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

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Under the high school section of the application, I checked the box at question number 3 because my school did not offer AP courses.

I wouldn't really consider the school to be "disadvantaged", but since I clicked the box, I now have to answer question number 4 (giving an explaination of why the school is disadvantaged).

Do you think that I should just indicate that the school was small and had limited course offerings?
 
azuldelcielo said:
Under the high school section of the application, I checked the box at question number 3 because my school did not offer AP courses.

I wouldn't really consider the school to be "disadvantaged", but since I clicked the box, I now have to answer question number 4 (giving an explaination of why the school is disadvantaged).

Do you think that I should just indicate that the school was small and had limited course offerings?
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I had the same situation and decided not to check the box since my school wasn't disadvantaged. It was just really small and so it didn't have many AP classes... and I don't think they would care about that. Either way, it doesn't seem that it will make a huge difference. Do whatever makes you the most comfortable.
 
utahjazz said:
I had the same situation and decided not to check the box since my school wasn't disadvantaged. It was just really small and so it didn't have many AP classes... and I don't think they would care about that. Either way, it doesn't seem that it will make a huge difference. Do whatever makes you the most comfortable.
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Thanks for the response.
 
azuldelcielo said:
Under the high school section of the application, I checked the box at question number 3 because my school did not offer AP courses.

I wouldn't really consider the school to be "disadvantaged", but since I clicked the box, I now have to answer question number 4 (giving an explaination of why the school is disadvantaged).

Do you think that I should just indicate that the school was small and had limited course offerings?
Click to expand...

Well, i am from a disadvantaged background. However, from the things I have heard and seen, it really doesn't matter at all. High MCAT, solid GPA and some EC seem to be the only important factors in this cruel number-obsessed process. I am starting to think how come we have so many good doctors in the world, from the past and present, who never took MCAT? Then, i come to realize that this system is ...
 
Hey guys, I was wondering how long it was before you got a status update after your file was complete. I just received word that I was complete today..
 
olivesolivia said:
Hey guys, I was wondering how long it was before you got a status update after your file was complete. I just received word that I was complete today..
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24 hours later for me. It totally depends on how many people are "in line" ahead of you and who your reviewer on the committee is. In my case I was given my status update message on a Saturday.
 
chad5871 said:
24 hours later for me. It totally depends on how many people are "in line" ahead of you and who your reviewer on the committee is. In my case I was given my status update message on a Saturday.
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Impressive! I won't count on that happening, but it def would be sweet. Weekends are pretty much torture for me these days...waiting 2 days knowing there will be no action on my status has totally taken away from the normal joy of a weekend! C'est, la vie!
 
chad5871 said:
24 hours later for me. It totally depends on how many people are "in line" ahead of you and who your reviewer on the committee is. In my case I was given my status update message on a Saturday.
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will the status page say under "items received" when it has gotten your letters? i ask bc i am still incomplete bc i still need to send a grad school letter, however they should have gotten my premed letter over 2 weeks ago.....will they just wait until ALL letters are received? thanks guys!
 
beachblonde said:
Don't stress too much about it. You can change your mind when you get to VCU.
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Wait, can you really? This is what I'm reading from the application....

"Once you check off your choice you are committed to that choice and will be assigned as space allows."

Anyone know?
 
Hey - for MCV, if we are Virginia residents, do we have to turn in the instate education privilege form as we do for UVA and stuff? I didn't see any requests for it, and I'm wondering if I missed something...
 
justapremed said:
Hey - for MCV, if we are Virginia residents, do we have to turn in the instate education privilege form as we do for UVA and stuff? I didn't see any requests for it, and I'm wondering if I missed something...
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I'm pretty sure we don't - I couldn't find anything about this either.

I think they wait to get that paperwork until after you're accepted.
 
Is there anybody who has received a status update lately? I'm still waiting on something to change from just being complete. It's been that way for a few weeks now.
 
UVAbme2009 said:
Is there anybody who has received a status update lately? I'm still waiting on something to change from just being complete. It's been that way for a few weeks now.
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Like some have said on here before, it completely depends on who your file is handed to for review. Everyone on the admissions committee has other duties - I'm sure some of them are incredibly busy or on vacation or for some other reason haven't gotten to your file yet. You should definitely hear something soon. Good luck!
 
UVAbme2009 said:
Is there anybody who has received a status update lately? I'm still waiting on something to change from just being complete. It's been that way for a few weeks now.
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I was complete 7/20 and just heard back from them today.

I got the "would like to review your file further message". Do you guys thinks this is good or bad overall? I can't decide, because it's not the best message but it's also not the worst.
 
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Good luck you guys.
 
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cetona said:
I was complete 7/20 and just heard back from them today.

I got the "would like to review your file further message". Do you guys thinks this is good or bad overall? I can't decide, because it's not the best message but it's also not the worst.
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i was complete a couple weeks ago and got that same message today. as a reapplicant and from my experience last year, this is definitely not good news and is comparable to a "hold", meaning there's an extremely small chance you'll be given and interview and you won't know for sure until february which is likely when they'll just straight up reject you. sorry but that's the truth and i'm in the same boat 🙁
 
GeorgesStPierre said:
i was complete a couple weeks ago and got that same message today. as a reapplicant and from my experience last year, this is definitely not good news and is comparable to a "hold", meaning there's an extremely small chance you'll be given and interview and you won't know for sure until february which is likely when they'll just straight up reject you. sorry but that's the truth and i'm in the same boat 🙁
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I got this message in last year's cycle and was invited for interview early-mid January. Interviewed mid-Feb.
 
Some MD/PhD interviews have already come out. I don't know if they've given out any MD only interviews yet. Good luck you guys!
 
Schoolsucks said:
no clue chubs, wish they'd hurry up though. I wanna buy my plan ticket to NYC while its still cheap, but would to fit VCU into that flight plan.
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yeah....Email them maybe...I emailed AECOM telling them I have NYMC at the same time...hopefully they reply.
 
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.

I got this /msg.... doesn't look so hot. 🙁 I'll keep my hopes up though!
 
"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."

^ I thought this was a "good" message? I thought the hierarchy was "very interested," "may" = "further" , "reservations, "rejected." Are there any other threads floating about with solid info on how they do things at VCU?
 
Question: For the essay on specialties... Do they want a general essay on how i will pick specialties and what i look for in a specialty, or do they want me to list specialties i am now interested in, or both... I am writing it now with both, but I want to simply write it in generalities without specific specialties. I dunno, any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Phenol312 said:
"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."

^ I thought this was a "good" message? I thought the hierarchy was "very interested," "may" = "further" , "reservations, "rejected." Are there any other threads floating about with solid info on how they do things at VCU?
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Some ppl said the May message is better than further and otehrs vice versa....Its better than the other ones, tats for sure.
 
dtepper said:
Question: For the essay on specialties... Do they want a general essay on how i will pick specialties and what i look for in a specialty, or do they want me to list specialties i am now interested in, or both... I am writing it now with both, but I want to simply write it in generalities without specific specialties. I dunno, any help is greatly appreciated.
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I wrote about both...igot the MAY message, OOS.
 
Phenol312 said:
^ I thought this was a "good" message? I thought the hierarchy was "very interested," "may" = "further" , "reservations, "rejected." Are there any other threads floating about with solid info on how they do things at VCU?
Click to expand...

I think in general it is considered that both "may" and "further" messages indicate a potential interview, but the "may" message typically results in an interview invite faster than the "further" message. Personally I think these messages are related to our pre-interview priority score. So the "very interested" might correlate with scores 1-1.5, "may" with 1.6-2.5, "further" with 2.6-3.5," "reservations" with 3.6-4.5, and "rejected" with anything worse than a 4.5. This theory is based solely on my observations of what's happened with applicants on SDN in previous cycles, and the approximate priority score values are entirely made up. It's just a theory so don't take it as fact.
 
Hello everyone! I've been a long time reader of these forums and finally have decided to join in on the fun.

This is my second time applying to VCU. Last year I interviewed with them in Feb. and got waitlisted. This year I changed my PS and took the MCATs again as recommended by the interviewer. About two weeks after submitting the secondary, I surprised to get the "may be interested" message a week before the new MCAT scores were due to be released. I traded emails with Dr. WC which led to updated MCAT scores and tada two days later, I'm scheduled for an interview on Sept. 2!

Good luck to everyone!:luck:
 
JamieMD said:
Hello everyone! I've been a long time reader of these forums and finally have decided to join in on the fun.

This is my second time applying to VCU. Last year I interviewed with them in Feb. and got waitlisted. This year I changed my PS and took the MCATs again as recommended by the interviewer. About two weeks after submitting the secondary, I surprised to get the "may be interested" message a week before the new MCAT scores were due to be released. I traded emails with Dr. WC which led to updated MCAT scores and tada two days later, I'm scheduled for an interview on Sept. 2!

Good luck to everyone!:luck:
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Congratulations on your interview invite. It seems that you will definitely get in VCU this year. Are you an OOS?
Also, if you don't mind, what was your MCAT score last year and what is it this year? Thanks...and congrats...
 
In case people were wondering, interviews begin on September 2nd. I don't know how many interiew offers have been sent out at this point, though.
 
I'm a IS female.
GPA: 3.78
Previous MCAT: 28P
Recent MCAT: 32M

Just goes to show that the writing sample isn't as important as the rest of score.
 
it has been a week since my LORs have been posted via virtualevals and i'm not complete yet
should i call or wait it out another week?
 
Wait another week, then definitely call!
 
Just got the may message. hopefully it will turnout well.

On a side note, I have friends who are from VA and it seems like VCU doesnt have that good of a rep? Simply just what I hear, I have no stance.
 
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Yep. Writing is by far my best skill and I got an M as well. More power to you, sister!

JamieMD said:
I'm a IS female.
GPA: 3.78
Previous MCAT: 28P
Recent MCAT: 32M

Just goes to show that the writing sample isn't as important as the rest of score.
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As an undergraduate school, VCU does not have the best rep in VA. It seems like that is changing a little and it is moving up in the world. However, MCV has a very good rep in Virginia. It was not always part of VCU and is on a different campus.
 
Lucylu123 said:
As an undergraduate school, VCU does not have the best rep in VA. It seems like that is changing a little and it is moving up in the world. However, MCV has a very good rep in Virginia. It was not always part of VCU and is on a different campus.
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It's interesting you mentioned that because I remember from last year's interview Dr. WC explaining the school's history and technically MCV is really called VCU School of Medicine now, though this seems to be a source of contention with the alumni. As a result of the name change VCU won't print MCV alumni apparel so the students print them as a fundraiser :laugh:
 
majahops said:
Yep. Writing is by far my best skill and I got an M as well. More power to you, sister!
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Lol thanks! Sometimes I wonder if the WS graders just didn't have their cup of coffee yet.
 
Re: VCU's reputation and the VCU/MCV controversy.

I went to VCU undergrad because of it's great forensic science program (one of the top in the country - only the second to have both the graduate and undergraduate programs accredited). It used to be primarily a commuter school, so it had a pretty bad rep. It was a step above community college, but a step below most other four-year schools. In the past decade, however, the undergraduate program has become increasingly more robust. Sure, it's still not that competitive to get accepted and you won't get the prestige of other schools like UVA or JMU, but you'll definitely get a good education. Some of our majors are nationally recognized (the sculpture program is ranked #1 in the nation) and the school is always expanding. A brand new state-of-the-art school of business was just constructed and opened in the spring. Things are definitely on the upswing for VCU - a diploma from there is becoming worth more and it's getting slightly more competitive to get into. I hope it stays on this track because it's well on its way to becoming a fabulous state school. Not only that, but it's super cheap (in-state tuition for all four years is about $20,000 total).

MCV, like others have stated on here, started out as a separate school. It has nationally-recognized research and is consistently making headlines. It actually has a great rep here with the citizens of Virginia (everyone I talk to here thinks it's one of the best med schools). The first two years are solid, their board prep is outstanding, and the clinical training is great. It's a really great school all-around with numerous opportunities. It was officially renamed "VCU School of Medicine" when a high-profile patient was brought to VCU Medical Center (the name of the hospital) and the newspapers erroneously listed it as "Medical College of Virginia at UVA." This caused a big fuss with alumni and others who believe it should still be called MCV, but it's not a big deal in my mind. The official employer of medical staff at the school is termed "MCV Hospitals & Physicians" and pretty much everyone here calls it MCV.

If anyone has any questions about VCU/MCV, feel free to PM me or ask on here. I know quite a bit about it and I am very proud of my school. 😀
 
Hm, so my secondary app and fee are marked as received 8/11.

Letters are received 8/13 "Committee packet" (After filling out so many secondary apps, I don't remember at this point if I had to specify somewhere on the VCU app whose letters I'm sending?! but I don't think they're missing any letters since I sent them all at once through Interfolio)

But I'm marked as "incomplete." Does it take time for them to change it to "complete" or should I call Mon?
 
justapremed said:
Hm, so my secondary app and fee are marked as received 8/11.

Letters are received 8/13 "Committee packet" (After filling out so many secondary apps, I don't remember at this point if I had to specify somewhere on the VCU app whose letters I'm sending?! but I don't think they're missing any letters since I sent them all at once through Interfolio)

But I'm marked as "incomplete." Does it take time for them to change it to "complete" or should I call Mon?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to call. The admissions office there is incredibly helpful and friendly.
 
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? 😡
 
according to previous posts on this thread there are several "tiers" in which vcu classifies applicants... if i'm correct you're supposedly in the 2nd of 5 possible tiers (1st being the best and 5th being rejection) just look back on this thread..i'm too lazy to quote them.
 
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?
 
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