2014-2015 AMCAS Vent Thread

[crazy87]

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AAMC!!!! First the MCAT and the month long wait and now THIS.

Getting frustrated entering these courses in AMCAS and triple checking the vids, the guide... like... 90 page instruction manual... really?

Given their track record with the MCAT (specifically the month-long wait for no apparent reason) I'm thinking this application is purposefully convoluted and ridiculous.

Guess if I didn't have any study abroad or withdraw grades this would be a lot easier 😉 just venting. Im sure it'll get worse than this with AMCAS lol.

 

[BamaNicole]

....already?

Just wait....hopefully you won't have the month long verification delay that held up applications last year.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

half of your secondaries are gonna be the same thing

 

[crazy87]

....already?

Just wait....hopefully you won't have the month long verification delay that held up applications last year.

Lol yeah guess it's gonna be a long year.... will need anxiety coping strategies.....

 

[BamaNicole]

Lol yeah guess it's gonna be a long year.... will need anxiety coping strategies.....

This whole process will drive you insane unless you have hobbies. Trust me

 

[Ismet]

Take a deep breath and calm yourself. You have over half a month to fill it out before anyone can submit, it really doesn't take that long to do. If you're already this worked up, secondaries will throw you for a loop.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

Lol yeah guess it's gonna be a long year.... will need anxiety coping strategies.....

beer

 

[crazy87]

You guys are so right. it made me feel better just to post about it lol.... but obviously that (posting to SDN) can't be my hobby of choice throughout the year 😉 I gotta get it together, i know.

 

[crazy87]

This whole process will drive you insane unless you have hobbies. Trust me

Hobby ideas?

 

[BamaNicole]

Hobby ideas?

read, work out, play video games, take up binge watching of random shows.....did you know that saved by the bell is on netflix? SIX SEASONS....oh my

 

[JeBrAs]

Hobby ideas?

Pick up beer brewing

 

[Donald Kimball]

Pretty excited to wait 100 years for them to verify applications.

 

[Person0715]

....already?

Just wait....hopefully you won't have the month long verification delay that held up applications last year.

1 month long delay? I really hope that doesn't happen again. What was the cause of the delay if anyone knows?

 

[BamaNicole]

1 month long delay? I really hope that doesn't happen again. What was the cause of the delay if anyone knows?

Something about their system.

We break their system every year.

 

[crazy87]

I think every advisor should have a Valium Salt Lick in the waiting room

LOL yess hilarious

 

[crazy87]

Pick up beer brewing

I have wanted to do this. is it expensive to start up or no? I'm guessing no.

EDIT: Beer is on the list of DIY I want to try but actually before that in the list is learning to
"make" organic soap/body lotion, then some food item... I don't know these Dabble classes tempt me. Minus the cost.

 

[alt12345]

I never stopped to think why they take a month to get back to you about your MCAT? Does anyone have a reason?

 

[JeBrAs]

I have wanted to do this. is it expensive to start up or no? I'm guessing no.

EDIT: Beer is on the list of DIY I want to try but actually before that in the list is learning to
"make" organic soap/body lotion, then some food item... I don't know these Dabble classes tempt me. Minus the cost.

It is a little investment of like 150$ for the basic start up equipment, but it makes great beer to enjoy and share with friends. Very easy if you use your laboratory skills and experience.

 

[crazy87]

It is a little investment of like 150$ for the basic start up equipment, but it makes great beer to enjoy and share with friends. Very easy if you use your laboratory skills and experience.

If I can put it on my app ("research"!?!) i might go for that. Man I really am a pre-med....

 

[TheShaker]

Hobby ideas?

Lift. Lift so that in your weakest moments, the Iron will remind you that you are indeed weak. Wait...that wasn't very motivational...

But yeah, the paperwork for AMCAS is annoying as hell. Just wait until you get to secondaries, where you pay EVEN MORE to do their paperwork!

 

[mrh125]

I have no complaints about the amcas this year aside from the awful instruction manual, horrible time sending in 6 different transcript requests, confusing recommendation letter submitting system with interfolio that was bugged in the beginning, and weird ambiguous course guidelines ("okay apparently environmental science is in natural and physical SCIENCES but doesn't count in BCPM"). I submitted early and my gpa actually increased .01, so i'm happy about that. Also, their help line is amazing and whatever other issues I had I received a lot of great help on SDN. Not to mention getting verified 5 hours later is downright amazing. Every process can be a mixed bag, just be happy their process is nowhere near as bad as mcat registration. When I tried registered day 1 on time for the mcat, there was a day long delay where they promised almost nobody registered and the next day an hour after it actually opened there like 2 locations available in california and both were at nasty 8am times. >_< Not to mention their horrible waiting queue.

Double and triple checking courses and calculating my unit total for each semester and having to find out how to convert quarter units to semesters with the prospect of having your application held up and delayed over your head just isn't fun though. I was so happy when it went through. I spent a month on that thing, but meh I've had worse.

 

[Amba]

If I can put it on my app ("research"!?!) i might go for that. Man I really am a pre-med....

To be fair, I put brewing on my app under "hobbies" and it came up in 75% of my interviews as a conversation point.

 

[teefero]

I'm just stressed out about time and dates. I'm afraid to press submit. My personal statement is still being edited even though it's been polished for a month.

I'm in Australia and the application to become a doctor here requires no personal statement or essays. Just your grades, test scores and an interview. HA!

 

[Essee]

I'm just stressed out about time and dates. I'm afraid to press submit. My personal statement is still being edited even though it's been polished for a month.

I'm in Australia and the application to become a doctor here requires no personal statement or essays. Just your grades, test scores and an interview. HA!

Trust me when I say you will never want to stop editing your PS
Put it in AMCAS, read it one last time, press submit, and then never read it again 😀 (..until interviews)

 

[TheBossDoctor]

Oh dear, there's already a stress thread? It's gonna be a long application cycle. Take a deep breath and chill.

 

[teefero]

Trust me when I say you will never want to stop editing your PS
Put it in AMCAS, read it one last time, press submit, and then never read it again 😀 (..until interviews)

That's exactly what I did! TAKE THAT AMCAS!

 

[puppies4ever]

Could someone explain to me about the "transmission dates"? I know that on June 27th AMCAS starts transmitting to med schools. I think I am going to be verified on June 28th or 29th probably (judging from the SDN verification thread). If I get verified on June 28th, will me application be transmitted right away or do I have to wait for the next "transmission date".

 

[justAstudent]

....already?

Just wait....hopefully you won't have the month long verification delay that held up applications last year.

Or waiting an entire year to hear back from a school.

 

[Scribblers]

Could someone explain to me about the "transmission dates"? I know that on June 27th AMCAS starts transmitting to med schools. I think I am going to be verified on June 28th or 29th probably (judging from the SDN verification thread). If I get verified on June 28th, will me application be transmitted right away or do I have to wait for the next "transmission date".

My understanding is that applications will be sent on to schools as they are verified after June 27th. It's only applications submitted before that date that will wait for a transmission date.

In your circumstances, I would keep in mind that your application would probably not be verified on the 28th or 29th as that is over a weekend. The 30th is much more likely to be the day you get verified.

 

[puppies4ever]

thank you. Hopefully I will get it by the 27th (submitted on the 13th and it looks like most of the June 11th apps are verified). at least they will transmit as they verify.

 

[Cambover]

Applications were probably the least stressful part of my cycle. Take a deep breath and keep chugging through those essays.

 

[BamaNicole]

Or waiting an entire year to hear back from a school.

oh man......its just torture.

 

[mrh125]

Applications were probably the least stressful part of my cycle. Take a deep breath and keep chugging through those essays.

try editing your personal statement over 60 times and it becomes excruciating as hell.

 

[Cambover]

try editing your personal statement over 60 times and it becomes excruciating as hell.

Yeah, I remember that. Though if you need 60 revisions of your first draft, you're doing something wrong.

 

[mrh125]

Yeah, I remember that. Though if you need 60 revisions of your first draft, you're doing something wrong.

I wouldn't go that far. Some people need more revisions some people need less, what's important is that they just arrive at and are able to produce the best product they can. It can be extremely frustrating and painful but that's the process.

 

[bubblegum18]

So can someone give me an estimate of how long after verification you start receiving secondaries? I submitted the app the first day(June 3rd) and was verified three days later.

 

[mcrobbit]

So can someone give me an estimate of how long after verification you start receiving secondaries? I submitted the app the first day(June 3rd) and was verified three days later.

Schools haven't even received your application from AMCAS yet. I think most if not all of them wait until primary applications are transmitted to them before sending out secondaries.

That said, most schools start sending Secondaries out in early or mid July. There are a couple of schools who wait until August before they send them out.

 

[familyaerospace]

So can someone give me an estimate of how long after verification you start receiving secondaries? I submitted the app the first day(June 3rd) and was verified three days later.

You start getting secondaries around the time of transmission.

 

[summer14]

Am I allowed to just randomly vent here? Because I took the MCAT what seems like ages ago and still don't know what I got... I keep having nightmares that I completely failed it but honestly I have no idea how I did and there's just too much uncertainty in my life bye

 

[BZG64]

Am I allowed to just randomly vent here? Because I took the MCAT what seems like ages ago and still don't know what I got... I keep having nightmares that I completely failed it but honestly I have no idea how I did and there's just too much uncertainty in my life bye

If you're having trouble waiting a month for your MCAT score, just wait until secondaries/interviews/acceptances.

 

[teefero]

Secondaries are super annoying to me. This process is so long. I am getting overwhelmed and receiving them daily. Some questions, I just am unsure how to answer. I want to work with underserved populations but I don't necessarily have tons of experiences that show that yet... I only know what I know and my goals.