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

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I might have one of the hardest questions for anyone to answer but would really appreciate any help possible. Regarding transcripts that need to be sent to AMCAS, I have an MS degree from abroad (EU) and the AMCAS handbook says AMCAS will not calculate those grades for its GPA's (because it is not a US affiliated university and no credits were transferred to a US institution). Should I send that transcript to AMCAS? Or, leave it? I hope to leave it because the grades do not make sense in terms that they are not lettered (it is numbered 0-20). Do you think schools would care about it or they would just look at the AMCAS GPA's?
 
Quick question: the video guide says that average applicants enter 52 courses... I'm a Canadian applicant that goes to to a two-semestered university and each semester has 5 courses. I finished my third year and I'm applying for this cycle and my total courses is 26... am I missing anything?
 
K1NG said:
So I submitted my AMCAS last year pretty late and didn't have a chance to complete all my secondaries. Will I still be considered a reapplicant at the schools that didn't receive my secondary?
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https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/301602/reapplyingfaqamiareapplicant.html

According to this, I think you would be considered a reapplicant as you did not withdraw before the verification process. I know that during my cycle, I got official rejection letters from schools I did not finish the secondary at and so I'm sure they would consider me a reapplicant in the system. Not 100% sure though.
 
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Theseus said:
Will a discrepancy in the actual dates of attendance at my university (2 months off) delay my application review? I ask this because while my school has my "official" registration somewhere in June 2010, the matriculation date and the start date is August 2010. In addition, my transcript doesn't list the actual start date or end date, just the beginning and end of semesters. I unintentionally sent my transcripts with start date of June 2010, instead of August 2010.
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I don't think this would cause any holdup, as long as the courses posted are assigned by semester and that all works out.
 
I am not sure how to list this course. can someone please help?

Fundamentals of Research Integrity in the Sciences

This course will focus on the fundamentals of responsible conduct of research (RCR) in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, including research ethics, recognizing plagiarism, falsification of data, fabrication of data, understanding responsible authorship, choosing a mentor/advisor, and establishing better data management planning. Other topics of RCR being discussed in class will be research collaboration, human/animal subjects, conflicts of interest, dual-use technology, and research practices.



Also, my previous question :

When I was a senior in high school, I took a college class at my current undergrad college during fall 2009 as a dual enrollment class. I noticed that my transcript request form has the dates for my undergrad years only (fall 2010~spring 2014). My official transcript includes everything, even the college class I took during high school in fall 2009. Should I change the date on my transcript request form to include fall 2009 so that the request form better reflects the transcript? The thing is, I never attended college during spring 2009.


Thank you so much!!!
 
NCKSD said:
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/301602/reapplyingfaqamiareapplicant.html

According to this, I think you would be considered a reapplicant as you did not withdraw before the verification process. I know that during my cycle, I got official rejection letters from schools I did not finish the secondary at and so I'm sure they would consider me a reapplicant in the system. Not 100% sure though.
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Good point. My thinking was that since I didn't complete the whole app (meaning the secondaries) then I technically didn't fully apply. But I did get rejection emails from those schools so you might be right.
 
gonnif said:
If its not on the official, it doesn't exist and should NOT be included on AMCAS. You just confuse them, they will ask for further evidence, it will delay your application and cause you grief, stress, and life long ruin. well maybe not that much.
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I am SO CONFUSED because one course shows up on two transcripts. Turns out, the AP course I took in high school was counted and listed on my transcript. However, thanks to Catalystic, I discovered I also have a transcript from my in-state university. The course is also listed there. Should I list this course twice? Best plan: to simply list the AP course I got credit for from the college I just graduated from. In both cases, I earned 6 credits. Would that be okay?

Advanced Placement (AP)
To claim AP credit, the credit hours must be listed on your transcript. AP courses should
be entered under the term in which the college credit was initially granted. If no term is
designated, include with freshman coursework (FR). Include AP credit courses only once
(by selecting Advanced Placement as the Special Course Type), even though AP credit for
the same subject may have been awarded by more than one institution. AP courses can be
assigned under the institution awarding the most credit, but they cannot be listed under all
the institutions that may have awarded credit. If AP credits appear in one block on the
transcript, distribute the credit appropriately among the AP exams taken.
For example, the University of Southern California awarded 9 credits for 3 AP exams. On
the official transcript, this credit appears as 9 credits for AP exams, with no indication of
what each exam was. On the AMCAS application, enter each exam as an individual
course and distribute the credits appropriately, not to exceed the total amount of credits
earned.
If the transcript from the college awarding AP credit does not list actual course names,
enter the subject area for which credit has been earned (e.g., AP Credit: English) as the
Course Name.
 
Hi, I have a question regarding entering coursework. On my last semester transcript, one of the courses listed is called "registration" for 1.5 units. It's essentially a registration placeholder, not a course I actually took but listed for registar-purposes because our school was going through a weird curriculum change. Should I check the box, "no record?" or leave as is (without a grade or anything). Thanks in advance!
 
This might be dumb or answered elsewhere on here, but when should I include something as an "and Lab" course? For example, a computer science class they called the portion of the class in the computer lab a "lab", is that a lab on AMCAS? Ecology class where we did some field research as a lab? Or an exercise science class where we had a lab component? I don't want to stretch past what they define as a lab, but it seems like the majority of my science courses included something that was called a lab...
 
KGJDMD said:
This might be dumb or answered elsewhere on here, but when should I include something as an "and Lab" course? For example, a computer science class they called the portion of the class in the computer lab a "lab", is that a lab on AMCAS? Ecology class where we did some field research as a lab? Or an exercise science class where we had a lab component? I don't want to stretch past what they define as a lab, but it seems like the majority of my science courses included something that was called a lab...
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Yes, as AMCAS states below. Use your judgement as to whether lab was an integral/regular part of the course. Checking with school's course catalog and course description may indicate lab is included. Dont get too worried on this as AMCAS will generally "assume" most science courses have some lab component.

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.
 
greenseeking said:
Hi, I have a question regarding entering coursework. On my last semester transcript, one of the courses listed is called "registration" for 1.5 units. It's essentially a registration placeholder, not a course I actually took but listed for registar-purposes because our school was going through a weird curriculum change. Should I check the box, "no record?" or leave as is (without a grade or anything). Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Leave as is is my suggestion.
 
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Hi there,

I have to take my MCATs again in August, so does that mean I shouldn't submit my primary application with my old MCAT scores? Or will I be able to update my application if I submit my primary?
 
Cem327 said:
Hi there,

I have to take my MCATs again in August, so does that mean I shouldn't submit my primary application with my old MCAT scores? Or will I be able to update my application if I submit my primary?
Click to expand...

On the primary application there is a place to choose yes or no as to if you will be submitted addition MCAT scores. I would submit the old ones and then say yes to that question.
 
Cem327 said:
Hi there,

I have to take my MCATs again in August, so does that mean I shouldn't submit my primary application with my old MCAT scores? Or will I be able to update my application if I submit my primary?
Click to expand...

Submit your application with your old MCAT scores. Many schools will wait to review your application until they receive your new scores, but it's still better to get your application verified and your secondary applications in early.
 
tantacles said:
Submit your application with your old MCAT scores. Many schools will wait to review your application until they receive your new scores, but it's still better to get your application verified and your secondary applications in early.
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Just please note, while most schools follow the AAMC guidelines and will wait if a new MCAT is noted as planned, they are not under any obligation to do so.
 
gonnif said:
Just please note, while most schools follow the AAMC guidelines and will wait if a new MCAT is noted as planned, they are not under any obligation to do so.
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Absolutely true. However, this particular poster has to decide between having his entire application verified early or waiting until he gets his scores back, thus delaying his completion until September. Getting the application verified is the first priority, and if necessary, secondary applications can be submitted later if the first MCAT is so abysmal that it will preclude admission.
 
Abstractions said:
According to the AMCAS Instruction Manual Page 39
"Academic Year and Term
These fields show the Academic Year and Term during which you took the course. The AMCAS year begins with summer and ends with spring. Courses taken in the summer should be entered with the next academic year, even if your institution considers them in the previous year. For example, if you took a course in the first summer session of 2011, you should enter it as 2011–2012 academic year, even if your school considers it in the 2010–2011 academic year."

So the summer after sophomore year but before junior should be considered junior; not sophomore.
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So just to make it clear, a college course taken the summer after high school ends, counts as freshman year of college? Even if it was a "dual enrollment" high school course?
 
tantacles said:
Absolutely true. However, this particular poster has to decide between having his entire application verified early or waiting until he gets his scores back, thus delaying his completion until September. Getting the application verified is the first priority, and if necessary, secondary applications can be submitted later if the first MCAT is so abysmal that it will preclude admission.
Click to expand...

I concur strongly with your assessment, I just mentioned it as a cautionary note. For the vast majority of students applying early and often is bet
 
Lamel said:
So just to make it clear, a college course taken the summer after high school ends, counts as freshman year of college? Even if it was a "dual enrollment" high school course?
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Not necessarily,

AMCAS really won't care which way you do this particular aberration of classes. Personally I prefer to see "real" freshman year as such so i suggest you count it as HS
 
gonnif said:
Not necessarily,

AMCAS really won't care which way you do this particular aberration of classes. Personally I prefer to see "real" freshman year as such so i suggest you count it as HS
Click to expand...

Hahahaha love the polarity in the responses.

I'll just keep it as high school.
 
I'm dealing with a dual enrollment question too. First, double check to see if there'a a transcript. Probably is. In that case, you'll need to submit that transcript. Next, see if the course is listed on your college transcript. It gets little confusing if it's listed twice. But, your question was about your college year do you list. AMCAS is very clear about when each year begins/ends. If you took the class in the summer, you'll need to list it as you would if this course was taken in the fall, even if it's a different institution.
 
I've got an additional dual enrollment question. Does anyone know what to list it as? I'm leaning towards junior college, but since that was in high school it still doesn't seem quite right. Also I took a class back when I was like 13 at the same community college, should I just say I enrolled from like 2005-2010? haha
 
AMCAS says that if I want to include another standardized test score (GMAT, LSAT, GRE) that I can. Will it be a problem if I have taken another test but don't report it?
 
I have a question regarding summer courses. I will be taking a summer course this summer, starting early June. I have already sent in my transcript and this course will appear on the transcript. Will AMCAS verify my application regardless of the course in progress? I really don't want to wait for this grade since I plan to submit on June 3
 
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My only shadowing experience (100+ hours) was done in high school for a class.

I haven't had an "official shadowing" position since then. However, I do shadow at the clinic that I volunteer at, especially when there aren't many patients. However, I have the clinical volunteering as a separate experience.

Can I create a "shadowing" activity and merge my high school shadowing with the clinical volunteering/shadowing?

Or can I simply create "shadowing" and talk about my high school shadowing. I did not have any luck getting shadowing experiences in college, and the shadowing I did in high school was definitely solid and enough in my opinion. Taught me a lot that I will be able to touch on.

I understand high school activities usually do not count for works/activities.

Comments? and thank you!!
 
Hello

I received my MCAT score (29) today, but I had already signed up for June 21st because I hadn't even finished covering the material by the time I took the first MCAT. I know I can score at least a 33 and that I can check in the AMCAS that I'm taking the test again. I wonder, though, if that 29 score would look bad and discourage the admissions committee from considering my application. I do have a 3.80 cummulative GPA, 3.97ish graduation GPA (cumulative is lower because I used to be in Architecture), and around a 3.96ish science GPA.

My question is: is it best to wait until I receive my higher score before I apply to my chosen medical schools? The schools I want have an average of 35 on the MCAT...
 
If your schools has multiple summer sessions and you took courses during both summer sessions do you list them both under the same summer quarter? there isn't an option for multiple summer quarters on amcas coursework, but it looks weird putting two quarters of gen chem under the same quarter (summer).
 
Can someone please clarify what is happening with the transcript address change? Are we supposed to be printing out new forms and resending everything?
 
A lot of the MD/MBA programs you are available to apply to in later years. Some programs say upon admission, it would be good if the applicant let the school know they were interested. Some schools want you to apply right away. All 3 types of these schools still allow me to designate that I am applying to a dual degree program on AMCAS. Should I do this for all schools since this is what I am going for? Or for the ones that I can apply to later, not put this? Do they send you more informationa bout dual degree if you express this interest?

For example Dartmouth says:

Applicants are encouraged to apply for the combined degree program after admission and matriculation to DMS.
Click to expand...

So should I not put MD/MBA on AMCAS and then just see if I get in to do it? I rather do this, especially if it is encouraged.
 
So I took a maymester class that is ending next week. Since technically this will end only after I submit my AMCAS application, I've put it as a "current/future" class on the app and already sent in a transcript from the school for the Spring without this particular class grade. Should I update the AMCAS application after I submit it next week/the class finishes to change the class to "completed" status, and put in my grade? And then proceed to send an updated transcript? How exactly does the process of updating current course work that you finish during the app cycle/sending updated transcripts work?

Hoping @kyamh , @Glycereine , @ConsultantMD can chime in as well!
 
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Heplayer92 said:
My only shadowing experience (100+ hours) was done in high school for a class.

I haven't had an "official shadowing" position since then. However, I do shadow at the clinic that I volunteer at, especially when there aren't many patients. However, I have the clinical volunteering as a separate experience.

Can I create a "shadowing" activity and merge my high school shadowing with the clinical volunteering/shadowing?

Or can I simply create "shadowing" and talk about my high school shadowing. I did not have any luck getting shadowing experiences in college, and the shadowing I did in high school was definitely solid and enough in my opinion. Taught me a lot that I will be able to touch on.

I understand high school activities usually do not count for works/activities.

Comments? and thank you!!
Click to expand...

If I were you I'd just double dip in the volunteering experience and count the shadowing you did there in the "shadowing" activity. You're not really lying, you're just differentiating/explaining the experience a bit better.
 
Hey guys I had a quick question: I am going to be starting a research project in August but I am currently doing the online safety courses for it right now... do you guys think it would be okay to write the start date as this month instead of August?
 
AMCAS manual says to enter the course work in chronological order. Does that mean if I messed up and forgot to enter AP courses in my freshman year, I have to deleted all the courses I've already entered and add those AP courses in before continuing to my SO, JR, SR year?
 
Should I always assign the year in school (freshman, sophomore, junior etc) based off of unit cutoffs? I have two gap periods and I already did it that way. Also since you cant enter 2 summer sessions (my school had 2 quarters in the summer) should i put courses under both summer quarters in the same summer quarter on amcas?
 
Gladiator89 said:
Did we ever find out at what time we can start submitting AMCAS on June 3rd?
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I could swear I read somewhere that it opens in the morning at 9:30 ET, but when I went looking for the information again I couldn't find it. Maybe I dreamt it up?
 
Also, do I mark all research under the special study category regardless of the subject its in?
 
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I took several honors seminar courses at my university as part of the honors program, but about half of them have no indication that they are honors courses on my transcript. Any advice on how I should handle these? The instruction manual doesn't seem to be any help here because it has only a single sentence on the honors designation.
 
Do medical schools look down upon applications that get submitted and then distributed without all assigned LORs "received"? I have a physician letter writer who will not be submitting my LOR to Interfolio until mid June due to being busy, but I will be complete aside from the letter on June 3rd and want to submit my application on June 3rd.
 
Scribblers said:
I took several honors seminar courses at my university as part of the honors program, but about half of them have no indication that they are honors courses on my transcript. Any advice on how I should handle these? The instruction manual doesn't seem to be any help here because it has only a single sentence on the honors designation.
Click to expand...

I would call AMCAS and ask. If there is no indiciation on the transcript, you may have to list them just as they are on the transcript, or else they will have problem verifying your transcripts. Call and ask to check though.

HappyFeet14 said:
Do medical schools look down upon applications that get submitted and then distributed without all assigned LORs "received"? I have a physician letter writer who will not be submitting my LOR to Interfolio until mid June due to being busy, but I will be complete aside from the letter on June 3rd and want to submit my application on June 3rd.
Click to expand...

No, medical schools will not note that. Schools wont mark your application complete until all letters are received though, in addition to your secondary, secondary fee, etc.
 
I just read the first post FAQ. When I'm requesting transcripts, do I have to use the amcas form? Mailing stuff takes longer and I'm confused how this works if I have to pay for the transcript and the amcas form is supposed to make its way to a university and then back to amcas.

Also, I took a class at a junior college and dropped it during the grace period. I don't have an F, W, or I, the transcript is empty. I still add this, correct?
 
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