Dear Professional School Applicant, Attached, please find information about the steps you must take to request that your Letter Packet be sent to schools. It is very important that you carefully review this information. Unless otherwise noted on your transmission form, all letters of recommendation that you have on file with the Preprofessional Advising Office will be included in your Letter Packet. Please note that it can take up to two weeks for materials on file to be compiled and submitted to your schools. In addition, we will not forward letters of recommendation received after your Letter Packet has been submitted. In such instances, you will need to request that the recommender send the letter of recommendation directly to the application service or health professional schools. You may confirm our receipt of your letters of recommendation by contacting the Preprofessional Advising Office at (617) 353-4866. It is your responsibility to confirm that each school to which you apply receives your Letter Packet and that your application is complete at each school. We are available throughout the summer to provide guidance as you progress in the application process. If you will not be in Boston, it is possible to schedule a phone appointment to speak with an advisor. We wish you the best of luck with your applications. Glen B. Zamansky, Ph.D. Assistant Dean for Premedical Studies Michelle Sherman Assistant Director for Prehealth Programs Taryn O Hearn Andrea Premedical Academic Advisor Sean Sevey Premedical Academic Advisor 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO ALLOPATHIC AMCAS SCHOOLS 3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO ALLOPATHIC NON-AMCAS SCHOOLS 8 INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO TMDSAS MEDICAL SCHOOLS 10 INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS 11 2
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO ALLOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO AMCAS SCHOOLS The Preprofessional Advising Office will submit Letter Packets to schools participating in the AMCAS application process through the AMCAS Letters Service. A majority of U.S. allopathic medical schools participate in the AMCAS Letters Service, through which we will electronically submit Letter Packets. Please note that the following schools do not participate in the AMCAS Letters Service: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Shreveport University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine International Medical Schools Texas medical schools participating in TMDSAS If you are applying to any of the above schools, please refer to the Non-AMCAS and/or TMDSAS instructions described on pages 8 and 10. The related transmission forms are posted on our website, www.bu.edu/prehealth. Before the submission of your AMCAS application: 1. In your AMCAS application under the Letters of Evaluation Section, create an entry for your Letter Packet. Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ 3
2. Select Letter Packet. Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ 3. Select Boston University. Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ 4
4. On the next screen, enter the information provided below: Create your own appropriate letter title Enter Assistant Dean for Premedical Studies Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ *Do not list the names of the individuals who have submitted letters of recommendation on your behalf to the Preprofessional Advising Office under Additional authors. Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ 5
5. Generate the AMCAS Letter Request Form for this letter packet and save a PDF copy of this form. You will need a copy of this form to complete your transmission request. Screenshot courtesy of https://services.aamc.org/amcas2_2016/ NOTE: You should submit your AMCAS application before your Letter Packet is submitted to AMCAS. Letters are not required to verify your application. After the submission of your AMCAS application: 1. Obtain a copy of the Allopathic Transmission Form for AMCAS schools, available in the Preprofessional Advising Office or online at bu.edu/prehealth. Complete all sections of the Transmission Form, indicating the type of materials you are requesting, the type of programs to which you are applying, and the earliest application deadline of the schools from which you have received secondary applications. Please note that the bottom section requires a hand-written signature. NOTE: Many schools have different deadlines for letters of recommendation and the rest of your secondary application. You should list on your Transmission Form the earliest deadline specifically for your letters of recommendation. Arbitrary deadlines (e.g. ASAP ) will be ignored. Example: 6
2. Once you have received four secondary applications, submit the Allopathic Transmission Form and appropriate AMCAS Letter Request Form to the Preprofessional Advising Office. You may submit these forms in person or by emailing complete, scanned copies to preprof@bu.edu. NOTE: If you have a quickly approaching deadline (less than four weeks), you may submit your Transmission Form before you receive four secondary applications. 3. After you have submitted your Transmission Form, you should notify us of quickly approaching deadlines (less than four weeks) noted in additional secondary applications you receive by calling the Preprofessional Advising Office at 617-353-4866. 7
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO ALLOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO NON-AMCAS SCHOOLS The Preprofessional Advising Office will submit Letter Packets to schools not participating in the AMCAS application and/or AMCAS Letters Service through postal mail. Schools not participating in the AMCAS Letters Service include: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Shreveport University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine International Medical Schools NOTE: If you are applying to medical schools participating in the TMDSAS application service, please refer to the TMDSAS instructions on page 10. The TMDSAS transmission form is posted on our website, www.bu.edu/prehealth. After the submission of your applications: 1. Obtain a copy of the Allopathic Transmission Form for Non-AMCAS Schools, available in the Preprofessional Advising Office or online at bu.edu/prehealth. Complete the top section of the Transmission Form indicating the type of materials you are requesting. 2. On the lines provided, list every school you have applied to that does not participate in the AMCAS Letters Service, regardless of whether or not you have received its secondary application. Write out the full name of each school, as more than one school may have the same acronym. If you are applying to schools with multiple campuses, you must indicate the campus to which you are applying. 3. Provide the application deadline for each of the individual schools on the Transmission Form. NOTE: Many schools have different deadlines for letters of recommendation and the rest of your secondary application. You should list on your Transmission Form the earliest deadline specifically for your letters of recommendation. Arbitrary deadlines (e.g. ASAP ) will be ignored. 4. Complete the bottom section of the Transmission Form. Please note that it requires a handwritten signature. Please see example Transmission Form and remaining instructions on next page 8
Example: 5. Create addressed mailing labels (handwritten or typed) for each school listed on the Transmission Form. You must provide these labels with your Transmission Form. 6. Submit the Transmission Form and appropriate mailing labels to the Preprofessional Advising Office. You may submit these forms in person or by emailing complete, scanned copies to preprof@bu.edu. 7. After you have submitted your Transmission Form, you should notify us of quickly approaching deadlines (less than four weeks) noted in additional secondary applications you receive by calling the Preprofessional Advising Office at 617-353-4866. 9
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO TMDSAS MEDICAL SCHOOLS The Preprofessional Advising Office will submit Letter Packets electronically to schools participating in the TMDSAS application process through VirtualEvals. Since it may take up to two weeks for your letter packet to be compiled and sent to schools, it is important that you allow sufficient time to meet the TMDSAS deadline. Therefore, you should submit your TMDSAS application and TMDSAS Transmission Form at least two weeks before the TMDSAS deadline, which is October 1, 2015. After the submission of your TMDSAS application: 1. Obtain a copy of the Transmission Form for TMDSAS schools, available in the Preprofessional Advising Office or online at bu.edu/prehealth. Complete all sections of the Transmission Form, indicating the type of materials you are requesting, the types of programs to which you are applying to through TMDSAS, and the earliest application deadline of the schools from which you have received secondary applications. Please note that the bottom section requires a hand-written signature. NOTE: Many schools have different deadlines for letters of recommendation and the rest of your secondary application. You should list on your Transmission Form the earliest deadline specifically for your letters of recommendation. Arbitrary deadlines (e.g. ASAP ) will be ignored. Example: Check ALL types of programs to which you are applying to through TMDSAS 2. Submit the Transmission Form to the Preprofessional Advising Office. You may submit the form in person or by emailing a complete, scanned copy to preprof@bu.edu. 10
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO OSTEOPATHIC SCHOOLS The Preprofessional Advising Office will submit Letter Packets to schools participating in the AACOMAS application process electronically through AACOMAS. Before the submission of your AACOMAS application: 1. In your AACOMAS application, click Supporting Information and then Evaluations. Click the Create Evaluation Request button. Screenshot courtesy of https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/dashboard Screenshot courtesy of https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/dashboard Screenshot courtesy of https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/supportinginfo/evaluations 11
2. Under Evaluator s Information, enter Glen Zamansky and gzamansk@bu.edu. For the deadline, enter 12/31/2015. Please note we are using this date solely as a way of filling out the Due Date section of the Evaluation Request. You will have to provide us with more specific information when you submit your transmission form (see information on the following page). In the Personal Message/Notes section, write N/A. Screenshot courtesy of https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/supportinginfo/evaluations/evaluation 3. Click the appropriate selections regarding the Waiver of Evaluation and Permissions to Contact References, and then click Save This Evaluation Request. Screenshot courtesy of https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/supportinginfo/evaluations/evaluation NOTE: You should submit your AACOMAS application before your Letter Packet is submitted to AACOMAS. Letters are not required to verify your application. 12
After the submission of your AACOMAS application: 1. Obtain a copy of the Osteopathic Transmission Form, available in the Preprofessional Advising Office or online at bu.edu/prehealth. Although AACOMAS will send an email to our office indicating your request for a Letter Packet, we will not process your request until you submit your Transmission Form. We have attached a Transmission Form for osteopathic medical schools for you. 2. Complete all sections of the Transmission Form, indicating the type of materials you are requesting, the type of programs to which you are applying, and the earliest application deadline of the schools from which you have received secondary applications. Please note that the bottom section requires a hand-written signature. NOTE: Many schools have different deadlines for letters of recommendation and the rest of your secondary application. You should list on your Transmission Form the earliest deadline specifically for your letters of recommendation. Arbitrary deadlines (e.g. ASAP ) will be ignored. Example: 3. Once you have received four secondary applications, submit the Osteopathic Transmission Form to the Preprofessional Advising Office. You may submit this form in person or by emailing a complete, scanned copy to preprof@bu.edu. NOTE: If you have a quickly approaching deadline (less than four weeks), you may submit your Transmission Form before you receive four secondary applications. 4. After you have submitted your Transmission Form, you should notify us of quickly approaching deadlines (less than four weeks) noted in additional secondary applications you receive by calling the Preprofessional Advising Office at 617-353-4866. 13