Rocky Vista University (RVUCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

[medstar11]

Received a rejection email today...not competitive enough apparently. Gpa and mcat are above their matriculate averages...oh well, on to the next one.

Got the same email

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[Medbound40]

Received a rejection email today...not competitive enough apparently. Gpa and mcat are above their matriculate averages...oh well, on to the next one.

Same here. At and above their averages (sGPA 3.93/MCAT 28), 12-years clinical experience treating pain/musculoskeletal disorders, very strong LORs (2 from DOs) and a strong preference for osteopathic medicine... Very disappointing. Sometimes it just feels totally random... makes no sense. Best of luck to everyone with IIs and to those still waiting. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[bigoliver101]

Same here. At and above their averages (sGPA 3.93/MCAT 28), 12-years clinical experience treating pain/musculoskeletal disorders, very strong LORs (2 from DOs) and a strong preference for osteopathic medicine... Very disappointing. Sometimes it just feels totally random... makes no sense. Best of luck to everyone with IIs and to those still waiting. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Lol wtf

 

[Mavs88]

Same here. At and above their averages (sGPA 3.93/MCAT 28), 12-years clinical experience treating pain/musculoskeletal disorders, very strong LORs (2 from DOs) and a strong preference for osteopathic medicine... Very disappointing. Sometimes it just feels totally random... makes no sense. Best of luck to everyone with IIs and to those still waiting. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Wow, you're a rockstar.

 

[Doctoblast]

Also got rejected via email. Above their average stats. I'm glad they didn't silent reject like I thought they were doing. Good luck to everyone still in the running for this school!

 

[whatever5]

Rejected today
Reapplicant LizzyM 70, strong ECs, clinical experience, and DO letter. I worked really hard to improve my app for this cycle so not sure what's holding me back. I sent them an email asking for feedback and I'll update you guys when I hear back.

 

[Catfish-Cupcake]

Rejected. Not super bummed, been getting a little concerned over student feedback on this school. For everyone else, good luck on your interviews!

 

[lyana]

Rejected as well. Not really surprised because of my MCAT score. However, can we just call admissions to find out what exactly do we need to work on? Who do we ask to talk to?
Mehhh
Anyways, good luck to those who are still in the game!

 

[Medbound40]

Wow, you're a rockstar.

Sorry guys. Didn't mean to come off sounding that way. Just meant to say I am ready and committed to this path, as I'm sure everyone here is. Looking forward to the next step in helping others. No doubt, this is a tough process, for applicants and admissions alike.

 

[Doctoblast]

Anyone else notice how the image on the rejection email didn't work? Looool.

Looks like most of us rejected including myself have above average stats for this place, and good fits. I'm thinking this place just flipped coins to decide if they wanted to invite us or used our horoscopes bc these results make no sense.


Yea, this process is super competitive, but that doesn't explain this well.

Agreed.

 

[Halcyon45]

Rejected as well. First one, ouch. All good, gotta focus on my II tomorrow and not let it get me down!

 

[Stephanopolous]

Rejected via email. Already have one acceptance so I'm not stressing it. Their loss!

 

[0dee]

Almost all the rejections do not make sense, makes me hesitant to add this school to my list when I apply. How do you reject applicants that have stats higher than the school average? Lol.

 

[cjfarrell21]

Rejected too... Had about average MCAT and GPA, but I've gotten IIs from other schools which I would consider "competitive". Confused, but hey... Water under the bridge. Only way is forward ladies and gents! You all seem to have good applications so I'm sure you will all find a good fit somewhere!

 

[JAYPizzle]

Anyone else notice how the image on the rejection email didn't work? Looool.

Looks like most of us rejected including myself have above average stats for this place, and good fits. I'm thinking this place just flipped coins to decide if they wanted to invite us or used our horoscopes bc these results make no sense.


Yea, this process is super competitive, but that doesn't explain this well.

Yeah, this is funny... my stats are below average and I haven't been rejected. Maybe they can sense that I like standardized dress codes.

 

[CaffeinatedForLife]

Same here. At and above their averages (sGPA 3.93/MCAT 28), 12-years clinical experience treating pain/musculoskeletal disorders, very strong LORs (2 from DOs) and a strong preference for osteopathic medicine... Very disappointing. Sometimes it just feels totally random... makes no sense. Best of luck to everyone with IIs and to those still waiting. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Wow, we have pretty similar backgrounds. I haven't heard yet either way, but it doesn't look hopeful...

Best of luck getting in elsewhere!

 

[alijen]

While strong stats are important, there are many other variables that come into play when awarding interviews. RVUCOM is very selective when determining who to invite in for an interview. On the academic side, how a candidate's classes are stacked and how many upper division science courses they have taken is looked at. Candidates who have a strong science GPA, but had to repeat organic chem. 1 three times before receiving a "good" grade would not receive an interview, nor would someone with a felony or drug/alcohol/DV related charges. Clinical related experience, leadership and service are also evaluated. Candidates should pay attention to their essay responses (yes, every word is read) as it is important to only invite in candidates who would be a good fit for the RVUCOM program. There are also silly things that candidates do that will land them in the denial pile (such as stating in the objective of their resume that they are seeking admission to the prestigious (name of other COM) or forgetting to delete the name of another COM they applied to in their essay response. The list goes on and on. The RVUCOM Admissions Team understands how expensive and stressful the process is for candidates, so only invites in those who appear to be a solid fit. As a result nearly 80% of those candidates interviewed are accepted.

 

[Mavs88]

Rejected via email. Already have one acceptance so I'm not stressing it. Their loss!

Congrats! Where at?

 

[Cawolf]

Excited to visit RVUCOM with an II today!

 

[Buzzlightyear33]

Rejected via email today.

 

[scooter tooter]

II! Where is everyone flying into?

 

[CLAF211]

When were you complete, if you don't mind saying?

 

[imagine1392]

People getting interviews, when was your secondary marked complete?

 

[Strebor14k]

II 9/9/2015! I'm excited about this school

 

[imagine1392]

Also it sounds like people whose scores are too good are getting rejected? I've heard of schools doing that because they think you'll get in somewhere better and don't want to waste time on you. Do you guys think that's what's going on? I see no other explanation for some of these 34 mcat people getting rejected

 

[Strebor14k]

Also it sounds like people whose scores are too good are getting rejected? I've heard of schools doing that because they think you'll get in somewhere better and don't want to waste time on you. Do you guys think that's what's going on? I see no other explanation for some of these 34 mcat people getting rejected

Eh, I'm not sure. I had a buddy get accepted here last year with a 34 MCAT.

 

[Cawolf]

II! Where is everyone flying into?

Denver.

When were you complete, if you don't mind saying?

People getting interviews, when was your secondary marked complete?

Not exactly sure when my file was complete, but maybe 8/10?

Also it sounds like people whose scores are too good are getting rejected? I've heard of schools doing that because they think you'll get in somewhere better and don't want to waste time on you. Do you guys think that's what's going on? I see no other explanation for some of these 34 mcat people getting rejected

I have an MCAT > 34.

 

[TheoryOfEverything]

Checked portal last night and said I was rejected. Pretty bummed. I thought the school seemed pretty cool and I like the area. Stats around average and thought id be a good fit. Lots of upper level science courses which they seem to like. Oh well

 

[CLAF211]

Checked portal last night and said I was rejected. Pretty bummed. I thought the school seemed pretty cool and I like the area. Stats around average and thought id be a good fit. Lots of upper level science courses which they seem to like. Oh well

Ditto, checked this morning. Oh well!

 

[imagine1392]

I'm sorry guys what were your stats?

 

[CLAF211]

3.2 sGPA, 3.32 cGPA, 31 MCAT - nontrad, significant upward trend and great performance in post-bac. Have worked in clinical research for 5+ years, so thousands of shadowing/clinical hours. Lots of upper-level bios too. Lazy undergrad days still haunting me, I guess...

 

[Elleiram]

How long does it take to be marked complete? I submitted and paid for the supplemental on 8/7.

 

[medhopeful82]

I am at a toss up trying to decide if I should submit this secondary or not.. I'm nervous after seeing so much bad student feedback

 

[Cawolf]

I am at a toss up trying to decide if I should submit this secondary or not.. I'm nervous after seeing so much bad student feedback

I think if you are interested in the school and the area, you should submit.

I am not suggesting to ignore student feedback, but to gather it yourself at an interview.

 

[Haxx]

I am at a toss up trying to decide if I should submit this secondary or not.. I'm nervous after seeing so much bad student feedback

Here's the deal. I am a second year, I love this school, and would recommend it to anyone.

It's in the character of people in the medical profession, especially students, to not have much to say and keep their nose to the grindstone when things are going perfectly. However, when things change, a lot of anxiety arises. I get that anxiety, I've fallen victim to it recently, but when everything shook out, everything is still awesome here.

The dress code is incredibly lax. It's not even close to LECOM level. Pretty much you can't wear shorts, flip flops, sweats, or t shirts with logos that aren't related to RVU (v necks are fine). Jeans are fine, capris for girls are fine, it just really isn't a big deal in the long run at all.

PM me if you have more specific questions or want to hash something out.
That goes for anyone else in this thread, too.
Good luck with the app process!

 

[echo87]

As a recent undergrad and masters student: NO SHORTS, FLIP FLOPS, OR T-SHIRTS?!?!?

As a current and former full-time professional of 5+ years: Normal clothes?

 

[shotsandlollipops]

The flights to Denver are pretty pricey does anyone have any suggestion for what airline to take?

 

[hbslax4]

The flights to Denver are pretty pricey does anyone have any suggestion for what airline to take?

Try frontier or southwest

 

[shotsandlollipops]

Try frontier or southwest

Thanks!

 

[Oh_Gee]

As a recent undergrad and masters student: NO SHORTS, FLIP FLOPS, OR T-SHIRTS?!?!?

As a current and former full-time professional of 5+ years: Normal clothes?

isn't it supposed to be cold there anyway?

 

[Dr. Death]

In the winter it is cold. In the summer it gets up into the high 90s

 

[orangetea]

I am so confused about my status.. all it is is APPL and applicant.. does that mean I am complete??

 

[tdc]

If it just says "Applicant", then you are not yet complete. It will say "FILEC: File Complete."

 

[Ruess]

Current 1st year, and I turned down two DO acceptances (COMP Northwest and Midwestern - Glendale), and an MD interview (MCW-Greenbay) because I was so impressed with RVU. I have loved the classes, professors, and most of all, I love the board scores. Wearing jeans and a collared shirt everyday is a small price to pay for attending a DO school that has been the number one or two spot for board scores. Frankly, if you do any kind of research (SDN is not research) you'll see that since the curriculum revamp, RVU has been amazingly successful. I also love that this school requires the USMLE. The emphasis is on doing well on the USMLE, and COMLEX is secondary to that. That may be one of the many reasons RVU is among the top schools for COMLEX board scores.
Another bonus is that curriculum is now focusing more on integrating ultrasound.
My suggestion for those of you wondering about the legitimacy of this school, would be to do your research! No school I looked into was more transparent with your scores and residency placements than RVU and they are very impressive. Also understand that students that love RVU (everyone in my class I've talked to) don't make it a priority to log into SDN and express their opinion. However, the few that feel wronged somehow look at ragging RVU on SDN as a way of getting back. In other words, be careful where you get your information. SDN is a biased sample population.
Feel free to PM if you have more questions.

 

[Dr. Death]

Current 1st year, and I turned down two DO acceptances (COMP Northwest and Midwestern - Glendale), and an MD interview (MCW-Greenbay) because I was so impressed with RVU. I have loved the classes, professors, and most of all, I love the board scores. Wearing jeans and a collared shirt everyday is a small price to pay for attending a DO school that has been the number one or two spot for board scores. Frankly, if you do any kind of research (SDN is not research) you'll see that since the curriculum revamp, RVU has been amazingly successful. I also love that this school requires the USMLE. The emphasis is on doing well on the USMLE, and COMLEX is secondary to that. That may be one of the many reasons RVU is among the top schools for COMLEX board scores.
Another bonus is that curriculum is now focusing more on integrating ultrasound.
My suggestion for those of you wondering about the legitimacy of this school, would be to do your research! No school I looked into was more transparent with your scores and residency placements than RVU and they are very impressive. Also understand that students that love RVU (everyone in my class I've talked to) don't make it a priority to log into SDN and express their opinion. However, the few that feel wronged somehow look at ragging RVU on SDN as a way of getting back. In other words, be careful where you get your information. SDN is a biased sample population.
Feel free to PM if you have more questions.

Thank you for your post. I have an interview in a couple weeks and I'm excited to formulate my own opinion. Can you speak to what the tone and style of interview are?

 

[Haxx]

Thank you for your post. I have an interview in a couple weeks and I'm excited to formulate my own opinion. Can you speak to what the tone and style of interview are?

It will be very relaxed! Depending on if you have a morning or afternoon slot, you'll have some meetings with the dean, other faculty, etc. where you can ask questions about the school/curriculum/etc., you'll have a tour with an ambassador (second year student) that you'll eat lunch with as well, and you'll have your interview, which will be with two faculty members of the school. Being uptight and coming up with a bunch of fabricated answers is the easiest way to have a bad interview, IMHO. Just be sincere, because our school has a very laid-back atmosphere that lends itself to being real in your interview. If anyone is interviewing 9/15, 11/11, or 12/4, I'll be one of the ambassadors hanging out with you at lunch, just so you know.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Dr. Death]

It will be very relaxed! Depending on if you have a morning or afternoon slot, you'll have some meetings with the dean, other faculty, etc. where you can ask questions about the school/curriculum/etc., you'll have a tour with an ambassador (second year student) that you'll eat lunch with as well, and you'll have your interview, which will be with two faculty members of the school. Being uptight and coming up with a bunch of fabricated answers is the easiest way to have a bad interview, IMHO. Just be sincere, because our school has a very laid-back atmosphere that lends itself to being real in your interview. If anyone is interviewing 9/15, 11/11, or 12/4, I'll be one of the ambassadors hanging out with you at lunch, just so you know.

Good luck everyone!

Thank you. I'm super excited!

 

[AwayFromReality]

@Ruess @Haxx I'm trying to find the COMLEX first time pass rate for RVUCOM but can't seem to find it on their website. I know its high but I'm trying to get an exact number. Do you guys know if it is posted somewhere online?

EDIT: Just found it, thanks though. http://www.rvu.edu/about/inst-plannningassesment/

 

[Decremaster]

@Ruess @Haxx I'm trying to find the COMLEX first time pass rate for RVUCOM but can't seem to find it on their website. I know its high but I'm trying to get an exact number. Do you guys know if it is posted somewhere online?

EDIT: Just found it, thanks though. http://www.rvu.edu/about/inst-plannningassesment/

https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-...urriculum-reorganization_s-kruse.pdf?sfvrsn=0

There is also this online...

 

[Gandyy]

So I have above average stats for both their gpas and MCAT, and yes I do have EC's. In fact, I think my EC's are the strongest part of my application.

However as you guys can probably tell after reading the first sentence, I got a rejection email.

I guess I should have climbed more mountains or something? idk