*~*~* Official AACOMAS Questions Thread 2012-2013 *~*~*

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
andrewsmack05 said:
Could I go ahead and submit my application if my transcripts have not been recieved yet?
Click to expand...

Yup.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
brokeninnosense said:
What exactly can you edit after submission? Will it delay your application to make edits?
Click to expand...

If you are talking about your primary, then nothing. What you had when you submitted is what the schools will see. Any edit that you make thereafter will not be seen by the schools you submitted your primary to.
 
hmm, okay that's good to know. I heard somewhere that you are allowed to change your EC's until its verified, so it's good to know the truth! Thanks :)
 
michow87 said:
If you are talking about your primary, then nothing. What you had when you submitted is what the schools will see. Any edit that you make thereafter will not be seen by the schools you submitted your primary to.
Click to expand...

Wrong. You can change anything. A new primary is sent every week.
 
user3 said:
Wrong. You can change anything. A new primary is sent every week.
Click to expand...

Correct. I was going over the applicant file that was recently sent to all the schools I applied to and noticed that one of the dates I used for one of my employment entries was incorrect. I changed it and notified AACOMAS of the error and the correction and they emailed me back saying I didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary like notify each school through writing.

So, anything other than coursework can be changed... and even that can be changed if you ask AACOMAS nicely. They'll just return your application as if it never was submitted, but then it will have to be verified again.
 
psychkub said:
Correct. I was going over the applicant file that was recently sent to all the schools I applied to and noticed that one of the dates I used for one of my employment entries was incorrect. I changed it and notified AACOMAS of the error and the correction and they emailed me back saying I didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary like notify each school through writing.

So, anything other than coursework can be changed... and even that can be changed if you ask AACOMAS nicely. They'll just return your application as if it never was submitted, but then it will have to be verified again.
Click to expand...
So if you change an EC.. it has to be verified again? Do you lose your 'spot in line' if you make any non-coursework changes?
 
oh my goood... i changed my whole personal statement... I was so worried about the first one being not great, I wrote another one and submitted it. If a file is sent everyweek, does that mean the schools have two personal statements of mine.

Also, I have submitted the application some 2 weeks ago, and its still not verified. That was my basic thinking, if its not verified then it hasnt been sent to schools. If it hasnt been sent to schools I can get away by making changes to the app. besides coursework.

Also, is a 2 week and counting wait time for verification normal for AACOMAS!!!
 
brokeninnosense said:
So if you change an EC.. it has to be verified again? Do you lose your 'spot in line' if you make any non-coursework changes?
Click to expand...

When I made reference to having to be verified again, that was as a result of having to make a change to the coursework section. I think that's the only section that cannot be changed unless you have AACOMAS return your ENTIRE application, which takes you out of the cue to be verified. That's the only way to make a change to the coursework section

If the only change is to an EC, it will be updated the following week, but you should not lose your verification cue in line. (At least, that's been my experience!)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I am running into major trouble here, I am in a hurry to finish AACOMAS and submit. I am working in finishing my PS and working on the "work section" and I'm running into trouble when it comes to the work "description" 750 character limit.
I really have shortened my job description to the minimum and still have not room enough to fit my conference presentation, 3 posters and publication. I am using the usual format:

John Doe, Sammy Sosa, Cristiano Ronaldo, TXKnight."Characteristics and magnitude of SDN users as compared to other premedical students, 2000–2008".PNAS December 31, 2020, vol. 300, no. 50, pg 1-5.

How in the world did you fit the bare minimum you needed for all the things you accomplished in the description: did you use multiple entries for each publication,etc? did you just mentioned the fact you got published ,presented in conference or whatever without proof?

PLEASE HELP!

any idea is welcome!
 
I know that you can send transcripts to AMCAS without using the transcript request form.

Is the same true for AACOMAS??
 
TXKnight said:
I am running into major trouble here, I am in a hurry to finish AACOMAS and submit. I am working in finishing my PS and working on the "work section" and I'm running into trouble when it comes to the work "description" 750 character limit.
I really have shortened my job description to the minimum and still have not room enough to fit my conference presentation, 3 posters and publication. I am using the usual format:

John Doe, Sammy Sosa, Cristiano Ronaldo, TXKnight.“Characteristics and magnitude of SDN users as compared to other premedical students, 2000–2008”.PNAS December 31, 2020, vol. 300, no. 50, pg 1-5.

How in the world did you fit the bare minimum you needed for all the things you accomplished in the description: did you use multiple entries for each publication,etc? did you just mentioned the fact you got published ,presented in conference or whatever without proof?

PLEASE HELP!

any idea is welcome!
Click to expand...


Yeah, really just need to mention them...you can upload more in the other documents, but really I wouldn't. If they want more proof they will ask.

The primary is to get them interested enough to want to meet you. When you interview...bring some papers about your publications or whatever in case it comes up. Honestly, I don't think they are a big enough deal to most DO schools and so it will likely not come up.

Good luck!
 
CholeCystems said:
Ah will do if they aren't up by the end of the day today. Thanks for that tip.
Click to expand...


So I checked this morning and they still hadn't received my scores. Called them and said they received them and I checked the AACOMAS website and it is updated with my scores! When do you think the next date is they release applications? This weekend?

I can't believe I didn't see this as I submitted 6/5 and because I had no scores I got bumped from the 6/14 group to the 6/24 and now I will probably be sent out in then next group...

Hopefully I will still get secondaries in July.
 
CholeCystems said:
So I checked this morning and they still hadn't received my scores. Called them and said they received them and I checked the AACOMAS website and it is updated with my scores! When do you think the next date is they release applications? This weekend?

I can't believe I didn't see this as I submitted 6/5 and because I had no scores I got bumped from the 6/14 group to the 6/24 and now I will probably be sent out in then next group...

Hopefully I will still get secondaries in July.
Click to expand...

There were many of us that were bumped from 6/14 to 6/24 due to some unknown AACOMAS error, not due to lack of scores or anything like that.
 
I took an EMT class at a community college and had it transferred to my school, so it appears on both transcripts. Am I still allowed to list it as a professional course at the CC? It would bring down my GPA slightly so I don't really want it to count
 
I made a whole separate category titles: Research Publications
then just listed each references

Only way I knew how to fit em all in
 
If my application on AACOMAS says "released" does that mean that the schools I applied to already have it? I'm worried about why I have not received a secondary yet.
 
Kibitzer said:
I took an EMT class at a community college and had it transferred to my school, so it appears on both transcripts. Am I still allowed to list it as a professional course at the CC? It would bring down my GPA slightly so I don't really want it to count
Click to expand...

I took a CC-EMT course and had it transfer to my 4-year, and it appeared on both transcripts. If it shows on both, you have to list it in both (at least that's what I did).
 
i have 2 planned general ed. courses (not prereqs) that i need to take sometime before matriculation in med school. The problem is I don't know exactly when i will be taking these because I have to take them at a community college and don't know yet if i can be enrolled in fall quarter (long waitlist at this CC) or if the classes I need to take would even be offered at this CC.
Do you guys think i should put this courses at planned courses in my app. and put spring 2013 to be on the safe side or just don't put them at all as they are not pre-reqs ?
 
PAStudentCanada said:
If my application on AACOMAS says "released" does that mean that the schools I applied to already have it? I'm worried about why I have not received a secondary yet.
Click to expand...

That means the app has been released for schools to download and view whenever they'd like. Only a handful of schools have sent out secondaries yet (both the AT Stills, MSU to some people, and...one other that I forget) so if you didn't apply to those then that's probably why you don't have a secondary.
 
So in addition to a bio major, I also am working on a philosophy minor, but there is nowhere to put this in the aamcas application. Will schools see this on my transcript or will they only see what is on the application?
 
TXKnight said:
I am running into major trouble here, I am in a hurry to finish AACOMAS and submit. I am working in finishing my PS and working on the "work section" and I'm running into trouble when it comes to the work "description" 750 character limit.
I really have shortened my job description to the minimum and still have not room enough to fit my conference presentation, 3 posters and publication. I am using the usual format:

John Doe, Sammy Sosa, Cristiano Ronaldo, TXKnight.“Characteristics and magnitude of SDN users as compared to other premedical students, 2000–2008”.PNAS December 31, 2020, vol. 300, no. 50, pg 1-5.

How in the world did you fit the bare minimum you needed for all the things you accomplished in the description: did you use multiple entries for each publication,etc? did you just mentioned the fact you got published ,presented in conference or whatever without proof?

PLEASE HELP!

any idea is welcome!
Click to expand...

Originally I included the title, but I deleted it and just wrote the name of the conference it was presented. Figured I'd have more chance to state the name...and if they're "really" interested, they'd ask me about it (hopefully through interview invite :xf:)
 
If you make changes to your primary, do you have to let AACOMAS know? Someone mentioned you don't have to let the school know, but not sure if I have to email AACOMAS as well...

Schools don't start looking at your app until they get "everything" from you. So if that's the case, I still have ample of time to fix my primary before sending in the secondary and MCAT, right?
 
Quester said:
If you make changes to your primary, do you have to let AACOMAS know? Someone mentioned you don't have to let the school know, but not sure if I have to email AACOMAS as well...

Schools don't start looking at your app until they get "everything" from you. So if that's the case, I still have ample of time to fix my primary before sending in the secondary and MCAT, right?
Click to expand...

Well, some schools actually pre-screen before they send out a secondary..so it may be good to get your primary in order sooner than later.

Also, Im not certain, but I know you can change almost anything on your primary app, even after verification. But, Im not sure how often the schools will update your app. This would be a good question to send to AACOMAS support. My guess is that you would have to inform each of your schools that you have updated your app and then they would re-download it and put it in your file.
 
HalfListic said:
Well, some schools actually pre-screen before they send out a secondary..so it may be good to get your primary in order sooner than later.

Also, Im not certain, but I know you can change almost anything on your primary app, even after verification. But, Im not sure how often the schools will update your app. This would be a good question to send to AACOMAS support. My guess is that you would have to inform each of your schools that you have updated your app and then they would re-download it and put it in your file.
Click to expand...

Eh...it's only ONE sentence of my EC description that's grammatically incorrect (kinda noticeable). Is this a big deal?
 
Quester said:
Eh...it's only ONE sentence of my EC description that's grammatically incorrect (kinda noticeable). Is this a big deal?
Click to expand...

I used to think so, but after hearing this questions quite a few time..everyone says it no big deal at all. Even the few adcoms on here chime in to say it really not a problem, especially when its not the PS.

I believe you are just fine
 
HalfListic said:
I used to think so, but after hearing this questions quite a few time..everyone says it no big deal at all. Even the few adcoms on here chime in to say it really not a problem, especially when its not the PS.

I believe you are just fine
Click to expand...

Alright, thanks for confirming.;)
 
Hey guys I have shadowed over 5 different doctors.

Volunteering Experience Total Shadowing Hours: 693 Hours
Family practitioner and ER Doctor
Shadowed Doctor50+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present
Psychiatrist
Shadowed Doctor8+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present

Asthma and Allergist
Shadowed Doctor55+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present
Rheumatologist
Shadowed Doctor60+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present

Internal Medicine
Volunteered in office 500+ Hours

Optomatrist 2011-2011
Pearl Vision
Intern for 1 week. 20+ Hours
----

My question is that the Internal Medicine one that I have shadowed for is ONLY office work (filing, boxing, etc..), the rest are actually seeing patients with the Dr. would that also be considered shadowing?? Because the summer of my senior year of HIGHSCHOOL i volunteered for my family doctor over the summer full time. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. That is honestly a truthful number to my possibility but would they question me on why didnt you get a LOR from them? since I volunteered so much. They later offered me a job but I declined cuz I had to go to school.

2nd question is: For my Extar-Curriculars do I put scholarships and things that I have done EVEN when I was in Highschool? or only college stuff.
 
member10101010 said:
Hey guys I have shadowed over 5 different doctors.

Volunteering Experience Total Shadowing Hours: 693 Hours
Family practitioner and ER Doctor
Shadowed Doctor50+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present
Psychiatrist
Shadowed Doctor8+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present

Asthma and Allergist
Shadowed Doctor55+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present
Rheumatologist
Shadowed Doctor60+ Hours
Letter of Recommendation from Dr. Present

Internal Medicine
Volunteered in office 500+ Hours

Optomatrist 2011-2011
Pearl Vision
Intern for 1 week. 20+ Hours
----

My question is that the Internal Medicine one that I have shadowed for is ONLY office work (filing, boxing, etc..), the rest are actually seeing patients with the Dr. would that also be considered shadowing?? Because the summer of my senior year of HIGHSCHOOL i volunteered for my family doctor over the summer full time. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. That is honestly a truthful number to my possibility but would they question me on why didnt you get a LOR from them? since I volunteered so much. They later offered me a job but I declined cuz I had to go to school.

2nd question is: For my Extar-Curriculars do I put scholarships and things that I have done EVEN when I was in Highschool? or only college stuff.
Click to expand...

you shouldn't put stuff from high school, at least this is what i have been told. As for the time spent only doing office work, just put it down as a volunteering instead of a shadowing opportunity.
 
Hopefull22 said:
So in addition to a bio major, I also am working on a philosophy minor, but there is nowhere to put this in the aamcas application. Will schools see this on my transcript or will they only see what is on the application?
Click to expand...

Bump. Does anyone know how to enter a minor?
 
Quick question. I'm filling out my Extra-curricular activities for my AACOMAS app. Would they consider it be plagiarism if I wrote down some of the things from the Red-Cross website directly just to show them what Red-Cross is about?

e.g. Description:

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, across the country, and across the world—in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new—the more than half a million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. An average of more than 9 million people a year receive Red Cross training in first aid, water safety and other skills that help save lives. and after this I write what I did...


Do they or would they flag this?
 
why? it is med school. if they don't know what they red cross is then they are *****s. in fact, they will probably look at it and think, "does this guy think we are *****s?" Don't put it.
 
What'd you do for the Red Cross? I am a disaster service volunteer/EMT and I just said "worked with the ARC doing blah blah, and even blah."
 
frkybgstok said:
why? It is med school. If they don't know what they red cross is then they are *****s. In fact, they will probably look at it and think, "does this guy think we are *****s?" don't put it.
Click to expand...

+1.
 
plagarism**

on another note, make sure you spell check your app....
 
In the EC section, I've listed my position as VP of our pre-med SOMA chapter. In creating the description, I began with the goals of our chapter... Should I just focus on my responsibilities, and significant things that were done when I was VP, or is it fine to leave the goals at the start? I mean, they can just go to the pre-soma website for our chapter and check the goals of our organization (although I doubt they would)... Thank you!

EDIT: Also, while reviewing my GPA, I noticed that deleting retakes from my transcripts doesn't change the GPA score on the application... I find this to be very odd. I'm going to also delete the first score to see if that changes it either.

EDIT2: Deleting both the primary course and the repeat did not change the GPA, nor did deleting only the primary course... Something is going on here, does anyone have any thoughts?

EDIT3: What sort of awards are they asking for? On my transcripts it states that I was on the deans list for a few quarters, should I put that down, because they will already see that on my transcripts and all.

EDIT4: I figure that I should just keep adding my questions here :). My next question is regarding my research experience. When describing, what points should I cover, and how should I start? (go over what I do in the lab, what the research is about... haven't had any publications.. anything else?) I know this seems like something I should be able to figure out myself, but i'm psyching myself out being scared not to sound stupid.
 
Last edited:
Hey guys, I'm not sure if this was asked already, but how do you format your EC section with bullets?
 
And how did you format your personal statement? No indents beginning a paragraph and one line space inbetween paragraphs?
 
Last question before I submit, should I include an internship that I did with an optometrist my sophomore year or would that not be relevant? it was about 40 hours over 3 months
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

PapaGuava
  • Sticky
*~*~Official AACOMAS Questions Thread 2023-2024~*~*
2 3
Replies
117
Views
11K
purkinjekitty
purkinjekitty
PapaGuava
2022-2023 Official AACOMAS Verification Thread
Replies
11
Views
3K
wpw2021
wpw2021
PapaGuava
*~*~Official AACOMAS Questions Thread 2022-2023~*~*
2 3
Replies
148
Views
12K
chilly_md
chilly_md
N
AACOMAS Fee Waiver?
Replies
1
Views
471
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
S
How long does AACOMAS verification usually take?
Replies
2
Views
161
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Top