AMCAS 2011

Leading Your Students to Success

Kristin FrankeApplicant and Advisor Relations

The AMCAS Letters Service

The AMCAS Letters ServiceSeven Non-participating medical schools

Duke University School of Medicine

Ponce School of Medicine

UCR/UCLA Thomas Haider Program Biomedical Sciences

Uniformed Services University of the Health Science

Universidad Central Del Caribe

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

• Give one letter of request form to Ms. Thomas, for your committee evaluation + clinical evaluations.

• Applicants may create up to 10 letter entries

• Committee letters, letter packets, and individual letters each count as ONE entry

• Applicants can designate specific medical schools to receive specific letters

• The Letter Request Form guarantees that AMCAS will match letters to the correct applications

• We suggest that applicants print one for each letter entry and give it to the letter-writer

• Make sure your students are aware of your school’s letters policy

Letters of Evaluation Overview

Letters of Evaluation Overview

Applicant’s identifying

information

The author’s address

Used by AMCAS to attach the letter to the application

Methods the

author can use to send

their letter to AMCAS

Many medical schools require that recommendations are on official letterhead and bear the signature of the author

*

Letter Request Form

Letter ID and Letter

Type

Anyone trying to access the 2011 application must use one of the following browser versions.• For PC users:

• Internet Explorer 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 • Netscape 7 • Firefox 1.0.2, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5

• For Mac users: • Mozilla Firefox versions 1.0.2, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5 • Netscape 7 • Internet Explorer 5.1.7 and 5.2

OldApps.com is a great resource for downloading older versions of these browsers

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “Why doesn’t the application work on my computer?”

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “How do I enter this course into the application?”

• Applicants should request copies of their OFFICIAL transcripts to use as they fill out the AMCAS Application

• Applicants MUST enter information and corresponding grades for every course in which they have ever enrolled, including:

• AP & College Credit earned in High School

• Study abroad

• Withdrawals, Incompletes, Fails, and Repeats• AMCAS needs it all, regardless of any

undergraduate forgiveness policies.

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “What does AMCAS need for my ‘study abroad’ courses?”

1. Courses taken at an overseas campus of a U.S. institution or an American college overseas

• Courses MUST be listed under the institution attended• Official transcripts are required

2. Courses taken independently at a foreign institution, credit transferred to a U.S. or Canadian institution

• Courses should be listed under the foreign institution• Institution accepting the credit must be listed in the “Schools

Attended” section of the application• Transcript exception must be requested for the foreign institution

3. Courses taken independently at a foreign institution, credit not transferred

• Courses MAY be listed under the foreign institution• Transcript exception must be requested

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “How do I classify this course?”

•Course Classifications (ex – Biology, Fine Arts, Philosophy, etc.) are used in the calculation of your AMCAS GPA

• The BCPM GPA is comprised of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics courses

• Course that are not classified as "BCPM" will be calculated in the AO (All Other) GPA

•When selecting a Course Classification, applicants must choose the category that best describes the primary content of the course

• The description of the course on the school’s website is often helpful when deciding

Behavioral & Social Sciences (BESS)AnthropologyEconomicsFamily StudiesPsychologySociology

 Biology (BIOL) - BCPMAnatomyBiologyBiophysicsBiotechnologyBotanyCell BiologyEcologyEntomologyGeneticsHistologyImmunologyMicrobiologyMolecular BiologyNeurosciencePhysiology

Business (BUSI)AccountingBusinessFinanceHuman Resource StudiesManagementOrganizational StudiesMarketing

 Chemistry (CHEM) – BCPMBiochemistryChemistryPhysical ChemistryThermodynamics

 Communications (COMM)JournalismMedia Production & StudiesTV, Video, & Audio 

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “How do I classify this course?”

Natural/Physical Sciences (NPSC)AgricultureAnimal and Avian SciencesForestryGeographyGeologyHorticultureLandscape ArchitectureMeteorologyNatural ResourcesOceanographyEnvironmental Science & Policy

Other (OTHR)All courses which do not fit appropriately into another category, including:ArchitectureInterdisciplinary coursesLibrary ScienceMilitary ScienceSports (tennis, golf, aerobics, etc.)

Philosophy/Religion (PHIL)EthicsLogicPhilosophyReligionTheology

Physics (PHYS) - BCPMAstronomyPhysics

Special Studies (SSTU)Afro-American StudiesAmerican StudiesGender Studies

 Computer Science/Technology (COMP)Computer ScienceComputer EngineeringInformation SystemsTelecommunications

Education (EDUC)Counseling & Personnel ServicesCurriculum & InstructionEducational PolicyEducational AdministrationHealth EducationHuman DevelopmentPhysical Education (except for sports courses such as tennis, golf, aerobics, etc.  Use Other for these types of courses.)Special Education

Engineering (ENGI)Aerospace EngineeringBiomedical EngineeringChemical EngineeringCivil EngineeringElectrical EngineeringEngineeringEnvironmental EngineeringMechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering

English Language & Literature (ENGL)English Composition & RhetoricEnglish Creative WritingEnglish Language & Literature

Fine Arts (ARTS)ArtArt HistoryDanceFine ArtsMusicPhotographyTheatre

Health Sciences (HEAL)Allied HealthChiropracticDentistryHearing & Speech SciencesHospital AdministrationKinesiologyMedical TechnologyMedicineNursingNutrition & Food SciencesOccupational TherapyOptometryOsteopathyPhysical TherapyPhysician AssistantPublic HealthPharmacology & PharmacySports MedicineVeterinary Medicine

History (HIST)History Foreign Languages/Linguistics/Lit. (FLAN)American Sign LanguageComparative LiteratureLinguisticsForeign Language(s) & Literature

Government/Political Sci/Law (GOVT)Criminology & Criminal Justice GovernmentInternational Relations & StudiesLaw/Legal StudiesPolitical SciencePublic Affairs & Policy Urban Policy & Planning

MATH (MATH) - BCPMApplied MathematicsMathematicsStatistics

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “What do the medical schools see?”

• The BCPM, AO, and Total GPAs and Credit Hours are divided by each year of education

• Supplemental Hours (such as Pass/Fail or AP credits) are listed below and will not factor into the AMCAS GPA

• Very few changes are permitted once the application has been submitted. They are:

• Name and Contact Information

• Required and Alternate IDs

• Indication of MCAT test date

• Letters of Evaluation can be added and assigned to medical schools, but NOT deleted• Applicants may indicate that a letter will not be sent

• Medical schools can be added and programs can be changed if the deadlines have not passed

•After making a post-submission change, the applicant must re-submit in order to save changes

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “OMG I already submitted and I need to make a change!!”

•Institutional Action due to unacceptable academic performance or a conduct violation. Even if the action…

• …did not interrupt enrollment

• …does not appear on or has been deleted from your official transcript/school records

•Felonies and Misdemeanors of which you have been convicted or to which you have plead “guilty” or “no contest”

• For any post-submission convictions, applicants MUST notify their medical schools with 10 days of the offense

Refer to the AMCAS Instructions for complete details on what needs to be reported.

Advisor and Applicant FAQs “What do I need to disclose if I have ‘gotten into trouble’?”

•Pretty please read the Instruction Manual!

•Early is good, but error-free is better. Focus on completeness and accuracy over early submission.

•Use the “Print Application” button to double-check your data. Medical schools will see the mistakes!

•Frequently check back in with your application to ensure all is going to plan.

•Know your deadlines and keep track of them. Contact your advisor/school ahead of time so that you aren’t scrambling to make deadlines

Final Words of WisdomWhat we wish we could tell every single applicant…