Changes to AMCAS application 2011-12 cycle

LizzyM · Mar 23, 2011

I just came across this item and it is pretty important.
New questions on the AMCAS application and changes in how experiences are reported. Because this is new, I'll have no experience on how adcom members will respond to one thing or another.

http://depts.washington.edu/prehlth/?p=118

raltima07 · Mar 23, 2011

Hey,
Thanks for this. It seems schools get applications starting June 10th this year, so early is much earlier than last year. Do you think that would affect the adcoms much? Would it speed up the process even more?

kexy · Mar 23, 2011

Wow... thanks for the heads up! I really do not like the sound of selecting the 3 "most meaningful" activities. If only 1 is clinically oriented, do I not care enough about medicine? If all 3 are, do I have no life outside pre-med? Am I a horrible selfish person if one of my hobbies is as meaningful as community service? Sigh.

LizzyM · Mar 23, 2011

raltima07 said:
Hey,
Thanks for this. It seems schools get applications starting June 10th this year, so early is much earlier than last year. Do you think that would affect the adcoms much? Would it speed up the process even more?

Where do you see that?

RogueUnicorn · Mar 23, 2011

there was a previous thread that discussed these changes, along with the info that amcas would apparently open a month earlier this year

bobsmith · Mar 23, 2011

kexy said:
Wow... thanks for the heads up! I really do not like the sound of selecting the 3 "most meaningful" activities. If only 1 is clinically oriented, do I not care enough about medicine? If all 3 are, do I have no life outside pre-med? Am I a horrible selfish person if one of my hobbies is as meaningful as community service? Sigh.

Not sure if you're serious, but if you are...here's a tip for the application process: stop being completely preoccupied with how everything is going to be perceived by the admissions committee. I feel like this common syndrome of "saying what you think the adcom wants to hear" leads to all the cookie-cutter activities and answers on applications and in the end, is a pretty big disservice to yourself.

In short: put down whatever you care about. You'll be asked questions about these and your passion should more easily come through.

SoulinNeed · Mar 23, 2011

What do they mean by contact information? Names, phone numbers, addresses?

NickNaylor · Mar 23, 2011

Yikes, I don't like the whole choose your most meaningful activities thing.

wanderer · Mar 23, 2011

ColeOnTheRoll said:
Yikes, I don't like the whole choose your most meaningful activities thing.

New interview question: "So why would you consider your work with [] one of your 3 most meaningful activities?"

dragon529 · Mar 23, 2011

Given that MANY of the secondaries already ask you to write the most important/meaningful EC and expand on it... the point of picking 3 in the primary isn't really that effective. I guess this is easier for schools that screen for secondaries?

Isoprop · Mar 23, 2011

Selecting the most meaningful 3 suggests that med schools are looking for at least 4 work/activities filled out........

Isoprop · Mar 23, 2011

dragon529 said:
Given that MANY of the secondaries already ask you to write the most important/meaningful EC and expand on it... the point of picking 3 in the primary isn't really that effective. I guess this is easier for schools that screen for secondaries?

There's a lot of redundancy in the application process. Most meaningful work/activities was probably expanded in the personal statement too. Whatever.

Pons Asinorum · Mar 23, 2011

dragon529 said:
Given that MANY of the secondaries already ask you to write the most important/meaningful EC and expand on it... the point of picking 3 in the primary isn't really that effective. I guess this is easier for schools that screen for secondaries?

This. You already have to do it for many secondaries, shouldn't be that hard.

Pons Asinorum · Mar 23, 2011

bobsmith said:
Not sure if you're serious, but if you are...here's a tip for the application process: stop being completely preoccupied with how everything is going to be perceived by the admissions committee. I feel like this common syndrome of "saying what you think the adcom wants to hear" leads to all the cookie-cutter activities and answers on applications and in the end, is a pretty big disservice to yourself.

In short: put down whatever you care about. You'll be asked questions about these and your passion should more easily come through.

This. SDN, by it's nature, leads to a whole bunch of discussion about how to optimize the process, not enough on how to optimize the people involved. I wish I had a dime for every "which MCAT books are best" or "how should I write up my pre-med society president EC to maximize adcom impact" thread, I would be a rich man. The best advice that comes out of SDN about showing your passion for the career and showing that you have the requisite aptitude will still be just as applicable. People get bent out of shape because the prompts will be a little different. The purpose of the application, and the information you include in it, is exactly the same. Show the adcom you have the ability and motivation to thrive in medical school and beyond.

MCAT guy · Mar 23, 2011

Pons Asinorum said:
This. SDN, by it's nature, leads to a whole bunch of discussion about how to optimize the process, not enough on how to optimize the people involved. I wish I had a dime for every "which MCAT books are best" or "how should I write up my pre-med society president EC to maximize adcom impact" thread, I would be a rich man. The best advice that comes out of SDN about showing your passion for the career and showing that you have the requisite aptitude will still be just as applicable. People get bent out of shape because the prompts will be a little different. The purpose of the application, and the information you include in it, is exactly the same. Show the adcom you have the ability and motivation to thrive in medical school and beyond.

BOOM!

Awesome post. Less cookie-cutter, less be exactly like SDN, more unique, more interesting, more passion.

I over thought everything. Just relax and have people proofread your stuff.

Like Pons says:

Show the adcom you have the ability and motivation to thrive in medical school and beyond.

MCAT guy · Mar 23, 2011

Side note, filling out the AMCAS and the PS/Secondaries are probably the worst part of the whole process of getting in. Give yourself ample time, take it seriously, and don't procrastinate.

LizzyM · Mar 23, 2011

I've been reading applications since 2000 (maybe longer but I can't remember further back than that). At first the experience section allowed for about 3 lines of description of each "experience". Then, about 3 cycles ago, it was expanded to much more and some adcom members complained bitterly that applicants were writing too much and just writing to fill the space. Now it seems that they are trying to cut back the descriptions to what they were 10 yrs ago with the exception of a few "meaningful" activities which can be explained in more detail.

RogueUnicorn · Mar 23, 2011

It's a good thing, saving applicants from themselves. I don't think any of my descriptions were over 1000 characters, and most were under 700.

wanderer · Mar 23, 2011

bleargh said:
It's a good thing, saving applicants from themselves. I don't think any of my descriptions were over 1000 characters, and most were under 700.

I had extremely brief descriptions, maybe 300 characters each, and no one ever seemed to mind. And I only had like 8 activities.

People try to hard to put 15 activities * 1000 characters on here it seems.

NickNaylor · Mar 23, 2011

I actually liked the longer descriptions; I had the chance to fully explain the activity rather than list what I did. Several of my descriptions took up the entire space. But I could easily see how people would write complete crap just to fill the space, and that would be pretty irritating as a reader.

MilkIsGood · Mar 23, 2011

i was going to lump a lot of things that fell under a general category together like tutoring or hospital volunteering. guess i cant do that anymore

Pons Asinorum · Mar 23, 2011

bleargh said:
It's a good thing, saving applicants from themselves. I don't think any of my descriptions were over 1000 characters, and most were under 700.

Exactly the same here. I agree with the "saving from themselves" part a great deal.

chiapet874 · Mar 23, 2011

Where are people hearing about this June 10th AMCAS application release date? Does this mean that June 1st is no longer the first day to send in your AMCAS application/transcript for verification?

JWP07 · Mar 23, 2011

When it says Work and Activities, does that include work experience, volunteering, clubs, shadowing, IM sports, etc.? Does everything you have done literally go in the 15 spaces or do certain things like work experience have to be filled out in other parts of the application?

LizzyM · Mar 23, 2011

JWP07 said:
When it says Work and Activities, does that include work experience, volunteering, clubs, shadowing, IM sports, etc.? Does everything you have done literally go in the 15 spaces or do certain things like work experience have to be filled out in other parts of the application?

Haven't seen the instructions for 2012 but in years past it has included employment, volunteering, tutoring, teaching, research, publications, athletics, artistic endeavors, honors & awards, etc.

JWP07 · Mar 23, 2011

LizzyM said:
Haven't seen the instructions for 2012 but in years past it has included employment, volunteering, tutoring, teaching, research, publications, athletics, artistic endeavors, honors & awards, etc.

Sounds good. Thank you LizzyM.

chiapet874 · Mar 23, 2011

It seems these changes are for the 2012 application cycle. Just to clarify, that means it won't be applicable to me correct? As I will be applying this coming June 1st.

I ask cause the thread title says "2011-2012 app cycle", while the linked article says "The AMCAS Application is changing for the 2012 admission cycle"

bookfreak89 · Mar 23, 2011

chiapet874 said:
It seems these changes are for the 2012 application cycle. Just to clarify, that means it won't be applicable to me correct? As I will be applying this coming June 1st.

I ask cause the thread title says "2011-2012 app cycle", while the linked article says "The AMCAS Application is changing for the 2012 admission cycle"

For those who will matriculate in 2012, so yes, it will apply to you.

Mazdave · Mar 23, 2011

chiapet874 said:
It seems these changes are for the 2012 application cycle. Just to clarify, that means it won't be applicable to me correct? As I will be applying this coming June 1st.

I ask cause the thread title says "2011-2012 app cycle", while the linked article says "The AMCAS Application is changing for the 2012 admission cycle"

Nope, they do apply, since application cycles are described by matriculation year. The one that is currently wrapping up for those students that are matriculating this fall is the 2011 cycle.

Slack3r · Mar 23, 2011

chiapet874 said:
It seems these changes are for the 2012 application cycle. Just to clarify, that means it won't be applicable to me correct? As I will be applying this coming June 1st.

I ask cause the thread title says "2011-2012 app cycle", while the linked article says "The AMCAS Application is changing for the 2012 admission cycle"

Same thing. Application cycle for admission in 2012 = 2011-2012 cycle.

chiapet874 · Mar 23, 2011

Ah okay thanks for the clarification guys!

I feel that if they are planning to send your app to schools earlier by so much, they should've let us know earlier because this changes my application time table a bit. Sorta a last minute announcement imo.

edfig99 · Mar 23, 2011

there's some info in the form of a powerpoint presentation from the aamc here -- https://www.aamc.org/students/advisors/ scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the amcas 2012 student presentation.

miel · Mar 23, 2011

bleargh said:
there was a previous thread that discussed these changes, along with the info that amcas would apparently open a month earlier this year

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=804620&highlight=amcas+2012

Morzh · Mar 23, 2011

Cool. I like these changes.

acromonkey · Mar 23, 2011

LizzyM said:
Where do you see that?

I thought the schools can get the application on June 1?

acromonkey · Mar 23, 2011

raltima07 said:
Hey,
Thanks for this. It seems schools get applications starting June 10th this year, so early is much earlier than last year. Do you think that would affect the adcoms much? Would it speed up the process even more?

I thought the schools get the applications on June 1 when the application opens?

chiapet874 · Mar 23, 2011

acromonkey said:
I thought the schools get the applications on June 1 when the application opens?

No, in the past, the AMCAS application was opened early May and starting June 1st, you could submit your application to be verified. However, AMCAS holds onto your app until the end of June before sending it out to all the med schools.

RogueUnicorn · Mar 23, 2011

chiapet874 said:
No, in the past, the AMCAS application was opened early May and starting June 1st, you could submit your application to be verified. However, AMCAS holds onto your app until the end of June before sending it out to all the med schools.

if memory serves me this year AMCAS opened june 1 and you could submit around june 20

chiapet874 · Mar 23, 2011

bleargh said:
if memory serves me this year AMCAS opened june 1 and you could submit around june 20

I believe that for all previous years, including this year, the AMCAS application was open to be filled out starting early May, but you couldn't actually submit it till June 1st.

Technically after June 1st you can submit whenever, but than you risk being held back by the transcript verifications.

This new June 10th business is a little shocking to me cause it seems so sudden. I know alot of kids, including myself, who were planning an end-of-May MCAT test date b/c it allowed us to get our scores before AMCAS submitted the apps.

whatageek · Mar 23, 2011

Does anyone have any tips on how to list stuff like publications or poster abstracts? I have a load of them, and I'm pretty sure the titles alone exceed the 700 word limit. Would it be acceptable to just say: I've written and presented X poster abstracts or I have X number of publications? Could I just list the Pubmed PMID accession number for the publications?

ReptarBar · Mar 23, 2011

contact information...meaning just NAME or name and phone/email? oh god i hope its not the latter.

MilkIsGood · Mar 23, 2011

ReptarBar said:
contact information...meaning just NAME or name and phone/email? oh god i hope its not the latter.

it's name and phone/email required now

ReptarBar · Mar 23, 2011

what about for publications, sports, etc. etc. where contact information is impossible?

Frazier · Mar 23, 2011

So what would be the appropriate contact info for an activities section designated to "scholarships"... The university's official scholarship-confirmation telephone hotline?

What about for people running a sole proprietorship... My latest customer's email?

Or how about a section listing our various publications from different PI's? Just pick one as a random contact?

Same with shadowing? Group all the shadowed docs into one activity and pick one as a contact?

...Kind of lame and a waste of time.

ReptarBar · Mar 23, 2011

yea dude i might just put a wrong number or someone not important as the contact. whats the med school gonna do....reject me? only amcas cares, not adcoms...

Frazier · Mar 23, 2011

artistic endeavors also seems like a WTF moment for contact info...

I guess I better look up the phone number to my paints and sheet music supplier.

globalmobile · Mar 23, 2011

chiapet874 said:
I believe that for all previous years, including this year, the AMCAS application was open to be filled out starting early May, but you couldn't actually submit it till June 1st.

Technically after June 1st you can submit whenever, but than you risk being held back by the transcript verifications.

This new June 10th business is a little shocking to me cause it seems so sudden. I know alot of kids, including myself, who were planning an end-of-May MCAT test date b/c it allowed us to get our scores before AMCAS submitted the apps.

Yeah, I'm definitely one of them! So now, if I take the MCAT towards end of May and submit my application June 1, I won't be in the early round because my app will be held till the score comes out anyway? So the first app round technically will be the ones sent out June 10-15? So what will apps on June 28 be considered then! It's only a couple of weeks but idk how much of a difference it could make.

LuciusVorenus · Mar 23, 2011

If they're actually going to do the June 15th-June 20th thing then it's great news for us quarter system guys. If you haven't realized, we always have to submit (if we want to submit as early as possible) before spring grades are released near the end of June, meaning we lose an entire quarters worth of grades and then have to worry about sending updates to each individual school only a month later. Now it seems like we might not have to worry about that anymore?

EDIT: Just realized I read that wrong and it's actually going to get worse for us quarter kids. Aweeee sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

phltz · Mar 23, 2011

globalmobile said:
Yeah, I'm definitely one of them! So now, if I take the MCAT towards end of May and submit my application June 1, I won't be in the early round because my app will be held till the score comes out anyway? So the first app round technically will be the ones sent out June 10-15? So what will apps on June 28 be considered then! It's only a couple of weeks but idk how much of a difference it could make.

An application sent out on June 28th will be considered extremely early. I'd highly recommend that people relax about this. There's a slight advantage to submitting early instead of late, but it doesn't matter in the slightest if you're super-duper-extraordinarily early instead of just super-duper early.

globalmobile · Mar 24, 2011

phltz said:
An application sent out on June 28th will be considered extremely early. I'd highly recommend that people relax about this. There's a slight advantage to submitting early instead of late, but it doesn't matter in the slightest if you're super-duper-extraordinarily early instead of just super-duper early.

You really think so? Normally I would think it's fine, but it seems so many are jumping to submit their application on the first day right away! You think there is a huge difference in the admission's perception between June 10th application pool and June 28th? I never know any more, it seems things that I think are fine, I come here and find that I need to worry about lol

Changes to AMCAS application 2011-12 cycle

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