Background check email prior to acceptance nofication?

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singularity2012

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I just received an email early this morning saying that one of my state schools requests a background check, as outlined on AMCAS. I have already interviewed at this particular institution and, as of today, do not know if I am accepted or put on hold/waitlisted. Have any of you received this email prior to your acceptance?

I'm frantic and my heart is racing, and I don't think I have the strength to handle yet another "game."
 
singularity2012 said:
I just received an email early this morning saying that one of my state schools requests a background check, as outlined on AMCAS. I have already interviewed at this particular institution and, as of today, do not know if I am accepted or put on hold/waitlisted. Have any of you received this email prior to your acceptance?

I'm frantic and my heart is racing, and I don't think I have the strength to handle yet another "game."
Click to expand...

I'd say that's a good sign and the beginning of a good day. ...You could always call said school =P
 
This is very likely a good sign. Best wishes.
 
Sooo....did this guy get accepted???

I just got that same email this morning as well! I'm curious what it implies. Does anyone want to share their experience upon receiving this 'fateful' email???
 
I received that e-mail before finding out I was accepted the following week.

From reading the AAMC website those are ONLY sent to people once a background check has been requested by a school that you have interviewed at. The ONLY reason a school would request a background check is if you are accepted.

Therefore, if you get the e-mail you are accepted 🙂

Congratulations!
 
Agreed. I would say congratulations are in order. As for me, I got one of these emails today, which would make it after the fact as I was notified of my acceptance yesterday. I think it depends on how the school prefers to communicate (snail mail vs email notification?)
 
Not to rain in on your parade guys, but you do receive the same email if you are on the waitlist. I hope it is acceptance, but just beware. Good luck and congrats.
 
CancerKiller007 said:
Not to rain in on your parade guys, but you do receive the same email if you are on the waitlist. I hope it is acceptance, but just beware. Good luck and congrats.
Click to expand...
CancerKiller--
that was the ultimate buzzkill! yet I must ask, how does your response fit with that of DrJD's response? He said you ONLY get the email if you are bound to be accepted...whereas you claim it can be either an acceptance OR waitlist...

I was in HIGH hopes of hearing about an acceptance from one of the two schools that I had interviewed with that were on the AMCAS list.

I interviewed with Florida International University WAAAY back in September...so I think they may have a decision ready by now.

And I just finished an interview with Penn State this time last week--so I am less optimistic this is good news from them, but still hopeful.
 
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I heard that the background check is not requested if you're on the waitlist until much later in the application cycle... (i.e. when the waitlist is ranked/finalized). I'm not sure if that's true or not though...

congrats!!!:xf:
 
DrMattOglesby said:
CancerKiller--
that was the ultimate buzzkill! yet I must ask, how does your response fit with that of DrJD's response? He said you ONLY get the email if you are bound to be accepted...whereas you claim it can be either an acceptance OR waitlist...

I was in HIGH hopes of hearing about an acceptance from one of the two schools that I had interviewed with that were on the AMCAS list.

I interviewed with Florida International University WAAAY back in September...so I think they may have a decision ready by now.

And I just finished an interview with Penn State this time last week--so I am less optimistic this is good news from them, but still hopeful.
Click to expand...

All of the schools that I have spoken to the admissions office said that at this point in the game, background check = acceptance. Background checks are very expensive so there is really no motivation to do them on waitlisted candidates. Now, as it gets later in the season, into April and May, then CBC could very well mean waitlist because they will start doing these to speed up the process of pulling people off the waitlist.

So, I think that it is school dependant maybe? But either way, CBC is good news in that it is not a rejection.

So as to be a good scientist, here is my source: AAMC, FAQ on the CBC

"The AAMC has initiated an AMCAS-facilitated national background check service, through which Certiphi Screening, Inc. (a Vertical Screen® Company) will procure a national background report on applicants at the point of acceptance. In addition, beginning in May of each year, a national background report will be procured for a subset of applicants who are on a participating school's alternate list; medical schools will not receive such reports until the point of acceptance. "

So to me it seems pretty clear that at this point CBC = acceptance...
 
Dr JD, Phospho, Sushi:

Thanks for helping me out just now, I really appreciate it! 👍

Now...I just have to investigate to find which of those two schools I was accepted into !
What great news!
😀
 
Hafa Adai, DrMatt, and congratulations!
 
I got an e-mail about the background check prior to my acceptance, granted I was waitlisted (apparently by accident) and 2 days later accepted, but I'm pretty sure this means you're in!
 
and my latest acceptance has been from Boston University
 
jinx520 said:
Hafa Adai, DrMatt, and congratulations!
Click to expand...
Hafa Adai!!! wow, so many chamorros on SDN now 😀 I love it!

okay here's the kicker:

I called FIU just now to check the status of my application and I was told that since I had already interviewed, that I should expect to receive a letter in the mail within the next month. They were not able to tell me of my status.

I also called Penn State but they could not give me any information as to the status of my application either.

I just know that I got accepted to at least one of these two schools...and calling them to investigate my status didn't produce any results. Where is an emoticon smiley ripping its hair out in frustration when you need it?!
 
DrMattOglesby said:
Hafa Adai!!! wow, so many chamorros on SDN now 😀 I love it!

okay here's the kicker:

I called FIU just now to check the status of my application and I was told that since I had already interviewed, that I should expect to receive a letter in the mail within the next month. They were not able to tell me of my status.

I also called Penn State but they could not give me any information as to the status of my application either.

I just know that I got accepted to at least one of these two schools...and calling them to investigate my status didn't produce any results. Where is an emoticon smiley ripping its hair out in frustration when you need it?!
Click to expand...
look at the penn state thread. How long is it taking most people to hear back? If they are averaging more than 2 weeks it probably isn't Penn State. Congrats!
 
oh i def know that Penn State is averaging pretty lengthy return times about pending decisions.

However, i have suspicion to believe that there may have been an expedited committee meeting for my interview group. There were only 4 of us! And during lunch, one of my interviewers made the comment to me, "I wrote you a very very strong recommendation...I hope to see you this upcoming summer!"

In addition, I believe I overheard something about them holding a meeting within a week of the interview to render decisions--but I am not willing to bet on this. In any case, it has been exactly a week and one day since my interview, which leads me to believe that they could have met yesterday and are in the process of delivering their decisions today(???).

As far as FIU is concerned...I don't even think there is any more room in the small class size of 40 students. And most people are getting emails letting them know of acceptances; yet when I spoke with the admissions office just now, they asked if I interviewed and when I said I had, that I should get something in the mail within a month. This likely means that the class was filled already and were offering waitlist spots at best. Who knows...

I just know I am going to be VERY happy with whichever school accepts me. These were my two highest ranked schools after interviewing.
 
Well I was put on a high priority waitlist at a school, and I received an email from Certiphi. So, I do not know what the AAMC website said, but what I do know is from my personal experience. Take it for what it is worth.

I hope it is acceptance. Good luck
 
I got that email just a few days prior to an acceptance, as did several other people in the forum. I think CancerKiller is the only person I've seen to have not been accepted after getting the magical email. It probably means that he is right on the cusp of being accepted.
 
takhara said:
I got that email just a few days prior to an acceptance, as did several other people in the forum. I think CancerKiller is the only person I've seen to have not been accepted after getting the magical email. It probably means that he is right on the cusp of being accepted.
Click to expand...
I have a hunch it might have something to do with him being a mud-phud.
---He could have been accepted to one program but on high-priority WL at the same college's other program.
 
Same here. Now we know our recent CBC was from Boston.

I love it when there is a clear explanation for things. This makes SDN worth the trollers.

medseek1 said:
and my latest acceptance has been from Boston University
Click to expand...
 
DrMattOglesby said:
Dr JD, Phospho, Sushi:

Thanks for helping me out just now, I really appreciate it! 👍

Now...I just have to investigate to find which of those two schools I was accepted into !
What great news!
😀
Click to expand...

I think I can probably shed some light on this for you. It has been around 10 weeks past my interview for PSU and this morning I too received the CBC. PSU is the only logically choice for me. So I hope we hear soon 👍
 
Does anyone w/ multiple acceptances know if each school requiring a CBC requests one from you, or if all of them use the same one after it is done the first time????
 
DrJD said:
All of the schools that I have spoken to the admissions office said that at this point in the game, background check = acceptance. Background checks are very expensive so there is really no motivation to do them on waitlisted candidates. Now, as it gets later in the season, into April and May, then CBC could very well mean waitlist because they will start doing these to speed up the process of pulling people off the waitlist.

So, I think that it is school dependant maybe? But either way, CBC is good news in that it is not a rejection.

So as to be a good scientist, here is my source: AAMC, FAQ on the CBC

"The AAMC has initiated an AMCAS-facilitated national background check service, through which Certiphi Screening, Inc. (a Vertical Screen® Company) will procure a national background report on applicants at the point of acceptance. In addition, beginning in May of each year, a national background report will be procured for a subset of applicants who are on a participating school's alternate list; medical schools will not receive such reports until the point of acceptance. "

So to me it seems pretty clear that at this point CBC = acceptance...
Click to expand...

For background checks, they are basically checking about whether you have criminal history, credit check, etc?
 
Kaya12 said:
Does anyone w/ multiple acceptances know if each school requiring a CBC requests one from you, or if all of them use the same one after it is done the first time????
Click to expand...

You should get a notification of a request each time but you only have to do all the work of filling in your personal information and such the first time.
 
RoadRunner17 said:
You should get a notification of a request each time but you only have to do all the work of filling in your personal information and such the first time.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the info RoadRunner!
 
I got one of the background check requests with the first acceptance, but not the second, so for me at least there was only one CBC.
 
T15 said:
I got one of the background check requests with the first acceptance, but not the second, so for me at least there was only one CBC.
Click to expand...

Hm. I have 3 acceptances to schools participating in the CBC. I got a CBC notification email for all 3. Perhaps it depends on the school?
 
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