2004 AACOMAS Thread

[DrLady]

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Hi, I thought to start a thread ( like the one in pre-allo) for the 2004 AACOMAS application as lot of new threads are being made and it would be better if every question falls into one thread.

My question is:

When I am putting my course work in the aacomas, there is a space for 'Type' of course work. What does audit mean? There are options such as Advanced placement, Pass/Fail, Honors, Deferred, Incomplete, etc. Should i put my regular course as 'audit'??

Another question is how is AACOMAS grade different than 'Actual' grade that I would put in?

Thanks!

 

[James20062]

No... i'm pretty sure that audit means you took the class without being graded in it. I think you just want to keep this option blank if its a regular class.

 

[tkim]

Originally posted by DrLady
Another question is how is AACOMAS grade different than 'Actual' grade that I would put in?

DrLady!

This is when your school has a different grading/scoring system for letter grades.

For example, one of my undergrad schools - Brandeis, uses the letter 'E' as a failing grade, where most schools use the letter 'F'.

Conversely, your school may record a grade of 'A+', while AACOMAS will take that as a straight 'A'.

The AACOMAS grade in this example would be an 'F', while your 'actual' grade would be the grade you received - an 'E', and so on. Just match the letter grade to the numerical score - 4.0=A, etc., and you'll be fine.

- Tae

 

[DrLady]

Hiiii tkim!! Long time no seeee or talk!!! 🙂

Thanks for the reply, tkim and james! 🙂 I didn't know I was supposed to match the numerical score to the letter for AACOMAS! I feel so silly now..because I will have to go back and change everything!!!!! Yikes!

 

[PublicHealth]

How does AACOMAS calculate your GPA if you retook a couple of courses? Does only the most recent grade in a retaken course count?

Thank you!

 

[Runtita]

I think only the most recent grade counts.

side note: Yesterday, I e-mailed AACOMAS to check on my transcripts; I got a lovely return e-mail this morning confirming their receipt and the date they arrived. When I check my app. status online, I can log in now and I see that my transcripts have been received. I wonder if, in asking them to look for my transcripts, I unknowingly called my app. to their attention and will have it checked out and sent on to my schools faster?

 

[tkim]

Originally posted by DrLady
Hiiii tkim!! Long time no seeee or talk!!! 🙂

Thanks for the reply, tkim and james! 🙂 I didn't know I was supposed to match the numerical score to the letter for AACOMAS! I feel so silly now..because I will have to go back and change everything!!!!! Yikes!

Hold on there, little missy.

Perhaps I shouldna said that.

More simply put - if your school grade is a 'normal' grade - A, B+, etc., then your AACOMAS and 'actual' grade should match. It's only when you have special situations like the ones I mentioned is when the AACOMAS and actual grades will differ.

Don't panic, D-Lady. Stay frosty.

- Tae

 

[DrLady]

tkim,
I had changed everything in the evening..don't tell me that i shouldn't have changed!!! Because I did!! In my university an A = 5.0. You see the gpa scale is out of 5 in my University and it doesn't have A+ or A- etc, just A, B, C, D, F.

 

[tkim]

Originally posted by DrLady
tkim,
I had changed everything in the evening..don't tell me that i shouldn't have changed!!! Because I did!! In my university an A = 5.0. You see the gpa scale is out of 5 in my University and it doesn't have A+ or A- etc, just A, B, C, D, F.

DrLady, this is what the AACOMAS site says:

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AACOMAS Grade: The AACOMAS grading system standardizes the way grades will be reported to your designated colleges. AACOMAS grades include: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and F. The AACOMAS Grade is assigned a numeric value to calculate your grade point average. These values are:

A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
D- 0.7
F 0.0

If your institution uses this grading scale, choose the appropriate grade from the Letter Grade Format. If the "+" grade has a value of ". 5" at your institution, you need to reflect the ". 5" numeric value for "+" grades only in the AACOMAS Grade column. Enter the numeric grade for plus grades (e.g. 3.5, 2.5, or 1.5). Enter letter grades for all other grades.

If your institution uses a numeric grading system in which the grade of 4.0 = A, 3.0 = B, etc., use the Numeric Grade Format.

All Pass/Fail courses should have the Semester Hours and AACOMAS Grade columns completed. Use Pass and Non-pass in the AACOMAS Grade column. If, at your institution, the Fail grade is equivalent to the letter grade for failure, then list "F" in the AACOMAS Grade column. If credit hours are awarded for AP or CLEP credits but no grade is awarded, use "Advanced Placement" for the AACOMAS Grade.

Actual Grade: Record the grade as it actually appears on your official transcript. This can be a numeric grade or a letter grade, with or without a plus or minus sign.

If narrative evaluations are used in your system in lieu of grades, list "Pass" if pass credit was awarded. Copies of narrative evaluations will be forwarded to your designated colleges.

---

Now, it says absolutely nothing about a 5-point scale for grades. I think in this situation you should contact AACOMAS and ask what you should do. I am so sorry to have given you bad advice, but I never thought to ask if your school used a standard 4.0 grade scale.

- Tae

Did I mention how sorry I am?

 

[DrLady]

Tkim,
I was just confused, this whole application thing is making me feel as if I have lost it. Please don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. I should have stated in my first post that the gpa scale in my school is out of 5.0. It will only take me few min to go change it

Last year I used to read posts of people who would talk about how the filling out amcas or aacomas was making them go crazy..and now that i am experiencing it, I really see it. I can see how this can also be a weed-out process: it is tedious, overwhelming, confusing, frustrating and a huge stress-builder.

 

[tkim]

Originally posted by DrLady
Tkim,
I was just confused, this whole application thing is making me feel as if I have lost it. Please don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. I should have stated in my first post that the gpa scale in my school is out of 5.0. It will only take me few min to go change it

Last year I used to read posts of people who would talk about how the filling out amcas or aacomas was making them go crazy..and now that i am experiencing it, I really see it. I can see how this can also be a weed-out process: it is tedious, overwhelming, confusing, frustrating and a huge stress-builder.

Having applied through both AMCAS and AACOMAS - twice, I gotta say that the people from AACOMAS hands down are nicer to talk to and quicker to respond.

Maybe it's because they don't have the sheer numbers of applications that AMCAS has to process every year, but they've always been pretty polite with me.

I have to ask - what school do you go to that grades on a 5 point scale?

- Tae

 

[DrLady]

Ha, Seems like I am the only one here with too many questions. Anyway, I have another question. I am almost done with the whole application except the personal statement which I am still working on. As I was looking at that section of 'Additional Data', I was wondering if I should also describe my volunteering and research experience or just list them? Or I will have a chance to explain in the secondaries?

Thanks

 

[Nater44]

I'm a little confused on the professional coursework section of the application. For example, I had an EMT certification through the state, but it's not an academic institution. How do you put that into the app?

 

[Doctortobee]

Hi

I just wanted to drop a note to all those applying this year...GOOD LUCK and don't give up. Don't let AACOMAS get you frustrated, there are many other frustrations that you will encounter. Also, don't forget WHY you want to be a physician. Keep that in mind throughout this process...Keep the faith!

 

[jatroswellpk]

Originally posted by DrLady
Hi, I thought to start a thread ( like the one in pre-allo) for the 2004 AACOMAS application as lot of new threads are being made and it would be better if every question falls into one thread.

My question is:

When I am putting my course work in the aacomas, there is a space for 'Type' of course work. What does audit mean? There are options such as Advanced placement, Pass/Fail, Honors, Deferred, Incomplete, etc. Should i put my regular course as 'audit'??

Thanks!

On some of my classes, I had an option to either get a grade or opt for Pass/fail....so I'll choose P/F on type of course work...

but on some of my P/F or S/U class, I was given no choice....do I still indicate it was a P/F on type of course work?
is anyone getting my Q?



😕

 

[Doctortobee]

Just report the grades as the appear on your college transcript.

 

[DrLady]

Originally posted by jatroswellpk
On some of my classes, I had an option to either get a grade or opt for Pass/fail....so I'll choose P/F on type of course work...

but on some of my P/F or S/U class, I was given no choice....do I still indicate it was a P/F on type of course work?
is anyone getting my Q?



😕

Yes, I ended up putting them as Pass/Fail for my S/U class as well, because there is no option for S/U. So yeah, you will have to indicate your class as P/F on your coursework.

 

[lady bug]

DrLady, seems like you are really on top of it from seeing your posts in both the AMCAS and AACOMAS threads. Props to you for getting this started so early! I really need to get my butt in gear.

 

[jbernet1]

I have several questions for you guys. I was wondering about the following things:


-For AP credits, they are listed on my transcript and there is a unit total for them, but not individual totals. How would I enter this into the application (under what school and what unit totals, what year/academic standing, and course name/number?)

-For courses I am currently taking (spring semester, senior year), the only grade choice is "not yet taken" even though I am almost finished with the courses. Is this the choice we are supposed to highlight?

Thanks!

 

[DrLady]

Originally posted by lady bug
DrLady, seems like you are really on top of it from seeing your posts in both the AMCAS and AACOMAS threads. Props to you for getting this started so early! I really need to get my butt in gear.

ha thanks, lady bug. Unfortunately, I am still stuck at personal statement! Yikes!! I just am having trouble getting my thoughts across and it is killing me!

 

[jatroswellpk]

Originally posted by jbernet1
I have several questions for you guys. I was wondering about the following things:


-For courses I am currently taking (spring semester, senior year), the only grade choice is "not yet taken" even though I am almost finished with the courses. Is this the choice we are supposed to highlight?

Thanks!

I would wait till spring course grade shows up....but then again, you can always update it to AACOM...

 

[jbernet1]

thanks for the answer jatroswellpk.
I was also wondering if anyone knew if we still had to release april 2003 MCAT scores to AACOMAS. I followed the link they had in their instructions, and the AMA website said we don't have to worry about it because scores are available through THX. Does this mean we don't have to do anything at all, or just wait until scores are released on june 16th to release them to AACOMAS?
thanks

 

[Echinoidea]

I'm afraid by the looks of things the scores will not be released until June 24. This has been discussed ad nauseam in the MCAT forum. My AACOMAS app has already been completed and submitted without the scores, so I assume that when they become available in the THx system we will just logon and have them forwarded to AACOM.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

Im confused.....we were able to submit the application "before" June 1? The main page said they start accepting applications June 1.

DOCTORSAIB

 

[Doctortobee]

You may have been able to submit prior to June 1st, but they probably won't begin processing until after then.

 

[DoubleOSeven]

hey guys, i have hte same Q as someone posted above, on my transcript it gives me a unit total for all of the AP courses i got credit for but i dont know the units for each individual course...did anyone else run into this problem? how do you break it down?

 

[ma-bas]

I just divided the number of credits by the number of classes. Don't know if this is the right way of going about it bt at least all the credits add up. It's weird though b/c I received 18.6 credits for 4 AP classes, so even when I divide like this I get a decimal. I tried adding up the credits from actual classes which I got credit for by taking the APs but I came up short, only 16. So I'm sticking to the weird division.

 

[birdie]

Will AACOMAS send me any notification when they receive my transcripts?

 

[Doctortobee]

I would just check the application status page...

 

[Soleil9]

Trying to do this stupid thing and the help page doesn't help one bit!


my question:

Under 'Course Information'
Number:

it will only let me type 4 characters. I need to type ART455

what am I doing wrong?

Thanks--

*Soleil*

 

[PTjay]

I had the above problem as well - courses like BIO352 etc. in the course number section I put just the number (352) in the course name I laid it out like this (BIO - Molecular Biology). It's not exactly what is on my transcript but it's as close as I can get with the way they have formatted the app.

good luck to you.
-J

 

[Doctortobee]

Hey

I had the problem last year...THe course numbers at my school were 5 characters long...It's not a problem...

 

[jbernet1]

I seem to be having enormous problems for the work experience section. I pared it down like crazy, and it is at 676 characters (with spaces) and 91 words, but the AACOMAS app keeps telling me it is above 700 characters. Is anyone else having this problem, or have a solution?

also- is it the same character limit for volunteer experiences and awards (700)?

thanks a lot