Many applicants strive to complete and submit their AMCAS® application as quickly as possible. However, an incomplete or incorrect application can cause delays — which may cause you to miss an important deadline. Never fear: We talked to the staff who verify applications, and they shared some quick tips that can help prevent your AMCAS application from being delayed.
- Order an official transcript from every U.S., U.S. Territorial, or Canadian postsecondary institution where you completed coursework, even if you did not earn credit. Problems with transcripts are the number one cause of processing delays and missed application deadlines. Even if the credit you earned at an institution appears on a different transcript, you still need to send the original transcript to the AMCAS program. This also includes coursework completed at a college while you were in high school. After you have submitted your application and the AMCAS program receives all your official transcripts, your application will be ready to be verified. Please note that the AMCAS program does not accept transcripts from World Education Services (WES) or other transcript evaluation services.
- Include alternate/preferred names in your application that appear on your official transcript. Alternate or preferred names include variations of your name, such as a family (maiden) name or a nickname, that may be present on any of the official transcripts you send to the AMCAS program. While filling out this field is optional, we strongly recommend that you provide any relevant names to help us accurately match your transcripts with your application. Failure to do so may result in the AMCAS program being unable to match your transcript to your application, causing a delay in processing.
- Use the Transcript Request Form to match your paper transcript(s) to your AMCAS application. While the AMCAS program does not require you to use the Transcript Request Form, it does help match your transcript(s) to your application more efficiently. You can find this form in the Schools Attended section of the application.
- Please ensure accurate AAMC ID and Transcript IDs are provided when requesting e-transcripts to prevent any delays. If an incorrect AAMC ID and/or Transcript ID is provided, the e-transcript could be applied to the incorrect application or school listing in the application.
- Fill out your coursework exactly as it appears on your official transcript(s) and in chronological order. The most effective way for you to fill out the Coursework section is to put exactly what is on your official transcript (including course abbreviations, grades, and symbols) in the exact order that it appears on your transcript(s). That includes courses you took multiple times, courses you may have withdrawn from, or even courses you may have not performed well in. The AMCAS verifiers recommend ordering your own copies of official transcripts in advance to help you fill out this section. Please do not omit courses. If 10 or more courses, credits, or grades are missing, the AMCAS program will return your application. Also, if you studied abroad, watch this tutorial for information on how to list the coursework from that program.
- If you are reapplying, resubmit all of your official transcripts and your letters of evaluation (even if nothing has changed). Your application from the most recent application cycle will roll over if you submitted it, but your supporting documents (transcripts and letters of evaluation) will not. Please make sure that you resubmit these documents to prevent delays.
- Make sure you proofread your application before you submit it. There are only a few items you can change or add post-submission. While you can always add MCAT® scores, letters of evaluation, and additional medical school designations post-submission, there are limited changes you can make. For a list of information you can change, check out the After Submission section on the AMCAS FAQs page.
For more information on how to complete the AMCAS application, take a look at the AMCAS Applicant Guide and the AMCAS FAQs page. And remember to follow @AMCASinfo on X, formerly known as Twitter, for more #AMCASFacts.