*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2011-2012*~*~*~*

[mauberley]

submitted on 6/20, still in line to get verified.

have people who have submitted around that time been verified yet?

Please see the AMCAS Verification thread for tracking. It looks like people who submitted on 6/20 with all of their transcripts in place have already been verified:

Bill Roth; Submitted; 6/20 1:20; Transcripts Received; 24-May; Verified; 7/5 16:47
fizzgig; Submitted; 6/20 7:30; Transcripts Received; allinMay; Verified; 7/5 18:00
yellowpwr; Submitted; 6/20 9:39; Transcripts Received; 25-May; Verified; 7/6 10:05
bretski47; Submitted; 6/20 14:57; Transcripts Received; 23-May,23-May,25-May,25-May, ; Verified; 7/7 08:27
MalibuPreMD; Submitted; 6/20 21:30; Transcripts Received; 30-May; Verified; 7/7 16:30
mbm54; Submitted; 6/20 23:30; Transcripts Received; 10-May,11-May,6-Jun, ; Verified 7/7 16:54

However, if you go two days later, no one has been verified yet. Sit tight.

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[aSagacious]

The course is entered in AMCAS in the year I took it even though I was still in high school.Currently I have it listed on AMCAS for when I started going to the community college full time (also because there was one year where i was at a different university, long story). So should I change it to include the year I took a class while still in high school or should i keep it as is?

You need to put the date when you actually took the class (regardless of when you started as a full-time student), meaning the high school date is correct.

 

[mauberley]

this is probably uber neurotic of me but if i took a community college course while still in high school, am i supposed to say i started the community college that same year even if I actually didn't attend the community college full time until later. For example, I took a speech class the summer between my junior and senior year of high school but didn't actually start going to that same community college until 2 years later as a full time student. The course is entered in AMCAS in the year I took it even though I was still in high school. Currently I have it listed on AMCAS for when I started going to the community college full time (also because there was one year where i was at a different university, long story). So should I change it to include the year I took a class while still in high school or should i keep it as is?

You need to put the date when you actually took the class (regardless of when you started as a full-time student), meaning the high school date is correct.

Further, I'd probably list two separate entries for your CC: one for the courses you took during high school and one for your actual full-time attendance.

 

[vannguyen]

I volunteered at a hospice one summer every Saturday for 2 months (about 24 hours). Should I include this on the AMCAS or would that be an indicator of lack of commitment?

 

[AugustMCAT]

1. Can I include my parents as references if they were the major supervisor?
2. How do I indicate I was in the honors college of my school?
3. If I suffered from health issues that postponed my MCATs and research, and I already included the justification in my PS, should I send a supplementary letter as well?
4. If I PLAN on getting my research published/patented, should I mention it? Haven't submitted it yet for these two things.
5. What should I do if I don't have contact info for activities (i.e. I am founder of a club but the adviser never came to one meeting, so all I have is students)
6. Should credit hours be written for AP credits/future classes?
7. If I am submitting my primary without LORs or my MCAT score, should I use just 1 school in order to start the verification process, or apply to a bunch? Pros/cons of each?
8. If I got an underage drinking violation that was dismissed and expunged with no institutional action taken (it's a summary offense in my state), should I still list it?


Thank you very much for reading!

 

[pfaction]

Quick question and I didn't want to start a new topic/dont know where this actually goes.

I have 182 hours from a hospital from 2004 until 2011. During HS I did a majority of these hours. I graduated in 2007. From 2007 - 2011 let's say I did 82 hours during the summer...so would I put average hours from 2004 until 2011 as like 0.5hrs/wk or just list the time period and explain the breakdown?

 

[mauberley]

I volunteered at a hospice one summer every Saturday for 2 months (about 24 hours). Should I include this on the AMCAS or would that be an indicator of lack of commitment?

Quick question and I didn't want to start a new topic/dont know where this actually goes.

I have 182 hours from a hospital from 2004 until 2011. During HS I did a majority of these hours. I graduated in 2007. From 2007 - 2011 let's say I did 82 hours during the summer...so would I put average hours from 2004 until 2011 as like 0.5hrs/wk or just list the time period and explain the breakdown?

These questions would be better posed in the Work and Activities thread.

 

[mauberley]

1. Can I include my parents as references if they were the major supervisor?
2. How do I indicate I was in the honors college of my school?
3. If I suffered from health issues that postponed my MCATs and research, and I already included the justification in my PS, should I send a supplementary letter as well?
4. If I PLAN on getting my research published/patented, should I mention it? Haven't submitted it yet for these two things.
5. What should I do if I don't have contact info for activities (i.e. I am founder of a club but the adviser never came to one meeting, so all I have is students)
6. Should credit hours be written for AP credits/future classes?
7. If I am submitting my primary without LORs or my MCAT score, should I use just 1 school in order to start the verification process, or apply to a bunch? Pros/cons of each?
8. If I got an underage drinking violation that was dismissed and expunged with no institutional action taken (it's a summary offense in my state), should I still list it?


Thank you very much for reading!

1) Is this for Work and Activities? If so, it would be preferable to list a third party as contact. Contacts in Work and Activities are only for verification and not for reference purposes.
2) If there's no option to list it as an honors college in the "Institutions Attended," I wouldn't bother. You might ask Catalystik in the Work and Activities thread if it would be worth it to list as part of an Awards entry if you really want to shoehorn it in somewhere.
3) I wouldn't bother.
4) This is another question more appropriate for the Work and Activities thread, but conventional wisdom is that you can mention your plan to publish/patent in your Work/Activity entry in which you describe your work, though you could not classify the entry as "Publications."
5) This is another question more appropriate for the Work and Activities thread, but conventional wisdom is that you could list one of your students as a contact. It still seems that your advisor would be a valid contact as the purpose again is to verify and not provide a reference.
6) You can if you want. For AP classes, sticking to whatever is listed on your transcript never hurts.
7) You already asked this. The responses in that thread seem sufficient. If you need more details, search; this is a common piece of advice given on this forum.
8) Check with your school for confirmation, but if no action was taken, it seems like you don't need to include it.

 

[fizzgig]

can anyone who's used interfolio comment on how long it takes AMCAS to post things as received in your application once the rec is (according to interfolio) "in the recipient's interfolio account"??

 

[mauberley]

can anyone who's used interfolio comment on how long it takes AMCAS to post things as received in your application once the rec is (according to interfolio) "in the recipient's interfolio account"??

Two days from initiation of delivery in Interfolio to acknowledgment by AMCAS.

 

[fizzgig]

thanks! good to know.. i just want to know when to relax and when to start following up.

 

[cwang1990216]

just a quick question, would a few(1 or2) mispellings on the primary be a big deal?

 

[music2doc]

just a quick question, would a few(1 or2) mispellings on the primary be a big deal?

Probably depends upon where... but honestly, it's too late now. May as well just go on living at this point.

 

[cwang1990216]

True..it s in the experience description..

 

[NastySpice]

In a bit of a situation here.... I realized I put the wrong date for one of my extra curriculars.

It was ER volunteering. I did it summer 2009 and winter break 2009-2010 but i said on the app that i did it summer 2009 and winter break 2008-2009.

this is not, and should not, be a big deal. i got my winter breaks confused. in fact i still remember it as happening in winter break 2008-2009 (weirdly), it wasn't until today that i saw on my records that it was the other year. the amcas, however, is uneditable. so i'm thinking of explaining this mistake on my secondaries in the "what else do you have to say" section that's on every secondary.

will this care? will they call the number i listed? i don't want the schools to "question my honesty" over this....

i mean, i'm tempted to just leave it alone... but i am a reapplicant, and its possible that some of the schools i'm reapplying to will hold up this application next to my old application (which correctly listed the dates), and if they realize a discrepancy, things could get ugly. That's why i feel it would be best to just honestly correct the mistake on the secondaries.

and plus, if i say nothing, and then they ask me about that EC in an interview, i wouldn't be able to keep a straight face. I'd be like yeaaa uhhh wrongg dateeeee listedddd :/ .

so yea, what should I do?

 

[mauberley]

In a bit of a situation here.... I realized I put the wrong date for one of my extra curriculars.

It was ER volunteering. I did it summer 2009 and winter break 2009-2010 but i said on the app that i did it summer 2009 and winter break 2008-2009.

this is not, and should not, be a big deal. i got my winter breaks confused. in fact i still remember it as happening in winter break 2008-2009 (weirdly), it wasn't until today that i saw on my records that it was the other year. the amcas, however, is uneditable. so i'm thinking of explaining this mistake on my secondaries in the "what else do you have to say" section that's on every secondary.

will this care? will they call the number i listed? i don't want the schools to "question my honesty" over this....

i mean, i'm tempted to just leave it alone... but i am a reapplicant, and its possible that some of the schools i'm reapplying to will hold up this application next to my old application (which correctly listed the dates), and if they realize a discrepancy, things could get ugly. That's why i feel it would be best to just honestly correct the mistake on the secondaries.

and plus, if i say nothing, and then they ask me about that EC in an interview, i wouldn't be able to keep a straight face. I'd be like yeaaa uhhh wrongg dateeeee listedddd :/ .

so yea, what should I do?

Mistakes happen. Feel free to address it in an optional secondary response, but I, as an uninformed, disinterested observer, don't think it's worth bothering.

 

[NastySpice]

Mistakes happen. Feel free to address it in an optional secondary response, but I, as an uninformed, disinterested observer, don't think it's worth bothering.

well THANK YOU for being so disinterested in MY crisis. hahaha.

lol but no seriously i'm not that worried. its essentially a typo. if there is a medical school that thinks that this is an "ethics issue" when i apply then honestly i don't even know if i'd want to be at that school. and if they then ratted on me to amcas, would other schools even care? doubtfully.

either way, i have plenty of time to decide what i'm going to do, since i'm not verified yet.

 

[mauberley]

well THANK YOU for being so disinterested in MY crisis. hahaha.

If I had a stake in your outcome, that would suggest some bias in my advice.

 

[darkhope]

hey guys,
so I ended up pushing back my mcats, but I have already submitted my amcas application, so how do I change the date? and when should I be changing the date as to not have it affect the verification process. My application is currently "ready for review",
Thanks alot!

 

[mauberley]

hey guys,
so I ended up pushing back my mcats, but I have already submitted my amcas application, so how do I change the date? and when should I be changing the date as to not have it affect the verification process. My application is currently "ready for review",
Thanks alot!

Login to your app, change the date, and resubmit. It won't affect your place in line for verification. (ref: pg 72 of the instruction manual)

 

[AugustMCAT]

I am clustering all my awards into an "academic recognition" title in the activities section. What date should I put down?

 

[mauberley]

I am clustering all my awards into an "academic recognition" title in the activities section. What date should I put down?

My search of the Work/Activities thread suggests this advice. If you have more questions about Work/Activities entries, browse that thread and post any questions you might have there.

 

[NastySpice]

If I had a stake in your outcome, that would suggest some bias in my advice.

Well thanks for your help does anyone else have any opinions on my quandary?

 

[paul411]

Well thanks for your help does anyone else have any opinions on my quandary?

It's just a typo; not worth mentioning in a secondary.

If it really is a problem, it will come up in interviews where you can explain to your heart's content.

 

[Medicalbound10]

So this is probably a dumb questions for you, I am not too knowledgable with the application steps

So my pre-med friend told me that once I have my transcripts received and I am done with the school work part in the system, then I should know my AMCAS GPA without even submitting it.

Don't I have to pay the fee and submit the application and get verified to know it? but then if my GPA is not calculated yet, how do I make an informed decision to where to apply? I have been reading on the forum and i think most ppl just pick a school and submit to be verified

Do i absolutely have to have the LOR before the submittal? I have not asked for it yet waiting on finalizing my PS.. I think i just need to list them and they will arrive later...

tx for the help in advance

 

[sector9]

So this is probably a dumb questions for you, I am not too knowledgable with the application steps

So my pre-med friend told me that once I have my transcripts received and I am done with the school work part in the system, then I should know my AMCAS GPA without even submitting it.

Don't I have to pay the fee and submit the application and get verified to know it? but then if my GPA is not calculated yet, how do I make an informed decision to where to apply? I have been reading on the forum and i think most ppl just pick a school and submit to be verified

Do i absolutely have to have the LOR before the submittal? I have not asked for it yet waiting on finalizing my PS.. I think i just need to list them and they will arrive later...

tx for the help in advance

Calculate your GPA using this spreadsheet.

AMCAS won't tell you your GPA until they verify you. Your friend is wrong.

You don't need LOR's to submit your primary. You will need them to be complete at most schools as far as secondary applications go, but you're looking at 3-4 weeks to be verified if you submit today anyway

 

[Silverfalcon]

I am probably overthinking this, but I emailed AMCAS and didn't get an answer. For date attended for your college, did you guys put down the anticipated graduation date (i.e. for rising seniors, May/June 2012) as the end date? Or the junior year since that's the year that "ended" at the time of submitting an application.

Probably overthinking it but I wanted to ask away anyway.

 

[CodeBlu]

To those obsessing and over thinking every char on your apps.... chill.

Adcoms don't want to obsess over the nitty gritty... you didn't murder anyone? you don't do drugs? you got decent grades and MCAT? You got clinical experience?

cool. no sweat.

 

[NastySpice]

It's just a typo; not worth mentioning in a secondary.

If it really is a problem, it will come up in interviews where you can explain to your heart's content.

alright thanks

i guess what worried me a bit is that i got it wrong in both the dates of the activity section (which is a drop down menu) and in the activity description section (where i gave the wrong date again), lol.

 

[mauberley]

I am probably overthinking this, but I emailed AMCAS and didn't get an answer. For date attended for your college, did you guys put down the anticipated graduation date (i.e. for rising seniors, May/June 2012) as the end date? Or the junior year since that's the year that "ended" at the time of submitting an application.

Probably overthinking it but I wanted to ask away anyway.

I would put down your anticipated date. If you didn't...it looks like you're leaving early, no?

 

[Silverfalcon]

I would put down your anticipated date. If you didn't...it looks like you're leaving early, no?

Right I agree. That's what I thought too but wanted to ask since AMCAS didn't respond.

 

[FattySlug]

Well, I just realized that I could not use one of my English class to satisfy the one yr of English requirement. Is there a way I let schools know that I plan to take the class? I can't do it on amcas.

 

[mauberley]

Well, I just realized that I could not use one of my English class to satisfy the one yr of English requirement. Is there a way I let schools know that I plan to take the class? I can't do it on amcas.

If you've submitted your app, you could possibly mention it in an update letter, but not having a prereq done should not affect consideration of your app. Upon offer of matriculation, the school will advise you of missing prerequisites your offer is contingent on completing.

 

[mrwesticles]

If I had one piece of advice for AMCAS applications, it's apply ASAP. I remember when the server crashed from so many people applying day one.

The extra week to prepare your application is not worth the week head start you can get on some people. So many of these schools have rolling admission, and they start interviewing very quickly.

 

[ALMD]

Hello,
I hope someone will help me answer this question.

My AMCAS app just got verified. In the app, I entered some classes as future course works. I just finished my summer I class and I am wondering if I need to send a new transcript to AMCAS so they can update my grade for the summer I class I previously entered.

I read FAQ and it said that AMCAS does not update our grade for current and future courses after app verified. Is that true?

Thank you in advance.

 

[estradiol9]

I have so many questions!

If you do volunteering activities as well as other things within a club/organization, do you list these under that club or under volunteering?

1. For example, I am a member of the biology society at my school & also the treasurer. As a member, we have some volunteering activities such as a beach sweep and spending a few days each semester at the local soup kitchen. I'm not sure if I should just list biology society as one of the activities and write in the description that we did volunteer work, or if I should put biology society as one activity and then make another activity for volunteer work?

2. I have one other volunteering activity at a first aid squad. I volunteer as an EMT, on the hall committee (help with rental of our hall), and in the fundraising auxilary so I was going to list all of this under one activity of the first aid squad. But since the hall committee and fundraising auxilary are nonclinical volunteering and volunteering as an EMT is clinical, does it matter which I choose? Because you're allowed to pick between clinical and nonclinical volunteering correct?

3. If you shadowed 5 different physicians, which do you list under contact info? They were all for equal amounts of time for the most part and they don't know each other so one physician would not be able to vouch for my shadowing with the other physicians.

4. In what order do you list your activities? Chronologically? Most to least meaningful?

 

[mauberley]

I have so many questions!

If you do volunteering activities as well as other things within a club/organization, do you list these under that club or under volunteering?

1. For example, I am a member of the biology society at my school & also the treasurer. As a member, we have some volunteering activities such as a beach sweep and spending a few days each semester at the local soup kitchen. I'm not sure if I should just list biology society as one of the activities and write in the description that we did volunteer work, or if I should put biology society as one activity and then make another activity for volunteer work?

2. I have one other volunteering activity at a first aid squad. I volunteer as an EMT, on the hall committee (help with rental of our hall), and in the fundraising auxilary so I was going to list all of this under one activity of the first aid squad. But since the hall committee and fundraising auxilary are nonclinical volunteering and volunteering as an EMT is clinical, does it matter which I choose? Because you're allowed to pick between clinical and nonclinical volunteering correct?

3. If you shadowed 5 different physicians, which do you list under contact info? They were all for equal amounts of time for the most part and they don't know each other so one physician would not be able to vouch for my shadowing with the other physicians.

4. In what order do you list your activities? Chronologically? Most to least meaningful?

I was going to refer you to the work/activities thread, but I see you posted there already.

 

[mauberley]

Hello,
I hope someone will help me answer this question.

My AMCAS app just got verified. In the app, I entered some classes as future course works. I just finished my summer I class and I am wondering if I need to send a new transcript to AMCAS so they can update my grade for the summer I class I previously entered.

I read FAQ and it said that AMCAS does not update our grade for current and future courses after app verified. Is that true?

Thank you in advance.

You do not need to send a new transcript to AMCAS. As you have found out, AMCAS does not update current/future courses.

 

[estradiol9]

I was going to refer you to the work/activities thread, but I see you posted there already.

Yeah I noticed I posted in the wrong thread and went back and posted there. Sorry!

 

[abe lincoln]

sorry if this is a stupid, paranoid question.

I'm trying to fill in my coursework so I can finally submit my damn application.

AMCAS asks for "credit hours". On my transcript, next to each course, there are 2 columns: Credits and Hours. Sometimes they differ. For example, a course might be 4.0 credits, but 6.0 hours.

Which one am I supposed to enter?



Also, on my transcript, the school has listed 2 American History courses I was exempted from because I took the AP US history exam. However, I didn't receive credit for the courses (0.0) for some reason (I think it's because I also took AP European history, and they already gave me credit for that). So, should I include those or not?

 

[mauberley]

sorry if this is a stupid, paranoid question.

I'm trying to fill in my coursework so I can finally submit my damn application.

AMCAS asks for "credit hours". On my transcript, next to each course, there are 2 columns: Credits and Hours. Sometimes they differ. For example, a course might be 4.0 credits, but 6.0 hours.

Which one am I supposed to enter?



Also, on my transcript, the school has listed 2 American History courses I was exempted from because I took the AP US history exam. However, I didn't receive credit for the courses (0.0) for some reason (I think it's because I also took AP European history, and they already gave me credit for that). So, should I include those or not?

1) Ask the registrar at your school about the difference between credits and hours and what you should use if no one can advise you here.
2) You can't go wrong listing everything on your transcript as they appear. You should see if the instructions on page 41 of the instruction manual apply to your situation.

 

[sector9]

Also, on my transcript, the school has listed 2 American History courses I was exempted from because I took the AP US history exam. However, I didn't receive credit for the courses (0.0) for some reason (I think it's because I also took AP European history, and they already gave me credit for that). So, should I include those or not?

2) You can't go wrong listing everything on your transcript as they appear. You should see if the instructions on page 41 of the instruction manual apply to your situation.

I agree with maubs-- you should list the classes, even though you got 0 credit. I'm thinking you should probably use the "exempt" designation as well.

Here's what happened with my app:

I got AP credit for an English class. I also took the same class for credit in college. My school didn't change the AP credit to 0, but the credit hours total listed on my transcript doesn't add up correctly (the difference is equal to the credits for that English class). I listed it exactly as it is on my transcript, including the credit hours. AMCAS changed it to "exempt" eliminating the credit hours too.

But it doesn't matter. AMCAS will change it if you do it wrong and it won't be a big deal.

 

[andrewsmack05]

Could I submit my transcripts to Interfolio and then forward them to AMCAS? I dont want to have to drive 3 hours to my university's registrars office and give them the letter that needs to be attached to the transcripts if I dont need to. Somebody let me know if there is some way around this!

 

[sector9]

Could I submit my transcripts to Interfolio and then forward them to AMCAS? I dont want to have to drive 3 hours to my university's registrars office and give them the letter that needs to be attached to the transcripts if I dont need to. Somebody let me know if there is some way around this!

Interfolio transcripts are not acceptable.

Can you find someone to email the form to at the registrars office? Or fax it? Or mail it?

You could decide to send your transcript without the form, but that could be risky if they're unable to match up your transcript with your application.

 

[mauberley]

Can you find someone to email the form to at the registrars office? Or fax it? Or mail it?

Yeah, I fail to see why mailing the form to the registrar at the very least wouldn't be doable.

 

[gridguy]

Submitted my AMCAS some time ago and my last transcript was received on July 5, 2011 (12 full business days ago). Near as I can tell everything is complete (even my LoE have been received) but I am still "Ready for Review" - I thought I would have progressed to "Under Review" by now? Is this normal?

 

[mauberley]

Submitted my AMCAS some time ago and my last transcript was received on July 5, 2011 (12 full business days ago). Near as I can tell everything is complete (even my LoE have been received) but I am still "Ready for Review" - I thought I would have progressed to "Under Review" by now? Is this normal?

People reporting they were verified in the last two days appear to have submitted on 6/28, with their transcripts having been in place by that time. Nothing is wrong; you are in the queue for verification. It does not seem like anyone who has gone ready by your time has reported being verified, a process which should take on the order of a handful of days, so you should not expect to see the "Under Review" status for very long if at all (depending on how compulsively you are checking your status).

 

[epsilonprodigy]

As I enter my current job in the work and activities section of the AMCAS, I am unsure who to put as the contact. I am a nurse, and I've worked for two different units in the same hospital over the past 5 years (first PICU, now ER.) I'd rather not list my current boss (nurse manager), as he is a slimeball and I do what I can to stay off his radar. Never had any run-ins with him, but don't trust him as far as I can throw him (long story.)

Do you think it would be appropriate to list the medical director of the ER as the primary contact? He's actually more in charge of the physician side of things, but he's also one of my LOR writers and I know he'd give me a glowing review if contacted. Or are they looking for some human resources person who can say, "yes, so and so started working here on x date.." etc.?

 

[sector9]

As I enter my current job in the work and activities section of the AMCAS, I am unsure who to put as the contact. I am a nurse, and I've worked for two different units in the same hospital over the past 5 years (first PICU, now ER.) I'd rather not list my current boss (nurse manager), as he is a slimeball and I do what I can to stay off his radar. Never had any run-ins with him, but don't trust him as far as I can throw him (long story.)

Do you think it would be appropriate to list the medical director of the ER as the primary contact? He's actually more in charge of the physician side of things, but he's also one of my LOR writers and I know he'd give me a glowing review if contacted. Or are they looking for some human resources person who can say, "yes, so and so started working here on x date.." etc.?

Put whoever you want for the contact. The point of the contact is so that the adcom member can confirm your involvement in the activity for the time frame and hours that you state on your application.

Personally, I'd put the person you already got the LOR from. There's no rule stating that you have to put your immediate supervisor

 

[staxMd]

So, my application was just verified today (finally) but they made some changes to my coursework that concern me:

I studied abroad my 1st semester in college. Strange, I know, but since I very explicitly indicated this it should not have been a problem I thought but the verifier must have misunderstood and changed the classification of all my study abroad coursework to AP. I called AMCAS they said it didn't really matter but if I wanted I could submit an academic change request.

I have some concerns either way:
if I submit the change request and it takes a few days does this hold up my app? The rep said it wouldn't and that schools would just receive an update but I am skeptical.

if I decide to leave it, and not submit the change request is that bad? Will schools care/be confused/be irritated?

I'm just looking for some advice from someone with some knowledge of this stressful process.

Thanks!