*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2011-2012*~*~*~*

[citrusguy2010]

if you're in a specific grad school at the school, do you still list the college as your grad school?

example: you go to UCLA School of Public Health, do you manually input the School of Public Health info in your app or do you just select UCLA when it shows up?

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[beckerism]

How do we fill in course hours if they are not assigned values by our school? Students at Brown are required to take 30 classes (semester system) to graduate - although each class is around 3 hours per week, this number varies and is not officially documented anywhere in our transcript. Are we allowed to leave this blank? I have all the other info filled...

 

[riseNshine]

Would a biomedical ethics class under the "molecular, cell, and developmental biology" department factor into the amcas calculated science gpa?

thanks in advance.

 

[deleted307836]

What's the course title?

 

[13132]

Is it actually in the biology department. If it is within the ethics department I think is clear that it does not count.

Even if it is in the biolody department I wouldn't count it. I know some of my friends take "Writing in the Biological Science" which is like BIO-450. They think this should be a GPA booster, but I don't think it should count as a science class.

Of course, this is from a guy who felt guilty counting Environmental Biology in my sGPA.

 

[mauberley]

if you're in a specific grad school at the school, do you still list the college as your grad school?

example: you go to UCLA School of Public Health, do you manually input the School of Public Health info in your app or do you just select UCLA when it shows up?

Just choose the UCLA entry from the list. Most universities are technically broken up into smaller colleges/schools in that fashion.

 

[mauberley]

How do we fill in course hours if they are not assigned values by our school? Students at Brown are required to take 30 classes (semester system) to graduate - although each class is around 3 hours per week, this number varies and is not officially documented anywhere in our transcript. Are we allowed to leave this blank? I have all the other info filled...

From page 36 of the instruction manual: "Note: Red asterisks (*) appear next to those fields the system requires. Although an asterisk does not appear next to Transcript Grade and Credit Hours, you must complete these fields if the information appears on your official transcript." So, credit hours aren't strictly required and if it doesn't appear on your transcript, then you do not have to enter anything into AMCAS.

 

[riseNshine]

The class is called "Biomedical Ethics," but it's listed as "Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 60"

Also, on a side note...if you have a research class that you get a letter grade for, does it count on your gpa?

 

[13132]

My school factors it into my GPA.

 

[sexycani]

how does the whole LOR forwarding this work...like after we get secondaries or LOR request from a particular school, does AMCAS automatically send our letters to that school? or do we do something?

 

[mauberley]

how does the whole LOR forwarding this work...like after we get secondaries or LOR request from a particular school, does AMCAS automatically send our letters to that school? or do we do something?

1) Create entries in AMCAS for each letter you are submitting somewhere.
2) Designate schools to which individual letters will be sent. Forwarding of letters from AMCAS to those schools will happen automatically.
3) Send the letters to AMCAS. (Either your school has a letter service or you're using Interfolio, VirtualEvals, whatever.)
4) Secondary applications may or may not require you to manually indicate what letters you will be sending (usually by requesting the writer's name and position).
5) The secondary application website usually indicates when the letters are received from AMCAS. Or, you may get an email or letter letting you know that your application has gone complete.

 

[GetSexyRightNow]

Thank you for all the help so far, mauberley.

For AP credit, I know we should list it as FR if our transcript does not specify the term it was awarded. However, do these credits factor into the class year for our other courses? For example, if I called my second year sophomore, should I change it to Junior if my AP credit bumped me into a different range? Hope that make sense.

 

[PharMed2016]

I've submitted request forms to all four of the institutions that I have been at and three of the four have arrived. Should I worry about the last one? It's been about a little less than 12 days since it was supposedly mailed but one of the transcripts that that I ordered about a 10 days or later has already arrived.

So stressful.

 

[sekistudent]

Hey there,

I took some classes while I was in high school at the local JC. At the time I only received high school credit for them, but they were college courses. Do I need to list them in AMCAS? It appears on my transcript, but as high school credit. Under the help section of AMCAS, it implies that I should list everything that appears on my transcript.

thanks there,

 

[mauberley]

Hey there,

I took some classes while I was in high school at the local JC. At the time I only received high school credit for them, but they were college courses. Do I need to list them in AMCAS? It appears on my transcript, but as high school credit. Under the help section of AMCAS, it implies that I should list everything that appears on my transcript.

thanks there,

Yes. You would mark your Year in School as HS, distinguishing it from courses you attempted while in college.

 

[mauberley]

Thank you for all the help so far, mauberley.

For AP credit, I know we should list it as FR if our transcript does not specify the term it was awarded. However, do these credits factor into the class year for our other courses? For example, if I called my second year sophomore, should I change it to Junior if my AP credit bumped me into a different range? Hope that make sense.

Sure thing.

Yes. You should try to abide by the rough guidelines set forth in the instruction manual when classifying your year in school.

 

[beckerism]

From page 36 of the instruction manual: "Note: Red asterisks (*) appear next to those fields the system requires. Although an asterisk does not appear next to Transcript Grade and Credit Hours, you must complete these fields if the information appears on your official transcript." So, credit hours aren't strictly required and if it doesn't appear on your transcript, then you do not have to enter anything into AMCAS.

Thanks bud. I saw that message in the manual, but was a little confused as the AMCAS continually prompted me with error messages when I didnt enter the hours. Now I can sleep easy tonight. =)

 

[LJ1000F]

From page 36 of the instruction manual: "Note: Red asterisks (*) appear next to those fields the system requires. Although an asterisk does not appear next to Transcript Grade and Credit Hours, you must complete these fields if the information appears on your official transcript." So, credit hours aren't strictly required and if it doesn't appear on your transcript, then you do not have to enter anything into AMCAS.

Is it common/accepted to not list any credit hours at all? I am from a Canadian university that uses a semester breakup of classes and am not quite sure how I would proceed with translating my courses to credit horus.

 

[sector9]

Is it common/accepted to not list any credit hours at all? I am from a Canadian university that uses a semester breakup of classes and am not quite sure how I would proceed with translating my courses to credit horus.

Did you read the instruction manual? Please read the instructions before posting on SDN. Look at page 45 to begin with for your question https://www.aamc.org/students/download/131750/data/2012amcasinstructionmanual.pdf

You are going to need to request an official copy of your own transcript, or contact the school's registrars office, to figure out if your school provides a conversion chart.

 

[NeuralNetwork]

1) Create entries in AMCAS for each letter you are submitting somewhere.
2) Designate schools to which individual letters will be sent. Forwarding of letters from AMCAS to those schools will happen automatically.
3) Send the letters to AMCAS. (Either your school has a letter service or you're using Interfolio, VirtualEvals, whatever.)
4) Secondary applications may or may not require you to manually indicate what letters you will be sending (usually by requesting the writer's name and position).
5) The secondary application website usually indicates when the letters are received from AMCAS. Or, you may get an email or letter letting you know that your application has gone complete.

I read on some school's websites (UCSF for example) that they will throw away letters received before secondaries are sent out. So how does it work for schools that want the letters only when they send out their secondaries?

 

[Medicalbound10]

Ok so I was reading the manual and have a question.

I was just checking my Transcript and saw that I decleared an International Studies Major while in school ( i thought they had removed it since i already graduated with another degree years ago but not )

I decleared it but did not finish it since i just finished my other major and fled from town . Reading the manual, I think I need to put it on the AMCAS application but should i just ask registration to remove it(undelcare it) or not list it at all

it might be a dumb question but wanted to make sure. Since i have graduated, i took undergrad courses at community colleges to satisfy pre-med requirments. So would I post those under Postbaccalureate Undergraduate. I thoguht so but i looked up the definition and it says...
Definition -
An applicant who has a degree and wishes to apply for further study at the undergraduate level to pursue a second bachelor’s degree.

but i am pursuing doctoral if i am can make it

 

[mauberley]

Is it common/accepted to not list any credit hours at all? I am from a Canadian university that uses a semester breakup of classes and am not quite sure how I would proceed with translating my courses to credit horus.

From page 41 of the instruction manual (passages of interest to you set in bold):

Credit Hours

Your AMCAS application will automatically convert most undergraduate credit hours (also known as units, hours, etc.) to either semester hours or supplemental hours based on conversions provided by the institutions.
Indicate your credit hours or units EXACTLY as they appear on your transcript even though the field does not have a red asterisk (*). Do not attempt to enter conversions based on the Grade Conversion Guide or any other conversion method.

If no hours appear on the official transcript, leave this item blank unless these credits have been removed as a result of failure, repeat, academic bankruptcy, forgiveness, or similar institutional policy, in which case grades and credits should be entered as they originally appeared.

Keep in mind:

Most Canadian schools grant three (3) semester hours for a half-year course and six (6) semester hours for a full- year course.
​

Courses with labs may be assigned different credits than other standard courses at the institution.
​

I read on some school's websites (UCSF for example) that they will throw away letters received before secondaries are sent out. So how does it work for schools that want the letters only when they send out their secondaries?

Schools can be designated for letters at any point in the application cycle. You are only prevented from removing schools or letters after you have submitted your application. It is possible for you, then, to refrain from designating those schools in question to receive letters until you know they are amenable to receiving the letters.

Ok so I was reading the manual and have a question.

I was just checking my Transcript and saw that I decleared an International Studies Major while in school ( i thought they had removed it since i already graduated with another degree years ago but not )

I decleared it but did not finish it since i just finished my other major and fled from town . Reading the manual, I think I need to put it on the AMCAS application but should i just ask registration to remove it(undelcare it) or not list it at all

I suppose you could ask to have it removed (is that even possible?) but that seems like that would delay the submission of your application. I'm not sure I see any harm in just leaving the major on there.

it might be a dumb question but wanted to make sure. Since i have graduated, i took undergrad courses at community colleges to satisfy pre-med requirments. So would I post those under Postbaccalureate Undergraduate. I thoguht so but i looked up the definition and it says...
Definition -
An applicant who has a degree and wishes to apply for further study at the undergraduate level to pursue a second bachelor’s degree.

but i am pursuing doctoral if i am can make it

I'm not sure where you're finding that definition. The relevant instructions are on page 38 of the instruction manual:

Assign Post Baccalaureate (PB) status to any undergraduate level course work you enrolled in:

• After receipt of your initial BA/BS degree.
• While enrolled in a graduate program, if course work is not applied to a graduate degree.

Presumably, your pre-med courses would not count in pursuit of a doctorate degree. Thus, they are PB classes.

 

[fizzgig]

ok so i've already got 6 transcripts and i am probably going to have to add 2 more...
5 are set, 1 will have future coursework (but no prereqs there, just 'research' for zero hours for graduate degree ...).

1) my 7th transcript will be at a local stat univ where i'll be taking 1 class - i am in the class as of now but obviously have a blank transcript unless they populated it with transfer credits from undergrad etc. do say 'yes required' and send it blank, and have to update each school that requires this class once i'm finished? or for this case should i request a transcript exception for current/future work since everything on it is current/future? (page 28 of the pdf?)

2) my 8th transcript will be yet another univ for a single prereq. since i'm not enrolled now and won't be til fall, should i list the school and for this one do the transcript exception for current/future coursework (don't see another real option for this one...)?

EDIT wait the actual application might have answered me... both schools involve coursework that is current/future and i have "no previous enrollment" at either school, so both of these should be transcript exemptions i think. confirm? and once you submit you have to mail transcripts to each school directly if you want to update them, correct?
thanksy, people...

 

[mauberley]

ok so i've already got 6 transcripts and i am probably going to have to add 2 more...
5 are set, 1 will have future coursework (but no prereqs there, just 'research' for zero hours for graduate degree ...).

1) my 7th transcript will be at a local stat univ where i'll be taking 1 class - i am in the class as of now but obviously have a blank transcript unless they populated it with transfer credits from undergrad etc. do say 'yes required' and send it blank, and have to update each school that requires this class once i'm finished? or for this case should i request a transcript exception for current/future work since everything on it is current/future? (page 28 of the pdf?)

2) my 8th transcript will be yet another univ for a single prereq. since i'm not enrolled now and won't be til fall, should i list the school and for this one do the transcript exception for current/future coursework (don't see another real option for this one...)?

EDIT wait the actual application might have answered me... both schools involve coursework that is current/future and i have "no previous enrollment" at either school, so both of these should be transcript exemptions i think. confirm? and once you submit you have to mail transcripts to each school directly if you want to update them, correct?
thanksy, people...

Should be, yes. As far as updating schools, I don't think I've seen it recommended here to send actual transcripts to schools as an update. Generally, update letters are actual letters in which you write "This summer, I took X class and got Y grade" or "I have been continuing my involvement with the search for the Higgs boson..."

 

[linusp]

Since I'm submitting w/ 5 semesters of grades, I'm using current/future for my 2nd semester junior year, and will be sending updates to schools that request one.

I'm a bit confused as to what to do about senior year. I'm not 100% sure what I should put. I know some of the courses I'm taking and which semester, but none are prereqs. If anything, they'll only contribute to Genetics and to the humanities/non-science requirement.

Should I list my intended Senior year courses? If I'm not sure what I'm going to take, should I only list what I know for sure I'm going to take, even if its only 1 or 2 courses for the final semester?

Thank you!

 

[mauberley]

Since I'm submitting w/ 5 semesters of grades, I'm using current/future for my 2nd semester junior year, and will be sending updates to schools that request one.

I'm a bit confused as to what to do about senior year. I'm not 100% sure what I should put. I know some of the courses I'm taking and which semester, but none are prereqs. If anything, they'll only contribute to Genetics and to the humanities/non-science requirement.

Should I list my intended Senior year courses? If I'm not sure what I'm going to take, should I only list what I know for sure I'm going to take, even if its only 1 or 2 courses for the final semester?

Thank you!

I would include whatever you're planning to do at this point. I should think there's some value in at least showing what kind of workload you intend to take on, even if you don't end up taking those specific courses.

 

[fizzgig]

Should be, yes. As far as updating schools, I don't think I've seen it recommended here to send actual transcripts to schools as an update. Generally, update letters are actual letters in which you write "This summer, I took X class and got Y grade" or "I have been continuing my involvement with the search for the Higgs boson..."

oh ok - so if they are prereqs that a school requires, just update them in a letter and if they want the proof they'll ask?

thanks for all your responses... this thread (and the other official amcas threads) is (are) fantastic!

 

[mauberley]

oh ok - so if they are prereqs that a school requires, just update them in a letter and if they want the proof they'll ask?

Yes.

If you're indicating the class as current/future on your application, that should be enough to signal your intent to complete the prerequisite, and if the grade in that course matters, then the update should help in that regard. As far as desiring proof, I don't think schools will care until they actually accept you--and in that case, every school requests transcripts from all institutions attended, anyway.

 

[linusp]

I would include whatever you're planning to do at this point. I should think there's some value in at least showing what kind of workload you intend to take on, even if you don't end up taking those specific courses.

Interesting - Am I required or expected to list my senior year courses? If anything they'll show a reduced workload, since I'm 3 classes from graduating but doing it over 2 semesters and don't want to have an insane schedule. Probably taking minimum units, lol.

Could I just include what I know for sure? I essentially know my fall semester (2 upper div sci, 1 finance/business, honors thesis), but I don't know my spring but for two classes (genetics + part 2 honors thesis).

What do you recommend?

Thanks!

Edit: Also, when I saw the AMCAS Tutoring, it stated not to put the credits or the grade. Even if I know the credits, should I just leave this blank and only list Course Name, Semester, Course Number, and click Current/Future?

 

[Godric]

The class is called "Biomedical Ethics," but it's listed as "Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 60"

Also, on a side note...if you have a research class that you get a letter grade for, does it count on your gpa?

If you can use the class syllabus to prove its at-least 60% science material then you can always make a case when filling our your app. In my opinion you wont even need to prove it, since in a bio dept. But thats my personal opinion.

 

[mauberley]

Interesting - Am I required or expected to list my senior year courses? If anything they'll show a reduced workload, since I'm 3 classes from graduating but doing it over 2 semesters and don't want to have an insane schedule. Probably taking minimum units, lol.

Could I just include what I know for sure? I essentially know my fall semester (2 upper div sci, 1 finance/business, honors thesis), but I don't know my spring but for two classes (genetics + part 2 honors thesis).

What do you recommend?

Thanks!

Bearing in mind that this is completely only my opinion, I would say that listing something is better than listing nothing, and if you truly don't know what you want to take beyond what you're already sure of, then just list what you're sure of.

Edit: Also, when I saw the AMCAS Tutoring, it stated not to put the credits or the grade. Even if I know the credits, should I just leave this blank and only list Course Name, Semester, Course Number, and click Current/Future?

I don't think it really matters. I had two Current/Future classes on my app and entered in credit hours for both of them.

 

[Sammich117]

Would a biomedical ethics class under the "molecular, cell, and developmental biology" department factor into the amcas calculated science gpa?

thanks in advance.

What's the course title?

Is it actually in the biology department. If it is within the ethics department I think is clear that it does not count.

Even if it is in the biolody department I wouldn't count it. I know some of my friends take "Writing in the Biological Science" which is like BIO-450. They think this should be a GPA booster, but I don't think it should count as a science class.

Of course, this is from a guy who felt guilty counting Environmental Biology in my sGPA.

The class is called "Biomedical Ethics," but it's listed as "Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 60"

Also, on a side note...if you have a research class that you get a letter grade for, does it count on your gpa?

My school factors it into my GPA.

If you can use the class syllabus to prove its at-least 60% science material then you can always make a case when filling our your app. In my opinion you wont even need to prove it, since in a bio dept. But thats my personal opinion.

Moving to AMCAS Questions thread

 

[DIVA01x]

Hey Guys,

So as far as I can see, there's "Presentations/Posters" and "Publications."

1. should abstracts be listed under "Publications"? what if you did both an abstract and a poster presentation? should the abstract/publication trump the poster presentation?

2. should a distinction be made between presentations/posters that you gave yourself and ones that you were just involved in? how should i do this (keep in mind there's only 700 characters this cycle)?

3. can i save characters by putting my name and then "et al" for the rest of the authors when i do the citations? I mean...I feel like that might not tell who the first author, second author, etc. was but I am really having trouble getting this down to 700 characters esp. with multiple publications in each.

4. are the adcoms really hellbent on quizzing you on all of these publications during interviews? i feel like i was included on some projects that got published but they were all on the side, and not my main research project. i don't want to be quizzed on every little thing about some tangential research project.

5. is it bad to not fill out the entire 700 space limit on some other activities? i have 15 but on some I'm finding it hard to elaborate.

6. when choosing the classification (i.e. "community service medical" versus "teaching/tutoring") - is it best to try to spread out your experiences (i.e. if you have an activity that could qualify as either of those, try to even out the number of activities you have in each category)?


Thanks guys!

 

[AKAdonbonus]

sorry guys but here's another annoying question about entering AP credits. i took 3 (eng comp, chemistry, and stats) my junior year then 2 (calc and US) senior year.

on my UCLA transcript it lists under transfer credit
advanced placement 5/2005 20.0 units
advanced placement 05/2006 12.0 units

i'm entering my coursework for fall 2006 (my first quarter at UCLA). how am i supposed to distribute the units?

the instructions say "If AP credits appear in one block on the transcript, distribute the credit equally among the AP exams taken."

i'm confused since they are two separate blocks. if i distribute credit evenly i'll end up with fractions. should i distribute the credits the way i know they were earned (for ex: 8 for chem, 4 for stats)?

thanks for the help!

 

[frescoengano]

For work/activities hours...do i have to state that we took a 2 month break from volunteering at a clinic due to a foot injury?

if i don't count those hours, my avg is still ~ 4 hr/ week

 

[edge of desire]

bump

 

[lzane1243]

Question about work/activities-

I run a very small catering company out of my house (pretty much for major holidays and cakes) by myself. Should I include this on AMCAS? Can I put myself as the contact?

 

[LizzyM]

Question about work/activities-

I run a very small catering company out of my house (pretty much for major holidays and cakes) by myself. Should I include this on AMCAS? Can I put myself as the contact?

For sure. Very cool skills are evident. Not sure about who to list as a contact.... maybe a client for whom you worked several times? your accountant? (if you were paying taxes, etc). I guess yourself or Not Applicable would be OK (how are you going to prove that you were self-employed in your home?)

 

[LizzyM]

For work/activities hours...do i have to state that we took a 2 month break from volunteering at a clinic due to a foot injury?

if i don't count those hours, my avg is still ~ 4 hr/ week

You could list start & end date and then in the description section say (medical leave date to date due to a foot injury or substitute the word "hiatus" for "Medical leave" if you took a break because your supervisor was injured and not yourself)

 

[LizzyM]

should i distribute the credits the way i know they were earned (for ex: 8 for chem, 4 for stats)?

Thanks for the help!

yes

 

[citrusguy2010]

i need a quick opinion!

so i'm a grad student right now and just finished up my first year of my mph program. my spring grades JUST came out today and my gpa went from a 3.925 to a 3.85 total for grad school, but so far it's just been all A's and A-'s. I already submitted a transcript with just my fall grades to AMCAS, but I was afraid that med schools wouldn't take one semester of grad grades too seriously...

should i resubmit my transcripts and see if i can do next day delivery with my school? i plan on submitting june 1st and don't want to cause any delays with my verification. what do you guys suggest??

thanks!!!!!

 

[mauberley]

i need a quick opinion!

so i'm a grad student right now and just finished up my first year of my mph program. my spring grades JUST came out today and my gpa went from a 3.925 to a 3.85 total for grad school, but so far it's just been all A's and A-'s. I already submitted a transcript with just my fall grades to AMCAS, but I was afraid that med schools wouldn't take one semester of grad grades too seriously...

should i resubmit my transcripts and see if i can do next day delivery with my school? i plan on submitting june 1st and don't want to cause any delays with my verification. what do you guys suggest??

thanks!!!!!

I wouldn't bother. My understanding from SDN is that your grad GPA isn't considered as heavily as your undergrad GPA, anyway.

 

[acherymd]

Not sure if it was in this thread or not, but someone asked when they would start taking the applications on the 1st. The update when you go to log in on AMCAS says they will start at 9:30 AM Eastern time on June 1st. So for all you go-getters wanting to be first and not wait a few days to be verified there you go.

 

[Buttermellow]

Should I include undergraduate work experience if it was only during the summer and was not related to medicine? I worked in coffee shops over the summers.

I have currently listed an activity as "undergraduate work experience" and listed the summers of work plus last semester I was a TA for a biology class. Should I split this into summer undergraduate work as one activity and TA as another?

 

[saltyload]

Would I categorize a human physiology course as a natural/physical science or a health science?

 

[CougarMD]

Merging related threads

 

[FattySlug]

What do you guys plan to do on past activities that you lost touch with the person in charge or that person has changed career?

I already said everything I want to say about my most relevant ECs in my personal statements and now I don't know what else to put for that new "most meaningful experiences" section. Any ideas?

 

[Schizotypy]

Not sure if it was in this thread or not, but someone asked when they would start taking the applications on the 1st. The update when you go to log in on AMCAS says they will start at 9:30 AM Eastern time on June 1st. So for all you go-getters wanting to be first and not wait a few days to be verified there you go.

It was indeed this thread. Awesome, good to know!

 

[sector9]

Would I categorize a human physiology course as a natural/physical science or a health science?

What department was it taught in? It sounds like it would be a biology course. Didn't you see that physiology is listed under biology for AMCAS course classifications?

 

[SM8806]

Took two science writing courses - one I did a paper on autism, the other a research proposal for an experiment regarding MS. What would AMCAS classify these as? English? Biology? Other?

Thanks.