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

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Traffic violations are considered misdemeanor in the AMCAS world, right? I got a ticket for failing to yield to a pedestrian (which I did but the officer told me that the pedestrian should be safely out of the crosswalk) and long story short, I ended up pleading no contest and got a 90 day deferral which means the charge will be dropped if I don't do anything stupid in the next 90 days.

I don't have problem listing it as I don't see it as something important (or should I?) but nevertheless, I just want to be sure.

Thanks.
 
Not sure if this is an issue or not...I recently put September as the beginning date of my attendance at an institution. But the school technically had the first day of class listed as August 27th. I don't think I actually started class until later but it's been a while and I can't really remember it that well.

I don't think it says anywhere on the transcript the specific month and I called AMCAS and they said it didn't matter whether I listed August or September. Any thoughts on this? If I am being too neurotic about it, just let me know :laugh:
 
Sometimes when I print the PDF version to review my AMCAS application, there are blank pages missing information. After I reprint again, those pages appear. Anybody knows what is going on ?? Is it possible if the med schools download my pdf and have the same problem ?
 
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Two Questions:

1) Once the AMCAS application is under review, is there anything else that I need to do other than check its status daily until it is verified?

2) How do secondaries come in? EMail?

Thanks!
 
bigdogrob4284 said:
Two Questions:

1) Once the AMCAS application is under review, is there anything else that I need to do other than check its status daily until it is verified?

2) How do secondaries come in? EMail?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

1) You don't need to do anything, unless you want to start pre-writing secondaries. Also, you don't need to check your status daily, as you will get an e-mail once you're verified

2) E-mail
 
So I was hoping to submit by the end of the weekend but my dilemma is that I'm still waiting for transcript from a community college I took an online course from.

The thing is, no matter how hard I try, the college is refusing / not sending out my official transcript to AMCAS. I sent them a request three weeks ago through mail and sent them another request last week. I'm going to the office Monday to see what I can do but they are refusing to answer any e-mails or calls, including messages I have left.

So my question is - how bad would it be if I just left it off? It shows up as credit for my undergraduate college, but only as P'/F units.

What do I do if they never get to sending out my transcript or for some reason refuse to send it?
 
Wolverine Fan said:
Before you go to the office on Monday, read the school's website regarding information about sending transcripts. As a former student who paid money for a course there, you have a right to your transcript or at the very least a letter from the registrar stating they can't offer you a transcript.

Depending on how the meeting goes, call AMCAS on Monday, as well.

As for the class, do not leave the college off your application. Your undergraduate college's transcript contains the course, so you must enter the course regardless, even if the class was Pass/Fail. The undergraduate transcript should state that the course was transferred from X college, too - if it doesn't, and you present the course as one that you took at your undergrad institution, you'd be providing false information on your application.
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Thanks for the advice. I feel a little better, since I've been freaking out about this for a while.

I'm a lot more worried about how inefficient the office is though, and how they might be understaffed since they had a lot of budget cuts recently.

If I did call AMCAS on Monday, what should I say?
 
sector9 said:
Does the credit appear on your university's transcript that you are already going to be sending in?
Click to expand...

yep it does.. as the only B next to straight A's in science courses ! 🙁

btw sorry for the late reply.. i haven't figured out a way to track posts the quote me yet 😕
 
Sorry if this has been answered already, but does anyone know how long it takes for the verified GPA to come up after the AMCAS application has been processed? My application was processed on 13 June, but the AMCAS GPA table is still blank when I print the application. Does it just take a few days for the system to catch up?

Again, sorry if it's been answered - I just couldn't find it on the forum. Thanks!
 
This may sound super OCD, but I was looking thru my app last night (already submitted) and I noticed that I accidentally put my future classes as 2013 (meaning they were for 2013-2014 school year rather than 2012-2013). Do you think this is a problem?
 
red7 said:
Sorry if this has been answered already, but does anyone know how long it takes for the verified GPA to come up after the AMCAS application has been processed? My application was processed on 13 June, but the AMCAS GPA table is still blank when I print the application. Does it just take a few days for the system to catch up?

Again, sorry if it's been answered - I just couldn't find it on the forum. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You won't have an official AMCAS gpa until your AMCAS has been verified - in other words, a staff member will go through all of your grades manually with transcripts in hand and check them.
 
Phaminem said:
Hi Everybody,

Quick question, but can you use identifiers such as he/she in the personal statement and quotes that patients said to you? This was really meaningful and I wanted to add it in my personal statement, but is this a HIPAA violation or anything?

I would think not, but I just don't want my app to go in the trash bin. Thanks!
Click to expand...

he/she is fine, and quotes are fine. Just be sure to change the patient's first name.
 
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tantacles said:
You won't have an official AMCAS gpa until your AMCAS has been verified - in other words, a staff member will go through all of your grades manually with transcripts in hand and check them.
Click to expand...

That's what I mean - my AMCAS was verified on 6/13, courses all approved but the verified GPA table is still blank.
 
Hi, if i have my AMCAS verified with a bunch of schools as regular MD programs, while it is being verified, can i add an EDP school? and if i can, will they verify my application asap? Thanks.
 
hshah said:
Hi, if i have my AMCAS verified with a bunch of schools as regular MD programs, while it is being verified, can i add an EDP school? and if i can, will they verify my application asap? Thanks.
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Sorry but just answered. I called AMCAS and they said you can't apply in the regular MD program and then add schools to EDP incase you change your mind.
 
My AMCAS has already been verified, but I am still waiting on one letter to get sent in to AMCAS.

Will AMCAS send my data to schools and will I still receive secondaries before that last letter has been received by AMCAS?

Lastly, should I assign all my other letters to schools before that last letter is in?
 
mzell12 said:
My AMCAS has already been verified, but I am still waiting on one letter to get sent in to AMCAS.

1. Will AMCAS send my data to schools and will I still receive secondaries before that last letter has been received by AMCAS?

2. Lastly, should I assign all my other letters to schools before that last letter is in?
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1. Yes they'll send your data. LORs are required as part of the completion of your secondary app so they won't even be looking for them until then

2. It doesn't matter either way. See answer for #1. Schools won't look at them anyway
 
The policy of my educational institution is to list two separate entries on transcripts for courses with lab work. For example, a general biology course might read like this:

BIOL-105L General Biology I Lab - -

BIOL-105 General Biology I - A - 4.00

When it comes to entering coursework like this, is it appropriate to make two entries on the amcas: listing the lab as "exempt" and "lab only" while listing the the main course as lecture only and listing grade and full credit hours there? Or, should I be checking the box on the entry with a grade as "lecture & lab" despite the double entry?
 
Hi, I know that we are to enter courses exactly as they appear on our transcript. However, for my physics lecture and lab courses, they appear on the transcript only as "General Physics" and "General Physics Lab" for both 1 and 2. Should I list it as on transcript or with the added "General Physics 1" or "General Physics 2".? The course numbers are different 211-212 so is it safer to list it as on the transcript? and do adcoms really care?
 
I got an EMT-B certificate several years ago from a community college. I listed this as one of the schools under Schools Attended. However, since I only took the one class and got the certification at the end.

1) It was a class over summer so should I list it as Summer school or just put the dates I took it?

2) I put No Degree but do I put EMT-B as the Major?

3) Finally, since it was just an EMT certificate do I have to do the whole transcript request and everything? How does that work for this
 
I am sorry if this has been answered already already.

I did a pretty prestigious research internship program at a separate school in my freshman year. I did not ask my research supervisor there for a recommendation because I already had enough recommendations. Some schools ask for a recommendation from EVERY one of your recommenders. In the course of this research internship, I gave a poster presentation at the school (they had a research symposium for the interns). I was worried about

I then performed research at my institution for the following three years where I gave a total of three posters (one each year at our research symposium).

In order to mention the research internship, I thought that I would discuss it briefly under my "poster presentation" slot.

THANKS!
 
I took an elective a few years back called Introduction to City Planning. Their program is within the College of Architecture at my school.

Question: What should the course classification be? City planning is usually considered a social science, does this seem right? Thank you!!!

Edit: Found the answer. 🙂 It actually belongs in the gov't/politics/law category.
 
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Sorry for yet another question, but if you have a publication in an undergraduate research journal, what would be proper format for listing it in AMCAS? This particular journal is circulated at many other schools.

It was independent research so I was planning on listing it under the option "publications" with the title description being "independent research." I have another article that I recently submitted after independent research and was planning on listing it in that section as well.

Does that sound OK?

Thanks!
 
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Do I have to include the transcript form? I can request transcripts to be sent to the address over the internet without me having to go into the registrar in person but then they won't have the transcript request form to send in with it 🙁

Is it better for an asian to not put anything down for race?
 
I submitted my primary application for verification on the 13th. Two of my letters of recommendation have not been received by AMCAS yet. In what ways could this potentially delay my primaries/secondaries?
 
Unidentified1 said:
I submitted my primary application for verification on the 13th. Two of my letters of recommendation have not been received by AMCAS yet. In what ways could this potentially delay my primaries/secondaries?
Click to expand...
Not much, if you sent AMCAS for verification on June 13th, they will most likely verify it this or next week. Schools will not receive verified AMCAS until June 29th and they may not look at them for a while. When schools start sending our secondaries and you submit them, if AMCAS still has not received your letters, only then it may delay your app. So you have until completing secondaries to send in your letters to not delay you app but even then it is still early in the cycle.
 
brbEightball said:
Got a pretty brief question (honestly probably just a neurotic twinge) regarding Transcripts. I filed to have my transcript sent (quarter system), and it was mailed about a week ago, according to my registrar. No update on AMCAS yet though. I'm still about 80% sure that they've received it and are taking a long time to process it, but how long did it take you guys? According to the same registrar, we mailed it using overnight shipping...does AMCAS generally take over a week to update your app? How long did you guys have to wait, or how long should I wait before trying to get in contact with someone?
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Mine took a week, and that was about a month ago. I would guess they are busier now.

Unidentified1 said:
I submitted my primary application for verification on the 13th. Two of my letters of recommendation have not been received by AMCAS yet. In what ways could this potentially delay my primaries/secondaries?
Click to expand...

They aren't needed until secondaries are looked at by the schools.
 
What course classification do I put a class I TA'd for? It shows up as BIO 475 on my transcript and it's for a physiology course.


Also, for courses I will be taking in the upcoming fall, they should be marked as Current/Future courses right? There's a general education class I plan on swapping, which I can't do yet until late august because I am at my credit limit. I only have it there right now as a place holder in case the class gets full (it won't, there's tons of seats open still). I think my AMCAS will be submitted by then. What should I do?
 
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I have submitted my primary but it is not verified yet. One of my LoRs is taking a while to get in. I'm getting nervous. His letter is optional (he is an alumni of a school I'm applying to) and I could substitute another letter I've already received instead. IF that's possible to do with AMCAS. Can I delete/replace LoRs before after submission but before verification? Or even after verification? Before/after secondaries are submitted?
 
What kind of hobbies are considered worthy of inclusion? I play drums and make music, but obviously there would be no contact person for that. Should I just leave it out?
 
You should leave it. You don't need contact info for every entry.

2NiceNos said:
What kind of hobbies are considered worthy of inclusion? I play drums and make music, but obviously there would be no contact person for that. Should I just leave it out?
Click to expand...
 
craftyconqueror said:
I thought when I was filling it out that it wouldn't accept without contact info. Maybe I am wrong.

If you don't have anyone, it's okay to put yourself.
Click to expand...

Okay, sweet! Also, for several honors classes that are pass/fail on my transcript, there is an X for a grade. A grade was not an option for these; it was not a class that I took credit/no credit. Should I type "X" in AMCAS (exactly how it is on my transcript) or P for pass?

Also, I am currently waiting on my MCAT score, but should I still select the date that I took it on standardized tests? When I do, it says I "Plan on taking it on May 31, 2012"...looks kind of weird, so should I just leave that section alone if I have taken but not received my score?
 
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For example, it looks like this:

MCAT Scores

Not loaded

MCAT Test Date

You plan to take an additional MCAT test on
May 31, 2012.


Should I leave that date, even though it already happened?
 
2NiceNos said:
For example, it looks like this:

MCAT Scores

Not loaded

MCAT Test Date

You plan to take an additional MCAT test on
May 31, 2012.


Should I leave that date, even though it already happened?
Click to expand...

Your score comes out in a few days. Leave it alone
 
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Strategy question.

I have a nearly completed AMCAS which I hope to finish later on today. Transcripts from 1 out of 2 schools have been received. But I'm sitting on a August 4 MCAT date (please refrain from all comments regarding my lack of urgency). :laugh: I've heard the general strategy for this situation is to submit with only one school, preferably state school, and add others after you know your scores. Correct? I'm guessing my state-school will send the secondary regardless if they have received my MCAT scores, as I believe they state in their handbook that you can call and schedule your interview as soon as they've received your application (in-state's guaranteed interviews). A private school, however, will not send a secondary until they've received my MCAT scores, yes?
 
When I submitted my AMCAS, I did not assign any LORs to the schools because I did not receive all of them at the time. As I have received the last LOR today, I will assign the LORs to my school list. My question is, I do NOT need to resubmit after I assign LORs to schools right ?
 
When I applied, I think I remember leaving the contact info blank for the hobby and saving/submitting. For example, my hobby was playing chess and playing some local chess games. I don't think contact info is necessary for hobby activities. But, I had contact info for research, job, etc. I guess it depends if the contact person will remember you.


craftyconqueror said:
I thought when I was filling it out that it wouldn't accept without contact info. Maybe I am wrong.

If you don't have anyone, it's okay to put yourself.
Click to expand...
 
1) The purpose of adding only one school is to save money if you have a low score and don't want to apply this cycle. You can add more schools if you are happy with your MCAT score. You need at least 1 school to submit your AAMC application. Get verified before your MCAT score is released.

2) It depends on the school. Some send automatic secondaries while other will screen and then send out secondaries. Regardless, your application will be reviewed after they receive your MCAT score. With your MCAT score, your application will be complete and will be reviewed by committee.


HSUReddie said:
Strategy question.

I have a nearly completed AMCAS which I hope to finish later on today. Transcripts from 1 out of 2 schools have been received. But I'm sitting on a August 4 MCAT date (please refrain from all comments regarding my lack of urgency). :laugh: I've heard the general strategy for this situation is to submit with only one school, preferably state school, and add others after you know your scores. Correct? I'm guessing my state-school will send the secondary regardless if they have received my MCAT scores, as I believe they state in their handbook that you can call and schedule your interview as soon as they've received your application (in-state's guaranteed interviews). A private school, however, will not send a secondary until they've received my MCAT scores, yes?
Click to expand...
 
hey guys, i was wondering if medical schools see ALL of your amcas application. I am applying to some MD and some MD/PhD schools so there are two extra essays I need to write. The schools where I selected only for MD, do they see my other essays as well?
 
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