AACOMAS FAQ 2014-2015 Application Cycle

BU Medical Sciences
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
DoctorKrieger said:
Update: ignore my previous post saying it doesn't matter. I just looked at the AACOMAS guide and found this:

"If you are currently enrolled in the Spring 2014 Term, you may not submit your transcript(s) until those grades are posted on the transcript."
Click to expand...

Thanks for finding that, I should of looked deeper
 
Hi everyone,

I'm sorry if this sounds dumb, but I have a question about entering grades/coursework.

If I specified that a given term that I am entering grades for is on the QUARTER system, do I still need to convert from quarter hour to semester hours when I am inputting them into the application. Ex) If a class is 4 quarter units, do I need to write "2.67." It sounds like such a pain in the @ss to do all those conversions...
 
Medevac said:
Hi everyone,

I'm sorry if this sounds dumb, but I have a question about entering grades/coursework.

If I specified that a given term that I am entering grades for is on the QUARTER system, do I still need to convert from quarter hour to semester hours when I am inputting them into the application. Ex) If a class is 4 quarter units, do I need to write "2.67." It sounds like such a pain in the @ss to do all those conversions...
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what you do, and yes, it is a pain. I feel your pain. I inputted half my courses in as semester hours before realizing where I went wrong... had to redo all my courses with the right numbers. :<
 
polylux said:
Yes, that's what you do, and yes, it is a pain. I feel your pain. I inputted half my courses in as semester hours before realizing where I went wrong... had to redo all my courses with the right numbers. :<
Click to expand...

I'm glad I asked! Thank you 🙂
 
Quick question on LOR's... For many of the schools I'm applying to, it says you need a letter from a "premed advisor/committee" - so does my pre-med advisor count? I have had lots of contact with her throughout undergraduate and have a great relationship with her and I know the letter would be really strong. I'm just being neurotic and afraid this won't satisfy that requirement. I do have 2 science letters and 1 DO also.
 
medhopeful811 said:
Quick question on LOR's... For many of the schools I'm applying to, it says you need a letter from a "premed advisor/committee" - so does my pre-med advisor count? I have had lots of contact with her throughout undergraduate and have a great relationship with her and I know the letter would be really strong. I'm just being neurotic and afraid this won't satisfy that requirement. I do have 2 science letters and 1 DO also.
Click to expand...
Most schools will take two science professors in replacement of pre med committee
 
medhopeful811 said:
Quick question on LOR's... For many of the schools I'm applying to, it says you need a letter from a "premed advisor/committee" - so does my pre-med advisor count? I have had lots of contact with her throughout undergraduate and have a great relationship with her and I know the letter would be really strong. I'm just being neurotic and afraid this won't satisfy that requirement. I do have 2 science letters and 1 DO also.
Click to expand...
If it says 'committee,' just having one from your premed adviser won't count. Although that could count as an individual letter (if she is also a professor). Since you already have two individual science prof letters, don't worry about the committee thing.
 
Thank you for the answers, but for example, for MU-COM - "Three letters of evaluation - One from a premedical advisor or committee, one from a science faculty member, and one from a physician (DO or MD)." Would a premed advisor letter satisfy that requirement?
 
medhopeful811 said:
Thank you for the answers, but for example, for MU-COM - "Three letters of evaluation - One from a premedical advisor or committee, one from a science faculty member, and one from a physician (DO or MD)." Would a premed advisor letter satisfy that requirement?
Click to expand...
Sounds like it. Although that also makes it seem like they'd want a science faculty letter even if you had a committee letter. Your premed adviser will suffice for MU.
 
DoctorKrieger said:
Sounds like it. Although that also makes it seem like they'd want a science faculty letter even if you had a committee letter. Your premed adviser will suffice for MU.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I think so too. It's late here and I'm probably just being a bit neurotic at this point...
 
keels99 said:
I have to agree. Too many applicants are making a mountain out of a molehill. The AACOMAS is super straight forward.
Click to expand...
Seriously, I did the ACMAS last year (never submitted though), and the AACOMAS application is super friendly. I have had a few issues with how to input some courses, but if you click on the support tab and shoot them an email, they usually get back to you within 3-4 hours. Thus far I am really enjoying AACOMAS.
 
medhopeful811 said:
Quick question on LOR's... For many of the schools I'm applying to, it says you need a letter from a "premed advisor/committee" - so does my pre-med advisor count? I have had lots of contact with her throughout undergraduate and have a great relationship with her and I know the letter would be really strong. I'm just being neurotic and afraid this won't satisfy that requirement. I do have 2 science letters and 1 DO also.
Click to expand...
yea you will know if you have a committee or not... like it may be led by the pre-med advisor, but it is still usually a group of professors. They typically have some sort of gpa/MCAT requirement and some other hoops to jump through before giving you a letter.

But as others have eluded to, if you can get 2 solid science and 1 non-science (for some schools), and then a DO letter, you will be no worse off than anyone else.
 
dutchie000 said:
Are there a lot of schools that require a letter from a non-science professor? Having trouble of who to think to ask for one since the majority of my non-science classes were earlier in college
Click to expand...
I disagree, I didn't have any schools ask for a non science LOR last cycle. I think only two schools ask for one
 
I'm a little confused with the trimester vs. semester system. Can some one tell me which I should pick?

My university had:
1st term courses from September to December (4 months)
2nd term courses from January to April (4 months)
1st term summer courses from May-June (1.5 months)
2nd term summer courses from Late June to early August (1.5 months)

This is a semester system right?

Also, do I put Summer I (May to June) and Summer II (June to August) for my summer courses? or is it Spring (May to June) and Summer I (June-August) since technically May to June is considered Spring (seeing as my university also called the May to June term the 'Spring term')?
 
nolimits1 said:
I'm a little confused with the trimester vs. semester system. Can some one tell me which I should pick?

My university had:
1st term courses from September to December (4 months)
2nd term courses from January to April (4 months)
1st term summer courses from May-June (1.5 months)
2nd term summer courses from Late June to early August (1.5 months)

This is a semester system right?

Also, do I put Summer I (May to June) and Summer II (June to August) for my summer courses? or is it Spring (May to June) and Summer I (June-August) since technically May to June is considered Spring (seeing as my university also called the May to June term the 'Spring term')?
Click to expand...
I believe that is a semester system. For your other questions I would definitely hit up AACOMAS. Within your application there is a support tab at the top. They will get back to your email within a few hours, its super great. They have already answered a half dozen questions from me in the past couple days.
 
keels99 said:
I disagree, I didn't have any schools ask for a non science LOR last cycle. I think only two schools ask for one
Click to expand...

Yeah I was just asking because I'm definitely applying to nova which requires one from non-science. Not sure who else does though.

To be honest I haven't researched too many schools. My main focus has been the mcat and trying to compile things that get a while to get done (LORs, personal statement, transcripts from other countries). Once I have more time definitely researching more.
 
Do transcripts need to be mailed via federal express? I ask because my university says that mailing the transcript to AACOMAS via first class mail will send it to a PO Box address while sending it federal express will send it to the Connecticut ave. address that is asked for in the AACOMAS instructions. Federal express costs $20 more... is the connecticut ave address and the PO Box the same??
 
Omppu27 said:
Do transcripts need to be mailed via federal express? I ask because my university says that mailing the transcript to AACOMAS via first class mail will send it to a PO Box address while sending it federal express will send it to the Connecticut ave. address that is asked for in the AACOMAS instructions. Federal express costs $20 more... is the connecticut ave address and the PO Box the same??
Click to expand...
I just sent mine in electronically.
 
This whole time I thought we could submit our primaries for processing anytime after May 1st (disregarding transcript mailing times), but I just figured out that the earliest they begin processing is June 3rd. So let me get this straight, there's technically no point in submitting the primaries before June 3rd even if our transcripts make it there before June 3rd?
 
You cant submit the primary until june 3rd, you dont have the option to submit.

You can work on it until then, but until the system lets you hit "submit" nothing is going to happen.
 
.
 
Last edited:
1) Keep it all one entry and just state the multple positions and term lengths.

2) Just put it in the awards section, with a tiny descriptor
 
WesternRedCedar said:
1) Keep it all one entry and just state the multple positions and term lengths.

2) Just put it in the awards section, with a tiny descriptor
Click to expand...

@1) Do I talk about things I accomplished in the position/the things I went above and beyond or just the bare minimum?

@2) So for like Deans list...under extracurriculars I list "Dean's list" then for organization the name of my school. Then manually write in the description (if applicable)? If so, I put in the date of the when I first received Dean's list or award "x?"
 
Why don't you open the application and see for your self... there is a section for awards.
 
.
 
Last edited:
csx said:
Under the section for awards all I see is (I don't see a description box or anything):

Name of Award, Honor or Scholarship *
Organization
Month Received or Awarded
Year Received or Awarded
Click to expand...

In the AACOMAS instructions manual, it states to not repeat deans list entries and just list them in ECs with a description including how many times.

For your organization award, just out it in the description of your organization.
 
I have a course classification question.

I have the following on my transcript, please tell me it counts as English.

"Writing 101: Academic Writing"

AACOMAS lists composition courses as English, and to me, composition = academic writing.
 
Sean Lee said:
I have a course classification question.

I have the following on my transcript, please tell me it counts as English.

"Writing 101: Academic Writing"

AACOMAS lists composition courses as English, and to me, composition = academic writing.
Click to expand...
Yes, it counts. A lot of colleges don't even have English I and II, but instead just Writing I and II.
 
keels99 said:
Yes, it counts. A lot of colleges don't even have English I and II, but instead just Writing I and II.
Click to expand...

THANK GOD!!!

My second English course is actually an upper level English course titled "English"

The one year English requirement doesn't have to be sequential, right? My school doesn't offer a sequential intro/year-long English sequence.

Basically, I took Writing 101 (required one semester course for everyone) and English 300: Upperlevel English.
 
Furthermore, @Sean Lee, they counted my Writing for the Professions course as English, so you should be fine.
 
And another quickie:

"Biology 10: Infectious Diseases"

Count as biology?
 
Sean Lee said:
And another quickie:

"Biology 10: Infectious Diseases"

Count as biology?
Click to expand...

tropic_thunder_-1.jpg


You just went full...
 
A couple of questions related to the same thing.... I am not sure that I am going to satisfy the behavioral science requirement, which is fine I plan on enrolling in online classes if I don't, but I have one class that might count. I took a writing class called Biology, law and human sexuality and I need it to count for my English requirement, can it count for both English and BS? And what about neurobiology in the bio department, that's just bio and not behavioral science correct? Also, can a coach count as a non science prof since I received units for playing the sport?
 
Last edited:
thegreatjaspy said:
A couple of questions related to the same thing.... I am not sure that I am going to satisfy the behavioral science requirement, which is fine I plan on enrolling in online classes if I don't, but I have one class that might count. I took a writing class called Biology, law and human sexuality and I need it to count for my English requirement, can it count for both English and BS? And what about neurobiology in the bio department, that's just bio and not behavioral science correct? Also, can a coach count as a non science prof since I received units for playing the sport?
Click to expand...

One class cannot be double counted. It's either one or the other. Pick one and go with it. Sounds like it would be better as an English class though.

Yes, that's just bio.

Your coach technically counts, but you're better off clearing that with individual schools, not SDN. It may be enough for one but not enough for another,
 
Hey guys
I came up with a few questions while filling out the application:

1) I tutored three elementary kids and two high school kids after college graduation (no family connection to them). It was a non-paid self motivated work. I was just helping them out because the kids were immigrants from another country and they were from low-income family. I taught them different subjects and I helped the two high school students with college application as well as SAT stuff.

Is this something that I can add to the EC/community service section(it was really meaningful to me)? or since I was only helping them out individually it's not really considered community service?..(maybe mention in the PS?)

2)I worked in a lab for three quarters as a workstudy student in college (50%paid by government 50% by the lab) Can I add this to the work experience section?

Anyone? I will appreciate your opinions! 🙂
 
CINDIEE said:
Hey guys
I came up with a few questions while filling out the application:

1) I tutored three elementary kids and two high school kids after college graduation (no family connection to them). It was a non-paid self motivated work. I was just helping them out because the kids were immigrants from another country and they were from low-income family. I taught them different subjects and I helped the two high school students with college application as well as SAT stuff.

Is this something that I can add to the EC/community service section(it was really meaningful to me)? or since I was only helping them out individually it's not really considered community service?..(maybe mention in the PS?)

2)I worked in a lab for three quarters as a workstudy student in college (50%paid by government 50% by the lab) Can I add this to the work experience section?

Anyone? I will appreciate your opinions! 🙂
Click to expand...



1) Yes, it is community service/volunteering since it was non-paid and self-motivated

2) Yes, you can put that in the work experience section. You got paid.
 
I've searched and gotten my answers, but I wanted to confirm with you all.
(sorry for the newbie question - I'm an oldie in this game)

1. We officially can send in our transcripts, now?
2. Those transcript forms AACOMAS generates are not needed?

Thank you for any help provided
 
rapsteady1 said:
I've searched and gotten my answers, but I wanted to confirm with you all.
(sorry for the newbie question - I'm an oldie in this game)

1. We officially can send in our transcripts, now?
2. Those transcript forms AACOMAS generates are not needed?

Thank you for any help provided
Click to expand...

1. Yes.
2. Correct.
 
I'm using this as patience practice for future annoying patients.
 
Volunteer position starts July 1 and I want to submit before (June 3-June 30), do I add that volunteer position?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

robithuggin432
Application Cycle
Replies
5
Views
742
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
premed1234543212
AACOMAS Verification timeline
Replies
2
Views
1K
betablocker_bby
betablocker_bby
D
AACOMAS CNA Class
Replies
1
Views
524
idkjustchooseone
idkjustchooseone
chilly_md
  • Locked
  • Sticky
2025-2026 Applicant Sticky (AACOMAS, SDN threads, etc.)
Replies
0
Views
1K
chilly_md
chilly_md
pocdoc
2025-2026 Application Cycle Timeline
Replies
2
Views
9K
pocdoc
pocdoc
Top