VCOM Post-Bacc Program 2016

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Sallie Mae


I took out a loan through Wells Fargo for a graduate program this past year for about the same amount, and the total payback amount was roughly the same also. However, at least in my case, that was just the anticipated amount I will repay if I make the minimum payments over a certain number of years b/c of interest accruing. So paying it back sooner means the total amount being lower. Not sure if it's the same for you, but it might be worth reading into it. In which case the only way to lower that amount is finding a loan with a lower interest rate or finding a way to pay back your loan sooner. I hope you find something that works for you though!

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I took out a loan through Wells Fargo for a graduate program this past year for about the same amount, and the total payback amount was roughly the same also. However, at least in my case, that was just the anticipated amount I will repay if I make the minimum payments over a certain number of years b/c of interest accruing. So paying it back sooner means the total amount being lower. Not sure if it's the same for you, but it might be worth reading into it. In which case the only way to lower that amount is finding a loan with a lower interest rate or finding a way to pay back your loan sooner. I hope you find something that works for you though!
Thank you! I was actually looking into Wells Fargo, and their loan plan seems like a good one for me! This interest crap is ridiculous!
 
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I took out a loan through Wells Fargo for a graduate program this past year for about the same amount, and the total payback amount was roughly the same also. However, at least in my case, that was just the anticipated amount I will repay if I make the minimum payments over a certain number of years b/c of interest accruing. So paying it back sooner means the total amount being lower. Not sure if it's the same for you, but it might be worth reading into it. In which case the only way to lower that amount is finding a loan with a lower interest rate or finding a way to pay back your loan sooner. I hope you find something that works for you though!
Did u apply with a consigner ? I'm trying to see how hard would I be to get the loan without a consigner
 
Yeah fafsa is only applicable to the actual med school
Are you guys sure about this. VCOM OMS4 here and I just happened to come on here for the first time. Tbh I'm not familiar with the PB program at VCOM, but my PB at TCMC I got fin aid. Do you really have to go through third parties to get a loan for the PB at VCOM?
 
N

nope! They all seem pretty expensive 900 a month! Cost of living seems pretty high there. Anyone else seen any apartments close to campus with a good price?
If you have a car stay in downtown blacksburg apartments. Much cheaper than those places right across from the school. Those places are way more expensive than the plethora of apartments downtown.
 
I read on another thread that only Virginia and North Carolina residents can matriculate into the Virginia campus following successful completion of the post bac. Does anyone know if this is true?

On their website it says state residency and location of undergrad are taken into account. I'm from Georgia btw
 
Did u apply with a consigner ? I'm trying to see how hard would I be to get the loan without a consigner


I applied for graduate loans through Sallie Mae and Wells Fargo, and was only approved at Wells Fargo without a cosigner. From what I've read, Wells Fargo seems to approve most graduate loans without a cosigner as long as the applicant does not have an adverse credit history. I also got a lower interest rate for having a Wells Fargo bank account, so that might be worth considering if you decide to apply.
 
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I chose variable rate.

You only have to start paying the loan back when you are out of school for 6 months. So if you go to med school the year following this program, you won't have to pay off your loan for this program until you are out of med school for 6 months.

Which loan was this?
 
Has the school certified the loan for you guys yet? I've been waiting almost a month now.

I read on another thread that only Virginia and North Carolina residents can matriculate into the Virginia campus following successful completion of the post bac. Does anyone know if this is true?

On their website it says state residency and location of undergrad are taken into account. I'm from Georgia btw

I may be wrong but I recall the site saying you are guaranteed admission to one of their campuses, so you might end up getting into the Carolinas school.
 
They haven't certified mine either, and it's been about a month for me also.


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Congrats to everyone who have received acceptance!! Just got mine last week!! Look forward to meeting everyone!
 
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Where is everyone going to live while in the program? It look like the cost of living in Blacksburg is higher than I expected!
 
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When you applied for the sallie Mae loan and they asked when do u graduate did u tell them in a year. Or use ur medical school graduation date?
 
When you applied for the sallie Mae loan and they asked when do u graduate did u tell them in a year. Or use ur medical school graduation date?
You have to use your post bacc graduation date and then just start deferring within the 6 months grace period after you graduate assuming you matriculate into med school.
 
Are you guys sure about this. VCOM OMS4 here and I just happened to come on here for the first time. Tbh I'm not familiar with the PB program at VCOM, but my PB at TCMC I got fin aid. Do you really have to go through third parties to get a loan for the PB at VCOM?
Yes VCOM doesn't participate with fafsa for post bacc - they require third party private lenders.
 
Hey all! I applied on the last day of the deadline (I knew about the program 2 weeks before the deadline). I was wondering if others who applied in April have heard anything yet? I email and called Mrs. Hewitt this week and so far no response :/. This program looks like a great opportunity to get into DO school. Ive been reading the thread and it looks like spots are filling up quick! Congrats guys! I hope I get in! *Fingers crossed*


Did you ever hear anything back? I requested to have my file transferred from DO admissions around the same time and emailed a week ago to check the status of my application. No reply yet though! Wasn't sure if they're super behind with emails or if they just aren't responding anymore lol. I hope you get some good news too!
 
Did you ever hear anything back? I requested to have my file transferred from DO admissions around the same time and emailed a week ago to check the status of my application. No reply yet though! Wasn't sure if they're super behind with emails or if they just aren't responding anymore lol. I hope you get some good news too!

Nope, nothing yet :(. Im going to email them June 14th and see if I get a response at least by June 16th. I was hoping to get something between early to mid June. I am tempted though to drive to VCOM and ask the status of my application in person :p. I do really hope I get in!
 
Just received an acceptance email!!
 
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Just received an acceptance email!!

Congrats Doc2b_123!!! If I may ask, when was your application complete? Just getting a feel for where the admissions office is currently with the all of the applications. Thanks!
 
Congrats Doc2b_123!!! If I may ask, when was your application complete? Just getting a feel for where the admissions office is currently with the all of the applications. Thanks!
Thanks a lot! I requested to have my DO application transferred for post bacc admissions late April/early May and received an email a few weeks later saying they would initiate a transfer request for my file. It was mentioned in the email that they received a large number of similar requests so it was taking awhile to get back to everyone. I then emailed a little over a week ago to check the status of my application and didn't get a response until the acceptance email this morning. My application for the DO program was complete in late January though, so I'm not sure if it would have been processed any differently because of that. I wouldn't think so though. I imagine everyone should be hearing back pretty soon. Best of luck to you all!!
 
Anyone know the details of the mcat score needed to fulfill the requirement for the guaranteed acceptance. Their website says 24 but In the acceptance email I got I read 22.
 
Anyone know the details of the mcat score needed to fulfill the requirement for the guaranteed acceptance. Their website says 24 but In the acceptance email I got I read 22.
Mine says:

VCOm.jpg
 
Okay Thank you!!

Also, did they comment if the MCAT requirement is a 24 composite score or does it have to be like no less than an 8 in each section etc.

Everywhere I have looked it says 24 MCAT so was wondering if anyone knows anything more about it

Thanks!

I don't know about that but I think they just want a 24
 
Okay Thank you!!

Also, did they comment if the MCAT requirement is a 24 composite score or does it have to be like no less than an 8 in each section etc.

Everywhere I have looked it says 24 MCAT so was wondering if anyone knows anything more about it

Thanks!

Found this in the FAQ section of the new website, "I have taken the MCAT multiple times and if you pick my highest score in each section over the multiple exams, these numbers add up to a 24. Will this count toward my benchmarks?
What you are describing is known as a composite MCAT score and this does not count toward meeting the MCAT benchmark for the program."
 
Found this in the FAQ section of the new website, "I have taken the MCAT multiple times and if you pick my highest score in each section over the multiple exams, these numbers add up to a 24. Will this count toward my benchmarks?
What you are describing is known as a composite MCAT score and this does not count toward meeting the MCAT benchmark for the program."

Hey I know they don't take superscore but my questions was if they just look at the mcat composite score . For instance do they say you need a 24 mcat but not one section can be less than 7.
 
I think they just want a 24/500 score.


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Just got accepted earlier today and the e-mail I got read 22 as the minimum mcat score too so I'm a little confused
 
You guys should email to be sure. Wouldn't want that typo being the reason they deny an acceptance...
 
on my email it said that the minimum requirement was a 494 for the MCAT....
 
I emailed Alisa Hewitt about the discrepancy between the website, which says the minimum MCAT score is 24, and the acceptance email, which says the minimum MCAT score is 22. I wrote her asking the email acceptance letter contained the correct score information.
This was her reply: Yes, you are correct with regard to the MCAT requirement for the admissions guarantee for the DO program. The website does contain different information as the new information as attached is proposed for approval by VCOM administration, however, we feel confident that the new structure will be approved. We aren’t able to make updates to the website until the final approval comes in, but Dr. Hill wanted me to go ahead and send out the new information on the offer letters.
I do not think there is a break down minimum score requirement per section, but I am not completely sure about that. I think they would have included that information if it were pertinent in the score requirement information in the acceptance email.
 
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Really? Can you post it? That's a game changer. So it's 22/494?
On my acceptance email it says 22/494 as well.
I called the office at the beginning of this week, was put on hold while she asked Dr. Hill, and was then told the new MCAT benchmark was indeed 22/494.
Like the other person said, they're in the process of changing it from 500 to 494 but it hasn't technically been approved yet so they can't put it on the website. It's definitely not a typo. They anticipate the change being approved, which is great news for all of us!!! :)
 
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On my acceptance email it says 22/494 as well.
I called the office at the beginning of this week, was put on hold while she asked Dr. Hill, and was then told the new MCAT benchmark was indeed 22/494.
Like the other person said, they're in the process of changing it from 500 to 494 but it hasn't technically been approved yet so they can't put it on the website. It's definitely not a typo. They anticipate the change being approved, which is great news for all of us!!! :)

Definitely! Thank you for the response
 
Do you guys think their going to make it harder for us to get that 3.6 because they lowered the MCAT benchmark??
 
Do you guys think their going to make it harder for us to get that 3.6 because they lowered the MCAT benchmark??

The new scales from the MCAT are showing a plateau from 497-500, and I think schools are still trying to interpret the results. I think the 3.6 is going to be hard to get, regardless of the MCAT benchmark. But, if we want it that bad, we will make it work!
 
Did anyone who applied on the last day get a response yet? I haven't gotten anything yet and next week will be 1 month before the program starts. I think it's time to let go of the program and apply to other graduate schools. Congratulations to everyone that got in and good luck in the program. Become fine KA doctors!!!
 
On my acceptance email it says 22/494 as well.
I called the office at the beginning of this week, was put on hold while she asked Dr. Hill, and was then told the new MCAT benchmark was indeed 22/494.
Like the other person said, they're in the process of changing it from 500 to 494 but it hasn't technically been approved yet so they can't put it on the website. It's definitely not a typo. They anticipate the change being approved, which is great news for all of us!!! :)
Oh so they're changing it from 24/500 down to 22/494 and not the other way around? That's awesome!
 
I emailed Alisa Hewitt about the discrepancy between the website, which says the minimum MCAT score is 24, and the acceptance email, which says the minimum MCAT score is 22. I wrote her asking the email acceptance letter contained the correct score information.
This was her reply: Yes, you are correct with regard to the MCAT requirement for the admissions guarantee for the DO program. The website does contain different information as the new information as attached is proposed for approval by VCOM administration, however, we feel confident that the new structure will be approved. We aren’t able to make updates to the website until the final approval comes in, but Dr. Hill wanted me to go ahead and send out the new information on the offer letters.
I do not think there is a break down minimum score requirement per section, but I am not completely sure about that. I think they would have included that information if it were pertinent in the score requirement information in the acceptance email.
When did you receive your acceptance email? I received my acceptance email in early May and the MCAT requirements listed were still 24/500.
 
Hmm weird, I received my acceptance email around the same time on May 10th. And it stated the MCAT requirements to be 22/494
 
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