MAJOR Mistake on my AMCAS

[Silver378]

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[TheBiologist]

I don't think you're doomed

 

[Yorick]

Relax, this is nothing to worry about, just explain it in secondaries if you can and with the right description, if not, just email schools. This isn't a big deal.

 

[TheAppleJuice]

I submitted my AMCAS application at 3 a.m. on June 7th. I had checked it over 3 times before submitting, but just found a major mistake.

For one of my activities, I pasted in the wrong description. I ended up having 2 exact same descriptions for two different activities. It's the first activity that comes up too in AMCAS, since it's my most recent volunteering experience.

Obviously, I feel completely devastated. Called AMCAS, they can't help. I hope I can address this mistake in my secondary applications, provide the correct explanation for my activity then.

Still, it's a major mistake, not some minor detail about hours or contact information. I'm not sure what to do and how badly this hurts my chances with schools.

lol, and you still missed this?

it sounds like a minimal error at most; don't think it will impact chance of an interview so just explain there

 

[gyngyn]

Don't draw attention to it in the secondaries!

 

[Stagg737]

Don't draw attention to it in the secondaries!

This is something that will carry over into medical school as well. If you make a mistake, correct it as soon as possible. If you can't correct it just move on and don't mention it unless someone else brings it up, then own it, apologize, and move on. You never want to draw negative attention to yourself, as we tend to be very critical (often over-critical) of even the smallest errors in medicine. The obvious exception is if you make a mistake that endangers someone's life/health, but most of the time that's major enough that you'll catch it early enough to correct it or someone else will.

For your app, just move on and do the best you can. Chances are many committees won't even notice it, and if they do they may or may not care. At this point there's nothing you can or should do about it unless someone brings it up at an interview. So don't worry about it.

 

[Silver378]

Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback. I was feeling terrified that someone would notice my mistake and throw out my application. It’s such an important document, I wouldn’t blame them for doing that. But it is crushing to think that all my work leading up to this point would be disregarded because of this mistake.

I am surprised to read that several people are advising me not to address this in my secondary applications. I do think it will be noticed, because the description is of a pretty unique experience that stands out. Do you guys really think it’s better not to mention it?

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback. I was feeling terrified that someone would notice my mistake and throw out my application. It’s such an important document, I wouldn’t blame them for doing that. But it is crushing to think that all my work leading up to this point would be disregarded because of this mistake.

I am surprised to read that several people are advising me not to address this in my secondary applications. I do think it will be noticed, because the description is of a pretty unique experience that stands out. Do you guys really think it’s better not to mention it?

What would you say that would make it any better?

 

[Whyamionhere]

If it makes you feel better, I pasted the same answer into two separate secondary questions at a school, and ended up getting accepted to that school. I'm not condoning making mistakes and I'm an idiot for it but we're all human

 

[IlDestriero]

Was it something really critical to your application? If you said "500 hours clinical research" and pasted your lifeguard job description, I think they'll figure it out. If they want to know more, they'll ask. No need to draw attention to the negative things in your application.
The exception might be if there is some critical information in there that they will now not have. In the above example you might miss something actually important like "3 papers currently submitted as 1st or 2nd author" that you didn't note anywhere else.


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Il Destriero

 

[21Rush12]

I feel like if I read this I would assume it was an error, I don't think it would ruin your entire application. I've heard stories of people accidentally submitting the wrong draft of their PS with no grammatical corrections made or worse. Definitely take the adcom advice here, let it go. This kind of thing is bound to happen with computer stuff.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

 

[Lawpy]

Relax, this is nothing to worry about, just explain it in secondaries if you can and with the right description, if not, just email schools. This isn't a big deal.

Don't draw attention to it in the secondaries!

This is something that will carry over into medical school as well. If you make a mistake, correct it as soon as possible. If you can't correct it just move on and don't mention it unless someone else brings it up, then own it, apologize, and move on. You never want to draw negative attention to yourself, as we tend to be very critical (often over-critical) of even the smallest errors in medicine. The obvious exception is if you make a mistake that endangers someone's life/health, but most of the time that's major enough that you'll catch it early enough to correct it or someone else will.

For your app, just move on and do the best you can. Chances are many committees won't even notice it, and if they do they may or may not care. At this point there's nothing you can or should do about it unless someone brings it up at an interview. So don't worry about it.

Was it something really critical to your application? If you said "500 hours clinical research" and pasted your lifeguard job description, I think they'll figure it out. If they want to know more, they'll ask. No need to draw attention to the negative things in your application.
The exception might be if there is some critical information in there that they will now not have. In the above example you might miss something actually important like "3 papers currently submitted as 1st or 2nd author" that you didn't note anywhere else.


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Il Destriero

Just wanted to clear any split consensus. When a mistake like what OP did was made, it's better not to draw attention to it anywhere unless specifically asked? Don't mention it in secondaries including "Anything else we need to know?" prompt?

 

[CoffeeintheMorning]

I think what's more important is that you submitted your application. It's one mistake, it's ok!

 

[softball2344]

If it makes you feel better, I volunteer in a free clinic and in my description I talked about Medicare like 3x. I meant Medicaid... I also wrote "xxxxx" and "[email protected]" in my contact for one of my descriptions thinking I would add it later. I still got interviews/ acceptances!

 

[Lawpy]

If it makes you feel better, I volunteer in a free clinic and in my description I talked about Medicare like 3x. I meant Medicaid... I also wrote "xxxxx" and "[email protected]" in my contact for one of my descriptions thinking I would add it later. I still got interviews/ acceptances!

For a minute there, I thought you were linking us to adult content...

Honestly, I think these mistakes aren't as bad as what's portrayed on here.

 

[softball2344]

For a minute there, I thought you were linking us to adult content...

Honestly, I think these mistakes aren't as bad as what's portrayed on here.

True, but it did make me look pretty ignorant

 

[Silver378]

What would you say that would make it any better?

I thought I would apologize for the mistake, and explain that I tried to correct it. My thinking is that admissions might be more forgiving if I own up to the mistake, correct myself, then if I ignore my error and not explain it. But I welcome advice from people who understand the application process better than I do.

 

[Silver378]

Was it something really critical to your application? If you said "500 hours clinical research" and pasted your lifeguard job description, I think they'll figure it out. If they want to know more, they'll ask. No need to draw attention to the negative things in your application.
The exception might be if there is some critical information in there that they will now not have. In the above example you might miss something actually important like "3 papers currently submitted as 1st or 2nd author" that you didn't note anywhere else.


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Il Destriero

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[Silver378]

Thank you everyone for the recommendations. I'm really grateful for your advice and reassurances.

 

[boogiecousins94]

Honestly if it was the same exact description, as an adcom (which I'm not), I would maybe think the system was glitching and something weird was going on with the software etc. and probably wouldn't think anything of it, as long as it was for only 1/15 not like 4 of the activites

 

[gyngyn]

I thought I would apologize for the mistake, and explain that I tried to correct it. My thinking is that admissions might be more forgiving if I own up to the mistake, correct myself, then if I ignore my error and not explain it. But I welcome advice from people who understand the application process better than I do.

Let it go.