Lake Erie (LECOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

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for january interview

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Does anyone have information about the AIS index they use? I just got an email from one of the admissions advisors and they basicallt said consider LECOM and that even if your mcat is low do not worry because the AIS will help you out. They use your act/gpa to calculate the AIS and i entered in my values online and found i was "eligible." anyone know what i am talking about? Also how would they know my act scores? Does the AACOMAS ask you about act scores?
 
Does anyone have information about the AIS index they use? I just got an email from one of the admissions advisors and they basicallt said consider LECOM and that even if your mcat is low do not worry because the AIS will help you out. They use your act/gpa to calculate the AIS and i entered in my values online and found i was "eligible." anyone know what i am talking about? Also how would they know my act scores? Does the AACOMAS ask you about act scores?

Did you just now apply?
 
Does anyone have information about the AIS index they use? I just got an email from one of the admissions advisors and they basicallt said consider LECOM and that even if your mcat is low do not worry because the AIS will help you out. They use your act/gpa to calculate the AIS and i entered in my values online and found i was "eligible." anyone know what i am talking about? Also how would they know my act scores? Does the AACOMAS ask you about act scores?


Here is the best response to the AIS I have seen on SDN and the web. I made the original thread, but I'll cut out the junk for you. You should read the whole post, as it is all valuable to know.


The Academic Index Score (AIS) is a common tool utilized for college admissions in Colorado, Iowa and California. It has also been used for years at the University of Colorado Denver Medical School as admission criteria for their BS/MD program. Students are admitted directly from high school and obviously haven’t had the courses to take the MCAT.

The MCAT was introduced in 1928 as a response to high attrition rates to insure that those who were admitted to medical school would be successful in completing it. It recently underwent major revision, partly based on asking if it was valid in predicting who would make good physicians. It takes more to be a good physician than an MCAT score.

Precedence exists for consideration of alternatives to medical school programs. This can be seen in schools which admit students directly into six year, 3+4 year, and other programs which do not require MCAT scores. These programs utilize high school grade point averages (hsGPA) or class rank, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) scores, in other words, the same criteria as the AIS.

When LECOM designed its Physician Assistant to Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine bridge, a three year program for PAs to earn DO degrees, the PA applicants had an average of about 5 years of clinical experience but as PA curriculum typically does not require physics and often organic chemistry they wanted to look at other criteria. LECOM used the AIS standards in a pilot study with the PAs as an alternative to the MCAT. LECOM followed the outcomes of the PAs who did exceptionally well, so much so that they opened the option of using the AIS as an alternative to the MCAT to everyone.

LECOM now has both options of using the MCAT or the AIS. The accrediting body for osteopathic schools does not dictate what admission criteria is used, it looks at the outcomes like attrition rates. LECOM’s is less than 2%.

Someone posted earlier that not taking the MCAT could put you at a disadvantage in applying to other medical school…absolutely. If you don’t take the MCAT there are only a handful of medical schools you can apply to.

Also, the AIS and MCAT minimums are to qualify for an interview. They don't guarantee admission.
 
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For people on the waitlist, how long do you try to wait until moving on? I have turned down a lot of jobs recently at various labs and companies holding out for getting a seat the past few months. The in between phase really sucks and a few positions seemed very interesting.

I feel ya. I'm in the same boat. Holding out everything on LECOM though!
 
For people on the waitlist, how long do you try to wait until moving on? I have turned down a lot of jobs recently at various labs and companies holding out for getting a seat the past few months. The in between phase really sucks and a few positions seemed very interesting.

I've been on the waitlist since beginning of October last year.

I'm still holding onto hope I'll get accepted into July...even if I have moved cross country by then.
I figure the tuition savings over the 4 years would be worth the hassle and moving costs lost to come back to PA from the West.

It's definitely difficult to commit to anything when everything's still up in the air, but hang in there!
 
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I'm withdrawing my acceptance to the Seton Hill campus. Good luck everyone!
 
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When I called the Seton Hill office two weeks ago, I was told that an email would be sent out soon asking the waitlisted applicants if they would like to remain on the wait list. Has anyone gotten that email yet? Thanks!
 
When I called the Seton Hill office two weeks ago, I was told that an email would be sent out soon asking the waitlisted applicants if they would like to remain on the wait list. Has anyone gotten that email yet? Thanks!
Nope.
 
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Here's to another week of waiting for the mail!
 
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When I called the Seton Hill office two weeks ago, I was told that an email would be sent out soon asking the waitlisted applicants if they would like to remain on the wait list. Has anyone gotten that email yet? Thanks!

I'm on the waitlist for both Erie/SH.
Erie sent out this email at the end of Feb, but not sure if SH would send me this email since I interviewed at Erie.
 
When I called the Seton Hill office two weeks ago, I was told that an email would be sent out soon asking the waitlisted applicants if they would like to remain on the wait list. Has anyone gotten that email yet? Thanks!
I did not receive such an email. When did they tell you they would send it? Did they say this week or just "soon"?
 
Waitlisted people, what does your portal currently say? I interviewed at SH, and it's been blank since the day I received the surprise waitlist letter. I'm hoping Amy Rowe received my signed letter to be on the waitlist last month...
 
Waitlisted people, what does your portal currently say? I interviewed at SH, and it's been blank since the day I received the surprise waitlist letter. I'm hoping Amy Rowe received my signed letter to be on the waitlist last month...

I'm sure she received it. I called them, and they said mine was received. My portal status has been blank too, so that doesn't matter.
 
Does anyone know how difficult the post bac program was? Did most people who did the post bac get into LECOM?
 
Waitlisted people, what does your portal currently say? I interviewed at SH, and it's been blank since the day I received the surprise waitlist letter. I'm hoping Amy Rowe received my signed letter to be on the waitlist last month...

My portal says something like, "we've received your confirmation to be on the wait list. Wait list seats can open from now until the first day of classes."
 
Just received an email about staying on the wait list. So I'm guessing wait list movement will happen soon.
 
Just received an email about staying on the wait list. So I'm guessing wait list movement will happen soon.
Yep. I got the same email. And I've heard from my friend who did the post-bac program this past year that it was pretty difficult. And he was a dude that was all about studying. He said a large portion of the post-bac class this past year seemed to be more focused on partying and relationships than doing well in the classes. So we will have to see exactly how many spots the post-bac students will take up but I think a large portion will go unfilled
 
Just received an email about staying on the wait list. So I'm guessing wait list movement will happen soon.

Kinda forgot I was still on LECOM's wait list after getting an acceptance elsewhere.


Just withdrew from it.

Hopefully one of you guys move on up in the pecking order! ;)
 
Doesn't specify. This is exactly what my email says:

Hello,

We are contacting you today regarding your waitlist position for the LECOM medical program. The admissions office would like to keep our waitlist up-to-date and we would request that you contact us via email if you are no longer interested in being considered. Your application will only be withdrawn if you respond to this email with a request to do so.

PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN ON THE WAITLIST!If we do not here from you, we will assume that this is the case.

We understand that the waitlist process can be long and that you would like to have more information regarding your status on the waitlist. We receive many requests for updates and inquiries as to when waitlisted applicants will hear back. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if or when accepted students will withdraw and seats will become available. Please understand that we will contact you as soon as we know if there is a seat available for you, but until then, we will not have updates to your individual status. We will notify you with an updated letter in the mail if you are offered admission. We will continue to fill available seats until the start of the semester.

Thank you,

LECOM Admissions Staff

[email protected]

[email protected]

Phone: 814-866-6641

Fax: 814-866-8123

I interviewed at Erie though.

EDIT: Interviewed at Erie in mid March, alternate/waitlisted right around first week of April.
 
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I haven't received an email like that, but that may be because they already know that I want to be on the waitlist when I sent them the signed letter last month.
 
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I haven't received an email like that, but that may be because they already know that I want to be on the waitlist when I sent them the signed letter last month.
I also didn't receive an email about this, but I interviewed at Seton Hill and I am currently on the Seton Hill waitlist. Did any other people on the Seton Hill waitlist receive an email like this?
 
I also didn't receive an email about this, but I interviewed at Seton Hill and I am currently on the Seton Hill waitlist. Did any other people on the Seton Hill waitlist receive an email like this?
Ditto for interviewing at SH.
 
Likewise here for another SH interviewee regarding the waitlist email. I also have the blank admissions status in my portal and when I inquired about it I was told that I shouldn't be concerned.
 
Likewise here for another SH interviewee regarding the waitlist email. I also have the blank admissions status in my portal and when I inquired about it I was told that I shouldn't be concerned.

That almost sounds like good news! (I'm wishfully thinking for you)
 
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Yep. I got the same email. And I've heard from my friend who did the post-bac program this past year that it was pretty difficult. And he was a dude that was all about studying. He said a large portion of the post-bac class this past year seemed to be more focused on partying and relationships than doing well in the classes. So we will have to see exactly how many spots the post-bac students will take up but I think a large portion will go unfilled

I wasn't in the post-bacc program but I heard that it was pretty hard as well - it's essentially the first year of med school (which is hard as is) but just passing isn't enough, GPA matters a lot. Also, unlike in college where you can pass with minimal work in a lot of classes (ie show up, participate a little, do your homework, do some studying), you'll work your ass off just to pass here, and then gotta push yourself way beyond that to do really well GPA wise. For anyone going the post-bacc route, don't slack off - it's really easy to get poor grades or fail classes especially if you're just fresh out of undergrad and treating it the same way as regular undergrad classes. For anyone on the wait-list, best of luck! It's been a long process and I hope you get the acceptances that many of you deserve.
 
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Hey guys just wanted to see if I could give you some perspective and boost your spirits some:

I just got accepted!! I interviewed on literally the last day. Hadn't sent in my secondary until April after some mix-ups.

Sgpa: 3.7, cgpa: 3.9, 25mcat

I obviously don't know how many spots there are etc, but if I can get in so late in the game then I feel there's hope for everyone still!
 
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Hey guys just wanted to see if I could give you some perspective and boost your spirits some:

I just got accepted!! I interviewed on literally the last day. Hadn't sent in my secondary until April after some mix-ups.

Sgpa: 3.7, cgpa: 3.9, 25mcat

I obviously don't know how many spots there are etc, but if I can get in so late in the game then I feel there's hope for everyone still!

Wow that's great! Congrats
 
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