*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2014-2015*~*~*~*

[Bovary]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I'm having trouble listing AP credit exactly as it appears on my transcript:

On my transcript, AP credit is "Spring 2009" — I began college later, in Fall, 2009. If I choose the year "2008-2009" so I can list the credit under "second semester (spring)", then it won't let me say I'm in college. If I say I was in high school, then I can't select the "Advanced Placement" checkbox...

Should I just list the AP credit in my first term, Fall 2009, even though on my transcript says Spring 2009?

 

[Bin Rushd]

That's a scary n=1. I hope it was a unique incident/glitch, but one person cannot claim it could never happen again.

Man you guys are scaring me now...I have almost everything done and am hoping for an early submission and verification of my app. Now I'm not sure whether waiting until around May 17th to receive a new updated transcript and have my app be delayed (even if delayed a couple weeks).

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Should I just remove that I've received a Bachelors and go ahead with the current transcript?

 

[gonnif]

That's a scary n=1. I hope it was a unique incident/glitch, but one person cannot claim it could never happen again.

Well this was long enough ago that the student is now dual board certified and director of an ICU. He did not know until AFTER the deadline had passed that his graduation proof had never made it to AMCAS and his application was never sent on the the schools. He wound up going to DO and has done quite well.

 

[celica0015]

I have a question that I've searched for but couldn't really find an answer. Under the misdemeanor section, how much detail should be given?

I was ticketed for a certain "crime" but after obtaining a lawyer it was reduced to a littering charge, I never went to court and just paid the fine. Can i just put: charged with littering on [date] in [city]? or do I have to say that is was reduced from something else? also do i need to include the actual events that happened, what i learned, etc?

 

[Catalystik]

Man you guys are scaring me now...I have almost everything done and am hoping for an early submission and verification of my app. Now I'm not sure whether waiting until around May 17th to receive a new updated transcript and have my app be delayed (even if delayed a couple weeks).

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Should I just remove that I've received a Bachelors and go ahead with the current transcript?

Sounds like a fine idea, except that before you submit the application, you are asked to certify a statement that everything you entered is accurate. So don't do that.

Why not call or email AMCAS and ask? That will be (theoretically) more reassuring than anything individuals tell you.

 

[gonnif]

I have a question that I've searched for but couldn't really find an answer. Under the misdemeanor section, how much detail should be given?

I was ticketed for a certain "crime" but after obtaining a lawyer it was reduced to a littering charge, I never went to court and just paid the fine. Can i just put: charged with littering on [date] in [city]? or do I have to say that is was reduced from something else? also do i need to include the actual events that happened, what i learned, etc?

If it was reduced to littering, it was likely officially a violation, which is non-criminal below a misdemeanor. Therefore, I believe, it does not have to be reported.

 

[celica0015]

If it was reduced to littering, it was likely officially a violation, which is non-criminal below a misdemeanor. Therefore, I believe, it does not have to be reported.

the original charge and the littering charge are both considered misdemeanors.

 

[gonnif]

then report misdemeanor littering with a 1 or 2 sentence explanation. PM if you want to discuss further

 

[Lost Complex]

There appear to be three acceptable methods from AMCAS instructions for verification purposes

1) List college-level work in HS as college-level work in HS, then start freshman work as your actual freshman year.

2) Lump all HS and real freshman work as freshman even it exceeds 32 credits. Start counting Sophomore as the 32 credits after all the above.

3) count 32 credits per year, no matter when started.

A different question would be how will Adcoms view these different methods. If you click on the table below, this is how an adcom will see your info and I presume that if AMCAS verifies by any of the above three methods, it will show up via that method.

Using that as a guide, I would suggest that most students reflect the actual college work done in HS as HS, else it will add skew numbers in the chart without direct explanation to adcoms

I have a question in regards to this. AMCAS says to put the AP credits under the university that you received your undergraduate degree from and to put the status as Freshman. I received my undergraduate degree from a university that I attended from 2011-2012 where I enrolled as a Junior. However, I started off as a freshman at another university in 2009. At this time, I have my AP credits listed under the university where I earned my degree and the status listed as Junior since I was junior when I transferred there.

Is this correct?

Or should I place it with the other university where I started off as a freshman?

 

[The Milkman]

How important would you say it is to actually include how you paid for your undergraduate expenses? And if you do include them, do you only include the cost of tuition, or the cost of housing with it?

 

[Plutonium]

Did they remove the option on the dates to put "until present"? I have 3 activities I'm currently doing and i don't see the option.

 

[Catalystik]

Did they remove the option on the dates to put "until present"? I have 3 activities I'm currently doing and i don't see the option.

"Until Present" is no longer an option. They want you to put the actual month until which you plan to continue the activity, with the latest option being August of the matriculation year.

 

[Plutonium]

"Until Present" is no longer an option. They want you to put the actual month until which you plan to continue the activity, with the latest option being August of the matriculation year.

On the AMCAS manual it says to list the number of hours completed or number of hours you expect to complete. So if I have 100 hours on one activity but expect to complete 200, I should put down 200 hours?

 

[Catalystik]

On the AMCAS manual it says to list the number of hours completed or number of hours you expect to complete. So if I have 100 hours on one activity but expect to complete 200, I should put down 200 hours?

Thoughts on the matter:

Being able to enter a future End Date is new to AMCAS since last year. Adcomms are accustomed to knowing how many hours you have already spent on an activity, without the addition of how many you predict you will spend in the future (which may or may not happen). But there is only one Total Hours blank to fill in. Applicants would ideally make the difference clear, so there is no inaccurate guesswork on the adcomm's part. Some ways to do this:

1) Use this month for the End Date blank and the Total Hours space for current hours, then in the narrative, state future End Date + predicted additional hours.

Example for Research:

15-20 hrs/wk.; 40 hrs/wk in summer.
Plan to continue through 9/14, adding 500 more hours
- Paid research assistant since June 2011. Continuing full-time post-application.
- Research directed at finding interventions to improve outcome following acute brain injury by identifying potential candidates in experimental stroke models from those drugs either already in use or in human trials for other purposes.
- Involved in tasks ranging from microscopy to cell counting.
- Current Project: Confocal analysis of the effects of progesterone and allopregnanolone on neurogenesis following cerebral ischemia in mice.
- First job ever - able to gain an understanding of working with a superior and employing teamwork with colleagues.

Or

2) State the Total Hours completed for a date span ending one month before submission. Select "Yes" that you Repeated the activity. For the second date span use a start date for the month of submission and the end date in the future. Enter the predicted future Total Hours.

Or

3) A creative solution you come up with, since there is no one correct way to do this.

 

[NervousNerd]

I may have run into a problem. In High school, I completed AP Biology (5 on the exam and all). My college however did not give me any science credit for it as it is my major. Instead they listed it as "Liberal Arts Elective Credit" under an "Advanced Placement" heading for 8 credits. No grade is shown, instead it is a TR for transfer.

1. Should i list this in my colleges courses taken even though i have no grade for it or science designation?

2. Secondly, my main college transcript renamed the courses that i transferred in from a community college and also gave me general "Liberal Arts Credit" for one of them. should i enter these as TR for my main college as they are shown in my transcript or is this redundant as my community college transcript includes them and their grades?

maybe @Catalystik has insight as always?

 

[Catalystik]

I may have run into a problem. In High school, I completed AP Biology (5 on the exam and all). My college however did not give me any science credit for it as it is my major. Instead they listed it as "Liberal Arts Elective Credit" under an "Advanced Placement" heading for 8 credits. No grade is shown, instead it is a TR for transfer.

Should i list this in my colleges courses taken even though i have no grade for it or science designation?

My interpretation of the AMCAS AP tutorial, here: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/188688/data/apcoursework.pdf is that you should enter exactly what the transcript says. You didn't get science credit, but you did get credits that counted toward graduation.

 

[NervousNerd]

My interpretation of the AMCAS AP tutorial, here: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/188688/data/apcoursework.pdf is that you should enter exactly what the transcript says. You didn't get science credit, but you did get credits that counted toward graduation.

Will do.

what about this
2. Secondly, my main college transcript renamed the courses that i transferred in from a community college and also gave me general "Liberal Arts Credit" for one of them. should i enter these as TR for my main college as they are shown in my transcript or is this redundant as my community college transcript includes them and their grades?

 

[Catalystik]

Secondly, my main college transcript renamed the courses that i transferred in from a community college and also gave me general "Liberal Arts Credit" for one of them. should i enter these as TR for my main college as they are shown in my transcript or is this redundant as my community college transcript includes them and their grades?

Enter them only as shown on the original transcript of the school where you took the classes. Don't re-enter the transferred credits.

 

[Catalystik]

AMCAS says to put the AP credits under the university that you received your undergraduate degree from and to put the status as Freshman. I received my undergraduate degree from a university that I attended from 2011-2012 where I enrolled as a Junior. However, I started off as a freshman at another university in 2009. At this time, I have my AP credits listed under the university where I earned my degree and the status listed as Junior since I was junior when I transferred there.

Is this correct?

Or should I place it with the other university where I started off as a freshman?

It looks to me like you get a choice of which institution's AP assigned credit to use if two original transcripts gave credits. So your solution seems to be a correct option.

 

[alexandria]

I have a question regarding institutional action on the AMCAS. I had an academic scholarship in undergrad and lost it after my freshman year due to poor performance. I earned the scholarship back my sophomore year. Would I be considered a recipient of institutional action?

 

[alpinism]

I have a question regarding institutional action on the AMCAS. I had an academic scholarship in undergrad and lost it after my freshman year due to poor performance. I earned the scholarship back my sophomore year. Would I be considered a recipient of institutional action?

According to AMCAS: https://services.aamc.org/AMCAS2_2009/WebApp/Help/WebHelp/Institutional_Action.htm

To answer your question, IAs usually refer to academic probation or dismissal due to poor academic performance, not losing a scholarship due to poor performance.

I'd call just to make sure though.

 

[moop]

My school is different in that we don't do credit hours; every class is 1 credit, and labs are less than 1. We're told to convert one of our credits to 4 hours (which I believe overstates the amount of work involved, but whatever). So I have 9 credits for freshman year. 9*4 = 36. Do I report all of these under FR year or do I have to take one class off and put it to SO year since it exceeds the 32-credit per year guidelines? Or is it okay to just list them by year as it shows on my transcript? Very confused.

 

[gonnif]

My school is different in that we don't do credit hours; every class is 1 credit, and labs are less than 1. We're told to convert one of our credits to 4 hours (which I believe overstates the amount of work involved, but whatever). So I have 9 credits for freshman year. 9*4 = 36. Do I report all of these under FR year or do I have to take one class off and put it to SO year since it exceeds the 32-credit per year guidelines? Or is it okay to just list them by year as it shows on my transcript? Very confused.

If you have a "real" freshman year that translates to 36 credits, then report as such.

 

[moop]

If you have a "real" freshman year that translates to 36 credits, then report as such.

Cool, thanks. Study abroad courses the summer after freshman year should also be in FR? Even if it takes me to 42 credits?

And my AP credits should be reported as high school? With no grades for those credits, I won't have an HS GPA?

 

[ManOfDiligence]

I'm currently trying to compile a school list and I have a question. I'm a little confused.

A few of the schools I want to apply to require biochem but I never took that as an undergrad (I graduated last year). Can I still apply to these schools? Or is it pretty much a waste of money since I have not taken one of their required courses. Any insight on this would be much appreciated!

 

[ciestar]

I'm currently trying to compile a school list and I have a question. I'm a little confused.

A few of the schools I want to apply to require biochem but I never took that as an undergrad (I graduated last year). Can I still apply to these schools? Or is it pretty much a waste of money since I have not taken one of their required courses. Any insight on this would be much appreciated!

Pretty sure you can apply as long as you take it before you matriculate.

 

[moop]

Pretty sure you can apply as long as you take it before you matriculate.

This is true.

 

[gonnif]

I'm currently trying to compile a school list and I have a question. I'm a little confused.

A few of the schools I want to apply to require biochem but I never took that as an undergrad (I graduated last year). Can I still apply to these schools? Or is it pretty much a waste of money since I have not taken one of their required courses. Any insight on this would be much appreciated!

As has be noted by previous posters, prerequisites required prior to matriculation. If you are accepted to a school. they will require a transcript directly (above and beyond what was sent to AMCAS. Part of that review includes a "technical" evaluation of fulfilling the specific course requirements. You can take a biochem course between now and then to make sure that you have it.

BTW, schools can be quite strict on these requirements. I had a student this year who had placed out of freshman english as an undergrad journalism major. She work as a reporter, newspaper editor and textbook editor for several years before applied and was accepted to medical school. However, the school gave her a problem because she didnt have an english course and wanted to her to take one. Finally had to send the admissions dean some of her full length feature work in an appeal.

 

[gonnif]

Cool, thanks. Study abroad courses the summer after freshman year should also be in FR? Even if it takes me to 42 credits?

You can, depends on the how the study abroad is listed on transcripts for purposes of GPA

And my AP credits should be reported as high school? With no grades for those credits, I won't have an HS GPA?

That is correct.

Use your judgement on this, If there is a logical freshman, sophomore separation, you can use it.

 

[moop]

You can, depends on the how the study abroad is listed on transcripts for purposes of GPA



That is correct.

Use your judgement on this, If there is a logical freshman, sophomore separation, you can use it.

Thanks so much!

 

[slopes23]

What "*Course Classification" should I list Biobehavioral Statistics under? My school listed it a Psychology as that is the department that taught it, but it satisfied our statistics requirement since it was math. The course was essentially an applied statistics class. Math is part of the sGPA so I feel it's kind of important to get it right as it was a 4 credit class.

 

[moop]

What "*Course Classification" should I list Biobehavioral Statistics under? My school listed it a Psychology as that is the department that taught it, but it satisfied our statistics requirement since it was math. The course was essentially an applied statistics class. Math is part of the sGPA so I feel it's kind of important to get it right as it was a 4 credit class.

Put it under MATH, see what happens. If AMCAS disagrees, they'll change it. It should be accepted as MATH, though.

 

[lwgw]

Course Work: I wanted to verify about some of the courses.

Withdrawal/Repeated course
1). I have a single Withdrawal (W) for a Chem 101A. So I will have to put in both Credit Hours (4.00) and Transcript Grade (W) as appear on the transcript and select Withdrawal under 'Special Course Type'?
2). For the same Chem 101A that I reenroll into the next year - will I have to select ‘Repeat’ under 'Special Course Type' and put in Credit Hours (4.0) and Transcript Grade (A/B/C/D/F)?

Pass/Fail
I have three types of P/F courses

• Pre-requisite courses that are P/F and does not give out actual grades
• Math class which gives out grades but I changed it to P/F so that I received P on my transcript at the end of the class
• Educational course (2.00 units - more of counseling course) that is P/F

1). Will I have to put in both Credit Hours (4.00 or 2.00) and Transcript Grade (P) for all?
2). Will I have to select ‘P/F’ under special course type for all the courses?

Thanks

 

[BioMedic]

For future coursework can we list classes that won't necessarily show up on our transcripts (not registered yet)? Also, do future courses that ARE listed on our transcripts have to match? For some reason my school lists completed lecture/lab courses as a single 4 credit course, but future courses as a 4 credit lecture, and 0 credit lab. I'd like to list everything in a consistent manner. AMCAS makes it seem like they won't adjust future coursework, so am I OK to do this?

 

[phunky]

Anyone have their transcripts marked as received yet?

 

[hellanutella]

Anyone have their transcripts marked as received yet?

Nope. I even put a rush order on my transcript (and I ordered it back on 5/3).

 

[gonnif]

Withdrawal/Repeated course
1). I have a single Withdrawal (W) for a Chem 101A. So I will have to put in both Credit Hours (4.00) and Transcript Grade (W) as appear on the transcript and select Withdrawal under 'Special Course Type'?

to quote the instructions "No credit hours or AMCAS grade will be assigned"

2). For the same Chem 101A that I reenroll into the next year - will I have to select ‘Repeat’ under 'Special Course Type' and put in Credit Hours (4.0) and Transcript Grade (A/B/C/D/F)?

Pass/Fail
I have three types of P/F courses

• Pre-requisite courses that are P/F and does not give out actual grades
• Math class which gives out grades but I changed it to P/F so that I received P on my transcript at the end of the class
• Educational course (2.00 units - more of counseling course) that is P/F

1). Will I have to put in both Credit Hours (4.00 or 2.00) and Transcript Grade (P) for all?
2). Will I have to select ‘P/F’ under special course type for all the courses?

yes

 

[gonnif]

Nope. I even put a rush order on my transcript (and I ordered it back on 5/3).

Rule 1: take a breath

 

[slopes23]

Put it under MATH, see what happens. If AMCAS disagrees, they'll change it. It should be accepted as MATH, though.

Thanks

 

[hellanutella]

Rule 1: take a breath

Thanks for the reminder. I have a feeling this rule is going to become my app cycle mantra.

 

[slopes23]

Anyone have their transcripts marked as received yet?

I do for one of my schools ( I submitted them the first day, and used the electronic pdf), the other transcript is still not received (that one was sent via snail mail)

 

[deleted467549]

Couple questions:
On my official transcript, AP classes are given a "P" under grade (which im assuming means pass). Should I put P for course grade in AMCAS or just leave it blank?

On my official transcript, the course I am given credit for is very brief (ie US HISTORY). However, the actual course is US HISTORY, 1700-blah blah blah. Should I use the brief course title that is found on my transcript or the actual course title that is found in my schools course catalog?

Finally, if took an AP course and it is listed on my transcript but no credit hours were given (because I took the class again at the school), should i leave the credit hours part blank?

 

[Copernicium]

Silly question, but if on my transcript the course number is something like BIO202, with no space, does it matter if I list it on AMCAS with a space (BIO 202) or not?

 

[moop]

Silly question, but if on my transcript the course number is something like BIO202, with no space, does it matter if I list it on AMCAS with a space (BIO 202) or not?

Best to copy verbatim

 

[blubearzangel]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a serious pickle right now. I studied abroad the summer between my junior and senior year through IES. This was for purely personal experience, not academic (hence the summer term). My 2 courses were not transferred to my undergraduate institution, and none of the classes applied to my undergraduate degree or major.

I was told I still need to list this IES experience in my schools attended. However, AMCAS doesn't accept IES transcripts. IES is affiliated with the University of Rochester but to get a UoR transcript, IES says I need to pay $375 (!!!).

Do I really need to include this??? I can't imagine paying so much for two classes that didn't apply to my degree at all..... 🙁

 

[gonnif]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a serious pickle right now. I studied abroad the summer between my junior and senior year through IES. This was for purely personal experience, not academic (hence the summer term). My 2 courses were not transferred to my undergraduate institution, and none of the classes applied to my undergraduate degree or major.

I was told I still need to list this IES experience in my schools attended. However, AMCAS doesn't accept IES transcripts. IES is affiliated with the University of Rochester but to get a UoR transcript, IES says I need to pay $375 (!!!).

Do I really need to include this??? I can't imagine paying so much for two classes that didn't apply to my degree at all..... 🙁

was it study abroad at a foreign school or was it under the auspices of a american university?

If the former , then no you dont

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/182162/data/amcas_instruction_manual.pdf
(see page 51-52)

Independent Attendance, Credits Not Transferred
Courses (other than M.D. coursework) attempted independently at a foreign institution are
not required to be listed if credit has not been transferred to a U.S. or Canadian institution,
EXCEPT to meet medical school prerequisites unduplicated by other listed coursework

 

[investmentdoc]

18. Will medical schools notice that a class included a lab?
In addition to selecting the "Combined Lecture and Lab" radio button, it is recommended that you add "and Lab" to the end of the course name. The 2012 AMCAS instruction manual says this:

Quote:
If the lab credit is included with the lecture course credit, append the phrase "and Lab" to the exact course title as it appears on the official transcript. For example, if "General Chemistry II" appears on the official transcript and lab credit is included with the lecture course credit, enter "General Chemistry II and Lab" and indicate "Yes" in response to the question, "Did this course include a lab section?" AMCAS is not responsible for any processing delays or missed deadlines resulting from incorrect listings of course names and numbers.


Does this apply to TMDSAS applications as well?!

 

[gonnif]

While TMDSAS does not say so explicitly, I would do so

 

[HappyFeet14]

Nope. I even put a rush order on my transcript (and I ordered it back on 5/3).

I've had all three of my transcripts (from 3 separate universities I've attended) marked as received. I ordered them around 5/2-5/6.

 

[blubearzangel]

We took a course at a foreign school but the entire program is through IES, which is affiliated with the University of Rochester. The transcript is an IES transcript. Does that clarify?