The AMCAS
Application
Your Path to Success
Stanford University
Undergraduate Advising and
Research
Questions we’ll answer today
• What is AMCAS’ role in the medical school
admissions process?
• What does the current AMCAS application look
like?
• What are the common pitfalls faced by
applicants and how can they be avoided?
• How can the application be monitored once it
has been submitted?
• What is the Fee Assistance Program?
• Where can I go for more information?
American Medical College
Application Service (AMCAS)
• Nonprofit, centralized application service
 Collects applicant information, transcripts,
and letters of recommendation
 Verifies academic records
 Provides standardized grading information to
participating schools
• Most medical schools use AMCAS as the
primary application method
• Website: www.aamc.org/amcas
The AMCAS Website
Resources for Applicants
The AMCAS Website
Current Year’s Application Resources
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Can you use your unofficial transcript to fill out the
coursework section of the AMCAS Application?
If your school has a forgiveness policy, do you
need to list a course you failed or withdrew from if
you repeated it and got a better grade?
If you are elected President of your student
organization after you submit your application, can
you go back and include that achievement?
The AMCAS Application
1. Identifying Information
2. Schools Attended
3. Biographic Information
4. Coursework
5. Work/Activities
6. Letters of Evaluation
7. Medical Schools
8. Essay(s)
9. Standardized Tests
The AMCAS Application
Getting HELP when you have questions
• Clicking the
“Help” button will
bring up a menu
and information
that reflects where
you are in the
application
• If you would like
help on a different
section, click
“Search” and type
in what you need
The AMCAS Application
The Transcript Request Form
Transcript Request Form
Your identifying
information
Address for your
institution’s registrar
AMCAS address for
the registrar
The AMCAS Application
Entering your coursework
•Request copies of your OFFICIAL transcripts for
you to use as you fill out the AMCAS Application
•You MUST enter information and corresponding
grades for every course in which you have ever
enrolled, including:
• AP & College Credit earned in High School
• Study abroad
• Withdrawals, Incompletes, Fails, and Repeats
• Medical schools will see it all, regardless of
your undergraduate forgiveness policy. Enter it
correctly and completely the first time.
The AMCAS Application
Entering Coursework
These
fields will
be verified
against a
copy of
your
official
transcript
after you
submit the
application
The AMCAS Application
Course Classification and your GPA
•You must assign each course a Course
Classification (ex – Biology, Fine Arts, Philosophy,
etc.) based entirely on its primary content
•Course Classifications are used in the calculation
of your AMCAS GPA
•The BCPM GPA is comprised of Biology,
Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics courses
•Course Classifications that are not "BCPM" will be
calculated in your AO (All Other) GPA
The AMCAS Application
Course Classification
Behavioral & Social Sciences (BESS)
Anthropology
Economics
Family Studies
Psychology
Sociology
Biology (BIOL) - BCPM
Anatomy
Biology
Biophysics
Biotechnology
Botany
Cell Biology
Ecology
Entomology
Genetics
Histology
Immunology
Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Neuroscience
Physiology
Business (BUSI)
Accounting
Business
Finance
Human Resource Studies
Management
Organizational Studies
Marketing
Chemistry (CHEM) – BCPM
Biochemistry
Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Thermodynamics
Communications (COMM)
Journalism
Media Production & Studies
TV, Video, & Audio
Computer Science/Technology
(COMP)
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Information Systems
Telecommunications
Health Sciences (HEAL)
Allied Health
Chiropractic
Dentistry
Hearing & Speech Sciences
Hospital Administration
Kinesiology
Education (EDUC)
Medical Technology
Counseling & Personnel Services
Medicine
Curriculum & Instruction
Nursing
Educational Policy
Nutrition & Food Sciences
Educational Administration
Occupational Therapy
Health Education
Optometry
Human Development
Osteopathy
Physical Education (except for sports Physical Therapy
courses such as tennis, golf,
Physician Assistant
aerobics, etc. Use Other for these
Public Health
types of courses.)
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Special Education
Sports Medicine
Veterinary Medicine
Engineering (ENGI)
Aerospace Engineering
History (HIST)
Biomedical Engineering
History
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Foreign Languages/Linguistics/Lit.
Electrical Engineering
(FLAN)
Engineering
American Sign Language
Environmental Engineering
Comparative Literature
Mechanical Engineering
Linguistics
Nuclear Engineering
Foreign Language(s) & Literature
English Language & Literature
(ENGL)
English Composition & Rhetoric
English Creative Writing
English Language & Literature
Fine Arts (ARTS)
Art
Art History
Dance
Fine Arts
Music
Photography
Theatre
Natural/Physical Sciences (NPSC)
Agriculture
Animal and Avian Sciences
Forestry
Geography
Geology
Horticulture
Landscape Architecture
Meteorology
Natural Resources
Oceanography
Environmental Science & Policy
Other (OTHR)
All courses which do not fit appropriately
into another category, including:
Architecture
Interdisciplinary courses
Library Science
Military Science
Sports (tennis, golf, aerobics, etc.)
Philosophy/Religion (PHIL)
Ethics
Logic
Philosophy
Religion
Theology
Physics (PHYS) - BCPM
Astronomy
Government/Political Sci/Law (GOVT) Physics
Criminology & Criminal Justice
Special Studies (SSTU)
Government
Afro-American Studies
International Relations & Studies
American Studies
Law/Legal Studies
Gender Studies
Political Science
Public Affairs & Policy
Urban Policy & Planning
MATH (MATH) - BCPM
Applied Mathematics
Mathematics
Statistics
The AMCAS Application
Course Classification and your GPA
Study Abroad
1. Courses taken at any of the BOSP campuses are considered
exactly as if they were taken on campus. They should be listed
just as any other course.
2. Courses taken at an overseas campus of a U.S. institution or an
American college overseas
• Courses MUST be listed under the institution attended
• Official transcripts are required
3. Courses taken independently at a foreign institution, credit
transferred to a U.S. or Canadian institution
• Courses should be listed under the foreign institution
• Transcript exception must be requested
• Institution accepting the credit must be listed in the
“Schools Attended” section of the application
• Official transcript is required
Avoid Delays to your Application
•Begin the application as soon as you can
•Keep your contact information up to date
•Be aware of your deadlines, submit ahead of time
•Enter all coursework exactly as it appears on your
transcript and be sure all fields are complete
•Beat your transcript deadlines - send your
transcript requests as soon as you begin the
application.
Submitting your Application
Early is good. Error-Free is better!
•Focus on completeness and accuracy over early
submission. If your application contains too many
errors, AMCAS will send it back to you.
•Use the “Print Application” button to double-check
your data. If you submit with errors and typos,
medical schools WILL see them.
•Check the Main Menu of your application to
ensure it was successfully submitted
The AMCAS Application
The ONLY changes after submission
•Name and Contact Information
•Required and Alternate IDs
•Indication of MCAT test date
•Letters of Evaluation can be added and assigned
to medical schools, but NOT deleted
•Medical schools can be added if the deadlines
have not passed
•If you do make a post-submission change, you
must RE-SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
• This will not cause processing delays
Letters of Evaluation
•You may create up to 10 letter entries
•Committee letters, letter packets, and individual
letters each count as ONE entry
•You can designate specific medical schools to
receive specific letters
•The letter request form guarantees that AMCAS
will match the letter to your application - print one
for each letter entry and give it to your letter-writer
•Letters do not have to be entered before you
submit your application
Letters of Evaluation
AMCAS
Letter
Request
Form
Author
CDC
Applicant
Letter
Request
Form
AMCAS
Medical
Schools
The AMCAS Application
Adding Letters in the Application
The AMCAS Application
Adding Letters in the Application
The fields
marked with an
asterisk are
required…
… but the other
fields are very
helpful to
have… just in
case
The AMCAS Application
Adding Letters to the Application
Letter Request Form
Your identifying
information
Your letterwriter’s address
Methods your
letter-writer can
use to send their
recommendation
to AMCAS
Used by AMCAS to attach
letter to your application
*
AMCAS address for
your letter-writer to use
Many medical
schools require
that your
recommendations
are on official
letterhead and
bear the signature
of the author
The AMCAS Application
Adding Letters in the Application
If you have
already
submitted
your
application,
you MUST
hit submit
again in
order to
save the
letter you
just added
Fee Assistance Program
•For applicants whose families are at or below 300%
of the federal poverty level
•No distinction between dependent and independent
•Reduces MCAT fee from $230 to $85
Upon registration for the MCAT, FAP recipients
are sent free copies of the MSAR and the Official
Guide to the MCAT exam
•Provides 14 free medical school designations in the
AMCAS application (normally $32 each)
•You must have FAP approval before registering for
the MCAT or submitting your AMCAS application
Criminal Background Checks
•AAMC recommends that all U.S. medical schools
procure a “CBC” upon each applicant’s initial
acceptance
• Enhances the safety of patients
• Bolsters general trust in the medical community
• Confirms the ability of accepted applicants to
become licensed physicians
•The AMCAS application requires you to report
felonies and misdemeanors
A Tale of Two Sallys
Sally Z
•Just realized her first
deadline is today!
•Used her unofficial transcript
to enter coursework
•Decided to leave off that
course she bombed and
repeated
• Found lots of typos and
other errors after she
submitted
•Had her application returned
and missed her deadline
Sally A
•Read the AMCAS Instructions
•Began her application early
•Used her official transcript to
complete the application
•Included that course she
bombed and repeated
•Printed her application to
proofread it and was able to
fix a couple of errors
•Submitted her application on
time and met deadlines
The Applicant’s Responsibilities
•Read the AMCAS Instruction Manual prior to
submitting the AMCAS application
•Notify AMCAS of any changes in your contact
information
•Know the admissions and residency requirements
at each school you are applying to
•Keep track of and meet your deadlines
•Accurately complete the application
•Review your verified coursework immediately after
AMCAS processing is complete
Your Information Resources
AMCAS Website: www.aamc.org/amcas
“Help” tab within the AMCAS Application
Medical School Admissions Requirements Guide
Medical school websites and admissions offices
Applicant and Advisor Relations Team
M-F 9:00 am EST to 7:00 pm EST
202.828.0600
amcas@aamc.org