*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*
Started by chilly_md
No the Cleveland Clinic program (what is referred to by CCLCM and Lerner) has the additional research year and paid tuition. The application process is different from Case, and we have 2 distinct school-specific threads for people to discuss and ask questions as the cycle progresses.
Since I only have 9 activities, would it be ok to include one or two that are under 100 hours? I spent a lot of time on 3 main ones so I don't have a lot of activities and I feel like the general sentiment I'm seeing is that I should have at least 10, but it's not like i can just add a 100+ hour activity to my life now lol.
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I wonder if this could work if you have some substantial projected hours / future plans with this activity over the next year? There's a spot for projected hours, so you can describe / reflect on what you've already learned and then what you plan to do this year (if that's something you're doing). And then it could set you up for a meaty update letter!
unfortunately none of them are things i could continue (activities from undergrad and i graduated) so i think im just going to have to leave them off. im worried that it looks like i didn't do much, but i think adding like 2 50 hours ones might also look bad? idk what to do! 🙁
Are the two activities similar enough that you could potentially combine them into one description?
I think that's totally fine! Secondaries in by the end of july is perfect, and you'll have plenty of time to prewrite while you are waiting for verification.
I recently submitted my primary application on June 6th. However, I realized I didn't include a research experience that made up a quarter of my research hours, and it connects to one of my letter writers for my university's committee letter.
What is the best way for me to address this?
Should I email medical schools directly and provide information about this research experience?
Even though my application hasn't been verified, I still can't make any changes to my experiences/activities.
What is the best way for me to address this?
Should I email medical schools directly and provide information about this research experience?
Even though my application hasn't been verified, I still can't make any changes to my experiences/activities.
Please refer a few posts back to what I shared in post #55.
I read that post. It was very helpful and is where I got that 35 days to verify number from, I would be verified july 18th. But, realistically, did I hurt my competitiveness by delaying my app 2 weeks from the first day they could be submitted?
I've submitted and am waiting for verification, but I haven't added or assigned my letters yet. If I go add letters now, does that delay my verification at all? Thanks 🙂
You must have missed it then. Re-read the last bullet point of Moko's post as well as further posts in that thread or past discussion on this common question that can be found with the SDN search feature.
No, it should not. You can go ahead and add letters now.
D
deleted1220239
Highly, highly advise against this.
You do not want unknown people stealing your ideas or giving unsolicited feedback.
Edit: Only share secondaries with people you personally know and trust - family members, grammar scholars, etc.
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is it unprofessional if my secondary submissions are at like 1 AM lol
Does when you add schools affect when you get your secondaries?
For context, I submitted my primaries on June 8th and added my state schools that I knew I would be applying to. I wanted to be extra sure on the OOS schools since its so expensive, so I waited until yesterday to add the other schools. I know my state schools secondaries should come pretty soon after my app gets verified but I don't know if that's the case for my OOS schools.
For context, I submitted my primaries on June 8th and added my state schools that I knew I would be applying to. I wanted to be extra sure on the OOS schools since its so expensive, so I waited until yesterday to add the other schools. I know my state schools secondaries should come pretty soon after my app gets verified but I don't know if that's the case for my OOS schools.
If you app still is awaiting verification by AMCAS, then the extra few weeks shouldn't really affect when the new schools get it.
I know that writing about being a parent/having a child is generally frowned upon ( in primary app or secondaries) unless it directly relates to "why medicine"?
But there are some secondaries with questions like " how do you add diversity if you entered medical school?" And writing about being a parent seems harmless enough? Thoughts?
But there are some secondaries with questions like " how do you add diversity if you entered medical school?" And writing about being a parent seems harmless enough? Thoughts?
Blackjack204
New Member
AMCAS GPA Calculation credit. Failed a class freshman year that I later repeated.
On my official transcript, first attempt for the course shows an "F" and the credit hours as 0 after being unable to drop a class. The course was repeated the next semester and assigned 3 credit hours.
Do I enter the first attempt exactly as it's listed on my transcript with the "F" and 0 credit hours... then enter the repeat as an A with 3 credit hours? Does AMCAS base the GPA calculation for the initial F as 0 credit hours?
On my official transcript, first attempt for the course shows an "F" and the credit hours as 0 after being unable to drop a class. The course was repeated the next semester and assigned 3 credit hours.
Do I enter the first attempt exactly as it's listed on my transcript with the "F" and 0 credit hours... then enter the repeat as an A with 3 credit hours? Does AMCAS base the GPA calculation for the initial F as 0 credit hours?
3 credit hours with an "F" gives you 0 points
3 credit hours with an "A" gives you 3 X 4.0 = 12 points
If you averaged those 2 tries 0 + 12 =12 points, divided by 6 credit hours + a 2.0 or a C average for that class
Averaged together with all your other courses it will bring down your GPA, but not by as much as you think.
For any vets out there: My AMCAS application was returned during verification because I didn't add courses from my Joint Services Transcript (JST) into the "Coursework" section of the application. Per AMCAS:
Military experience should be listed under coursework only if a U.S. or Canadian institution has accepted the experience as transfer credit.
None of my military coursework counted towards my postbacc work, and I thought AMCAS meant military courses from the JST should be added only if they were used for college credit. Obviously this was wrong, but is the normal process to enter into AMCAS all of the courses on my JST as they appear?
Military experience should be listed under coursework only if a U.S. or Canadian institution has accepted the experience as transfer credit.
None of my military coursework counted towards my postbacc work, and I thought AMCAS meant military courses from the JST should be added only if they were used for college credit. Obviously this was wrong, but is the normal process to enter into AMCAS all of the courses on my JST as they appear?
We've gotten this question very infrequently in the past, but people have had similar issues with forgetting JST. Generally enter them as they appear on the transcript is how they like it. It has been a few years, but one poster only needed a few corrections that AMCAS did for them and it was input as shown below:
I submitted my AMCAS without a JST and it was kicked back. When they finally received my JST, the AMCAS reviewer put in the course descriptions. For my military courses, the reviewer put "Other Term" for Term, "Other" for Course Classification, left the course number blank, and put "Military Credit" under Special Course Type. Snipped an example below:
This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks for the response!
In the primary app they ask for childhood info section and they say to put the place that is most influential or where you spent the majority of time. I spent the majority of time in a middle income neighborhood but lived 4 years in a underserved population and that is more influential since most activities were wit the underserved. So do I put the address where I spent majority or underserved? Why do they even ask for this information?
To see what circumstances an applicant grew up around. If you spent most of K-12 in a middle income neighborhood, put that.
Childhood Information | Students & Residents Childhood Information
Some students send unofficial grade updates to schools after the winter semester. Since you already sent AMCAS your transcript, go off that copy. The only time you typically need to send a transcript again is directly to the school you choose to matriculate to after receiving an acceptance.
Follow your transcript. Order a copy for yourself if you do not already have one. You likely will need to list it as "current/future" since it will list the courses with "In progress" or whatever your university's equivalent is as the grade.
tennis4217
Full Member
I submitted an academic change request through AMCAS which was recently approved. Basically, I classified one of my courses as a biology course even though it was an english course. This messed up my science GPA. But when I look at my new application my science GPA has not changed.
The numbers in the "BCPM hours" and "AO hours" columns have changed as they should but all three GPA's are the exact same. If you get an academic change request that changed course classifications, does the AMCAS team automatically re-calculate your GPA? Or do I have to submit another academic change request for them to re-calculate my GPA's? Thank you all!
The numbers in the "BCPM hours" and "AO hours" columns have changed as they should but all three GPA's are the exact same. If you get an academic change request that changed course classifications, does the AMCAS team automatically re-calculate your GPA? Or do I have to submit another academic change request for them to re-calculate my GPA's? Thank you all!
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elephant123!
Full Member
Hello! Not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but I submitted my application and received a few interviews and I just realized that I am listed as 3rd author on an abstract that actually got published in a journal. This is a research experience I completed years ago and only recently discovered it was actually published. I did mention the research experience on AMCAS but did not include this published abstract. It would be my only published piece of work. So my question is: do you think I should reach out to schools to let them know about this or would it be looked down upon that I did not mention it in my original application? Should I reach out to schools where I have received an interview or not? Kicking myself about this! For reference about 1/4 of the schools I applied to are very research focused
Did you expect the GPA to change from one course? This is really more of something to contact AMCAS directly about on the phone.
If you already interviewed, you can send an update letter in a month or two. For the others, wait a few months as well before sending an update. Remember to check if the schools accept updates first and if they require you to be interviewed first.
Just to clarify, once we have an MD acceptance, we don't have to do anything to keep the seat until the commit to enroll deadline rolls around. If I'm wrong, please let me know. I don't see anything on the portal of the school that accepted me to indicate anything about reserving/holding a seat.
The Acceptance email says this:
"To secure your seat in the class, please log in to your applicant portal and submit your Intent to Enroll. The “Plan to Enroll” option becomes available through the AMCAS Choose Your Medical School tool on February 19, 2026, and we recommend selecting it as soon as it becomes available.
Please note that April 30, 2026, is the date when the “Commit to Enroll” option opens, and it also serves as ______’s Commit to Enroll deadline to finalize your seat in the incoming class."
The Acceptance email says this:
"To secure your seat in the class, please log in to your applicant portal and submit your Intent to Enroll. The “Plan to Enroll” option becomes available through the AMCAS Choose Your Medical School tool on February 19, 2026, and we recommend selecting it as soon as it becomes available.
Please note that April 30, 2026, is the date when the “Commit to Enroll” option opens, and it also serves as ______’s Commit to Enroll deadline to finalize your seat in the incoming class."
Correct. You can give them any other unofficial notice, but you have earned the right to leave them waiting for you (within reason).
Thanks!
Oh, I see they give you the option to use their portal for an Intent to enroll declaration. But yes, you can wait on that until CYMS.
For those of us in school right now, is it good form to send our fall grades to schools we are waiting to hear decisions from?
Go ahead if they accept updates, particularly if you are trying to show an upward trend
Wait the month for grades if you need to show some more good ones. Panelist is not really notable.
You can't be a reapplicant if you have not been an applicant.
unmaskedvillian
Full Member
Hey yall is there any reliable information in regards to which texas schools give the most amount of scholarships?
This is the AMCAS thread. For reference for the lucky high stat OOS applicants that get into a TX MD school, they traditionally provided a small scholarship to then be able to convert them somehow to the IS rate.
starnosedmole
Full Member
Hi all,
I am discussion working as a care technician on a med-surg floor and I have a questions about my use of abbreviations in the work and activities section. Can I say something along the lines of "assisted patients with ADLs," or am I better off to write "assisted patients with their activities of daily living?" Honestly, I am caught up on this mostly because the spelled-out version reads worse.
Thank you!
I am discussion working as a care technician on a med-surg floor and I have a questions about my use of abbreviations in the work and activities section. Can I say something along the lines of "assisted patients with ADLs," or am I better off to write "assisted patients with their activities of daily living?" Honestly, I am caught up on this mostly because the spelled-out version reads worse.
Thank you!
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I don't think people outside of nursing know what ADL's are. You could say "assisted patients with personal care," which makes it easier for people outside of nursing to understand.
Just remember, your audience is very broad; the person reading your PS may be a clinician or a basic science PhD researcher.
DrProteinSNAFU
Full Member
Not sure if this is the right thread or if i missed a new one, but I did THE THING today! So I'm submitted (well, technically queued because one transcript was snail mailed *facepalm*) for AMCAS and TMDSAS! Let the games begin!
Guacamolerat
Full Member
Anyone want to give some insight into an activity section of mine? I had a study abroad and had an experience with the healthcare system there as a patient, so was wondering if I should talk about that experience, or just stick with the common idea of being exposed to a new culture
We recently just started the current cycle's AMCAS questions thread here:
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