AMCAS Update - 1 Page Summary Apps

[DJ W.R.]

Hot off the press...will it ever start to get BETTER?

AMCAS Update 8/8/01

We've received questions today regarding the printed one-page
application summaries that are now being sent to medical schools and our
plans for mailing printed applications in their entirety to schools
early next week...

This week we have sent to medical schools (as designated by applicants)
unverified one-page applicant summary reports (similar to the
biographic/academic profiles of the past) while we thoroughly examine
the printed version of the complete application report. The order in
which we are printing and shipping the applicant reports is in order of
date of submission by applicants to AMCAS. By this week's end, we will
have shipped about 12,000 application report summaries to the medical
schools.

This week we've dedicated a great deal of time to ensuring that all data
that appear on the application reports retain their integrity, and
parallel exactly the information as entered by applicants and as it
appears in the database. As we've all learned, unexpected issues can
arise during a new printing process, and we wanted to take every
possible step to ensure that we get it right before sending the printed
applications to the schools. We expect to begin sending these complete
reports to schools by Monday at the latest.

Running in tandem with the interim plan, AMCAS has continued sending
verified EDP applications to medical schools as they have completed the
AMCAS verification process; they are being transmitted/distributed to
schools in two forms---- paper and electronically.

In response to other questions we've received, we wanted to reconfirm an
earlier message that your advisees should be receiving emails from AMCAS
at two different points during the application process: 1) once they've
successfully submitted their applications, and 2) once their
applications have completed the verification process. Currently
applicants need to contact AMCAS directly to check the status of AMCAS
transcript receipt; we continue our work to make transcript status
information available both on the web and through our Voice Response
System.

AMCAS

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[racergirl]

Boy! Does AMCAS really think we're too stupid to detect their pattern of deception? Even this email says nothing. This week they "have" sent 1-page summaries, but "expect to send 12000" by week's end. Which is it? They "expect to start sending verified apps by Monday at the latest" Hmm.. sounds like the "starting next week" promise we've heard over and over and over and over. The beauty of this promise is, of course, that "next week" never comes. I have been patient. I have been faithful all will work out. Now I'm just tired of the lying. We all know the situation at AMCAS is dire. I would appreciate just a little honesty ....

 

[Amy B]

How do they "deceide" what is important enough to send and what should be sent later. We did not give them permission to summerize our lives, achievments, honors, grades, classes and volunteer experiences. How dare they think they can take all the pages we sent in and condense it to what "they" think is important.

I can read between the lines on this one. It is CHEAPER to send 12,000 1 page applications than it is to send 12000 16 page applications.

They seem to have turned this into a numbers game. If they don't send the essay with this one page summary, the schools will only be able to compare students by numbers (GPA, MCAT) only. Our essays are what set us apart, what tells the schools why medicine, without it we are a mear bunch a numbers.

I think this makes me more angry at AMCAS than anything else they've done. I feel like my chances of being accepted are going smaller and smaller.

 

[Hopkins2010]

I know I'm not a genius like the AMCAS programmers, but come on how hard is it to design a URL link for transcript status checks?

I'm pretty confident I could set that up with 1 or 2 days of hard work and effort. Why does it take a whole team of people months to do the same thing?

Besides, its not like this a new thing for AMCAS. They have the software from previous years. All they have to do is update the database.

I also love this line: "We expect to begin sending these complete reports to schools by Monday at the latest."

What a freakin joke.

 

[md2be06]

It's not hard at all. It's just a matter of laziness on their part.

I guess since they're so focused on transmission, they aren't worried about anything else.

 

[Hopkins2010]

Originally posted by md2be06:
•It's not hard at all. It's just a matter of laziness on their part.

I guess since they're so focused on transmission, they aren't worried about anything else.•

Yeah, and we've seen how much good their "focused" effort on electronic transmission is doing.

Ok I got my fill of AMCAS bashing tonight.

 

[Bruin4Life]

"This week we have sent to medical
schools (as designated by applicants)
unverified one-page applicant summary
reports (similar to the
biographic/academic profiles of the past"

So how did the biographic/academic profiles of the past look like?! How are we suppose to know what they mean by one page reports similiar to the ones in the past if most of us are applying for the first time? I posted a topic a day ago, predicting that the fate of some applicants will be determined differently this year because it'll be too hard to not play by the numbers game. The few people that replied were confident against my point. I'm wondering if they've changed your mind.

What else can they include on a one page report aside from maybe our GPA breakdown across our college years, MCAT scores, and ethnic/racial descriptions? It would really be in poor taste if they cut and past half of our personal statement or pick and choose our extracurric. or something bizzare like that.

By the way, I spoke to an admissions officer at UCLA med school, and she told me that they're working on an alternative pathway. If things don't change for the better at AMCAS by next week then they will implement the alternative procedures. She told me to keep an eye on their website late next week.

 

[8675309]

Originally posted by Bruin4Life:
•"This week we have sent to medical
schools (as designated by applicants)
unverified one-page applicant summary
reports (similar to the
biographic/academic profiles of the past"

So how did the biographic/academic profiles of the past look like?!•

Here you go, Bruin4Life

If you know anyone who applied last year or you yourself did, there was a one page summary letter you got from AMCAS when you application had been transmitted to schools.
I'll bet anything that that is what is being sent to the schools because they still have the capability to do that one page transmittal summary thing.


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Posts: 53 | From: | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged

jordews
Senior Member
Member # 7561
posted August 08, 2001 08:32 PM
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Hey 82734824, do you know what was on that one page summary that you are talking about from last year? If it is the same thing, it'd be a huge help for us so we know what is being sent to schools. Thanks.
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DOH!


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Posts: 61 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

8675309
Senior Member
Member # 3300
posted August 08, 2001 08:46 PM
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Sure, my girlfriend applied last year and got accepted (thank goodness) and Im applying to (we both use this account because, well, we're lazy and our ISP keeps this account logged into SDN) this year.
On the transmittal thing there is your cumulative GPA, your science GPA, your "other" GPA, the number of hours of each type, science and other, you've taken at college, the colleges you've attended, your contact info, your MCAT data,

and at the bottom there is a list of the schools your application was transmitted to

Now hopefully, more like a leap of faith, AMCAS will NOT send along the last part which shows the schools your app was sent to but who knows

 

[kutastha]

I have never received anything described like the above, and I applied once with the paper and once with the disk. All I got back from AMCAS was the same 4 page application that I filled out on paper. If this was what was sent to med schools, it's the same thing that was sent before: biographic info on page 1, personal statement on page two, classes on pages 3 and 4, with number of MCATs taken and certification at the bottom of 4.

Andrew[/LIST]

 

[Szkwicz]

I agree that this whole new ordeal seems like more AMCAS jibber-jabber. It seems like it will just push transmission of our actual applications back, and I question how fair sending out incomplete material is. It has worked out in my favor though. I submitted my AMCAS fairly recently...July 30th. But I've already been offered an interview from U-Michigan and scheduled it and everything due to what they got in that information. I was pretty psyched about that. But it is unfair if interviewing early based on this infomation gives me any kind of extra advantage. And they all really need to know alot more about us than just our academic numbers. Right now though, I'm pretty darn excited about the interview and it's compensating for much of my frustration and anger with AMCAS. We'll see how long that lasts and how the rest of the AMCAS drama plays out though.

 

[8675309]

ajr,

You didn't have a one page summary type thing posted before your 4 page AMCAS application. Everybody I know who applied last year got one.

The 4 page is THE AMCAS application so obviously that's not what their sending. Please check your records because Im positive about the one page transmittal notice.

 

[kutastha]

Originally posted by 8675309:
•ajr,

You didn't have a one page summary type thing posted before your 4 page AMCAS application. Everybody I know who applied last year got one.

The 4 page is THE AMCAS application so obviously that's not what their sending. Please check your records because Im positive about the one page transmittal notice.•

The last time I applied was 1996, so things may have changed since then.

Andrew

 

[jbfuq]

I applied last year, and maybe i am mistaken, but i don't remember recieving a one page summary like you are talking about. then again, that was a year ago and i have had a lot going on since then.

 

[jbfuq]

was this email sent to you in response to an email you sent them, or was this sent out to everybody......if the latter, then i guess amcas doesn't love me anymore!!!!!!

 

[md2be06]

Hey Szkwicz, I'd double check on that interview if I were you. I believe a couple of other posters on here also were able to schedule an interview, but later found out it was a technical glitch. But if you really do have an interview, congrats!

 

[Amy B]

Maybe if the schools are able to bypass AMCAS this year and set up alternatives..... Maybe they will see no more use for AMCAS, will save the money they pay AMCAS and will by pass them all together nex year.

When we agreed to pay them and accept their rules, did we ever agree to this one page summary to be sent in liu of our full applications?

The lady I talked to said after they send this paper appl (she didn't tell me it was a one page summary) that is all the would be sending for awhile while they sort out the problems they are having, verify all grades and wait till they are able to electronically submit to the schools.

That leads me back to my reply above... it is becoming a numbers game, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Gottalaugh]

Anybody heard what the schools are doing with this one-page? I hope they are understanding and don't just start sifting through the applicants using the info from that.

Maybe more schools will accept the paper app. I would rather spend the postage at this point than wait for "a while" to come.

GL

 

[DJ W.R.]

Here's another email from my advisor...a little scary!

Check Your Verified AMCAS Application!

In the past, AMCAS applicants received a "Transmittal Notice" in the mail which was a paper copy of what was sent to schools. It has always been important to check that document to make sure everything is correct--but this document is not longer being mailed to applicants.

But it is still critical to check your application after the verification process has been completed! One current applicant made a change in her application and then opened it to see if the change was made, only to find that her GPA had dropped from ~3.8 to ~3.6! The reason was that two course grades weren't included (even though she had submitted them with her certified application and they appeared both in print and on the screen previously) but the units were calculated into her GPA, which was equivalent to receiving an F in two classes. She was able to make the correction but what if she hadn't checked?!!

What should you do to make sure that errors don't creep into your application after it is submitted? When you receive the email saying that your application has been VERIFIED, be sure to go back into your application on-line to make sure everything is correct! This email will suggest that you re-check your application on line--be sure to do it!

 

[Hopkins2010]

Originally posted by Amy Beth:
•Maybe if the schools are able to bypass AMCAS this year and set up alternatives..... Maybe they will see no more use for AMCAS, will save the money they pay AMCAS and will by pass them all together nex year.

When we agreed to pay them and accept their rules, did we ever agree to this one page summary to be sent in liu of our full applications?

The lady I talked to said after they send this paper appl (she didn't tell me it was a one page summary) that is all the would be sending for awhile while they sort out the problems they are having, verify all grades and wait till they are able to electronically submit to the schools.

That leads me back to my reply above... it is becoming a numbers game, nothing more, nothing less. •

Well supposedly AMCAS is supposed to start mailing out full printed apps after they send out the one page summaries, and they might get around to it eventually.

I just wouldnt hold my breath.

 

[Barton]

I called all the schools I'm applying to yesterday. They all have my 1 page summary from amcas. I asked what's on it and I was told that it includes the first page of your AMCAS app, your mcat scores, your overall GPA, and your science GPA. The lady who told me this was reading directly from my app summary, so that's what's on those. Also, the schools mostly said that they will be doing SOME screening of these apps based on the above info. They will do more screening once grades and MCATs are verified. No school would give me a GPA or MCAT cutoff. When pressed, they admitted that they have a formula incorporating both. Guess it is a numbers game after all.

 

[sandflea]

yes, but this is nothing new. many schools already do *initially* screen by numbers and formulas--what other objective criteria is there for adcoms to look for? applying to med school always *was* largely a numbers game, and the fact is, there are many schools out there who already attempt to fill their classes solely with students with high grades and MCATs.

regardless of how extensive your 'intangible' experiences are (ECs, volunteer work, research), without reasonably competitive numbers, your chances of acceptance are still pretty slim. unfortunately the process is designed so that an applicant with sky-high numbers but no life outside their books will fare much better than an applicant with low numbers but a passionate desire to enter medicine and experiences to back this up. this does not mean there aren't exceptions--this is just a generalization.

that said, there definitely are schools out there who make every attempt to look *past* the numbers and admit well-rounded people. and from what i've been told, they will make every effort to do the same this year, even though we're all getting screwed by AMCAS. schools have a certain philosophy in admitting students and they're not going to suddenly drastically overhaul their approach to admissions because of AMCAS. things are just going to take a little longer, that's all.

we're going to be fine!