2013-2014 Applicants and their parents.....

<p>(In fairness to AMCAS, the crashes I was thinking of were from approximately '01, '03, and '05. So it might well have been a while.)</p>

<p>In that case, I’ll tell her it’s Ok to hit that submit button Tuesday. </p>

<p>But if the server crashes, mike, I’m coming after you! :p</p>

<p>Eh, I’d still wait. AMCAS doesn’t seem to like odd years. :)</p>

<p>Question! I talked to an AMCAS rep today about writing in course titles. I know it says to put what is exactly printed on your transcript, but I have taken multiple seminar classes where the actual title of the course doesn’t show up. The lady said to write whatever title you want, they rarely change that part. Is that okay? </p>

<p>For example, I took a class titled “Biomath”, but on the transcript it just shows “Open Seminar”. It’s in the biology department. Can I just put “Biomath”? or “Open Seminar-Biomath”? What do you guys think?</p>

<p>How about “Bio-Math: Open Seminar”?</p>

<p>Seems safest and most descriptive. I am assuming it has a Bio prefix?</p>

<p>

Just out of curiosity - what is the content of that course? Biostatistics?</p>

<p>^^Can’t speak for sure what mcatflow’s course covered, but both D1’s and D2’s classes were mathematical modeling techniques for complex non-linear biological systems. (Like blood flow in capillaries, cancer tumor growth prediction, eco-system interactions)</p>

<p>^ like WOWM’s D’s courses. It was broken up into two parts…first various profs from math and bio depts lectured on their research fields (ecology of infectious disease, climate change patterns, calculus/diffeq modeling methods) and the second apart we were put into groups to come up with a plausible model with the mathematical proofs to support it. It was a blend of guest lectures/research/current problems type of seminar. </p>

<p>I’ll probably put what curmudgeon suggested. Thanks!</p>

<p>AMCAS is having a lot of glitches this year. The application opened on May 8th (instead of May 1st like they originally planned). Now first submission is next Monday (the 10th) instead of tomorrow morning. Yikes! But more time to polish the activities and PS!! </p>

<p>I think BDM is right—AMCAS really hates odd years!</p>

<p>Haha at least they’re voluntarily delaying it this time. According to gossip, there was one year where AMCAS actually crashed and lost a bunch of applications without notifying candidates whether their particular application had been lost or not. Was total chaos.</p>

<p>^ That sounds like a terrible case of Murphy’s Law. </p>

<p>So long as AMCAS doesn’t pull a Sim City 5 with their servers, I’ve found it a relatively straightforward process with filling out the application.</p>

<p>My son was all upset that his school mailed out his transcript today, even though he requested them form 2 weeks ago. All that angst for nothing :D</p>

<p>Which means one week’s more people will be ready to send by June 10, increasing the chances of a crash.</p>

<p>^You could always pull a kristin5792 and wait to submit until July ;)</p>

<p>^Or after Labor Day like a certain child of mine who shall remain nameless… :rolleyes:</p>

<p>There’s already rampant speculation on that other pre med website that even if applicants submit on June 10th, there will be so many apps to process that even a first day submission may not get your app done in time for the June 28th first download by med schools.</p>

<p>Well, the AMCAS server managed NOT to crash this morning. D2 said she had no problems submitting. However, it appears AMCAS has —ahem – “misplaced” her transcripts which were sent to them over 3 weeks ago.</p>

<p>D is submitting her AMCAS tonight – she’s tweaking a few things as we speak. Question…she just finished a global health course (study abroad), and the grade should be posted any day. Subsequently, she’s waiting for it to show up before submitting her transcript. Also, she has 3/4 recs in on Interfolio. One of the two science profs, however, has yet to submit it. She asked way back in February, and he graciously agreed. She’s since followed up and he said he’d get on it, but he still hasn’t turned it in. Since she’s back at school, I suggested she write a thank you card and enclose a Starbucks card. (Apparently, he loves Starbucks.) Then take it to him personally during office hours and say something like, “I just wanted to say thank you again for agreeing to write my letter of recommendation. This is just a small token of my gratitude. I just submitted my application, and as soon as your LOR has been received, they’ll start processing my app. Again, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you agreeing to help!” Do y’all have any other suggestions as to how to ensure it gets submitted quickly? She doesn’t want to appear like a pest for fear the rec might be affected. Will his delay or the fact her transcript won’t show up for probably 7-10 days negatively impact her app? Fortunately, TMDSAS is verified (only allows for three recs), and all secondaries have been received. I hope i don’t come off as an anxious Nellie, but this is our first experience with anything like this. Reading posts written on the other site have made my semi-calm demeanor jump start into hyper-stress for some reason. :eek:</p>

<p>I wouldn’t have her take a gift card to her prof yet. Appearance of bribery, etc. But a stop by his office to remind him wouldn’t hurt. Save the gift card/thank yous until after the LOR has been uploaded.</p>

<p>D2 asked for LORs in January, right after she finished her MCAT. She got the last of 5 LORs (from a non-science prof) over this past weekend. She did tons of ‘gentle reminding’ via email, phone calls and in person. One of her letter writers insisted on having pages and pages of stuff (resume, transcripts, PS, essays) mailed to him via USPS–he doesn’t do email!</p>

<p>Yeah. Lose the card. But an in person reminder of the importance of an early complete app, done tactfully, is in order.</p>

<p>Congrats to all whose kids have already submitted and are about to.</p>

<p>Perhaps someone I know who shall remain nameless maybe taking a page from Kristin’s book…</p>