2015-2016 Vanderbilt University Application Thread

[OrangeTub]

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^^ Congratulations!

 

[bpislife]

Best of luck to everyone else waiting on them! They should be coming out soon (not to add any fuel to the fire haha)!

 

[BurghMed]

Best of luck to everyone else waiting on them! They should be coming out soon (not to add any fuel to the fire haha)!

thanks. or add fuel to the gulf!

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

4.0 GPA/35 MCAT.. verified July 10th. Hoping for a secondary invite soon! Does anyone know how rigorously they screen in terms of looking at your PS, ECs, etc.? Or is it mainly numerical stats?

 

[Cytokine2014]

4.0 GPA/35 MCAT.. verified July 10th. Hoping for a secondary invite soon! Does anyone know how rigorously they screen in terms of looking at your PS, ECs, etc.? Or is it mainly numerical stats?

It's more than just stats... They eliminate many people right off the bat.

I have a friend with a 3.8/35 MCAT who got into the Vanderbilt MSTP.

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

It's more than just stats... They eliminate many people right off the bat.

I have a friend with a 3.8/35 MCAT who got into the Vanderbilt MSTP.

No I definitely understand it's more than just stats for actual acceptance, I was talking more along the lines of the pre-screen for the secondary application. Thank you for the insight 🙂

 

[Cytokine2014]

No I definitely understand it's more than just stats for actual acceptance, I was talking more along the lines of the pre-screen for the secondary application. Thank you for the insight 🙂

Hmm... From the website:

Applications are reviewed in two stages. First, a group of specially trained screeners who represent the diversity of our community review the material provided from AMCAS. Each application receives three independent evaluations. This enables us to do a holistic review of the competitive strength of the applicant's credentials. We take into consideration the following factors:

Academic accomplishment
Motivation
Personal qualities
Leadership skills
Educational background

After this first screening, the most competitive applicants are offered an opportunity to send a secondary Vanderbilt-specific application and to come to campus for a personal interview.

 

[polarbearpractitioner]

Hmm... From the website:

Applications are reviewed in two stages. First, a group of specially trained screeners who represent the diversity of our community review the material provided from AMCAS. Each application receives three independent evaluations. This enables us to do a holistic review of the competitive strength of the applicant's credentials. We take into consideration the following factors:

Academic accomplishment
Motivation
Personal qualities
Leadership skills
Educational background

After this first screening, the most competitive applicants are offered an opportunity to send a secondary Vanderbilt-specific application and to come to campus for a personal interview.

Thank you!

 

[panda16]

For everyone's information, was lurking last year's thread, first II's came out August 4.

 

[Texas applicant 5]

Got secondary invites yesterday from vandy and duke, 3.95/40 and submitted AMCAS on June 25th.
Should have started these long ago, does anybody know if they wait for secondaries to send out II's?

 

[panda16]

Got secondary invites yesterday from vandy and duke, 3.95/40 and submitted AMCAS on June 25th.
Should have started these long ago, does anybody know if they wait for secondaries to send out II's?

They review both the primary and the secondary before sending out any II's.

 

[happyhippo1958]

Primaries verified yesterday 07/21/2015, Vanderbilt Secondary received this morning 7/22/2015, 9:50 central time. I did not realize that it would come so fast, but very excited, definitely a dream school for me!
3.89 gpa, 520 MCAT

*edited, put wrong date for primaries verified

 

[wanderyonder]

Submitted, and I must say... I think Vanderbilt wins for best website user interface! 😀

 

[derrick rose]

Received secondary this morning with LizzyM score of 72. I am so happy to have received this one!

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Received secondary this morning with LizzyM score of 72. I am so happy to have received this one!

YEAH, I'm a LizzyM of 74 so there is hope after all!! Best wishes to you. Glad I wrote my bio for San Diego, will get to reuse it here if I am fortunate enough to get a secondary!!

 

[Xenith]

What did you guys focus on in your bio? Any recommendations on how to get started?

 

[dsxmchn]

What did you guys focus on in your bio? Any recommendations on how to get started?

Little bit about my family, values they gave to me etc. Then mostly focused on events in undergrad that influenced my decision to pursue medicine. I also spoke about post-graduation activities since I finished school last summer.

I had a tough time getting started as well so I just began to write about my life & interest in medicine. Once you get rolling it isn't too bad.

 

[canttellmenothin]

What did you guys focus on in your bio? Any recommendations on how to get started?

Personally I did not write too much about my interest in medicine and the activities through which I developed it since I felt I covered that extensively in my PS. I rather focused mostly on my pre-college life and just wrote chronologically about important events and what they taught me.

Edit: Just like you it was tough to get started at first (isn't it with all of these secondary essays?) but once I got going I really liked my final draft. I think key things to hit on are just be honest with yourself and very introspective

 

[catchmoresun]

^ same

 

[Xenith]

So no way three faculty members individually screen the primary applications before sending out secondaries... I added Vandy to my AMCAS 4 hours ago and just received a secondary.

 

[HarryH00d]

You probably met the GPA/MCAT auto screen - which I believe is 3.8/38 ish ??

 

[NorthOfBroad]

Any one else still waiting for a secondary. 3.97 and 36, verified July 9th but no secondary yet. Starting to lose hope in this school

Don't lose hope! While it is nice to receive a secondary/II early, this process drags well into the fall and you will hear a bunch of stories of people getting into their dream schools late in the cycle.

 

[bobmccorweg]

Any one else still waiting for a secondary. 3.97 and 36, verified July 9th but no secondary yet. Starting to lose hope in this school

Yeah Im still waiting for one. verified 7/14. got a "we've received your primary application" email 7/15

 

[starlite911]

Yeah Im still waiting for one. verified 7/14. got a "we've received your primary application" email 7/15

+2 except July 8th

 

[HalpSendHalp]

I'm still anxiously waiting for a secondary... pls ;_;

 

[OwlPower92]

I wonder if they still equally screen students who were Vanderbilt undergrads?

 

[catchmoresun]

I think they do. I am a vandy undergrad, and although I received one, my vandy friend who had slightly lower stats still hasn't received one. so i don't think it's an automatic if you are

 

[OwlPower92]

I think they do. I am a vandy undergrad, and although I received one, my vandy friend who had slightly lower stats still hasn't received one. so i don't think it's an automatic if you are

rats lmao but thanks, i'll try only because you HAVE to at least try your undergrad

 

[lets_operate]

I got a secondary! stats: 3.76 (total), MCAT 517. This seems to be a bit lower than what people have been saying (and lower than the stats of others who got secondaries) so don't give up just yet 🙂)))

 

[mehc012]

I got a secondary! stats: 3.76 (total), MCAT 517. This seems to be a bit lower than what people have been saying (and lower than the stats of others who got secondaries) so don't give up just yet 🙂)))

I got one with a 3.3 and a high MCAT...it can't be just a straight stats cutoff on each factor, they've got to be looking at the whole picture to a certain extent!

 

[lulut1]

I got one with a 3.3 and a high MCAT...it can't be just a straight stats cutoff on each factor, they've got to be looking at the whole picture to a certain extent!

mehc012 and springly, can you let us know when you were verified? thanks!

 

[fantalescent]

Any one else still waiting for a secondary. 3.97 and 36, verified July 9th but no secondary yet. Starting to lose hope in this school

I'm still waiting, I assume I'm getting personally screened though because I'm 3.85/35, which is lower than their supposed automatic cutoff. Really hoping to get this secondary, too!

 

[mehc012]

mehc012 and springly, can you let us know when you were verified? thanks!

Verified 6/2, secondary received 7/13

 

[mehc012]

I'm still waiting, I assume I'm getting personally screened though because I'm 3.85/35, which is lower than their supposed automatic cutoff. Really hoping to get this secondary, too!

How could a 3.85 or a 35 be below their auto-cutoff? They would miss a TON of great candidates with that as their screen.

 

[4-cyclohexene]

fantalescent, I have the same stats and have not received a secondary either. Here's hoping we still have a shot!!

 

[omnxbeast]

How could a 3.85 or a 35 be below their auto-cutoff? They would miss a TON of great candidates with that as their screen.

It definitely is. They don't miss candidates because they go and review applications individually if you are below the auto-cutoff. The auto-cutoff he is referring to is a cut off that automatically results in you getting a secondary (w/o screening) and it is roughly 3.8/37. That is not to say that many secondaries are not still given to those below the cut off.

 

[lets_operate]

mehc012 and springly, can you let us know when you were verified? thanks!

My application was verified 6/4, but my committee letter didn't come in until 7/17 (not sure if that makes a difference or not, but it was the last thing I needed to complete my primary)

 

[Cytokine2014]

OH MY GOD I GOT THE SECONDARY. This should give some people hope - I have LizzyM of 67!

 

[starfun21]

OH MY GOD I GOT THE SECONDARY. This should give some people hope - I have LizzyM of 67!

Congrats, friend!!!! That's so awesome 🙂 And congratulations to everyone who has received a secondary thus far! To those who haven't yet -- hang on! I am sure they are just being sent out in batches and lots more are on the way!

 

[omnxbeast]

Interesting, to people who have received secondary but are below stat cut off...are your letter of recs in? Wondering if that is a requirement...might explain some of the people with decent LizzyM's still in waiting.

 

[mehc012]

Interesting, to people who have received secondary but are below stat cut off...are your letter of recs in? Wondering if that is a requirement...might explain some of the people with decent LizzyM's still in waiting.

My LORs have been in since before July.

 

[Cytokine2014]

Interesting, to people who have received secondary but are below stat cut off...are your letter of recs in? Wondering if that is a requirement...might explain some of the people with decent LizzyM's still in waiting.

Mine just got in last week but Vandy doesn't access them until they are ready to request a secondary...

 

[Cytokine2014]

Congrats, friend!!!! That's so awesome 🙂 And congratulations to everyone who has received a secondary thus far! To those who haven't yet -- hang on! I am sure they are just being sent out in batches and lots more are on the way!

@starfun21 that is so kind! Thank you, and kudos to you for being so sweet. We can be a little short on kindness here and it's nice to see folks like yourself.

I am also hoping that lots of folks start hearing good news soon!

 

[DaenerysTargaryen]

I got a secondary! stats: 3.76 (total), MCAT 517. This seems to be a bit lower than what people have been saying (and lower than the stats of others who got secondaries) so don't give up just yet 🙂)))

+1. Verified 7/10. 34 MCAT, 3.9. There's still PLENTY of time for those still waiting. 🙂

 

[HalpSendHalp]

@Cytokine2014 you and i are twins in numbers c: I am so excited for you!!!!! Kick a*s on that secondary pls

 

[Chasing Never Land]

I got one with a 3.3 and a high MCAT...it can't be just a straight stats cutoff on each factor, they've got to be looking at the whole picture to a certain extent!

How high of an Mcat?

 

[Cytokine2014]

@Cytokine2014 you and i are twins in numbers c: I am so excited for you!!!!! Kick a*s on that secondary pls

Thanks HSH! I'm planning on it 🙂
Crossing my fingers for you too!

 

[NaturallyMe]

Anyone know how strict they are about the 3 LOR? Can it be more than 3? Also when they say letter packet so they mean a packet of all my letters from my pre-med office or a committee letter?

 

[NaturallyMe]

Anyone know how strict they are about the 3 LOR? Can it be more than 3? Also when they say letter packet so they mean a packet of all my letters from my pre-med office or a committee letter?

 

[666670]

Any one else still waiting for a secondary. 3.97 and 36, verified July 9th but no secondary yet. Starting to lose hope in this school

Right there with you, still waiting with a 3.98 and 35 MCAT. Probably in the same spot as 97% of all other applicants. At this point though all other secondaries have been submitted (Vandy is def the most selective that I've encountered) and really waiting to see about II from other schools already. It also makes me wonder about quality of fit, I don't want to be the dumbest kid in class... so hang in there Alkaloid and let destiny do its thing.