Potentially a stupid question, but I don't want to make a stupid mistake

[drtribbiani]

Just to be clear, we receive secondaries through the email that we have registered with ACMAS, correct? We don't have to make an account with a school's portal or anything of that nature?

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[907914]

Just to be clear, we receive secondaries through the email that we have registered with ACMAS, correct? We don't have to make an account with a school's portal or anything of that nature?

You will receive a notification or a link towards the secondary in the email from your primary. You will then go on and make an account on the school’s portal for the secondary and any interview/acceptance/rejection updates.

 

[ciestar]

That is not quite correct. It was reported by some students last cycle that some schools did not send any emails but expected applicants to check their online application portals at each school.

Students should check each portal at least every other day until all application materials are marked as received and your are marked complete , in review, etc. you must take ownership of this process

Agreed. My application got delayed at Albany for whatever reason and I had to send an email to sort it out. I wouldn’t have known if I wasn’t checking the portal.

 

[907914]

Agreed. My application got delayed at Albany for whatever reason and I had to send an email to sort it out. I wouldn’t have known if I wasn’t checking the portal.

How do you know when/where their portal is? Did you just go in and set up the portal and there your application was?

 

[Schwifty]

How do you know when/where their portal is? Did you just go in and set up the portal and there your application was?

Most of the schools I applied to sent me emails once I submitted my primary with a link to the portal (not necessarily a secondary app but a check list), then once everything was marked complete a secondary link would appear in the portal; however, for a couple schools I just googled that school name and application status and was able to enter my aamc id on their website and it brought me to the portal for that school (that is without having any contact from the school first), so ya I just set it up and there was my app lol

 

[907914]

I would check each every school for
1) email acknowledging your application
2) their admission website for specific instructions

It is your responsibility to find out and this should have already been on your detailed spreadsheet that has all the important detailed info on each school you applied to. And if you say you dont have one that you have been preparing since before last christmas imagine me gently nudging you in the same a Marine drill instructor would yell at a new recruit who is desperately trying to not to lose control of both his bowels and bladder at the same time

I do have a spreadsheet with all of the detailed information of each school. I genuinely just did not know that ‘searching out for the secondary/portal’ was a part of that process. Interesting, will hop to it.

 

[907914]

I would check each every school for
1) email acknowledging your application
2) their admission website for specific instructions

It is your responsibility to find out and this should have already been on your detailed spreadsheet that has all the important detailed info on each school you applied to. And if you say you dont have one that you have been preparing since before last christmas imagine me gently nudging you in the same a Marine drill instructor would yell at a new recruit who is desperately trying to not to lose control of both his bowels and bladder at the same time

I was just genuinely under the impression that every school sent an acknowledgment with instructions for the secondary as I didn’t see any form of portal log in type thing in any of my website surfing.

 

[deleted972488]

I was just genuinely under the impression that every school sent an acknowledgment with instructions for the secondary as I didn’t see any form of portal log in type thing in any of my website surfing.

They generally do.

 

[907914]

Most of the schools I applied to sent me emails once I submitted my primary with a link to the portal (not necessarily a secondary app but a check list), then once everything was marked complete a secondary link would appear in the portal; however, for a couple schools I just googled that school name and application status and was able to enter my aamc id on their website and it brought me to the portal for that school (that is without having any contact from the school first), so ya I just set it up and there was my app lol

Do you remember which schools? How are students supposed to find out if a school does not acknowledge them? I guess that just seems fairly...rude? Idk what other word to useZ

They generally do.

I am wondering if maybe it is students not paying attention to emails or...?

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

I was just genuinely under the impression that every school sent an acknowledgment with instructions for the secondary as I didn’t see any form of portal log in type thing in any of my website surfing.

Some schools pre-screen secondaries. So, you may not receive an email for some time if that happens. Other than that, I applied to like 25 schools and received my secondary portal links in their "welcoming" email. Never had to search any portals down, but that's just my experience.

 

[907914]

Some schools pre-screen secondaries. So, you may not receive an email for some time if that happens. Other than that, I applied to like 25 schools and received my secondary portal links in their "welcoming" email. Never had to search any portals down, but that's just my experience.

Oh yah, I figured *not* receiving an email was basically just a means of soft pre-secondary R.

 

[Schwifty]

.

 

[deleted972488]

Also check your spam folder.

 

[AnMDtoB]

Most of the schools I applied to sent me emails once I submitted my primary with a link to the portal (not necessarily a secondary app but a check list), then once everything was marked complete a secondary link would appear in the portal;

When you say "submitted primary" I assume you mean once they receive your submitted primary? (so like if you sent in your app right when they opened I shouldn't be expecting anything until the end of June/beginning of July?

 

[deleted972488]

When you say "submitted primary" I assume you mean once they receive your submitted primary? (so like if you sent in your app right when they opened I shouldn't be expecting anything until the end of June/beginning of July?

Generally. Also people will post in the school-specific threads when they receive the secondaries.

 

[Schwifty]

When you say "submitted primary" I assume you mean once they receive your submitted primary? (so like if you sent in your app right when they opened I shouldn't be expecting anything until the end of June/beginning of July?

Yes, once the school actually received my primary app

 

[AnMDtoB]

Yes, once the school actually received my primary app

Gotcha (lol don't mind me already worrying I've missed something on Jun 17th of the app cycle )

 

[907914]

Gotcha (lol don't mind me already worrying I've missed something on Jun 17th of the app cycle )

Yo, we are only human. It isn’t worry, it is preparedness.

I decided on doing a Biotech major instead of taking a gap year in anticipation of not getting in lol We can always be more prepared!

 

[AnMDtoB]

Yo, we are only human. It isn’t worry, it is preparedness.

For sure! Just really hoping to do this once & do it right!

 

[drtribbiani]

Thank you all for the responses. I think it's best to just take a few extra minutes for each school to check their websites.