2015-2016 Virginia Commonwealth University Application Thread

[Rainbow Zebra]

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So, if we paid the $100 enrollment deposit, as they said it was due in 2 weeks, is it refundable??

 

[azodrac]

So, if we paid the $100 enrollment deposit, as they said it was due in 2 weeks, is it refundable??

Directly from the admission website - "The enrollment of accepted candidates is considered complete only after payment of the $100 deposit towards the first tuition payment. This deposit will be returned to the candidate should withdrawal occur prior to May 15 of the year of attendance."

 

[Benignity]

I still haven't received a secondary from this school. Probably a silent rejection 🙁

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Directly from the admission website - "The enrollment of accepted candidates is considered complete only after payment of the $100 deposit towards the first tuition payment. This deposit will be returned to the candidate should withdrawal occur prior to May 15 of the year of attendance."

Thanks, it didn't seem to be in any of the information on applicant portal that was updated. I paid it either way to hold the seat.

 

[mcatjelly]

I still haven't received a secondary from this school. Probably a silent rejection 🙁

Nah, it's taken some people 2-3 months to get a secondary.

 

[Medic5522]

I still haven't received a secondary from this school. Probably a silent rejection 🙁

Nah. If they reject you, you'll know. No news is good news.

 

[songl4a]

.

 

[mnasir94]

Does anyone know how stringent their screening process for secondaries is? Only school I've encountered which actually screens before secondaries. Wondering since I'm OOS and below their median GPAs.

an earlier comment said that About 2/3 of applicants will not receive secondaries. They get like 9k apps and give out 3k secondaries. Haven't checked these #s myself but this is what I've been told.

 

[mehc012]

FINALLY got a status update!

Here's my timeline:

First week of July: Secondary submitted
Third week of July: 'File complete' status.
Second week of August: Status changed back and forth a bit
Nothing for months. I call the office, and they confirm that my application was checked out by a reviewer around the time my status fluctuated, but that they have not made an assessment. They can't/won't do anything about this even though it's unusually long.
Second/third week of October: Status changed back and forth again, just like the first time someone checked out my application in August.
Last day of October: Finally got one of the post-subcommittee statuses.

So...I'm thinking that perhaps someone finally noticed that my reviewer had had my file for over 2mo and assigned it to someone else (second status changes), who returned it in a more normal timeframe. At any rate, I'll just sit back and relax here with my 'MAY' status

 

[Buck Winters]

FINALLY got a status update!

Here's my timeline:

First week of July: Secondary submitted
Third week of July: 'File complete' status.
Second week of August: Status changed back and forth a bit
Nothing for months. I call the office, and they confirm that my application was checked out by a reviewer around the time my status fluctuated, but that they have not made an assessment. They can't/won't do anything about this even though it's unusually long.
Second/third week of October: Status changed back and forth again, just like the first time someone checked out my application in August.
Last day of October: Finally got one of the post-subcommittee statuses.

So...I'm thinking that perhaps someone finally noticed that my reviewer had had my file for over 2mo and assigned it to someone else (second status changes), who returned it in a more normal timeframe. At any rate, I'll just sit back and relax here with my 'MAY' status

Same here! Except everything that isn't bold.

 

[hopeful418]

hahah thanks for the laugh @Buck Winters, I'm right there with you.

 

[Spector1]

pls read my app vcu

.................................................................

 

[Spector1]

how long have you had that status? This bs is the reason why I didn't reapply this school. They had most convoluted confusing review process ever. Last year they strung me along with this ****, then I got the message about the committee having concerns about my application and having a sub-committee review my app. I sent a message asking them what the concerns may be, and explained what I believed they were and why. Apparently explaining what the deal is instead of being jerked around for months with these BS statuses is worth a rejection. What a joke.

I was complete mid July.

 

[bshap000]

Rejected post-secondary :/ Not a huge surprise since my LizzyM is around 66

 

[echoyjeff222]

should I send an email update to them? I've been stuck at

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.

since august 12th.

 

[mehc012]

should I send an email update to them? I've been stuck at

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.

since august 12th.

They won't do ANYTHING if you call or email. Feel free, but they do not seem receptive to anything at this stage.

 

[Sharks101]

should I send an email update to them? I've been stuck at

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.

since august 12th.

I've been at that status since 8/5, and from the comments in this thread, it seems like contacting them wouldn't help at all 🙁

The wait is very frustrating though for sure...

 

[deleted642188]

I've been at that status since 8/5, and from the comments in this thread, it seems like contacting them wouldn't help at all 🙁

The wait is very frustrating though for sure...

+1 I called them twice and they did was told me to wait I was complete for review half a week after you

 

[catie_jane]

Nah, it's taken some people 2-3 months to get a secondary.

In 2 weeks it'll have been 3 months for me... Maybe I'll get a pleasant surprise for my birthday

 

[catie_jane]

I think this song captures how I feel when I try and call VCU after almost 3 months of silence..

 

[Buck Winters]

Holy mother of pearl I got a status change. It's not the most promising one but it is SOMETHING.

Complete 7/23

 

[deleted642188]

Holy mother of pearl I got a status change. It's not the most promising one but it is SOMETHING.

Complete 7/23

Then my time of reckoning is soon!!! August 11 completion!

were they working on a Sunday!?!? Didya call them too?

 

[ellocarter]

Holy mother of pearl I got a status change. It's not the most promising one but it is SOMETHING.

Complete 7/23

Was also complete on that day. Still no status change.

 

[Buck Winters]

Then my time of reckoning is soon!!! August 11 completion!

were they working on a Sunday!?!? Didya call them too?

I didn't call. The email said "status change within 24 hrs" so I don't know when it happened, but it was definitely during the weekend.

Who knows about your day of reckoning. Nothing about their process has made any sense.

Was also complete on that day. Still no status change.

Hopefully your wait for a status change will end soon! Then we can wait for the slight chance of an II together!

 

[ellocarter]

Here's hoping!!! I hope I'm not the last of the July bunch to get reviewed.

 

[leonardodicaprio1992]

Hi all! so recently, I got a status change indicating the committee would like to consider my file further but unfortunately, they are interested in more people than they can interview, so they cannot predict when or if I will be granted an interview. Is this goood or bad news? Or is this an automated response putting me on hold. Having only one interview so far, I am quite eager to hear any good news but would love some feedback. thank you greatly!

 

[Buck Winters]

Hi all! so recently, I got a status change indicating the committee would like to consider my file further but unfortunately, they are interested in more people than they can interview, so they cannot predict when or if I will be granted an interview. Is this goood or bad news? Or is this an automated response putting me on hold. Having only one interview so far, I am quite eager to hear any good news but would love some feedback. thank you greatly!

Hey Leo, hope you get an Emmy soon.

People have gotten interviews from all of the status changes. At the same time, there have been people that got more promising statuses that have not been invited.

 

[mehc012]

Just a reminder, since it got buried wayyy back in the thread and it seems that VCU is starting to make progress on statuses (finally):

It seems like there are 4 levels of status updates:

1. "The committees file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. We are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviews as soon as possible IF we have an adequate number of interview slots."

2. "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 weMAY be unable to interview all the candidates at your priority score. If we do find that we are unable to grant an interview, you will be notified by e-mail in March."

3. "The committee's file review indicates that they wish to consider your file over the next several weeks before making a decision about interview. Your file will be reviewed again by a small sub-committee before making a final decision. Once a decision has been made on your profile, you will receive an email regarding your recent status update."

4. "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."


However, people have gotten interviews, already, from all status levels, so no need to be overly concerned if you don't see #1. They seem just as inconsistent about this part as they have been on everything else thus far.

 

[thelonelyant]

Just a reminder, since it got buried wayyy back in the thread and it seems that VCU is starting to make progress on statuses (finally):

It seems like there are 4 levels of status updates:

1. "The committees file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. We are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviews as soon as possible IF we have an adequate number of interview slots."

2. "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 weMAY be unable to interview all the candidates at your priority score. If we do find that we are unable to grant an interview, you will be notified by e-mail in March."

3. "The committee's file review indicates that they wish to consider your file over the next several weeks before making a decision about interview. Your file will be reviewed again by a small sub-committee before making a final decision. Once a decision has been made on your profile, you will receive an email regarding your recent status update."

4. "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."


However, people have gotten interviews, already, from all status levels, so no need to be overly concerned if you don't see #1. They seem just as inconsistent about this part as they have been on everything else thus far.

I got option 4 and got my interview update the next day. If that helps you at all.

 

[mehc012]

I got option 4 and got my interview update the next day. If that helps you at all.

I'm just bumping this info in the thread. I already noted that people from all 4 statuses have gotten interview invitations and that the whole thing seems very inconsistent. This has nothing to do with my own status, and I do not plan to track stats for each one.

 

[PsychoPass987]

Finally, got the "further" status yesterday as an OOS applicant. However, it seems that most of the people with the "further" status who got II are from IS from this thread. I have a feeling that the OOS chance for interview is relatively slim to none... Can anyone else confirm?

 

[mehc012]

Finally, got the "further" status yesterday as an OOS applicant. However, it seems that most of the people with the "further" status who got II are from IS from this thread. I have a feeling that the OOS chance for interview is relatively slim to none... Can anyone else confirm?

Most people who've seen anything from VCU thus far are IS...they prioritize them.
By the end of the cycle, there will be plenty of OOS activity, judging by past numbers.

Beyond that, trying to parse out odds at each step for each specific timeline...it's a pointless game, that will only breed more anxiety. We don't know, we can't know, and it's wasted effort to try and predict at this point.

 

[lcm2020]

Most people who've seen anything from VCU thus far are IS...they prioritize them.
By the end of the cycle, there will be plenty of OOS activity, judging by past numbers.

Beyond that, trying to parse out odds at each step for each specific timeline...it's a pointless game, that will only breed more anxiety. We don't know, we can't know, and it's wasted effort to try and predict at this point.

Not true at all. At my interview day for instance the majority of the people were OOS

I'm OOS myself and got an interview with the further status

 

[mehc012]

Not true at all. At my interview day for instance the majority of the people were OOS

I'm OOS myself and got an interview with the further status

I didn't at all say that no OOS people had done anything. I said VCU prioritizes IS, which is exactly what their admissions office says (especially when trying to explain why they take so long to review some of the early OOS submissions).

It's not 100%, and it's not consistent (because nothing VCU does is), but it's there.

 

[Im76at711]

I didn't at all say that no OOS people had done anything. I said VCU prioritizes IS, which is exactly what their admissions office says (especially when trying to explain why they take so long to review some of the early OOS submissions).

It's not 100%, and it's not consistent (because nothing VCU does is), but it's there.

hey 1) are you a med student? Just curious
2) for the people that had their status changed, did you receive an email saying that your status changed, or did you just happen to log onto the portal and see that your status has changed?

 

[mehc012]

hey 1) are you a med student? Just curious
2) for the people that had their status changed, did you receive an email saying that your status changed, or did you just happen to log onto the portal and see that your status has changed?

Nope. Thus my status of 'Pre-Medical'.

You get a status change email, login, and see the new status on the portal. Or, you see that you've gone backwards to the 'MD file complete' status because VCU's portal is weird and sometimes does that when reviewers check out your file. It can take a very, very long time to get a status.

 

[Im76at711]

Nope. Thus my status of 'Pre-Medical'.

You get a status change email, login, and see the new status on the portal. Or, you see that you've gone backwards to the 'MD file complete' status because VCU's portal is weird and sometimes does that when reviewers check out your file. It can take a very, very long time to get a status.

Oh, I understand. Thank You.

 

[leonardodicaprio1992]

Hahaa @Buck Winters I hope so! Well I got status #4, which honestly does look like a "hold." Have there been rejections sent out at all? Thank you to all for your reponses. it was very helpful.

 

[Chasing Never Land]

Had interview today - really liked school but was sick in 48hrs before the start, so I feel like it went really bad.

Anyone have advice on what to do in a situation like this?

 

[ineedsleep93]

Rejected, submitted early August. I did not even get to the application under review status. It went from being reviewed to rejected. 🙁

 

[mcatjelly]

On Thursday, November 5th, it will have been 12 weeks since mcatjelly submitted her primary to VCU. Will she receive her secondary by then?

Y / N (circle one)

 

[Fastrada]

Move on and kill the next interview. Even if you didn't tell them you're sick there's nothing you can do. Hell even if you did don't expect your interviewers to care or look at things sympathetically, even if they act that way.

Oh, my interviewer definitely seemed like he was in my corner. He told me the points on my application that he thought some members of the committee would have concerns with and even asked for some high school info to bolster my ECs. Sorry if you didn't feel your experience was the same.

@Chasing Never Land - I think the best time to have said something would have been at the interview. It would be a little weird afterwards, but you probably did better than you felt! Good luck!!

 

[mcatjelly]

Honestly, if you applied broadly, just tell this place where to stick it by withdrawing. If you get a secondary here that's an excuse for them to charge you more money to make you wait even longer. This place is ridiculous.

Haha, I did apply broadly but unfortunately this is my top choice school. 😛

 

[Fastrada]

Haha, I did apply broadly but unfortunately this is my top choice school. 😛

Have you tried logging onto the secondary site using your birthdate as the password? If that doesn't work, there is alway a chance that they are choosing not to send you a secondary, in which case sending a letter of interest will not hurt.

 

[mcatjelly]

My tip is to choose a new top choice school. When this is the way they treat applicants you can definitely do better.

Luckily I do have IIs at two other schools I'd be more than happy to attend, but one is super pricey (GW) and the other is an area I'd prefer not to live in, if possible (EVMS). I don't have competitive stats (Lizzy M 67-68) so VCU is that perfect mix of target stats + price + location for me. 🙁

My biggest complaint is less about the amount of time applicants are in limbo with VCU (I mean, I don't think it's unusual to wait 2-3 months to hear from schools) and more about the lack of transparency--and the unwillingness to be any more transparent.

Have you tried logging onto the secondary site using your birthdate as the password? If that doesn't work, there is alway a chance that they are choosing not to send you a secondary, in which case sending a letter of interest will not hurt.

Yes, I check almost every day! They told me it would take 6-12 weeks to get a secondary and people have been rejected pre-secondary, so I'm not sure I've been rejected yet.

 

[maybedeadcat]

Luckily I do have IIs at two other schools I'd be more than happy to attend, but one is super pricey (GW) and the other is an area I'd prefer not to live in, if possible (EVMS). I don't have competitive stats (Lizzy M 67-68) so VCU is that perfect mix of target stats + price + location for me. 🙁

My biggest complaint is less about the amount of time applicants are in limbo with VCU (I mean, I don't think it's unusual to wait 2-3 months to hear from schools) and more about the lack of transparency--and the unwillingness to be any more transparent.



Yes, I check almost every day! They told me it would take 6-12 weeks to get a secondary and people have been rejected pre-secondary, so I'm not sure I've been rejected yet.

It took me about 12 weeks to receive a secondary. I bet you'll be getting it this week! I don't like VCU's attitude though...
Just wondering, why don't you like Norfolk?

 

[Fastrada]

Yes, I check almost every day! They told me it would take 6-12 weeks to get a secondary and people have been rejected pre-secondary, so I'm not sure I've been rejected yet.

Ooooh. If you are in-state (guessing from the EVMS II) they said that they try to interview every VA resident who is qualified for med school. You are obviously qualified based on your IIs, so hopefully your secondary comes soon! I've gotten silence for 4 months at like 5 schools who said I would hear some sort of response within 10 weeks, so I definitely know the excitement of the wait -_-

 

[Chasing Never Land]

Move on and kill the next interview. Even if you didn't tell them you're sick there's nothing you can do. Hell even if you did don't expect your interviewers to care or look at things sympathetically, even if they act that way.

Oh, my interviewer definitely seemed like he was in my corner. He told me the points on my application that he thought some members of the committee would have concerns with and even asked for some high school info to bolster my ECs. Sorry if you didn't feel your experience was the same.

@Chasing Never Land - I think the best time to have said something would have been at the interview. It would be a little weird afterwards, but you probably did better than you felt! Good luck!!

Thanks guys - I think I'll just send a thank you card as normal and move on. It sucks, but we're only human right?

 

[mcatjelly]

It took me about 12 weeks to receive a secondary. I bet you'll be getting it this week! I don't like VCU's attitude though...
Just wondering, why don't you like Norfolk?

It's more that I'd just prefer to live in Richmond over Norfolk. From what I've heard, EVMS isn't in the nicest area and there isn't much to do around there. But I've never visited myself so it's quite possible I'll feel different after interviewing there. 🙂

Ooooh. If you are in-state (guessing from the EVMS II) they said that they try to interview every VA resident who is qualified for med school. You are obviously qualified based on your IIs, so hopefully your secondary comes soon! I've gotten silence for 4 months at like 5 schools who said I would hear some sort of response within 10 weeks, so I definitely know the excitement of the wait -_-

Haha yep, IS here. 🙂 Thanks for the ray of hope--hope you hear back soon yourself.

 

[skesh93]

II just now!
Complete 7/22, got the MAY status one week ago, II today. LizzyM ~68, OOS. Got an email for all status changes to my application.