2015-2016 Virginia Commonwealth University Application Thread

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are you post secondary or pre secondary

Post secondary. Complete end of july

 

[mcatjelly]

Mid-August people may be right around the corner then!!

Edit: Except I know people who submitted the same week as me and got rejected like in early September. Doesn't seem very linear to me

I'm thinking we have different reviewers.

 

[TheLittlePreMedWhoCould]

just got the email that my application has been reviewed! I submitted it the first week of August for reference. OOS

 

[catie_jane]

I'm thinking we have different reviewers.

The large discrepancy still astounds and baffles me

 

[Herewego5]

I swear my status won't change here ever. 4 months is ridiculous

I agree with you. I don't think my status will ever change at this school. I've even interviewed at EVMS already.

 

[studentdocftw]

Submitted 8/25...nothing yet. But based on previous posts, I expect to hear back before December...and I know this emoji is generally reserved for acceptances..but getting reviewed before December?!?

 

[catie_jane]

Submitted 8/25...nothing yet. But based on previous posts, I expect to hear back before December...and I know this emoji is generally reserved for acceptances..but getting reviewed before December?!?

Waiting on secondary or post-secondary review?

 

[studentdocftw]

Post-secondary review..thank god. lol

 

[mcatjelly]

The large discrepancy still astounds and baffles me

Agreed, of course. Especially considering there are people who were verified in September that received their secondaries just a week or two later. But it is what it is.

 

[catie_jane]

But it is what it is.

Med School Application Motto

 

[tunicaexterna]

Still waiting on the secondary as well, submitted 8/20.

 

[whitelotus23700]

When I log into the VCU portal, I see this:

Your M.D. file is now complete. The Sub-Committee will now do a review of your application. Once this review is complete, you will receive a status update regarding your profile.
Please note that your file may be put on hold for several reasons:

Hold for MCAT means that we are assuming you are scheduled to take the test. The Committee wishes to wait to evaluate your file until those scores are available. MCATS taken after September of the year of application will not be considered. If you are not planning to take or retake the MCAT, please notify us immediately.

Hold for Grades: The file review done by the Committee has determined that you are engaged in coursework which may affect their decision about whether to invite you for an interview. It is imperative that you submit grades for current or proposed courses in a timely fashion. Any file on hold for grades that are not submitted by January 31st will automatically be rejected. If you did not take the course indicated on your primary or supplemental application, please notify us immediately.


Does this mean my file is on hold? Or are they just informing me that these are the two things I can be put on hold for in the near future? I took the MCAT a long time ago and I'm not taking any classes right now so I'm just a little confused.

 

[lcm2020]

When I log into the VCU portal, I see this:

Your M.D. file is now complete. The Sub-Committee will now do a review of your application. Once this review is complete, you will receive a status update regarding your profile.
Please note that your file may be put on hold for several reasons:

Hold for MCAT means that we are assuming you are scheduled to take the test. The Committee wishes to wait to evaluate your file until those scores are available. MCATS taken after September of the year of application will not be considered. If you are not planning to take or retake the MCAT, please notify us immediately.

Hold for Grades: The file review done by the Committee has determined that you are engaged in coursework which may affect their decision about whether to invite you for an interview. It is imperative that you submit grades for current or proposed courses in a timely fashion. Any file on hold for grades that are not submitted by January 31st will automatically be rejected. If you did not take the course indicated on your primary or supplemental application, please notify us immediately.


Does this mean my file is on hold? Or are they just informing me that these are the two things I can be put on hold for in the near future? I took the MCAT a long time ago and I'm not taking any classes right now so I'm just a little confused.

No and no

 

[swimguy92]

Status change via email...checked portal and post-interview survey (which I had completed) changed back to congrats/schedule interview status...anyone else have this?

 

[LoveMed2015]

Nope, still post-interview survey submitted.

 

[dabake]

Agreed, of course. Especially considering there are people who were verified in September that received their secondaries just a week or two later. But it is what it is.

I was verified on 9/10 and received the secondary on 9/18. I though it was part of the wave of non-screened secondaries that I received, but skimming through the 40(!!) pages of responses, that was obviously a wrong assumption. Now just in the purgatory waiting game with everyone else

 

[catie_jane]

I was verified on 9/10 and received the secondary on 9/18. I though it was part of the wave of non-screened secondaries that I received, but skimming through the 40(!!) pages of responses, that was obviously a wrong assumption. Now just in the purgatory waiting game with everyone else

A little piece of me died inside after reading this..

 

[YesPlease8]

Now just in the purgatory waiting game with everyone else

New to the site, and count me in on the waiting game!

 

[obscurity111]

delete

 

[diamond_dust]

Accepted at a different school. I will be withdrawing my II from this school today, so hopefully my 12/9 slot goes to one of you! People who are scheduled for January or February interviews, take note.

 

[khrisskhoras]

still no secondary. wtf vcu?

 

[Thpinky]

Same here still no secondary. Haven't even been reviewed

 

[Fastrada]

Hotel recommendations? Preferably cheap and within walking distance to the school, if such a combination is possible🙂

Courtyard Richmond Downtown is like a 5 min walk at most. I stayed at Holiday Inn Express Downtown, which was only like a 15mins walk from the school. I couldnt find anything under $125, but there are student hosts if you want that

 

[mackkdad]

Hotel recommendations? Preferably cheap and within walking distance to the school, if such a combination is possible🙂

Courtyard Richmond Downtown is like a 5 min walk at most. I stayed at Holiday Inn Express Downtown, which was only like a 15mins walk from the school. I couldnt find anything under $125, but there are student hosts if you want that

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express downtown for only $89. The thing is you have to call them directly to make a reservation and mention the VCU School of Medicine per the instruction on the website. When I called, they first gave me VCU normal rate, which was like $20 or $30 more than the School of Medicine's rate...so make sure you push for that rate!

 

[excited_alumni]

Got put on hold today post secondary

 

[whitelotus23700]

^ when did you submit?

 

[excited_alumni]

^ when did you submit?

I submitted 7/4 and was complete 7/23

 

[va6n]

I submitted on 8/25 and got an II yesterday. Did not expect it at all, because my GPA is quite low. I am SO EXCITED to interview here and see the school. Definitely my top choice school, as I'm in-state. (For reference I got the "further" status three days ago, and don't think my status changed until the II.)

Can I ask what your GPA is?

 

[bleach121]

Has anyone who has been accepted received a VCU eID, e-mail address, card number and student number yet? Mine is still "unavailable"
even though I completed the form and paid the fee almost two weeks ago

Same here. All the fields under Matric File status are unavailable for me as well. I called admissions and they said it can take more than 5 business days for those ID's to be assigned, and that it can take 7-10 days for the fee to be marked as received.

 

[swimguy92]

Anyone know if you can call to check your status post-interview? Interviewed Oct 12th...waiting until Dec. 15th will feel like an eternity

 

[Fastrada]

Anyone know if you can call to check your status post-interview? Interviewed Oct 12th...waiting until Dec. 15th will feel like an eternity

They said at my interview that you should get a status update sometime before 12/16 that's indicates whether or not you are moving forward with committee. So I think they meet, give you a score, if your score is below a threshold your status is updated to a rejection. If your score is above the threshold you move on and won't know if it is a waitlist or acceptance until 12/16. And they accepted 70 on 10/16 and will accept 50 people on each of the next 3 acceptance dates

 

[alexapple]

Same here. All the fields under Matric File status are unavailable for me as well. I called admissions and they said it can take more than 5 business days for those ID's to be assigned, and that it can take 7-10 days for the fee to be marked as received.

Yeah I called too. I confirmed my fee paid, but they said we won't be hearing anything help re: acceptance until April

 

[formerphoenix]

My status just went BACK to "your file is now complete the subcommittee will do a review". So confused. On Friday it moved from that status to "your file is now being reviewed by the subcommittee"

 

[bleach121]

Yeah I called too. I confirmed my fee paid, but they said we won't be hearing anything help re: acceptance until April

When you called were they able to confirm that they received your payment? Because they gave me a vague answer telling me to check back next week. Does the portal reflect that your fee has been paid?

 

[almostnever]

.

 

[alexapple]

When you called were they able to confirm that they received your payment? Because they gave me a vague answer telling me to check back next week. Does the portal reflect that your fee has been paid?

Yes, they did confirm my payment was received. This is whats in my portal: "This is to acknowledge the $100.00 covering your deposit on tuition for August 2016 matriculation. Your credit card statement or cancelled check will serve as your receipt. We have made the proper reservation of a place for you and are looking forward to having you with us.
"

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

PSA: Current student willing to answer any questions or show you around if you any one would like.

 

[bshap000]

My status just went BACK to "your file is now complete the subcommittee will do a review". So confused. On Friday it moved from that status to "your file is now being reviewed by the subcommittee"

Happened to me and a ton of other people too, it apparently means you got moved on to full File Review, they just don't have a status for that for some reason. Get ready to wait a lot.

 

[formerphoenix]

Happened to me and a ton of other people too, it apparently means you got moved on to full File Review, they just don't have a status for that for some reason. Get ready to wait a lot.

I've heard patience is a virtue.

 

[alexapple]

PSA: Current student willing to answer any questions or show you around if you any one would like.

Can you give any recommendations on places to live?

 

[azodrac]

Can you give any recommendations on places to live?

Looking into the same question. It's a bit old, but @Instatewaiter posted a nice Richmond neighborhood guide in the VCU/MCV Class of 2014 thread - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/vcu-mcv-class-of-2014.678138/
His post is about halfway down the first page

 

[flock of meese]

First submitted the VCU secondary------>

After a month or two of waiting ----------->
Present day ---------------------------------->

 

[Medic5522]

They said at my interview that you should get a status update sometime before 12/16 that's indicates whether or not you are moving forward with committee. So I think they meet, give you a score, if your score is below a threshold your status is updated to a rejection. If your score is above the threshold you move on and won't know if it is a waitlist or acceptance until 12/16. And they accepted 70 on 10/16 and will accept 50 people on each of the next 3 acceptance dates

Yep, that's pretty much how it works. Keep in mind that a pretty hefty proportion of VCU's classes are pulled from the waiting list. The actual fraction of a class that's accepted off the waitlist is pretty closely guarded, but I've heard some classes have been ~50%. The waiting game blows, but don't lose hope if you get put on hold until they form the waitlist.

 

[songl4a]

.

 

[mcatjelly]

Wow, took them nearly 2 months to send me the secondary, is it even worth completing at this point?

Some of us are at nearly 3 months!

If you want to go here, absolutely complete it. I will whenever I get mine.

 

[Medic5522]

Wow, took them nearly 2 months to send me the secondary, is it even worth completing at this point?

If you're in-state, absolutely. Unless the admissions office has changed their ways, I'm pretty sure that (most of the time) in-state+secondary= interview. Don't quote me on that though. If you're OOS...I have no idea.

 

[Fastrada]

Wow, took them nearly 2 months to send me the secondary, is it even worth completing at this point?

I know the school seems to be a little slow moving, but at my interview the interviewer had like 10 pages of notes he took on my application. He said that with all the work that I put into getting to that point, it would disrespectful of him to not put a sincere effort into reviewing my application. VCU does seem to put a lot more work into reviewing applicants pre-interview than other schools I've seen. VCU definitely shot to the top of my list after the interview

 

[Instatewaiter]

Here is that post I made years ago about where to live. Not a whole lot has changed.

<a href="http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/vcu-mcv-class-of-2014.678138/#post-9175187">VCU/MCV Class of 2014</a>

TLDR- Best places to live: The bottom, the fan/museum district, Church Hill south of broad

 

[foxydocy]

I got an status update email a few days ago. My status changed to

"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. If your status changes, you will receive an email regarding your recent status update."

The status is a little ambiguous and misleading. What does it even mean? @@ It looks like a rejection and they are just trying to be nice

 

[lcm2020]

I got an status update email a few days ago. My status changed to

"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. If your status changes, you will receive an email regarding your recent status update."

The status is a little ambiguous and misleading. What does it even mean? @@ It looks like a rejection and they are just trying to be nice

I got an II with this status