*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2017-2018*~*~*~*

Started by WedgeDawg
Tags Tags
2017-2018 amcas
Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
My App was verified today. They put Xs next to all of my AP credits and changed them to a default year that was the earliest they could put them for that school, regardless of the instructions they told me (which was to list them in the semester when the school granted them to me, which was when I was officially accepted as a post-bac). Honestly, it makes more sense where they listed them, so I have no complaints. I had major issues with listing them in chronological order as they kept rearranging. This did not slow down the verification process, so I hope this helps anyone who has questions or is having similar issues.

I also took two classes that were 0 credit hours and graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory and they added the P/F designation. No other changes.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
pewpew95 said:
As long as you have biochem registered/indicated as a "future course" on your app you will be fine. I doubt an adcom will think you're lying about taking the course in the future or that they will drop your app completely because you have not already taken it...and just don't drop the class before matriculation to avoid the situation

Biochem is also heavy on the MCAT so your C/P and B/B scores will indicate your competence in the subject to a certain extent.
Click to expand...

Sorry to go back to this, but I'm still not entirely sure how to list this on my application. My local schools do not offer this course, so I would be taking it online, probably through UNE. Should I then add UNE to my list of schools and add biochem as a future course? If I leave it off of my application entirely then would I just be completely looked-over by the schools where this is a pre-req?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Course work question --

It says to enter the course work in the order it appears on your transcript. I entered the information in order but the application randomly reorganizes it. Does anyone else have this problem? They are all grouped by the correct semester and year
 
gonnif said:
prereqs are not typically checked for fulfillment during the admissions process. They are checked after you have taken an offer of acceptance during prematriculation. There is no need to add it to AMCAS nor do I advise to not future courses

Also not that many schools will not accept online coursework for prereqs so you should research this before time, effort and money on the UNE course
Click to expand...

Thank you!
 
gonnif said:
prereqs are not typically checked for fulfillment during the admissions process. They are checked after you have taken an offer of acceptance during prematriculation. There is no need to add it to AMCAS nor do I advise to not future courses

Also not that many schools will not accept online coursework for prereqs so you should research this before time, effort and money on the UNE course
Click to expand...

Some school websites advise taking certain courses before applying to be a more competitive applicant, or taking those classes at a better institution, etc. Are they checking those carefully during the application process or is that just something they may take notice of but aren't officially checking?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Where do I mention that I'm doing a post-bacc program this year in the AMCAS? Should I just talk about it in the PS since we can't list future classes?
 
can anyone provide any insight on whether to include a class research project in my AMCAS application?
 
Last edited:
"Any course approved by English department that fulfills general education English requirement of baccalaureate degree. Remedial or developmental courses or "English as a Second Language" courses are not accepted."

Would a Freshman seminar class, that was mainly a literature and writing class, count towards this and other schools with English requirements even though it is not from the English department? I'm nervous I over looked the English pre-reqs, and need to go back and take an additional English class.

Thanks
 
happypandaquestion said:
If I add more medical schools after submitting my primary AMCAS application, will this delay my verification?
Click to expand...
No, the verification will happen when AMCAS gets done vetting all your records and will go out to all the schools you listed. If you add more after verification, it will go out the next business day.
 
My spring quarter grades are all in; the classes include a writing class (the third of three I needed to take for the English requirement), a math class (math prereq met with 2 CC math classes way back when, but this is the only math class at my main undergrad), and three sciences. While the GPA increases are relatively insignificant, if I ace my one post-bacc class (a second psych course to complete AACOMAS's behavioral sciences prereq; finishes in August), the total GPA increase should be enough to push me into the next statistical bracket on AMCAS's admissions data sheet (a seeming 15% increase in admission chances).

Because the two un-added grading periods include prereq classes, do I send new transcripts to AMCAS/AACOMAS, and if so, now (adds English) or in August (adds English and Psych)? Or do I send them to schools which give me secondaries (no AMCAS yet, many AACOMAS)?
 
Nintendraw said:
My spring quarter grades are all in; the classes include a writing class (the third of three I needed to take for the English requirement), a math class (math prereq met with 2 CC math classes way back when, but this is the only math class at my main undergrad), and three sciences. While the GPA increases are relatively insignificant, if I ace my one post-bacc class (a second psych course to complete AACOMAS's behavioral sciences prereq; finishes in August), the total GPA increase should be enough to push me into the next statistical bracket on AMCAS's admissions data sheet (a seeming 15% increase in admission chances).

Because the two un-added grading periods include prereq classes, do I send new transcripts to AMCAS/AACOMAS, and if so, now (adds English) or in August (adds English and Psych)? Or do I send them to schools which give me secondaries (no AMCAS yet, many AACOMAS)?
Click to expand...
No you do not need to update AMCAS or the MD schools prereqs not checked during admissions but are looked at after you have taken up an offer of acceptance during pre-matriculation
 
gonnif said:
No you do not need to update AMCAS or the MD schools prereqs not checked during admissions but are looked at after you have taken up an offer of acceptance during pre-matriculation
Click to expand...
So I don't need to update MD schools about these new grades until... after I myself choose to go to a particular school (just to be thorough, as opposed to receiving admissions offers)? I just called AMCAS about this and they said check each school you applied to--is your statement the general consensus for MD schools? Anyone able to confirm or deny this statement's applicability to AACOMAS too (just to possibly save a post in that subforum)?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Just two quick questions:

1. I was in a school band for a while and for each of the semesters I was registered for a class for the band. My question is, do I need to list each of those classes after the first one as a "repeat" class, or just leave it as is? The same question applies to a 1-credit class I was registered in for my research over the course of a few semesters.

2. Would I list research as a "lab only" class?
 
Last edited:
Hello everyone,

I was filling out my AMCAS and I entered my first medical school into the application. All other sections were complete, and immediately after I selected one school, the following appeared:

" Each time you make a change after your initial certification and submission to AMCAS, you must re-certify and officially update your application by clicking on the "Update Application" button on the application Main Menu. Your changes will not be saved if you do not click the "Update Application" button and re-certify your application.

Officially updating your application will not delay the processing of your application. Click Help if you need more information."

After clicking continue, there were a series of 10 checkboxes asking me if I wanted to submit my application. Is this how it's supposed to be? How do I add more schools?
 
gonnif said:
yes, you cant submit it until your certify so it will come up everytime at that point
Click to expand...

So how do I add my 20 schools before I submit? Currently I am stuck in the following rut which makes it seem like I have to submit immediately after I add one school, without the option to add more, or review another part of my application.

Every tab is complete except for 7. Medical Schools

Click "7. Medical Schools" -> Choose School, click Continue -> Select my Letter, click Continue -> "Each time you make a Change...", Click Continue -> 15 checkboxes with certification statements, entire top row of 1. Identifying Information -> 9. Standardized Testing disappears, and the only options are to check all of them and click SUBMIT.
 
For one of my experiences, I gave a PPT presentation on health disparities in a third-world country. A few friends and I arranged the event at the university we attend. What do I put down as the organization name, and who do I list as a contact and his/her title? Thanks in advance.
 
I'm taking a research methods course through my job at a university-affiliated hospital per my PI's request. It is an 8-week course designed for residents and research fellows offered through the university with the end goal of creating a full research proposal ready for grant submission. There is no grade involved and therefore I won't be able to obtain a transcript for records' sake. Should I list this in my course list? If so, how should I go about it?
 
Halfway through one of my semesters, I had a major family emergency that turned into a prolonged situation and I never returned to school that semester. My courses for that semester were temporarily listed as incomplete at the time and then completely removed from my transcript not long after. Do I need to try to include these courses on my AMCAS application?
 
I have a good MCAT score, but a below par GPA. If I'm selecting schools based on 10th percentile MCAT or GPA, which should I take more into consideration? Should I select the schools that better fit my MCAT or my GPA?
 
gonnif said:
Technically you are supposed to include these courses but it sounds as if you were withdrawn from the entire school for family emergency. This would be equivalent to the school "un-enrolling" you. I would consider it low risk not listing this. To mitigate this, I would contact the registrar and ask for a letter and/or transcript to the effect that you were withdrawn from the school for the term and, if you get it, you can update a school post-acceptance with this letter just to CYA for any potential issue later on.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
Are the same individuals reading the primary application and the secondaries?

The reason I ask is that all theschools are asking what activities I have planned for my gap year. All of my activities are already on my work/activities section, i'll just be continuing some of them.
Would it be a sin to copy and paste descriptions? There's only so many ways I can describe my scribing job and research projects (especially if they were also my most meaningful).
 
I am starting a Master's degree at an abroad institution in the fall through a fellowship program and do not yet have specific information on the courses I will be taking. Is it okay to list the institution on AMCAS, but leave coursework blank?
 
I have a question about secondary essays. I am trying to answer the diversity question... 2 years ago my father's health declined and my parents had to file for bankruptcy and end our 20 year family business. After a year my family decided to use our savings to buy a local 70 year restaurant that was for sale as it has a loyal following. This seemed like an ideal situation because my father is unable to work due to his health and my mother is taking care of him. We decided that the restaurant would be in my name as an investment for my future. On the opening day we had a fire. It was devastating. Now a year later we are ready to re-open. I was considering using this for answering a question about what challenges I have overcome. However I am concerned about what admissions will think of me owning a restaurant at such a young age (22).
 
Is there a way to list all of the schools we wanna apply to and pay for the primaries all at once b/c I can only see the schools one at a time. I don't wanna pay $39 25 separate times
 
Jaigantic said:
Is there a way to list all of the schools we wanna apply to and pay for the primaries all at once b/c I can only see the schools one at a time. I don't wanna pay $39 25 separate times
Click to expand...

Someone else asked this before, but I forgot to reply. What you need to do is select the school, go through the next three steps and click "continue" until you get to the certification page, then hit the "MAIN MENU" button at the top, saving you the step of certifying and paying until the very end. Keep adding schools until you have all of them, then certify, sign, pay, etc.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Jaigantic said:
Is there a way to list all of the schools we wanna apply to and pay for the primaries all at once b/c I can only see the schools one at a time. I don't wanna pay $39 25 separate times
Click to expand...

> Log Into AMCAS
> "Medical School" Tab
> Scroll to the bottom, Add Another Medical School
> Filter the schools to the one you want
> Click continue, and add letters if you wish/have them
> After you have clicked you will see a prompt that states "Each time you make a change after your initial certification and submission to AMCAS, you must re-certify and officially update your application by clicking on the "Update Application" button on the application Main Menu. Your changes will not be saved if you do not click the "Update Application" button and re-certify your application."
> Don't click continue, instead, click main menu and add more schools. Then when you're done, update your application or simply click continue on that prompted page. This will take you to the certification page and eventually continue to payment.

Hope this helps!

Hi @gonnif hope you missed me 🙂
 
morejedi said:
> Log Into AMCAS
> "Medical School" Tab
> Scroll to the bottom, Add Another Medical School
> Filter the schools to the one you want
> Click continue, and add letters if you wish/have them
> After you have clicked you will see a prompt that states "Each time you make a change after your initial certification and submission to AMCAS, you must re-certify and officially update your application by clicking on the "Update Application" button on the application Main Menu. Your changes will not be saved if you do not click the "Update Application" button and re-certify your application."
> Don't click continue, instead, click main menu and add more schools. Then when you're done, update your application or simply click continue on that prompted page. This will take you to the certification page and eventually continue to payment.

Hope this helps!

Hi @gonnif hope you missed me 🙂
Click to expand...
DBC03 said:
Someone else asked this before, but I forgot to reply. What you need to do is select the school, go through the next three steps and click "continue" until you get to the certification page, then hit the "MAIN MENU" button at the top, saving you the step of certifying and paying until the very end. Keep adding schools until you have all of them, then certify, sign, pay, etc.
Click to expand...
This is what I was doing but if you step away from your computer and it times out you have to start all over. It looks like there's no way to just add them to a list for later use. Seems like something they should work on but what can ya do. Thanks guys
 
Jaigantic said:
This is what I was doing but if you step away from your computer and it times out you have to start all over. It looks like there's no way to just add them to a list for later use. Seems like something they should work on but what can ya do. Thanks guys
Click to expand...

Yeah. It's a huge pain. No saving to look at the list later (and everyone keeps asking why I'm adding schools so slowly). Oh, one more thing - do NOT, and I repeat DO NOT hit "cancel" and then "don't save" if you accidentally enter a school you aren't sure about. It will make you lose ALL of your schools. And you will swear. Loudly. I'm not quite sure exactly how to step back without losing everything, so it might be best to go in and remove it from the final list.
 
DBC03 said:
Yeah. It's a huge pain. No saving to look at the list later (and everyone keeps asking why I'm adding schools so slowly). Oh, one more thing - do NOT, and I repeat DO NOT hit "cancel" and then "don't save" if you accidentally enter a school you aren't sure about. It will make you lose ALL of your schools. And you will swear. Loudly. I'm not quite sure exactly how to step back without losing everything, so it might be best to go in and remove it from the final list.
Click to expand...
haha yep I did something similar. inanimate objects were yelled at.
 
@gonnif would being at poverty level financially and thus having to work starting at a very young age to help support your family make you underrepresented in medicine, even if culturally you aren't? Some schools consider it as such, but is this a general consensus? Also is there a proper term for this?

PS. Miss you big G
 
Last edited:
gonnif said:
your are not URM; you would be disadvantaged
Click to expand...

Got it, thank you.

Follow-up question. When submitting secondaries, if someone were to forget to convert quarter hours (trimester) into semester hours would that be a massive red flag? Some schools ask for the credit hours, and let's assume that the individual has all hours and pre requisites completed but incorrectly submits trimester hours as opposed to the requested semester.
 
I have question about Incomplete Grade that was resolved into A+

As indicated in AMCAS, manual, even if the grade was resolved, I have marked the course as incomplete. I am not sure whether adcoms will see this note or not, and i am also not sure what they would think of that. I have a resonable, but not very excting explanation (I did all exams and everything on time, but did not participate in a research study as a volunteer, which was necessesary to complete the course, since the one I really wanted to be part of, was next semester, and my prof. had no problems with that)
So, would adcoms see that at some point the course was incomplete?
And if they do, what will they think of it? Should I explain it somewhere in my secondaries?
thank you
 
If I am interested in UCLA-Prime AND UCLA DGSOM, how do I apply to it? I've been looking at other threads and came across this method, but I'm not sure if it's correct...

1) Do I select David Geffen SOM and click "Combined Medical Degree/Graduate"?
2) Then do I select "MPH" or "Other"? Or does it not matter?
3) Will following this method result in my application being sent to both UCLA-Prime & DGSOM, simultaneously?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hello! Sorry if this has been answered already; I was wondering if adding more schools before getting verified affects verification time? I took my mcat 6/17 and submitted with only a few schools (7/8). I just got my score back today and have a bunch more schools that i want to add. Should I wait for my application to get verified first and then add them? Or will adding them now not make a difference?
 
I just realized I mistakenly added a Spanish class twice on my AMCAS, once as already taken in a past semester and once as a future course. I've already taken this class. I was verified on June 9th. Is this significant in any way? Should I call AAMC or is it too late to make changes?
 
For LOR's: if your pre-health committee packet writes a cover letter for you, is that considered one of the LOR's considered in the min/max accepted by a school? the cover letter is written based off of a formal application process and interviews earlier in the year
 
I made a dumb little error and marked I have previously applied to 2 schools, even though this is my first cycle. Obviously their records will show that I had never actually done so, so is it worth reaching out to these schools to make that correction and save them some confusion?
 
pewpew95 said:
For LOR's: if your pre-health committee packet writes a cover letter for you, is that considered one of the LOR's considered in the min/max accepted by a school? the cover letter is written based off of a formal application process and interviews earlier in the year
Click to expand...
Either or, not both. You either submit individual letters, in which you must abide by the letter requirements of each individual school, or you submit one committee letter/packet, which should be universally accepted.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
HELP! i accidentally assigned all of my LORs to every single school I submitted my primary to. Call AMCAS support and there's no way to reverse this. What do I do? Is there anything I can do?
 
I have a quirk in my AMCAS, I dont think it is significant either way, rather funny actually.
So, when I open my Essay(s) tab, and I see essays laid out one after another, there are no typos anywhere.
However, when I go to the specific essay tab, in one place there is a space withthin a word "T his", but in Essay(s) tab this word displayed correctly. I am not sure whether I should bother AMCAS over this, but decided to share.
 
My application is about to start being processed (today's date is on the "processing applications from ___ date" on their website), but I have not decided on the date that I will be retaking the MCAT yet so I cannot put it on the application. Can I add this while its being processed or after verification and have it still be sent to the schools? Thanks for your help!!!
 
Hello, I have a question about submitting the AMCAS app packet. So I know I am submitting my application to October 15th deadline schools tonight. But I also have the schools that I want to also apply to for November and December days as well. I was wondering whether submitting the application packet can be done separately for schools or is it possible that we have options available where to send or not.

Please this is very URGENT for me. This is my first time and I do not want to submit the app packet for December deadline schools just yet. Thanks,
 
kaspersky123 said:
Hello, I have a question about submitting the AMCAS app packet. So I know I am submitting my application to October 15th deadline schools tonight. But I also have the schools that I want to also apply to for November and December days as well. I was wondering whether submitting the application packet can be done separately for schools or is it possible that we have options available where to send or not.

Please this is very URGENT for me. This is my first time and I do not want to submit the app packet for December deadline schools just yet. Thanks,
Click to expand...
Yes, you can submit now to Oct 15 deadline schools and wait to add additional schools (which will receive the identical packet) that have a another deadline later, by going back into the application, adding more schools, recertifying the application, and paying the additional fee-per-school.

Are your transcripts already verified?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

chilly_md
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2026-2027 *~*~*~*
Replies
30
Views
7K
TimidBoi
T
chilly_md
*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*
2
Replies
98
Views
26K
chilly_md
chilly_md
wysdoc
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2026-2027 *~*~*~*~*
2
Replies
86
Views
11K
wysdoc
wysdoc
ecc311
AMCAS Help
Replies
3
Views
676
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
S
AMCAS hours mistake??
Replies
4
Views
746
sneakrows111
S