Official AMCAS 2008 thread...

[Phoenix.]

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Hey guys,

I am filling out my AMCAS for the '08 cycle. I was wondering how much detail I should put. For my 15 activities I pretty much reached my word max. Is it good to talk about these activties in detail? I figured the more information is better. What do you guys think?

Personally, I think using the max character allotment for each EC is overkill. Make sure they're concise. I think wordiness in the ECs would be a bad idea.

 

[IntoTheWild]

Has anyone that submitted on or after 6/6/07 11:21 am already been verified? All my transcripts were in prior to submitting and I am "ready for review."

just curious...

 

[badasshobbit]

mine is complete today, but the site says that they won't go out until around the 21st

 

[viciouz]

I heard you should just try to use the minimum in trying to explain your activities, and if you want, you can put down what you learned.

 

[wjustice]

Do we have to list publications in a separate category, or is it alright to list them under your research experience?

Also, I filled out about 13 relevant EC's, which leaves me space for two more activities. Do you guys think it would be reasonable to include an activity section mentioning that I train for and compete in a lot of triathlons and marathons (since it does take up a lot of my time)?

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Also, I filled out about 13 relevant EC's, which leaves me space for two more activities. Do you guys think it would be reasonable to include an activity section mentioning that I train for and compete in a lot of triathlons and marathons (since it does take up a lot of my time)?

Sure. It paints a brighter picture of who you are. I included one of my hobbies as an EC and I think it illustrates I'm not a pre-med robot.

 

[viciouz]

Do we have to list publications in a separate category, or is it alright to list them under your research experience?

Also, I filled out about 13 relevant EC's, which leaves me space for two more activities. Do you guys think it would be reasonable to include an activity section mentioning that I train for and compete in a lot of triathlons and marathons (since it does take up a lot of my time)?

Or you could leave it for your personal statement/secondary essays, about how health is important to you blah blah blah.

 

[wjustice]

Sure. It paints a brighter picture of who you are. I included one of my hobbies as an EC and I think it illustrates I'm not a pre-med robot.

Okay, cool.

. . .So that leaves one more spot. Should I list factory employment (crappy jobs. . .we've all had them)? Could be one more thing that could add to patient-understanding. But maybe I don't want to list too many activities that would distract from my more medically relevant activities.

 

[MChitty]

Okay, cool.

. . .So that leaves one more spot. Should I list factory employment (crappy jobs. . .we've all had them)? Could be one more thing that could add to patient-understanding. But maybe I don't want to list too many activities that would distract from my more medically relevant activities.

I would be careful about filling out all 15 spots...a lot of posts here have indicated that it looks like 'resume padding.' I don't think it's required, is all I"m saying.

 

[viciouz]

Honestly... you don't need to fill every spot... If you already have like 10 or so solid EC's. Then forget filling them all. Med schools will see right through your fillers.

 

[Polynikes]

Well, I have things listed on mine that some people might call fillers ((ie. church member, won Home Town Hero, Dean's List (even though that should be expected of a med school applicant), sponsored triathlete, national level martial arts competitor))...

But, those things define who I am.

At the end of the day, when I want to blow off steam and do something that I really love, I'm not cracking open a Biology book...

I'm either running my butt off, throwing someone with an osoti gari, or I'm competing in an EcoChallenge type event...

Under EC's, you put down everything that defines who you are...and if that means running, than put it down.

 

[Odysseus]

na

 

[wjustice]

Honestly... you don't need to fill every spot... If you already have like 10 or so solid EC's. Then forget filling them all. Med schools will see right through your fillers.

If it sounds like filler, then I'll avoid mentioning it. One reason I asked, though, was because I feel like I've heard that committees like to account for all the time that you've spent during your summers and after college. I was concerned about blanks seen during summers. . .should I just expect to have to answer for that time during interviews?

 

[wjustice]

I've been reading some schools require english classes. at my place, you don't take them unless you are an english major........or love essays. Does that mean I cannot apply to those schools? what should i do?

Try calling the schools and explaining your situation. Maybe it's a flexible requirement and they'll make a note of your situation.

 

[Cataract]

Hi everyone,

How is everyone indicating a future end-date on the Work/EC portion? When I click Continue with a future end-date, I get an error message. I`m currently working at a summer research program and next year I will be president of a club. Right now, I`m thinking of clicking the "Until Present" check box and explaining it in my description.

 

[viciouz]

Hi everyone,

How is everyone indicating a future end-date on the Work/EC portion? When I click Continue with a future end-date, I get an error message. I`m currently working at a summer research program and next year I will be president of a club. Right now, I`m thinking of clicking the "Until Present" check box and explaining it in my description.

Sucks for you, you can't list it. Its like that for everyone. Plus listing future crap just makes you look bad. Med Schools will question everything you write.

 

[gaga]

can you combine many things under one listing for the activities/work? Like if I did two similar clubs just list them under one main heading and clarify in the box? Or if I won some awards for an activity, just listing the activity and then specifying the awards in the box too? thanks!

 

[Cataract]

Sucks for you, you can't list it. Its like that for everyone. Plus listing future crap just makes you look bad. Med Schools will question everything you write.

Listing future stuff makes you look bad? I don`t think so. I plan on explaining that I will be president under the description of a club I`ve been in for several years. Other than that, I heard people change the the date on their computers to put in future dates. I could see how THAT is a little unscrupulous, but what about checking the "Until Present" box and saying you will continue next year in the Description text box?

 

[RJain]

I've been reading some schools require english classes. at my place, you don't take them unless you are an english major........or love essays. Does that mean I cannot apply to those schools? what should i do?

Are you still in school? If you are, just take them your 4th year (its usually 2 classes, one of which can be fulfilled by the normal freshman English writing course). I don't think the med schools care how you do in those classes as much as they care that you take them. If you aren't in school anymore, maybe you could call those individual admissions offices and see if they can help...?

 

[calbears86]

hello,

I don't know whether I should list this as an EC/hobby...I've been skateboarding since middle school and it is something that I still do every week. Should I even list this as a hobby cuz it's completely recreational....it's not like I'm teaching little orphan kids how to skate or anything like that. Any comments??

Also, sorry for posting here, but does anyone want to help me narrow down my list of schools...PLZ (I don't really feel like dishing out +$1000)

Here's my mdapp and you can see the list of schools http://mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=08060

Thanks!!

 

[copingmethods]

hey all,
I'm have a leadership position in a pretty cool program this summer for high school students interested in medicine, I'd be a facilitator (camp counselorish?) for them, and lead them for a couple weeks at Johns Hopkins, and it ends on July 6th.

I definitely want to include it on my AMCAS, but I also want to submit as soon as possible. Do you think I should wait til after July 6th to submit so I can include this or should I submit as soon as possible and talk about it in my secondaries or interviews and whatnot?

Thanks!

 

[Surf Rx]

submit your primary now and talk about your leadership activity in the secondaries. it'll give you something new to talk about in some secondaries, instead of reiterating what's already on your amcas.

 

[Polynikes]

If I have already submitted my application to AMCAS, and I am currently "in line" to be verified, what would happen to my application if I wanted to add another school on there?

Would it set me back?

 

[bacalaca]

I was wondering, if you take classes AFTER you submit the AMCAS, will schools ask you how you did in those classes and factor that into GPA

 

[justmoi]

submit your primary now and talk about your leadership activity in the secondaries. it'll give you something new to talk about in some secondaries, instead of reiterating what's already on your amcas.

i'd second that. you don't want to delay it unnecessarily. Plus it'll be addtl stuff for interviews too...

 

[AppTrail]

Listing future stuff makes you look bad? I don`t think so. I plan on explaining that I will be president under the description of a club I`ve been in for several years. Other than that, I heard people change the the date on their computers to put in future dates. I could see how THAT is a little unscrupulous, but what about checking the "Until Present" box and saying you will continue next year in the Description text box?

I think it's totally acceptable to put future things...unless it's like your first clinical experience cause med schools probably want to know that you have had some clinical experience before you decide to go into medicine. also, i'm taking classes this fall, and the amcas has an option for "current/future" courses, so i'm sure they understand that people will be doing relevant things in their application year

 

[caffeineaholic]

-I had some math classes that had lab components (mathematical modeling using computer programs); should I click 'lab and lecture components' for these classes or just 'lecture only'? I feel like med schools would really only care about labs for science classes, but since there were officially lab components to these math classes, should I show that there were labs included?

-Also, for work/activities, should i enter them in order of importance to me or does it automatically list them through some other order?
For honors/awards, was contact information required? I grouped a lot of mine together and they're from different organizations with different contacts. I have the same question about shadowing, since i put all of mine together yet shadowed many physicians, so it'd be a lot of contact info.

 

[viciouz]

-I had some math classes that had lab components (mathematical modeling using computer programs); should I click 'lab and lecture components' for these classes or just 'lecture only'? I feel like med schools would really only care about labs for science classes, but since there were officially lab components to these math classes, should I show that there were labs included?

-Also, for work/activities, should i enter them in order of importance to me or does it automatically list them through some other order?
For honors/awards, was contact information required? I grouped a lot of mine together and they're from different organizations with different contacts. I have the same question about shadowing, since i put all of mine together yet shadowed many physicians, so it'd be a lot of contact info.

For the first one, I would list it as Lab/Lecture.

And for work/activities, it doesn't matter because AMCAS will put them in chronological order for you. You don't need contact info for awards/honors, in fact its not necessary for any of the fields.

For shadowing, just list the physicians in the description.

 

[chickenlittle84]

-I had some math classes that had lab components (mathematical modeling using computer programs); should I click 'lab and lecture components' for these classes or just 'lecture only'? I feel like med schools would really only care about labs for science classes, but since there were officially lab components to these math classes, should I show that there were labs included?

-Also, for work/activities, should i enter them in order of importance to me or does it automatically list them through some other order?
For honors/awards, was contact information required? I grouped a lot of mine together and they're from different organizations with different contacts. I have the same question about shadowing, since i put all of mine together yet shadowed many physicians, so it'd be a lot of contact info.

I had a quantitative demography class that had labs (classified as applied math), so I named it course name and lab, and clicked the with lab button. I don't think med schools look at it closely, but I guess it is just good to be accurate.

I have the same question for work and activities, is there any way to manage the order? It looks like it automatically sorts them based on start date. Honors and awards do not require contact information, shadowing doesn't either, but I presume you will put the same of the doctor you shadowed and where, so that automatically serves as contact info.

 

[trustforward]

OK so i know many have already noted that the crappy, P/T jobs we've all had should not be included (b/c they will be viewed as fillers), but I didn't choose this path until 2nd semester jr. year... so other than the research i've done for the past 2 years, the only 'related' activities/work exp. i can include would be psi chi and psych club member. i had a god handful of crappy p/t jobs in the years preceeding. should i just not mention these and use only like 4/15 slots available??

currently throwing myself a pitty party. for no apparent reason.

 

[futuremd1517]

$160 for the first school then $30 for each additional at any time.

Are you positive that if you add schools at a later time it'll still only be an extra $30 and not the $160 again? I can't find that info anywhere online and want to make sure before I submit. I tried calling AMCAS today but no one is there until tomorrow.

 

[Phoenix.]

Are you positive that if you add schools at a later time it'll still only be an extra $30 and not the $160 again? I can't find that info anywhere online and want to make sure before I submit. I tried calling AMCAS today but no one is there until tomorrow.

After I was verified I added another school on Friday, and it only cost $30.

 

[futuremd1517]

After I was verified I added another school on Friday, and it only cost $30.

great! thank you!

 

[154241]

Hi guys,

1. Does anyone know how long it takes AMCAS to reply to emailed questions? I realize this is probably the busiest period right now, but I have a lot of quirky questions resulting from being a transfer student, etc. I sent the message Wednesday and am still waiting; would I do better calling them?

Thanks!

 

[viciouz]

Hi guys,

1. Does anyone know how long it takes AMCAS to reply to emailed questions? I realize this is probably the busiest period right now, but I have a lot of quirky questions resulting from being a transfer student, etc. I sent the message Wednesday and am still waiting; would I do better calling them?

Thanks!

Why bother with email, it could get lost in their onslaught of emails from everyone. Your better off calling them and getting your answers directly with no or little confusion.

 

[katatonia]

I am planning to apply in states next year. My questions is that can I take the English credit next summer after submitting my apps? I mean, is there any way to update the stats once the application has been sent? or I have to take this ENG credit in fall 2007 and winter 2008 before applying next year. I am asking these 'stupid' questions because AMCAS stuff is new to me as I am not a US student.

On the aside, how does science gpa and BCPM GPA or whatever it is works? My school has cumulative GPA (4 years avg), Annual GPA (per academic year) and Sessional GPA (per semester). No distinction is made on the type of courses taken i.e. science, humanities or soc sci.

 

[Dr.D-man]

Hi guys,

1. Does anyone know how long it takes AMCAS to reply to emailed questions? I realize this is probably the busiest period right now, but I have a lot of quirky questions resulting from being a transfer student, etc. I sent the message Wednesday and am still waiting; would I do better calling them?

Thanks!

I got a question answered within a day, but that was back in May.

 

[paindocv]

As students you have a very strong voice. please look at the Louisiana Legislature which is now in session. Two bills have been introduced that could potentially destroy the practice of medicine. HB684 and Sb322. These bills are advocating the expansion of the scope practice of CRNA's to include interventional pain management procedures included but not limited to epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections and whatever the hell else they want to do. The Louisiana State board of Medical examiners have issued a position statement stating that these procedures are the practice of medicine and not nursing and cannot be delegated or prescribed for nonphyscian providers to perform. What they can't get with education they must use legislation and lots of money. welcome to the real world ladies and gentleman. stand up to be heard or go to nurse anesthesia school and save yourself years of disappointment

 

[gatrandy]

Does anyone know how long it takes for AMCAS to checkmark that they have received your transcript? My school swears they sent them a while ago, but AMCAS doesn't acknowledge that they got them. Why can't things be electronic? I guess AMCAS doesn't checkmark it as soon as they check their mail? Anyone have experience with this?

 

[MChitty]

Well, I am finally submitted. Hope it doesn't take too long!

That's a nice load off until secondaries start to come in...

 

[viciouz]

Is it possible to send update transcripts to AMCAS... I just found out I am getting a 4.0 this quarter, and I really want it to show up.

 

[Polynikes]

Just thought I'd tell everyone that my status went from being "in line," to it being in the process of being verified...

Well, the process of getting verified took...literally...a matter of hours...

It was very, very fast...

I'm surprised...

Now it is time to add some more schools on there...

 

[ParvatiP]

I am planning to apply in states next year. My questions is that can I take the English credit next summer after submitting my apps? I mean, is there any way to update the stats once the application has been sent? or I have to take this ENG credit in fall 2007 and winter 2008 before applying next year. I am asking these 'stupid' questions because AMCAS stuff is new to me as I am not a US student.

On the aside, how does science gpa and BCPM GPA or whatever it is works? My school has cumulative GPA (4 years avg), Annual GPA (per academic year) and Sessional GPA (per semester). No distinction is made on the type of courses taken i.e. science, humanities or soc sci.

AMCAS calculates your BCPM gpa based on the classification of your courses as well as your overall gpa.

 

[viciouz]

For those who have been verified and had your GPA calculated already, do your GPA's tend to be the same as your Overall/BCMP GPA's that you calculate by yourself?

Also I heard those who go to a Qtr system school tend to have higher GPAs when calculated for some reason.

 

[CarolinaGirl]

Hey how will we find out if schools are sending us secondaries? Is there something we will see on amcas or do we receive an email?

 

[87138]

Ok I've got 2 questions, sorry if they've been asked before . . .

1. What do you guys put for "Experience Name" when entering in ECs? Your official title? (Medical Assistant, Research Coordinator, etc) Or do you just write something generic like "volunteer", or what. I'm not really sure what's supposed to go in that blank.

2. Do you list summer full-time jobs held during undergrad years?

 

[killinsound]

Is july 1st too late to start getting verified?

 

[Polynikes]

For those who have been verified and had your GPA calculated already, do your GPA's tend to be the same as your Overall/BCMP GPA's that you calculate by yourself?

.

Lower...

I have no idea why...

My GPA at my school is a 3.89, and AMCAS has me at 3.85.

But, after this summer that I'm in right now, my GPA will go up to 3.90, so hopefully AMCAS will update my GPA.

Not that it will make a difference though...

 

[viciouz]

How do you update your GPA?

Also is your school semester based or qtr based?

 

[pretenda]

I took the MCAT in August 2004. Does anyone know if any schools accept MCAT scores this old?