AMCAS Verification Question(s)

[Anonymous01]

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Hey guys, just a couple of quick questions about the AMCAS and verification...

1. Other than your classes, activities, and personal statement, is anything else necessary for verification purposes? In other words, do I understand correctly that you don't need your MCAT score or your letters of recommendation ready and submitted before verification?

2. Do you have to designate which schools you're applying to in the primary? I understand that if you don't plan to get your MCAT score back before you submit your primary that you should initially just list your in-state school(s)? This is to ensure that if you need to end your application because of a low MCAT score you're not considered a re-applicant everywhere? Doesn't the AMCAS ask, though, if you have previously applied to medical schools?

Thanks for any help or suggestions on these questions!

 

[EBTrailRunner]

1. You don't need to have your MCAT scores or letters of recommendation in before you submit your AMCAS. Verification is simply verifying that the coursework information you entered is the same as what's found on your official transcripts.

2. Yes, you have to specify which schools you're applying to on your AMCAS. That's how schools know to send you their secondaries. If you're worried about a potentially low MCAT score, one piece of advice that tends to float around SDN is to designate only one or two schools and submit your AMCAS ASAP. This is because verification can take several weeks. Once you receive your MCAT score, if you're happy with it, you can always add additional schools via AMCAS. Only schools to which you've previously applied (meaning, they've received your application) would know you're a re-applicant should you apply again, not all schools.

 

[Anonymous01]

2. Only schools to which you've previously applied (meaning, they've received your application) would know you're a re-applicant should you apply again, not all schools.

Huge thanks on your quick reply. Just a bit of clarification on what I have quoted, though...

Does submitting your primary and listing one school indicate that you have applied to that school? In other words, does a school receiving your primary make you an applicant to that school (or is it the act of the school receiving its secondary that makes you an applicant to that school)?

 

[EBTrailRunner]

Huge thanks on your quick reply. Just a bit of clarification on what I have quoted, though...

Does submitting your primary and listing one school indicate that you have applied to that school? In other words, does a school receiving your primary make you an applicant to that school (or is it the act of the school receiving its secondary that makes you an applicant to that school)?

Good question. I'm not 100% positive on this, so perhaps someone else could chime in, but I would imagine a school would consider you a previous applicant during a future cycle only if they received a completed application (primary, secondary, LORs, etc.).Otherwise, if the admissions committee never reviewed your file, they would never have any knowledge of you.

 

[Beekachu]

Good question. I'm not 100% positive on this, so perhaps someone else could chime in, but I would imagine a school would consider you a previous applicant during a future cycle only if they received a completed application (primary, secondary, LORs, etc.).Otherwise, if the admissions committee never reviewed your file, they would never have any knowledge of you.

I think the policy might vary by school on this, but if you submitted your primary to a school they would have that application (since its electronic they could potentially hold onto that for however long). I think some schools would consider you a re-applicant even if you were never complete with them.. though I'm not sure how being a re-applicant actually affects your later application(s).

 

[sector9]

Huge thanks on your quick reply. Just a bit of clarification on what I have quoted, though...

Does submitting your primary and listing one school indicate that you have applied to that school? In other words, does a school receiving your primary make you an applicant to that school (or is it the act of the school receiving its secondary that makes you an applicant to that school)?

For AMCAS purposes, you are considered to be an applicant even if you only send your primary application to the school and never complete their secondary or send them letters of recommendation. If you reapply to that school, you would be required to say that you are a reapplicant to that particular school on AMCAS. However, some secondary prompts may have more specific language about being a reapplicant at their school.

It is a common strategy to only list one school on your primary for verification purposes while waiting for your MCAT score, then make a final school list decision once you know your score. Any schools you add after verification will receive your entire application within a day or so (you don't have to be reverified when you resubmit).

 

[LittleRabbit]

For AMCAS purposes, you are considered to be an applicant even if you only send your primary application to the school and never complete their secondary or send them letters of recommendation. If you reapply to that school, you would be required to say that you are a reapplicant to that particular school on AMCAS. However, some secondary prompts may have more specific language about being a reapplicant at their school.

It is a common strategy to only list one school on your primary for verification purposes while waiting for your MCAT score, then make a final school list decision once you know your score. Any schools you add after verification will receive your entire application within a day or so (you don't have to be reverified when you resubmit).

So if I send in my AMCAS application in June with one Early Decision school with the hope they will accept my lower MCAT score, can I follow up with adding other schools later after I re-take my MCAT at the end of the summer?

 

[TheMightySmiter]

So if I send in my AMCAS application in June with one Early Decision school with the hope they will accept my lower MCAT score, can I follow up with adding other schools later after I re-take my MCAT at the end of the summer?

I believe this depends on the Early Decision policy of the school. Most, as I recall, do not allow you to apply to any other schools before you get your decision around October. This is why applying Early Decision can be a risky choice. First of all, it's usually binding, so make sure you would absolutely want to go to that school. Second, if you are rejected, you can't apply to other schools until October or so, which is pretty late in the game.

 

[sector9]

So if I send in my AMCAS application in June with one Early Decision school with the hope they will accept my lower MCAT score, can I follow up with adding other schools later after I re-take my MCAT at the end of the summer?

Yes, but only if you are rejected from the EDP

See TMS's comment above for what EDP is usually a bad idea

 

[PostHaste]

All AMCAS schools must have their EDP decisions out by a certain date. This past year it was by 10/1 IIRC.

If rejected EDP, some schools will let you roll into their normal admissions pool, others won't. I didn't think the decision to allow applications to other schools after EDP denial was up to the scolds, though.

There are very clear rules for EDP in the AMCAS instructions. Make sure you read them thoroughly. I would also suggest contacting the school directly to ask if you would be a good candidate for EDP; some schools pretty actively steer applicants away from it.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

 

[LittleRabbit]

Yes, but only if you are rejected from the EDP

See TMS's comment above for what EDP is usually a bad idea

OK, I checked and the October 1st date is correct for release of applications to other schools. Thanks! If I forget the EDP idea and apply to one school regular decision in June and then wait to add other schools to AMCAS appl. after I retake my MCAT at end of August, will these schools get my new MCAT score? Or is it not possible to update original MCAT once application has been sent to first school?

 

[EBTrailRunner]

OK, I checked and the October 1st date is correct for release of applications to other schools. Thanks! If I forget the EDP idea and apply to one school regular decision in June and then wait to add other schools to AMCAS appl. after I retake my MCAT at end of August, will these schools get my new MCAT score? Or is it not possible to update original MCAT once application has been sent to first school?

You can't pick and choose which MCAT scores are sent to schools. AMCAS loads your scores from every MCAT you ever sat for. However, depending on the school, they may decide to look at only your most recent set of scores, all your scores but with greater weight placed on your most recent set, your best score from each subsection, etc. You'd have to check with the schools.

 

[sector9]

You can't pick and choose which MCAT scores are sent to schools. AMCAS loads your scores from every MCAT you ever sat for. However, depending on the school, they may decide to look at only your most recent set of scores, all your scores but with greater weight placed on your most recent set, your best score from each subsection, etc. You'd have to check with the schools.

This.

All schools you've applied to will automatically be updated with your new score unless you void your test prior to leaving the testing center on test day.

 

[pfaction]

So wait, is it a really bad decision to apply Early Decision?

 

[no beans]

1. You don't need to have your MCAT scores or letters of recommendation in before you submit your AMCAS. Verification is simply verifying that the coursework information you entered is the same as what's found on your official transcripts.

2. Yes, you have to specify which schools you're applying to on your AMCAS. That's how schools know to send you their secondaries. If you're worried about a potentially low MCAT score, one piece of advice that tends to float around SDN is to designate only one or two schools and submit your AMCAS ASAP. This is because verification can take several weeks. Once you receive your MCAT score, if you're happy with it, you can always add additional schools via AMCAS. Only schools to which you've previously applied (meaning, they've received your application) would know you're a re-applicant should you apply again, not all schools.

I was under the impression that once you submit your application to AMCAS you are considered a re-applicant for all schools the following year. Is it a specific question on each school's secondary that will ask whether you've applied to medical school in the past vs. whether you've applied to that particular school in the past? Just wanted to clarify that point. Thanks!

 

[mvenus929]

1. Other than your classes, activities, and personal statement, is anything else necessary for verification purposes? In other words, do I understand correctly that you don't need your MCAT score or your letters of recommendation ready and submitted before verification?

Just to clarify this point, your application needs to be complete before you submit for verification, because you cannot change any of this information once you submit. However, you can add LORs and an MCAT score once you submit. You can also add additional schools (but cannot take any off).

So wait, is it a really bad decision to apply Early Decision?

It's risky. If you don't get in EDP, then you're applying rather late to your other schools, which can put you in a really bad position especially if you only have mediocre stats. Of course, some schools have a very high bar for their EDP applicants, and thus applying with mediocre stats is a bad idea all the way around.

I was under the impression that once you submit your application to AMCAS you are considered a re-applicant for all schools the following year. Is it a specific question on each school's secondary that will ask whether you've applied to medical school in the past vs. whether you've applied to that particular school in the past? Just wanted to clarify that point. Thanks!

It's been a few years since I filled out AMCAS, but I believe it asks whether you've matriculated to another medical school and sends that information out to every school. When you add schools, I believe it also asks if you've applied there before. So only those schools will know that you're a reapplicant.

Of course, in my case, being a reapplicant was such a huge part of my application strategy that I put it in my personal statement, so even the schools I didn't apply to the first time knew that I was a reapplicant.