View
220
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Completing the 2018 AMCAS Application
Spring 2017Oona Ceder, Emiko Morimoto & Ellen Williams
Office of Career ServicesHarvard College
1
A Reminder about Academic Integrity
Before you start
• If you are applying for matriculation in 2018 or are an alumnus/ae applying in a future cycle, please be sure to subscribe to the OCS Med School Applicants Listserv using a harvard.edu email address.
• During the application cycle, we will be sending periodic updates with important information for applicants over this list.
3
Before you start
• AMCAS and med schools use applicant email addresses to send notices of updates, changes, deadlines, errors, and the status of your application.
• Be sure that your SPAM filters do not delete these emails.
• Add aamc.org as a safe domain.
4
Before you start
• Transcripts: Obtain and review your unofficial Harvard College transcript & other transcripts for college-level courses you may have taken elsewhere during high school or college
• Current students should use the "View Unofficial Transcript" link in the Grades tab of my.harvard
• Alumni: You can obtain an unofficial PDF version of your transcript by clicking here and logging into the Alumni tab on my.Harvard with your HarvardKey. (Under the “Alumni” tab, select the “Grades” tab to view and print your unofficial transcript.)
5
Before you start
• If eligible, apply for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP). To receive benefits of FAP approval, you must wait to receive decision before submitting AMCAS application.
• Because over 100 medical schools utilize criminal background checks, be sure to check the status of prior arrests that you thought were expunged.
6
Before you start
• Check the admissions requirements of medical schools to which you plan to apply to be sure you fill the eligibility requirements for each school.
• See the Medical School Admission Requirements® (MSAR) online database for more information about each school’s admissions and financial aid policies.
7
Before you start
• Note that the MSAR Medical School Admission Requirements® online provides important information about eligibility requirements , including:
• State residency (many state schools accept applications from out-of-state applicants)
• US citizenship, resident alien, or other immigration status
• International applicants: Check eligibility and financial aid policies
• Many medical schools welcome applications from DACA students: see the full list and policies at Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
8
Before you start
• For more information about the number of International Students who apply, are interviewed, and matriculate at U.S. Medical Schools, see the following resource on the OCS Website: U.S. Medical School Admissions Information - Financial Aid policies, MCAT policies, and information about in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants.
• For information about the financial aid policies regarding International Medical Students for the schools that accept Non-Canadian Applicants who are not permanent U.S. residents, also see: Further U.S. Medical School Financial Aid Policies for International Students.
9
Applicants to Texas State Schools
• Applying to State Medical and Dental Schools in Texas: Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS)
• See the TMDSAS Website for information about how to create your application.
• TMDSAS manual: EY 2018 Application Handbook(pdf)
10
D.O. School Applicants
• Applying to Schools of Osteopathic Medicine (DO schools): Association of American Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS)
• See the AACOMAS Website for information about how to create your application.
• AACOMAS manual:
◦ Apply Now◦ Application Instructions and FAQs
11
Canadian Applicants to Ontario Schools
• Applying to Ontario Medical Schools: Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS)
• The six medical schools in Ontario use the centralized OMSAS while the other 11 medical schools require individual applications.
• Most Canadian medical schools strongly favor applicants from within the province and some are only open to Canadian citizens/permanent residents. Students who are planning to apply through OMSAS should carefully review the OMSAS Application Guide. 12
Overview• About AMCAS• The AMCAS Application
• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process13
About AMCAS
• What does AMCAS do?• Provides an online medical school application
• Collects official transcripts from all applicants
• Verifies academic records and calculates an AMCAS GPA
• Distributes application data to participating medical schools
• Collects & distributes letters of recommendation
• Facilitates criminal background checks for accepted applicants
14
How does AMCAS work?
Application Submitted
• Applicant completes & submits AMCAS application online
• Applicant pays submission fees (or uses valid Fee Assistance Program benefits)
Application Processed
• Applicant arranges for all required official transcripts to be sent to AMCAS
• AMCAS performs verification of coursework and calculates AMCAS GPAs
Application Delivered
• AMCAS distributes verified application to designated med schools
• AMCAS delivers letters to designated med schools as they are received
Application Timeline
May 2, 2017 AMCAS application opens & AMCAS begins accepting transcripts
June 1, 2017 AMCAS opens for submission of applications; if your transcripts have arrived at AMCAS, your submitted AMCAS enters queue for verification
June 13 & 20 May MCAT scores released
June 30, 2017 Initial transmission of application data to medical schools
16
Application Fees
• $160 processing fee which includes one medical school
• $39 for each additional school
• Payable online via Visa/MasterCard
• See MSAR Website for school secondary fees• And our MSAR Data By Med School resource:Information About Academic Requirements, MCAT Requirements, Admissions, and Financial Aid Policies. (Excel)
17
2018 AMCAS Participation
For complete participation listings:Application: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/participating-medical-schools-deadlines/Letters: www.aamc.org/aboutamcaslettersCriminal Background Check: www.aamc.org/amcascbc
AMCAS Participation
Application 149 Schools/Programs
All MD granting schools in the United States with the exception of MD programs at Texas public schools
AMCAS Letters 144 Schools/Programs
See www.aamc.org/amcasletters
Criminal Background Checks
112 Schools/Programs
See https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/criminal-background-check-service/
www.aamc.org/amcas
Accessing the AMCAS Application
Only create a new AAMC account if you have never accessed
the AAMC system before.
AAMC Registration
Only complete registration if you do not have an AAMC ID
Account Details
• AMCAS provides additional information to applicants about the receipt status and date of letters and official transcripts:
AMCAS Main Menu
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 24
Identifying Information
Identifying Information
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 27
Schools Attended
Schools Attended
29
Schools Attended
Can indicate secondary field under minor
Schools Attended
• List every post secondary institution where you enrolled for at least one course; even if credits were transferred, no credits were earned, or you withdrew.
• Include colleges at which you took courses while in high school and received college credit.
31
Advisor Release
select “Yes”32
Advisor Release
Advisor Information Release Service:• Please give permission for AMCAS to share information
with Harvard Premed Advisors by checking YES. (These reports will go to Oona, Emiko, and Ellen at OCS, not your House Premed Tutors)
The reports we develop on applications and acceptance to medical school are based on the data we receive from AMCAS. The information will only be used for aggregate statistics and all identifying information is kept strictly confidential.
• If you encounter problems with your application, we cannot discuss your situation with AMCAS staff unless you check this box.
33
Official Transcripts
• An AMCAS Transcript Request must be processed by the Registrar at every school where you enrolled in college level classes.
• For instructions about how to send your official Harvard transcript to AMCAS, please see the FAS Registrar’s Office instructions. (Note that your Harvard College transcript can only be ordered online through the National Student Clearinghouse transcript ordering service. You will find instructions and the link to this service on the FAS Registrar website.)
• You will need to include the AMCAS Transcript Request form with your National Student Clearinghouse transcript order. To do so, scan and upload an electronic copy of the Request form into your Clearinghouse order.
• Note: Harvard University is no longer an approved eTranscripts(ETX) sender to AMCAS, so your transcript can only be sent to AMCAS in hardcopy form via US Mail or Express Mail). To select AMCAS as the recipient of your transcript, select “Educational Organization Recipient” and choose “AMCAS.”
34
Official Transcripts
• To order a transcript from another post-secondary institution at which you may have taken courses, you will need to consult that school’s Registrar’s Office for instructions.
• If a school has placed a financial hold on your transcripts, AMCAS will not grant an exception under any circumstances.
• Your AMCAS application will only be “queued for verification” if your transcript/s has/have arrived at AMCAS.
• If a transcript is not required for an “attached school,” you will need to submit a Transcript Exception Request. (This is rare; the most common reason a transcript may not be required is in the case of foreign institutions at which you enrolled in study abroad coursework.)
35
Official Transcripts
Official Transcripts
• AMCAS cannot validate foreign transcriptsand will not accept them.
• Applicants must request an exception for transcripts that are not required; failing to do so may result in missed deadlines
• Missing and unmatchable transcripts are the number one reason for processing delays
37
Transcripts
38
Institutional Action
39
Institutional Action
• If you answer Yes, you may use the provided space beneath the question to explain; this space is 1325 characters or approximately one-quarter of a page in length. Failure to provide accurate information in answering this question or, if applicable, in completing the form provided by the school, will result in an investigation.
• Applicants who become the subject of an institutional action after certifying and submitting the AMCAS application must inform their designated medical schools that an action has occurred within 10 days.
40
Institutional Action
• If you are unsure whether your particular situation represents an Institutional Action, please contact your Academic Dean (Allston Burr Academic Dean) for advice.
• If you will be writing an Institutional Action essay for the AMCAS application, please also consult with the OCS Premedical Advisors.
• Note that medical school secondary applications may also include questions about institutional action.
41
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographical Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 42
Biographic Information
Biographic Information
Under biographic information, you will fill in contact information, then citizenship. If you have any type of visa, permanent resident status, DACA, or Adjustment of Status, enter the relevant information.
Biographic Information: DACA Status
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) citizen status option
Biographic Information:Legal residence
• Legal Residence: applicants who qualify for residency in more than one state may declare only one of those states as their legal residence on the application.
• Language Proficiency: at least one language and one proficiency required. Asks re use in childhood home. Defines levels from “basic” to “native/functionally native”.
Legal Residence: applicants who qualify for residency in more than one state may declare only one of those states as their legal residence on the application.
46
Biographic Information:Self Identification
• Legal Residence: applicants who qualify for residency in more than one state may declare only one of those states as their legal residence on the application.
• Language Proficiency: at least one language and one proficiency required. Asks re use in childhood home. Defines levels from “basic” to “native/functionally native”.
47
Biographic Information:Language Proficiency
• Language Proficiency: Indicate languages that you speak. You will be asked to identify your level of proficiency in each of the languages you selected and the use of each language in your childhood home.
• Guidelines are provided for levels that range from “basic” to “native/functionally native”.
48
Biographic Information:Childhood and Disadvantaged Status
• Socioeconomic Disadvantage Indicator: Derived from parents’ Education and Occupation (EO) – only two lowest SES’s (EO-1 and EO-2) are reported to medical schools
• Underserved: do you believe that the area in which you grew up was adequately served by health-care professionals? Were there enough physicians, nurses, hospitals, clinics, and other health-care providers?
• State and federal assistance programs: these are defined as "means-tested programs” (e.g., AFDC, ADC, unemployment compensation, GA, food stamps, SSI, Medicaid) where family income, assets must be below certain thresholds
• After completing this section, you will then be asked if you wish to be considered a disadvantaged applicant by the medical schools. If YES, you will be given an additional 1325 characters to explain.
49
Biographic Information:Military Service
50
Biographic Information:Felonies and Misdemeanors
51
Biographic Information:Felonies and Misdemeanors
• Applicants need not disclose any instance where applicant: • was arrested but not charged; was arrested
and charged, but the charges were dropped; • was arrested and charged, but found not
guilty by a judge or jury; • was arrested and found guilty by a judge or
jury, but the conviction was overturned on appeal; or
• received an executive pardon
52
Biographic Information:Felonies and Misdemeanors
• For any post submission convictions, applicants MUST notify their medical schools within 10 days of the offense.
• Warning: In Virginia and Ohio, speeding conviction = misdemeanor! Must be reported on AMCAS.
53
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 54
Course Work Summary
To assist applicants with completing the Course Work section, the summary screen provides additional information at a glance:
Course Work Summary
Course Work
57
Course Work
Course work to be listed: • Any course ever attempted at any U.S. or
Canadian post-secondary school, even if no credit was earned.
• Includes all college-level courses taken while in high school.
• Courses taken at an American college overseas (see AMCAS Instruction Manual for list)
58
Course Work
Course work to be listed (cont’d): • Courses from which you withdrew.• Courses for which you received a grade of
"Incomplete" and for which no final grade has been assigned.
• Courses that have been repeated.• Courses that you failed, regardless of whether
they have been repeated.• Courses you audited.
59
Course Work: Year and Term
60
Course Work: Year and Term
• Add courses in chronological order exactly as they appear on the official transcript.
• For courses taken at Harvard, use the semester system calendar designation.
• List a full-year course as “Full Year”. Do not divide full-year classes by term.
• For summer courses, assign the upcoming status (e.g., courses between FR & SO year are listed as SO status).
61
Course Work: Year and Term
(cont’d)• Do not assign more than one status to a term.
• Assign High School (HS) status to college-level courses taken while you were in high school, regardless of the physical location of the college-level course.
62
Course Work: Course No. & Name
63
Course Classification
64
Course Classification: BCPM GPA
• The Science GPA for AMCAS is called the BCPM GPA and is comprised of courses that are considered Biology (B), Chemistry (C), Physics (P) or Mathematics (M) only.
• Note: LS1a=Chemistry; LS1b=Biology• If you have a question, such as coding a
psychology course as biology, ask yourself if the primary content of the course was biology. If yes, you can code the course as biology. This classification is not based on the department offering the course. Use your best judgment.
65
Course Classification
• To learn more about the BCPM GPA, click on the HELP button at the top of the AMCAS application webpage. Open the "Course work Classification" section under "Course Work." Scroll down to find a list of courses. Any course classification followed by "BCPM" will be included in the BCPM GPA
• If AMCAS changes a classification, and the applicant disagrees with the change, the applicant can appeal the change via the application's Academic Change request option (available within the AMCAS application).
66
Course Classification
BCPM subjects as defined by AMCAS:Biology (BIOL)
• Anatomy • Biology • Biophysics • Biotechnology • Botany • Cell Biology • Ecology • Entomology • Genetics • Histology • Immunology • Microbiology • Molecular Biology • Neuroscience • Physiology
Chemistry (CHEM) • Biochemistry • Chemistry • Physical Chemistry • Thermodynamics Mathematics (MATH) • Applied Mathematics • Mathematics • Statistics Physics (PHYS) • Astronomy • Physics
67
Specific Course Information
68
Specific Course Information
• Harvard uses a credit hours system to assign course credit.
• Please list credit hours as they appear on your Harvard transcript.
• Most semester-long courses are worth 4 credit hours. Full-year courses are ordinarily worth 8 credit hours.
• Note that there are a few 4-credit full-year courses (e.g., Neuro 95hf); they should be designated as a “Full-Year Course.”
• Be sure to check for any 2-credit courses, such as Orchestra.
69
Specific Course Information
• A half-year course (one semester) is equal to four credits/credit hours/semester hours; a full-year course (two semesters) is generally equal to eight credits/credit hours/semester hours.*
* Note: Half courses (“hf” courses) extending throughout the two terms of the academic year are equal to four credit hours. You should select the “Full Year” option under “Academic Term” for hfcourses.
• For older alumni who took Chem 10/15: This course is equivalent to only 4 credits. (It will, however, fulfill the medical school requirement of one full year of general chemistry.) You can write “Accel” to indicate it was an accelerated course.
70
Specific Course Information
• Lab hours are not counted separately. They are included in course credit hours.
> Select “combined lecture/lab course” for the question “did this class include a lab section?”
71
Course Work: Special Course Types
Special Course Types
73
Special Course Types
Only necessary for certain courses.
• Audit: if officially registered, but no credit, then no credit hours or AMCAS grade should be assigned.
• Pass/Fail: courses are listed on Academic Record, but excluded when computing AMCAS GPA. Harvard’s SAT/UNSAT courses should be listed as such.
• Honors: Harvard does not have “honors level” courses.
74
Advanced Standing Only
• Official Rules : To claim AP credit, the AP credits must be listed on your transcript.
• Harvard does not put AP courses on transcript unless you accept Advanced Standing. So, if you list an AP on the Academic Record, and it is not on the transcript, AMCAS cannot verify the AP score. The Harvard College Registrar will NOT verify these AP scores for AMCAS.
• Do NOT include AP credit unless you accepted Advanced Standing.
75
Advanced Placement Scores
• If a medical school wants verification of the AP score (some California and Texas schools do), then you must request the official AP score to be sent directly from ETS to the medical schools and not to AMCAS.
• Most secondary applications will allow you to indicate AP scores being used to meet math requirements.
Only if granted and accepted Advanced Standing:
• The total credit hours for the AP courses should be equal to 32 (e.g., 4 AP courses at 8 credit hours each.)
76
Study Abroad
Courses attempted through a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution must be entered.
• Include the foreign institution and the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institution in Schools Attended.
• Request a transcript exception for the foreign institutions. Indicate the U.S. or Canadian institution on whose transcript credits will appear.
• List study abroad coursework under the foreign college at which it was attempted exactly as it appears on the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian’s institution's transcript. Do not enter the coursework twice.
• If the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institution provides letter grades and credit hours for each course on their transcript , enter all required course data.
QUESTIONS: P lease contact AMCAS directly.77
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/ Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 78
Work/Activities
79
Work/Activities
• Experience Type: from the drop-down menu, select experience Type that best describes each experience. You can only select one Type per experience. It is up to the applicant to decide which experience Type best suits each particular experience. Please do not ask your House Tutors or the OCS Premed Advisors how to list experiences. Use your best judgment.
• If you list a publication, make sure it has been accepted for publication and cite it properly. If the paper is just being "prepared for submission" or "submitted," include this fact as part of the research description in the section where you listed the research activity.
80
Work/Activities
Work/ActivitiesMaximum of 15 entries
You can enter 3 additional date ranges for repeated activities
Maximum of 3 “Most Meaningful”
Work/Activities
• Applicants may indicate repeated activities
• Applicants can enter up to four separate date ranges
• Applicants can enter future end dates up to the start of the matriculation year (up to August 2018)
• Applicants will specify the total hours spent on this activity for each date range
• Work/Activities entries will be shown in the order they are entered by the applicant within the online application, but are sorted by each medical school’s preference during application review
Work/Activities
• A maximum of 15 experiences may be entered. Enter only significant experiences. You do not need to enter 15! Each experience has space for a 700 character description. Remember that each experience you list is "up for grabs" if you are invited to interview. You may be asked about anything in your application.
• Note: Supervisor contact information must be provided. If activity was organized by a student group, list advisor or another administrator who can verify your experience, if possible.
• As a courtesy, be sure to notify the person whose name you list for this contact.
84
Work/Activities
• Repeated Activities: (from year to year) List a repeated activity just once and use the space beneath the activity to show multiple dates, roles you served, or multiple awards you received in that activity.
• Multiple Roles: If you held multiple positions in one organization, list this as one experience only, and describe your various roles within the description section.
• “Most meaningful activity” experience summaries (3): Limited to 1325 characters (including spaces) or 1/4 page.
• Activity description (for each of your entries): Limited to 700 characters. Use to provide information or to describe responsibilities.
85
Work/Activities
Advice from the Assistant Dean of Admissions, Weill Cornell Medical College:• Think carefully about which kind of experiences were
really meaningful to you -- don't try to fill up space.
• Don't repeat information in the “description” section already noted in “experience type”, “title” “organization”, etc., sections.
• If the organization in which you participated is not well known, give a brief description followed by the role you played there, especially if it involved any type of responsibility.
86
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 87
Letters of Evaluation
AMCAS will receive your recommendation letters directly from your House via VirtualEvals.
There are three steps for applicants: 1. Under Letters of Evaluation, you’ll need to “add” a
committee letter to let AMCAS know about the letters they are going to receive from your House Office.
2. Send your Letter Request Form ID (7 digits) to your House Office.
3. Complete the Medical Schools section and assign the letters to each participating school.
88
Letters of Evaluation
select
89
Letters of Evaluation
• Select “committee letter”. All of the letters that come from Harvard are considered a single committee letter. (This includes the House Letter and the individual accompanying letters.)
• For letter title: “Harvard Committee Letter”• For primary contact, use your Allston Burr
Academic Dean’s name (or simply “Academic Dean”).
• Now you’ll be able to access the AMCAS Letter Request Form. Email Letter ID # to your Academic Dean’s Office.
90
Letters of Evaluation
91
Letters of Evaluation
Bring or email this to your Academic Dean’s Office
92
Letters of Evaluation
schools receiving letter listed here93
Letters of Evaluation
94
Letters of Evaluation
• In rare situations, Harvard applicants may wish to add additional individual letters AFTER the House Committee Letter pdf (which includes attached individual letters) has been submitted. In this case, applicants should use the AMCAS Letter Service Application program. This program allows recommenders to upload individual letters. Please see the AMCAS Instruction Manual for instructions.
• Please note that the Houses are not ordinarily involved in uploading additional individual letters to AMCAS after the House Committee Letter has been submitted.
• House Committee Letters will be sent by mid-August if the applicant has abided by House deadlines.
95
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 96
Medical Schools
• Research individual medical schools before designating them in the application. Schools cannot be removed after submission.
• Designate only program types for which you are eligible and for which the deadline has not passed.
• If you wish to apply to both an MD and MD/PhD program at the same medical school, you must check directly with that medical school regarding the application procedure.
97
Medical Schools
Type of program(e.g., MD vs. MD/PhD), Combined Degree Programs, Special Programs, etc.
Medical Schools
99
Medical Schools
100
Medical Schools
• AMCAS does not evaluate state or U.S. residency eligibility or citizenship status. It is the applicant’s responsibility to determine eligibility before designating a school.
• You must indicate if you have ever previously applied to this medical school. Failure to acknowledge previous application activity will result in an investigation.
101
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 102
Essays
• Please refer to the OCS webpage on creating your personal statement:• http://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/personal-statement
• Remember: PROOFREAD! No changes can be made after your application is submitted to AMCAS.
• You cannot run a spell check in the AMCAS application.
103
Essays
104
MD/PhD Essays
105
MD/PhD Essays
106
Certification Statement
107
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests (info on past and upcoming MCAT
tests/ test dates)
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process108
Standardized Tests
Contact MCATmcat@aamc.org202-828-0690
Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm ET
If you are re-taking the MCAT and don’t indicate your upcoming testing date, medical schools may review your application without waiting for your new score.
Standardized Tests
www.aamc.org/mcat
Standardized Tests
www.aamc.org/mcat
Standardized Tests
www.aamc.org/mcat
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 113
Criminal Background Checks
114
Criminal Background Checks
• After January 1, accepted/waitlisted applicants to a school that participates in the AAMC CBC service will receive an email from CertiphiScreening asking to provide consent to conduct a Criminal Background Check
• Results will be made available for review prior to their release to medical schools which have accepted the applicants.
• Applicants have 10 days to review the report and contest the accuracy of the results
115
Criminal Background Checks
• Conducted on first acceptance (or, in some instances, Alternate List)
• Disclosure/Consent must be certified by all applicants
• Searches:Social Security Number, County Criminal Records, Statewide Criminal Records, Federal Criminal Records, National Criminal Database, National Sexual Offender Database, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General List of Excluded Individuals/Entities, Dishonorable Discharge from the Armed Forces, International Screening
116
Criminal Background Checks
• The report procured during this process will not be released to any party other than the medical schools requesting this report.
• On the report, history including infractions and juvenile records will be displayed to the applicant but medical schools vary on the content they can and will view.
117
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 118
Fee Assistance Program
119
2017 Fee Assistance Program• Reduction of MCAT Registration
fee from $310 to $120• The Official Guide to the MCAT®
Exam, Fourth Edition, the AAMC MCAT® Practice Exam 1, the AAMC MCAT® Practice Exam 2, the AAMC MCAT® Section Bank, and the Official MCAT® Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question Pack, Volume 1 ($170 value).
• Free access to MSAR Online until December 31, 2018 ($54 value)
• Waiver for all AMCAS fees for one application submission with up to 16 medical school designations ($730 value).
• Benefits are valid for up to two calendar years.
• Apply: www.aamc.org/fap
Apply for fee assistance before registering for the MCAT or submitting an AMCAS application. Benefits cannot be applied retroactively.
Fee Assistance Program
• AMCAS fee waiver for up to 16 medical school designations ($730 savings)
• Benefits are valid up to two calendar years. Benefits expire on December 31 the year after they were awarded.
• Assists applicants who, without financial assistance would be unable to take the MCAT or apply to medical schools through AMCAS
121
Fee Assistance Program
• Eligibility Criteria• Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have
refugee/asylum or DACA status
• FAP does not distinguish between dependent & independent applicant status
• Note: Most medical schools waive supplemental application fees for applicants who have been granted fee assistance by the AAMC
• Must have FAP application approved before can apply benefits to AMCAS application or use for MCAT registration.
122
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status• The Verification Process 123
Monitoring
124
Monitoring Progress
• AMCAS Application Status• Not Submitted to AMCAS• Submitted to AMCAS – Waiting for Transcripts• Submitted to AMCAS – Ready for Review• Submitted to AMCAS – Under Review• Returned to Applicant• AMCAS Processing is Complete
125
Overview• About AMCAS
• The AMCAS Application• Identifying Information• Schools Attended and Transcripts• Biographic Information• Course Work• Work/Activities• Letters of Evaluation• Medical Schools• Essays• Standardized Tests
• Criminal Background Checks
• Fee Assistance Program
• Monitoring your Application Status
• The Verification Process 126
Submission & Processing
• Ideally, submit application and transcript/s by mid-June. You should wait for your spring grades before submitting.
• If you are taking or re-taking the MCAT in June or July, you should still submit your AMCAS Application by mid-June. You should then indicate under Standardized Tests that you plan to take the MCAT on this future test date.
• Emphasize completeness over early submission.
• Errors/typos/missing information can’t be corrected after submission.
127
AMCAS Verification
• Once application is submitted and all transcripts received, the application will join the verification queue.
• From the date of submission, verification can take up to six weeks to be completed.
• For applicants who submit AMCAS by mid-June, verification usually takes between a few days and a few weeks.
• Note that your medical schools will only begin to receive verified AMCAS applications on June 30.
128
AMCAS Verification
• Only the GPA calculated and verified by AMCAS will be considered official by the medical schools. You will be able to view the AMCAS Verified GPA when your application status is “Processed by AMCAS.”
• Please refer to the AMCAS manual for instructions on how to calculate your GPAs.
• The AMCAS GPA conversion scale:
A=4.0 A-=3.7 B+=3.3 B=3.0 B-=2.7 C+=2.3C=2.0 C-=1.7 D+=1.3 D=1.0 D-=0.7 F=0
129
• What is verified for each course?
• Academic Status• Academic Year & Term• Grades• Hours• Course Classification (BCPM vs. All Other)• Course Type (Repeat, AP, etc.)
• The end result:
• Verified AMCAS GPA broken down by science & non-science courses and by academic status
• Note that medical schools do not just see your GPA. They receive all of the detailed information that you entered in the coursework section of your application.
AMCAS Verification
130
AMCAS Verification
131
AMCAS Verification
• Once the application is submitted and all required official transcripts are received, the application will join the verification queue Applicants should consult the
AMCAS Instruction Manual and video tutorials to ensure that all coursework is entered accurately, including AP credit and study abroad courses
From date of “Ready to Review” application status, ~ 6 weeks
Processing updates are provided on Twitter (@AMCASinfo) to help applicants gauge where they are in the verification queue and on the AMCAS application sign in page.
ApplicationSubmitted
All Official TranscriptsReceived
Verification Queue
AMCAS Verification
05
10152025303540
7-Jun 7-Jul 7-Aug 7-Sep 7-Oct 7-Nov 7-Dec
2014 Application Year
02468
10121416
1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec
2015 Application Year
# of
bus
ines
s da
ys to
com
plet
e ve
rific
atio
n
AMCAS Verification
2015 Application Year
0
5
10
15
20
1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec
2016 Application Year
# o
f bu
sine
ss d
ays
to c
ompl
ete
verif
icat
ion
0
5
10
15
20
1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec
Verification
• To address changes to Course Work made by AMCAS during the Verification process, you must submit a change request to AMCAS using the Academic Change Request option, available only after your application has completed the Verification process.
• You only have a limited time to appeal any changes, so review your course work carefully as soon as it is verified by AMCAS.
• Allow at least fifteen working days for AMCAS to review and/or process any change request.
136
Post-Submission Changes
• AMCAS understands that post-submission changes are confusing for applicants:• Once an application is submitted, the “Submit Application”
button will be grayed-out
• A new “Update Application” button will appear to aid applicants in making a post-submission change or update
Changes After Submission
AMCAS states that only the following changes by the applicant are allowed after submission:
• Required & alternate IDs
• Name (full legal name, preferred name, & alternate names)
• Contact information
• Date of birth & birth address
• Sex
• Next MCAT date
• Additional medical schools; change of Program types
• Release of application information to pre-health advisor
• Letters of evaluation (adding late letters, and notification that a letter will no longer be sent)
138
Changes After Submission
• If you change any information (ID’s, name, contact information), you must re-certify AND re-submit your application or the medical schools will not get the update.
• Updated information (grades, activities, awards) after submission to AMCAS, must be sent directly to individual medical schools. AMCAS will not make changes to course work or activities that become available after your application has been processed.
139
Application and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants
140
Resources & Information
• AMCAS Help Line: 202-828-0600Office hours 9am-7pm ET M-F; closed Wed 3-5pm;24-hour automated phone line
• Applicant Website: www.aamc.org/amcas, especially 2018 AMCAS Instruction Manual
• Email: amcas@aamc.org
• @AMCASinfo
141
Resources & Information
• See these instructions for emailing us at premed@fas.harvard.edu.
• If you still have questions that are not answered here or in the FAQs on our website at http://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas, you are welcome to come to a 10-minute Premed drop-in or make an appointment for a 30-minute advising appointment (schedule through Crimson Careers). (Premed drop-ins are held until the end of Final Exam period.)
142
Recommended