2008-2009 AMCAS Questions Thread

[gujuDoc]

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Maybe b/c its the 2008 application, there's no option to "Load your MCAT scores"

I'm assuming what happens is... it asks you to type in an ID number... and then you type in your AAMC # from the MCAT THX

MCAT scores are already loaded. I opened my file and all past MCAT scores are up there. Its the same username you get from MCAT THX.

 

[jamesrick80]

Yep, the AAMC instruction manual is really helpful with things like this so download it.

 

[jamesrick80]

Yep, the AMCAS instruction manual is really helpful with things like this so download it.

 

[HCW212]

I'm confused about the letter of rec. part of the AMCAS. From the site:

"This section enables you to provide information about your letters of evaluation/recommendation to those medical schools that choose to receive letters of evaluation/recommendation via AMCAS.
View list of participating medical schools

Only applicants applying to participating schools must complete this section. This section does not need to be completed prior to submitting your AMCAS application.

Would you like to enter an AMCAS letter? You may add up to 10 letters of evaluation/recommendation."

At my school, the professors we elect to write the LORs send the LORs directly to the office and the office sends the whole packet out when it's complete (all letters arrived).

What do they mean by, "Would you like to enter an AMCAS letter?" Does this already get filled once my school sends out the packet or what? Or is AMCAS just asking us to give the names of those who wrote our LORs?

 

[seven87]

I plan on putting clear bullets about every one of my activities, but find myself wanting to clarify research positions with a short paragraph outlining what I did and the overall goals in addition to the bullets.

Is this okay to have bullets followed by a short paragraph explaining the specific project or should I get rid of the explaining paragraph?

 

[CyanideDN]

Quick question:

What does "Classical [Greek] Mythology" fall under for the Coursework Classification? Is it "Foreign Languages & Literature?" I looked over the 2009 AMCAS manual but it doesn't have a separate category for mythology classes.

 

[handbanana]

I have a class called "seminar in evolutionary biology" that is crosslisted in a ton of different departments. It shows up on my transcript as PHIL (philosophy) 394. Since it's crosslisted as BIOL 394, can I enter "BIOL 394" in the course number of AMCAS, just to make sure this is included in the BCPM?

Thanks.

 

[handbanana]

Quick question:

What does "Classical [Greek] Mythology" fall under for the Coursework Classification? Is it "Foreign Languages & Literature?" I looked over the 2009 AMCAS manual but it doesn't have a separate category for mythology classes.

Yeah, I don't see why not. Classification doesn't really matter unless you're talking about BCPM stuff.

 

[203712]

question all: for the transcript request, I have to two schools and have different names at each school, but same SSN#. Will AMCAS know its me?

If anyone has sent the transcripts, does the request form have all names used? Thanks in advance, and good luck to all.

 

[LizzyM]

I plan on putting clear bullets about every one of my activities, but find myself wanting to clarify research positions with a short paragraph outlining what I did and the overall goals in addition to the bullets.

Is this okay to have bullets followed by a short paragraph explaining the specific project or should I get rid of the explaining paragraph?

I think that what you propose sounds appropriate.

 

[139871]

Under which course classification would you put "Introduction to health professions"?

 

[CyanideDN]

question all: for the transcript request, I have to two schools and have different names at each school, but same SSN#. Will AMCAS know its me?

If anyone has sent the transcripts, does the request form have all names used? Thanks in advance, and good luck to all.

I printed out the transcript request form and it did have my alternate name on it, provided that I inputted my alternate name into the AMCAS.

 

[chessknt]

I'm confused about the letter of rec. part of the AMCAS. From the site:

"This section enables you to provide information about your letters of evaluation/recommendation to those medical schools that choose to receive letters of evaluation/recommendation via AMCAS.
View list of participating medical schools

Only applicants applying to participating schools must complete this section. This section does not need to be completed prior to submitting your AMCAS application.

Would you like to enter an AMCAS letter? You may add up to 10 letters of evaluation/recommendation."

At my school, the professors we elect to write the LORs send the LORs directly to the office and the office sends the whole packet out when it's complete (all letters arrived).

What do they mean by, "Would you like to enter an AMCAS letter?" Does this already get filled once my school sends out the packet or what? Or is AMCAS just asking us to give the names of those who wrote our LORs?

It is a new optional service being offered by AMCAS this year that ~15 schools are participating in. I would just stick with your institution's program or interfolio or virtualevals.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

Hope this helps everyone looking for answers to AMCAS related questions.

I'll start off with a question that I could not find an answer to, even after looking through the 2009 AMCAS Instruction Manual.

1) I took 3 classes at a community college while in high school. When adding a college in the "Schools Attended" section, it asks for the "program type". For this community college, the program type should be "junior college" and not "undergraduate", right?

Thanks!

Do you have your transcript? I took a community college class while in HS, but the transcript says "undergraduate" on it. So that's what I'm putting.

 

[priam18]

Okay, I'm starting to feel a little paranoid here...

Everytime I try to add a medical school, a page loads up that says (please wait while loading...), but nothing happens at all. I hit back, and find that the school has not been added at all.

So, anyone know what's going on?

 

[mrx2]

Okay, I'm starting to feel a little paranoid here...

Everytime I try to add a medical school, a page loads up that says (please wait while loading...), but nothing happens at all. I hit back, and find that the school has not been added at all.

So, anyone know what's going on?

You are probably using Mozilla Firefox, right? Try doing the same thing in Internet Explorer or another browser, it should work.

 

[chessknt]

Is it possible to do any sort of formatting on the PS (like italics, bolding, centering the font, etc)? It just looks so ugly when blocked out like that 🙁

 

[CoolSpot7Up]

Is it possible to do any sort of formatting on the PS (like italics, bolding, centering the font, etc)? It just looks so ugly when blocked out like that 🙁

Nope, unfortunately they don't let us add any formatting. The only thing you can do is insert hard returns between paragraphs. I wish we could put in hard returns into the activities descriptions, but if you do, it just inserts a huge tab in the middle of the text, and does not form a new paragraph.

 

[priam18]

yeah, it works, thanks 🙂

 

[j127]

So I am starting to draft out my EC descriptions and some of them have been fairly easy - things like shadowing doctors and doing clerical volunteer work are fairly self explanatory. With other activities I'm getting confused as to how much detail I should use. I used to work in finance and I was planning on taking my job description from my resume. Now that I'm entering it in, I'm realizing that maybe it might be too technical. Any advice on this?

 

[HCW212]

It is a new optional service being offered by AMCAS this year that ~15 schools are participating in. I would just stick with your institution's program or interfolio or virtualevals.

Thanks for your answer. However, on AMCAS, it says that if you plan to apply to those schools who are participating in it, then the section "must" be filled out? Are you saying to just leave it empty?

 

[cubaville]

On the transcript request form, there is a place to sign it, date it, and another blank labeled "Amount." Is that how many copies we want sent or how much each transcript costs? Dumb question I know. Go Medical College of Georgia EDP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Pedsbro]

You are probably using Mozilla Firefox, right? Try doing the same thing in Internet Explorer or another browser, it should work.

Yeah, exact same thing happened to me. They say Firefox works, but I've had tons of issues already, so just use IE.

 

[Pedsbro]

Thanks for your answer. However, on AMCAS, it says that if you plan to apply to those schools who are participating in it, then the section "must" be filled out? Are you saying to just leave it empty?

Yes, you can leave it empty. Here's a list of Interfolio clients that accept electronic delivery from Interfolio. http://www.interfolio.com/about/clients/Interfolio-MedicalSchoolReceivers.cfm


You'll note that many of the schools on the AAMC LOR service list are on here also, so they still take Interfolio letters. If you're unsure about schools that aren't on the Interfolio list, just email them.

 

[lisasimpson87]

Hmm..I want to apply to a school but am not sure if I have applied before. Back in high school, I applied to like an Early Assurance program where you do 4 years undergrad/ 4 years at the med school. I got in but decided not to go. Should I put down that I have previously applied? The only options are Regular MD, Early Decision, and Combined MD/Phd..I guess I applied to the regular MD program? Dammit I should have just gone then...jk, but this process is so stressful..Help?

 

[seven87]

On the transcript request form, there is a place to sign it, date it, and another blank labeled "Amount." Is that how many copies we want sent or how much each transcript costs? Dumb question I know. Go Medical College of Georgia EDP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
Alex

I had the same question. I just wrote in "1 transcript"...

 

[ChubbyChaser]

so what do yall think....should we put down our SAT scores for other Standardized test scores or do they just want GRE or LSAT stuff??

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Hmm..I want to apply to a school but am not sure if I have applied before. Back in high school, I applied to like an Early Assurance program where you do 4 years undergrad/ 4 years at the med school. I got in but decided not to go. Should I put down that I have previously applied? The only options are Regular MD, Early Decision, and Combined MD/Phd..I guess I applied to the regular MD program? Dammit I should have just gone then...jk, but this process is so stressful..Help?

you should put you are a reapplicant for that school....I applied EAP and Didnt get in and was told to put reapplicant.

 

[Pedsbro]

so what do yall think....should we put down our SAT scores for other Standardized test scores or do they just want GRE or LSAT stuff??

Yeah, let me know how that goes...

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Yeah, let me know how that goes...

I was just wondering because I know a few schools ask for them in there secondaries anyways.

 

[Pedsbro]

I was just wondering because I know a few schools ask for them in there secondaries anyways.

Really? I've never heard of that...but I don't think they mean SATs, I think they only mean upper level tests like GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc. I know the Texas app specifically asks for SAT scores though. The few schools that apparently want it obviously ask for it in their secondaries, but I can't imagine it's very common, so I wouldn't put it in AMCAS which goes out to everyone

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Really? I've never heard of that...but I don't think they mean SATs, I think they only mean upper level tests like GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc. I know the Texas app specifically asks for SAT scores though. The few schools that apparently want it obviously ask for it in their secondaries, but I can't imagine it's very common, so I wouldn't put it in AMCAS which goes out to everyone

yeah I think your right.

 

[l7anxtl7lvln2n]

Would qualifying for FAP be consider as economically disadvantaged?

 

[ohhowiwish]

nevermind i have a serious reading issue

 

[bozz]

1) For course name, are you guys just entering: MATH260, for example, with no spacing?

2) For grade, I'm just entering: A,B,C,D,F etc... is that what you're supposed to do? or is it 4.0, 3.0 etc..

 

[ohhowiwish]

1) For course name, are you guys just entering: MATH260, for example, with no spacing?

2) For grade, I'm just entering: A,B,C,D,F etc... is that what you're supposed to do? or is it 4.0, 3.0 etc..

1) I don't think spacing matters. I put a space only because my transcript has a space in between (actually its just a column with department then course #)

2) I'm entering my letter grade because that's how it appears on my transcript. AMCAS instruction says to list it exactly as it is on your transcript

 

[bozz]

For AP courses, you guys aren't entering grades right? I keep getting a warning that I haven't entered a grade for each AP, and it's pissing me off

 

[OldBlue]

I did some searching, but I saw conflicting answers to my question so I thought I'd post and see if anyone had any recent experience...

I took a few computer science and math courses during undergrad. The math courses were discrete math *taught by the MATH department* but the purpose of the classes were for analysis of algorithms, loop correctness, structures like binary trees, etc. Math majors at my university DO NOT take these classes, only the computer science folk. Therefore, is it more appropriate to designate these classes as "Comp Sci" on AMCAS even though my transcript says "MATH ###"?? I see justification for either classification...I just want to make sure to avoid anything that will delay my verification. I did not intend for that sentence to rhyme.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I did some searching, but I saw conflicting answers to my question so I thought I'd post and see if anyone had any recent experience...

I took a few computer science and math courses during undergrad. The math courses were discrete math *taught by the MATH department* but the purpose of the classes were for analysis of algorithms, loop correctness, structures like binary trees, etc. Math majors at my university DO NOT take these classes, only the computer science folk. Therefore, is it more appropriate to designate these classes as "Comp Sci" on AMCAS even though my transcript says "MATH ###"?? I see justification for either classification...I just want to make sure to avoid anything that will delay my verification. I did not intend for that sentence to rhyme.

Thanks in advance.

Put it as Comp sci IMO....it wont delay your app anyways...If amcas wants it as something else, they will change it

 

[bozz]

I did some searching, but I saw conflicting answers to my question so I thought I'd post and see if anyone had any recent experience...

I took a few computer science and math courses during undergrad. The math courses were discrete math *taught by the MATH department* but the purpose of the classes were for analysis of algorithms, loop correctness, structures like binary trees, etc. Math majors at my university DO NOT take these classes, only the computer science folk. Therefore, is it more appropriate to designate these classes as "Comp Sci" on AMCAS even though my transcript says "MATH ###"?? I see justification for either classification...I just want to make sure to avoid anything that will delay my verification. I did not intend for that sentence to rhyme.

Thanks in advance.

if you did well, put it under MATH (BCMP GPA)... if not, don't 😉

 

[OldBlue]

*

 

[shemarty]

I wish we could put in hard returns into the activities descriptions, but if you do, it just inserts a huge tab in the middle of the text, and does not form a new paragraph.

I tried putting hard returns into the activities description and then "print amcas" and on the preview that opens up, it looks like it did start a new paragraph...

Isn't this exactly what it looks like when they print it out?

 

[chessknt]

I cannot find this specific information, so I figured a vet could help us out. If my school lists my AP courses and awards me elective credit for them, do I need to list these on AMCAS and if so, what is the appropriate subject area for each one (ie AP euro=history or other (since it is counting as an elective)?

 

[ohhowiwish]

There's an instructional pdf at the amcas website detailing this. It says to only include AP courses that appear on your college transcript, and to describe it the way your transcript describes it. They also have the notation you're suppose to use if your transcript acknowledges it but doesn't list any course equivalent.

For the majority of people, there is not supposed to be any grade attached to your AP credit (I heard of some rare odd universities that do though, but they're in the minority)

 

[Raryn]

There's an instructional pdf at the amcas website detailing this. It says to only include AP courses that appear on your college transcript, and to describe it the way your transcript describes it. They also have the notation you're suppose to use if your transcript acknowledges it but doesn't list any course equivalent.

For the majority of people, there is not supposed to be any grade attached to your AP credit (I heard of some rare odd universities that do though, but they're in the minority)

Aye, and if I remember correctly it says, if in doubt of where they go, put them under your first semester Freshman year. Only if they show up on the transcript *somewhere* though.

 

[UVAbme2009]

So for the LOR section, do I absolutely have to use it if one of the schools I am applying to shows up on the list?

You are not required to complete this section prior to submission, or if you are applying only to medical schools that do not receive letters of evaluation/recommendation via AMCAS.

To ensure your letters are matched correctly with your application, we ask that they be accompanied by the AMCAS Letter Request Form. Please print this form and provide it to the person who will be sending your letter(s) of evaluation.

This is beyond stupid if you ask me. What am I supposed to do here? Can I have them still send everything to Interfolio, and then I send the letter to AMCAS? Am I supposed to have them submit the AMCAS Letter Request Form with their LOR? Or is my AMCAS ID on all of the Interfolio letter packets enough? I already have one LOR, so I don't want to have to go back and ask for them to do this over again.

*EDIT*

Okay, so a few calls to some schools and AMCAS has given me the answer. If you are applying to any school listed on AMCAS as accepting LORs through AMCAS, you MUST send them through AMCAS. Now I have to go inform all of my letter writers that they have to include the letter ID when they submit to Interfolio.

 

[pinkblue]

anyone?

 

[COdoubleMO2theN]

Check out those schools' websites, I know for sure that Georgetown requires use of that system- their site says any LORs received other than through AMCAS will be discarded.

 

[TarHeelBorn]

My stats class was under the psych department, listed as "PSYC 030" and it was accepted as a BCPM class, no problems.

 

[CoolSpot7Up]

I tried putting hard returns into the activities description and then "print amcas" and on the preview that opens up, it looks like it did start a new paragraph...

Isn't this exactly what it looks like when they print it out?

oh weird, that didn't happen for me. maybe i'll try putting in an extra return and see if it works.