*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2016-2017*~*~*~*

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I have a question about "Year in school" classification. Does summer count as a new academic year and thus a new "year in school" or is that the continuation of the previous year?
I guess, my question is that does an academic term begin in Summer (ex. 2011-12; freshman) or in Fall (2012-13; freshman)? What would my "year in school" be for a summer session course?
I apologize if this is confusing.
 
OrangeMed said:
I have a question about "Year in school" classification. Does summer count as a new academic year and thus a new "year in school" or is that the continuation of the previous year?
I guess, my question is that does an academic term begin in Summer (ex. 2011-12; freshman) or in Fall (2012-13; freshman)? What would my "year in school" be for a summer session course?
I apologize if this is confusing.
Click to expand...

In the AMCAS handbook it says to count summer classes towards the next school year, even if it is not counted as so at your university.
 
Lost In Transcription said:
In the AMCAS handbook it says to count summer classes towards the next school year, even if it is not counted as so at your university.
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Does my "year in school" also change then? Even though I am considered a freshman for that summer, I'd put sophomore for that summer in the AMCAS?
So I'm a sophomore in the summer session even before the fall semester began?
@gonnif
 
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OrangeMed said:
Does my "year in school" also change then? Even though I am considered a freshman for that summer, I'd put sophomore for that summer in the AMCAS?
So I'm a sophomore in the summer session even before the fall semester began?
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I don't remember exactly what I did. I think I left it as "Freshman" first year (because I was), then changed it after that. I am pretty sure it does not matter (I don't remember it being addressed in the AMCAS handbook...but just double check.)
 
Hrm...I know from the FAQ that shadowing should all be listed together as "Physician Shadowing", but I have a separate activity as a Medical Fellow, which was basically a school sponsored award I got to go shadow a local physician. Should I still combine it all up?
 
For your shadowing experiences, did you include both MD and DO shadowing or only MD? Would it look bad if I included DO shadowing since this application is for MD schools - like will the adcoms be like "Oh DO shadowing, maybe he should do DO?" Or the more the better? Thanks!
 
Can't remember where I saw this exactly about needing to put "Repeat" on both classes if you Withdrew. When you select "Withdraw", it makes the "Repeat" button greyed out- so I suppose the settled solution is don't worry about it.
 
gonnif said:
The letter itself does not need to have the AMCAS ID or Letter ID.

1) if your LOR professor uses the AMCAS letter writer service directly, the need to know your AMCAS ID and Letter ID to correctly connect the letter to your application usually by emailing them the AMCAS Generated Letter Request Form
2) if you are using interfolio, you have the writer upload to your account. Then you assign the letter with the AMCAS ID and Letter ID prior to transfer to AMCAS
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None of my letters have my my AMCAS or letter ID in the body of the letter. I submitted through interfolio and then sent them to amcas and they have been marked received. Does this mean once I assign them to schools they will be able to identify them?

Also is it best to assign all the letters at once or can I update the application multiple times as I get more letters? (I'm still waiting on a few but I thought I would start sending some of them now since they have been received)...what's the best way?
 
Guys, I just realized that I filled out AMCAS with the intent of only applying to Baylor College of Medicine, and wrote my disadvantaged status essayaccordingly. If my score is good and I want to add more schools, what do I do?
 
medschoolplease123 said:
For your shadowing experiences, did you include both MD and DO shadowing or only MD? Would it look bad if I included DO shadowing since this application is for MD schools - like will the adcoms be like "Oh DO shadowing, maybe he should do DO?" Or the more the better? Thanks!
Click to expand...
its fine. note the specialty of the doctor not just he was a DO
 
OrangeMed said:
Does my "year in school" also change then? Even though I am considered a freshman for that summer, I'd put sophomore for that summer in the AMCAS?
So I'm a sophomore in the summer session even before the fall semester began?
@gonnif
Click to expand...

You are considered a freshman by your school
You are considered a sophomore by AMCAS
 
Lost In Transcription said:
Hrm...I know from the FAQ that shadowing should all be listed together as "Physician Shadowing", but I have a separate activity as a Medical Fellow, which was basically a school sponsored award I got to go shadow a local physician. Should I still combine it all up?
Click to expand...

If the activity is significant or notable, it can be mentioned by itself
 
Is there a way to make sure you only apply to one school i.e. for throwaway schools. For example, I am applying to both MD and DO and for DO it allows you to specifically pay for 1 program or to pay all of them together, but I do not see that option for the AMCAS application. Is there a way that I only submit my primary app for 1 once? Or do I just go back and add schools after I get verified?
 
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panda_lover1 said:
None of my letters have my my AMCAS or letter ID in the body of the letter. I submitted through interfolio and then sent them to amcas and they have been marked received. Does this mean once I assign them to schools they will be able to identify them?
Click to expand...

The identification is to get your letters into your AMCAS ID correctly. Once you get them, the letter ID essentially doesnt matter. When you assign them, they are getting to where they need to go.

panda_lover1 said:
Also is it best to assign all the letters at once or can I update the application multiple times as I get more letters? (I'm still waiting on a few but I thought I would start sending some of them now since they have been received)...what's the best way?
Click to expand...

The primary application and letter service are essentially separate. If you assign them piecemeal how will the schools know how many they may need to wait for . If assign 3 now and the school has a minimum of 3, when they get them, they may send your file for review. When you decide to send more later, its already too late. I would do them all at once
 
UncertainUgrad said:
Can you elaborate on the "throwaway school method" and why one would want to do that? Thanks!
Click to expand...
jesie said:
pretty sure they mean that you pick some random school as the only school you are applying to when you do your initial submission to make sure that everything is exactly as you want it. If changes need to be made (and thus, reverification), the 'wrong' application didn't get sent to a school you actually care about. Correct me if i'm wrong
Click to expand...

The tactic that some students use, and I am not overly fond of, is the "submit with 1 school" method. Here you prepare AMCAS as usual, but instead of all your schools, you list a single school. This allows your application to be processed and verified. When you get your MCAT score back, you can quickly add more schools and AMCAS will transmit a previously verified application in one business day. Which "1" school you should pick is a matter of opinion. You can pick a "throwaway" school, such as an out of state with low OOS rates. Or you could be pick a "high reach" school, one that you might have an outside chance with if you got a super MCAT score. In either case, you do not have to fill out the secondary (and pay the secondary fee) for this school, thus your application will effectively die. You should at some point in the cycle inform the "throwaway" or "high reach" school you are withdrawing your application.

I am not fond of this method as you should be spending time prepping for the all-important MCAT and not preparing a full AMCAS primary, which takes as much time for 1 school as it does for 25. So if you are in need of a improved MCAT and are taking one later in the cycle (from June on), you should prep for the exam and once you have taken it, but before the score in returned, you then can work on AMCAS and pre-write secondaries.

Lastly, what do you do if get a bad score on the MCAT retake. Applicants seriously need to consider not applying to any additional schools and skipping the cycle. Applying with a poor retake, especially one lower than your original score is likely lead you to being rejected and thus being in a weak position next cycle as a reapplicant next cycle.

Applying without knowing all your MCAT scores is a mistake that all applicants should avoid
 
gonnif said:
The identification is to get your letters into your AMCAS ID correctly. Once you get them, the letter ID essentially doesnt matter. When you assign them, they are getting to where they need to go.



The primary application and letter service are essentially separate. If you assign them piecemeal how will the schools know how many they may need to wait for . If assign 3 now and the school has a minimum of 3, when they get them, they may send your file for review. When you decide to send more later, its already too late. I would do them all at once
Click to expand...

Thank you!! That was very helpful!🙂
 
On my verified application: I see "O" next to all of my future/current courses in the "AMCAS use" category.

The key at the bottom shows that O = course doesn't appear on official transcripts, but format corrections not required.

Is this normal, or do I have to fix something and send it back?
 
gonnif said:
The tactic that some students use, and I am not overly fond of, is the "submit with 1 school" method. Here you prepare AMCAS as usual, but instead of all your schools, you list a single school. This allows your application to be processed and verified. When you get your MCAT score back, you can quickly add more schools and AMCAS will transmit a previously verified application in one business day. Which "1" school you should pick is a matter of opinion. You can pick a "throwaway" school, such as an out of state with low OOS rates. Or you could be pick a "high reach" school, one that you might have an outside chance with if you got a super MCAT score. In either case, you do not have to fill out the secondary (and pay the secondary fee) for this school, thus your application will effectively die. You should at some point in the cycle inform the "throwaway" or "high reach" school you are withdrawing your application.

I am not fond of this method as you should be spending time prepping for the all-important MCAT and not preparing a full AMCAS primary, which takes as much time for 1 school as it does for 25. So if you are in need of a improved MCAT and are taking one later in the cycle (from June on), you should prep for the exam and once you have taken it, but before the score in returned, you then can work on AMCAS and pre-write secondaries.

Lastly, what do you do if get a bad score on the MCAT retake. Applicants seriously need to consider not applying to any additional schools and skipping the cycle. Applying with a poor retake, especially one lower than your original score is likely lead you to being rejected and thus being in a weak position next cycle as a reapplicant next cycle.

Applying without knowing all your MCAT scores is a mistake that all applicants should avoid
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation!
 
medschoolplease123 said:
For your shadowing experiences, did you include both MD and DO shadowing or only MD? Would it look bad if I included DO shadowing since this application is for MD schools - like will the adcoms be like "Oh DO shadowing, maybe he should do DO?" Or the more the better? Thanks!
Click to expand...
I asked my university's med school adcom person, and she said they do look at it thinking you may be interested in DO. But the key is to not focus on DO as much and focusing on qualities of a physician. And maybe even saying that you're not going to be a DO in the text box.
 
radioactive15 said:
On my verified application: I see "O" next to all of my future/current courses in the "AMCAS use" category.

The key at the bottom shows that O = course doesn't appear on official transcripts, but format corrections not required.

Is this normal, or do I have to fix something and send it back?
Click to expand...

No, it is simply saying that your current and future courses are not on transcripts but doesnt matter. Accept it
 
medschoolplease123 said:
How much is spending "too much" on primary apps for MD schools only? What price range would you guys suggest sub 1k for only MD?
Click to expand...
wrong way to think about it. How many secondaries for schools that your are actually interested in are going to be able to finish in a reasonable time with reasonable quality and how much will spend on those. Work backwards
 
gonnif said:
wrong way to think about it. How many secondaries for schools that your are actually interested in are going to be able to finish in a reasonable time with reasonable quality and how much will spend on those. Work backwards
Click to expand...

Are each schools' secondaries different than each other?
 
My application just got processed and now I'm thinking of assigning letters of recommendation to schools. Could someone tell me where there's a bank of which kinds of letters and how many for each school? Or do I need to go onto their websites to figure it out? OR...does the specific requirement for the letter number and type come in the secondary applications? If I should wait to assign letters until I get secondaries, I would like to do so to not mistake how many are allowed at each school/whether I am assigning the wrong type of letter. Thanks!
 
If you are a reapplicant, are the coursework changes AMCAS made during last years verification present on the 2017 app? Or do I have to add them in
 
madforMD said:
My application just got processed and now I'm thinking of assigning letters of recommendation to schools. Could someone tell me where there's a bank of which kinds of letters and how many for each school? Or do I need to go onto their websites to figure it out? OR...does the specific requirement for the letter number and type come in the secondary applications? If I should wait to assign letters until I get secondaries, I would like to do so to not mistake how many are allowed at each school/whether I am assigning the wrong type of letter. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Go to the websites, each school usually offers rather specific guidance
 
Axe1636 said:
If you are a reapplicant, are the coursework changes AMCAS made during last years verification present on the 2017 app? Or do I have to add them in
Click to expand...

From the below, I would say you have to add them in. So the previous year's info is only what you entered, not what AMCAS corrected


https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/faq/amcas-faq/
I applied to AMCAS last year. Do I need to enter all of my information again?
If you submitted a previous year’s application and did not withdraw it, most of the information you entered will “roll over” to the current application


Although your information will roll over, the Main Menu will show all sections of your new application as "Incomplete". You must go through each section and confirm that the information is still correct. When you verify that information and click Continue at the end of each section, the Main Menu will show that section as complete. We suggest you print your application from the previous year to see what you submitted.

Please note, that if AMCAS makes improvements to a section of the application, you will need to reenter information into this section for the subsequent year's application cycle.


You will also need to resubmit official transcripts and letters of evaluation to AMCAS for each application cycle you apply.
 
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Is the UC Davis PreHealth conference worth mentioning in the conferences attended? I also volunteered there as staff volunteer and another year as a workshop volunteer. Attended 3 times total.
 
OrangeMed said:
Is the UC Davis PreHealth conference worth mentioning in the conferences attended? I also volunteered there as staff volunteer and another year as a workshop volunteer. Attended 3 times total.
Click to expand...

Not particularly impressive as a separate EC. perhaps part of another combined entry mentioning the volunteering
 
spreadsheet does anyone know how reliable this spreadsheet is? I found it in another post. I entered in everything correctly, but both my cGPA and sGPA are a bit lower based off of the spreadsheet compared to what I calculated. Even on my final transcript my cGPA is higher than the one that the spreadsheet is displaying... *kinda freaking out* haha
 
I've got a curve ball for you all.....

I took a course and got an A in it at the community college, decided I didn't learn enough info, and took it at the university level via audit. Do I list them both as a repeat and the new one ALSO as an audit? I did not receive a grade for the second attempt.
 
What if I submit my application and my transcripts are not there yet. Is my application placed in line at the time I submit or is it not placed in line until transcripts are received?

Nevermind, I found the answer after searching around this thread.

"You do not enter the verification queue until both your primary application and all your transcripts listed on the primary have arrived and are matched. Therefore, it behooves you to have your application in AMCAS in ready for transcripts to arrive or if your transcripts have been already been received." -@gonnif
 
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What did you guys do for paragraph breaks in your personal statement? I pressed "enter" 2 times for a clean line between each paragraph. How about you guys?
 
gonnif said:
From the below, I would say you have to add them in. So the previous year's info is only what you entered, not what AMCAS corrected


https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/faq/amcas-faq/
I applied to AMCAS last year. Do I need to enter all of my information again?
If you submitted a previous year’s application and did not withdraw it, most of the information you entered will “roll over” to the current application


Although your information will roll over, the Main Menu will show all sections of your new application as "Incomplete". You must go through each section and confirm that the information is still correct. When you verify that information and click Continue at the end of each section, the Main Menu will show that section as complete. We suggest you print your application from the previous year to see what you submitted.

Please note, that if AMCAS makes improvements to a section of the application, you will need to reenter information into this section for the subsequent year's application cycle.


You will also need to resubmit official transcripts and letters of evaluation to AMCAS for each application cycle you apply.
Click to expand...
Thats what I saw too but then I noticed AP credits on my app that used to be separate but are now just one entry so I was confused
 
I just saw on another thread something about uploading pictures onto secondaries. Do we need to get a professional picture taken for this purpose?
 
madforMD said:
I just saw on another thread something about uploading pictures onto secondaries. Do we need to get a professional picture taken for this purpose?
Click to expand...
No. Just be sure you don't appear overly-casual and that your full face is identifiable and representative of how you'd look at the interview. Some folks take a pic of their drivers license photo and submit that. I'm not suggesting that you do that, just giving an example that anything (reasonable) goes.
 
It says on the AMCAS sign-in page that they're still currently verifying the applications that were completed on Jun7. Is that normal that these earliest submissions are still taking more than a week to be verified?
 
Do you guys know if you have to submit your MCAT scores from AMCAS to like another AMCAS letter service or whatever? I know you have to send your MCAT scores from the AMCAS page to the AACOMAS letter service but I'm wondering if that is the same with MD (AMCAS) schools. Also did anyone get verified yet? Apparently some DO schools sent out secondaries today!
 
Just realized I accidentally entered the wrong course number for summer class I took (had different numbers/names on each school's transcripts). I have already submitted- will this affect the verification process? The grade is correct, but I'm hoping amcas will just automatically edit it, as they have the official copy. Also it's quite clear on the app that the course is calc 1.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
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Spoderman said:
Just realized I accidentally entered the wrong course number for summer class I took (had different numbers/names on each school's transcripts). I have already submitted- will this affect the verification process? The grade is correct, but I'm hoping amcas will just automatically edit it, as they have the official copy. Also it's quite clear on the app that the course is calc 1.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
AMCAS will correct up to 10 errors without sending the application back to you.
 
medschoolplease123 said:
Do you guys know if you have to submit your MCAT scores from AMCAS to like another AMCAS letter service or whatever? I know you have to send your MCAT scores from the AMCAS page to the AACOMAS letter service but I'm wondering if that is the same with MD (AMCAS) schools. Also did anyone get verified yet? Apparently some DO schools sent out secondaries today!
Click to expand...
AMCAS schools will receive all MCAT scores automatically.
 
Hi, another question!

I ordered my transcript to be sent about a week ago. My friend had hers sent from the same institution on the same day and she received an email yesterday from AMCAS confirming its receipt. I've heard nothing yesterday nor today, and actually just got an email that again says my application is on hold until they get my transcript. Should I resend it at this point? Or am I being paranoid?

Thanks!
 
For those doing the throwaway school option: do you only add 1 school and then submit your app? AACOMAS is a bit different, you can pay for each individual application or pay all together but that option does not seem to be present for AMCAS.
 
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