Is AMCAS going to start verifying faster?

[TheBossDoctor]

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I'm not trying to be a hater. I'm completely serious here. At this rate, if the usual 45,000 people apply, and they continue this rate of verifying 176 applications/day, it will take 255 days. That means that AMCAS won't finish verifying everyone until March. 👎

That means that a good chunk of people won't get verified before many schools' deadlines.

Basically, are they gonna pick up the pace? I'm not paying $160 just for them to sit around and eat Twinkies and occasionally pick up an application or two and verify it. -_-

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

I'm currently freaking out.

 

[Doctor Strange]

If anything, I'm sure they'll speed things up just to avoid the pre-med neurotic **** storm that would ensue if they didn't. Have faith in the system and your fellow (batsh*t) pre-meds.

 

[NCKSD]

Nah theyre gonna go ahead and wait to verify the last few in march

 

[Pandaeac]

Nah theyre gonna go ahead and wait to verify the last few in march

There new place is that anyone who submitted after 10 pm on the 10th is verified in March no matter what ;-)

 

[Arbor Vitae]

Eventually they will. This is the data from the last 3 years of verification threads:

 

[N7chell]

I'm not paying $160 just for them to sit around and eat Twinkies and occasionally pick up an application or two and verify it. -_-

That's exactly how I'm imagining them after seeing their progress for the past 2 weeks.

 

[kmp0410]

What's the point. Everyone is going through the same process. Just relax.

 

[dcc23]

I'm not trying to be a hater. I'm completely serious here. At this rate, if the usual 45,000 people apply, and they continue this rate of verifying 176 applications/day, it will take 255 days. That means that AMCAS won't finish verifying everyone until March. 👎

That means that a good chunk of people won't get verified before many schools' deadlines.

Basically, are they gonna pick up the pace? I'm not paying $160 just for them to sit around and eat Twinkies and occasionally pick up an application or two and verify it. -_-

Where does the number 176 apps/day come from?

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

The med schools know what's up. I'm not sure why everyone is freaking out about the verification process. If you have the stats, the app, and submitted on time, I don't see how a subpar applicant who submitted at 9 am on 6/10 will be accepted over you.

 

[PreMedRookie]

Where does the number 176 apps/day come from?

They said they have verified about 3,000 and it has been 17 days.

Its more like 230 per day because of weekends.

 

[Palam]

I'm very unhappy with my experience with AMCAS thus far. Maybe they have a lot more applicants than AACOMAS, but then they need to hire more people. Everything through AACOMAS has been easier and quicker.

 

[chenzt]

AAMC has a revenue of 100 million to 50 employees in their DC office and 400 elsewhere. Lol...

 

[TheBossDoctor]

They said they have verified about 3,000 and it has been 17 days.

Its more like 230 per day because of weekends.

Technically, yes, but when you do 45,000/230, you get 196 WEEKDAYS that it will take to verify everyone. Add in days for weekends (which still pass by even though the staff isn't working on those days), and you're looking at like 255 days. Solid 8-9 months there.

 

[MedWonk]

I'm not trying to be a hater. I'm completely serious here. At this rate, if the usual 45,000 people apply, and they continue this rate of verifying 176 applications/day, it will take 255 days. That means that AMCAS won't finish verifying everyone until March. 👎

That means that a good chunk of people won't get verified before many schools' deadlines.

Basically, are they gonna pick up the pace? I'm not paying $160 just for them to sit around and eat Twinkies and occasionally pick up an application or two and verify it. -_-

No, probably not. On the plus side, they're delaying the day that primaries are sent out by at least a week, so there's that. I have a feeling adcoms will be a bit unhappy at AMCAS's performance this year.

 

[Narmerguy]

I think there is some unnecessary freaking out going on over this. Clearly there is some kind of problem or else AAMC wouldn't be sending info to schools alerting them that they have technical difficulties. When that is resolved, the verifications will come sooner. More importantly, schools are aware of this, so clearly they aren't going to just fill up their classes with the first 1/3 of applications that come through when they know that there are a boatload still waiting to come through the pipeline. Remember that this process is mostly relative, so even if in "absolute" time you get verified a month later, if you're still in the first 1/3 of applicants to submit, you'll be fine.

I don't think it will take 63 days or whatever once AAMC gets their junk together and fixes whatever problem they have right now. Either way, this is kind of an embarrassing problem for them, I'm surprised they aren't better prepared.

 

[milkphlegm]

This isn't their first rodeo. Don't worry guys, you'll be fine.

 

[Barnosaur]

I'd be fine with the wait if I was on the same level as everyone else. But my transcripts still are marked as not received even though they were sent on the 7th. I called and they unhelpfully said I need to keep waiting - but what if it was lost and in mid July I need to resend? That'll put me app way back.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

If anything, I'm sure they'll speed things up just to avoid the pre-med neurotic **** storm that would ensue if they didn't. Have faith in the system and your fellow (batsh*t) pre-meds.

Nobody cares about the pre-meds in this process. Administrative errors that screw over an applicant are just seen as an accident that has conveniently saved schools from having to consider one more candidate. If the pre-meds get mad, what are they going to do? Boycott AAMC and apply DO next year?

However, AAMC does care about what schools think, and I'm sure schools will not be very happy when they have less time to review more applications, and they definitely won't be happy if they have to extend their deadlines, come up with new interview dates, and basically reorganize their entire admissions calendar because AAMC failed to process primaries in a timely fashion.

 

[Nissan GTR]

I think there is some unnecessary freaking out going on over this.

it's pre-allo what did you expect? 🙄

 

[Anathema]

All these people complaining 24/7 is getting annoying.
"Oh no my transcript didn't get reviewed in yet!"
"Alright, it's been 4 hours later and they finally reviewed it!"
"Oh no it's been 30 minutes and I haven't been verified yet!"
"It's been 4 days and I haven't been verified yet. Nevermind that I can't send it to schools until the 28th anyway!"

 

[StephanieZ]

Does "processing complete" mean verified?

 

[Pandaeac]

I'd be fine with the wait if I was on the same level as everyone else. But my transcripts still are marked as not received even though they were sent on the 7th. I called and they unhelpfully said I need to keep waiting - but what if it was lost and in mid July I need to resend? That'll put me app way back.

Hey--my transcripts were mailed on the 10th and were marked as received a few days ago. Maybe try calling your school to make absolute sure it was mailed?

 

[eyebrowdoc]

I don't know but they should start using the money they get from us to start hiring more people

 

[Barnosaur]

Hey--my transcripts were mailed on the 10th and were marked as received a few days ago. Maybe try calling your school to make absolute sure it was mailed?

Yeah they confirmed that it was sent the 7th. Thats why i called aamc, and they weren't helpful... And my school was only a couple blocks from aamc. I'm wondering if my school didn't attach the transcript request and that caused the delay.

 

[sugarmouse]

Hey Barnosaur
Try sending one again and see whatever happens. I sent mine from West Coast at the beginnning of June via regular mail service, and it took them 12 days to process it. It doesn't make sense for them to not receive & process transcripts especially if it is from DC

I am wondering about this delay though, since no one is accessing secondary application until July 5th, would it make any difference if I were to submit it today or on July 4th? Or am I still late anyways?

 

[487806]

Nobody cares about the pre-meds in this process. Administrative errors that screw over an applicant are just seen as an accident that has conveniently saved schools from having to consider one more candidate. If the pre-meds get mad, what are they going to do? Boycott AAMC and apply DO next year?

Very well said. 👍👍👍

But sadly, many neurotic premeds, who will willingly chop off their right arm to gain a seat in medical school (as I read in a school-specific thread), will in fact do what you have suggested.

 

[circulus vitios]

Nobody cares about the pre-meds in this process. Administrative errors that screw over an applicant are just seen as an accident that has conveniently saved schools from having to consider one more candidate. If the pre-meds get mad, what are they going to do? Boycott AAMC and apply DO next year?

However, AAMC does care about what schools think, and I'm sure schools will not be very happy when they have less time to review more applications, and they definitely won't be happy if they have to extend their deadlines, come up with new interview dates, and basically reorganize their entire admissions calendar because AAMC failed to process primaries in a timely fashion.

Find the private contact information of top-level AAMC administrators and flood them with e-mail, phone, SMS, letters, etc.

 

[1John418]

Hey Barnosaur
Try sending one again and see whatever happens. I sent mine from West Coast at the beginnning of June via regular mail service, and it took them 12 days to process it. It doesn't make sense for them to not receive & process transcripts especially if it is from DC

I am wondering about this delay though, since no one is accessing secondary application until July 5th, would it make any difference if I were to submit it today or on July 4th? Or am I still late anyways?

The July 5th thing was cancelled - our info has been released to med schools today and people have already started receiving secondaries.
Even if that wasn't true, though, it would still be best to submit ASAP because it's going to take weeks for them to verify your application.

 

[yehhhboiii]

man if there are this many tears over a short delay, I can't imagine the ****storm that must have occurred when they moved from paper to electronic applications

 

[Pandaeac]

Eventually they will. This is the data from the last 3 years of verification threads:

Anyone know why there's such a huge difference between 2011 and 2012?

 

[SilverCat]

There were more people applying in the mid 90s than today, and that was back with paper apps. I wouldn't be too worried about waiting for months for verification.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

There were more people applying in the mid 90s than today, and that was back with paper apps. I wouldn't be too worried about waiting for months for verification.

Actually during last cycle, 2012, the number of apps is approaching the numbers from the mid 90s. There were 45,266 total applicants last cycle.

 

[SilverCat]

Actually last cycle, 2012, had the highest number of applicants ever, and this year is probably worse

That's what I had thought, but the AAMC chart showing number of applicants by year shows that there in the '96-'97 cycle there were 46,965 people applying. In 2011-2012, there were 43,919. I would assume the numbers go up 3-5 k each cycle now, so that puts the '96 cycle about even with the '12 cycle.

 

[Ost3oclast]

Man I already forgot how bad it is applying to school. Sounds like this year is already worse! Try to remain calm guys. I'm sure they will speed things up.

 

[cheerleader]

That's what I had thought, but the AAMC chart showing number of applicants by year shows that there in the '96-'97 cycle there were 46,965 people applying. In 2011-2012, there were 43,919. I would assume the numbers go up 3-5 k each cycle now,so that puts the '96 cycle about even with the '12 cycle.

I wonder when we'll see a drop in the number of applicants due to the ACA coupled with rising med school costs. I have a few friends who had intended to go to med school but have now elected to go the PA route. Two have switched and are wanting to become CNAs, and one has changed direction and is wanting to become a CNP. I know at my university, for instance, the number of people applying this cycle has dropped by 1/3 from last year.

 

[BABSstudent]

Actually last cycle, 2012, had the highest number of applicants ever, and this year is probably worse

Not true. It was highest in like 1996 and was followed by a huge decrease that has taken like 15 years to go back to that level.

 

[Ost3oclast]

Not true. It was highest in like 1996 and was followed by a huge decrease that has taken like 15 years to go back to that level.

Yep.

 

[Soulstice]

Not true. It was highest in like 1996 and was followed by a huge decrease that has taken like 15 years to go back to that level.

Why so?

 

[tantacles]

Anyone know why there's such a huge difference between 2011 and 2012?

More people applied in 2012 han 2011.

 

[BABSstudent]

Why so?

Probably because ER, the tv show, first aired in 1994.

Haha

 

[TheShaker]

Probably because ER, the tv show, first aired in 1994.

Haha

It would be funny if there were actually trends relating to the popularity of shows like these.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Why so?

Simple: The dot-com boom.

A lot of applicants are interested in medicine for the money, job security, and prestige. When the dot-com boom happened suddenly IT was the sexy new career. 4 years of education and your potential earnings were limitless and it looked as if supply of programmers and developers would never catch up with demand. So all the people only interested in medicine for the above reasons said "**** this" and went into IT. Then the bubble burst in 2000 and the numbers have gone up steadily ever since. Add in an economy where nearly every career hemorrhage jobs and has barely recovered and you can see why all those kids have flooded back into medicine.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

Not true. It was highest in like 1996 and was followed by a huge decrease that has taken like 15 years to go back to that level.

Maybe it was record number of 1st time applicants last year, not total?

That's what I had thought, but the AAMC chart showing number of applicants by year shows that there in the '96-'97 cycle there were 46,965 people applying. In 2011-2012, there were 43,919. I would assume the numbers go up 3-5 k each cycle now, so that puts the '96 cycle about even with the '12 cycle.

I'm talking about the 2012-2013 cycle that broke the record. Not 2011-2012. It may be record number of first time applicants, not total applicants. Last year's total was 45,266, so very close the high point.

 

[opo]

Does "processing complete" mean verified?

anyone??

 

[SilverCat]

anyone??

Yes

 

[Pacna]

I'm very unhappy with my experience with AMCAS thus far. Maybe they have a lot more applicants than AACOMAS, but then they need to hire more people. Everything through AACOMAS has been easier and quicker.

AMCAS verified mine way quicker. Took 4 days for AMCAS. It took 17 days for AACOMAS.

 

[Pandaeac]

UGH! They are still only on June 10th. Any chance that after this first hurdle, they'll be able to do a couple days at a time?

 

[gobigorgohome22]

UGH! They are still only on June 10th. Any chance that after this first hurdle, they'll be able to do a couple days at a time?

I would think that it would actually be slower (or the same) moving forward. More people probably applied on the second day than the first day and more on third than second....

 

[Pandaeac]

I would think that it would actually be slower (or the same) moving forward. More people probably applied on the second day than the first day and more on third than second....

Really? That would mean three or more weeks for each day... it would take over a year to get through the first two weeks of people.