MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION SYSTEMS AMCAS & AACOMAS BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY PRE-HEALTH ADVISING SPRING 2015 MISTY HUACUJA-LAPOINTE, DIRECTOR ABBY VOSS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR NICOLE LABRECQUE, DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR
ALLOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION Welcome to AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/ AMCAS simplifies the application process by requiring you submit only one set of application materials. 2016 AMCAS Instruction Manual READ IT!! https://www.aamc.org/students/download/182162/data/amcas_instruction_manual.pdf
APPLICATION TIMELINE May 5, 2015 AMCAS application is available. You must register with AAMC to get a username and password before starting the AMCAS application process. If you previously registered for the MCAT exam, MCAT Testing History, or the Fee Assistance Program, use the same username and password. To register with the AAMC, click the Sign In link in the top-right of the AMCAS home page, then click Register for an AAMC Account. Do not create multiple AAMC ID numbers by registering a second time, as this may result in an investigation. June 2, 2015 Application submission portal is open. Early July For those submitting in early June, expect secondary applications from medical schools. October 2015 March 2016 (and possibly beyond) Interview offers, acceptances, waitlist, etc.
AMCAS AMCAS is not involved in the admission decision making process Application Submitted Online application completed and submitted to AMCAS. Fees are paid. Application Processed All required official transcripts arrive at AMCAS. Verification of coursework and calculation of AMCAS GPAs. Application Delivered Verified application sent to designated medical schools. Letters are delivered as they are received. MCAT scores are automatically submitted. It takes AMCAS 4-6 weeks to process your application. Check your AMCAS account and personal email regularly for updates. For general AMCAS updates, like the Facebook page or follow them on Twitter Facebook: AAMCPreMed Twitter: @AAMCPreMed @AMCASinfo
AMCAS: SECTIONS OF APPLICATION There are NINE sections to the AMCAS application. 1. Identifying Information 2. Schools Attended 3. Biographic Information 4. Course Work 5. Work and Activities 6. Letters of Evaluation 7. Medical Schools 8. Personal Statement 9. Standardized Tests
SECTION 1: IDENTIFYING INFORMATION Legal Name Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card, your Canadian Social Insurance card, or other legal documentation. Only enter nicknames in the Preferred Name section of the application. First and last name will then populate throughout application, make sure everything is correct! Preferred Name Enter any nicknames or names by which you prefer to be referred in this section. Do not enter your nicknames or preferred names in the Legal Name section. If your preferred name is the same as your legal name, check the Same as Legal Name checkbox. Alternate Name Alternate Names are any variations of your name, such as a family (maiden) name or a nickname that may appear on transcripts sent to AMCAS by one of the schools you have attended Birthdate Sex US Applicant State and County Canadian Applicant Province and City Non US/Canadian Country and City
SECTION 2: SCHOOLS ATTENDED High school from which you graduated. ALL colleges attended for at least ONE course (even if credit transferred, no credits were earned, or withdrew from course). Dual enrollment (high school), summer courses, courses before or after Brandeis. STUDY ABROAD: A separate entry will be added to include the study abroad institution. Identify degrees earned, majors, and minors. Release Information to Advisors This gives us permission to view your application information, a helpful tool to use when discussing the status of your application. Institutional Action Any institutional action by any college or medical school for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violation. Advising Alert at Brandeis is not considered institutional action. May or may not have interrupted your studies. Must answer yes to this question even if deleted or expunged from official transcript.
SECTION 2: SCHOOLS ATTENDED Transcripts #1 reason for application processing delays. AMCAS must receive an official transcript from anywhere you took college courses. Transcript Request Forms populated in AMCAS. Request official transcript via Sage. Transcript Request Form will have to be sent separately to the Registrar s office. Brandeis can send verified E-Transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse http://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/transcript/etranscript.html If no transcript is available, a letter must be submitted from the Registrar of that institution to AMCAS. Transcript Exemption Request Study Abroad REAPPLICANTS: You must submit new transcripts.
SECTION 3: BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Citizenship Do not select Permanent Resident unless you currently possess a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card (Green Card). If you are currently applying for an Alien Registration Receipt Card, but it has not yet been granted, do not select Permanent Resident. Legal Residence If you qualify for residency in more than one state, you may declare only one of those states as your legal residence on application materials. Language Proficiency Self-Identified Ethnicity and Race Childhood Information Medically Underserved Inadequate number of healthcare providers in the area you grew up. Disadvantaged Status Medically underserved or insufficient access to financial assistance programs. First generation college students Criminal Convictions
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Request an additional official transcript for personal use in this section. Enter course work EXACTLY as is appears on your transcript!! Document ALL college course work. All attempts at courses that have been repeated 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 you failed, regardless of whether they have been repeated. Remedial/developmental courses. AMCAS Tutorials short video clips with screen shots explaining course work entry. https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/amcasresources/
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Enter course work under appropriate institution. For example, suppose you primarily attended Brandeis University and took Intro to Pottery at your local community college over the summer. You would list the community college in the Schools Attended section of the application (and request an official transcript for it) and add Intro to Pottery as a course you took at the community college. You would not list the course under Brandeis, even if the credits were transferred there. Study abroad credit works a bit differently (will discuss in later slide). AMCAS will look for the transcript from the institution you took the course at not the transfer institution.
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Year in School Year Designation High School (HS) Freshman (FR) Sophomore (SO) Junior (JR) Senior (SR) Credit Count College course work taken while in high school. 0-35 Semester Hours 36-65 Semester Hours 66-95 Semester Hours 96+ Semester Hours AP credit is included as freshman (FR) course work if posted to Brandeis transcript. Courses for a Bachelor's degree earned in three years should be assigned statuses of Freshman (FR), Sophomore (SO), and Senior (SR).
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Bachelors/Masters Dual Degree Graduate coursework will count toward a graduate degree. This course work should be listed as GR at the time the course was attempted. If graduate level courses count toward both undergraduate major and graduate degrees, the coursework should be listed in undergraduate categories by year. Post Baccalaureate Course work Apply Post Baccalaureate (PB) status to any undergraduate course work: *After receipt of your initial BA/BS degree Graduate Course work Assign Graduate (GR) status to any professional or graduate level coursework that is not applied to an undergraduate degree.
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Course Work Subject Identification AMCAS Application Guide Pg. 40
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Advanced Placement (AP) Credit In order to claim AP credit on your AMCAS application, your AP work must be recognized by Brandeis and posted on your transcript. Each AP course is entered as an individual course; total credit can be divided among courses. Ie: Passed 3 AP exams, 12 credits were granted; each course/subject area can be awarded 4 credits. AP course work will be identified as freshman (FR) status. Do not send official AP scores or high school transcripts to AMCAS.
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK
SECTION 4: COURSE WORK Study Abroad Watch Study Abroad tutorial (https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/amcasresources/). You must enter foreign institution as separate entry under Schools Attended section (Section 2). After the foreign institution is entered, you must add courses as they appear on your Brandeis transcript. Course name Credit hours Grade is pass/fail; you can check this box in the Special Course Type section. REQUEST TRANSCRIPT EXEMPTION You will be prompted to complete this exemption request in the course work section (this is explained well in the tutorial). Pre-Brandeis Glide Year abroad if coursework did not transfer to Brandeis or another US institution, you do not need to disclose this coursework.
SECTION 5: WORK AND ACTIVITIES Your activities list is a great way to showcase your experiences and share more about yourself with medical schools. You can highlight up to 15 experiences in AMCAS; up to 4 occurrences for each (ie. repeat of same activity for 3 summers). 700 characters for activity description. Focus on what you did and what you learned. 3 of your experiences can be classified as most meaningful. For these activities you will get an extra 1325 characters to elaborate on the details of these experiences. Medical schools want information about experiences you have begun prior to application submission; therefore, your start date must be no later than the current month. Similarly, medical schools ask that the experience end date coincide with the start of medical school. If you plan to cut and paste text, use a PLAIN TEXT program (Microsoft Notepad or Mac TextEdit). Activities will appear on your application in chronological order; medical schools can sort in a variety of ways.
SECTION 6: LETTERS OF EVALUATION AMCAS will process your application WITHOUT your committee letter. Important Terms AAMC ID specific to AAMC account. Letter ID specific number generated for letter request. Letter Request Form populate form and save/print and send to pha@brandeis.edu. Select committee letter as letter type. DO NOT list individual letter writers! Designated Letter Writer Misty Huacuja-LaPointe, Director of Pre Health Advising mistyhl@brandeis.edu Please DO NOT wait for your committee letter to be uploaded to submit your primary application.
SECTION 6: LETTERS OF EVALUATION Create Letter Entry Choose letter type COMMITTEE LETTER Individual letters of recommendation are included in your Committee Letter. You do not need to add individual letters for your recommenders. Title letter for quick identification. Be professional! Medical schools can see the title of your letter. We suggest just titling it Committee Letter or Brandeis Committee Letter. Letter Author Misty Huacuja-LaPointe, Director Pre Health Advising mistyhl@brandeis.edu Letter Request Form print/save as PDF; send form to pha@brandeis.edu. REAPPLICANTS you must resubmit committee letter/letters of recommendation.
SECTION 6: LETTERS OF EVALUATION Assigning Letters to Medical Schools You will be prompted to assign letters in the Medical School section (Section 7). Select the Brandeis Committee Letter for all schools you are applying to from drop down menu. Delivery Methods Pre-Health Advising will upload your letter via AMCAS Letter Writer Application. Make sure to submit Letter Request Form. You can add additional letters after your initial submission of your primary application, but you cannot edit/delete information that you submit initially with your primary application.
SECTION 7: MEDICAL SCHOOLS DO YOUR RESEARCH and create your school list. Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR); year subscription for $25. Medical school websites. Select schools in AMCAS You can filter search with drop down menus or select from complete list of medical schools. You can add schools after submitting your AMCAS application for an additional add fee. To designate additional schools after you have submitted your application, return to the Medical Schools section of the application, select the additional schools you wish to designate, then return to the Main Menu to re-certify and officially update your application by clicking on the Update Application button. Program types Select MD program If applying to dual degree programs, contact Medical School for more specific application information. You can indicate dual degrees, but know that there may be additional application materials you have to submit for the additional degree program. REAPPLICANTS: If applying to same medical schools as a previous cycle, you must disclose you are a reapplicant to that school.
SECTION 8: PERSONAL STATEMENT Type directly into comments box or use plain text program before you cut and paste (Microsoft Notepad or Mac TextEdit). Do not exceed 5300 characters. You will get an error message if you use more than the allotted character count. Spaces and punctuation count as characters. Not able to indent in comments box, you can use spaces to indicate paragraph changes. Print this page of the application to proof read your essay BEFORE you submit; there is NO spell check through AMCAS. MD/PhD Applicants 2 additional essays Why MD/PhD essay 3,000 characters Use the M.D.-Ph.D. essay to state your reasons for pursuing the combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree Significant research essay 10,000 characters Provide an essay that describes your significant research experiences. In your essay statement, please specify your research supervisor's name and affiliation, the duration of the experience, the nature of the problem studied, and your contributions to the project.
SECTION 9: STANDARDIZED TESTS MCAT scores will automatically be uploaded to your AMCAS account; make sure scores are visible and accurate. If you plan to retake the MCAT, indicate the date of the retake exam. The Other Tests section may be needed if you are applying to a dual degree program.
CERTIFICATION AND SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION Certification Statements Accepting these statements is binding and confirms you have been honest throughout your application and understand the process of application. Payment of primary application fees. AMCAS Primary Application Fee (including one school designation): $160 Each additional medical school designation: $37 This process is not cheap! Primary application fees for 15 schools totals $678. Secondary fees will be paid directly to the programs. Limited changes can be made to application after submission!! PRINT APPLICATION Main Menu. This will print your complete application prior to submission in the view that is shared with medical schools. Only certain sections can be updated after submission (2016 Application Instruction Manual, pg. 73). You must click the Update Application button and re-certify your application each time you make an allowable change after your initial submission. If you skip this step, your changes will not be saved.
MONITOR APPLICATION STATUS YOU are responsible for checking the status of your application. Click the Details link in the Account Info section on the Main Menu to review your AMCAS status. Until AMCAS completes processing, do not assume they have received all information (ietranscripts) It is your responsibility to notify AMCAS if your designated medical schools have not received application material within 2 to 4 weeks after AMCAS completes processing. CHECK STATUS OF APPLICATION FREQUENTLY! CHECK EMAIL USED ON APPLICATION FREQUENTLY! Facebook: AAMCPreMed Twitter: @AAMCPreMed @AMCASinfo
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION Welcome to AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Services) New AACOMAS URL: http://aacomas.liaisoncas.com AACOMAS simplifies the application process by requiring you submit only one set of application materials. AACOMAS is getting a new look! Information entered will still be very similar, but interface will be new and improved. 2016 AACOMAS Instruction Manual Application instructions will be embedded within the online application and will no longer be available as a separate, downloadable PDF. These instructions will be available upon launch on May 5th.
APPLICATION TIMELINE May 5, 2015 AACOMAS application is available. June 2, 2015 Application submission portal is open (this may vary with new application system). During the 2015 application cycle, AACOMAS guaranteed to verify applications in under 6 weeks. In the 2016 cycle, they are guaranteeing to do it in under 4 weeks. June 15, 2015 Schools begin receiving and processing applications. October 2015 March 2016 (and possibly beyond) Interview offers, acceptances, waitlist, etc.
TRANSCRIPTS Submit transcripts to AACOMAS at the following address: AACOMAS PO Box 9137 Watertown, MA 02472
MCAT SCORES TO AACOMAS MCAT scores are not automatically sent to AACOMAS. Request MCAT scores through AAMC: www.aamc.org/students/mcat Log in to Test History system and select AACOMAS as recipient of your scores. Your MCAT score will be electronically delivered to AACOMAS and identified using your full name and AAMC/MCAT number. Allow at least 3 business days from the date AAMC completes the request before contacting AACOMAS to verify receipt of score.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION Letters of Recommendation are uploaded separately from AACOMAS. Pre-Health Advising will upload your Committee Letter and supporting letters of recommendation through VirtualEvals. You must send us a final list of your DO schools to PHA@brandeis.edu. If you add or change your DO school selection, your Committee Letter will not be submitted unless you inform Pre-Health Advising at PHA@brandeis.edu. FYI: DO Programs require that one of your letters of recommendation be from a physician (DO or MD). Some DO programs are more specific and ask that this physician letter be from a DO. With the new application system, there is the option to upload directly through AACOMAS, however, with the uncertainty of the NEW, we are going to continue with our old method of upload for now.
PERSONAL STATEMENT Type directly into comments box or use plain text program before you cut and paste (Microsoft Notepad or Mac TextEdit). Do not exceed 4500 characters. You will get an error message if you use more than the allotted character count. Spaces and punctuation count as characters. Print this page of the application to proof read your essay before you submit. NO SPELL CHECK!
ACTIVITIES LIST Work Experience 750 characters for description. Repeated activities should only be entered once; note in the explanation that this occurred multiple times. Extracurricular, Volunteer, Community Service Additional Academic, Professional, and Personal Profile. Academic History Institutional Action Legal Actions Disadvantaged Status Medically or Economically You do not have the option to indicate most meaningful activities in AACOMAS.
ENTERING COURSES Easier, faster coursework entry. The application's intuitive user interface and streamlined coursework entry process will reduce the average time an applicant spends filling out the application from 4-8 hours to 1-4 hours. Optional coursework entry service. For an additional fee, applicants can elect to have an AACOMAS staff member input their transcript coursework on their behalf. This will further reduce the amount of time an applicant spends completing their application. AACOMAS Instruction Manual, Pg.??
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) CREDIT AP credit must appear on Brandeis transcript. If AP credit appears with no course name or subject, it will be classified as non-science credit. Enter course or subject as it is on your Brandeis transcript, the semester hours, and under AACOMAS grade select Advanced Placement.
STUDY ABROAD Try to get transcript from Foreign Institution. Grades can then be used in GPA calculations. Enter course work under Brandeis. Grade will be pass/fail. Letter from Brandeis Registrar stating that this was a Brandeis sponsored/approved study abroad program. This letter needs to be sent directly to AACOMAS. It can accompany your Brandeis transcript, or it can be sent separately. Pre-Brandeis Glide Year non-transfer study abroad courses. Ie Religious orientated glide year experience. DO NOT include on AACOMAS.
MEDICAL SCHOOLS Select Schools AACOM College Information Book available for purchase or free download (Not available until May 2015). DO Websites Send list of DO programs to pha@brandeis.edu so we can upload your letter!
APPLICATION STATUS/TIMELINE Once application is submitted, you can make only limited changes!! Print and Review before submission. STATUS: View the application status section on the right side of the homepage of your application to review your AACOMAS status. It takes AACOMAS 3-6 weeks to process your application we will see how this changes with new system. Wait at least 4 weeks to contact AACOMAS to verify receipt of application materials. AACOMAS Primary Application Fees AACOMAS Primary Application with one school designation: $195 Each additional osteopathic medial school designation: $35 Social Media Facebook: AACOMAS Twitter: @AACOMASPreMed
HELPFUL HINTS READ INSTRUCTION MANUALS! Be thorough and honest when completing your application. Follow normal capitalization rules. Check personal email and application status regularly. Make sure personal email address is appropriate (ie hotbabe@yahoo.com vs. abby_voss@yahoo.com) If you receive a request for more information, respond in a timely manner. Be prepared to receive multiple secondary applications during the same time period. Prioritize and respond to top choice schools with in 2-4 weeks; check for school specific deadlines. Contact Pre-Health Advising or AMCAS/AACOMAS directly with any questions.
PRE-HEALTH ADVISING Misty Huacuja-LaPointe, Director Abby Voss, Assistant Director Nicole Labrecque, Department Coordinator PHA@brandeis.edu For appointments, call Student Financial and Academic Services at 781-736-3470 or book online here. Thank you for attending!