Study Abroad this summer and AMCAS

[ladaloop88845]

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So I'm finally posting on here after reading this for the past few years!

I have a dilemma that I want past applicant's opinions about.
I'm going to be applying through AMCAS this summer and I know that you want to get everything in as early as possible (my goal is by the end of June...from what it seems, that's the most reasonable). I also want to apply to a study abroad program with a friend that goes to South Africa and Rwanda (so there isn't much access to internet) and the dates are May 10-June 21. I have a final on the 6th of May, so I plan on getting as much done as possible on AMCAS before I leave, but I'm not expecting that I will be able to finish a lot.

Just wanted to know how long it took you all to fill in your AMCAS and get everything in....and if you think this would at all be possible. I really want to do it, and it would look good on my application because I don't really have many non-science things to add....but I don't want it to compromise my ability to write the best application I can. Thanks for the input!

 

[mauberley]

So I'm finally posting on here after reading this for the past few years!

I have a dilemma that I want past applicant's opinions about.
I'm going to be applying through AMCAS this summer and I know that you want to get everything in as early as possible (my goal is by the end of June...from what it seems, that's the most reasonable). I also want to apply to a study abroad program with a friend that goes to South Africa and Rwanda (so there isn't much access to internet) and the dates are May 10-June 21. I have a final on the 6th of May, so I plan on getting as much done as possible on AMCAS before I leave, but I'm not expecting that I will be able to finish a lot.

Just wanted to know how long it took you all to fill in your AMCAS and get everything in....and if you think this would at all be possible. I really want to do it, and it would look good on my application because I don't really have many non-science things to add....but I don't want it to compromise my ability to write the best application I can. Thanks for the input!

The tedious part of the app (in my opinion) is entering everything from your transcript. Your PS should be cut-and-paste, as well as your ECs. If you have everything ready, it shouldn't take that long (a day, two at the outside).

 

[sector9]

I had the opposite experience of Maubs, but that's mainly because I didn't have my EC descriptions written up beforehand so I was trying to perfect them on the app itself. I thought that the coursework section was tedious but easy (plus AMCAS double checks that stuff. They're not going to check your grammar, punctuation, and content for your ECs!)

If you want to get it done fast, I would work on your PS and EC descriptions. You could probably get the rest of it done in a day if you worked all day on it (not counting collecting your transcripts, LORs), but those others are more time consuming IMHO

 

[ladaloop88845]

Thanks for the response. I'll have my personal statement and most of the EC stuff before the end of the semester, so I'm thinking this should work out then. My prehealth applications are due in March, so I'm assuming I'll be able to use a lot of the stuff I write from there.

 

[meddi]

I may possibly be in the same boat this summer, but I'm most worried about not being able to complete secondaries while I'm abroad (June-Aug). Any advice?

 

[sector9]

I may possibly be in the same boat this summer, but I'm most worried about not being able to complete secondaries while I'm abroad (June-Aug). Any advice?

Find the secondary essay prompts in the school-specific threads and prewrite the essays(http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=826 School listing in a sticky at the top)

That will make it a lot easier to fill out secondaries while abroad. It will get more complicated if you apply to one of the few schools that still requires something to be snail mailed to them (a signature page, photo, check, etc)

 

[NickNaylor]

Just throwing another opinion in: I had absolutely nothing ready to go for my app and it took me a couple of weeks a real work to get it done. I had a PS ready to go, but I scrapped it last minute and wrote a new one. If you pre-write your activity descriptions and PS, though, you could theoretically knock it out in one day. As others said, the most tedious parts are filling in all of the demographic information and putting in your transcript information by hand... one... class... at... a... time...

I agree with sector9 above about secondaries. The prompts usually don't change, so you can probably pre-write many of them. Most schools that I ran into didn't require snail mailing anything it, but some did (pictures, a random form, etc.). You could probably have someone that you strongly, strongly trust take care of those things in your absence if you absolutely couldn't do it while you're away.

 

[SJD24]

I submitted my AMCAS from abroad and it wasn't too bad. Like others have said, just pre-write everything and cut/paste on the day you submit. My biggest recommendation is head over to Walgreens/CVS and print out a few passport sized photos so you have them ready to go if needed. I left my photos and a check book with my parents so they could snail-mail anything for schools who don't have an online payment system. I also scanned a copy of my signature so it could be digitally added to any forms, if needed.

 

[NickNaylor]

I submitted my AMCAS from abroad and it wasn't too bad. Like others have said, just pre-write everything and cut/paste on the day you submit. My biggest recommendation is head over to Walgreens/CVS and print out a few passport sized photos so you have them ready to go if needed. I left my photos and a check book with my parents so they could snail-mail anything for schools who don't have an online payment system. I also scanned a copy of my signature so it could be digitally added to any forms, if needed.

Definitely good ideas.