So I screwed up on my AMCAS app... what do I do

[peter7671]

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I just realized that under the biographical information section of my AMCAS,
I accidentally selected that I speak a language that I do not in fact speak. Its pretty embarrassing because its a language that maybe ten thousand people in the world speak, when med schools get it they will obviously know its a mistake, or at least wonder what is going on. This is not something that AMCAS will correct once I have submitted the application, and I have already started sending out secondaries. My question is, what is the best way to correct this? Should I call/ send letters to the admissions departments of all the schools I am applying to, or wait for an interview and mention it then? I'm not sure about the proper way to correct something like this.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Apparition]

Since only 10K people in the world speak the language, it's very unlikely that the adcom interviewing you will speak it. So just make some strange sounds if asked to speak it and they'll be impressed. 😀

Seriously, I think you should send a brief letter to all schools explaining the error. I think it's much better than revealing at the interview that you don't speak it.

 

[TheEponine]

😀 What language is it?

Just curious

 

[crazy_cavalier]

😀 What language is it?

Just curious

hahaha that was my very first reaction as well 😳

 

[greendot]

Seriously, I think you should send a brief letter to all schools explaining the error. I think it's much better than revealing at the interview that you don't speak it.

I agree. Contact the schools before any interviews. It'll probably sink you if they invite you, thinking that you speak some obscure language, only to discover in your interview that it was a mistake.

 

[peter7671]

Samoan 😀

 

[bwells46]

Samoan 😀

Oh, and I though everyone could speak Samoan

 

[anystream]

It'll probably sink you if they invite you, thinking that you speak some obscure language, only to discover in your interview that it was a mistake.

no way, it was an honest mistake!
still, you should send in a letter explaining this with your secondaries.

 

[Modanq]

Oh, and I though everyone could speak Samoan

The security guard at my apartment speaks Samoan and she even taught me a few words. Hello: ta-lofa. Actually, thats all I remember...

 

[unfrozencaveman]

The security guard at my apartment speaks Samoan and she even taught me a few words. Hello: ta-lofa. Actually, thats all I remember...

Hah. I think a well crafted letter (funny, but not too funny, apologetic, but not too apologetic) could end up being a plus in your file.

 

[hardy]

Quick, you still have time before the interview!

Good luck.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Quick, you still have time before the interview!

Good luck.

HAHAHHAHHAHA

 

[hardy]

HAHAHHAHHAHA

It would be awesome:
Interviewer: So, I see you speak Saoman? Where did you learn this rare language?
Interviewee: Well, actually I didn't mean to learn it. But then I marked it down by mistake on my application. Granted, it was a mistake, but I felt bound to my statement and took a crash course in Samoan. I actually speak it quite well know, you want to hear some?

 

[Apparition]

It would be awesome:
Interviewer: So, I see you speak Saoman? Where did you learn this rare language?
Interviewee: Well, actually I didn't mean to learn it. But then I marked it down by mistake on my application. Granted, it was a mistake, but I felt bound to my statement and took a crash course in Samoan. I actually speak it quite well know, you want to hear some?

I think this would actually be quite impressive.

 

[phillyrnr]

I made a mistake on my AMCAS as well. I accidentally wrote the wrong year for a start date of an activity, but didn't realize it until I had already sent in the majority of my secondaries. I contacted the powers that be at AMCAS and they said that the only way to fix it was to send an email to all the schools I applied to. I just wrote one common email and then blind CC'ed all the schools admissions offices. Many responded saying that they added the update to my file- they were really nice about it, so I wouldn't worry. Some schools never responded, but at least you'll be able to say that you tried to correct the error!

 

[silas2642]

Okay, first I have to know... how on earth did you accidentally tell tell adcoms that you speak samoan on the amcas? Where you trying to select a different language? Hee, hee, hee. Sorry. I just think it's kind of funny.

But if I were you, I would send an e-mail to your schools because you are going to look like a complete fool at interviews when they ask you about this (and they probably will because it is such a unique characteristic) . Honesty is the best policy.