2009-2010 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Application Thread

[lawdoc]

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I think VCU forgot I was #1 status. 8 weeks and counting....

Sorry about that. After I posted my message, I felt bad about putting my situation out there because of people like you who have been in limbo for some time. About 10 minutes after I posted it, I actually thought how I would feel about seeing my post if I were in your situation, and had some regrets. I was not trying to brag about anything... in the pure enjoyment of the moment I decided to try to give hope to others who may have applied late. It's just that I have heard from several sources that I had no chance of interviews after applying so late, and I wanted to offer hope to someone else who might be in the same boat.

I hope that you hear something soon.

 

[lola12]

Sorry about that. After I posted my message, I felt bad about putting my situation out there because of people like you who have been in limbo for some time. About 10 minutes after I posted it, I actually thought how I would feel about seeing my post if I were in your situation, and had some regrets. I was not trying to brag about anything... in the pure enjoyment of the moment I decided to try to give hope to others who may have applied late. It's just that I have heard from several sources that I had no chance of interviews after applying so late, and I wanted to offer hope to someone else who might be in the same boat.

I hope that you hear something soon.

r u IS? Did u get a status msg before interview invite? thanks and GL!

 

[lawdoc]

r u IS? Did u get a status msg before interview invite? thanks and GL!

I am in state. I did not get a status update. I went from complete and reviewing your file to here's the interview invite.

 

[ugob1985]

Man....i've had the #1 status for 8 weeks too.....this is taking so long. I'm OOS.

Did anyone try calling to ask them for a status update. Also, I don't think it's random the way they word their messages. However, they give preference to IS applicants. I guess all we can do is wait.

 

[metallica81788]

I have my interview here Monday. After browsing the Interview Feedback, it seems they ask a lot of healthcare-related questions. Can anyone with a fairly recent interview confirm or deny this? Thanks.

 

[lawdoc]

I have my interview here Monday. After browsing the Interview Feedback, it seems they ask a lot of healthcare-related questions. Can anyone with a fairly recent interview confirm or deny this? Thanks.

Congrats on the interview! I interviewed recently, and can only speak to my experience. So take it for what it is worth.

I was not asked about any health care related issues. It was only about me personally and the journey I took to medical school. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I am an much older applicant (32) and am someone who has a JD. I think that health care questions are testing not just your interest in medicine, but how you think and can you see both sides of an issue and defend the side that you prefer. That is can you realize that for many of these types of issues, do you realize that there is not a black and white, wrong or right answer, but can you defend your position. I don't know if they just assumed because of my previous experiences that I could do this, and focused the rest of the interview about how I got from there to here.

As a FYI, I loved this school. Everyone I met was wonderful and very laid back. I had a great time throughout the entire interview/tour experience and this is the type of school that I was looking for. Good luck.

By the way this is from One Metallica fan to another!

 

[tulli]

I have my interview here Monday. After browsing the Interview Feedback, it seems they ask a lot of healthcare-related questions. Can anyone with a fairly recent interview confirm or deny this? Thanks.

I'm also non-trad so maybe that had something to do with the questions .. but I was mostly asked why medicine and a few random standard interview questions like 'name a time you went above and beyond the call of duty'.

 

[lawdoc]

I'm also non-trad so maybe that had something to do with the questions .. but I was mostly asked why medicine and a few random standard interview questions like 'name a time you went above and beyond the call of duty'.

Glad to hear that I wasn't the only one. Out of curiosity, what did you do before deciding to do the whole medical school thing, if you do not mind sharing?

 

[Heidiho]

I'm a non-trad too and my entire 1 hour 15 min interview was about recent healthcare experience, which my interviewer decided I had too little of, I think......even though I have worked in hospitals in patient care for more than 2000 hours. Since that experience was ten years ago, it doesn't count, and my recent experience is there, but has to work around another full-time job, so is not as extensive as 2000 hours....... My interview was a total bummer....... 🙁

 

[NontradatBeach]

I'm also non-trad so maybe that had something to do with the questions .. but I was mostly asked why medicine and a few random standard interview questions like 'name a time you went above and beyond the call of duty'.

Glad to hear that I wasn't the only one. Out of curiosity, what did you do before deciding to do the whole medical school thing, if you do not mind sharing?

As a non-trad, I too was asked many questions regarding my choice to switch, and how I knew I wouldn't change my mind again. My interviewer was very good at challenging me on my answers to ensure they were authentic and well thought out. (I switched from running an ad interactive ad agency to medicine after 5 years in EMS).

There were a few surprises - and somewhat of trivia-type questions to test your awareness of your community and environment - basically to see if you had your head buried in the sand and were living in a pre-med bubble just checking off the right boxes and sliding through the process... OR if you were active in your community and cared about things larger than just med school admissions. I knew exactly what he was getting at with this question, and appreciated VCU even more because he asked it. When I interviewed Oct. 1, none of the OOS applicants had answered their questions correctly, and only 1 other IS applicant answered it correctly. (There were different questions for OOS v IS).

 

[Heidiho]

There is a list of questions that the interviewers can ask, but it is up to them and some don't use it at all.
I don't think my interviewer asked a single question that anyone else in my interview group got asked and certainly was not going down a list. One person in my interview group had a 4th year student interviewer who basically asked what his hobbies were and then talked about bicycle racing for 25 minutes. It's all very random, it seems.
I will be interested to see how it all pans out..... I am still waiting to see if I get the immediate reject or the "hold til Dec 15" message. Should be this week. Has anyone from 11/2 week of interviews found out anything yet?

 

[Heidiho]

Now I see from the last page, that people from 11/2 have heard.....but I'm at the end of the alphabet and I know they go through the interviewees at the adcom meeting alphabetically.....so they maybe wouldn't have gotten to me. Ugh......I hate the waiting. I am getting old with this waiting......!!!

 

[ronicajay]

Now I see from the last page, that people from 11/2 have heard.....but I'm at the end of the alphabet and I know they go through the interviewees at the adcom meeting alphabetically.....so they maybe wouldn't have gotten to me. Ugh......I hate the waiting. I am getting old with this waiting......!!!

I doubt they would skip over you because of your place in alphabetical order. It all depends if your interviewer is present at the Adcom meeting to present your file. In my case, it took some time before I was presented and eligible for acceptance. Don't worry, they will get to you!

Good luck everyone!

 

[Emer1046]

I got status #2 update just a couple days ago. I hope I will get a chance to interview at VCU.

 

[tulli]

Glad to hear that I wasn't the only one. Out of curiosity, what did you do before deciding to do the whole medical school thing, if you do not mind sharing?

I was in biomedical engineering. I needed to compensate for a poor GPA after college but then got side-tracked b/c I ended up really liking my job 🙂

 

[OneMCATAway]

it seems like they didnt reject anyone post interview recently? makes me wonder how safe we are in the hold pile 😏

 

[niner4life13]

Hey. I think I remember you, I interviewed that day too...Has your status changed to anything besides the survey one?

Hey everybody. Just had my interview at VCU yesterday and I absolutely loved this school. It takes all the things I've liked that are spread across multiple schools, and combines them into one. For example: Non-mandatory classes only half of the day, video-taped lectures, systems-based curriculum (in the 2nd year, anyways), awesome places to study, awesome simulation center, multiple hospitals in the near vicinity, study abroad opportunities, overall nice facilities, bla bla bla.

I honestly did not know much about this school before the interview, it was just another school that I checked to apply to on AMCAS. Lo and behold I got an interview, decided to check it out, and I think it's my number one choice out of the places I've interviewed.

I'm super pumped about hearing back from this school, cause I feel like I did as well as I ever could have during my interview. Come on, December 15th!

 

[tatchle1]

Hey. I think I remember you, I interviewed that day too...Has your status changed to anything besides the survey one?

Still on hold. Did get that survey update, though

 

[COdoubleMO2theN]

Just received the hold message...a relief for now.

 

[derArzt]

Rejected...

That makes 2/2 post-interview
still waiting on 3 more post-interview...

I reeeally hope I get in somewhere at this point

 

[nick_carraway]

Rejected...

That makes 2/2 post-interview
still waiting on 3 more post-interview...

I reeeally hope I get in somewhere at this point

That's harsh! Post-interview rejection? At least they didn't keep you in limbo, though.

Good luck with the rest!!!

 

[Legacy87]

I'm sorry to hear that. How did you feel coming out of the interview?

 

[dadocca]

For those that heard about hold/rejection today, when did you interview?

 

[COdoubleMO2theN]

For those that heard about hold/rejection today, when did you interview?

The week of 11/2.

 

[jackson1]

For those that heard about hold/rejection today, when did you interview?

interviewed 11/9, rejected yesterday. definitely felt like my interviewer didn't like me so i'm not surprised...good luck to all of you still in the running!

 

[Heidiho]

Argh! I'm still waiting to hear something.......even if it's a rejection, I wanna know!😱

Anyone else from week of 11/2 still waiting to hear something??? I interviewed 11/4, got the survey, but nothing else........
I felt like my interviewer really kinda hated me, so I was expecting bad news, but now I hear nothing........
So anxious..........

 

[OneMCATAway]

interviewed 11/9, rejected yesterday. definitely felt like my interviewer didn't like me so i'm not surprised...good luck to all of you still in the running!

ohh no 🙁! sorry to hear that jackson, wish you all the best with other schools

 

[jackson1]

ohh no 🙁! sorry to hear that jackson, wish you all the best with other schools

aww, thank you! good luck to you too!!🙂

 

[Heidiho]

I doubt they would skip over you because of your place in alphabetical order. It all depends if your interviewer is present at the Adcom meeting to present your file. In my case, it took some time before I was presented and eligible for acceptance. Don't worry, they will get to you!

Good luck everyone!

Oh, I wasn't suggesting that they skipped me... They told us at the interview that the interviewees were reviewed with the adcom in alphabetical order and that they very rarely got through all of them in one meeting, so that the people at the end of the alphabet would be pushed into the next week's pile.
I am deciding that that is what happened to me the first Monday and this Monday, my interviewer was absent, right? Absolutely! That explains it perfectly....haha.......
OK.OK. I am going to be patient now. I hereby swear that I will not post again for at least another week. Good luck to everyone else still waiting to hear.

 

[Bear007]

does anyone know if interviewees can bring their luggage on the day of the interview? do they have a place for luggage in the admiss office? thanks in advance....

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

does anyone know if interviewees can bring their luggage on the day of the interview? do they have a place for luggage in the admiss office? thanks in advance....

I wouldn't do that. Have your hotel concierge hold the luggage for you and then go back and get it when you're done for the day.

 

[nick_carraway]

does anyone know if interviewees can bring their luggage on the day of the interview? do they have a place for luggage in the admiss office? thanks in advance....

The holding room is small with not a lot of space. I arrived via train so I crammed my stuff under a small table, but no one else brought anything with them.

 

[ramzax]

i recently got an interview invite about a few days ago. except, the earliest one i could register for was in februrary 2. sooo far away. has anyone had a similar experience?

 

[metallica81788]

The holding room is small with not a lot of space. I arrived via train so I crammed my stuff under a small table, but no one else brought anything with them.

Yeah, definitely - there's not much room.

So I inteviewed yesterday and really liked it. It was really rainy and gloomy, but it was still a cool place. The Egyptian building is awesome.

 

[Birdsbeak]

Just got status #2 update. I used the search function.

Quick question, is anyone else with status 2 getting interviews?

 

[Legacy87]

Just got status #2 update. I used the search function.

Quick question, is anyone else with status 2 getting interviews?

I got status #2 and 3-4 days later, I received an interview. This was back in August. I hope this helps.

 

[ilikekiwis]

Just got status #2 update. I used the search function.

Quick question, is anyone else with status 2 getting interviews?

got #2 a little over a month ago, no invite yet
we prolly have to wait a bit longer now since it's further in the cycle

 

[LuckyCharmed]

6.5 weeks and waiting with #2 status...has anyone gotten any invites lately???

 

[millepora]

Got interview invite a couple of days ago, I just noticed it. It looks like the earliest date is in February, does this sound about right? That is like 2 months from now... I remember someone mentioned before that the earliest date was February, is this just a mishap in the interview scheduling system, or are they really this packed?

 

[NontradatBeach]

I'll be declining my acceptance on Monday.
Good luck to those of you waiting for the Dec. 15 acceptances.

 

[Heidiho]

Where have you decided to go Nontradatbeach?

 

[NontradatBeach]

Where have you decided to go Nontradatbeach?

EVMS
😍

 

[OneMCATAway]

EVMS
😍

Congrats!! 🙂 and thanks for being considerate to drop your other acceptances, dec 15th cant come soon enough

 

[LeonPheltz]

So I interviewed on Tuesday and felt as though it went really well. Has anyone heard or know of people hearing anything before the posted release dates, as in, has anyone heard or know of people hearing before the october 15, december 15 etc.... dates? And if you have, were these notices other than rejections. It seems that everyone who has posted who has heard before these dates seems to have been rejected. Any answers would help thanks!

 

[itnstalln]

So I interviewed on Tuesday and felt as though it went really well. Has anyone heard or know of people hearing anything before the posted release dates, as in, has anyone heard or know of people hearing before the october 15, december 15 etc.... dates? And if you have, were these notices other than rejections. It seems that everyone who has posted who has heard before these dates seems to have been rejected. Any answers would help thanks!

It's possible to get rejected before the date, but there will be no acceptances given out until the next offer date.

 

[millepora]

Is that time you schedule the time you start interviewing with your interviewers, or the time you have to arrive at campus? Can anyone provide me with a quick summary of the interview day, I can't seem to find anywhere that gives you that info.

 

[metallica81788]

Is that time you schedule the time you start interviewing with your interviewers, or the time you have to arrive at campus? Can anyone provide me with a quick summary of the interview day, I can't seem to find anywhere that gives you that info.

Everything's on your status page, but...
The time is when you have your interview. If it's in the morning, arrive before then.
Info session w Dean of Admissions @ 11am.
Tour/lunch with M2s after that.
Finish at 1:45/2pm
If you have afternoon interview, that's when you go.

I found the morning interview was better because you could see the end of the tour if it runs over - tours are always too short for what they have to offer.

 

[millepora]

Everything's on your status page, but...
The time is when you have your interview. If it's in the morning, arrive before then.
Info session w Dean of Admissions @ 11am.
Tour/lunch with M2s after that.
Finish at 1:45/2pm
If you have afternoon interview, that's when you go.

I found the morning interview was better because you could see the end of the tour if it runs over - tours are always too short for what they have to offer.

Thank you, I appreciate the feedback.


One other question does anyone know whether VCU lets you get residency status and IS tuition after your first year, or are you stuck with OOS tuiton all four years?

 

[metallica81788]

I'm not an expert or a VA resident, but I'm pretty sure you're stuck OOS.

Boo. It's expensive.

 

[ruiner]

Interview is finally coming up, looking forward to it.