Really confused about ordering my own background check - how/when did you do it?

[watchergub]

I was given some advice in a previous post to order a background check on myself just to make sure a juvenile charge (not a conviction) did not show up. I just contacted Certiphi thinking that I could do it through them, but was told that they "are a client of the AAMC" and therefore they will not do a background check on me before the AAMC requests it first. So... I am confused, does this mean I have to wait until AFTER I'm accepted and a background check is ordered in order to request a copy? I was under the impression that there was some way to order a background check on yourself before your application had been sent in (so you could see if anything showed up that you needed to clarify on a secondary, etc).

I've searched the heck out of this and haven't really found much so if anyone has any advice on when and how they were able to obtain a certiphi (or any other background check) I would appreciate it. I know that Intellius was mentioned but since they're apparently involved in some sort of credit card scam I would prefer not to use them.

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[acb88]

My school had us do our background checks through http://www.certifiedbackground.com. Fill out the information as an applicant and check the box that says the check is for personal use.

 

[watchergub]

Thanks! I wish my school had told me about this!

 

[cocardguy]

You can also check with the websites of the municipalities of where you lived or where you might have gotten a ticket. Be sure to check them all; counties, cities, states of where you lived. I know my county offers this for free, but my state charges a few bucks. If you are really worried the FBI has a background check you can order for $18, but if you are just worried about a traffic citation this might be overkill I am not sure if they even have this in there files. This rout might take a bit longer but I think it's better and cheaper than paying some random internet company to do this for a much higher cost.

 

[Dr McSexy]

When you filled out your AMCAS and submitted, they should have (at some point) sent you a link where you can go and buy your Certiphi CBC.

Otherwise, if you been accepted, AAMC will send you a link to look at your Certiphi CBC to dispute any information before they let the schools who accepted you look at it.

 

[watchergub]

When you filled out your AMCAS and submitted, they should have (at some point) sent you a link where you can go and buy your Certiphi CBC.

So... this link is sent to you after the primary app (not secondary) is submitted? I obviously don't want to mention this sealed juvenile charge since I'm legally not required to, UNLESS it actually appears on the CBC.

 

[Dr McSexy]

So... this link is sent to you after the primary app (not secondary) is submitted? I obviously don't want to mention this sealed juvenile charge since I'm legally not required to, UNLESS it actually appears on the CBC.

It's after your primary app is submitted.

In fact, I went back and checked my old e-mails. I got my e-mail the same day I submitted the application.

You are only going to get the e-mail and the Certiphi CBC if you are applying to a program that uses it. The schools that use it are listed on the AMCAS.

I never ordered a CBC myself, but I was told that it can vary in costs.

 

[FattySlug]

Sorry to bump the thread but I have a related question.
I did order and CBC on myself through Certiphi after submitting the primary and want to know if this CBC is the same as the one I will have to go through if accepted.
Is there fingerprinting involved in the post acceptance CBC at all or it is just like the one I just did for myself where you only have to give name, SSN and previous addresses? Thanks.

 

[EvilSponge]

I did this after submitting my primary, but they charged me 0 dollars...anyone else experience the same?