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I put all my info for work, extracurriculars, and work in chronological order. When I view my application profile, it puts everything in a different order and not chronological. Does anyone know how to fix it? It would be appreciated!!!🙂
 
Grey Wind said:
What kind of writing style are you guys using for describing work experience? Is it full blown paragraphs or short, to the point writing like one would use in a CV?
Click to expand...

I would think short and to the point. It's easy to read and see what you've done quickly.
 
Hello all:
I took some dual-enrollment credit during my last two years of high school. Is this considered freshman level credit? How should I post it in the AACOMAS? Thanks for your help! 🙂
 
Is it under the "Extracurricular, Volunteer, Community Service" section where I list my shadowing experience?

Or another part of the application? As always thanks.
 
Turkelton said:
Is it under the "Extracurricular, Volunteer, Community Service" section where I list my shadowing experience?

Or another part of the application? As always thanks.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's where it goes, unless you got into a paid shadowing program--then it would be work experience.
 
PreDOMD2010 said:
Hello all:
I took some dual-enrollment credit during my last two years of high school. Is this considered freshman level credit? How should I post it in the AACOMAS? Thanks for your help! 🙂
Click to expand...

I did the same thing and I counted those hours as freshman.
 
wishintobedoc said:
I put all my info for work, extracurriculars, and work in chronological order. When I view my application profile, it puts everything in a different order and not chronological. Does anyone know how to fix it? It would be appreciated!!!🙂
Click to expand...

I'm having the same friggin problem, when I enter the data into each section it appears fine, but then I go to my application profile/summary the info is slightly out of order? Should I worry about such a trivial thing?

Also since there seems to be no way to fix this glitch, which is more important, to have the individual sections in chronological order or is it better to have the application profile/summary in order?
 
How does updating schools (MD and DO) work with AACOMAS and AMCAS??? I'm retaking, with scores set to come out in like August, do I send them directly to schools?? Through the primary services?? And if so, they allow this, right?
 
Last edited:
I had a few quick questions:

1. I don't quite understand the course classification drop-down list...do I leave it as what it is set at (it says advanced placement) if it is just a regular course, or do I change it to something different?

2. Should I set up group all of my shadowing experiences into 1 activity or do different ones for each doctor?

3. Should I include trivial summer jobs (landscape work, etc.) under work experience or mainly only jobs that have relevance to medicine?

Thanks for the help!
 
HawkGuy said:
I had a few quick questions:

1. I don't quite understand the course classification drop-down list...do I leave it as what it is set at (it says advanced placement) if it is just a regular course, or do I change it to something different?

2. Should I set up group all of my shadowing experiences into 1 activity or do different ones for each doctor?

3. Should I include trivial summer jobs (landscape work, etc.) under work experience or mainly only jobs that have relevance to medicine?

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

I had the same questions for 1 and 3. Anyone know?
For 2, I would group them all into shadowing but definitely mention the hours and that it was with different doctors/specialties (if it was different specialties).
 
UWBadger24 said:
I had the same questions for 1 and 3. Anyone know?
For 2, I would group them all into shadowing but definitely mention the hours and that it was with different doctors/specialties (if it was different specialties).
Click to expand...


For your first question, I just put mine down as "None."
 
JaggerPlate said:
How does updating schools (MD and DO) work with AACOMAS and AMCAS??? I'm retaking, with scores set to come out in like August, do I send them directly to schools?? Through the primary services?? And if so, they allow this, right?
Click to expand...

Any help ??
 
beckhunter116 said:
LOL :meanie: I had to cut so much off. I don't know how that can be considered long.
Click to expand...

That's a bit long to me, too. My job wasn't that interesting. :laugh:

wishintobedoc said:
I put all my info for work, extracurriculars, and work in chronological order. When I view my application profile, it puts everything in a different order and not chronological. Does anyone know how to fix it? It would be appreciated!!!🙂
Click to expand...

Turkelton said:
I'm having the same friggin problem, when I enter the data into each section it appears fine, but then I go to my application profile/summary the info is slightly out of order? Should I worry about such a trivial thing?

Also since there seems to be no way to fix this glitch, which is more important, to have the individual sections in chronological order or is it better to have the application profile/summary in order?
Click to expand...

Don't worry about fixing how it looks in the end; AACOMAS is weird like that and it's not something you're responsible for. You'll be fine as is.

PreDOMD2010 said:
Hello all:
I took some dual-enrollment credit during my last two years of high school. Is this considered freshman level credit? How should I post it in the AACOMAS? Thanks for your help! 🙂
Click to expand...

You can input any class you took for college credit as long as it appears on a college transcript and has a grade.

JaggerPlate said:
How does updating schools (MD and DO) work with AACOMAS and AMCAS??? I'm retaking, with scores set to come out in like August, do I send them directly to schools?? Through the primary services?? And if so, they allow this, right?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you just release the scores to AACOMAS as you would any others, who then update your applicant profile and send the new info to the schools.

HawkGuy said:
3. Should I include trivial summer jobs (landscape work, etc.) under work experience or mainly only jobs that have relevance to medicine?
Click to expand...

Include any work experience you've had, regardless of relevance to medicine.
 
Semicolon said:
I'm pretty sure you just release the scores to AACOMAS as you would any others, who then update your applicant profile and send the new info to the schools.
Click to expand...

Cool. That's what I figured but someone was talking earlier about not being able to update AACOMAS?? So I got confused. I'm planning on submitting early with my old scores, then taking July, which will mean I'll release the newest ones in August. Does anyone know how long it takes them to update the schools?? And if it's a while, can you send them to schools yourself??
 
I had a question about transcripts which you turn in to AACOMAS. I took 2 community college courses: precalculus, and descriptive physics (physics w/o math) during the summers after my freshman year and sophmore year in high school. I hear that you must turn in all trancripts from college courses, but do these count? I got a C in precalculus and an A in the physics course (if I'm remembering correctly) which averages to around 3.0 and this will bring down my cum. gpa if it's counted. Do college level courses that someone takes when their 14 years old actually factor into the medical school application process? I was going to send this transcript in, but I just wanted to check here to see if someone knew whether or not this was absolutely necessary. It seems a bit wierd to have these classes come back and haunt me after all these years... if medical schools look at this, they ought to look at my high school gpa too, lol.
 
Okay..

So, I went to undergrad out of state, during one summer I took a course at a local University. Fast forward several years after I graduated.. I returned to school to pursue Medicine at the local University..

So how exactly do i list the school. I did not attend from summer 2000 to 2009. Do I make two different University things? does that mean I have to send two different transcripts?
 
Black Adder said:
I had a question about transcripts which you turn in to AACOMAS. I took 2 community college courses: precalculus, and descriptive physics (physics w/o math) during the summers after my freshman year and sophmore year in high school. I hear that you must turn in all trancripts from college courses, but do these count? I got a C in precalculus and an A in the physics course (if I'm remembering correctly) which averages to around 3.0 and this will bring down my cum. gpa if it's counted. Do college level courses that someone takes when their 14 years old actually factor into the medical school application process? I was going to send this transcript in, but I just wanted to check here to see if someone knew whether or not this was absolutely necessary. It seems a bit wierd to have these classes come back and haunt me after all these years... if medical schools look at this, they ought to look at my high school gpa too, lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah unfortunately you do have to submit every college transcript, including the CC transcript from way back then. I wouldn't worry about it though considering your grades have improved since then, which shows that you've matured as a student.
 
Hey, I did a lot at my jobs so I want it all included!!! And I put it in bullets so I don't think it looks too dense. It is to the point.

Anyways for all the people who had dual-enrollment, when I said I listed it as freshman, I meant I listed it as part of freshman until I got past 30 hours then it became sophmore, after 61 became junior, ect. I used the hours they gave on the detailed instructions part.
 
Black Adder said:
I had a question about transcripts which you turn in to AACOMAS. I took 2 community college courses: precalculus, and descriptive physics (physics w/o math) during the summers after my freshman year and sophmore year in high school. I hear that you must turn in all trancripts from college courses, but do these count? I got a C in precalculus and an A in the physics course (if I'm remembering correctly) which averages to around 3.0 and this will bring down my cum. gpa if it's counted. Do college level courses that someone takes when their 14 years old actually factor into the medical school application process? I was going to send this transcript in, but I just wanted to check here to see if someone knew whether or not this was absolutely necessary. It seems a bit wierd to have these classes come back and haunt me after all these years... if medical schools look at this, they ought to look at my high school gpa too, lol.
Click to expand...

Yes, this counts toward GPA and it has to be sent in.
 
Yea, that's what I was thinking. Just wish I was aware of this stuff when I was in high school.... oh well.
 
Black Adder said:
Yea, that's what I was thinking. Just wish I was aware of this stuff when I was in high school.... oh well.
Click to expand...
I know, I took an intro to engineering that brings down my science GPA .1 when I was 15 so it sucks 😡.
 
New question...

I took the MCAT a month ago and I got the scores, and I took it again this Saturday (5/2)and I plan on submitting my AACOMAS app. by the middle of may before this latest scores come out. Under the "Status" option for entering your scores do I enter it as "Planned" or "Taken"? I ask this because if I enter it as "Taken" it asks me to enter my scores.... which I don't know yet.
 
Black Adder said:
New question...

I took the MCAT a month ago and I got the scores, and I took it again this Saturday (5/2)and I plan on submitting my AACOMAS app. by the middle of may before this latest scores come out. Under the "Status" option for entering your scores do I enter it as "Planned" or "Taken"? I ask this because if I enter it as "Taken" it asks me to enter my scores.... which I don't know yet.
Click to expand...

If you have to enter scores in when you select "Taken", then select "Planned". It won't matter in the end.
 
JaggerPlate said:
Cool. That's what I figured but someone was talking earlier about not being able to update AACOMAS?? So I got confused. I'm planning on submitting early with my old scores, then taking July, which will mean I'll release the newest ones in August. Does anyone know how long it takes them to update the schools?? And if it's a while, can you send them to schools yourself??
Click to expand...

I'm reapplying this year, and went through the updating of new MCAT scores to schools during the middle of this last app cycle.

There is two ways to go about this:

1. The slow way- release set of new scores from MCAT THX to AACOMAS. AACOMAS will then forward this on to all schools you've applied to.

2. The fast way- release set of new scores from MCAT THX to AACOMAS.
AACOMAS will then forward this on to all schools you've applied to. In addition print off the MCAT THX website your new set of scores, and fax them to each school you've applied to. The school will use your unofficial fax for your file review, which will get the ball moving. My advice is before the scores are posted have a list of all fax numbers ready to go.
 
Turkelton said:
I'm reapplying this year, and went through the updating of new MCAT scores to schools during the middle of this last app cycle.

There is two ways to go about this:

1. The slow way- release set of new scores from MCAT THX to AACOMAS. AACOMAS will then forward this on to all schools you've applied to.

2. The fast way- release set of new scores from MCAT THX to AACOMAS.
AACOMAS will then forward this on to all schools you've applied to. In addition print off the MCAT THX website your new set of scores, and fax them to each school you've applied to. The school will use your unofficial fax for your file review, which will get the ball moving. My advice is before the scores are posted have a list of all fax numbers ready to go.
Click to expand...

Excellent. Seriously, just the advice I was looking for. Thanks for making a crappy situation much easier to handle 👍
 
How are you guys getting bullets to work on your app? If I use word, the format is all off. Is there some easy way to do to and I don't know about it. Thanks for the help🙂
 
wishintobedoc said:
How are you guys getting bullets to work on your app? If I use word, the format is all off. Is there some easy way to do to and I don't know about it. Thanks for the help🙂
Click to expand...

I'm either going to just reformat it after I paste it in or use a - instead of bullet.

Anyone else have an opinion on what is easiest or best? Thanks!
 
I cannot not get the EC's, community, and volunteer to be in the correct order. I spent a lot of time making sure everything was in order to find that when you view the application summary, it scrambles them. Does it matter that I changed them around after initially putting everything in? Should I just not worry and leave it out of order?
 
I have a few questions about entering physician shadowing into AACOMAS.

What do I put as organization as I am entering multiple Dr. under one entry?

I plan on entering them like this:
Dr. X, DO Family Medicine and Occupational Medicine
  • Observed occupational physicals, cosmetic injections of BOTOX, and osteopathic manipulative therapy for sinuses, headaches, and back pain.
Dr. Y, DO Pediatric Anesthesiologist
  • Discussed anesthesiology and observed two surgeries.
Dr. Z, MD Emergency Medicine
  • Observed lacerations being stitched, accompanied a patient to their ultrasound, and viewed x-rays and CT-scans with the physician.
Is that too short of a description? I have a more detailed description of each to review when I (hopefully) get interviews. Or am I supposed to discuss more of the doctor patient interaction? Any help would be great! Thanks!
 
How long does it take for old MCAT scores to be processed by aacomas?
It is still showing up on my aacomas file as 'no scores on file'.
I had the MCAT Thx send my old scores to aacomas 3 days ago.
 
wishintobedoc said:
I cannot not get the EC's, community, and volunteer to be in the correct order. I spent a lot of time making sure everything was in order to find that when you view the application summary, it scrambles them. Does it matter that I changed them around after initially putting everything in? Should I just not worry and leave it out of order?
Click to expand...

Others had this problem I don't think there is anything we can do about this. Unless you want to email/call AACOMS and ask.
 
beckhunter116 said:
Others had this problem I don't think there is anything we can do about this. Unless you want to email/call AACOMS and ask.
Click to expand...

Oh, trust me I have called/e-mailed already. They said it should be fixed soon, but that was several days ago. We'll see.
 
For being on the dean's list, are you guys entering each semester you got it? Cuz the "awards, honors, scholarships" page asks for month and year of the award and I don't know if there's a way to enter all the semesters together.

Thanks!
 
So for community college classes that you took while you were in high school what would you say for the "Start" and "End Date" if you took one class in the summer 2001 and another class summer of 2002? If I enter my start date as 2001 and end date as 2002 would this be appropriate? Or would that look like I took an entire year of classes... does it even matter?
 
beckhunter116 said:
I have a few questions about entering physician shadowing into AACOMAS.

What do I put as organization as I am entering multiple Dr. under one entry?

I plan on entering them like this:
Dr. X, DO Family Medicine and Occupational Medicine
  • Observed occupational physicals, cosmetic injections of BOTOX, and osteopathic manipulative therapy for sinuses, headaches, and back pain.
Dr. Y, DO Pediatric Anesthesiologist
  • Discussed anesthesiology and observed two surgeries.
Dr. Z, MD Emergency Medicine
  • Observed lacerations being stitched, accompanied a patient to their ultrasound, and viewed x-rays and CT-scans with the physician.
Is that too short of a description? I have a more detailed description of each to review when I (hopefully) get interviews. Or am I supposed to discuss more of the doctor patient interaction? Any help would be great! Thanks!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't group several doctors into one; make a separate entry for each doctor and write a longer description about the experience. For "Organization", simply put something along the lines of "Office of Dr. Z".

UWBadger24 said:
For being on the dean's list, are you guys entering each semester you got it? Cuz the "awards, honors, scholarships" page asks for month and year of the award and I don't know if there's a way to enter all the semesters together.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I made a separate entry for every Dean's List award, putting the final month of each semester as the date.

Black Adder said:
So for community college classes that you took while you were in high school what would you say for the "Start" and "End Date" if you took one class in the summer 2001 and another class summer of 2002? If I enter my start date as 2001 and end date as 2002 would this be appropriate? Or would that look like I took an entire year of classes... does it even matter?
Click to expand...

I would enter them separately and put in the approximate months during which each course took place.
 
Semicolon, do you mind me asking how many semesters you had dean's list?

I guess I feel foolish listing it 9 times as some people on the pre-md section aren't even listing once (although they got it). But I'm proud that after my first 2.5 years of average to poor grades that I improved so much. I've gone to school for 17 semesters, altho I'm not a science major, so 7 semesters or so are to take pre-reqs slowly since I was paying out of pocket.

Thanks for the responses!
 
beckhunter116 said:
Yes, and I just had to cut things down to the bare minimum to describe things.
Click to expand...
no, i'm talking about having below the allowed characters and it STILL saying I had too many.

I guess this is one to contact AACOMAS about.
 
Real quick question: On the AACOMAS Coursework section, what do I use for normal credit courses in regard to classification. 'None'?
 
anyone else have this problem?

i think it was in the personal section or family biography. i click save or save&continue, then it tells me that i have an invalid email address, even though there is not field to fill out for email address. any ideas?
 
When I include planned courses, do I only include courses in which I am currently enrolled for next semester? Or should I also include courses I plan to take next spring, as well?

Thanks!
 
beckhunter116 said:
Semicolon, do you mind me asking how many semesters you had dean's list?

I guess I feel foolish listing it 9 times as some people on the pre-md section aren't even listing once (although they got it). But I'm proud that after my first 2.5 years of average to poor grades that I improved so much. I've gone to school for 17 semesters, altho I'm not a science major, so 7 semesters or so are to take pre-reqs slowly since I was paying out of pocket.

Thanks for the responses!
Click to expand...

I believe I put it down 5 separate times (only went through 6 semesters by that point). There's nothing wrong with doing that; it obviously worked out for me. 😀

MrReno said:
anyone else have this problem?

i think it was in the personal section or family biography. i click save or save&continue, then it tells me that i have an invalid email address, even though there is not field to fill out for email address. any ideas?
Click to expand...

Any technical problems with the application itself would be better addressed to AACOMAS. Logic tells me you probably just missed a field.

HawkGuy said:
When I include planned courses, do I only include courses in which I am currently enrolled for next semester? Or should I also include courses I plan to take next spring, as well?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Only include courses you're already registered to take.
 
Hi everyone,

It's a good thing I found this thread, b/c I've been emailing and calling AACOMAS all day and haven't gotten hold of anyone. It's almost as though the "swine flu" has forced them to close for the day or something.

Anyway, I have a few questions that I thought perhaps some of you could help me out with.

1. What does the question "do you have materials under another name" mean? I haven't changed my name. But I do have a file under AAMC. Is that what this is referring to?

2. Under the courses section, if I want to list a course that was graded A-F and was taken during the regular semester, what should go under "classification?" I'm assuming "None," but I'm not sure.

3. This is perhaps the toughest one.

I decided to do DO a little after March. I signed up for AACOMAS, and made up an account with my name, contact, etc. I never actually submitted anything, as I had no intention of doing so. I was merely playing around with the application to see what I would need to fill out come time to start doing the 09-10 cycle. I also verified the MCAT thing ... had THX send over the official scores. Now that the 08-09 cycle has ended, I'd like to start my 09-10 application. But when I log in, the first thing I see is the 08-09 application cycle with my AACOMAS ID and progress bar.

I thought nothing of it. So I started working on the 09-10 application. But even though I'm almost done, I notice that my AACOMAS ID is not on the right side where it should be. And the progress bar says 0 of 11 even though I have clearly almost finished the app. When I click App summary, I can see all the stuff I've already entered.

Is the 08-09 app that I started (but never intended to finish) going to interfere with my 09-10 app (the legitimate one)? How do I delete my 08-09 app?

Thanks in advance for any help!

-JaDud
 
Hello, I would really appreciate if someone could answer this question for me. I am applying to medical schools for the 2009-10 cycle. I am taking 2 classes during the summer, one of which is a retake. Is it best to wait until I have grades for both of these classes in August to submit my primary application since it will make a difference in my gpa? Or should I submit my primary ASAP and then update my transcripts somehow in August?

Thanks!
 
Ok. I just say a few things here that I thought I'd put my thoughts on:

1. an old app will not interfere with a new app. Totally different cycles. Don't worry about it.

2. If you want your best GPA, wait for your grades. Or you could submit, hope not to get rejected if your GPA is crappy, and do an update (I think you can do this just by resubmitting transcripts, but someone clarify this issue for me if I'm wrong, please).

3. If takes longer than 3 days to have your MCATs uploaded. Relax. Wait a few weeks. Unless they installed new software and changed their policies, you won't see your MCATs or your calculated GPA until you submit and they confirm everything.

RELAX. It takes a while to get stuff in there. I know y'all are chomping at the bit (I was too) and now that your application season is upon you, y'all are gonna have to learn to wait. Application season is a "hurry up and get your stuff done so it can sit on someone else's desk" game. 🙁
 
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