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Every time you've ever applied for anything, you've had to start by filling out a form, right? Whether you've been applying for a job, a scholarship, or a mortgage, the organization considering you needs some basic information about you, presented in a standard way. Everyone applying, of course, fills out the same basic information. Your job, when creating an outstanding medical school application, is to try as hard as you can to fill that form out better than anyone else in the country. This page will help you to do that.
Imagine the drudgery involved if every medical school had its own, separate application form. Applying, as the average student does, to 11 medical schools? Or are you going whole hog and applying to 20 schools? Get a typewriter and type your name and address and school activities into tiny little boxes 20 times over. Ugh. Fortunately, there exists the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). This service allows you to fill out one (very long, highly detailed) application form and have it automatically forwarded to almost any U.S. allopathic medical school you could think of applying to. The vast majority of U.S. medical schools (114 schools for the year 2003 applications, for instance) not only accept this form, they require that you complete it as your first step in applying to their medical school.
Let's start by covering some basics about the AMCAS application form itself (where to find it, what it looks like). As we do so, we'll look at some keys to making the information you put on the application stand out above everyone else's.
THE BASICS OF THE AMCAS APPLICATION
The AMCAS application is entirely web-based. That means that you will use your computer (or one at school) to go to an internet website where you type in all the required information about yourself, including one(or, if you are applying as a disadvantaged student, two) essays. It's a big project, so you are allowed to do part of it one day, save it on the website, and come back and do more on a different day. All of your information remains on their computer. You can come back and add more to your application over and over again. When you are finished and ready to submit your application, you "certify" that everything you have put on the form is true, and that you are ready for medical schools to begin evaluating your application. "Certifying" is the electronic equivalent of signing the application and dropping it in the mailbox.
Do note that if you wish to change any information on your application after "certifying" it, you must follow proper procedures for doing so. AMCAS itself, at http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002, mentioned this as being an issue for applicants in the 2002 application cycle. AMCAS said:
"Post-Submission Changes
Issue: Applicants failing to re-certify and re-submit their applications following a post-submission change.
Examples:
Tip: Applicants must re-certify and re-submit their application whenever a change is made.
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Once a school receives your initial application form, its admissions committee will consider you carefully and decide whether you get the opportunity to progress in the process. For every school where you are chosen to progress in the process, you will be sent a supplementary application which will very likely have a very quick deadline. You have to get these supplementaries (sometimes called "secondaries") done fairly quickly, and some of them may include 1 to 10 EXTRA essays beyond the one you wrote in your initial application. So, the word to the wise is: don't apply to an excessive number of schools even though the AMCAS application form seems to make that easy. You may drown in supplementary application requests when all schools start sending them at the same time, and simply not have enough hours in the day to do a good job on so many essays. For further information on narrowing down the number of schools you're applying to, click on Choosing Schools.
HOW DO I FIND THE AMCAS APPLICATION ON THE INTERNET?
Sometime between April 15 and May 1 will be the date you may first access the AMCAS application if you are hoping to begin medical school the following year.
Start by going to http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm. Download the "Application Worksheet" first thing. It will lay out for you the questions you will have to answer on the AMCAS application, and allow you to start planning your answers in advance. Remember, though, this information is generally not available online until mid April to early May each year. If you really want to get started on your application earlier than that, start on your essays. As you will see below, we already know what the essay questions will be.
WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WILL THE AMCAS APPLICATION ASK FOR?
The application itself is comprised of six sections:
Biographical Information
This section begins with your name, address, and phone number, and (with a few exceptions) includes simple requests for basic factual information you would expect to find on almost any kind of application. It does also ask for your race, and the AMCAS website recently had this to say about how applicants mishandled answering that question in the 2002 application cycle:
"Biographic Information: Race
Issue: Numerous applicants to the 2002 entering class selected a race of "other," and typed in a race already represented in drop down menus on the race screen.
Tip: Applicants to the 2003 entering class are encouraged to peruse available drop down menus for their race designation prior to selecting a race of "other." "Other" should be used only if the race of choice does not appear in the available drop down menus."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Do be sure that AMCAS has an accurate e-mail address for you at all times, and that your "spam" junk e-mail filter will not prevent AMCAS email from getting through to you. This is very important, since e-mail will be the primary way in which the service communicates with you. AMCAS recently said this:
"AMCAS and Medical School E-Mail Notifications/Updates
Issue: Many applicants reported to AMCAS that they were not receiving AMCAS and school e-mail notifications/updates.
Many e-mail messages from AMCAS and medical schools are sent simultaneously to multiple applicants. Some e-mail providers use filters to ensure that users do not receive spam (junk e-mail). In some cases these filters can prevent e-mails from AMCAS and medical schools sent to groups of applicants from getting through. Tip: The majority of providers that offer such filters generally provide the user with the option to turn the filter on or off. Other providers make available to users a "junk mail file" that includes all messages sent to the user but identified as multiple-addressee e-mails. If a particular provider does not offer such options, we recommend that applicants either contact their provider to determine the best way to access such messages, or consider using an additional or replacement provider during your medical school admissions process."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Postsecondary Experiences
This section gives you a generous amount of space to list extracurricular activities, work experiences, honors, publications, volunteer work, and other items that give medical schools a picture of what you've been doing since high school graduation besides attending college classes.
Some sources indicate that you should keep this section very brief and only put in a few things that you want to "spotlight." Idisagree. Certainly don't put blatantly irrelevant things in, and do be succinct, but I recommend that you put in a thorough, complete, and accurate record of everything they ask for. Do you really think that the committee is going to say: "Well, this application doesn't have much on it! Isn't that impressive! He's only done just a few things since his high school graduation! We'll have to have him here!" My advice? Be thorough, be complete, and be accurate. If you are having trouble deciding what to include, how to phrase some of your answers, or whether something you are thinking of including might be viewed as irrelevant, I can give you some personal help that will address your individual situation. Just click on GET HELP NOW.
One more word from me about this section? Be sure that every piece of information you give in answer to a question will make sense to a reader who has never been to your college or university. For instance, if you were a member of "The Pipettes," a precision dance line, don't just enter "Pipettes" and then sit back and congratulate yourself on being succinct. Admissions people are likely to look at that and say: "Pipettes. What in the world is that?" Quite obviously, you have just lost any power that that entry may have had to make a good impression about you. A better way to express the same item might be to use a few additional words and write: "Member and Co-Captain, nationally recognized Pipettes precision dance team."
Finally, some words from AMCAS itself related to this section:
"Post Secondary Experiences
Issue: Applicants unsure how to enter an end-date for current experiences.
Tip: Just as we ask applicants to anticipate a graduation date for schools they are currently attending, we ask that they estimate an end-date for experiences in which they are still involved at the time they complete their application.
Issue: Applicants list too many experiences.
AMCAS Action: Medical schools have requested that we limit the number of experiences that can be entered by an applicant. We will make this change if possible. A decision has not been made at the time of this posting.
Tip: Enter only significant experiences, knowing that medical schools are more interested in quality than quantity.
Issue: Applicants create multiple entries for repeated experiences (multiple appearances on Dean's List, for example).
Tip: Repeated experiences should be entered only once. For example, an applicant who makes Dean list each year should enter this only once, and note in the explanation that the experience occurred multiple times."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Essays
The essays are, without question, one of the most important parts of the application process. Schools do read them carefully. Essays are essentially the place where you get to explain to the committee why you and not 10 other people just as well- qualified as you should have that one seat in medical school.
Most applicants will write two essays off-line, and then cut and paste them into the space provided on the AMCAS application. AMCAS itself had this to say about that:
"Essays
Issue: Applicants experienced formatting issues when cutting ∓ pasting essays from word processing software.
Tip: We urge applicants who plan to cut & paste their essays into the application to draft their essays in a text-only format, preferably in text-only word processing software, such as Microsoft Notepad. 5"
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
The primary essay is known as the "Personal Comments" or, as most people call it, the "Personal Statement." This essay is widely reported to be "about a page" in length. A more precise way to think about the length limit, though, is that you may write up to 5300 characters.
Applicants who consider themselves to be "disadvantaged" may write one additional essay, about ¼ page or 1825 characters, answering this stimulus: "Briefly describe any social or educational challenges that you believe have affected your educational pursuits."
It is a good idea to put your energies into writing the best essays you possibly can. Since you know the essay questions now, you may get a head start on the application process by preparing your essays even before the AMCAS application becomes available online in mid April or early May.
For further information about medical school application essay writing, click on Personal Statement. For one-on-one help in making your essays the best that they can possibly be, click on GET HELP NOW.
Schools Attended
This section will ask you to list each institution you have enrolled in, even briefly. Give them a complete and accurate list.
Transcript Requests
This section will provide you with a transcript request form (TRF) that you can print out and send to the registrar at every postsecondary school you have ever attended. Your school(s) will then (for a fee) send official copies of your transcript directly to AMCAS. My advice is that when you send your TRF to your school's registrar, include a personal note asking them to be sure to attach that TRF to your transcript when they mail it to AMCAS.
Here are some words of wisdom about this from AMCAS itself:
"Applicants should use the AMCAS Transcript Request form, available in the Transcript Requests section of the AMCAS application, when requesting that official transcripts (OTs) be sent to AMCAS in support of their application. This form, which registrars submit to AMCAS alongside the requested OTs, (italics mine) includes the AAMC ID, the Alternate ID identified by the applicant as being used by the transcript-issuing institution, and other information helpful to the matching process. "
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Do note that AMCAS will not accept any transcripts prior to the time (mid April to May 1) that the newest version of the web-based AMCAS application goes live on line. Any transcripts sent to AMCAS before that date will be destroyed.
You are strongly advised to obtain a copy of your transcript yourself before having any school mail it to AMCAS. For one thing, you'll need many details from it to complete the "Coursework" section of the AMCAS application. More importantly, though, you'll want to review it to be sure that all of the information on it is complete and accurate. Students do sometimes find, years after the fact, that the "Incomplete" that was supposed to have been changed to an "A" was actually allowed to revert to an F because the instructor didn't send in the appropriate paperwork once you completed the class. Check your transcript yourself before having it mailed anywhere.
Coursework
Yes, you are sending AMCAS your transcript, but they would (understandably) rather not sort through hundreds of different transcript styles and grading systems in order to understand what each applicant's undergraduate education has been like. They ask every applicant to list their coursework information in a way that is standard for everyone all across the country.
Before you start this section, have transcripts in front of you from every undergraduate school you have ever attended, and be prepared to enter details (including exact course name, transcript grade, and when prompted, the "AMCAS grade") for every course you have ever taken, whether you earned credit for it or not. Be sure to follow directions carefully in this section. Many students in the 2002 cycle didn't, and it was such a problem that AMCAS posted this on its website:
"Official Transcript (OT) Grades/AMCAS Grades
Issue: Applicants enter incorrect AMCAS grade conversions, resulting in a Verification mark of "X" beside such courses, indicating that an AMCAS change has been made to that field.
How the application works: The application automatically converts most OT grades to AMCAS gradesIn those rare instances when this does not occur automatically, the application prompts the applicant the indicate the grading system used by that school, enabling the application to convert OT grades to AMCAS grades.
Tip: Applicants should thoughtfully consider the grading system options presented by the application. Applicants for whom a grading system conversion is available, but who indicate that no conversion is available, and who either leave the AMCAS grade field blank or enter an incorrect AMCAS grade will receive a verification symbol of "X" beside such courses, indicating that an AMCAS change has been made to that field.
Issue: Applicants leave all OT Grade fields blank
Tip: AMCAS asks that all coursework be entered in the application; but, as grades do not exist for some courses, this is not a required field. That said, applicants should enter their OT grades if they are available. Applicants who receive grades but don't enter them will receive a verification symbol of "X" beside such courses, indicating that an AMCAS change has been made to that field."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Also, be aware of this AMCAS tip for students related to Coursework:
"Academic Year/Calendar Year
Issue: Applicant confusion related to year translation
How the application works: The AMCAS application asks applicants to enter the calendar year in which each course is completed. The application then translates the calendar year to the correct academic year, depending upon the term during which the course was taken.
Example: A course taken during the Spring term of the 2000 calendar year will be reflected by the application (after translation) as having been taken in the 2002 academic year (sometimes referred to as the 2002-2000 academic year). This translation, compounded by an application error that occurred early in the season, created confusion for some applicants.
AMCAS action: We are trying to make this calendar year to academic year translation transparent to applicants. We will re-draft the application's Help text to try to address this issue, and will also make these revised instructions available as part of the downloadable instruction booklet.
Tip: Application screen instructions and Help will accurately reflect the way in which applicants should complete the application. In addition, we will inform you prior to the "go live" date whether or not this item has been changed in the application.
Issue: Application mistranslates calendar year to academic year
Explanation of known occurrence: Only applicants who have taken courses during the winter term in a trimester system in which the winter term begins in January will experience this issue. The application operates on the basis that winter courses in a trimester system begin in December; as such, after translation occurs, these courses will have the same academic year as calendar year, even though the correct academic year is the previous one.
Example: A winter trimester course beginning in January 2002 will be listed in the application with an academic year of 2002 (2002-2003). The correct academic year is 2001.
AMCAS action: We will re-draft the application's Help text to try to address this issue, and will also make these revised instructions available as part of the downloadable instruction booklet.
Tip: Applicants who fall into this category should enter winter trimester courses as though they began in December of the preceding calendar year. For example, a course beginning in January 2002 should be entered as though it began in December 2001, in order to reflect a correct academic year of 2001. Any other occurrence of mistranslation should be reported to AMCAS."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
I HEARD THAT SOME APPLICANTS HAD BROWSER PROBLEMS WHEN TRYING TO COMPLETE THEIR 2002 APPLICATIONS? HOW CAN I AVOID THAT?
It's true. AMCAS itself had this to say about that:
"Browsers
Issue: Browsers can be fluky, and while we do try to make recommendations as to which browser versions to use, sometimes these recommended versions are changed by their creators, or operate strangely with particular machines.
Examples of common browser-related issues experienced last year: Applicants can't see the address fields on the application's registration page Help page topic titles have a bold, black line through them. Application pages that should have a scroll bar don't, preventing applicants from viewing an entire screen. Applicants encounter blank drop down menus.
Tip: We recommend that if applicants experience what appear to be browser-related quirks (missing fields, etcetera), they change browser versions, or switch from Netscape to Internet Explorer if at all possible. We also recommend that they do report such problems to AMCAS, as such reports inform our attempts to ensure easy access and use for applicants.
The majority of browser-related issues have been encountered in Netscape browsers. Difficulties have also been reported by applicants using the preview version of Internet Explorer 6.0."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
I HEARD THAT THE NEW WEB-BASED AMCAS APPLICATIONS ASK FOR A FEW THINGS NOT ASKED FOR IN PREVIOUS YEARS?
It's true. Besides the one or two additional essays, the newest version of the AMCAS application gives you space to list test scores other than the MCAT, your undergraduate majors and minors, and two, rather than just one, contact names.
I AM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. CAN I HAVE MY AMCAS APPLICATION FEES WAIVED?
The AAMC does have a "Financial Assistance Program" (FAP) that allows applicants with "extreme financial limitations" to apply for financial assistance. If you are approved, your MCAT fee will be reduced from $180 to $75, and you will receive 10 free medical school applications. The FAP application is available online now at: http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/fap.htm
WHICH SCHOOLS ARE NON-AMCAS SCHOOLS?
The following school require that you complete their own individual form rather than the AMCAS form. They'll send their form to you when you write to request information about their school: Brown University School of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York University School of Medicine, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, University of North Dakota School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, University of Texas System including Southwestern, Galveston, Houston, and San Antonio, and all 16 Canadian Schools of Medicine.
I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT SUBMTTING A MANILA FILE FOLDER ... WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?
That information is old. AMCAS applications are now entirely web-based and so applicants are no longer required to type information onto an application printed on a manila file folder. Submitting applications on diskette is also no longer allowed.
WHAT IF I WANT TO APPLY TO OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS?
Osteopathic Schools have an application service different from, but much like, the AMCAS application service. It's called AACOMAS. For more information contact :
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) AACOMAS Application Service Phone: (301) 968-4190 Website: http://www.aacom.org E-mail: aacomas@aacom.org
I HEARD THAT APPLICANTS HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH The AMCAS APPLICATON THE FIRST YEAR THAT IT WAS ON LINE.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS APPLICANTS HAD, AND HOW CAN I AVOID THOSE PROBLEMS?
The best way to avoid the most problems with the new web-based AMCAS application is to, 1) follow the instructions above and 2) simply read and follow the rest of the application directions. It's amazing how many applicants that first year just seemed to believe that the directions didn't apply to them. Here's one example, in AMCAS's own words, of applicants not following directions:
"Application Case Instructions
Issue: Applicants failing to follow application case instructions.
Tip: Applicants should enter all text responses in the application just as they would like the medical schools to see them, avoiding use of all CAPS or all lower case. Medical schools have indicated that they prefer to receive applications that evidence normal writing practices regarding case.
Example: Medical schools prefer reading, "I attended Dr. Mitchell's summer workshop in Nevada" to reading either: "I ATTENDED DR. MITCHELL'S SUMMER WORKSHOP IN NEVADA" or "i attended dr. mitchell's summer workshop in nevada""
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
DID AMCAS GIVE ANY OTHER TIPS ABOUT APPLYING OTHER THAN THE AMCAS FORM SPECIFIC TIPS YOU'VE INCLUDED ABOVE?
Just two. One refers to having the AAMC I.D. printed on all of your letters of recommendation. AMCAS said:
"AAMC ID Issue: Medical Schools have difficulties matching letters of evaluation that do not reference the applicant's AAMC ID.
Tip: Applicants must provide their AAMC ID to the authors of all letters of evaluation that will be submitted in support of their application. The AAMC ID appears on each page of the AMCAS application."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
The other refers to program designations:
"Program Designations
Issue: Applicants who wish to designate both Regular and Combined Graduate/Medical Degree Programs
Applicants cannot designate multiple program types for a single medical school in the AMCAS application. Applicants who wish to apply to multiple programs at a single school should contact the medical school directly for recommendations as to how to complete the AMCAS application."
Quote taken from http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm on March 10, 2002
Best of luck putting together and mailing a flawlessly constructed AMCAS form! If you need any help at all, click on GET HELP NOW.
Note: Because application advisors cannot control your grades, your MCAT scores, your amount and quality of volunteer experience, or how thoroughly you follow the advice offered
on these pages, please understand that we cannot guarantee any individual's acceptance to medical school.
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