What to know before applying to medical school with AMCAS

Last Updated on June 27, 2022 by Laura Turner

The 2016 American Medical Colleges Application System (AMCAS) application season opens on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. Here are some things to know before starting your application.
1. See if you are eligible for the Fee Assistance Program now.
The AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program assists those who would otherwise be unable to afford to apply to medical school with the AMCAS application. If you are approved for fee assistance, your AMCAS fees for up to 15 medical school designations will be waived. However, in order to take advantage of this benefit, you must apply and be approved for fee assistance before you submit your AMCAS application. Fee Assistance approval can take three weeks, so start this process now.
2. Know the timing of the application process.
The 2016 AMCAS application is for those who wish to start medical school in 2016. Once the application opens on May 5, you’ll be able to work on it for about a month until application submission opens on Tuesday, June 2. AMCAS will start verifying applications on June 2, and will start sending verified applications to medical schools on a rolling basis on July 1. July 1 is the first day medical schools will be able to see any application data. Be aware that medical school admissions are done on a rolling basis.
3. Request personal copies of all of your official transcripts.
You will have to send official transcripts to AMCAS via your registrar once you start your application, but you should also order an official copy for yourself to use while filling out the Coursework section of the application. Completing this section is much easier if you can refer to a copy of your official transcript. Also, there are sometimes slight differences between unofficial and official transcripts, which can cause issues during the verification process.
4. Research your list of schools.
Research and compare medical schools and with the Medical School Admissions Requirements website. This powerful online database allows you to easily browse, search, sort, and compare data on U.S. and Canadian medical schools and B.S. /M.D. programs.
5. Know how the AMCAS verification process works.
During verification, AMCAS staff do a line-by-line comparison of your coursework entries to what is listed on your official transcript(s). This means we need to receive and process all of your required official transcripts before your application can enter the verification queue. AMCAS does not need your MCAT scores or letters of evaluation to verify your application.
6. Schedule your transcript and letter deliveries correctly.
Schedule your transcript(s) and letters of evaluation to arrive at AMCAS after you start your 2016 application. AMCAS cannot store your transcripts or letters if they arrive before the application opening day (May 5).
7. Review your application thoroughly.
You can make very limited changes after you submit your application. Make sure to proofread all of your essay(s) and entries in the Work and Activities section. You should also read the AMCAS Instruction Manual and review the AMCAS resources online to ensure your application is filled out correctly.
Get more information about the AMCAS application process at www.aamc.org/amcas.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or 202-828-0600.
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