official transcript." I can easily view my Unofficial transcript on my school website, but there's no way for me to view what my official transcript looks like. I already requested and sent my official transcripts from my college to AAMC and AACOMAS, but I have still never been able to view them myself. Are they identical to unofficial transcripts but just more 'official' and verified?
2. On my unofficial transcript that I'm using to enter my coursework, my course names are weird. Chem 1A is "GEN CHEM" and Chem 1B is "GENERAL CHEMISTRY". I don't know why one is abbreviated and one isn't, but should I type exactly this on my application portal? Also for example my WRIT 1 writing class was called "Approach to University Writing" but on my transcript, it's "APP TO UNIV WRIT". Should I still put the less intelligible one under the Course title tab on my application portal, even if in some cases (not this one) it doesn't make it clear what the course actually was?
3. My transcript (at least the unofficial one I can see) doesn't state whether I was a freshman, sophomore etc. during the time I took each of my courses so I don't actually know. Should I just list Freshman for my first 35 units and then switch to Sophomore (I'm on the quarter system) even if that means changing my status from freshman to sophomore in the middle of a quarter? That seems strange and it says not to include more than one status to an academic term. If, including AP units, I have taken 33 units by the end of Winter quarter, do I list all 16 units I took in Spring quarter as freshman or sophomore?

Thanks in advance!

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[LizzyM]

Official and unofficial usually have the same information on them but the official is often formatted differently (2 columns), formatted with security background, colored background, fancy logo, etc. You should be able to complete the AMCAS application with an unofficial transcript with no issues.

Type it exactly as shown on the transcript. If that means an abbreviation of one course title but not another, that's how it goes.
APP to UNIV WRIT would be clear to me but I've been reading transcripts for a living for 25 years.

Usually the timing of a course is shown on the transcript.

Autumn 2021
BIO 101 Intro to Bio I A-
CHEM 201 Organic Chem I A-
SOC 204 Urban Sociology A

Winter 2022
BIO 102 Intro to BIO II A
CHEM 202 Organic Chem II A-
PHIL 233 Biomed Ethics A

Did you take 3 quarters, break for the summer, take 3 quarters, take a summer break and are currently in the third quarter of third year? If not, explain what you did?

Regarding the question in bold, I'd disregard those 33 AP units and call your freshman year, freshman year, sophomore year, sophomore year, and so forth. The AP credits go on a separate line and don't factor into the GPA.

 

[bleiken]

Regarding the question in bold, I'd disregard those 33 AP units and call your freshman year, freshman year, sophomore year, sophomore year, and so forth. The AP credits go on a separate line and don't factor into the GPA.

Thanks for the reply! My plan was to designate myself one quarter "ahead" and thus label myself as a sophomore during the last quarter of my first academic year and a junior during the last quarter of my second academic year, etc. Because, though I don't see that designated anywhere on my transcript now, I remember my university telling me that was my official status while I was enrolled (I graduated two years ago). Is this technical status a formality, and should I disregard it?

Also yes, I took 3 quarters of instruction, break for the summer, and repeated every year except two additional summer courses after my senior year to finish off my GE requirements.

EDIT: I did not know I could/should request for myself a copy of my Offical Transcript. I did this and on here it does show my official grade status next to each academic quarter. Problem solved.