2006 VCU Central

[mustangsally65]

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I got the VCU interview!!!!!! 🙂

congrats! Which one of the vague letters was it?

 

[beponychick]

congrats! Which one of the vague letters was it?

i got the first vague letter (about the priority score) two days ago. and interview invite today.

 

[tacrum43]

jtank, that depends on where you are in the stack, I think. I'm oos, complete late August, interview invite first week in September. Be patient. You'll get either a vague status change notice or an invite soon.

Where's my vague status update? 🙁

 

[busthwt]

Recieved the vague update about being complete and in consideration for an interview about 2 and half weeks ago, and just got the invitation this past week (9/13). Have my date set for the 10/10. Good luck to everyone

 

[.edu-MD]

[Expired]

 

[JTHURMA]

VCU is fairly effecient, but it takes a while.

My AMCAS was verified on 6/29, I can't remember when I got the scondary, but the secondary was deemed complete on 8/16, and on 9/19 I got an interview invite, after receiving vague update #2 last Monday (9/12). I just had to have a little confidence in my application and be patient. My interview isn't until October, and at this point, I won't really know how I did until (I think) December when they send out the second round of acceptances. Hang in there... in my opinion, it is still fairly early in the process.

 

[beponychick]

VCU is fairly effecient, but it takes a while.

My AMCAS was verified on 6/29, I can't remember when I got the scondary, but the secondary was deemed complete on 8/16, and on 9/19 I got an interview invite, after receiving vague update #2 last Monday (9/12). I just had to have a little confidence in my application and be patient. My interview isn't until October, and at this point, I won't really know how I did until (I think) December when they send out the second round of acceptances. Hang in there... in my opinion, it is still fairly early in the process.

second round of acceptances? are you sure about that?

 

[JTHURMA]

second round of acceptances? are you sure about that?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=224107&page=2&pp=25

According to Dakota... that's what he/she was told.

 

[blee]

I can back up Dakota's story. The dean of admissions gave my interview group the same info. Basically, you are assigned a score when the adcom reviews your file (which they do exactly once). The school then sends out acceptance offers on a few specific days, taking up to a certain number of applicants or accepting up to a certain score. We were told that the acceptance dates are 10/15, sometime in December, and once more in the early spring. I'm not too sure about that last one,but I'm fairly certain about October and December.

 

[beponychick]

I can back up Dakota's story. The dean of admissions gave my interview group the same info. Basically, you are assigned a score when the adcom reviews your file (which they do exactly once). The school then sends out acceptance offers on a few specific days, taking up to a certain number of applicants or accepting up to a certain score. We were told that the acceptance dates are 10/15, sometime in December, and once more in the early spring. I'm not too sure about that last one,but I'm fairly certain about October and December.

guys,

Im interviewing on the 11th of October. Do you think I will be considered part of the first or second group?

 

[blee]

guys,

Im interviewing on the 11th of October. Do you think I will be considered part of the first or second group?

The adcom meets on Mondays at noon, IIRC. 10/11 is the Tuesday before the first wave of offers, which suggests to me that you won't be part of it. Of course, I'm not on the committee and who knows what may or may not actually happen.

 

[bwells46]

Well, I just got the more hopeless of the two status updates - "the committee wants to consider your file further"

 

[bwells46]

To OP:

It is meant to be vague. I got that message last year and was soon invited for an interview so you all can relax.

Good Luck! 🙂

What kind of dog is that in your picture? It looks a little like a Lhasa or a Maltese.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Yeah, so I was complete a few weeks ago, haven't received an interview invite, nor have I received either of these "status updates" that everyone else has been getting. Any ideas what gives?

 

[Moomie]

Did anyone who got the following message get an invite yet?

The committee's file review indicates that they would like to consider your file further. We are now in the process of scheduling interviews and will continue to do so through February. Unfortunately, the committee indicates interest in far more candidates than we are able to interview. Since we are dependent on the Committee member's schedules for interview spaces, we are unable to predict when or if we will be able to schedule you this year. Please continue to check this site to learn when further action has been taken.

Thanks

 

[deleted77919]

guys,

Im interviewing on the 11th of October. Do you think I will be considered part of the first or second group?

After you are interviewed the entire committee meets and discusses your application the Monday afternoon following your interview. That's where your score is assigned. As your interview is on the 11th, the earliest your complete application could be discussed is the 17th, so there probably isn't anyway you could get an acceptance in the first round.

What is important to keep in mind is what these "rounds" mean. The admissions committe (without looking at any applicant names, grades, scores, etc) says we're comfortable commiting 20 of our slots on the 17th of October. And then the admissions office takes the first 20 off the top based on the scores the committe gave to people when they were previously discussed (keeping in mind in-state/out of state ratios). They could say take 80 . . . but according to the admissions office typically only 20 or so offers are made in October. Then in December they sit down again and might offer 100 more acceptances (or 50, they can do whatever they want). I interviewed in Sept and was probably discussed last Monday, but even if I don't get an October offer, my name has the same score they gave me before and I will stay on their ranked list, and when December rolls around if I'm in the top 50 (or however many spots they allocate for the dec admissions batch) then I'll get in. I feel like it's simple in execution but difficult to explain through a post. Hope this helps clarify things. At any rate, this is all discussed ad nauseum during your interview so you should have a good idea of how it works then.

Good luck all.

 

[beponychick]

After you are interviewed the entire committee meets and discusses your application the Monday afternoon following your interview. That's where your score is assigned. As your interview is on the 11th, the earliest your complete application could be discussed is the 17th, so there probably isn't anyway you could get an acceptance in the first round.

What is important to keep in mind is what these "rounds" mean. The admissions committe (without looking at any applicant names, grades, scores, etc) says we're comfortable commiting 20 of our slots on the 17th of October. And then the admissions office takes the first 20 off the top based on the scores the committe gave to people when they were previously discussed (keeping in mind in-state/out of state ratios). They could say take 80 . . . but according to the admissions office typically only 20 or so offers are made in October. Then in December they sit down again and might offer 100 more acceptances (or 50, they can do whatever they want). I interviewed in Sept and was probably discussed last Monday, but even if I don't get an October offer, my name has the same score they gave me before and I will stay on their ranked list, and when December rolls around if I'm in the top 50 (or however many spots they allocate for the dec admissions batch) then I'll get in. I feel like it's simple in execution but difficult to explain through a post. Hope this helps clarify things. At any rate, this is all discussed ad nauseum during your interview so you should have a good idea of how it works then.

Good luck all.

Thank you. so what you are saying is basically one is not at a disadvantage for not being in the december group versus the october group correct? i could have scheduled my interview sooner, and probably would have been in the october decision group but I dont know if it makes much difference based on what you say. Did i interpret this correctly?

 

[blee]

Sorta. The way they've set it up, it's still somewhat better to be as early as possible. Suppose you get a score of 2.0 (1.0 being the best), and on October 15, there are 25 people with 1.5 ahead of you. After Oct. 15, you would then be 5th on the list....but now more people are being interviewed. So if some people between Oct. and Dec. get 1.5s, then they will be placed ahead of you. (Keep in mind, this is a totally made-up scenario and I have no idea what the distribution of scores really is)

But no, I wouldn't be overly concerned about October vs. December. There aren't many people who get interviewed prior to the first cut. They don't send out many offers in October, which means that they really wait until they've reviewed a bunch of applicants (including some August MCATers) before sending out the bulk of their offers in December.

 

[deleted77919]

Thank you. so what you are saying is basically one is not at a disadvantage for not being in the december group versus the october group correct? i could have scheduled my interview sooner, and probably would have been in the october decision group but I dont know if it makes much difference based on what you say. Did i interpret this correctly?

I think they are selective enough in October that if you would have gotten an October admit, you will get a December admit. Basically don't worry. And good luck on the interview. 🙂

 

[JTHURMA]

I got that message and got a interview invite a week later.

Did anyone who got the following message get an invite yet?

The committee's file review indicates that they would like to consider your file further. We are now in the process of scheduling interviews and will continue to do so through February. Unfortunately, the committee indicates interest in far more candidates than we are able to interview. Since we are dependent on the Committee member's schedules for interview spaces, we are unable to predict when or if we will be able to schedule you this year. Please continue to check this site to learn when further action has been taken.

Thanks

 

[slumaker]

I interviewed the first week of interviews. Just curious if anyone else who has interviewed has been placed on hold for offers in October? I received the status change for the survey but that is all.

 

[blee]

Nothing so far, and I interviewed 9/15. Dean Heldberg told us last week that she'd be out all this week, though, so maybe no one's picking up the slack while she's on vacation.

 

[drgoodlove]

I interviewed the first week of interviews. Just curious if anyone else who has interviewed has been placed on hold for offers in October? I received the status change for the survey but that is all.

Same as you. Status change but only something about the survey. No hold for offers.

 

[jj08]

What kind of dog is that in your picture? It looks a little like a Lhasa or a Maltese.

Hee- hee, she's actually a mutt but everyone thinks she looks like a maltese...except she's just a smidge bigger than your average maltese.

Why do you think that you received the "more hopeless of the two updates?" I think if you were good enough to be invited to UF you will DEFINITELY be invited for an interview at MCV/VCU! 😀

 

[jj08]

i could have scheduled my interview sooner, and probably would have been in the october decision group but I dont know if it makes much difference based on what you say. ?

Beponychick- also keep in mind that the committee will inevitably get behind in their file reviews as the cycle progresses. Therefore it is not a big deal whether you are in the october or december group. My thing is since they are only giving out very few acceptances in October it doesn't hurt or help to be interviewed before the october acceptances. Let's say they interview about 10 ppl per day 4 days a week. Since they just started interviewing last week that would make about 70 candidates so far (including today's interviewees). And they still have several more weeks to go! So let's say they've interviewed 120 ppl by the time the October acceptances go out. I figure that my chances are slim for one of the 20 spots. 🙁

 

[beponychick]

Beponychick- also keep in mind that the committee will inevitably get behind in their file reviews as the cycle progresses. Therefore it is not a big deal whether you are in the october or december group. My thing is since they are only giving out very few acceptances in October it doesn't hurt or help to be interviewed before the october acceptances. Let's say they interview about 10 ppl per day 4 days a week. Since they just started interviewing last week that would make about 70 candidates so far (including today's interviewees). And they still have several more weeks to go! So let's say they've interviewed 120 ppl by the time the October acceptances go out. I figure that my chances are slim for one of the 20 spots. 🙁

When did you interview jj?

 

[jj08]

Yeah, so I was complete a few weeks ago, haven't received an interview invite, nor have I received either of these "status updates" that everyone else has been getting. Any ideas what gives?

It's also possible to go from "your file is complete" to "schedule an interview" without ever receiving the vague update. It happened to me and I believe it also happened to ShyRem.

 

[jj08]

When did you interview jj?

yesterday. 🙂

 

[jj08]

I thought you guys might find this useful. I posted this in another thread:

4800 applicants
2400 receive secondaries
1500 deemed acceptable for interviews
675 receive interviews
300 offers are made
184 matriculate

😀

 

[Nas23]

Got the Vague Interview Update in the Email Today. Got my fingers crossed. I'm just hoping for one acceptance somewhere, and then calling it quits. Hopefully I get into one of my top choices: Schools in Philly, Chicago, or VA.

 

[.edu-MD]

Expired.

 

[jj08]

I finally got my VCU secondary and I noticed this checkbox for clinical rotations. Does anyone who has interviewed at VCU already (or go there) have any more information on this? I'm familiar with Inova Fairfax but I'm not sure it'd be such a good thing to get up and move for 2 years yet I don't want to jeopardize the success of my app by choosing a more limiting preference? If one does choose no preference, did they say whether we could lobby for one or the other based on extenuating circumstances (e.g. I expect I'll have kids by that point)? Will VCU provide housing in Fairfax? Will we be required to return to Richmond for any mandatory activities? What are the feelings of the current students on this? Any info or insight would be extremely helpful.

What you pick will not jeopardize your application in anyway. Someone asked about this during the info session and we were told that it does not affect your application. There's a limited amount of spaces available for the INOVA spots so it's first come first serve unless more people sign up in which case there will be a drawing. It is the student's responsibility to find housing in Fairfax.

 

[jj08]

For all of you wondering- interviewing early does not have a huge advantage. This is the reply I received when I asked a committee member my question: "Unfortunately interviewing early does not give you an advantage except that you have gotten an interview and if you apply late, even though you are qualified, you might not get an interview cuz all of the interivew spots might have been filled..."

So as long as you get an interview, you're in good shape no matter when you interview. 🙂

 

[blee]

Has any interviewee gotten a status update in the past 10 days or so?

 

[jj08]

Has any interviewee gotten a status update in the past 10 days or so?

besides the interview evaluation form, I don't think an interviewee will be receiving a status update until the Oct 15th/17th deadline (unless you applied EDP). 🙂

 

[blee]

besides the interview evaluation form, I don't think an interviewee will be receiving a status update until the Oct 15th/17th deadline (unless you applied EDP). 🙂

Actually, Dr. Heldberg told us that our status would either change to a "hold pending acceptance" message or a rejection message. The "hold" message means that the applicant has received a score high enough that acceptance is possible (not guaranteed), while a rejection message means that the applicant's score is too high to be accepted. Either way, I haven't gotten the evaluation form, either, so maybe things are just backed up.

Blah. It's impossible not to get antsy through this whole thing.

 

[beponychick]

Actually, Dr. Heldberg told us that our status would either change to a "hold pending acceptance" message or a rejection message. The "hold" message means that the applicant has received a score high enough that acceptance is possible (not guaranteed), while a rejection message means that the applicant's score is too high to be accepted.

Blah. It's impossible not to get antsy through this whole thing.

you mean.... too LOW to be accepted right! 😉

 

[blee]

LOL, sorta. The evaluators each submit a score between 1 to 5 in increments of 0.5, with 1 being the best. They won't divulge your personal score, but we were told that no one with a score of 3.5 or above has been accepted in the past. So depending on how you look at things, your score is either too low or too high when it's >=3.5. 😛 Man, I have got to stop coming here.

 

[chattkis]

you mean.... too LOW to be accepted right! 😉

No I think he's right. The lower your score the better. A 1.5 is a better score than a 3.5 so we were told.

 

[chattkis]

Man, I have got to stop coming here.

I hear ya blee.

 

[jj08]

Actually, Dr. Heldberg told us that our status would either change to a "hold pending acceptance" message or a rejection message. The "hold" message means that the applicant has received a score high enough that acceptance is possible (not guaranteed)

ah-ha! the benefits of having Dr. H present are priceless. We were not told that particular piece of information b/c Dr. H was away.

Does the "hold pending acceptance" mean that the applicant will be given a spot come the October acceptances or does it simply mean "we might accept you but we don't know when?" If it's the later then that means there's a whole lot of waiting in store.

blahhhhhhh...talk about saving the drama for your mama! This process should be called the endless-fire-flaming-hoop-jumping-and-wait-cycle! 😳

 

[goinverted]

So I got my interview invite last night. No vague e-mails, just a complete status and then an offer for an interview. Weird thing was that the soonest it would let me schedule was the first of February, does that mean I suck?

 

[beponychick]

So I got my interview invite last night. No vague e-mails, just a complete status and then an offer for an interview. Weird thing was that the soonest it would let me schedule was the first of February, does that mean I suck?

really? thats really weird. maybe that has to do with your score, or maybe they already filled up all their october-january spots. although i find this very hard to believe. hmmm.

 

[jj08]

So I got my interview invite last night. No vague e-mails, just a complete status and then an offer for an interview. Weird thing was that the soonest it would let me schedule was the first of February, does that mean I suck?

😱 CALL THEM! That is really odd. 😕 I highly doubt that it means you suck! I bet you it is a computer malfunction... let us know what happens though!

 

[JTHURMA]

Ok... here's my theory...

I receieved an interview invite on Sept 19, after receiving the vague e-mail a week ago to the date. When I had to choose my interview, the earliest date was Oct 18 and I didn't check the latest date but the February month was an option. I strongly feel that sometimes us SDNers become a little narrowminded with our perspective of the application pool and that there are quite a number of people getting interviews who have never been on SDN. I believe this is the reason that the STATUS UPDATE states that they are not sure if they'll be able to schedule you for an interview or not because they are allowing people in SEPT to schedule for interviews in FEB.

I think we should all look at it on the bright side and realize that those people waiting for the AMCAS application deadline (whenever that is... 🙂 ) may truly not have the opportunity for an interview.

 

[blee]

ah-ha! the benefits of having Dr. H present are priceless. We were not told that particular piece of information b/c Dr. H was away.

Does the "hold pending acceptance" mean that the applicant will be given a spot come the October acceptances or does it simply mean "we might accept you but we don't know when?" If it's the later then that means there's a whole lot of waiting in store.

I'm guessing that Dr. H is still playing catch-up with all of the stuff that happened while she was out. The waiting game sucks, but I guess that's part of this whole process.

"hold pending acceptance" means that you've been given a priority score that is possibly good enough to be offered an acceptance. On a few specific dates during the application cycle, the adcom then picks a certain maximum number of acceptances and/or a cut-off priority score above which no acceptances will be offered. One of those dates is 10/15, and I believe there are others in December and sometime early next year. I guess that's why they don't tell you your score, since it's not really significant by itself.

 

[beponychick]

Ok... here's my theory...

I receieved an interview invite on Sept 19, after receiving the vague e-mail a week ago to the date. When I had to choose my interview, the earliest date was Oct 18 and I didn't check the latest date but the February month was an option. I strongly feel that sometimes us SDNers become a little narrowminded with our perspective of the application pool and that there are quite a number of people getting interviews who have never been on SDN. I believe this is the reason that the STATUS UPDATE states that they are not sure if they'll be able to schedule you for an interview or not because they are allowing people in SEPT to schedule for interviews in FEB.

I think we should all look at it on the bright side and realize that those people waiting for the AMCAS application deadline (whenever that is... 🙂 ) may truly not have the opportunity for an interview.

Well I called last week to change my interview time (I am scheduled to interview on the morning of Oct 11 and wanted to change to the afternoon) and they said they had no availability but did want to reschedule me for the last week in Oct, meaning they had an opening. I highly doubt that they filled up 4 months worth of interviews in the 3 days since I called. I feel it may have something to do with ones "priority score." I dont know though. In any case, I agree an interview is great and everyone who received one should be super proud. I know I am! 🙂

 

[sgrnspc]

So I got my interview invite last night. No vague e-mails, just a complete status and then an offer for an interview. Weird thing was that the soonest it would let me schedule was the first of February, does that mean I suck?

are you sure? did you check under the other months?? when i first went to that page the first month they showed was february, but then i scrolled down to september and they had a few days available... try the reschedule option on your application status page...
good luck

 

[crazy_cavalier]

So I got my interview invite last night. No vague e-mails, just a complete status and then an offer for an interview. Weird thing was that the soonest it would let me schedule was the first of February, does that mean I suck?

Make sure you are looking at the full drop-down list when you are selecting the Month for the interview on the status page. The list is organized chronologically with Jan, Feb, March... *THEN* Oct, Nov, Dec. Note that the items at the top of the drop down list are associated with next year, while Oct, Nov, Dec is associated with this year. So double check that you scrolled down the drop-down list and didn't miss November or something.

 

[goinverted]

Anyone know who I should speak with when I call. The guy I talked to this morning just seemed like he didn't really know for sure, but he told me they were full til february.