2008-2009 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Secondary Application Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Verified on 6/13, but I think they actually sent em out on the 24th, so that's sort of irrelevant I suppose.

I get a bad feeling about my chances at VCU after having seen some of the accounts of rejections posted by other people from California.

I suppose I'll hope for a secondary invite, but be ready for an outright rejection.

Thanks for the response.

VCU is a great school and I'm really hoping I'd get in. The new Critical Care Tower is really nice. Richmond is pretty cool, too.

When was your app verified? Mine was verified on 6/30. I think that they review them in the order they were received. I just got an invite for the secondary tonight (6:04 pm). I'm so relieved I wasn't screened out!

Members don't see this ad.
 
I was screened out last year, but I got a secondary invite this year.
My stats are not stellar either. I am OOS.
 
I would think that'd be more of an issue with UVA. :O Does VCU have a big thing against the hokies as well??

Yeah I went to UVA if you couldnt tell. That's where the jab came from. Old rivalries die hard. VCU doesn't have anything against the Hokies. That said, there are 29 Cavaliers and 3 Hokies in my class. At least we can win at something.

As a side note, they have a deadline! It's 60 days from receiving the secondary (although they state in the instructions that it's only 45 days). My deadline is 9/5/2007, but I should have it completed by the end of this week.

They will give you an extension if you ask for it- in case anyone needs it.

I get a bad feeling about my chances at VCU after having seen some of the accounts of rejections posted by other people from California.

Traditionally at VCU, California is the best represented state of the OOS group. In my class they make up a quarter of the OOS group. Of all the universities represented in my class, both IS and OOS, Berkley and UCI make the top 7. Note that Va Tech does not make the top 7 even though they are instate (sorry couldnt help it).
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Anybody else complete yet? I'm quite pleased that they didn't even put me on hold because I don't have my MCAT yet (it says right on the front page that they will put you on hold w/o an MCAT score). Maybe they know something I don't. :D
 
Anyone know if you can submit more than the 3 required LORs??
 
Im complete....pretty quick since i Only sent them in sunday night/monday morning.
 
About how many days passed between the email notifying they received your AMCAS and an invitation for a secondary or rejection?
 
About how many days passed between the email notifying they received your AMCAS and an invitation for a secondary or rejection?
I think just two days for me. I'm IS though.
 
About how many days passed between the email notifying they received your AMCAS and an invitation for a secondary or rejection?

I was verified in mid-June and in the first batch of applications, yet I have still not been reviewed - I think that I got the VCU email on 7/2/2008. I am OOS though.
 
Hmm...it's been three days since they've received my AMCAS, i'm IS, and still no progress...
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I was verified in mid-June and in the first batch of applications, yet I have still not been reviewed - I think that I got the VCU email on 7/2/2008. I am OOS though.

Yea, I am OOS as well and heard from them 7/2 as well. I guess we are in similar boats. I was just getting a bit worried since it looked like I was going to receive a pre-secondary rejection. Hopefully not though!
 
FYI.. Im an OOS (Cali) and I just got a secondary 5 min ago..

Stats

3.0 CHem Eng GPA
3.85 Masters in Science

34S (13p/12b/9v)
 
About how many days passed between the email notifying they received your AMCAS and an invitation for a secondary or rejection?

On 7/2/08 they give me
"The School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University on the Medical College of Virginia Campus has received your preliminary application from AMCAS. Your application will be reviewed by a subcommittee. Decisions are made at that point as to which candidates will be granted supplemental application from us. It has always been our committee's policy to grant supplemental applications only to those candidates who are deemed competitive within our applicant pool.

Depending on the volume of applications coming from AMCAS it may take several weeks to complete the initial review of your application. Thank you for your interest in our school and best of luck with the application process."

since then nothing.
 
On 7/2/08 they give me
"The School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University on the Medical College of Virginia Campus has received your preliminary application from AMCAS. Your application will be reviewed by a subcommittee. Decisions are made at that point as to which candidates will be granted supplemental application from us. It has always been our committee's policy to grant supplemental applications only to those candidates who are deemed competitive within our applicant pool.

Depending on the volume of applications coming from AMCAS it may take several weeks to complete the initial review of your application. Thank you for your interest in our school and best of luck with the application process."

since then nothing.

I got the same email on 7/2 as well. However at about 6:00EST I received the permission to complete the secondary. I am OOS, therefore you should be getting reviewed soon enough. Good luck!!
 
I was verified on July 2nd, and got the e-mail that same day. It sounds like everyone who was verified on or before July 2nd got the standard e-mail on July 2nd. Am I right?

If that's true, then I don't understand how they're reviewing all the primaries. Some OOS people have already received a secondary, while some IS haven't heard anything. hmm...
 
I was verified on July 2nd, and got the e-mail that same day. It sounds like everyone who was verified on or before July 2nd got the standard e-mail on July 2nd. Am I right?

If that's true, then I don't understand how they're reviewing all the primaries. Some OOS people have already received a secondary, while some IS haven't heard anything. hmm...

you ever go shopping, like something, and decided you want to buy it. Some things you don like, and you dont buy them....

some things your not to sure on, and put them in the "maybe pile"

we my friend, are in the "maybe pile". I believe it hurts our chances for interviewing too, but that remains to be seen. The last OOS who posted had a better MCAT/GPA + really good EC's and even reading through a little bit of his mdapps he seemed like a generally nice guy. we'll see what they think of us soon i hope :oops:
 
About how many days passed between the email notifying they received your AMCAS and an invitation for a secondary or rejection?
One or two days for me....and then one business day after I submitted they verified me.
 
i got my secondary today, oos and not amazing stats (see my mdapps)...i got one last year as well. it sure seems random.
 
you ever go shopping, like something, and decided you want to buy it. Some things you don like, and you dont buy them....

some things your not to sure on, and put them in the "maybe pile"

we my friend, are in the "maybe pile". I believe it hurts our chances for interviewing too, but that remains to be seen. The last OOS who posted had a better MCAT/GPA + really good EC's and even reading through a little bit of his mdapps he seemed like a generally nice guy. we'll see what they think of us soon i hope :oops:

If you were referring to me, I appreciate the compliment. I am sure that you will be fine, you have a solid app. as well. Good luck!:)
 
Yeah, still no word from them for me. I don't have 'stellar' stats myself as well.
 
So I was rejected today, blah! One down, lol :)
Wow, bummer man! At least you didn't have to pony up for a secondary though, I guess. I'm still waiting, so who knows.

Good luck with the rest of them.
 
I got their email about reviewing the apps before sending out secondary invites on 7/7 and haven't heard back about a secondary. I'm OOS as well. I would also rather be rejected outright then jerked around and allowed to give them money.:D
 
I was verified on July 2nd, and got the e-mail that same day. It sounds like everyone who was verified on or before July 2nd got the standard e-mail on July 2nd. Am I right?

If that's true, then I don't understand how they're reviewing all the primaries. Some OOS people have already received a secondary, while some IS haven't heard anything. hmm...

Primaries are reviewed by a 'file reviewer' who is on the Adcom. All adcom members have actual jobs- deans, doctors etc. Depending on their work load it may take one file reviewer longer than it takes another.
 
each app is reviewed by a seperate person? Wow, that's goign to take a long time.

Anyone have any ideas on what to write for their supplemental essay? What exactly are they looking for? Its so open ended!
 
each app is reviewed by a seperate person? Wow, that's goign to take a long time.

Anyone have any ideas on what to write for their supplemental essay? What exactly are they looking for? Its so open ended!
I wrote about things I do outside of academics, volunteer, medical related, etc.
 
just got my secondary from vcu a few minutes ago.. stats are not stellar also, and i'm oos from CA. 3.34 science 3.62 cum 30 mcat 10, 10, 10 with probably above average extracurriculars (emt 2.5 years, volunteer cpr instructor 2 years, 6 months emt/bls instructor, and started up my own fraternity to name the big ones...)
 
If you were referring to me, I appreciate the compliment. I am sure that you will be fine, you have a solid app. as well. Good luck!:)

yeah i was referring to you:). I saw that you were married at 22 and really happy about it and were looking for a place so your wife can move with you.

Im in the same boat acutally, I've been dating my gf for two and half years now, we get along very well, and plan to get married summer of next year. So i am hoping to get into medical school in Southern California, that way she has the most options in graduate school when she's finished. Or else shes gona finish school and move where ever i move. Goodluck with your secondary, i do hope i get one soon....the process is kind of dragging with them.
 
Finally got a secondary...YES YES YES YES YES! very exciting. I feel wanted :D While the luck is still fresh, an interview would be wonderful...
 
no secondary here- it wasn't really one i was feeling anyways though... I was OOS with a lower BCPM and no MCAT score yet. I have really good EC's too... thanks for saving me time and money!
 
Got my secondary and sent it in earlier today! woo!!

Stats are on my MDApps profile if you want to comment. (Going MD/PhD)
 
Finally got a secondary...YES YES YES YES YES! very exciting. I feel wanted :D While the luck is still fresh, an interview would be wonderful...

:smuggrin: hurrray! your off the maybe pile! they wanted to buy you!! :) Goodluck on your essay!

I'm still waiting....:oops:
 
no secondary here- it wasn't really one i was feeling anyways though... I was OOS with a lower BCPM and no MCAT score yet. I have really good EC's too... thanks for saving me time and money!

They rejected you before they got your MCAT scores? That's pretty weird. Sorry.
 
Got one! Probably shouldn't feel so great about that, but I am just glad I wasn't rejected.

Does anyone know what they are looking for with regards to the specialty question? Any VCU students?

Also, will they take AP credit to fill a prereq (English)? Checked the website and couldn't find anything, which I am thinking means yes.
 
is it just me or does anyone else find writing another "insightful essay about ourself" incredibly difficult? I'm thinking over this secondary as if it were another personal statement! am i making too big a deal over this?
 
:smuggrin: hurrray! your off the maybe pile! they wanted to buy you!! :) Goodluck on your essay!

I'm still waiting....:oops:

Good luck to you too:luck: -- let us know if you get that secondary!

wait a minute.....what is that little face before "hurray"....? that's not very nice :mad: But i understand...It was pretty funny
 
is it just me or does anyone else find writing another "insightful essay about ourself" incredibly difficult? I'm thinking over this secondary as if it were another personal statement! am i making too big a deal over this?


I know....I thought my PS was pretty insightful...I don't know how much more insight I can give!
 
do u think ad com will mind if we're well short of 500 words? i didn't notice how much that was until i started this essay and recently checked word count. I've been working on this for a while and think i've already said all i can, but i'm quite short of that 500 word mark.
 
Good luck to you too:luck: -- let us know if you get that secondary!

wait a minute.....what is that little face before "hurray"....? that's not very nice :mad: But i understand...It was pretty funny

:smuggrin:<-just always wanted to use that. I like the big smile at the end!


:scared:<-getting tired of using this one!

still nothing.
 
For those of you who submitted the VCU secondary.

How long was your second essay? The prompt says it has a limited space, but I copied over 5000 charachters and there didn't seem to be any problems.
 
What are you guys thinking for the specialty question?
 
:smuggrin:<-just always wanted to use that. I like the big smile at the end!


:scared:<-getting tired of using this one!

still nothing.

I haven't heard anything either!!! I'm getting so frustrated. Since you lost your "haven't heard anything yet" buddy a few days ago, I figured I'd let you know that you're not alone in waiting!!

P.S. And since I'm from Merced...even more reason to be friends! Central Valley folks have to stick together :laugh:
 
I haven't heard yet either, everytime I open my email I keep expecting to see that rejection email...:( Hopefully we all hear soon!
 
I submitted my app and LOR's last night and got a message this afternoon that said I was complete.

The essay I wrote was only about 250 words, half the max. I don't like to just fill in space because it's there. I figure quality > quantity. Also, I wrote about something non-medical. Just something that was interesting about me.

As far as specialty question. I answered truthfully. I don't have my mind made up yet, but am most interested at this point in primary care or EM.
 
in regards to the question that asks about lapses in education, does this only refer to slips in our grades while we were undergrads? I've already graduated and i have this whole year, off, so i was wondering whetherthis question refers also to what i'll be doing this next year?
 
I haven't heard anything either!!! I'm getting so frustrated. Since you lost your "haven't heard anything yet" buddy a few days ago, I figured I'd let you know that you're not alone in waiting!!

P.S. And since I'm from Merced...even more reason to be friends! Central Valley folks have to stick together :laugh:

Merced! :)

Wasn't it nice today? only 102 degrees. Man I was loving it!

Hope you hear something soon....something positive I hope! Goodluck with your apps, message me on MDAPPS if you want so we "stick together"!

:scared:<- anyone else see tweak from South Park?
 
Still haven't heard anything from VCU. They are apparently still reviewing my application. I would have thought I would have either been rejected or given the secondary by now. Anybody else in the same boat?
 
Still haven't heard anything from VCU. They are apparently still reviewing my application. I would have thought I would have either been rejected or given the secondary by now. Anybody else in the same boat?

yeah i have been for a while. I checked my status this morning and there was no change. I called the office and they said they reviewed my application today, and i should receive an email to complete a secondary at 6pm tonight. :D:D:D:D:D

pretty happy about that. Maybe you should call as well? I'm starting to think they do it in alphabetical order, using the last name. Mine starts with a "S" so maybe thats why?!?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top