## 2008-2009 Application Season ## Post AACOMAS questions HERE!!!

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Alright, I am putting in average weekly hours and total hours. Is it a problem if they do not add up because I am factoring in for the total some times I didn't go. I need to submit this tonight because I might not have internet access for the next few days. Thanks a lot.
 
Spooner13 said:
Hey everyone, I was working on my AACOMAS application, and I wanted to run a quick question by you guys. When filling out the EC,vol,work exp, etc, how much information should I put in the description part? Should I go in depth like mini-personal statements? Or should I just give a brief explanation of what I did? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks
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Good question. Be concise. Use bullet points (-- or something like that), and hit the high points. You want to present a few of the most important aspects of each entry in the way that is easiest/fastest to read.
 
Atlas80 said:
I am not currently shadowing a DO for a letter but I want to submit my AACOMAS now. Is this alright and can I update schools later that I have shadowed a DO?
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You won't need any LORs until the schools are ready for you, which is when they send you secondaries. This will be 4-6 weeks after submitting AACOMAS. You should submit ASAP and work on getting that letter in IMMEDIATELY. Many docs procrastinate on this one. Trust me.

You can always send an update letter to the admissions offices stating what you have done, a little later in the season. This is the perfect time to say that you have recently shadowed a DO.
 
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Atlas80 said:
Alright, I am putting in average weekly hours and total hours. Is it a problem if they do not add up because I am factoring in for the total some times I didn't go. I need to submit this tonight because I might not have internet access for the next few days. Thanks a lot.
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I and others had this happen, too. Just put what you did, on avg, each week and the correct total hours. If they want to know about this common discrepancy, they can ask later.

Submit that beast.
 
SupraDOc said:
Hi, I updated my AACOMAS around July 2 with my anticipated MCAT test date (July 18) but it seems that maybe I updated it too late. I'm not sure if the colleges were able to receive the update in time so...

Do I need to individually e-mail each one to notify them of this update?
Click to expand...

Anyone know? Thanks.
 
I just recently started thinking about applying to DO schools, but I've never shadowed a DO. I know that some schools require DO shadowing experience and a LOR from a DO, but do you guys happen to have a list of school that don't have those requirements.

I'm sure this question has been answered before, but I just cant find it - if anyone has a link to a different thread that would be great 🙂
 
hopeful2008 said:
I just recently started thinking about applying to DO schools, but I've never shadowed a DO. I know that some schools require DO shadowing experience and a LOR from a DO, but do you guys happen to have a list of school that don't have those requirements.

I'm sure this question has been answered before, but I just cant find it - if anyone has a link to a different thread that would be great 🙂
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Actually it is sorta surprising that we don't have some of this info in a handy table form. Check the CIB for help on this one. It seems to be fairly accurate for this question. Although keep grains of salt with you for some of the other info it gives.

Is it just me or does it seem like a good initiation for a n00b to tabulate some of this FAQ data??? 😱😀😎
 
Chocolate Bear said:
Actually it is sorta surprising that we don't have some of this info in a handy table form. Check the CIB for help on this one. It seems to be fairly accurate for this question. Although keep grains of salt with you for some of the other info it gives.

Is it just me or does it seem like a good initiation for a n00b to tabulate some of this FAQ data??? 😱😀😎
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Thanks CB!

Based on the CIB link you gave me I made a little list of which schools require physician LORs and of those schools, which ones want the letters to be from a DO. All of the information came straight out of the Osteopathic Medical College Info Book for 2009, so if there are any questions about what I wrote just reference that!

Also, two things:
1. Just because I wrote that a school won't accept an MD letter in lieu of a DO letter doesn't mean thats an absolute - it just means under the 'Secondary Requirements' section the school listed a DO letter requirement. Talk to the school or check out their website for any further info.
2. If I wrote that a school does not require a physician LOR that doesn't mean they don't require ANY LORs. They just don't specifically need one from a doctor. That also doesn't mean that you can't submit a LOR from a doc if you already have one.

Hope this helps someone else out there! 😀
 

Attachments

I been reading everyones input on AACOMAS I just wanted to make sure that when entering the description of ECs do we need to be presenting the description with big sentences and great detail or does small bullet point descriptions work well?
And is it correct that only one transcript request is sent to AACOMAS which will go to all the school I apply too, no need to send individual trans to the school I am interested in right??
 
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It's better to be brief and to "tease" than to fully (boringly) explain in these sections - give your interviewers something to ask you about.

And for the love of all that's holy, get somebody to proofread your app before you submit. Don't have ANY misspellings in there.
 
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Sorry if this has been covered already but when completing the secondary application essays, how long does each question answer need to be? If a paragraph sufficient per question or does it have to be a real essay (5 paragraphs...etc)
 
SupraDOc said:
Sorry if this has been covered already but when completing the secondary application essays, how long does each question answer need to be? If a paragraph sufficient per question or does it have to be a real essay (5 paragraphs...etc)
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I'd say 1-3 paragraphs, in many/most cases. It depends on the essay and how much you have to meaningfully say about the topic. Be sincere and succinct and you'll be fine.
 
Do they send secondaries to you or do you go and get them yourself?

Does the AACOMAS site tell you when your application is verified? because I submitted it 3 weeks ago and nothing...

thanks
 
French MD said:
Do they send secondaries to you or do you go and get them yourself?

Does the AACOMAS site tell you when your application is verified? because I submitted it 3 weeks ago and nothing...

thanks
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They send them, usually via email or give you access to a web portal. Very few come in the mail only.

Yes it does, but it's usually more like 6 weeks to be verified. Hang in there.
 
I've sent out my official mcat scores through score release 3 times, and the aacomas still says I have no mcat official scores. What can I do about this?
 
Make sure that under the MCAT section of the application, you've entered your SSN in the space provided.

I had the same problem a couple of days ago...I kept going to the MCAT section that you can access from the homepage, which doesn't have that space for the ID number.

Make sure to go into your actual application, and under the MCAT section of your application, fill in the information requested. Your scores will probably pop up instantly after that.

Good luck! :luck:
 
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Do you guys know if AP units are supposed to be included in the unit total that is used to determine academic status (freshman, sophomore, etc.)? And do we change our status in the middle of a semester, before, or after?

I tried contacting AACOMAS about this, but they haven't gotten back to me yet, and I reaaaallllly just wanna submit now.

Thanks guys.
 
iluvmed&ba6eekh said:
Make sure that under the MCAT section of the application, you've entered your SSN in the space provided.

I had the same problem a couple of days ago...I kept going to the MCAT section that you can access from the homepage, which doesn't have that space for the ID number.

Make sure to go into your actual application, and under the MCAT section of your application, fill in the information requested. Your scores will probably pop up instantly after that.

Good luck! :luck:
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Thanks for the help. My ssn is listed in the mcat section of my aacomas, but in the mcat score release form its just listed as 999-99-9999. Maybe thats why it hasn't reached aacomas?
 
Between studying for the mcat which is coming up in 2.5 weeks, tracking down professors who are taking over a month to write LORs, attempting to find a DO to shadow/get a LOR (still no luck), and just general worrying I feel like I'm on the verge of a heart attack. And I'm really sick of not going out in order to study the ****ing mcat.

**** this whole application process is like one massive headache that isn't going away. I hope it ends up being worth it.

/end of rant. Sorry.
 
engineeredout said:
Between studying for the mcat which is coming up in 2.5 weeks, tracking down professors who are taking over a month to write LORs, attempting to find a DO to shadow/get a LOR (still no luck), and just general worrying I feel like I'm on the verge of a heart attack. And I'm really sick of not going out in order to study the ****ing mcat.

**** this whole application process is like one massive headache that isn't going away. I hope it ends up being worth it.

/end of rant. Sorry.
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yea, i dont imagine studying for the mcat during the summer would be much fun. I had about two weeks of that and was OVER it.

then again, i did take both semesers of physics in one summer, which wasn't much fun either.

hang in there dude/ette! you have your pre osteo buddies to rant at whenever you feel the need!
 
Probably a stupid question, but can I submit the AACOMAS without having my MCAT scores yet? If I do, then do i have to check anything or go back and update it or anything like this? Thanks in advance
 
Yes you can submit. Make sure that you put down in aacomas when you're taking the mcat. When you get the score back you send it from that score report to aacomas.
 
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iluvmed&ba6eekh said:
Do you guys know if AP units are supposed to be included in the unit total that is used to determine academic status (freshman, sophomore, etc.)? And do we change our status in the middle of a semester, before, or after?

I tried contacting AACOMAS about this, but they haven't gotten back to me yet, and I reaaaallllly just wanna submit now.

Thanks guys.
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Anybody happen to know the answer, or has the same issue? 😕

AACOMAS still hasn't gotten back to me, and even when I get hold of an actual person on their phone lines, they don't even seem to know the answer, and they forward me to some other guy's voicemail. 🙁
 
iluvmed&ba6eekh said:
Anybody happen to know the answer, or has the same issue? 😕

AACOMAS still hasn't gotten back to me, and even when I get hold of an actual person on their phone lines, they don't even seem to know the answer, and they forward me to some other guy's voicemail. 🙁
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Not sure how AP credits work. Sorry.

But you always change your status after the semester where you reached the threshold. Before that, you hadn't actually earned the credits, so you hadn't reached the next level yet.

I think that answers that. (??)
 
First off, I did a search for my problem and did not find any help, so please help 🙂

Ok, I had AAMC submit my MCAT to AACOM, which was successful. However, AACOM still hasn't added it to my application, and it has been a few weeks already. So what ID did you guys use? I have tried my SSN and my AAMC ID number, but neither worked. I am not exactly sure what the proxy number is, so please let me know. Thanks
 
so I just finished my PS and I was wondering do I need to include why DO and not MD? cuz I totally didnt write that part in there and it is exactly 4500 characters
 
Another question:

When listing repeated courses, should the first repeat be listed as having, for example, 2 units (if it was a 2 unit class)? In my transcript, my first try at the class isn't worth any units, since I replaced it with another grade. Does this directly transfer over to AACOMAS this way?

I read somewhere in the help that failures are supposed to have the units listed, but I wanted to make sure that included repeats (I repeated some classes without failing them).

I'm probably being paranoid, but if one you guys can put me at ease, I'd greatly appreciate it. 😀
 
I had a similar problem submitting my MCAT scores to AACOMAS. I had submitted the scores to AACOMAS a few different times using the MCAT THx system, but they weren't getting them. I found out that your scores have to be linked to you with your Social Security Number (that is the "proxy number" that they refer to), and I didn't have a social security number entered for AAMC. When I logged into the MCAT THx system, my Social Security Number was simply listed as 999-99-9999 (you can see this on the top of the page where you see your scores).

And there's no way to add your social security number on their website either; I had to fax AAMC a written request, complete with a photocopy of my social security card & driver's license, in order to have my social security number added to my MCAT profile. Only THEN, after my social security number was updated on my AAMC MCAT profile, did submitting my MCAT scores to AACOMAS finally work.

This may or may not be the problem you are having, but I hope it helps in some way. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
 
If you're not verified yet, and you want to go back and add an EC you forgot, will it shove you to the back of the verification line?
 
Chicago Person said:
I had a similar problem submitting my MCAT scores to AACOMAS. I had submitted the scores to AACOMAS a few different times using the MCAT THx system, but they weren't getting them. I found out that your scores have to be linked to you with your Social Security Number (that is the "proxy number" that they refer to), and I didn't have a social security number entered for AAMC. When I logged into the MCAT THx system, my Social Security Number was simply listed as 999-99-9999 (you can see this on the top of the page where you see your scores).

And there's no way to add your social security number on their website either; I had to fax AAMC a written request, complete with a photocopy of my social security card & driver's license, in order to have my social security number added to my MCAT profile. Only THEN, after my social security number was updated on my AAMC MCAT profile, did submitting my MCAT scores to AACOMAS finally work.

This may or may not be the problem you are having, but I hope it helps in some way. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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yep. i found that out today, i put in my ssn this morning, and came home this afternoon and voila MCAT had arrived....miraculous, and we want to be doctors...hmmm
 
Is it reasonable to apply to 20+ schools? what are the rest of you doing? I want to increase my chances of getting in so I don't have to apply again next year.
 
Ok, I'm not going to whine about the grade but this summer was rough and I wound up with a grade below my personal standards (C) in a requirement. I am already verified through BOTH application systems. I know I can update schools with grades, but is it a requirement or can I just kind of let it slide until I get some interview invites? I may end up with a 2.98 or so for the semester. (I took 6 credits total, so two classes) Any guidance would be more than appreciated. I don't want to retake the class next semester if I don't have to.
 
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Hypothetically, schools could be waiting for a grade update to make a decision. Maybe this never happens, but it could. This would be my only concern and impetus to update my grades right now. However, I wouldn't update unless I knew this was the case or months went by with no word.

Does anyone have personal experience with schools waiting for grade updates before inviting for an interview?
 
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I wouldn't do anything unless a school asks for them.
 
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iluvmed&ba6eekh said:
Make sure that under the MCAT section of the application, you've entered your SSN in the space provided.

I had the same problem a couple of days ago...I kept going to the MCAT section that you can access from the homepage, which doesn't have that space for the ID number.

Make sure to go into your actual application, and under the MCAT section of your application, fill in the information requested. Your scores will probably pop up instantly after that.

Good luck! :luck:
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There is one other issue with getting official MCAT scores into the AACOMAS app. If you registered for the MCAT during the middle of 2007 and did not provide MCAT with your SSN -- your were assigned a proxy number -- the same one as everyone else. So AACOMAS cannot match because the only identifiers that get passed with your scores are the SSN and your last and first names.
Please contact MCAT -- have them replace the 999-99-9999 number that you share with many other people and then resend though THx. Your scores should match if you have provided AACOMAS with the same SSN.
We've asked the MCAT folks about whether they could send an email message to everyone with this problem (we don't know who you are because we only get a name and the non-unique identifier) but they are unable to do it.
 
This is explained in the instructions for the AACOMAS application that are linked to the login in page.
 
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