Lost AMCAS applications and such things...

[buglady]

Okay, I'm going to start taking bets on how many people will be screwed over by any of the following:

--Deleted/Lost AMCAS applications (especially with this STUNNING new web based app.)
--Lost MCAT scores (I know a few people that this happened to, not a happy thought)
--Transcripts magically disapper every time they are sent to AMCAS and you miss the deadline for applying (my nightmare)
--Lost letters of rec.

I'm sure these things have already happened to a lot of us!

(Okay, so maybe I should have titled this: The Worst Possible THing That Could Happen to You When Applying to Med. School)

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[gower]

And I thought I was the world champion of negativity and pessimism!

If you are looking for perfection and are religious, look to whatever God or gods you may worship.

"To err is human, to forgive divine."

All humans make errors, sometimes by carelessness, sometimes by stupidity, sometimes inadvertently and sometimes deliberately. No process or organization of any kind is free from errors. The more complex a piece of machinery is, the more likely it is to break down.

Medical school application is one of the most complex operations going: large number of applicants to a diversified and large number of medical schools from an even larger number of different colleges with different grading systems etc. The application itself is complex and then there are so many different secondary applications. Fees to be paid and tracked. At the medical school end they may be faced with fewer numbers than AMCAS, but some medical schools may have over 10,000 applicants. Then, they have to keep track of thousands of recommendation letters.

No complex computer program is error free at first. Can you imagine what it was like before computers and before AMCAS?

Until you have managed a complex operation yourself, don't be overly critical. Yes, sometimes there is stupidity and carelessness in admissions offices, but not committed deliberately to drive applicants up the walls.

Lighten up; I want to remain world champion doom and gloom spreader.

Meanwhile, my favorite aphorism from the Dalai Lama: "Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon."

And a less frivolous one: "Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it."

 

[rxfudd]

Man, just when I was starting to feel confident about my MCAT scores...

 

[buglady]

Sorry about the negativity...I wrote this after spending endless hours re-doing some of my course work input into the amcas.

Actually, I'm optimistic that things will eventually right themselves.

I'm a bit of a smart ass, so ignore any pessism you may see in the post.

Sorry!

 

[Tenesmus]

On a positive note, AMCAS lost my first application diskette (1999), but they didn't let me know about it until two months had passed. That just about sucked.

 

[buglady]

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes Tenesmus...did you end interviewing/getting into the schools of your choice?

 

[tbachi]

I am very worried about this because I've heard stories from friends who had things get lost. I'm just going to call and ask about 1-2 weeks after I (or advisors) send things and make sure the school has recieved them. If they haven't, then have them sent again. Its better for them to get it twice and toss one that to not get it at all!!

 

[Hamster]

On another postive note, I completed a certain schools web-based secondary..including the credit card payment.

Two months go by and no word.. So I give them a call and their response is "We are still processing your application".

Another month goes by and I give them another call... and Lo and behold. The secreatry says, "Ohh it seems that we haven't recieved a payment from you."

I call the company responsible for the screw up who seem interested in my problem but don't have an explanation. Oh by the way it is now February which is basically the end of the interviewing season

I still haven't recieved a response from that School...rejection, hold etc. But of course I have assumed the worse. Thank god it wasn't my first choice... But what a waste of money...$100 +

Advice: Don't be shy!! Be on a first name basis with the Admissions/Amcas office.

 

[Popoy]

Hamster's right.... Don't be a victim!!! Get involved!!!

 

[tbachi]

and also.... don't have a nasty/bad attitude when talking to the admissions offices... that will just make matters worse. stay positive, be nice, and try to work with them.. no matter how frustrated or mad you might be!!