2004 AMCAS Help Thread

[VienneseWaltz]

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Originally posted by avhart
Wardens--I'd list all three together as one experience. I did this with some volunteer work when I did it all for one organization. As long as you make it clear that you've done it with three different doctors, you'll save a lot of space/reading time and get the same information across.

I concur. You look better if you have one activity with substantial involvement versus three separate activities with light involvement.

gapremed, I see no harm calling yourself a doctor's assistant if that's actually what you're doing (ie, you're working with the doctor, not making copies or restocking supplies). You can also explain your position more fully in the description section of the activity.

 

[princessbabe]

I had two questions and I hoped you guys could help me out:


I was confused about which name to select for the academic term. I am not sure if i select 4-1-4/4-4-1 Calendar 1st Semester (Fall) or just S1 which stands for 1st semester fall. How do you know which one to select? ( I go to wash u if that helps any).

Also, i saw previously on this thread that there is a section called furture course work - where is it? I can't seem to find it on the site.


Thanks!!!!

 

[usmaple]

Just curious - how long is it taking for people to get notice from AMCAS that their transcripts have been received? I sent out my requests in early May, but haven't received any e-mails yet.

 

[soonerpillow]

princessbabe,

1)could you describe your academic schedule some more? then we could help you on this one.

2)In the Course Work Section, add a semester for, say, Fall 2003. Then add the class you will take, and put a check in the box labelled Current/Future course.

 

[bosco]

Originally posted by koma
Anybody else gotten such a helpful reply? The TMDSAS people are much more helpful, prompt, and friendly. I guess Texas isn't so bad, after all.

Yeah, I sent AMCAS a fairly detailed question about how I should classify my behavioral biology course and whether I should classify it as a PSYC or BIO and how I should enter class numbers considering my transcript has letters and numbers (ie PSYC310)

Two weeks later they send me a reply:

"Dear Applicant,

Thank you for contacting AMCAS.

Information should be appear on the application EXACTLY how it appears on the official transcripts."

Thanks a lot amcas. So basically, do whatever you want, or call them. I don't think it will really matter in the end. [/B][/QUOTE]

I got the same crappy answer from them as well!

 

[princessbabe]

Originally posted by soonerpillow
princessbabe,

1)could you describe your academic schedule some more? then we could help you on this one.

2)In the Course Work Section, add a semester for, say, Fall 2003. Then add the class you will take, and put a check in the box labelled Current/Future course.

At Wash u we just have two regular school year semesters, fall and spring. If you do take courses in the summer, its considered summer semester. So like the past semster is called Spring 2003 on my transcript.


Thanks for the help on the second question soonerpillow!

😎

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by usmaple
Just curious - how long is it taking for people to get notice from AMCAS that their transcripts have been received? I sent out my requests in early May, but haven't received any e-mails yet.

Last year, I didn't get any kind of notification. I just kept checking and found that my app had been verified (I submitted the day after it was allowed, and it took 6 days for verification). Then I kept getting notifications (for example, in October, and three on the same day in December) that I had applied to medical school, I guess in case I didn't know why I was getting invited to interview places.

 

[moops]

Originally posted by princessbabe
At Wash u we just have two regular school year semesters, fall and spring. If you do take courses in the summer, its considered summer semester. So like the past semster is called Spring 2003 on my transcript.


Thanks for the help on the second question soonerpillow!

😎

what's YO numbah. lez go out for Sum Coffee. that is all. i'm in STL firrilla

 

[ashkan33]

question:

when looking through MSAR and trying to decide on which schools to apply to, what do you all believe is a favorable out-of-state to in-state ratio. would my chances be good if the school takes half and half even though my GPA does not meet the avg. matriculation for that school? or should i just look at schools who have an overwhelming ratio of out-of-staters if i'm applying out-of-state? i hope my questin isn't too incoherent...

 

[aleezay]

Originally posted by spumoni620
I called AMCAS and asked a similar question (exact details in my previous post above). Print out one transcript request, send in one transcript, but enter your college twice, and only fill out one section for coursework.

Hey Spumoni, so when you go to print out your request does the form just list one of your degrees then?

 

[soonerpillow]

At Wash u we just have two regular school year semesters, fall and spring. If you do take courses in the summer, its considered summer semester. So like the past semster is called Spring 2003 on my transcript.

Okay, then you should put S1 for Fall, S2 for Spring, and SS for Summer. Have fun!

 

[spumoni620]

Originally posted by aleezay
Hey Spumoni, so when you go to print out your request does the form just list one of your degrees then?

Yes...but don't worry, the operator I spoke to told me AMCAS will change/update the data to match your transcript if everything else is correct. another thing you can do (which I decided to do, because I am admittedly anal...) is print out the two separate transcript requests, staple them together, and have your registrar attach it to your transcript. this way you have record of your two degrees attached to the transcript.

 

[Wardens]

At my undergrad my intro philosophy course as a frosh was the only course available that you had to take full year, and though the grades differ each semester, it has the same course number both semesters. It's since been broken up into two. We're on an S1,S2 system. Should I put my entire freshman year down as SY1 full year and then break it up into semesters after that?

 

[Ubu]

another problem with pasting my essay into the application..

My essay is 5295 characters. I know the limit is 5300 characters, so this should be ok. I saved my essay as a text file, copied and pasted it into the allotted space. Every time I save the essay, log out, and log back in, my essay is chopped to 5290 characters (basically leaves out the last word of my essay). Does anyone know how to fix it? Thanks!

 

[efex101]

Print the essay from notepad and type it to amcas, I think that when you start a new sentence it counts for character on amcas.. so amcas counts spaces or something like that, not just actual characters.

 

[Ubu]

I tried that. Actually, I am counting the characters according to the little counter at the bottom of the webpage "character count." I figure that would be the best way to keep track of the length of my paper. I tried typing in my essay, but it still leaves out the last word. maybe I should shorten the essay some more??

 

[efex101]

Yeah, I had kind of the same problem and finally just had to shorten it by a couple of words.

 

[aleezay]

My apologies if someone already asked this, but here's my question about transcripts.

I graduated this term, so will AMCAS expect to see Degrees earned on my transcript? As of now, the school has not posted them on there. My majors/minor are all there, and all the grades I ever earned are there as well; but no official note of the degrees I earned.

I don't want to wait any longer to send the transcript out, but do you think I need to wait till its on there? Is anyone in this situation as well.

 

[Ubu]

aleezay....if your grades are on there, I would send the transcripts out now. If they aren't, then put a hold on your transcripts and tell them to send it out when the transcripts are updated with your current grades. About the degree...I am not sure if it the same way at your school, but at mine, the notation that you received a degree is not until a month and a half after the end of the quarter. Since that is too long to wait, I would send one transcript now, and send another one later when the degree notation is there.

now back to me....😀
Sorry to beat a dead horse, but i cannot figure out these damn AP credits. I know that I am supposed to list these AP credits in the first semester of my freshman year, and check the "AP" box, and put "G" as my grade earned. My transcripts says nothing about the amount of credit I earned for each individual exam (I took a bunch of them). I also know that one of my AP exams allowed me to skip out of one class, but the notation is not on my transcript either. Should I leave the credit box empty? How should I note that one of my AP exams got me credit for one class? I am just concerned because none of this is on my transcript.

 

[efex101]

If no credit hours were awarded on your transcript then leave it blank. I am having the same type of questions but with military credit ahhhggg! so I guess leaving it blank is OK because you can keep on going in the application.

 

[spumoni620]

Hi everyone,

Okay, i quit procrastinating and am now attacking the post-secondary experiences section after finishing all the other mundane tasks. So, ucdbiochem asked this before, but I just want to confirm that this is okay: listing multiple honors/honor society memberships in one category. I am planning to lump together 3 honor society memberships in one category. Is this acceptable to the adcoms or are they going to think you were trying to bend rules?? 😕

If the consensus is that it IS okay, here is how I'm planning to do it/where I'm stuck: Type is "Honors/Awards/Recognitions" (easy enough). Dates: what do you put if you received different honors over a period of time (i.e. 4 years?)? Organization name: can I just put, "see attached description" or "various names"? Organization title: "Honor Society member/officer" (i.e. if I held a position in ONE of the societies?)

And, one more thing on the postbac section--is it okay if i write resume-style, like "Served as Treasurer of XYZ Honor Society, 1998-1999" or something?

Okay, that's it...for now...

 

[Ubu]

ahh..i am posting a lot...

anyways..I am also starting to attack this section and have the same question as spumoni. Am I supposed to complete this section in proper English (ie complete sentences) or can I just write it resume style. Can someone give an example? For lab-related work, can I just list what my major project was and leave it at that or do I have to expand?

The work never ends....

 

[JM.]

Originally posted by spumoni620
Hi everyone,

Okay, i quit procrastinating and am now attacking the post-secondary experiences section after finishing all the other mundane tasks. So, ucdbiochem asked this before, but I just want to confirm that this is okay: listing multiple honors/honor society memberships in one category. I am planning to lump together 3 honor society memberships in one category. Is this acceptable to the adcoms or are they going to think you were trying to bend rules?? 😕


Okay, that's it...for now...

I lumped mine together when I did it. Didn't seem to give me a problem. I did a lot oif my listing resume style as well.

 

[spumoni620]

Originally posted by Ubu
ahh..i am posting a lot...

anyways..I am also starting to attack this section and have the same question as spumoni. Am I supposed to complete this section in proper English (ie complete sentences) or can I just write it resume style. Can someone give an example? For lab-related work, can I just list what my major project was and leave it at that or do I have to expand?

The work never ends....

I did a search on this and it seems as though several people DID use resume format last year when typing in this section. But there seem to have been mixed opinions. Can people who got into their 1st/2nd choice schools, or anyone who's knowledgeable, elaborate on what they think is BEST? The AMCAS workbook also isn't exactly helpful (yes, I think I knew adcoms don't want to read I ATTENDED DR. MITCHELL'S WORKSHOP IN ATLANTA.) 🙄

 

[Quickread]

Ubu - as fas as the AP's go it was my understanding that you could only put any down if you got credit from your school for a class... if not then you dont list them at all. And I listed "AP" as the OT grade even though there isn't a grade at all on my transcript and AMCAS readily translated that to the G. Hope that helps.

 

[toxin]

if you are still working or volunteering how do you enter that... it seems the only option available is the end date?

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by toxin
if you are still working or volunteering how do you enter that... it seems the only option available is the end date?

I think you can put it to a future date, so up until when you are planning to quit.

 

[Ekaltadeta]

I too have angst with the timing of transcripts. I anticipate the grades to be good, but not likely to make my GPA all the more appealing. But my courses this quarter include some humanities and a field research course I plan to mention in my AMCAS Activities section. Should I wait for the final grades to come out to have the transcripts sent? I will already be waiting for MCAT scores to come out...

(I feel like I am beating a dead horse here, but perhaps this angle hasn't been touched yet.)

 

[efex101]

Guys I asked one adcom member whom has read thousands of applications and he said that they do not have time to read through all the secondary descriptions so do not worry too much about it. I am lumping all my memberships in honor societies together like Tri Beta, Phi Kappa Phi, etc. and I explain what I have gained by participating in these, not just what they stand for if you get my drift. If I have held a leadership position in one of these I write about that separately again explaining what activites I have done/will be doing and how that will help if I get into medical school. I think the resume format is OK but I am not using that style, I prefer to explain how participating in X or Y activity has helped or will help when I become a physician. For example if you are a president or other leadership position this will help a lot when practicing medicine for it demonstrates that yes, you can lead. Anyways just my 0.2

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by spumoni620
Organization name: can I just put, "see attached description" or "various names"? Organization title: "Honor Society member/officer" (i.e. if I held a position in ONE of the societies?)

I used things like "various, see below" etc. The tricky part for me was calculating the time-spent on activity, especially the ones that were low-intensity but over a long time. I made sure to explicitly say in the description what the frequency was. For example, I was in a lot of plays, the time for which varied from 0 hrs/week (not in play), 5 (read-throughs), to 30 (production weeks). I don't remember what I wound up putting for my hrs/wk, but I explained the variation in hours in the description.

I wrote resume-style for some things, but for others, I used prose and emphasized what I learned. It's your space, though, so do what makes sense, as long as you convey what YOU want to get across to adcoms.

 

[PSU213]

Just wanted a quick opinion on what you think about classifying experiences in the post-secondary experiences section.

I volunteered at a neighborhood clinic. All my work there though was either clerical or maintenance related (like the fun job of cleaning the parking lot!). I never had any patient contact or did anything even remotely medically related. Do you think this should be classified as medical/clinical or not medical/clinical. Personally, I'm leaning toward NOT medical because even though there was medicine "happening" there, I really had nothing to do with it. Just curious what all of you think. Thanks

 

[MeowMix]

Re: how to classify non-medical volunteer work@clinic: I also did office work at a clinic. I put this down as non-medical, for the same reasons as you would. Bear in mind that the committee will be very sensitive to applicants trying to dress up lowly experiences as life-saving medicine. Best to be honest here.

Re: listing experiences: I talked to one pre-med advisor who told me that they don't actually EXPECT people to have 15 experiences, and that it is fine to have fewer than that. The emphasis is on making it clear and easy for the reviewer to evaluate quickly, not overwhelming them with an exhaustive list of one-day experiences.

 

[tBw]

the 15 experiences: it doesn't matter if you don't have 15. Infact if you don't it's better not to 'pad' as all that will do is bore the person reviewing your file - and its their last impression that lasts! Better they finish your file thinking on your significant activities than thinking 'wow, what a load of bunkum that last bit was'...

 

[soonerpillow]

So would you say it is better to not put 15???

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by soonerpillow
So would you say it is better to not put 15???

AMCAS is the only information some schools will get before the interview, so if you have something you want to share, share it. If you have 15 significant experiences, put 15 down. If you don't, put down however many you have. People who are a few years out of undergrad probably hit the 15 mark. Undergrads who have been focused since they were freshmen probably don't. It doesn't matter. Don't try to guess how many activities is the "correct" amount.

 

[DrLady]

After we submit AMCAS, what sections, besides grades, can we update? Will I be able to update my 'Post-secondary experiences' later on after I submit AMCAS?

Thanks!

 

[GatorWell]

When can we actually certify and submit the application? I heard that it is around June 1 but they still have the option for certifying right now. I wasn't sure if we can certify now. Thanks~

 

[bosco]

Originally posted by PSU213
Just wanted a quick opinion on what you think about classifying experiences in the post-secondary experiences section.

I volunteered at a neighborhood clinic. All my work there though was either clerical or maintenance related (like the fun job of cleaning the parking lot!). I never had any patient contact or did anything even remotely medically related. Do you think this should be classified as medical/clinical or not medical/clinical. Personally, I'm leaning toward NOT medical because even though there was medicine "happening" there, I really had nothing to do with it. Just curious what all of you think. Thanks

I would definitely put this as medical. Even though you think you had "nothing to do with it (medicine)" it still was medically related as opposed to something like Habitat for Humanity, which I consider non-medical.

 

[bosco]

Originally posted by Ubu
I tried that. Actually, I am counting the characters according to the little counter at the bottom of the webpage "character count." I figure that would be the best way to keep track of the length of my paper. I tried typing in my essay, but it still leaves out the last word. maybe I should shorten the essay some more??

I think the hard returns (between paragraphs) may be messing things up. They count for 2 characters each. Any thoughts?

 

[solid snake]

On AMCAS, when I printed out my application to see how it would look like, my personal statement is just one big glob. But on the section where I typed my essay in, it is in paragraph form. How do I correct the problem?

Thanks,
SS

 

[MeowMix]

To correct the big glob of essay, you need to go back in on the online AMCAS form, and manually insert the paragraph returns where you want them.

 

[PSU213]

When I'm entering my grades, I enter the "OT Grade," which are just the standard letter grades, yet no AMCAS grade is coming up. I have done some graduate work and had that transcript first, so I entered those grades and the AMCAS grade would come up right away, yet for my undergrad...nothing. The instructions say if no AMCAS grade comes up you are responsible for creating your own conversion, yet they give you no instructions on how to do that.

Basically I was just wonding if anyone else was having this problem, and if so, do you know of the solution?

 

[lady bug]

Originally posted by DrLady
After we submit AMCAS, what sections, besides grades, can we update? Will I be able to update my 'Post-secondary experiences' later on after I submit AMCAS?

Thanks!

No, I'm pretty sure you won't be able to update anything once you've submitted (unless you wanna go through a painstaking letter-writing process to amcas to justify your reasons). Be sure that everything is final and complete before you submit.

 

[DrLady]

hey ladybug,
Thanks for the reply.

Ok, i have another question. I was filling out some classes on amcas and well, couple of my classes are independent study and the grade for those classes are: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. So should I put my grade as Pass/Fail? Yikes, why is AMCAS soo confusing??

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

3 Questions about course classification:

How do you classify Humanities classes like Classical Tradition and Greek Mythology? What about Communication classes like Public Speaking? What about Journalism Ethics- would you classify that as Communications (Journalism) or Philosophy (Ethics)? Thanks!

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by DrLady
hey ladybug,
Thanks for the reply.

Ok, i have another question. I was filling out some classes on amcas and well, couple of my classes are independent study and the grade for those classes are: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. So should I put my grade as Pass/Fail? Yikes, why is AMCAS soo confusing??

yes, i think pass/fail is the correct option there

 

[toxin]

Now, this might sound like a dumb question but excuse my ignorance. How do you determine your freshman, sophmore classifications when you enter the coursework?

 

[pyra]

Now, this might sound like a dumb question but excuse my ignorance. How do you determine your freshman, sophmore classifications when you enter the coursework?

Look at the instructions under ACADEMIC STATUS:
"Each undergraduate status should consist of approximately 30-35 semester hours. Applicants with undergraduate, full-time, continuous enrollment at an institution should usually change Academic Status after every 2 semesters, 3-4 quarters, or 2-3 trimesters. Applicants who have been enrolled part-time, or who have had interrupted attendance, should use these ranges to determine their appropriate status for each term:
High School (HS) College-level course work taken while in high school
Freshman (FR) 0-32 semester hours
Sophomore (SO) 31-64 semester hours
Junior (JR) 61-96 semester hours
Senior (SR) 91 or more semester hours
Postbaccalaureate
Undergraduate (PB) - Undergraduate course work attempted after the first Bachelor's degree
has been earned
Graduate (GR)
The following rules will help you determine the appropriate AMCAS Academic Status for all of your course work
(including foreign course work):
? Do not assign more than one status to a term.
? Once your undergraduate Academic Status (FR, SO, JR, SR) has advanced (e.g., FR to SO), do not
assign the previous status (e.g., FR) to subsequently completed course work.
? Assign High School (HS) status to college-level courses taken while you were in high school, regardless
of the physical location of the college-level course.
? Assign Freshman (FR) status to Advanced Placement, Exempt, or CLEP credit awarded when you first
entered college.
? Junior/Community College courses (e.g., associate degree course work) should usually be listed as FR or
SO if you took them before you attended a four-year institution. For attendance longer than two years at
the same school, JR status-depending on the number of credits- may be entered.
? Assign the upcoming status to summer session courses (e.g., summer courses between your freshman
and sophomore years should be assigned Sophomore (SO) status).
? Courses for a Bachelor's degree earned in three years should be assigned Freshman (FR), Sophomore
(SO), or Senior (SR) statuses.
? Courses for a Bachelor's degree earned in more than four years should be assigned statuses of
Freshman (FR), Sophomore (SO), Junior (JR), Senior (SR), Senior (SR), etc.
? Assign Post Baccalaureate (PB) status to any undergraduate level course work you enrolled in:
? After receipt of your initial BA/BS degree.
? While enrolled in a graduate program, if course work is not applied to a graduate degree.
? Assign Graduate (GR) status to any professional or graduate-level course work which is not applied to an
undergraduate degree.
? Do NOT assign Graduate (GR) status to any professional or graduate-level course work applied to an
undergraduate degree. Assign appropriate undergraduate status (FR, SO, JR, SR)."

 

[Jtak]

does anyone know if the submission day has been pushed back past June 1? i saw a couple posts saying it's now June 3. does anyone know the real date? thanks.

 

[maoeris]

I thought the first day to apply was June 2nd, I guess the date might change

🙁