2009-2010 AMCAS Questions Thread

[gujuDoc]

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quick question - Once everything is set up with amacs and i submit my app how long does it take them to process and send to med-schools?

And also, it appears that most people submit their app to amacs before they get their mcat scores. i guess amacs verifies everything and then just waits for your mcat before they send it?

I think they still send it but schools hang on until your score is there and they must notify them when it is out.

It will vary in how long it takes to process it depending on when you send it. In the past it seems like people could have sent it right away in June and be verified in 3 days whereas people who sent it late like me this year had a month to wait before it was verified.

 

[Phitenks]

This is a pretty late question, but generally speaking, how much does it cost for the primary application for each school? I can't seem to find the fee for the primary app. I have the MSAR and see each school's secondary application fee varying, but nothing about the primary.

 

[Raryn]

This is a pretty late question, but generally speaking, how much does it cost for the primary application for each school? I can't seem to find the fee for the primary app. I have the MSAR and see each school's secondary application fee varying, but nothing about the primary.

$160 for the first school+$31 for every school thereafter.

 

[gujuDoc]

$160 for the first school+$31 for every school thereafter.

Yah they upped it by 1 dollar for the additional schools. It used to be 30 per additional schools. Such a rip off these people are. And what's worse is secondaries cost another arm and a leg esp. at the private schools.

 

[BlueElmo]

You guys think "Ethics in Science and Engineering" counts as humanities/philosophy?

 

[Appless]

You guys think "Ethics in Science and Engineering" counts as humanities/philosophy?

Ethics counts as "Philosophy/Religion (PHIL)."

 

[Caprica6]

Does anyone know about how long it takes for AAMCAS to update information regarding receiving transcripts. I've attended three seperate schools and I got an e-mail from AAMCAS saying they've received one of my transcripts. I contacted the register for one of the other schools and they said they sent my transcript out on the 12th. How long should I wait before I contact AAMCAS?

 

[pitt1166]

Yep, I requested two transcripts, one for myself and one for AMCAS. I've recieved mine, but haven't gotten that confirmation email from AMCAS yet. I figure they might be a little behind.

 

[mvenus929]

quick question - Once everything is set up with amacs and i submit my app how long does it take them to process and send to med-schools?

And also, it appears that most people submit their app to amacs before they get their mcat scores. i guess amacs verifies everything and then just waits for your mcat before they send it?

It depends on when you submit. If you submit at the beginning of June, you'll be verified pretty quickly and you'll wait another couple weeks before AMCAS sends the information out to schools (usually in the 3rd week of June). If you submit at the end of June, you'll be verified in a couple of weeks and as soon as you're verified your application will be sent out to schools.

I'm actually not sure if AMCAS will send your primary without an MCAT score. I know if you're retaking it, and list it as such, schools will generally wait to look at your application until you get your new MCAT score. But, I waited until after I got my score to submit a couple years ago.

Hey, so in high school I took some dual enrollment courses at a local community college. but now when I'm trying to input that college on my list of schools attended, I don't really understand how to list the "Program Type" because the only options are like undergraduate, graduate, post-bac, and some other ones that don't really fit. What should I put?

Undergraduate. You don't have a bachelor's yet.

 

[computerdorkdan]

My school does the +/- stuff. I just got my biochem 2 grade changed from an A- to an A (92.46...sigh). Fun part is, my transcript went out this morning, with the A- on it.

Any idea what the process is to get the grade changed in my app?

 

[Caprica6]

If you go to the help section regarding transcript requests I believe there is a number to call if you have sent out incorrect transcripts

 

[Phitenks]

$160 for the first school+$31 for every school thereafter.

Thanks! I found that info somewhere else, but didn't know if it was right. I wanted to double check.

Yah they upped it by 1 dollar for the additional schools. It used to be 30 per additional schools. Such a rip off these people are. And what's worse is secondaries cost another arm and a leg esp. at the private schools.

Yup. And considering I'm below average on a few things, I have to apply to more schools. Ugh...

SNIP

Completely off topic, but I like Battlestar too! I found out at Target you can get season 2 and 2.5 for under $40. CRAZY!

 

[skeptic29]

Hey guys,

Do you know how I'll be able to tell whether or not AMCAS has recieved my transcript? I had it mailed a few days ago.

Also, I'm not taking my MCATs till june 18th, but will I be able to send my application before my scores come in or do I have to wait until they're in before I submit the application?

 

[meliora27]

I've got a couple of questions about listing work/activities.

How are internships listed? I was a congressional intern for two summers, each summer for a different member of Congress. Do I list this twice?

Also, there seems to be a fine line between EC's and leadership. For example, several EC's I was involved in were by application and interview process to identify "student leaders on campus" or some jazz like that.

Thanks!

 

[gujuDoc]

I've got a couple of questions about listing work/activities.

How are internships listed? I was a congressional intern for two summers, each summer for a different member of Congress. Do I list this twice?

Also, there seems to be a fine line between EC's and leadership. For example, several EC's I was involved in were by application and interview process to identify "student leaders on campus" or some jazz like that.

Thanks!

I would PM LizzyM on this one. She posts in the other AMCAS thread dedicated to work/activities. I'm not sure what to do.

If the internship was paid you could list it as employment. I'm not sure I understand your question about leadership.

 

[osumc2014]

Are random hobbies like playing the guitar or drawing worth putting under work/activities section?

 

[BlueElmo]

Are random hobbies like playing the guitar or drawing worth putting under work/activities section?

Probably if you have space left.

 

[gujuDoc]

Probably if you have space left.

I think it looks like padding when you put them just for the sake of putting them. it is better to leave this stuff to secondaries that specifically ask about such. Your EC section is meant to serve as a resume and in a professional resume you'd not really go into detail about stuff that is not a big deal but a once in a while thing. Now if you are like my family friend who may spend a whole year to do one painting and that painting is like a professional, in this case drawing for you. Or you spend time drawing and it is like stuff that a person could say a professional did and you spend a lot of time doing it I'd list it.

Guitar, I think it depends on whether you consider playing guitar just a few strings being strummed doing whatever or whether you are actually any good and use this skill in a useful way i.e. as part of a band, as part of a church group thing, to perform for others, etc.

 

[verie44]

Hi, does anyone know details about the pass/fail checkbox on your course input information? Do you check pass/fail for a course if the school only offered it pass/fail, and not check it if the school offered letter grades and you took it pass/fail? Or do you check it if you took it pass/fail no matter what grading options that the school offered are? I'm still confused after reading the official information, which really doesn't address the question I have (my school only has two grades on pass fail classes: pass or fail).


This is what the official information says:
Pass / Fail
Pass/Fail courses are those that are attempted under a Pass/Fail system that allows no more than two passing grades and one failing grade (e.g., Credit/No Credit, Pass/Fail, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, High Pass/Pass/Fail, etc.).
Pass/Fail courses attempted under a Pass/Fail system that allows three or more passing grades (e.g. High Pass/Pass/Low Pass/Fail) will be treated as a regular pass/fail course unless your school provides alpha letter grade conversion (e.g. A, B, C).

 

[osumc2014]

I think it looks like padding when you put them just for the sake of putting them. it is better to leave this stuff to secondaries that specifically ask about such. Your EC section is meant to serve as a resume and in a professional resume you'd not really go into detail about stuff that is not a big deal but a once in a while thing. Now if you are like my family friend who may spend a whole year to do one painting and that painting is like a professional, in this case drawing for you. Or you spend time drawing and it is like stuff that a person could say a professional did and you spend a lot of time doing it I'd list it.

Guitar, I think it depends on whether you consider playing guitar just a few strings being strummed doing whatever or whether you are actually any good and use this skill in a useful way i.e. as part of a band, as part of a church group thing, to perform for others, etc.

Hmm occasionally I try to display my art or put it in local auctions. Also I do play the guitar as a back up in my church group but that is not so often.

 

[Schwann]

I am pretty sure someone asked this, but why is shadowing under other rather than volunteering? I put it under volunteering.

 

[mkj07]

Quick question:

Under work/activities section, if I am a part of my university's sports medicine program do I categorize this as "intercollegiate athletics", "extracurriculars", or "other"?

Thanks!

 

[gujuDoc]

Quick question:

Under work/activities section, if I am a part of my university's sports medicine program do I categorize this as "intercollegiate athletics", "extracurriculars", or "other"?

Thanks!

I'm confused as to what this program is? Are you part of the intercollegiate athletic dept helping the athletes out? I'm confused. I could better advise if I knew more about what you mean by sports medicine program.

LizzyM may also be a better person to answer this too. She posts in the other thread about amcas work activities.

 

[gujuDoc]

I am pretty sure someone asked this, but why is shadowing under other rather than volunteering? I put it under volunteering.

Other. Put it under Other because you are not actually volunteering. I was almost going to put it under volunteering one time because I got my hours recorded but it is misleading to say volunteering because it is not volunteering. you are not actually doing something but rather just observing.

so that's why other is the best category.

They should create a new tab in amcas called other clinical activities or one just for shadowing. But sadly they have not yet advanced that far and seeing how many years it took to get letters organized into amcas rather then other means, it will be years before they advance to such. LOL.

 

[gujuDoc]

Edit: NM. I just realized I answered your post.

 

[schizosquirrel]

Question about psych courses. I took a lot of courses in the Psych department that have bio components to them (like Biopsych, pain perception psychology or Evolutionary Psychology). They all had some biology in them, but more so, were more social science/psych courses (psych is always a hard subject to really describe). They're listed on my transcript as PSYCH courses, some of which are technically in the Social Sciences Divisions, others of which are technically in the Natural Sciences Division. How should I list them on my AMCAS/will they be included in my AMCAS BCMP GPA?

 

[snitchseeker88]

In the activities section, I'm a UNICEF volunteer...and I have trick-or-treated for UNICEF every year in college by collecting money for a month or two before hand, and on Halloween night. I also set up a fundraiser website in the past, and have donated money here and there, but the main thing is still Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. It's pretty important to me (which is why I still do it)...can I include this somewhere in activities, or is it pushing it since technically the main thing I did was only in one block each year?

 

[CielloStelatto]

Question about psych courses. I took a lot of courses in the Psych department that have bio components to them (like Biopsych, pain perception psychology or Evolutionary Psychology). They all had some biology in them, but more so, were more social science/psych courses (psych is always a hard subject to really describe). They're listed on my transcript as PSYCH courses, some of which are technically in the Social Sciences Divisions, others of which are technically in the Natural Sciences Division. How should I list them on my AMCAS/will they be included in my AMCAS BCMP GPA?

List them based on what you think the class was most about. That is, if biopsych was primarily biology, then list it as biology. If not, then you have to do psych. If AMCAS disagrees, they will either change it or ask you about it. Your sGPA will be calculated from courses listed as BCMP on your AMCAS app.

In the activities section, I'm a UNICEF volunteer...and I have trick-or-treated for UNICEF every year in college by collecting money for a month or two before hand, and on Halloween night. I also set up a fundraiser website in the past, and have donated money here and there, but the main thing is still Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. It's pretty important to me (which is why I still do it)...can I include this somewhere in activities, or is it pushing it since technically the main thing I did was only in one block each year?

If it's important to you, list it. If you just did it because it was easy and didn't mean much to you, leave it off.

Are random hobbies like playing the guitar or drawing worth putting under work/activities section?

If it's an occasional thing, leave it off. If it's really important to you, might as well list it, though I would group them together. According to some post I read elsewhere, adcoms like to hear things that you do for fun, or to de-stress, because it makes you look more human. Then, you can expand on those in your secondaries.

 

[245399]

I went to a county college and a university for undergrad, and I went to the same county college and university for my post bac.
When I designate the school, you can only list it as undergrad or post bac, so I made an undergrad listing for each school and a post bac listing for each school.

For example:

I went to the School of Hard Knocks from 2002 - 2006 and got a degree in may 2006. I went back SHN for post bac work in fall 2008. There is no way that I noticed I could get all that under one listing that would reflect both undergrad and post bac work. It looks like it has to be all undergrad or all the post bac, so I made two separate entries. It was much easier on AACOMAS.


Is that the correct way to do it?
It seems to be the only way to have your undergrad and post bac GPA calculated accurately.

 

[gujuDoc]

I went to a county college and a university for undergrad, and I went to the same county college and university for my post bac.
When I designate the school, you can only list it as undergrad or post bac, so I made an undergrad listing for each school and a post bac listing for each school.

For example:

I went to the School of Hard Knocks from 2002 - 2006 and got a degree in may 2006. I went back SHN for post bac work in fall 2008. There is no way that I noticed I could get all that under one listing that would reflect both undergrad and post bac work. It looks like it has to be all undergrad or all the post bac, so I made two separate entries. It was much easier on AACOMAS.


Is that the correct way to do it?
It seems to be the only way to have your undergrad and post bac GPA calculated accurately.

Although you would send only one transcript to them, you will have to list separate degrees separately. Postbac usually indicates you've graduated from a university once before so put the time frame for that specific university where you got the degree and then list it again if it is for post bac with the post bac time frame.

 

[BlueElmo]

Is it required to assign letters to medical schools when I submit my primary?

Right now, I obviously don't have any secondaries and I don't really know which of my 5 letters I want to assign to specific schools.

Can I assign letters to medical schools later when I start getting my secondaries?

 

[gujuDoc]

Hmm occasionally I try to display my art or put it in local auctions. Also I do play the guitar as a back up in my church group but that is not so often.

That sounds more like something noteworthy to put in. Yah you could group them together though and mention these things not that you do art only or that you play guitar only but in the context you presented above.

 

[gujuDoc]

Is it required to assign letters to medical schools when I submit my primary?

Right now, I obviously don't have any secondaries and I don't really know which of my 5 letters I want to assign to specific schools.

Can I assign letters to medical schools later when I start getting my secondaries?

To the bolded the answer is yes. To the original question, no you don't have to do it from now.

 

[BlueElmo]

To the bolded the answer is yes. To the original question, no you don't have to do it from now.

Thanks guju.
So do you know if AMCAS sends letters to schools only when schools have sent applicants secondaries and actually request letters from AMCAS?

I guess I'm asking, AMCAS doesn't send out letters with primaries, right?

 

[gujuDoc]

Thanks guju.
So do you know if AMCAS sends letters to schools only when schools have sent applicants secondaries and actually request letters from AMCAS?

I guess I'm asking, AMCAS doesn't send out letters with primaries, right?

No last year I added my letters much later. they only send it once you add them and designate schools. If you add after submission you just resubmit after you designate where you want them sent to and add them into your thing and they get sent.

 

[BlueElmo]

No last year I added my letters much later. they only send it once you add them and designate schools. If you add after submission you just resubmit after you designate where you want them sent to and add them into your thing and they get sent.

wait, so if I designate right now, letters will be sent out with primary?

 

[gujuDoc]

wait, so if I designate right now, letters will be sent out with primary?

You know I'm not sure if they would send it now or when you get secondaries. But remember submission isn't until 2nd of June anyways so it doesn't make a huge difference as it is.

Oddly enough I still get notifications about the 2 letters I sent to AMCAS but didn't add to amcas because I had accidentally sent them 2x, even now that AMCAS 2009 is over. Its kinda funny.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

You know I'm not sure if they would send it now or when you get secondaries. But remember submission isn't until 2nd of June anyways so it doesn't make a huge difference as it is.

Oddly enough I still get notifications about the 2 letters I sent to AMCAS but didn't add to amcas because I had accidentally sent them 2x, even now that AMCAS 2009 is over. Its kinda funny.

Hey Guju. Did you get in? I'm re-applying this upcoming cycle.

 

[gujuDoc]

Hey Guju. Did you get in? I'm re-applying this upcoming cycle.

Not this round. But I'm trying to get in an SMP. On W/Ls at all of them except USF IMS which rejected me on the basis that they said I'm overqualified. It was quite absurd cuz it was the head of their admissions committee and their assoc director and REL who told me to do it. But whatever. We'll see what happens. Once I determine what's going on then I'll finish redoing what i want to in my essay for amcas and what not and send it out.

 

[gujuDoc]

Hey Guju. Did you get in? I'm re-applying this upcoming cycle.

Just reread your post and saw that you said RE-applying not applying first time. Well I will join you in this party. haha.

But you know what??? My friends who have had to apply a couple times have had luck on the second time around. So keep the faith up. 🙂

 

[MedStudentWanna]

But you know what??? My friends who have had to apply a couple times have had luck on the second time around. So keep the faith up.

Amen. I'm applying MD and DO.

 

[junkct]

question about coursework:

when designating course classifications, should I designate them based on the department at my school or based on the AMCAS instructions? Biochemistry at my school is taken through the biology dept, but according to the amcas instructions we are supposed to designate it as CHEM... which one should it be (in all honesty, content-wise it really was more of a bio class)

 

[NOLA1]

.

 

[aquariuscharm]

Could someone please translate the following:

"If you attended this school for summer school only, or if you were involved in a study abroad program through this school that was not affiliated with a foreign school, click the appropriate check box."

The more I read it, the more unclear these instructions become. If you've studied abroad, you're supposed to list the corresponding foreign institution under "Schools Attended," which I did. In the college form, there is an "Other Option" section where one of the options is "Study Abroad program through this U.S. college, not affiliated with a foreign school."

This is misleading because the school for which this applies is foreign, not U.S. It's not mandatory to select this option even if it's applicable, so I opted not to check this box. However, I do want to convey that this foreign, or "other school" was the one through which I completed a school-affliated study abroad program.

Does it matter to even check the "Study Abroad program through this U.S. college, not affiliated with a foreign school" option?

 

[BlueElmo]

Please pardon me if this question is redundant; I read up to the tenth page, but saw no mention of this...

I have 3 LoR's already in my Interfolio account. Should I enter each of them as an "individual" letter, or should I choose the "packet" option and enter Interfolio as the "school" or "institution"? If the latter, who did you put down as the primary author - just any one of the LoR authors included in the "packet"?

I was going to try to enter my 3 LoR's individually, but then when I went to enter the first one, AMCAS stated that each of my LoR's needed to be accompanied with a special AMCAS form.

I would say individual letters because then you can pick and choose which to send.

 

[flip26]

Could someone please translate the following:

"If you attended this school for summer school only, or if you were involved in a study abroad program through this school that was not affiliated with a foreign school, click the appropriate check box."

The more I read it, the more unclear these instructions become. If you've studied abroad, you're supposed to list the corresponding foreign institution under "Schools Attended," which I did. In the college form, there is an "Other Option" section where one of the options is "Study Abroad program through this U.S. college, not affiliated with a foreign school."

This is misleading because the school for which this applies is foreign, not U.S. It's not mandatory to select this option even if it's applicable, so I opted not to check this box. However, I do want to convey that this foreign, or "other school" was the one through which I completed a school-affliated study abroad program.

Does it matter to even check the "Study Abroad program through this U.S. college, not affiliated with a foreign school" option?

Which colleges did you "pay money" to / enroll in/through? The key to this conundrum, I think, is to list only US colleges which enrolled you in the program and received the grade report / transcript, or acted as the intermediary for the grade report, before it got back to your home school - not too sure I understand your situation, but it sounds like you are describing attending a program at Foreign College A that was affiliated with Foreign College B - is that the situation? If that is the case, I don't know the answer, but personally I would not list the second foreign college....

I did 2 different study abroad programs - and for the life of me I do not understand the very issue you are raising here - why is "not affiliated with a foreign school" included in that option (i.e., what exactly does that phrase mean?).

I find AMCAS unnecessarily complex on some of these matters, and I have gotten mixed answers from faceless AMCAS "help" staff. I fear my app will fall into some sort of black hole holding pattern...I am seriously considering requesting an in person meeting next week with someone at AMCAS (I live fairly close to DC)...

 

[BlueElmo]

I find AMCAS unnecessarily complex on some of these matters, and I have gotten mixed answers from faceless AMCAS "help" staff. I fear my app will fall into some sort of black hole holding pattern...I am seriously considering requesting an in person meeting next week with someone at AMCAS (I live fairly close to DC)...

I know AMCAS itself is a tad bit confusing, but I found their help/customer service consistent and helpful.👍

 

[aquariuscharm]

AMCAS instructions for study abroad...

Study Abroad Course Work

Courses attempted through a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution must be entered.

I assume this means an affiliated study abroad program, which is what I did. The credits I earned at the foreign institution were transferred to my university and are listed on my transcript. As far as tuition goes, I'm sure a portion of the program fees I paid went toward that.

· Include the foreign institution and the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institution in your list of colleges attended.

As you can see, the foreign school where I earned credit needs to be listed. For my application, it was listed as an "other school" in the general college form you fill out. This general form has the "other options" section with the confusing statement posted previously. I'm not sure if it applies to the foreign school (Universidad de Guadalajara), which is clearly not a U.S. college... and what does AMCAS mean by "... not affiliated with a foreign school" ?


· List study abroad course work under the foreign college at which it was attempted and as it appears on the sponsoring US or Canadian institution's transcript.
· If the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institution provides letter grades (e.g., A, B, C, etc.) and credit hours convertible to semester hours for each course on their transcript or on an official letter attached to their transcript:
· Enter all required course data.
· AMCAS will include this course work in AMCAS GPAs.

 

[SteinUmStein]

My undergraduate institution uses a course credit system rather than a credit hour system. We equate 1 course credit with 3.5 standard "credit hours" when transferring courses in or out of the system. So for AMCAS, do I just do this conversion myself and enter the course credit result?

Example: I am in a music ensemble worth 0.25 course credits each semester, but when converted this results in an awkward 0.875 credit hours, which AMCAS promptly rounds to 0.88. Is this acceptable? What should I do, just enter it as 0.88 credit hours and continue converting like this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[not respect]

don't need to convert, amcas will do it for you based on info that your school gives them