2008-2009 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Secondary Application Thread

[majahops]

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If we were to assign medical schools "transparency scores", with 10 being "most transparent" in the applicant-evaluation process (in terms of timing and progress, not actual methodology/criteria) and 0 being "least transparent," I think they would get a 9.0. If only they just gave us the actual "priority" score and the scale they use, then they would doubtless be a 10.


... that being said, the majority of other schools hover around the 4.0-5.0 range, so... VCU rules! 🙂

I just got an email from VCU, which requested that I check my application status. After logging in, this is what I got:

"The committee's file review indicates that they are interested in your candidacy. However, due to the increase in the applicant pool this year, it is clear we MAY be unable to interview all the candidates at your priority score. If we do find that we are able to grant an interview you will be notified by e-mail."

Did anyone else get this message? Words like "however" and phrases like "at your priority score" are highly troubling. Ugh, they need to stop playing games...haven't we been tortured enough already? 😡

 

[Gators239]

Whoops...guess I jumped the gun on this one.

I have been frantically researching these vague messages, and the general consensus is that getting a MAY status is a good thing. I just called up my friend, who was accepted to VCU last year but later decided to attend another school, for further details. She said that for OOS applicants (i.e. me), the MAY message - which is what she got - is the highest possible priority score. This makes sense, since VCU prefers in-staters. They would be the ones getting the highest priority scores.

Logical?

Lawd, I hope so! That would be great if that's the truth. 😀

 

[CrownwithCoke]

so I am OOS for vcu, but I go there for undergrad... does anybody have any idea if they have a preference for vcu students (even if theyre OOS)?

 

[chad5871]

so I am OOS for vcu, but I go there for undergrad... does anybody have any idea if they have a preference for vcu students (even if theyre OOS)?

First of all, I'm sorry you have to pay OOS tuition for VCU undergrad. I hope you have a scholarship because otherwise it's pretty brutal.

I would think that they would give you a preference, but I'm not quite sure because it seems like they have a set ratio of OOS/IS acceptances. It might help if you do some work with professors and doctors on the medical campus and can get recommendations from them. Also, you do have the luxury of being able to meet with Dr. WC or Agnes Mack and discuss potential weaknesses in your application.

Good luck! Go RAMS!

 

[CrownwithCoke]

lol thanks for the response.. yeah ive shadowed two doctors at MCV and do research at Massey, so hoepfully that will help. also i do have a scholarship for in-state tuition(provost) so thats pretty good 🙂

 

[MedSchoolMan]

Any news about VCU interview offers? Technically, the interview offers must have been out by now...This is a weird.

 

[justapremed]

It wouldn't hurt to call. The admissions office there is incredibly helpful and friendly.

Totally agreed! I just called and apparently I needed to send in a copy of my green card, and that's why I was still "incomplete." although... I didn't see this information requested anywhere, unless I just skipped a line at some point... phew, so glad i called. and yes, they were very nice over the phone!! 👍

 

[chad5871]

Any news about VCU interview offers? Technically, the interview offers must have been out by now...This is a weird.

I've heard that EDP and MD/PhD interviews have been offered. JamieMD got an interview also, but I don't know if it's a regular MD interview or one of these other programs.

 

[UVAbme2009]

When was the last time they did a status update for anybody? I'm still waiting for something past "you're application is complete."

 

[MedSchoolMan]

When was the last time they did a status update for anybody? I'm still waiting for something past "you're application is complete."

I think they went to sleep somehow. The offers were supposed to come out last week ...

 

[JamieMD]

I've heard that EDP and MD/PhD interviews have been offered. JamieMD got an interview also, but I don't know if it's a regular MD interview or one of these other programs.

Yeah I got my interview offer last week. I'm a regular MD applicant. I suspect the interview offers will come in staggered once the interview season actually starts.

 

[nellia]

Yeah I got my interview offer last week. I'm a regular MD applicant. I suspect the interview offers will come in staggered once the interview season actually starts.

ahhh interview invite already ?? i am still waiting on a secondary 👎thumbdown

 

[Dalki2007]

So...literally about 5 min ago I was reading this thread...worrying why I haven't been asked for the VCU interview...😕



Then..
At 6:04pm...
VCU Email...



BAM!!
An interview invite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😍

(Secondary App Complete date: 7/24)
(Instate Female)

Keep your hopes up!!!!!
This is just the beginning!!!!!!

 

[JamieMD]

Congrats! When is your interview, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Dalki2007]

Congrats! When is your interview, if you don't mind me asking?

I haven't decided.
I guess earlier the better...
Perhaps sometime around 9/2 or 9/3😀

 

[pjg]

Dalkie, Jamie:

Which kind of status letter did you get - the "may" letter for example?

 

[Dalki2007]

Dalkie, Jamie:

Which kind of status letter did you get - the "may" letter for example?

Copied/pasting from the status page:

The Admissions Committee review of your file indicates that they are interested in scheduling you for an interview. You now have access to the Interview Scheduling program. Please click on the button at the top of the page for Interview Scheduling. You will see the dates and times that are currently available for interview. Keep in mind that once you schedule, your name will appear on the interviewer's calendar so you should be certain that you will be able to attend on the date you select. This is a live, interactive system and it is possible that you will decide on a date and someone else will be online at the same time and select that date and time before you complete your process. In that case, the system will tell you that it is no longer available and will ask you to select another date and time.

You have seven days to schedule your interview from the time you received e-mail notification regarding this change in application status. A reminder message will be sent to you two days prior to interview scheduling deadline. Failure to schedule your interview before the deadline will result in withdrawal of your application.

We look forward to seeing you here on interview day. More details with directions, schedule for the day etc. will be available to you after you have selected your interview date and time.

 

[MedSchoolMan]

Copied/pasting from the status page:

The Admissions Committee review of your file indicates that they are interested in scheduling you for an interview. You now have access to the Interview Scheduling program. Please click on the button at the top of the page for Interview Scheduling. You will see the dates and times that are currently available for interview. Keep in mind that once you schedule, your name will appear on the interviewer's calendar so you should be certain that you will be able to attend on the date you select. This is a live, interactive system and it is possible that you will decide on a date and someone else will be online at the same time and select that date and time before you complete your process. In that case, the system will tell you that it is no longer available and will ask you to select another date and time.


You have seven days to schedule your interview from the time you received e-mail notification regarding this change in application status. A reminder message will be sent to you two days prior to interview scheduling deadline. Failure to schedule your interview before the deadline will result in withdrawal of your application.

We look forward to seeing you here on interview day. More details with directions, schedule for the day etc. will be available to you after you have selected your interview date and time.

Congratulation & thanks for sharing it with us...it gave me hope.
Did u get the "May be unable to interview you" message after you completed your secondary?

 

[saloli]

i had the "may" message and just got interview scheduled for 9/2. good luck!!!!!

 

[Dalki2007]

i had the "may" message and just got interview scheduled for 9/2. good luck!!!!!

I'm scheduled for 9/3!
I thought about 9/2 but I have a lab meeting 😱 boooo!

Good luck to you!

 

[Dalki2007]

Congratulation & thanks for sharing it with us...it gave me hope.
Did u get the "May be unable to interview you" message after you completed your secondary?

Hey!
Don't worry..
I had that very-unwelcoming "may" status page for a good month...
Good luck!

 

[MedSchoolMan]

i had the "may" message and just got interview scheduled for 9/2. good luck!!!!!

Congratulations. Are you IS too?

 

[Isis24]

I also had the "may" message for some time. Interview invite today!!!! I chose 9/2. It will be nice to meet some of you there!!

 

[MedSchoolMan]

Hey!
Don't worry..
I had that very-unwelcoming "may" status page for a good month...
Good luck!

Thanks. I try not to.
I have had that message since early july. It feels heavy on my back now...

 

[JamieMD]

I had the "may" message. Hang in there MedSchoolMan...

 

[MedSchoolMan]

I also had the "may" message for some time. Interview invite today!!!! I chose 9/2. It will be nice to meet some of you there!!

Just wanted to say that you seem to have a very strong application. You will most probably be among the first group of applicants accepted to VCU--the dreaded OCT 15.

 

[MedSchoolMan]

I had the "may" message. Hang in there MedSchoolMan...

Thanks Jamie...i try.

 

[Isis24]

Just wanted to say that you seem to have a very strong application. You will most probably be among the first group of applicants accepted to VCU--the dreaded OCT 15.

That is so encouraging!! Thank you! 🙂

 

[Isis24]

Thanks. I try not to.
I have had that message since early july. It feels heavy on my back now...

Don't worry too much!! The "may" message is clearly a good one!

 

[UVAbme2009]

Congrats on the interviews!

I'm so tempted to call and ask why I've been complete for almost six weeks w/o an update, but I'll wait at least two more weeks.

 

[IssaErie]

Does anyone have any insight into the following:
I applied to VCU in 2004 with a 25R, 3.0, and was graciously given a secondary to complete. Since then, have gotten a PhD degree, with a 3.5 graduate GPA, raised my MCAT to a 31, received a few awards, and federal funding for my work. This time around, rejected PRE secondary. Thoughts???
🙁

 

[saloli]

you should go talk to the admissions people and ask for suggestions. i talked to a couple of teachers there before applying and they were really helpful. also, i'm IS in response to above thread.

 

[JamieMD]

IssaErie, when you reapplied did you write a new personal statement? My VCU interviewer from last year told me to first and foremost to write a new PS. I've read from another thread that another reapplicant who got a interview last year got pre-secondary rejected this year and he only made a few revisions to his PS.

 

[MedSchoolMan]

Does anyone have any insight into the following:
I applied to VCU in 2004 with a 25R, 3.0, and was graciously given a secondary to complete. Since then, have gotten a PhD degree, with a 3.5 graduate GPA, raised my MCAT to a 31, received a few awards, and federal funding for my work. This time around, rejected PRE secondary. Thoughts???
🙁

I am so sorry to hear that. This is an awkward situation. Don't limit ur choices to VCU. Every school is looking for something, and I am pretty sure that some schools will be digging you...

 

[chad5871]

Got an interview invite today as well! I'm so excited! I wasn't able to schedule it until 9/30, though, because of scheduling conflicts. I'm just fortunate to have gotten an interview invite so early - just wish my schedule would have worked and I could have gotten the earliest interview date possible. I guess September's nothing to balk over.

And for those curious, I'm an IS male. Looks like the in-staters are getting some early VCU love.

For those with interview invites already, VCU interviewed 351 IS applicants in 2007 and accepted 205. That's almost 60% acceptance. 😀 👍

 

[JamieMD]

Got an interview invite today as well! I'm so excited! I wasn't able to schedule it until 9/30, though, because of scheduling conflicts. I'm just fortunate to have gotten an interview invite so early - just wish my schedule would have worked and I could have gotten the earliest interview date possible. I guess September's nothing to balk over.

And for those curious, I'm an IS male. Looks like the in-staters are getting some early VCU love.

For those with interview invites already, VCU interviewed 351 IS applicants in 2007 and accepted 205. That's almost 60% acceptance. 😀 👍

That's doubly good news! Congrats and good luck!

 

[Chuck's Right Foot]

Does anyone have any insight into the following:
I applied to VCU in 2004 with a 25R, 3.0, and was graciously given a secondary to complete. Since then, have gotten a PhD degree, with a 3.5 graduate GPA, raised my MCAT to a 31, received a few awards, and federal funding for my work. This time around, rejected PRE secondary. Thoughts???
🙁

The pool got more competitive.

AND you got hosed.

Sorry man.

 

[Chuck's Right Foot]

I just sent in my secondary. Got my notice on 8/4 that I could turn it in, but my mom has been sick (again).

I'm OOS male... any idea on turnaround? It looks like it varies from person to person.

 

[leftmid]

Does anyone have any insight into the following:
I applied to VCU in 2004 with a 25R, 3.0, and was graciously given a secondary to complete. Since then, have gotten a PhD degree, with a 3.5 graduate GPA, raised my MCAT to a 31, received a few awards, and federal funding for my work. This time around, rejected PRE secondary. Thoughts???
🙁

To my knowledge, VCU'd like applicants like you even without the PhD. I tend to agree with the other post that the rejection is most likely due to your PS. Or it could be some persisting flaw in you application or something that has changed in an undesirable way. Also, it's possible that the adcoms believe that you would end up somewhere else regardless.

VCU used to reject a home boy with some stats like 4.0/40. The man eventually was accepted at Duke. He also got a full scholarship at another school.

There are always top talents in Richmond. I heard that the top medical student of the class 2008 graduated with perfect grade of 4.0. He completed his undergrad study at VCU too.

 

[happygirl]

congrats on all the invites, guys!!!! 🙂

 

[Greatguy23]

Got an invite today from out-of-state. Cannot schedule interview before January.

 

[Gators239]

Got an invite today from out-of-state. Cannot schedule interview before January.

Why's that? Will it not let you? I'm just wondering, because I'm OOS as well and got one today, too.

 

[Greatguy23]

Why's that? Will it not let you? I'm just wondering, because I'm OOS as well and got one today, too.

I think I worded that poorly. The first interview slot I was offered was in January. I was able to schedule the interview today.

 

[EWAustin]

Hey out of staters, were you immediatly granted an interview or did you receive a hold letter first? Thanks

 

[Lucylu123]

I think I worded that poorly. The first interview slot I was offered was in January. I was able to schedule the interview today.

I don't think you were actually only offered January as the first date. When you go to schedule it, January is the first month that pops up on the scroll menu...but you can scroll down to sept or oct. It does not mean sept 09. I could be wrong...but I would give it a try. Don't put it off until January! You would be putting yourself at a huge disadvantage!!!

Good luck!

 

[MedSchoolMan]

I don't think you were actually only offered January as the first date. When you go to schedule it, January is the first month that pops up on the scroll menu...but you can scroll down to sept or oct. It does not mean sept 09. I could be wrong...but I would give it a try. Don't put it off until January! You would be putting yourself at a huge disadvantage!!!

Good luck!

I totally agree. I scheduled for september. You can choose different months...just think about it. Why would Sep 09 be there? (you see...)🙂

 

[MedSchoolMan]

Any advice as to what is the best way to prepare for the interview?

 

[smgfan]

Any advice as to what is the best way to prepare for the interview?

All I can think is to know as much about the school prior to the interview, whipping out a few details during the interview may show sincere interest?.. otherwise, just be natural, genuine, yourself as much as possible.

Does anyone know the OOS interviewed # / accepted #? Thanks so much.

 

[chessodoc]

So I am complete at VCU since Wednesday...is this already too late? 🙁

 

[Chuck's Right Foot]

So I am complete at VCU since Wednesday...is this already too late? 🙁

No.