Choose Your Medical School Tool Guide for Applicants

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This guide provides AMCAS® applicants with step-by-step instructions for accessing, using, and editing

selections in the Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) tool.

Where can I access the CYMS tool?

ONCE YOU RECEIVE AN ACCEPTANCE, the CYMS tool is available in the AMCAS web application as

a banner or “Quick Links” button. You will not be able to see the link to access the CYMS tool until

you receive an acceptance. Follow the steps below to access the CYMS tool:

Step 1: Log in to the AMCAS Web Application

• Go to the AMCAS web application (https://amcas.aamc.org/amcas/) and log in with your

credentials.

• Once logged in, you will land on the Application Year Selection page (refer to Figure 1).

Step 2: Access the Relevant Application Year

• Select the relevant application year from the Application Year Selection page (refer to Figure 1).

Figure 1. Application Year Selection Page

Step 3: Access the Choose Your Medical School Tool

• On the main menu page (refer to Figure 2), the CYMS tool can be accessed in two ways:

o Banner at the top of the page

o Button in the “Quick Links” section

• Select the link in either the banner or “Quick Links” button to access the CYMS tool.

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Figure 2. Main Menu

Step 4: Overview of the Choose Your Medical School Landing Page and the Admissions Decisions

Dashboard

• The Choose Your Medical School Admissions Decisions Dashboard displays the latest admission

actions on file with AMCAS from all schools where an applicant initially held an acceptance or

alternate list offer during the cycle (refer to Figure 3).

• See the Appendix for more details about the dashboard.

Figure 3. Overview of the CYMS Landing Page and Admission Decisions Dashboard

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Step 5: Make Your CYMS Selection

• Click the “Make a Selection” button, as shown in Figure 3 on the CYMS landing page.

• From February 20 to April 29, you will be able to select only “Plan to Enroll” in the CYMS tool at

one school (refer to Figure 4).

• “Commit to Enroll” will be available in the tool starting on April 30.

• On or after April 30, you will be able to select either “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” at one

school (refer to Figure 4 for the difference between “Plan to Enroll” and “Commit to Enroll).

• Important Notes:

o You cannot select “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” to multiple medical schools (or

at the same time) but you can edit your selection.

o You must acknowledge you understand the option you selected, your responsibilities to

communicate, and the importance of following school-specific policies before your

selection can be submitted.

o Selecting “Commit to Enroll” does not automatically withdraw applications from other

medical schools. You must communicate your final decisions directly with all schools

where you applied according to each school’s specific policy.

Figure 4. CYMS Selection Page

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Step 6: Submit Your CYMS Selection

• On the confirmation page (refer to Figure 5), select the “Submit” button to submit your CYMS

selection.

Figure 5. CYMS Confirmation Page

After Submitting Your Selection

• Once you submit your selection, you will return to the CYMS landing page where you will see

confirmation of your “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection (refer to Figure 6).

Figure 6. CYMS Landing Page with Admissions Decisions Table

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How can I edit my CYMS selection?

• Access the CYMS tool from the AMCAS web application main menu via the banner or “Quick Links”

button.

• You will be directed to the current landing page (refer to Figure 7).

• To edit your “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection, use the “Edit Selection” button.

• Use the “Edit Selection” button to:

o Change from “Plan to Enroll” to “Commit to Enroll” at the same school (e.g., you currently

have “Plan to Enroll” selected at Medical School A and want to change it to “Commit to

Enroll” at Medical School A). *Note: you can begin selecting “Commit to Enroll” beginning

April 30.

o Change your “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection from one school to another

school (e.g., “Plan to Enroll” is currently selected for Medical School A, but you want to

change your “Plan to Enroll” selection to Medical School B)

Figure 7. Edit Selection – CYMS Landing Page and Admissions Decisions Table

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How can I reset my CYMS selection?

• Access the CYMS tool from the AMCAS web application main menu via the banner or “Quick Links”

button.

• You will be directed to the current landing page.

• To reset your “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection, use the “Reset Selection” button

(refer to Figure 8).

• You will then be asked to confirm whether you want to reset or keep your current selection.

• Reminder: Selecting “Reset Selection” will clear your “Current Selection” of either “Plan to Enroll”

or “Commit to Enroll” to “No Selection Made.”

Figure 8. Reset Selection – CYMS Landing Page and Admissions Decisions Table

What is the difference between “Edit Selection” and “Reset Selection”?

• Use “Edit Selection” to:

o Change from “Plan to Enroll” to “Commit to Enroll” at the same school (e.g., you currently have

“Plan to Enroll” selected at Medical School A and want to change it to “Commit to Enroll” at

Medical School A). *Note: you can begin selecting “Commit to Enroll” beginning April 30.

o Change your “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection from one school to another school

(e.g., “Plan to Enroll” is currently selected for Medical School A, but you want to change your

“Plan to Enroll” selection to Medical School B).

• Use “Reset Selection” to:

o Remove your current “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” section

o Note: Selecting “Reset Selection” will clear your “Current Selection” of either “Plan to Enroll”

or “Commit to Enroll” to “No Selection Made” (you will then not have “Plan to Enroll” or

“Commit to Enroll” selected for any school).

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• Notes:

o To edit or reset your current Choose Your Medical School section, access the CYMS tool from

the AMCAS web application main menu via the banner or “Quick Links.”

o Once you click on “Edit Selection,” you will be redirected to the Choose Your Medical School

selection page where you can make the necessary change to your earlier selection (refer to

Figure 4).

o After clicking on “Reset Selection,” your current Choose Your Medical School selection will be

cleared and you will be redirected to the Choose Your Medical School: Action History page

(refer to Figure 9).

Figure 9. CYMS: Action History Page

How can I learn more about the CYMS tool?

Visit the Choose Your Medical School website for additional resources to learn more about the tool.

Important Reminders

• Follow school-specific policies and procedures.

o You should use the tool at the direction of the schools to which you have applied. The

CYMS tool is not the primary method of communication between you and medical

schools. It is important to review and follow each school's application instructions,

policies, deadlines, and requirements. We recommend visiting each school's admissions

website, checking the Medical School Admission Requirements™ website, and directly

communicating with the schools where you applied to make sure you understand and

follow their specific instructions.

• Review the Application and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants.

o The guiding principles for professional behavior during the application cycle are set forth

in the Application and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants. These guidelines are not

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intended to supersede the policies, timelines, or discretion of individual schools or

programs. However, they do provide you with a sense of the professionalism medical

schools expect from applicants.

• Withdraw your application from the school(s) where you do not intend to matriculate

o Selecting “Commit to Enroll” does not automatically withdraw applications from other

medical schools. Applicants must communicate their final decisions directly with all schools

where they applied according to each school’s specific policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why don’t I see the links to access the CYMS tool even though I have received an acceptance?

o If the medical school has not communicated your acceptance to AMCAS, the acceptance

will not be reflected in the web application for you to access the CYMS tool. Please

contact the medical school directly to ensure it has submitted the relevant admission

decision to AMCAS.

• What information can schools see starting April 30?

o Starting April 30, schools that have offered you an acceptance or alternate list offer will

be able to identify their applicants’ “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll” selection.

This applicant-specific information will be visible only to schools where the applicant

has a current acceptance or alternate list position. If an applicant selects “Commit to

Enroll” to a school, all other schools where the applicant also holds an acceptance or

alternate list offer will be notified but will not know the name of the school selected.

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Appendix

Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) Admissions Decisions Dashboard

The Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) Admissions Decisions Dashboard was developed for applicants to

provide visibility into and streamline the process of organizing admissions decisions. It allows an accepted

applicant to see the latest admission actions submitted to AMCAS by all medical schools where the

applicant initially held an acceptance or alternate list offer. The dashboard can also be used as an aid to the

CYMS tool when selecting “Plan to Enroll” and “Commit to Enroll.”

Accessing the CYMS Admissions Decisions Dashboard

• To view the CYMS Admissions Decision Dashboard, an applicant must first have access to the

Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) tool in the AMCAS web application.

• The CYMS tool and Admissions Decisions Dashboard become available within the AMCAS web

application when an applicant has at least one (1) current acceptance from a medical school. If an

acceptance has not been received, the tool and dashboard will not be visible within the AMCAS web

application.

• The CYMS tool and dashboard can be accessed in the AMCAS web application via the banner or

“Quick Links” button.

Using the CYMS Admissions Decisions Dashboard

• Upon accessing the CYMS tool, you will be taken to the CYMS landing page (top of Figure 9), which

houses the Admissions Decision Dashboard (bottom of Figure 10).

• The Admissions Decision Dashboard will show the current admission decision on file with AMCAS

for all the schools where the applicant initially held an acceptance or alternate list offer.

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Figure 10. Choose Your Medical School Landing Page and Admissions Decision Dashboard

Timeline

• Acceptance decisions are shown in real-time when submitted by medical schools to AMCAS.

• Alternate list actions are shown within 24 hours of submission by the medical school. The table

refreshes overnight; any changes to same-day decisions may not be visible until the next day.

Admissions Decisions Glossary

• The following list defines the decisions that will be visible to applicants who can view the dashboard

(refer to Figure 11).

• In order for data to be reflected within the dashboard, medical schools must submit their

admissions decisions to AMCAS.

• If a communicated acceptance or alternate list decision is not visible for an applicant who is able to

access the tool, the applicant should communicate the discrepancy to the school.

• Applicants should use the CYMS tool at the direction of the schools where they have applied and

communicate directly with the schools to make sure they understand what actions to take as

follow-up to their admissions decision.

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Admission Decision

Description Text

Accepted

This medical school has reported an offer of acceptance to AMCAS.

Alternate List

This medical school has reported that you are on their Alternate

List/Waitlist.

Applicant Deferred to

Future Class

The date you are scheduled to start medical school has been delayed to

the next admissions cycle.

Application No Longer

Under Consideration

This medical school has not offered you a seat in their entering class.

Application Withdrawn

After Acceptance

This medical school has communicated to AMCAS that you withdrew

your application.

Enrolled in Pre-

Matriculation Program

This medical school has enrolled you in a program that offers exposure

to key aspects of first-year learning and eases the transition into the

M.D. Program curriculum.

Matriculated

This medical school has reported you as matriculated in AMCAS.

Program Changes to Regular

The program type for this specific medical school application was

changed to Regular MD from another program type.

Figure 11. Admissions Decisions Glossary