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Completing the 2021AMCAS ApplicationSpring 2020Oona Ceder & Emiko MorimotoOffice of Career ServicesHarvard College1
A Reminder about Academic Integrity
Before you start If you are applying for matriculation in 2021 orare an alumnus/ae applying in a future cycle,please be sure to subscribe to the OCS MedSchool Applicants Listserv using aharvard.edu email address. During the application cycle, we will be sendingperiodic updates with important information forapplicants over this list.3
Before you start If eligible, apply for the AAMC Fee AssistanceProgram (FAP). To receive benefits of FAPapproval, you must wait to receive decisionbefore submitting AMCAS application. Because over 100 medical schools utilize criminalbackground checks, be sure to check the statusof prior arrests that you thought wereexpunged.4
Before you start For more information about the number of InternationalStudents who apply, are interviewed, and matriculate atU.S. Medical Schools, see the following resource on theOCS Website: U.S. Medical School AdmissionsInformation - Financial Aid policies, MCAT policies, andinformation about in-state, out-of-state, and internationalapplicants. For information about the financial aid policies regardingInternational Medical Students for the schools that acceptNon-Canadian Applicants who are not permanent U.S.residents, also see: Further U.S. Medical School FinancialAid Policies for International Students.5
Applicants to Texas State Schools Applying to State Medical and Dental Schools inTexas: Texas Medical & Dental SchoolsApplication Service (TMDSAS) See the TMDSAS Website for information abouthow to create your application. TMDSAS manual: EY 2021 Application Handbook(pdf) The TMDSAS Application opens on May 1. .html for all other deadlines.6
D.O. School Applicants Applying to Schools of Osteopathic Medicine (DOschools): Association of American Colleges ofOsteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) See the AACOMAS Website for information abouthow to create your application. AACOMAS manual: Apply Now Application Instructions and FAQs For additional questions, contact AACOMAS directlyat aacomasinfo@liaisoncas.com or 617-612-2889Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm ET7
D.O. School ApplicantsKey Dates for 2020-2021 AACOMAS ApplicationCycle May 5, 2020: AACOMAS application open forsubmissions June 15, 2020: D.O. Schools begin receiving andprocessing applications Academic Update (Coursework) Periods:September 3, 2020 - October 13, 2020December 15, 2020 - February 16, 2021March 12, 2021 - April 9, 20218
Overview About AMCAS The AMCAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process9
Application TimelineMay 4, 2020AMCAS application opens & AMCASbegins accepting transcriptsMay 28, 2020AMCAS opens for submission ofapplications; if your transcripts have arrivedat AMCAS, your submitted AMCAS entersqueue for verificationJuly 10, 2020Initial transmission of application data tomedical schools10
www.aamc.org/amcas
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and Transcripts Biographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process12
Schools Attended List every post secondary institution where youenrolled for at least one course; even if creditswere transferred, no credits were earned, or youwithdrew. Include colleges at which you took courses whilein high school and received college credit. If you took Harvard Summer School Abroad, youwill enter a second entry for Harvard Universityadd “study abroad” to the school name Both secondaries and language citations can belisted as minors13
Advisor ReleaseAdvisor Information Release Service: Please give permission for AMCAS to share informationwith Harvard Premed Advisers by checking YES. (Thesereports will go to Oona and Emiko at OCS, not yourHouse Premed Tutors)The reports we develop on applications and acceptanceto medical school are based on the data we receive fromAMCAS. The information will only be used for aggregatestatistics and all identifying information is kept strictlyconfidential. If you encounter problems with your application,we cannot discuss your situation with AMCASstaff unless you check this box.14
Official Transcripts An AMCAS Transcript Request must be processed by the Registrar atevery school where you enrolled in college level classes. For instructions about how to send your official Harvard transcript toAMCAS, please see the FAS Registrar’s Office instructions. As you will seeon the FAS Registrar’s site, Harvard students and alumni must order theirtranscript via the TranscriptsPlus system managed by CredentialSolutions. Be sure to read their FAQs at ?ALUMTRO002155 and reach out theCredentials Solutions Customer Service Center at 847-716-3005 with anyquestions. The OCS Premed Advisers, your House Premed Tutors,and the Academic Coordinators are NOT trained to answer thesequestions. To order a transcript from another post-secondary institution at whichyou may have taken courses, you will need to consult that school’sRegistrar’s Office for instructions. Please direct all questions about atranscript from other institutions to the Registrar’s Office at that school.15
Official Transcripts If a school has placed a financial hold on your transcripts,AMCAS will not grant an exception under anycircumstances. Your AMCAS application will only be “queued for verification” if yourtranscript/s has/have arrived at AMCAS. In the schools attended section, you will find link to a transcriptrequest form (which facilitates proper matching of your transcript toyour application via Transcript ID number). The link to the requestfor can also be found from the Main Menu of the application. If a transcript is not required for an “attached school,” you will needto submit a Transcript Exception Request. (This is rare; the mostcommon reason a transcript may not be required is in the case offoreign institutions at which you enrolled in study abroadcoursework.)16
Official Transcripts AMCAS cannot validate foreign transcriptsand will not accept them. Applicants must request an exception fortranscripts that are not required; failing to do somay result in missed deadlines Missing and unmatchable transcripts arethe number one reason for processingdelays17
Transcript Exceptions Also be sure to see the Study Abroad FAQin our Applicant FAQs and call AMCASwith additional questions18
Transcript ExceptionsHarvard Summer School Abroad Add “Harvard University- Study Abroad” as a school attendedAssign undergraduate credit, enter dates for the program, and selectthat this was a Study Abroad ProgramOnce on the Transcript Request page, you will indicate AMCAS doesnot need a transcript from Harvard University-Study Abroad andselect “Foreign Institution or Study Abroad sponsored by USinstitution- credits transferred” as your Transcript Request ExceptionReasonSelect Yes when asked if credit for Harvard University-Study Abroadwas transferred to another institution and indicate that these weretransferred to Harvard University (since they are on your normalHarvard transcript)With additional questions, call the AMCAS Help Line19
Institutional Action If you answer Yes, you may use the provided spacebeneath the question to explain. Failure to provideaccurate information in answering this question or, ifapplicable, in completing the form provided by theschool, will result in an investigation. Applicants who become the subject of an institutionalaction after certifying and submitting the AMCASapplication must inform their designated medicalschools that an action has occurred within 10 days.20
Institutional Action If you are unsure whether your particular situationrepresents an Institutional Action, please contact yourResident Dean (Allston Burr Resident Dean) foradvice. If you will be writing a 1325 character InstitutionalAction essay for the AMCAS application, please alsoconsult with the OCS Premedical Advisers and yourHouse. Note that medical school secondary applications mayalso include questions about institutional action.21
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographical I nform ationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process22
Biographic Information:CitizenshipOptions include U.S. citizenship and the following: Adjustment of StatusDACAExchange visitor/student (J1)NoneOtherPermanent ResidentRefugee/AsylumStudent (F1)If none of the above options apply to you, see the 2021 ApplicantGuide for instructions. You may also want to consult with the HarvardLaw School Immigration and Refugee Clinic (617-384-8165)
Biographic Information:Childhood and Disadvantaged Status Socioeconomic Disadvantage Indicator: Derived from parents’Education and Occupation (EO) – only two lowest SES’s (EO-1and EO-2) are reported to medical schools Underserved: do you believe that the area in which you grewup was adequately served by health-care professionals?Were there enough physicians, nurses, hospitals, clinics, andother health-care providers? Optional- After completing this section, you will then be askedif you wish to be considered a disadvantaged applicant by themedical schools. If you answer ‘yes’, you will have a 1325character essay in which to describe and discuss yourdisadvantaged status.24
Biographic Information:Felonies and Misdemeanors Applicants need not disclose any instance whereapplicant: was arrested but not charged; was arrestedand charged, but the charges were dropped; was arrested and charged, but found notguilty by a judge or jury; was arrested and found guilty by a judge orjury, but the conviction was overturned onappeal; or received an executive pardon25
Biographic Information:Felonies and Misdemeanors For any post submission convictions, applicantsMUST notify their medical schools within 10 daysof the offense. Some states consider speeding violations amisdemeanor. Misdemeanors must be reportedon AMCAS.26
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse W orkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process27
Course WorkCourse work to be listed: Any course ever attempted at any U.S. orCanadian post-secondary school, even if nocredit was earned. Includes all college-level courses taken while inhigh school. Courses taken at an American college overseas(see AMCAS Instruction Manual for list)28
Course WorkCourse work to be listed (cont’d): Courses from which you withdrew. Courses for which you received a grade of"Incomplete" and for which no final grade hasbeen assigned. Courses that have been repeated. Courses that you failed, regardless of whetherthey have been repeated. Courses you audited.29
Course Work: Year and Term Add courses in chronological order exactly as they appearon the official transcript. For courses taken at Harvard, use the semester systemcalendar designation. The majority of your Harvardcourses are semester-long courses worth 4 credits each. See page 37 of the 2021 AMCAS Applicant guide forinstructions about how to enter any full-year courses youmay have taken. (See slide on “Specific CourseInformation” about how to enter courses for which youreceived 0 credits one term, and 4 or 8 credits in thefollowing term.) For summer courses, assign courses to the upcomingacademic year (e.g., courses between FR & SO year arelisted as SO status).30
Course Work: Year and Term(cont’d) Assign High School (HS) status to college-levelcourses taken while you were in high school,regardless of the physical location of the collegelevel course.31
Course Classification: BCPM GPA The Science GPA for AMCAS is called theBCPM GPA and is comprised of courses that areconsidered Biology (B), Chemistry (C),Physics (P) or Mathematics (M) only. Note: LS1a Chemistry; LS1b Biology If you have a question, such as coding apsychology course as biology, ask yourself if theprimary content of the course was biology. Ifyes, you can code the course as biology. Thisclassification is not based on the departmentoffering the course. Use your best judgment.32
Course Classification If AMCAS changes a classification, and the applicantdisagrees with the change, the applicant can appealthe change via the application's Academic Changerequest option (available within the AMCASapplication).33
Specific Course Information Harvard uses a credit hours system to assign course credit. Please list credit hours as they appear on your Harvardtranscript. Most semester-long courses are worth 4 credit hours. Full-yearcourses are ordinarily worth 8 credit hours. Be sure to check for any 2-credit Harvard courses, such asOrchestra, HMS courses, and some tutorials. Note: If your transcript indicates 0 credits for fall/the first term,and 4 or 8 credits for spring/the second term, enter ‘0’ for thefirst term, and ‘4’ (e.g, for a 2-credit per term course likeOrchestra) or ‘8’ (for any full-year course worth 4 credits perterm) for the second term. Be sure to enter the grades grantedfor each term exactly as the grades appear on your transcript(even if that means that you enter a grade for the term in whichyou received 0 credits, as well as the grade that appears withthe 4 or 8 credits earned in the second term of the course). Youmay also want to call AMCAS if you have additional questions, orto confirm you have entered your full-year course information 34correctly.
Specific Course Information Lab hours are not counted separately. They areincluded in course credit hours. Select “combined lecture/lab course” forthe question “did this class include a labsection?”35
Special Course TypesOnly necessary for certain courses. Audit: if officially registered, but no credit, thenno credit hours or AMCAS grade should beassigned. Pass/Fail: courses are listed on AcademicRecord, but excluded when computing AMCASGPA. Harvard’s SAT/UNSAT courses should belisted as such. Honors: Harvard does not have “honors level”courses.36
Advanced Standing Only Official Rules : To claim AP credit, the AP credits mustbe listed on your transcript. Harvard does not put AP courses on transcript unlessyou accept Advanced Standing. So, if you list an AP onthe Academic Record, and it is not on the transcript,AMCAS cannot verify the AP score. The HarvardCollege Registrar will NOT verify these AP scoresfor AMCAS. Do NOT include AP credit unless you accepted AdvancedStanding.37
Advanced Placement Scores If a medical school wants verification of the AP score(some California and Texas schools do), then you mustrequest the official AP score to be sent directly from ETSto the medical schools and not to AMCAS. Most secondary applications will allow you to indicate APscores being used to meet math requirements.Only if granted and accepted Advanced Standing: The total credit hours for the AP courses should be equalto 32 (e.g., 4 AP courses at 8 credit hours each.)38
Study AbroadCourses attempted through a study abroad program sponsoredby a U.S. or Canadian institution (including Harvard StudyAbroad programs) must be entered. Include the foreign institution and the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institutionin Schools Attended. Request a transcript exception for the foreign institutions. Indicate the U.S. orCanadian institution on whose transcript credits will appear. List study abroad coursework under the foreign college at which it wasattempted exactly as it appears on the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian’sinstitution's transcript. Do not enter the coursework twice. If the sponsoring U.S. or Canadian institution provides letter grades and credithours for each course on their transcript, enter all required course data.QUESTI ONS: P lease contact AM CAS directly.39
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkW ork / ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process40
Work/Activities A maximum of 15 experiences may be entered. Enteronly significant experiences. You do not need to enter15! Remember that each experience you list is "up forgrabs" if you are invited to interview. You may be askedabout anything in your application. Note: Supervisor contact information must be provided.If activity was organized by a student group, list advisoror another administrator who can verify your experience,if possible. As a courtesy, be sure to notify the personwhose name you list for this contact. Three of the 15 experiences should be designated as themost meaningful- you will have additional space to41discuss these.
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process42
Letters of EvaluationAMCAS will receive your recommendation lettersdirectly from your House.There are three steps for applicants:1.2.Under Letters of Evaluation, you’ll need to “add” acommittee letter to let AMCAS know about theletters they are going to receive from your HouseOffice.Complete the Medical Schools section and assignthe letters to each participating school.43
Letters of Evaluation Select “committee letter”. All of the letters that come fromHarvard are considered a single committee letter. (Thisincludes the House Letter and the individual accompanyingletters.) For letter title: “Harvard Committee Letter” For primary contact’s first name: “Academic” For primary contact’s last name: “Coordinator” For primary contact’s title: “[House name] AcademicCoordinator” For primary contact’s email: Your Academic Coordinator’semail address (check with your Academic Coordinator if indoubt about the correct email address to use). For primary contact’s address: [e.g., Lowell] House Office U.S.Postal Services address44
Letters of Evaluation In rare situations, Harvard applicants may wish to addadditional individual letters AFTER the House CommitteeLetter pdf (which includes attached individual letters) hasbeen submitted. In this case, applicants should use theAMCAS Letter Service Application program. This programallows recommenders to upload individual letters. Pleasesee the AMCAS Instruction Manual for instructions. Please note that the Houses are not ordinarily involved inuploading additional individual letters to AMCAS after theHouse Committee Letter has been submitted. House Committee Letters will be sent by mid-August if theapplicant has abided by House deadlines.45
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationM edical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process46
Medical SchoolsProgram Type MD MD/PhD Combined DegreePrograms Special Programs
Medical Schools AMCAS does not evaluate state or U.S. residencyeligibility or citizenship status. It is theapplicant’s responsibility to determine eligibilitybefore designating a school. You must indicate if you have ever previouslyapplied to this medical school. Failure toacknowledge previous application activity willresult in an investigation.48
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Teststests/ test dates)(info on past and upcom ing M CAT Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process49
Standardized Tests Future MCAT test dates: If you are stilltaking or re-taking the MCAT and don’tindicate your upcoming testing date,medical schools may review yourapplication without waiting for yournew score. All MCAT scores are reported tomedical schoolsContact MCATmcat@aamc.org202-828-0690Monday – Friday9 am – 5 pm ET
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Crim inal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process51
Criminal Background Checks52
Criminal Background Checks The report procured during this process will notbe released to any party other than the medicalschools requesting this report. On the report, history including infractions andjuvenile records will be displayed to theapplicant but medical schools vary on thecontent they can and will view.53
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process54
Fee Assistance Program (FAP) For information about benefits and applicationtimeline, see FAP. Awardees can use benefits for up to two years,for example: Eligibility: All applicants with U.S. citizenship,permanent residency, and DACA status.55
Overview About AMCAS The AM CAS Application Schools Attended and TranscriptsBiographic InformationCourse WorkWork/ActivitiesLetters of EvaluationMedical SchoolsStandardized Tests Criminal Background Checks Fee Assistance Program Monitoring your Application Status The Verification Process56
Submission & Processing Ideally, submit application and transcript/s by mid-June.You should wait for your spring grades beforesubmitting. COVID-19 update: With the 2-weekpostponement of transmission of AMCAS applications tothe medical schools to July 10, we still recommendsubmitting your AMCAS in June and by July 1 if possible. If you are taking or re-taking the MCAT this summer,you should still submit your AMCAS Application in June.You should then indicate under Standardized Tests thatyou plan to take the MCAT on this future test date. Emphasize completeness over early submission. Errors/typos/missing information can’t be corrected after57submission.
AMCAS Verification Once application is submitted and all transcripts received,the application will join the verification queue. From the date of submission, verification can take up tosix weeks to be completed. For applicants who submit AMCAS by mid-June,verification usually takes between a few days and a fewweeks. Note that your medical schools will only begin to receiveverified AMCAS applications onJuly 10.58
AMCAS Verification Only the GPA calculated and verified by AMCAS will beconsidered official by the medical schools. You will be able toview the AMCAS Verified GPA when your application status is“Processed by AMCAS.” Please refer to the AMCAS manual for instructions on how tocalculate your GPAs. The AMCAS GPA conversion scale:A 4.0 A- 3.7 B 3.3 B 3.0 B- 2.7 C 2.3C 2.0 C- 1.7 D 1.3 D 1.0 D- 0.7 F 059
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Verification To address changes to Course Work made by AMCASduring the Verification process, you must submit achange request to AMCAS using the Academic ChangeRequest option, available only after your application hascompleted the Verification process. You only have a limited time to appeal any changes, soreview your course work carefully as soon as it is verifiedby AMCAS. Allow at least fifteen working days for AMCAS to reviewand/or process any change request.61
Post-Submission Changes AMCAS understands that post-submissionchanges are confusing for applicants: Once an application is submitted, the “SubmitApplication” button will be grayed-out A new “Update Application” button will appearto aid applicants in making a post-submissionchange or update
Changes After SubmissionAMCAS states that only the following changes by theapplicant are allowed after submission: Required & alternate IDs Name (full legal name, preferred name, & alternate names) Contact information Date of birth & birth address Sex Next MCAT date Additional medical schools; change of Program types Release of application information to pre-health advisor Letters of evaluation (adding late letters, and notification that aletter will no longer be sent)63
Changes After Submission If you change any information (ID’s, name, contactinformation), you must re-certify AND re-submit yourapplication or the medical schools will not get theupdate. Updated information (grades, activities, awards) aftersubmission to AMCAS, must be sent directly to individualmedical schools. AMCAS will not make changes tocourse work or activities that become available afteryour application has been processed. Adding additional medical schools does not require recertification64
Resources & Information AMCAS Help Line: 202-828-0600Office hours 9am-7pm ET M-F; closed Wed 3-5pm;24-hour automated phone line Applicant Website: www.aamc.org/amcas,especially 2021 AMCAS Applicant Guide Email: amcas@aamc.org @AMCASinfo65
Resources & Information See the OCS Guidelines for applicants: Navigating the2021 Medical School Application Cycle and Applying toMedical School resources on the OCS webpage 2021 AMCAS Q/A webinars will be offered on thefollowing Wednesdays: 5/6 @12pm, 5/13 @5pm, 5/20 @1pm, 5/27 @3pm,6/3 @11am, 6/10 @4pm If you still have questions that are not answered here orin the “FAQs for Applicants” on our website athttp://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas, please plan to attendan AMCAS Q/A webinar. If you still have questions, youmay email us at premed@fas.harvard.edu.66
Harvard Law School Immigration and Refugee Clinic (617-384-8165) If you are a DACA applicant: The AAMC has published the document Medical School Pol
