yikes..made mistake on AMCAS, already submitted!?!

[daniellema13]

Dude i just realized i made a gross calculation error on my volunteering hours...somehow when i added up my hours i got 439 so i listed 400+. I was filling out another app for a volunteer position today and was thinking about my time commitment and started feeling like 400+ seemed really high so i recalculated and got 288!! i dont know what i did wrong the first time and i wouldnt think it was a huge deal only i am a reapplicant and im afraid it will look really inconsistent...how did i accumulate so many hours since last time. Last year i didnt list total hours but average hours/wk. this year i structured my EC section differently (grouped all volunteering...durr shoulda done that the first time) and instead of filling in the avg hrs/wk box, just listed total hours (since my avg hours/wk have really varied during my entire time volunteering). Any opinions on what i should do? contact AMCAS? will it even matter?

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[Dulcina]

Dude i just realized i made a gross calculation error on my volunteering hours...somehow when i added up my hours i got 439 so i listed 400+. I was filling out another app for a volunteer position today and was thinking about my time commitment and started feeling like 400+ seemed really high so i recalculated and got 288!! i dont know what i did wrong the first time and i wouldnt think it was a huge deal only i am a reapplicant and im afraid it will look really inconsistent...how did i accumulate so many hours since last time. Last year i didnt list total hours but average hours/wk. this year i structured my EC section differently (grouped all volunteering...durr shoulda done that the first time) and instead of filling in the avg hrs/wk box, just listed total hours (since my avg hours/wk have really varied during my entire time volunteering). Any opinions on what i should do? contact AMCAS? will it even matter?

you cant change your application after you submit it.i doubt theyll notice, but if they do, you can just explain the calculation error. or, if you're worried they theyll think you tried to lie in your primary, you can just correct the error in "extra" boxes in the secondaries (the "is there anything else you'd like is to know" boxes)

 

[gasdf1234567]

There are so many people (I'd say most) who purposely embellish their hours, so you'll be fine.

 

[daniellema13]

That's about a 50% error of reporting. You may get away with it, but it is dishonest.

Regardless, im not interested in getting away with it, im interested in the most tactful way to fix it.

 

[daniellema13]

There are so many people (I'd say most) who purposely embellish their hours, so you'll be fine.

What other people do makes no difference to me (though it's irritating that it occurs at all) it's a personal integrity thing and as much of a non issue it may seem to some, i will be uncomfortable until it is fixed somehow.

 

[EpiPEN]

you only over-estimated by about 100%?


I'd say undercutting yourself there. I'd go at least 300% or something.

j/k

I doubt the mistake will matter that much (if any). Deal with the discomfort on your own. I think your interviewers might just think you are way too picky of a person if you bring it up with them IMO.

 

[gasdf1234567]

What other people do makes no difference to me (though it's irritating that it occurs at all) it's a personal integrity thing and as much of a non issue it may seem to some, i will be uncomfortable until it is fixed somehow.

Haha alright well you pretty much answered your original question right there. Since you'll be uncomfortable until it's fixed, then email every school and tell them of the mistake.

Oh and if it's a personal integrity thing then why did you ask "will it even matter?" Whether it matters or not, you clearly have to come clean to every school.

 

[daniellema13]

Haha alright well you pretty much answered your original question right there. Since you'll be uncomfortable until it's fixed, then email every school and tell them of the mistake.

Oh and if it's a personal integrity thing then why did you ask "will it even matter?" Whether it matters or not, you clearly have to come clean to every school.

Sorry that wasn't very clear...what i meant was, will it matter to schools that this happened if i address it appropriately? I'm just not sure there really is a way to do that. I don't want to mar my app unnecessarily. who knows if schools will believe it was a mistake, though it seems obvious given that if it wasnt i wouldnt be trying to change it. anyway, id just feel really dumb if i didnt get into med school cause i had to create something out of "nothing"...

ps if i were to email schools or bring it up in secondaries, what do you guys think is the best way...very brief, something like "There is an error on my app...volunteering hours should read 280 not 400" ? or should i explain more?

ugh, im such an idiot. my stats are good but last year i applied super late and my mcat was decent but not great..i was feeling so good about things this time around :/

 

[scottyT]

Any opinions on what i should do?

So you overestimated by 112 hours. Why don't you just take a few weeks and volunteer to make up the missing hours if you're so worried about it?

 

[daniellema13]

So you overestimated by 112 hours. Why don't you just take a few weeks and volunteer to make up the missing hours if you're so worried about it?

lol good point. actually by the time i interview anywhere theres a good chance i will be pretty close...i currently volunteer about 8 hours a week. but anything extra is not that do-able cause i work full time, tutor 3 evenings a week, and of the two places i volunteer, one is kind of a hike and it wouldnt be feasible to try to get there after work and the other is only open 4 hours a week on saturdays.

 

[Aesculapius]

Scotty's suggestion sounds excellent to me.

 

[bcat85]

I would say that a 50% overestimation is probably one of the most honest AMCAS reportings of volunteer hours out there. You'll be fine, but correct it if you want.

 

[daniellema13]

Scotty's suggestion sounds excellent to me.

Damn this really is a great idea. too bad i cant do it at another hospital like the one i work at, then i could swing it for sure

 

[Adam Smasher]

The quantity of your hours don't matter. If you spend 100 hours sitting behind a desk in a hospital licking envelopes, you may as well have not bothered. (Aside from being a general helpful and good person for the hospital.)

I didn't even bother computing my total hours, I just said I went in weekly for 8 months. All that matters is you spent quality time, and after nearly 300 hours, you had to have had at least a little quality experiences.

 

[daniellema13]

I would say that a 50% overestimation is probably one of the most honest AMCAS reportings of volunteer hours out there.

Seriously?? I guess it's not surprising. I guess i just feel in my case it looks odd compared to last year. but then again, maybe not. i graduated last year so maybe i just had extra time on my hands... but also, like i said, i'm just not comfortable with that type of dishonesty, even if it's unintentional. haha, i must sound neurotic... i'm not this way about most things. my mom is finally rubbing off on me

 

[daniellema13]

Adam, i agree. I only have an issue with it now because the information listed is incorrect. i listed hours cause that seems to be the thing to do. they do ask afterall. anyway, luckily my time is all quality cause i work directly with patients at both places.