2004 AMCAS Help Thread

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under what category would you list languages?
 
Originally posted by lady bug
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.
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I thought you could update contact info with AMCAS.?.
 
WTF???

This stupic AAMCAS is a real pain in the ass. Ok, here's my problem: I paste my ps from word. It is exactly 5299 characters. However, when I go to save it (either by the save tab, the save and exit tab or the finish tab), it immediately chops it down to 5240 characters by removing half of my last sentence. does anyone know what might cause this??? Thanks so much.
 
its because a hard return counts as 2 characters. its a pain in the ass, but you've gotta get that ps down to 5240 or merge some paragraphs. i think some other stuff counts as 2 characters too becuase I can't image you have 59 paragraphs, but I remember having the same problem.
 
i just looked at mine and i noticed that i didn't tab any paragraphs, so that could be a source of the problems too. maybe tabs count as too many characters.
 
Does anyone know how to retrieve the 2003 AMCAS application?
I can view the application and make corrections on it, but I can't find a way to transfer the info into the 2004 application.

Anyone?

the proph...
 
Hey Proph, I was told that you have to enter everything all over again, that's what I did - other people hear differently? Maybe if you actually applied it's different, but I justg filled it out and then didn't apply and when I called I was told: enter it again.

My question is for people who are oldies like me, how do I fill out the Experience section? I mean, I have my recent premedical expereince and volunteer work but I also have several years of plain jane work that I did but is not really medical. Just a job really ...

Normally I just hand people my resume but we can't really do that with this application. Anyone else have this experience??
 
What counts as a full year course if on a semester system? Does it have to have a deferred grade or is it full year if it has the same course number for both semesters despite individual grades for semester? Thanks.
 
I have a fairly big problem. My AMCAS GPA is off my transcript GPA by .1

Thats a fairly large deviation considering I have about 130 hours. Ive checked several times and stuff seems to be entered correctly.

Also AMCAS is giving me screwy numbers for my year by year GPA (freshman, soph . . . ). The AMCAS Freshman year is nowhere close to my real Freshman year. Why does it modify it all crazy? Its like this for each classification through my Senior year.
 
Ack! Sorry to keep posting, but I can't figure out why this summer course I took keeps getting placed in supplemental hours. It's not going into my gpa though I think it should. Anyone have any ideas what's wrong? thanks again.
 
Originally posted by Moskeeto
i just looked at mine and i noticed that i didn't tab any paragraphs, so that could be a source of the problems too. maybe tabs count as too many characters.
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ahh, this could be it. should i take out the tabs???
 
try it without the tabs and see what happens, thats what I had, but I also entered an extra return between paragraphs so it didn't all flow together:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx
 
Originally posted by 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.
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The "real date" is when AMCAS decides it's ready. Last year it was pushed back several times. June 12 wound up being the actual date, I think.
 
are there any drawbacks to pasting your essay directly into AMCAS (as opposed to typing it)?
 
Originally posted by WendsJ
are there any drawbacks to pasting your essay directly into AMCAS (as opposed to typing it)?
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There are some potential things you should be cautious about. The first thing is that some punctuation, like quotations (") become question marks (?). You should paste the essay into AMCAS, and then go back to correct for this. (Just go to "Print" and see how it will look. If it has ?s instead of "s, then just edit the text from within your browser.) The second thing is that you will probably lose paragraph formatting, so you will have to go back for that and manually re-insert paragraphs. I think those are the only things you have to worry about. In any event, it's much better than typing everything out again.
 
Question for soonerpillow -

Did you ever get any resolution to your problem with the "Number of MCATS entered does not match number of results AAMC has on record" error that you were getting? I'm having the same problem (took MCAT in April for the first time) and wanted to see if there's anything else we are supposed to do. Thanks!
 
Do you really have to be "fluent" in languages to put them on the application? I can read French fluently but speak it slowly because I don't have anyone to speak French to here - you know, you g et rusty. The same for my German. I am inclined to put them down but I wonder if they'll surprise me in an interview and want me suddenly to be a native speaker. I can speak if thrown into a European nation but I get very shy and tongue-tied under pressure. 🙄

I just don't want them to think: she's bs'n us with the language thing.
 
Do a search for "foreign language" or "foreign languages" thread. The consensus was that you shouldn't put it down unless you would be comfortable if your interviewer switched to it. They don't care whether you can read a language fluently--they care whether you can communicate orally with patients. I speak French pretty well and have a basic knowledge of German, but I didn't put either down.
 
usmaple,

No, I haven't had any resolution to my MCAT scores problem. Their e-mail help was non-existent. I'm going to try to call them tomorrow, but they may be closed for Memorial Day (anybody know for sure?). I'm thinking it will be okay once the new one is scored, but I don't know. It comes up as a warning, not an error, in the audit, so I don't think it's a huge deal. Very frustrating, though. +pissed+
 
Originally posted by VienneseWaltz
Do a search for "foreign language" or "foreign languages" thread. The consensus was that you shouldn't put it down unless you would be comfortable if your interviewer switched to it. They don't care whether you can read a language fluently--they care whether you can communicate orally with patients. I speak French pretty well and have a basic knowledge of German, but I didn't put either down.
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I am inclined to agree. I listed Spanish and did have TWO interviewers out of five switch to it. They both complemented me on it. I also speak and write french - but I ddi not list it because I am not as comfortable in it.
 
Thanks soonerpillow. I'll try to call on tomorrow or Tuesday as well, so hopefully between the two of us we'll squeeze at least one decent answer out of them.
 
usmaple and soonerpillow,

I have had the same problem. I filled in all of the info regarding the MCAT in AMCAS 2004 that I was allowed to (which is just "how many times have you taken the MCAT?" and "Are you planning to take it in August?") and when I run the application audit, it says that

92 WARNING GPA MCAT / Other Test information blank
56 WARNING GPA Number of MCATS entered does not match number of results AAMC has on record


For "92", I am puzzled because there is not "Other Test information" to leave blank. As for the number of MCATS entered, well they might just not have put in the graded test scores into AMCAS.

Still, I am ripping my hair out trying to fix this but I don't know what to do. I see that you guys are going to try to call AAMC for help. Well good luck. I just don't want any mix-ups with my application.

Let me know if you get any feedback from the AAMC people regarding this issue.

Thanks😕 😕
 
92 WARNING GPA MCAT / Other Test information blank
Click to expand...
56 WARNING GPA Number of MCATS entered does not match number of results AAMC has on record
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Those are exactly the same warnings that I got. I think 92 refers to the part where you can enter other tests, like the GRE, that you may have taken. I could be wrong, though.
 
Originally posted by woolie
Do you really have to be "fluent" in languages to put them on the application? I can read French fluently but speak it slowly because I don't have anyone to speak French to here - you know, you g et rusty. The same for my German. I am inclined to put them down but I wonder if they'll surprise me in an interview and want me suddenly to be a native speaker. I can speak if thrown into a European nation but I get very shy and tongue-tied under pressure. 🙄

I just don't want them to think: she's bs'n us with the language thing.
Click to expand...

I agree with VW? I think that if someone lists being fluent, they should be totally comfortable and capable with interpreting for patients in a medical setting now. Your speech in that language should be comparable in speed to your first language (or the speed at which native speakers speak the second language). Also, when you hear the second language, do you translate it to your first and then understand, or do you understand the second language without translating in?
 
Originally posted by woolie
Do you really have to be "fluent" in languages to put them on the application? I can read French fluently but speak it slowly because I don't have anyone to speak French to here - you know, you g et rusty. The same for my German. I am inclined to put them down but I wonder if they'll surprise me in an interview and want me suddenly to be a native speaker. I can speak if thrown into a European nation but I get very shy and tongue-tied under pressure. 🙄

I just don't want them to think: she's bs'n us with the language thing.
Click to expand...

as VW and others have said - this was discussed in another thread and the how people interpreted it varied. However, by fluent they are referring to your spoken abilities. Will it be tested in interview? It depends, I *did* have one interviewer switch into Spanish on me and I hadn't even listed that as a language I was 'fluent' in - they had just seen I had worked in a spanish speaking country and wanted to see if I could speak it (I infact can for day to day purposes and i the interview, but *still* don't describe myself as 'fluent' as it is nothing like my skills in English...)
 
Originally posted by soonerpillow
Those are exactly the same warnings that I got. I think 92 refers to the part where you can enter other tests, like the GRE, that you may have taken. I could be wrong, though.
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I think this is correct. It just means that you haven't entered additional test like GRE, LSAT, etc. This warning is probably appearing to most applicants, because they do not have to enter for additional tests.
 
I think this is correct. It just means that you haven't entered additional test like GRE, LSAT, etc. This warning is probably appearing to most applicants, because they do not have to enter for additional tests.
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Yeah, and I think the same applies if you've left other languages blank. Warnings are always bound to give some edgy applicants a scare.
 
I've got a question about graduate grades in the H/P/L format and this seems to have changed form a few years ago. Does anyone have any idea how graduate grades of H/P/L are calculated by AMCAS? Thanks!
 
This is good feedback about the foreign language section; I was originally inclined to leave it blank and so I agree with all the posters. I would be way too slow, especially considering the anxiety factor and yes, I was certain that the interviewer would switch into the language just to check my truth-telling abilities.

Ok, 'no fluency' for me then. 😉
 
Originally posted by Wardens
Yeah, and I think the same applies if you've left other languages blank. Warnings are always bound to give some edgy applicants a scare.
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Under what heading does it ask us about the MCAT???
 
Originally posted by woolie
This is good feedback about the foreign language section; I was originally inclined to leave it blank and so I agree with all the posters. I would be way too slow, especially considering the anxiety factor and yes, I was certain that the interviewer would switch into the language just to check my truth-telling abilities.

Ok, 'no fluency' for me then. 😉
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if you have used your language in any of your extracurricular or volunteer activities mention it there though as you are then informing them of your ability but not claiming fluency (of course, they still might try switching to it in the interview then but at least you didn't claim anything so I don't see it could be a bad thing)
 
Originally posted by tBw
if you have used your language in any of your extracurricular or volunteer activities mention it there though as you are then informing them of your ability but not claiming fluency (of course, they still might try switching to it in the interview then but at least you didn't claim anything so I don't see it could be a bad thing)
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This is good advice. I worked in France (but would not consider myself fluent) and I noted using French and German in my job in the activities section. No one "tested" me in an interview, though.
 
hey guys, just a question about the post-secondary experiences section of the app:

how are you formatting the "Title" of your experience?
for example, if you were worked in a lab at Wake Forest, would you put

A) Research Assistant - Wake Forest University

or

B) Wake Forest University Research Assistant

or just

C) Research Assistant (and leave it to the "Organization Name" heading to explain where the research took place)

my query is not just for research activities, but for any activity where it's too vague to just put "Volunteer" or "Tutor"... thanks for any input you've got
 
Originally posted by deez4life
hey guys, just a question about the post-secondary experiences section of the app:

how are you formatting the "Title" of your experience?
for example, if you were worked in a lab at Wake Forest, would you put

A) Research Assistant - Wake Forest University

or

B) Wake Forest University Research Assistant

or just

C) Research Assistant (and leave it to the "Organization Name" heading to explain where the research took place)

my query is not just for research activities, but for any activity where it's too vague to just put "Volunteer" or "Tutor"... thanks for any input you've got
Click to expand...

Really absolutely any of those options would be fine. I believe I put the subject of research in parenthesis and left institute to the organization section
 
Originally posted by deez4life
hey guys, just a question about the post-secondary experiences section of the app:

how are you formatting the "Title" of your experience?
for example, if you were worked in a lab at Wake Forest, would you put

A) Research Assistant - Wake Forest University

or

B) Wake Forest University Research Assistant

or just

C) Research Assistant (and leave it to the "Organization Name" heading to explain where the research took place)

my query is not just for research activities, but for any activity where it's too vague to just put "Volunteer" or "Tutor"... thanks for any input you've got
Click to expand...

I just put "undergraduate research assistant" for the title and included the school's name in the "Organization Name" box.
 
When I first entered my personal essay, I used spaces for indentations. However, when I went to print my app it showed it all as one giant paragraph. So then I went back and skipped a line between each paragraph. But then again when I went to print, my essay was all one paragraph. Any ideas???????
 
hey tbw and bosco, thanks for the replies

Originally posted by WendsJ
When I first entered my personal essay, I used spaces for indentations. However, when I went to print my app it showed it all as one giant paragraph. So then I went back and skipped a line between each paragraph. But then again when I went to print, my essay was all one paragraph. Any ideas???????
Click to expand...

adding an extra hard return between my paragraphs seemed to straighten out that problem in my ps... it seems, however, that you've already done that, so I would suggest just exiting and retrying because amcas is bitchy sometimes... also, if you're converting straight from word, make sure that you go through and change all your emdashes and quotation marks manually as they'll show up as question marks otherwise
 
Originally posted by WendsJ
When I first entered my personal essay, I used spaces for indentations. However, when I went to print my app it showed it all as one giant paragraph. So then I went back and skipped a line between each paragraph. But then again when I went to print, my essay was all one paragraph. Any ideas???????
Click to expand...

I remember reading a thread about this problem from last year. Apparently this is an AMCAS glitch but it prints out okay for the actual adcoms, as long as you put in two enters in between each paragraph. (so there's a blank line in between each paragraph.)
 
Originally posted by spumoni620
I remember reading a thread about this problem from last year. Apparently this is an AMCAS glitch but it prints out okay for the actual adcoms, as long as you put in two enters in between each paragraph. (so there's a blank line in between each paragraph.)
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I need to put in TWO enters in between each paragraph? Wouldn't that be a double space?
 
Also, when I go to print my app, it says that I have not taken any MCATs since 1991, even though I entered that I have taken it once. Is this just because the scores are not in yet?
 
Hey for you guys who sent in your transcripts did you receive an email confirmation? And if so how long did it take for them to get back to you? Just wanna make sure they got my records. thanks.
 
I just received notification from AMCAS that they have received one of my transcripts. This transcript covers the classwork that I completed during the times I was there completing 2 different degrees. I listed these two degrees in separate entries although from the same university. I was told that I only needed to submit ONE transcript for this (this has been discussed before on this forum). However, the email also lists transcripts that have still not yet been received -- one of them being the above mentioned university. Since I listed the university twice, am I to assume that this is ok?
 
Originally posted by WendsJ
I need to put in TWO enters in between each paragraph? Wouldn't that be a double space?
Click to expand...

Hit enter once so it goes to the next line. Then hit enter again so there's a blank line between paragraphs:

Not:
xxxxxxxx <hit enter once>
xxxxxxxx

But
xxxxxxx <hit enter 2x>

xxxxxxxxx
 
Originally posted by Ubu
I just received notification from AMCAS that they have received one of my transcripts. This transcript covers the classwork that I completed during the times I was there completing 2 different degrees. I listed these two degrees in separate entries although from the same university. I was told that I only needed to submit ONE transcript for this (this has been discussed before on this forum). However, the email also lists transcripts that have still not yet been received -- one of them being the above mentioned university. Since I listed the university twice, am I to assume that this is ok?
Click to expand...

I had something similar last year. When they went through the transcript they figured it out and just sent me another email as if they had gotten two transcripts (although I only sent them one).
 
Originally posted by Ubu
I just received notification from AMCAS that they have received one of my transcripts. This transcript covers the classwork that I completed during the times I was there completing 2 different degrees. I listed these two degrees in separate entries although from the same university. I was told that I only needed to submit ONE transcript for this (this has been discussed before on this forum). However, the email also lists transcripts that have still not yet been received -- one of them being the above mentioned university. Since I listed the university twice, am I to assume that this is ok?
Click to expand...

Oh no! Well....Ubu, I called them a couple of weeks ago and this is what they told me to do as well (list twice, send only 1 transcript). So....I guess it is okay, although if I were you I'd call just to make sure. I haven't received a confirmation yet but if the same thing happens to me, that's what I'll do.
 
okay. i stand corrected....🙂 (thanks tbw)
 
thanks spumoni and wonderboy!!🙂
 
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