use tab and shift-tab to navigate once expanded

AMCAS

2023 AMCAS Guide

Please use the most recent AMCAS Applicant Guide to navigate through the application process.  There are many useful tutorials and information that will help answer your questions. Williams-specific information may be found in the FAQ section of the website.

AMCAS Application Sections

    • After you enter the name of every school that you have attended, note that there is an "Advisor Release"* paragraph to which you can select YES. This means that you release your application information to your school's designated advisor.
    • Transcript request forms may need to be completed for every school that you list.
    • There are FOUR tutorials to watch before entering the following: Coursework, AP coursework, Current and Future Coursework, and Study Abroad.
    • In the Williams curriculum, each course is worth "1 credit," except music courses, which are ".5 credit."
    • After a reaccreditation self-study, the Williams Registrar has changed the conversion of course credits to semester hours. Every course is worth 3.75 semester hours. Every lecture and lab course is worth 3.75 + (# hours x .25). 
    • Any course prior to 2020/21 should be calculated on 3.75 and in 2020/21 on 4.0 (including thesis coursework)
    • However, you need only designate a "1" in the credit hours column. AMCAS will make the conversion (and they have the new values); you should check these entries after you receive your verified AMCAS.
    • Have a copy of your transcript(s) in hand as you complete this section.
    • Refer to the "AMCAS Course Classification Guide" (org/applying-medical-school/article/course-classification-guide/) for information on what courses go under what heading.
    • The Work/Activities section of the application is designed to give you the opportunity to highlight your work experience, extracurricular activities, awards, honors, or publications that you would like to bring to the attention of the medical schools to which you are applying. You may enter a maximum of 15 experiences, and you may enter four separate date ranges for recurring experiences. This section cannot be edited or updated after the original submission of your application.
    • Work and activities will appear on your application in chronological order and may not be rearranged. However, please be aware that medical schools sort your entries and view them in a variety of different orders to suit their specific review processes. Medical schools receive your Work/Activities descriptions as plain text. Therefore, formatting options such as bulleted lists, indented paragraphs, and bold/italic fonts do not appear for reviewers and are not available.

  • Select the first option, "Committee Letter." Williams sends out a committee letter with all supporting letters of evaluation for AMCAS applicants.

    • Enter your VE packet once in the AMCAS.
    • Enter Janine Oliver as the "primary author/contact."
    • PLEASE DO NOT LIST INDIVIDUAL LETTER WRITERS.
    • Send the AMCAS Committee Letter Request Form that contains the AMCAS Letter ID to the Health Professions Advising team. The information contained on this form is required for us to be able to submit your committee materials to the application service.

      • Committee letters are submitted throughout the summer. More information and instructions will be provided throughout the application cycle.

    • You are required to submit an essay in the Personal Comments Essay section. You must complete two additional essays if you apply to an MD-PhD program: the MD-PhD Essay and the Significant Research Experience Essay. You also need to enter your total hours of research experience.

      Personal Comments Essay

      Use the Personal Comments Essay as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Consider and write your Personal Comments Essay carefully; many admission committees place significant weight on the essay. Here are some questions that you may want to consider while writing the essay:

      • Why have you selected the field of medicine?
      • What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
      • What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn’t been disclosed in other sections of the application?

         In addition, you may wish to include information such as:

      • Unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits
      • Comments on significant fluctuations in your academic record that are not explained elsewhere in your application

    • Refer to the most recent AMCAS Applicant Guide for more information and instructions.

      • TRANSCRIPTS (AMCAS): Download your Transcript Request Form(s) as you complete the "Schools Attended" section. Follow the instructions provided on the Registrar's Office website to request your transcript.
    *sourced by AMCAS Guide [source: https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/33/f0/33f0bd3f-9721-43cb-82a2-99332bbda78e/2018_amcas_applicant_guide_web-tags.pdf]