Breaking Down the AMCAS
The AMCAS application for the 2022 cycle will open May 3, 2021. You will be able to submit it starting May 27th. I am a huge fan of getting all of your materials in as early as possible. When you know that you have a complete, proof-read application, of course, not before! You will be judged on what you include on this application. Make it great!
If you’re applying in the next cycle, read through this carefully. If you’re not yet at the application stage of your journey, I think you should still read through it. I believe that knowing what you will be expected to submit in the future makes you better prepared when your time comes.
The AMCAS primary application is divided into eight sections. Let’s break it down…
Section 1: Identifying Information
This is just basic info about you: your name, birthdate, sex, social security number, etc.
Section 2: Schools Attended
In this section, you’ll enter info about your high and every college or post-high school institution you’ve attended. Even if you only were there for one month then withdrew, or only took one class, they want them all included. You will also include here if you had any academic or conduct violations that prompted an institution response. Don’t lie here. A mistake, academic or behavioral, doesn’t disqualify your application. Lying about it does.
Section 3: Biographic Information
Here you’ll enter contact info, race, citizenship, residence, your parents’ and siblings’ info, any military history, and any criminal history. If there’s anything to explain regarding a criminal history (misdemeanor or felony), this is the place to do it and, if necessary, your explanation oughta be honest, concise, and amazing enough to make the person reading it be okay with it.
Section 4: Coursework
This is where you include your transcripts from every institution you’ve attended after high school. According to AAMC, transcript issues are the number one reason for processing delays and missed deadlines. Don’t be one of those people! Transcripts are only accepted from the registrar’s office at the school, not from you and it takes 15-25 days to process the them after received, so request these EARLY!
You’ll also manually enter your courses and grades in this section. It’s best to request your own copies of official transcripts as well so you can have it there when you enter everything to avoid mistakes.
Section 5: Work and Activities
This is the bang for your buck and where you can let those reviewing your application know what you’ve been doing outside of the classroom as a pre-med student. You can include up to 15 different experiences with up to 4 occurrences for each experience. Remember, you should be listing meaningful experiences. No one said the goal is to have 15 experiences with 4 occurrences for each of them. Substance over quantity. You will have some space to include brief explanations in this section. Be sure that these are proofread! Individual schools may rearrange the order of the information you include, based on their review preferences and specific criteria; that’s nothing you have control over. Read this previous post for more information on completing this very important section. Also check out the new perk which is a template to record these experiences!
Section 6: Letters of Evaluation
Here you will enter information about your letter writers. You can also choose which letters go to which medical schools. There are several reasons you may choose certain letters go to certain schools. If you don’t decide to make specific selections and send them all to each school, that’s okay too.
You’ll get a PDF letter request form from within the application and it will have a number specific to that writer and your application. You give this number to the writer, along with the request form which has information about the process, and they will upload the letter to the site. Be sure that, when given the option, you waive the right to read your letter. There is NO good reason not to waive this right. If you don’t trust the writer to put out an amazing letter, you should not ask them. Know that letters do not have to be in before you can submit your application. But you still need to be asking for letters early. We want complete applications in as early as possible.
Section 7: Medical Schools
Here, you’ll enter the medical schools that you want your application sent to. You will also be able to find specific information about each school’s requirements and deadlines.
Unless you have been accepted to the Fee Assistance Program, the processing fee for AMCAS for 2022 is $170, that includes your application going to one school. Clearly, we’re here to apply to more than one medical school. Each additional school is $42.
Section 8: Essays
This is your personal statement and this is a big deal. There’s a whole post on this coming soon because it’s so important. The personal statement is the first thing I read when reviewing applications and it completely sets the tone for the rest of the review…I have read some personal statements that make me want to scratch my own eyes out, some that make me want to cry, some that make me want to take a nap, and many that make me want to call my 5th grade teacher and thank her for teaching me the fundamentals of grammar. The entire rest of the whole year and for the entire rest of your whole life, you can spell words however you’d like and use any punctuation your heart desires and not ask anyone to look over your writing behind you. But for me, for the admissions committee members who will be reading it, and for your seat in medical school, PLEASE LET SOMEBODY PROOFREAD YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT. Actually, let 4 or 5 people read it. And let them be people who are actually qualified to review it and can make legit corrections and suggestions. Be very mindful about the content of this essay; it should be interesting and the reader should feel like they learned something about you and have some connection with you when they’re done. Your pre-med advisor may be able to point you in the direction of resources on your campus to help with conceptualizing your statement and editing. The writing of this essay is up to YOU though, no one else should write your personal statement for you.
Section 9: Standardized Tests
Most medical schools don’t accept MCAT scores from more than 3 years prior. Again, you’ll need to review each school’s criteria. Scores from MCAT exams taken after 2003 are automatically released to AMCAS so you don’t have to hunt for them to get them onto your application. If you’re applying to a dual program and have other standardized test scores, like the GRE, you can include those here also.
After you’ve submitted your application, be sure to check back regularly on the status of the application. You’re a big kid and this is solely your responsibility. A lot of people are applying to medical school, AAMC isn’t going to send you a personal email saying, “Hey, we don’t have your transcript or letter yet, are you still planning to apply to medical school this year.” It’s just not going to happen. Take ownership of this and bird-dog that application until all processing is complete.
Visit the link below for AAMC’s Official 2022 AMCAS Applicant Guide. Be sure to read it 1) because there’s a lot of good information in it and it will help significantly with completing the application 2) you have to certify that you read it before you can submit your AMCAS.
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I know this is a lot but you have enough time between now and May 3rd to be prepared for the process and ready to knock it out. Take these next couple weeks to really brush up on what you need to do to be most prepared. Do you have any questions about the AMCAS? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below or send me an email!
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