2013-2014 Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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Ok, just kidding. I got another one today. Maybe if you guys got 4, they just really really want you!
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Does anyone know what the pre-secondary screening is like here?
 
I have received information form everyday for the last week now. I hope they show me this much love for secondaries and interview invites :D
 
did you guys get verified to get these informational emails?
 
Am I reading this correctly? So those who are offered an invitation to complete a secondary are guaranteed an interview?

Interviews will be offered after the 2012 AMCAS application has been screened. The Vanderbilt online secondary application is to be completed only by those applicants to whom Vanderbilt has granted an interview. You will receive an invitation by mail inviting you to complete the Vanderbilt online secondary application only if you are selected to interview. You may schedule your interview after you have submitted your secondary application.
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https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/admissions-process
 
aa11 said:
did you guys get verified to get these informational emails?
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Nope, I just got verified yesterday and I received 3 or 4 emails before then.

indianjatt said:
Am I reading this correctly? So those who are offered an invitation to complete a secondary are guaranteed an interview?



https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/admissions-process
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I would say you are reading it correctly. I don't know why more schools don't do this, it has to save a huge amount of time processing through a sea of secondaries.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
indianjatt said:
Am I reading this correctly? So those who are offered an invitation to complete a secondary are guaranteed an interview?

https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/admissions-process
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According to last year's thread, they stopped doing this during the last cycle. Getting a secondary was still a good sign, since it was screened, but not a guarantee for an interview.

From the admissions website:

"July 16, 2012
The earliest date to be invited to complete the secondary application.
The secondary application and letters of recommendation are required for consideration to be interviewed. This is new for the 2013 admissions season."
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Got an email confirming their receipt of my AMCAS.

"If the screening committee approves your application, an invitation to complete our secondary application and submit your letters of recommendation will be emailed to you. After both items have been received the interview committee will select applicants to be invited for an interview. A letter will be sent to the preferred address listed on your AMCAS application notifying you of the interview committee decision. You can expect to hear from us regarding your application six to eight weeks from the date of transmission of your verified AMCAS application to Vanderbilt."
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They are hoping to give out around 500 interviews, roughly half the amount of last year.
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Pandaeac said:
Does anyone know what the pre-secondary screening is like here?
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Based off what I was told from a student, the lowest sub-score they accepted last year was a 9. The person I spoke with said they look at applicants holistically, however I doubt that's the case. Vandy is pure number based.
 
El Nino said:
Based off what I was told from a student, the lowest sub-score they accepted last year was a 9. The person I spoke with said they look at applicants holistically, however I doubt that's the case. Vandy is pure number based.
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During last year's cycle I received a secondary and my stats are right around Vandy's average. My friend with slightly better stats did not receive a secondary. While I'm sure numbers play a large part in the screening, Vandy is not purely number based.
 
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stkjhu said:
I received a secondary and my stats are right around Vandy's average. My friend with slightly better stats did not receive a secondary. While I'm sure numbers play a large part in the screening Vandy is not purely number based.
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Did you receive the secondary today?
 
Invitation for secondary! Let's get crackin' on this autobiography, haha.
 
jeghaber said:
Hahah yeah..I was doing the crossword when I saw the email notification thing :p
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I have a suspicion the dean sent it out - he emailed me like an hour ago about a question I had. Dean, Director...someone important lol.
 
what? On their website, they said they don't start emailing out secondaries until 7/16?

And that whoever gets secondaries = interview invite?

That's what I read from their website last night
 
Woke up this morning to a secondary :D
 
smokn said:
Anybody else? No secondary here and it concerns me. IS or OS?
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OOS. I wouldn't worry too much just quite yet! It's still rather early in the season :D


The website says it will offer secondaries to ~1/5 of their applicants, and looking at previous MSAR they interviewed 986/5647, so it seems like there might still be some kind of cut after the secondaries as well. The ambiguous wording on their website makes it seem like the secondary and interview are bundled though:

Vanderbilt secondary applications will be sent to about one-fifth of our applicant pool. We will have three faculty members give an independent, holistic review of the AMCAS application in order to decide who will receive a secondary application and Vanderbilt interview. Every applicant will be notified by email regarding whether an interview has been granted or the admissions process has ended for an applicant.
(https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/amcas-application)
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Pandaeac said:
Congrats! Could you post the questions?
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Thanks! Here are the prompts. It looks like they got rid of their diversity essay. No word limits are posted for the remaining two, though in previous years, they were 1200/500. EDIT: Word limits are in fact posted (missed them the first time through, hahah) and are the same as last year.

Write a brief autobiography. As completely and precisely as possible, give a picture of yourself, your family, and events you consider important to you. In doing so, identify the values that are of greatest importance to you. If you have completed your undergraduate education, please comment on what you have done or have been doing since graduation.

Please discuss a challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?
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jeghaber said:
Thanks! Here are the prompts. It looks like they got rid of their diversity essay. No word limits are posted for the remaining two, though in previous years, they were 1200/500. EDIT: Word limits are in fact posted (missed them the first time through, hahah) and are the same as last year.
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Thank you!
 
Hey all,

So I emailed Vanderbilt to check on my app since I had not received ANY email from them (no info email or anything) and this was the response:

"Dear XXXX,

Your application has been received, there were some delays with AMCAS giving us the verified applications this year so our review process is a few weeks delayed. Your application is currently waiting to be reviewed by our Admissions Committee. I apologize for any inconvenience.


Thanks for following up"

Just in case someone else was worried they haven't gotten anything at all. :)
 
NCKSD said:
Hey all,

So I emailed Vanderbilt to check on my app since I had not received ANY email from them (no info email or anything) and this was the response:

"Dear XXXX,

Your application has been received, there were some delays with AMCAS giving us the verified applications this year so our review process is a few weeks delayed. Your application is currently waiting to be reviewed by our Admissions Committee. I apologize for any inconvenience.


Thanks for following up"

Just in case someone else was worried they haven't gotten anything at all. :)
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Are all applicants suppose to receive an email saying they received our primary?? I haven't received ANY form of email either
 
premed2000 said:
Are all applicants suppose to receive an email saying they received our primary?? I haven't received ANY form of email either
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No, thats why I sent them this email. Most schools at least sent me some sort of confirmation or hello, but vanderbilt hadn't. Apparently its normal :)
 
jeghaber said:
Invitation for secondary! Let's get crackin' on this autobiography, haha.
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This autobiography is hard! On one hand, there is tons of space to write... On the other, the prompt is essentially saying "Give us a Sparknotes of your entire life. Go."
 
NCKSD said:
Hey all,

So I emailed Vanderbilt to check on my app since I had not received ANY email from them (no info email or anything) and this was the response:

"Dear XXXX,

Your application has been received, there were some delays with AMCAS giving us the verified applications this year so our review process is a few weeks delayed. Your application is currently waiting to be reviewed by our Admissions Committee. I apologize for any inconvenience.


Thanks for following up"

Just in case someone else was worried they haven't gotten anything at all. :)
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Thank you for checking, it makes me feel much better:)
 
Do you think Vandy gives any preference to medical school legacies? I know for undergrad they treat legacy as a big deal and at some schools it's enough to almost guarantee an interview.

Just wondering, hopefully I can get in on my own merit but with the number of applicants every little bit counts (plus I think my dad would die of happiness if I ended up going here)!
 
Received a secondary last night at midnight. Just received an email saying that Vandy received my AMCAS and is reviewing my primary application and may send me a secondary in the future. Uh...
 
Bauman1535 said:
Received a secondary last night at midnight. Just received an email saying that Vandy received my AMCAS and is reviewing my primary application and may send me a secondary in the future. Uh...
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I just got this message today too. Did everyone get this message?

Also, I didn't receive a secondary, so I guess that bodes ill for my chances, lol
 
Bauman1535 said:
Received a secondary last night at midnight. Just received an email saying that Vandy received my AMCAS and is reviewing my primary application and may send me a secondary in the future. Uh...
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Same thing. Secondary last night and the weird email just now hahah. I assume it's just an automated message.
 
Just got an email saying my app is going through screening process. What a helpful email.
 
3:31PM - receives E-mail from Vandy that my application is being reviewed by the screening committee.

3:53PM - receives secondary

They weren't kidding...
 
Same here. Quick review I guess, lol
 
YamNMangos said:
3:31PM - receives E-mail from Vandy that my application is being reviewed by the screening committee.

3:53PM - receives secondary

They weren't kidding...
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Same here! Just got the secondary invite. Phew. You scared me Vandy
 
From last year's thread, it looks like the first wave of secondaries goes to the super high stats and then other waves will come out--so don't despair if you haven't gotten one yet!
 
are those receiving secondaries today just MD or MD/PhD? Also do you mind sharing your stats? thank you :) :)
 
YamNMangos said:
3:31PM - receives E-mail from Vandy that my application is being reviewed by the screening committee.

3:53PM - receives secondary

They weren't kidding...
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Me too!
 
On an unrelated note, I'm confused about AP credits. They say they don't take any for required courses, but then say they're acceptable in bio/chem/phys. I have AP bio and only 4 hours of bio in college, does that disqualify me?
 
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