Anyone else super anxious for AMCAS to open?

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ChrisMack390

ChrisMack390

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After 3 years of non-trad premed preparations, I can hardly wait to finally start filling in my application. I can't be only one. Let's make this topic about what we can do for the next 3 weeks to make our app seasons go just a bit smoother.

School List - Check!
LOR Requests - Check!
Personal Statement - Check!
EC Contacts - Check!
Transcripts - Check!

What did I miss?
 
Yea, def start writing up the descriptions of your activities. You don't necessarily have to start pre-writing secondaries now but it also wouldn't hurt.
 
I would deff start pre-writing the EC descriptions! It took me quite a while to get them in a format that made me happy!
 
What should we do about transcripts now if spring grades arent out yet?
 
Write out the descriptions for your activities section and determine which three activities you'll be designating as most meaningful. Calculate the number of hours spent per activity. Save up money for the primary application, secondaries, and interviews.

You could always pre-write secondaries if you want to get ahead of the game. Have an idea of what you'll write for the common secondary questions (plans for application year, challenges you've overcome, etc.).
 
As a possible re-applicant...I am absolutely f*ckin dreading having to fill this beast out again...Gonna start hammering out my PS May 1st. FML.

But with that being said...anyone that has experiencing proofreading and helping with PS, application descriptions, etc, or anyone that received really good feedback on how they formatted or talked about their experiences in application this cycle.. Please PM me, I would love you forever and ever.
 
Lannister said:
You can't submit AMCAS until June so just hold off on entering this semester's grades.
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Do we have to submit our transcripts before submitting AMCAS or no? I want to submit on June 7th when AMCAS opens but I'm not sure if my Spring grades will have been put on my transcript.
 
flyingeagle said:
Do we have to submit our transcripts before submitting AMCAS or no? I want to submit on June 7th when AMCAS opens but I'm not sure if my Spring grades will have been put on my transcript.
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Not necessarily before submitting, but they do need a transcript before they can verify you. Before you're verified your application won't be sent to any schools.
 
gonnif said:
No, you do not. However, your application will not enter the verification queue until your transcripts arrive. Thus submitting on June 7th serves no advantage to you. But, I strongly recommend that you do not submit your transcripts until you are certain your spring grades have been added to the transcript. You cannot update AMCAS later with additional grades.
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Ah I see, thanks. Well our med school committee writes our LoEs in order based on the date we submit our AMCAS, so I guess it would be beneficial in that sense! I've heard if you don't submit the first day it could delay your LoE by over a month.
 
It's gonna be a really long, never-ending year. It's still going on for the 2015-2016 cycle......Enjoy 🙂
 
I can't confidently check any of those things off of the list, but I'm working on them! School list is at 30... need to bring it down a little. I have a draft of the personal statement but am editing it right now while watching Grey's, lol. 3/5 of LOR requests. Rough list of activities but no descriptions yet. Finals are coming up and I'll be traveling all of May. Let the excitement begin! It's been a long time coming.
 
gonnif said:
Everybody, Rule 1: Take a Breath!
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He!! no! BREATHE???? ARE U kidding me??? We don't breathe, we panic, we over analyze, we get no sleep... we are. PREMEDS!

Seriously, though? I AM ready. I AM hungry. This is my year. 🙂 (I hope)
 
aegistitan said:
What should we do about transcripts now if spring grades arent out yet?
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At most undergrads you can put in a transcript request but then specify that you want it held until spring grades are finalized. That's what I did with mine when I applied (one less thing on my to do list).
 
So anxious! I have dreams of writing secondaries, also my MCAT is in June so I'm freaking out about getting the app filled quickly yet thoroughly so I can focus on studying... Then there is finals...graduation...family weddings. [dead]

Op, you said transcript check. I'm a little confused I thought we had to request once the app is open? Have you requested it from your university already? Do you give them your AMCAS ID?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
@WhittyPsyche - you can request transcripts in early May when things open. If I'm not mistaken, when the app first opens on May 3 (?) for input, your AMCAS ID will be there. Use that.

Someone else will chime in to say whether I'm right or wrong and correct me 🙂
 
I'm less anxious and more just excited- As people suggested on here, I've been writing activity descriptions and "most meaningful"


As a side note, to prepare for secondaries, as opposed to pre-writing yet, I've just been free writing- if I remember a story where there was a conflict, or a moment or topic that makes me unique, or really anything significant that has happened, I'll write it down and reflect on it later. I highly recommend doing this because I think it helps cultivate the introspection that we'll need for those essays without being as forced as it may feel come July.
 
haaaaaaaaaaveyoumetted said:
I'm less anxious and more just excited- As people suggested on here, I've been writing activity descriptions and "most meaningful"


As a side note, to prepare for secondaries, as opposed to pre-writing yet, I've just been free writing- if I remember a story where there was a conflict, or a moment or topic that makes me unique, or really anything significant that has happened, I'll write it down and reflect on it later. I highly recommend doing this because I think it helps cultivate the introspection that we'll need for those essays without being as forced as it may feel come July.
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That's so Ted Mosyby. I bet you're using a yellow legal pad and everything...




Seriously though, good idea.
 
Best idea:

Go to the schools thread. Look up/search for the schools you will apply to. Look at first page of thread. Scroll to find the secondary prompts. They rarely change.
 
Ad2b said:
@WhittyPsyche - you can request transcripts in early May when things open. If I'm not mistaken, when the app first opens on May 3 (?) for input, your AMCAS ID will be there. Use that.

Someone else will chime in to say whether I'm right or wrong and correct me 🙂
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. Guess we'll find out!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
AMCAS has not reviewed my transcripts. What I meant is that I have hard copies of them in hand, which I will use to fill out AMCAS.

Some med students recommended this to me since your schools' hard copy transcripts are what AMCAS will have, so it's a good idea to use the hard copy to go off of rather than an electronic version that may display course names and such slightly differently.
 
Ad2b said:
Best idea:

Go to the schools thread. Look up/search for the schools you will apply to. Look at first page of thread. Scroll to find the secondary prompts. They rarely change.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I've been doing. I think if you write a "personal hardship" essay, a "plans for the cycle" essay and a "diversity" essay, you should be set for a good chunk of the secondaries, especially if you plan on using the diversity essay for the "tell us something about you that's not in the application" essay.

I'm going through my second draft of my PS and will start writing my activity descriptions today!
 
So AMCAS says, log in with your AAMC, but make sure your password is only letters and numbers, so change your pw first if it has special chats tics. AAMC login does not allow passwords without special characters. What am I missing here?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Okay, AAMC... now you're just playing. It's 9:25 AM and you're STILL not opened 2017 cycle apps! LET'S GO! 🙂 🙂 🙂
 
I'm in! 🙂 WHOO HOO!! Neurotic premed here. I. am!!
 
OH. MMMMM. GEEEE!!!!! AAMC I <3 U. They moved ALL my courses from last year's app over; no more hours of retyping that crap. Whoo hoo! App almost done 🙂

Edited: done 🙂 saved, printed, done.
 
Last edited:
Omg. I'm done. So surreal. I actually feel numb.

Can't wait to click submit!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
WhittyPsyche said:
Lol it was the only way to calm my nerves... and I was prepared, having to do an activities resume and personal statement for committee letter just needed to spruce it up and finalize it.
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I can't do any work on it until I finish my finals :/
 
This makes me remember how much of this process was "hurry up and wait."

Good luck everybody! It's like a rollercoaster. You slowly ascend for what feels like forever and then it comes down so fast it'll be over before you know it!
 
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