Plan on applying to a throwaway school ASAP so I can get verification done with. I know we need transcripts to send our application through, but would I be able to request a transcript from my school now without my Spring quarter grades being done, send it to my throwaway, and update my grades for when I apply to my actual school list? Would I be able to submit a transcript without my Spring quarter grades to my actual school list if I never update (assuming my Spring Quarter actually lowers my GPA a bit)?
Also, any idea how long a school like UC San Diego would take to send transcripts upon request?
I’ve been to 2 conferences about this application and there are still things I don’t know o_0 You’re all a great help.
Nope. No can do. AMCAS does not allow you to update transcripts. Whatever transcript AMCAS receives first is the one it uses to process your application.
In fact, once you submit your application, there is only a very limited list of items you can change or update. (Primarily your contact information, letter assignments and adding to your list of schools)
Some individual schools will accept updates from applicants, but many don’t. Even at those schools that do accept updates, the admission office typically won’t update your AMCAS verified GPA to reflect your new grades.
You could, but then some schools may request an update of your spring grades before the committee will consider your file–especially if your spring courses include any pre-reqs.
BTW, some med schools may request spring and fall grades while you are under consideration.
And you will have to send a final official transcript for a pre-req audit after you graduate and before you will be allowed to matriculate. Remember all med school admissions are conditional–and those conditions may include things like maintaining a certain GPA or not earning any grades below a certain level.
My take–
Since you aren’t going to have a MCAT score until late July anyway, your application isn’t going to be forwarded to medical schools immediately after it’s verified. It will be held until that MCAT scores comes back. Getting in the verification queue in mid-June (after your spring grades are released) vs. getting in the queue on June 3rd isn’t going to make any difference as to when schools are going to receive your application. In either case, your app will be verified long before your MCAT is released.
You’ll get better answers asking in the UCSD forum.
@WayOutWestMom Thank you WOWM. I assume my Spring quarter GPA will be a 3.75 or something, and I have a 3.8 gpa, wouldn’t budge it by much. I’m guessing it really wouldn’t matter in the end which transcript (with or without Spring grades) I attach to my application? Since my GPA won’t change by much I’m also assuming that schools asking for my Spring grades won’t change anything, and that it might be beneficial to have a slightly higher GPA on the “face” of my application for the sake of a slightly better first impression?
All this came to mind when I was putting in my college on the AMCAS, and I had to click “transcript request form” before moving on. Should I wait until Spring grades come out before clicking? Thanks!
@honcho Suggest to wait and send after your Spring grades are in and the transcript will reflect. The next 10 days or so not going to make any dent in either way.
The minuscule difference your spring grades will make in your GPA isn’t going to make one iota of difference in how your application is received.
All your “front facing” cumulative GPA does is get you past the initial screening.
On the AMCAS file that med school receive, your GPA is reported on year-by-year basis. Freshman GPA, sophomore GPA, etc. with all your coursework for each year on a single page.
Just wait until your spring grades come out to send the transcript.
I believe you can click the request form button and then under instructions to to registrar put something like “Hold until spring term grades are released.”