Philadelphia COM - Philadelphia (PCOM) Discussion Thread 2014 - 2015

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Wow just freaked out a bit... got an email from PCOM Admissions about a cocktail reception in my city! Thought it was an II :( Still going!!!

Haha I've had a similar reaction every time I have gotten a complete email.

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How much weight does this school put on MCAT score
 
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Do they send you a confirmation email when your app is complete?
 
Then how do we know if we are complete?
When I go on the portal, all I see is the empty sec app..
They won't send you the complete email, just the secondary received email which has info to get on your portal! As per the directions, it can take 15 days to get things on your portal and you're deemed complete when all required items are marked as received.
 
They won't send you the complete email, just the secondary received email which has info to get on your portal! As per the directions, it can take 15 days to get things on your portal and you're deemed complete when all required items are marked as received.

Thank you. How long does it take to get the email for my portal? I submitted my sec app almost one week ago.
 
Then how do we know if we are complete?
When I go on the portal, all I see is the empty sec app..
I went from submitting the secondary to receiving the II, just look for a date to be next to all your required items on the portal
 
Does anyone know what the Interview format is like????
 
Does anyone know what the Interview format is like????

"Interviews begin in September and continue until
the end of March. PCOM conducts a panel interview
that includes the applicant, an Admissions
Officer, and at least one other member of the
Faculty Committee on Admissions, which may
include an osteopathic physician, a student or a
basic scientist. It is an open file interview with
laptops, and generally lasts about one half-hour."
 
Has anyone figured out what is the cheapest PCOM rate Hotel?
 
I just read a few older posts from people who were scrambling to find third LOR's from science faculty and I am now coming to this problem myself (bit of a late start here). Can anyone update me on how that went for you? I am slightly non-trad and I only have one LOR from an undergraduate science professor and I have two from my bosses in a research lab, however neither of those letter writers taught me in a course. I can't think of any possible way to contact another professor from undergrad. Am I screwed? I think it would be ridiculous for me to not be able to apply to this school because of non-traditional letters....
 
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I just read a few older posts from people who were scrambling to find third LOR's from science faculty and I am now coming to this problem myself (bit of a late start here). Can anyone update me on how that went for you? I am slightly non-trad and I only have one LOR from an undergraduate science professor and I have two from my bosses in a research lab, however neither of those letter writers taught me in a course. I can't think of any possible way to contact another professor from undergrad. Am I screwed? I think it would be ridiculous for me to not be able to apply to this school because of non-traditional letters....

Talk to admissions; I have definitely heard of requirements like this being waived for non-trad students at some schools.
 
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Talk to admissions; I have definitely heard of requirements like this being waived for non-trad students at some schools.

Thanks, hopefully they'll accept it for me. The two letters from my employers are stronger than any undergraduate prof letter would be... it's certainly interesting that they are so strict in this regard
 
Thanks, hopefully they'll accept it for me. The two letters from my employers are stronger than any undergraduate prof letter would be... it's certainly interesting that they are so strict in this regard
They will not waive the requirement. I had all my letters but my friend only had two letters, they said she could submit other letters but without the required letters she could not go for review. She was not able to complete her file here last year.
 
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They will not waive the requirement. I had all my letters but my friend only had two letters, they said she could submit other letters but without the required letters she could not go for review. She was not able to complete her file here last year.

Thank you for your reply. I would have been devastated if this happened to me... so I am in the process of contacting old professors now. Hopefully they feel like helping out an old student!
 
For clarity here is what my status page shows me...

Requirements

Requirement Received Note Status
Application Fee Aug 18, 2014
Pre-Health Advsr/Committee Ltr
MCAT Scores Aug 06, 2012
Supplemental Application Aug 18, 2014
Additional Information Received
Document Received Note Status
DO-Letter of Recommendation 1 Aug 18, 2014
LOR Sci Faculty 1 Aug 26, 2014
LOR Sci Faculty 2 Aug 26, 2014

Would you let me know how I can access status updates for my application? I completed my secondary last week, but haven't received a complete email from PCOM. Thank you.
 
Would you let me know how I can access status updates for my application? I completed my secondary last week, but haven't received a complete email from PCOM. Thank you.
You will receive an email with user ID and password from PCOM after your secondary is processed. Mine came 2 or 3 weeks after I submitted.
 
did anyone else get an email today saying their app is still incomplete even after you've finished everything? i even logged in to check and everything has been received except the pre-health committee letter but i gave them 3 faculty LORs instead which have been marked as received.
 
Would you let me know how I can access status updates for my application? I completed my secondary last week, but haven't received a complete email from PCOM. Thank you.
They say to allow at least 15 business days for things to add to our applications, but it could be taking longer because of the time of year.
 
did anyone else get an email today saying their app is still incomplete even after you've finished everything? i even logged in to check and everything has been received except the pre-health committee letter but i gave them 3 faculty LORs instead which have been marked as received.
I am in the same boat. I am gonna call
Today
 
N
You will probably get a better response if you email, they are pretty quick on the answers these days

Nevermind. I actually wasn't complete. I thought we had to send in two science lor and a DO letter. Apparently we need 3 faculty lor. I just sent in two more faculty letters via Interfolio.
 
Interviewing here tomorrow! Anyone have an idea of how interview day is set up? Interviews first then tour or vice versa?
 
Finally got the secondary yesterday! Submitted today, 9/18. 3.51/3.35/30(11/9/10) come on philly show me some love!
 
Can someone post the secondary? Tried to search but couldn't find it :/
 
Can someone post the secondary? Tried to search but couldn't find it :/

1. Noting the mission and objectives of the Osteopathic profession and PCOM, please describe your personal characteristics that demonstrate your interest in this field. Include an example of an event in which your actions directly influenced the life of another person and relate this to your goal of becoming a DO. (250 words)
 
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Can anyone who interviewed already share their experience? I have one coming up and would like to know what to expect.. :)
 
Has anyone received an invite for an interview at PCOM who did not enroll in the early decision program?
 
Did you send your secondary out early? =D I sent mine out 8/1!

So sory for the late response, but yes, I submitted my secondary within a week of receiving it (received on July 18, file completed on July 23rd). I received an email invite, and no other interview date options were provided.
 
Hey guys! PCOM is a top choice, but I'm not too sure of my stats! sGPA undergrad was really low, about 2.98 and cGPA was 3.1. MCAT is 27 (9 PS, 8VR, 10BS). I did a one year masters in biomed sciences and have a 3.6 GPA. AACOMAS cumulates the whole thing, which brings my sGPA to just a 3.01 :depressed:and cGPA to 3.1. I'm wondering how heavily the weigh just the grad vs. the cumulative, simply because when you add it all together, my hard-work from the past year is barely visible.

I gave in my II a few days after receiving it. My application was completed by 8/5. I have good EC and a pre-committee letter. What do you guys think!? Do I have a shot? (NY Resident)

Thank you!
 
Anyone have any predictions about when more invites might go out?
 
Hey guys! PCOM is a top choice, but I'm not too sure of my stats! sGPA undergrad was really low, about 2.98 and cGPA was 3.1. MCAT is 27 (9 PS, 8VR, 10BS). I did a one year masters in biomed sciences and have a 3.6 GPA. AACOMAS cumulates the whole thing, which brings my sGPA to just a 3.01 :depressed:and cGPA to 3.1. I'm wondering how heavily the weigh just the grad vs. the cumulative, simply because when you add it all together, my hard-work from the past year is barely visible.

I gave in my II a few days after receiving it. My application was completed by 8/5. I have good EC and a pre-committee letter. What do you guys think!? Do I have a shot? (NY Resident)

Thank you!

Where did you do your masters program at? I'm in the MABS program at Midwestern right now. When speaking with the admissions counselor here for CCOM (given it is the same school) he told us that an upward trend in GPA and high marks in grad school work was looked upon favorably.
 
Amazing experience interviewing here. Lots of student face time with people who made clear had no impact on decisions, so we felt comfortable asking any questions. Met tons of students offering advice and answering questions as well. Tour was nice - unlike a few other DO schools, the campus is that - a true campus, not an isolated building. Very nice area. Gorgeous and nicely decorated buildings. Nice facilities. Particularly impressed by the gym, something I'm personally into.

Interview itself is with 3. Can be student, professor or clinician in the group. Mostly questions were specific to you and your application. Conversational, in that there would be follow up questions to anything you said. Interview truly flows - some interviews feel like a series of questions. This interview felt like an exchange. I was able to direct the conversation , and thus the interview had a theme of my choosing. Every interview can be different. My advice is to take advantage of this and truly be yourself but also express yourself and who you are as a prospective medical student and future physician in your answers

Amazing experience. Great school. Good luck.

Decisions surprise you in 4-6 weeks in the mail. No electronic feedback.
 
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Amazing experience interviewing here. Lots of student face time with people who made clear had no impact on decisions, so we felt comfortable asking any questions. Met tons of students offering advice and answering questions as well. Tour was nice - unlike a few other DO schools, the campus is that - a true campus, not an isolated building. Very nice area. Gorgeous and nicely decorated buildings. Nice facilities. Particularly impressed by the gym, something I'm personally into.

Interview itself is with 3. Can be student, professor or clinician in the group. Mostly questions were specific to you and your application. Conversational, in that there would be follow up questions to anything you said. Interview truly flows - some interviews feel like a series of questions. This interview felt like an exchange. I was able to direct the conversation , and thus the interview had a theme of my choosing. Every interview can be different. My advice is to take advantage of this and truly be yourself but also express yourself and who you are as a prospective medical student and future physician in your answers

Amazing experience. Great school. Good luck.

Decisions surprise you in 4-6 weeks in the mail. No electronic feedback.


Thanks for posting. I'm glad it went well for you. I'm excited to interview here.
Do you know the names of the people you interviewed with? I know some schools let you know who it will be with beforehand so you can look it up.
 
Thanks for posting. I'm glad it went well for you. I'm excited to interview here.
Do you know the names of the people you interviewed with? I know some schools let you know who it will be with beforehand so you can look it up.
They do not do that at PCOM.
 
Also - Pee Cee Oh Em

I was saying that in my head all day and I still let Pee Cohm slip out during my interview before I corrected myself !
 
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Sorry if this has been asked before but, to who/what do I make the check payable to?
 
Also - Pee Cee Oh Em

I was saying that in my head all day and I still let Pee Cohm slip out during my interview before I corrected myself !
Haha I managed to say pee-see-oh-em during mine. I patted myself on the back... in my mind.
 
Haha I managed to say pee-see-oh-em during mine. I patted myself on the back... in my mind.

Hey wait! we interviewed together!

Also I looked at last year's thread. I think admissions threw 5-6 weeks at us as a conservative estimate. Last years students who interviewed sept 25 got acceptance oct 23

Later in the cycle, there were also plenty of acceptances 2-3 weeks post interview

The waiting game ...
 
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Hey wait! we interviewed together!

Also I looked at last year's thread. I think admissions threw 5-6 weeks at us as a conservative estimate. Last years students who interviewed sept 25 got acceptance oct 23

Later in the cycle, there were also plenty of acceptances 2-3 weeks post interview

The waiting game ...
Haha I stalked last year's group just as thoroughly as you apparently. Hopefully we get good news soon! I was blown away by the school and the people.

Edit: I also like that their class holding deposit is only 250.
 
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