*official* Amcas 2006

[rugirlie]

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Hey I have a quick question. Do we HAVE to put in the info on our parents, especially where they life? Will this send up a red flag if we don't? What do y'all think?

I don't think you HAVE to, but I would.. I put other for the occupation of my father and I got asked what he did at about 3 interviews.... they definitely read that stuff

 

[PhillyEaglesFan]

Hey I have a quick question. Do we HAVE to put in the info on our parents, especially where they life? Will this send up a red flag if we don't? What do y'all think?

If it doesn't come up with an asterisk, I don't think you have to. But I think it would send up a red flag; also you might be asked what they do anyway at interviews.

EDIT: what she said.

 

[CoffeeCat]

I don't think you HAVE to, but I would.. I put other for the occupation of my father and I got asked what he did at about 3 interviews.... they definitely read that stuff

Really?? Why would they be so interested?

So, I've got two sets of parents, how do I go about it? Omit stepparents? Pick a set? Put down all of them?? Thanks.

 

[rugirlie]

Really?? Why would they be so interested?

So, I've got two sets of parents, how do I go about it? Omit stepparents? Pick a set? Put down all of them?? Thanks.

I put my actual mother and actual father.... my parents are divorced and both remarried...

 

[crys20]

but then wouldn't tehy want to see the semester grades anyway? I kinda wanted them to be included because I should be getting some A's this semester, which would boost my overall and science GPA. My grades should come out towards the end of may, and I wasn't going to submit until I got my scores. And after that, I have to do the comittee interview, and the letter from them takes another week or two. So my app won't really be complete by June 1 anyway. But would I still need to drop off the transcript request so early? I keep hearing horror stories, so I'm not sure what to do.

I think as long as you have your submission by the end of June or early July you're still considered "early"...imagine, the August MCAT'ers haven't even taken their test yet. So yes, I would definately wait...I am waiting, in fact, for my grades to come out around June 10th, hopefully my registrar will be quick as I have already sent in my transcript request but indicated to send after these grades came out...So yeah. I mean, I desperately need these last 4 (hoepfully!) A's...and I do mean desperately 🙂

 

[tank you]

I think as long as you have your submission by the end of June or early July you're still considered "early"...imagine, the August MCAT'ers haven't even taken their test yet. So yes, I would definately wait...I am waiting, in fact, for my grades to come out around June 10th, hopefully my registrar will be quick as I have already sent in my transcript request but indicated to send after these grades came out...So yeah. I mean, I desperately need these last 4 (hoepfully!) A's...and I do mean desperately 🙂

Since I am on the quarter system, my grades for spring quarter will not be on transcript until June 27th, should I wait that long, or just send my transcript request in now with the winter quarter grades?

 

[waterlily]

I don't think you HAVE to, but I would.. I put other for the occupation of my father and I got asked what he did at about 3 interviews.... they definitely read that stuff

What if both my parents are retired now? I don't think there's a choice for retired...should I put "other" or should I put their occupation prior to their retirement?

 

[rugirlie]

What if both my parents are retired now? I don't think there's a choice for retired...should I put "other" or should I put their occupation prior to their retirement?

hmm thats a good question... I might contact the AAMCAs with that one...

 

[medicomel]

I took Gen Chem I in undergrad and again in my post-bac sequence.

Question:

Do I mark "REPEATED" for both courses listed on my application, or just for the second one?


😕

 

[Code Brown]

will we add those grades to our AMCAS GPA later or no? I'd been thinking all along that this semester's grades would be included.

rugirlie - I don't think that many people are neurotic - we're just trying to figure out how all of this works.

Nope, you can only add grades up to the point of submital. After you submit, you send any updates directly to the schools you applied to.

 

[Code Brown]

Since I am on the quarter system, my grades for spring quarter will not be on transcript until June 27th, should I wait that long, or just send my transcript request in now with the winter quarter grades?

That depends. If your grades are great right now, don't worry about waiting around. If your grades will bring your GPA up, definitely wait until then because this will make a difference.

 

[crys20]

So re: entering future grades...I am taking classes this summer quarter, then fall quarter, then will be graduated. Should I add these 2 quarters worth of classes as future? None of them are anything to write home about, one bio lab, a few englishes, etc. Well, the only one they might care to see would be anatomy with lab..Do I list them all as future or no?

 

[tigress]

Do we put graduate work under colleges? Sounds like a stupid question.

 

[Countess827]

I just started the application today. 👍

But I have realized Section 4. Course Work is going to take forever!! I took one course over the summer at a different university as a visiting student. How would I indicate that on the application?

Also in application note: I'm figuring I'm really behind now, I haven't gotten around to giving the faculty the stuff for the letter of recs yet....too nervous!!!! Any advice?

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Repost: Question: I attended a school for one semester, transferred, and then took a course over the summer at the first school. How do I list that?

Do I just put attended from whenever to last summer and only fill in the classes I took?

 

[tigress]

I need some advice. I have two options for entering courses on AMCAS. It's complicated to explain the whole thing, but it comes down to this:

Option 1: The way the pre-med committee at my school wants me to do it, but I'm not so sure. I would enter all of the credits that counted towards my BA, which includes each semester a block called "Hebrew Language % Lit" for 6 credits. I would thus leave out the 3 courses I took each semester toward my AA degree. Benefits: slightly (very slightly) higher GPA, doing it the way "they" want me to. Costs: it would look like I took 4 courses each semester rather than the actual 6 or 7. A few of my honors courses would not show up at all. I feel like this minimizes the difficulty of my undergraduate curriculum.

Option 2: Enter all of my courses for undergrad, both BA and AA. This would leave off the 6 credit "Hebrew Language and Lit" (which was only a summary of the actual courses I took...it's very complicated). Benefits: all of my courses will show up, including all honors courses. I worked hard to take 6 or 7 courses a semester and that means a lot to me. Costs: slightly lower GPA, and I would be going against my pre-med committee.

So I'm leaning towards option 2, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, either. Anybody have some advice?

 

[Avenue Q]

tigress -

go with option 1. i wouldn't even think twice. plus, a 6 credit course is more than a normal class, so it doesn't look like only 4, it looks like 4+.

And, always take the higher GPA formulation.

Also, if your comittee wants it a certain way, it probably means it makes more sense in the long run.

Don't think you are discounting your effort because it looks like less, they have no idea what Heb lang and lit is...it could be anything, including those multiple classes.

Sidenote - are you at YU?

 

[tigress]

tigress -

go with option 1. i wouldn't even think twice. plus, a 6 credit course is more than a normal class, so it doesn't look like only 4, it looks like 4+.

And, always take the higher GPA formulation.

Also, if your comittee wants it a certain way, it probably means it makes more sense in the long run.

Don't think you are discounting your effort because it looks like less, they have no idea what Heb lang and lit is...it could be anything, including those multiple classes.

Sidenote - are you at YU?

Thanks. I'm still just so unsure, especially because of those honors courses. Yeah, I went to YU (graduated May 2004)
thanks for the advice

 

[Avenue Q]

How do you deal with the following situation...

I have contributed to 2 posters in my research (but did not present them), and a paper i am an author on is being submitted for publication this summer. how do i list this for activities? can i just put them in the discription section for my research/lab?

 

[Avenue Q]

Thanks. I'm still just so unsure, especially because of those honors courses. Yeah, I went to YU (graduated May 2004)
thanks for the advice

can you mark the heb lang and lit as honors?

 

[rugirlie]

Thanks. I'm still just so unsure, especially because of those honors courses. Yeah, I went to YU (graduated May 2004)
thanks for the advice

bechatzlacha!

 

[wendywellesley]

How do you deal with the following situation...

I have contributed to 2 posters in my research (but did not present them), and a paper i am an author on is being submitted for publication this summer. how do i list this for activities? can i just put them in the discription section for my research/lab?

that's what i'm doing. i have a pending paper and that's what i put in my experience description.

 

[sweetpeamd09]

I wish you all the best as you embark on your magical journey with the AMCAS. 😉 I know others have recommended it...but PLEASE send in your transcripts now--and start getting letters of rec! You don't want to be stuck fighting with your registrar and professors b/c they can't handle the influx of fellow applicants asking for the same thing in July-October. It will be ugly! Also, start working on your personal statement. And---this goes for all you August MCATers too. Don't be bad and not send your AMCAS in until September and wait until then to grace the personal statement section (is it called comments?) with your presence. I didn't do that...I don't know what you're talking about! 😛 Seriously though, if you have any questions pm me and I'd be more than happy to help you with whatever I can.

 

[gluon999]

quick Q...

Under the course work section, where it asks 'Course Number', should I write, for ex, HIST 105, or just 105?

 

[DarkFark]

Also in application note: I'm figuring I'm really behind now, I haven't gotten around to giving the faculty the stuff for the letter of recs yet....too nervous!!!! Any advice?

Start out by asking the recommender which you believe is most likely you write your letter (research PI if you've got one). That'll boost your confidence for the others. worked for me.

 

[Avenue Q]

quick Q...

Under the course work section, where it asks 'Course Number', should I write, for ex, HIST 105, or just 105?

I'm doing HIST 105, because my classes are no easily placed in catagories (half of them are Other or Special Studies, or other ones with slashes), and the course titles at my school are no so easily interpreted. (Re) Discovering Listening, for example, whould be a hard one.

 

[crys20]

Yes gluon...Funny, I asked my MS2 bf this yesterday and got made fun of 🙂 But i'm putting like History 151, or Biology 114, or for the really long ones (like Physiology and Cell Biology) the abbrev the school has so it's like PHYSIOCB 311.

 

[sweetpeamd09]

For course title put whatever is ACTUALLY on your transcript because that is how AMCAS will be verifying it.

On a side note...as someone who has already survived this... I know you guys are trying to be diligent and that is great! But for those of you panicking...calm yourself! It is MAY 4th. Just chill. Even if it takes you 3 months to finish this..you will in fact still get into med. school and the application process will run its course. If you are worried that it's May already and you don't have anything done... sit back relax and grab a coffee, ice cream, chat with friends or something. Whatever you do to relax...become a master at it for the next year or so. 🙂 Some people make this whole process out to be a monster. And while it is time consuming...it's no monster. Take a breather on those long nights when you're entering your stupid courses semester by semester, and when you've looked at your ps so freaking long you can't see anymore. Even the interviews will not be bad. I hope you took that to heart...the interviews were the best thing in the world for me...and I was (and still am some days) insecure and severely lacking confidence. But, this is something you've wanted for a LOOOOOONG time! So, this whole process is just that last step in a very long journey. I hope I'm not being too didactic...I just really want you all to get through this as stress-free as possible...so that you can actually enjoy sharing yourself with the evil people on adcoms (admissions committees). 😉 Buenas suerte!

 

[tigress]

can you mark the heb lang and lit as honors?

Probably not, since only one of the 3 courses is honors.

I just did the GPA calculations both ways, and it's either 3.67 or 3.64. So now I have to decide whether the extra honors course plus showing that I had so many courses each semester (not to mention 2 full years of a language plus multiple history courses, all under heb lang and lit) is worth 0.03 grade points.

 

[tigress]

bechatzlacha!

😀 thanks!

 

[Mike4284m]

I have a bit of an issue with my AP Bio class. At my college if you scored high enough on the test you take "Advanced General Biology" first semester. After completing that class I automatically got credit for second semester general bio. My transcript reads it as "BIO-192 General Biology II" which counts for 4 credits but is graded as a transfer. Anyone have any idea how I should handle this mess on the primary app?

Oh and while I'm asking, what about pre-labs? If a class was for no credit you don't enter it right?

 

[tank you]

why is everyone saying to send transcript requests now? don't we still have a month before we can even submit the AMCAS?

 

[tigress]

Speech Communication, anyone? It was a required course at my school. I looked at the list of course designations but I don't see which it fits under. Maybe "Communications", but that's all journalism stuff...


also, what if we don't know where we plan on taking a course? I need second semester physics some time in the next year, but I have no clue where I'll take it. What should I do about that?

 

[gluon999]

why is everyone saying to send transcript requests now? don't we still have a month before we can even submit the AMCAS?

right? I am gonna wait for 1 more week before I submit my requests. I figure it will reach AMCAS in about 3-4 weeks. I don't plan to submit my AMCAS till mid-June so I think it should be fine.

 

[MoosePilot]

why is everyone saying to send transcript requests now? don't we still have a month before we can even submit the AMCAS?

Yes and if you've requested transcripts, they'll hit AMCAS about the same time via snail mail as your app does via electrons. Then they can start verifying in a week or so, vs. 3 or 4.

 

[tigress]

I just thought of something that is making me pretty upset. Do they include graduate GPA in your overall and BCPM GPA? Because I spent one miserable semester in grad school and didn't do well, and I don't want those grades to have to be part of my GPA!!!!! 😱

 

[wendywellesley]

I just thought of something that is making me pretty upset. Do they include graduate GPA in your overall and BCPM GPA? Because I spent one miserable semester in grad school and didn't do well, and I don't want those grades to have to be part of my GPA!!!!! 😱

no, grad GPA and undergrad GPA are separate and i don't think they include any courses you took as a grad student in your BCPM (although i could be wrong).


everyone fyi- AMCAS starts accepting transcripts may 5th, so no harm in getting them in ASAP.

http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/faq/transcripts.htm

 

[45408]

I think as long as you have your submission by the end of June or early July you're still considered "early"...imagine, the August MCAT'ers haven't even taken their test yet. So yes, I would definately wait...I am waiting, in fact, for my grades to come out around June 10th, hopefully my registrar will be quick as I have already sent in my transcript request but indicated to send after these grades came out...So yeah. I mean, I desperately need these last 4 (hoepfully!) A's...and I do mean desperately 🙂

What if I send in a transcript now, but decide that I'm going to get good grades this semester and want those included (I'll know before June 1), can I send in that transcript too and have them use that one?


Just curious - for the schools that screen the AMCAS, what's the most stringent requirements that any school has?

 

[godawgs39]

How would you guys approach this situation regarding parents?

I was raised by my grandparents...my grandma is a retired caregiver and my grandfather passed away in September.

I think I can handle that...but here's where I get stuck, I don't really know my mom, but I'm getting to know her. My Dad, well, he's kinda in prison and has been for the past 21 years. I have a great relationship with him, so it's not as if I don't consider him a parent, unlike my mom. How should I put him into the system? Maybe put "other" and say he's been a full-time inmate since '84?

 

[Countess827]

Start out by asking the recommender which you believe is most likely you write your letter (research PI if you've got one). That'll boost your confidence for the others. worked for me.

Thanks so much!! I asked one of my honors professors and she said she would be more than happy to write one for me!! I definitely got a boost of confidence for the rest!

Btw, sweetpea, great posts, I feel much better about this application process now. You're right, it is only May and we still have time. 🙂

 

[45408]

maybe this was already asked 😛 but it just seems rather funny that I'm sending a transcript request to my school asking for a transcript that says:

Dates Attended: 09/2002 - 05/2006
Alternate Name(s):
Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Science (05/2006)

when I haven't earned the degree yet. Did I enter this right? Or do you just put how long you've been attending until now?

 

[Code Brown]

maybe this was already asked 😛 but it just seems rather funny that I'm sending a transcript request to my school asking for a transcript that says:

Dates Attended: 09/2002 - 05/2006
Alternate Name(s):
Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Science (05/2006)

when I haven't earned the degree yet. Did I enter this right? Or do you just put how long you've been attending until now?

Yes, that is exactly what you need to do. The same holds true for any experiences you will have (ie. future volunteering, etc.)

 

[Code Brown]

So re: entering future grades...I am taking classes this summer quarter, then fall quarter, then will be graduated. Should I add these 2 quarters worth of classes as future? None of them are anything to write home about, one bio lab, a few englishes, etc. Well, the only one they might care to see would be anatomy with lab..Do I list them all as future or no?

Yes, put them down as future.

 

[Code Brown]

I just started the application today. 👍

But I have realized Section 4. Course Work is going to take forever!! I took one course over the summer at a different university as a visiting student. How would I indicate that on the application?

Also in application note: I'm figuring I'm really behind now, I haven't gotten around to giving the faculty the stuff for the letter of recs yet....too nervous!!!! Any advice?

You will need to add another university to the list of schools attended, even for the one class. It's ok if they overlap.

In regards to the letter, just relax. You are probably the third or fourth person to ask this semester anyway so they are expecting it.

 

[45408]

Yes, put them down as future.

do I have to enter all my future courses? I'm not even sure what I'll be taking next spring.

 

[Code Brown]

How do you deal with the following situation...

I have contributed to 2 posters in my research (but did not present them), and a paper i am an author on is being submitted for publication this summer. how do i list this for activities? can i just put them in the discription section for my research/lab?

Even though you did not present them, just say that the material was presented at conference XYZ. Yes, put this in the research/lab section.

 

[Code Brown]

do I have to enter all my future courses? I'm not even sure what I'll be taking next spring.

Good question.

Yes you do. Do you know what subject they will be in? If you do, all you need to do is choose some classes. You can always update schools with changes later on and tell them that the courses you originally listed were. I did that and the schools had no problems with it. To give you some reassurance, here is the reply I received from MCW when I told them of my course changes in December for the spring semester (I changed 5 courses in total!):

Code Brown: We were very pleased to offer you a space in our entering class of 2005 and even more so that you have accepted that offer. Your schedule changes will NOT affect your application. Take care and have a Happy New Year. Mike

The reply I received from Wake and UCI was to the affect that as long as my pre-reqs are satisfied and I graduate, changing my schedule is up to me.

 

[Code Brown]

Speech Communication, anyone? It was a required course at my school. I looked at the list of course designations but I don't see which it fits under. Maybe "Communications", but that's all journalism stuff...


also, what if we don't know where we plan on taking a course? I need second semester physics some time in the next year, but I have no clue where I'll take it. What should I do about that?

Last year I stuck it under english and it went through without a hitch.

As for physics, make sure you put it down because this is a pre-req that will need to be done. Just put it down at the most likely place you will attend.

 

[Code Brown]

What if I send in a transcript now, but decide that I'm going to get good grades this semester and want those included (I'll know before June 1), can I send in that transcript too and have them use that one?


Just curious - for the schools that screen the AMCAS, what's the most stringent requirements that any school has?

Yes, they will use the most recent one they have on file.

 

[45408]

how do you mark something that I got retrocredit for? I took a placement test while in HS and placed into 2nd semester Spanish, but since I got an A in 2nd semester Spanish, I got credit for 1st semester Spanish. How do I indicate that? I also never took it - so there's no semester/year for me to put it down.