2020-2021 Vanderbilt

[Med16484]

Based on their admissions tracker, 86% have received secondaries

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted1039724]

Based on their admissions tracker, 86% have received secondaries

wow, normally they screen out about 1/3 of applicants right?

 

[rep_the_don]

Secondary received this morning, also OOS but went to Vandy for undergrad

 

[mpmp3233]

Does this secondary allow for an optional text box for IAs or allow for updates after submission? To make a long story short, I have pre-written all my secondaries but still waiting for my primary to be reviewed (hopefully in a few more days!), but when I submitted my primary I indicated I had no IAs because what I thought were not violations actually were. After talking to a few admissions departments I have learned my best bet is to 1)email the admissions office and dean of admissions, 2) explain in the optional text box why I did not report it on my primary, and 3)update my application with the details if allowed.

Therefore, does this secondary have an optional text box or allow for resubmission where I would have the opportunity to explain this situation?

 

[deleted943850]

Based on their admissions tracker, 86% have received secondaries

Where did you find this? I can't find this anywhere(I received secondary today)

 

[Med16484]

Where did you find this? I can't find this anywhere(I received secondary today)

Welcome to MD Admissions

Welcome to MD Admissions

medschool.vanderbilt.edu

scroll a little down

 

[deleted943850]

Welcome to MD Admissions

Welcome to MD Admissions

medschool.vanderbilt.edu

scroll a little down

MSAR data said about half get secondaries(and that number seems very close to the website tracker right now already) so I wonder if they will be capping the number to around 4000 for secondaries?

 

[rep_the_don]

MSAR data said about half get secondaries(and that number seems very close to the website tracker right now already) so I wonder if they will be capping the number to around 4000 for secondaries?

If you click on the MD link on Vandy's website you'll find this text:

"After this first screening, the most competitive applicants are offered an opportunity to submit a Vanderbilt-specific secondary application and are under consideration to be invited to come to campus for a personal interview. We anticipate that secondary invitations will be sent out starting mid-July, 2020. Approximately two-thirds of the applicants will be offered the secondary application. We will interview approximately 550 applicants; approximately 250 applicants will be offered admission for 96 positions."

So it seems like they'll be aiming to target it to 2/3 of the total verified primary applicants, but this could change.

 

[deleted943850]

If you click on the MD link on Vandy's website you'll find this text:

"After this first screening, the most competitive applicants are offered an opportunity to submit a Vanderbilt-specific secondary application and are under consideration to be invited to come to campus for a personal interview. We anticipate that secondary invitations will be sent out starting mid-July, 2020. Approximately two-thirds of the applicants will be offered the secondary application. We will interview approximately 550 applicants; approximately 250 applicants will be offered admission for 96 positions."

So it seems like they'll be aiming to target it to 2/3 of the total verified primary applicants, but this could change.

I see! MSAR had me confused. Feels like MSAR is generally not as good of a resource versus school's websites sometimes haha

 

[rep_the_don]

I see! MSAR had me confused. Feels like MSAR is generally not as good of a resource versus school's websites sometimes haha

MSAR is still a good resource, but I'd always go with the school's website itself for the final word.

 

[Paul202]

How are you guys approaching the autobiography? I know you are supposed to incorporate your values, any tips on how to do so while also talking about your life

 

[mdpls!]

How are you guys approaching the autobiography? I know you are supposed to incorporate your values, any tips on how to do so while also talking about your life

Pick 3 or 4 values you want to highlight, and then choose an anecdote for each one that exemplifies it, trying to have each one also be during a different part of your life

 

[viralhiker]

Has anyone receive a secondary in the last day or so?

 

[electr!c]

Has anyone receive a secondary in the last day or so?

I received one on Wednesday (my MCAT scores came in on Tuesday).

 

[FishTacoFriday]

Has anyone receive a secondary in the last day or so?

I received a secondary invite yesterday

 

[premed738297]

Would it be okay if I discussed a challenge that's part of my autobiography? It's been my most significant obstacle and a very significant part of my life too.

 

[rep_the_don]

Would it be okay if I discussed a challenge that's part of my autobiography? It's been my most significant obstacle and a very significant part of my life too.

That would probably work out as long as you don't cover it in the same detail in your autobiography! I think if it's your most significant obstacle you should use it for your challenge essay but not go into the same level of detail in your autobiography since they'll have read it in your first essay already.

 

[Idahomie]

Would it be okay if I discussed a challenge that's part of my autobiography? It's been my most significant obstacle and a very significant part of my life too.

That's what I did for mine. I briefly mentioned my challenge in my autobiography and said that it was covered in more detail in other sections of my secondary application. I wanted to keep space open in my autobiography for other things.

 

[3L64]

Does anyone feel like aspects of your autobiography and challenge essays are overlapping with your personal statement? I don't want to sound too repetitive but I did touch on a lot of the same events

 

[Homunculus150]

Does anyone feel like aspects of your autobiography and challenge essays are overlapping with your personal statement? I don't want to sound too repetitive but I did touch on a lot of the same events

My PS was basically already an autobiography; for my Vanderbilt and UC San Diego essays, I mentioned critical events already in my PS but either went over them in far less detail in favor of describing different events or looked at a different perspective of the same events.

 

[doktoralya]

Does Vanderbilt send secondaries without the LOR?

 

[deleted1039724]

Does Vanderbilt send secondaries without the LOR?

yes, my committee letter isn’t in yet and i got a secondary 7/13

 

[YoungBuck1414]

yes, my committee letter isn’t in yet and i got a secondary 7/13

Even hearing the phrase committee letter sends shivers down my spine at this point. Mine hasn't gotten sent out either lol rip. But yup I'm in the same boat, also got a secondary.

 

[deleted1039724]

Even hearing the phrase committee letter sends shivers down my spine at this point. Mine hasn't gotten sent out either lol rip. But yup I'm in the same boat, also got a secondary.

For real. Mine should be in within a week if they stick to their predictions, but my school’s notoriously awful about them, some even get sent out late september/early october

 

[prufrock2891]

MSAR says minimum three letters, max of 5... but the website says: "A letter of evaluation or letter packet should be sent from your Premedical Committee. If your university does not have this committee, send three letters of evaluation." Should I just send three exactly or interpret this to mean at least three?

 

[rep_the_don]

MSAR says minimum three letters, max of 5... but the website says: "A letter of evaluation or letter packet should be sent from your Premedical Committee. If your university does not have this committee, send three letters of evaluation." Should I just send three exactly or interpret this to mean at least three?

My impression is that you could probably send at least 3, but Vanderbilt's admissions office will be able to clear this up definitively. I'd recommend sending an email/call.

 

[WindmillChaser92]

MSAR says minimum three letters, max of 5... but the website says: "A letter of evaluation or letter packet should be sent from your Premedical Committee. If your university does not have this committee, send three letters of evaluation." Should I just send three exactly or interpret this to mean at least three?

I e-mailed Vandy's admissions office about this a while ago. Non-trad here, and my old undergrad pre-health office offered to do a letter packet for me, but can't do a committee letter because I'm not a student there anymore. I asked Vandy how many letters to put in the packet, and they said 5 max. They said they would let me actually include 6 because I am a non-trad with several years work experience since graduation, but I stuck with 5 since that is what most people are capped at. Bottom-line: 3-5.

 

[music-medicine]

Could we potentially begin hearing about II tomorrow?

 

[kittensneezes]

Could we potentially begin hearing about II tomorrow?

What makes you say that?

 

[Med16484]

Out of curiosity, did any high stat applicant not receive a secondary? Based on their secondary tracker, they've sent them out to 77% of applicants

 

[music-medicine]

What makes you say that?

2023-2024 Admission Timeline

May 30, 2023: Earliest date for submission of application to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Mid-July 2023: The earliest date to be invited to complete the secondary application. The secondary application and letters of recommendation are required for consideration to...

medschool.vanderbilt.edu

Their admissions timeline says July 31st is the first day to be invited to interview

 

[viralhiker]

FYI for those still waiting on a secondary, I added Vanderbilt on 7/20/2020 and was sent a secondary this morning, 7/31.

Non-trad, OOS, 524 MCAT (unbalanced), WARS 75.
No secondary yet

 

[ripmysociallife]

2023-2024 Admission Timeline

May 30, 2023: Earliest date for submission of application to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Mid-July 2023: The earliest date to be invited to complete the secondary application. The secondary application and letters of recommendation are required for consideration to...

medschool.vanderbilt.edu

Their admissions timeline says July 31st is the first day to be invited to interview

I could be wrong but I thought they didn't end up sending them on the first day they reported on that website last year, just based on SDN threads though

 

[Passionate About Dogs]

I could be wrong but I thought they didn't end up sending them on the first day they reported on that website last year, just based on SDN threads though

Yeah, and I would imagine that we would see people marked as "Under review"on their portal prior to II's going out. Maybe not though

 

[doktoralya]

Do they send pre-secondary rejections? Or do we continue to suffer for a couple of more months before we find out.

 

[WindmillChaser92]

2023-2024 Admission Timeline

May 30, 2023: Earliest date for submission of application to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Mid-July 2023: The earliest date to be invited to complete the secondary application. The secondary application and letters of recommendation are required for consideration to...

medschool.vanderbilt.edu

Their admissions timeline says July 31st is the first day to be invited to interview

That timeline has me waiting with bated breath for an e-mail I know is not coming today haha.

 

[deleted1065184]

That timeline has me waiting with bated breath for an e-mail I know is not coming today haha.

Wow, thanks for giving me anxiety lol, just kidding. I'm curious to know if they will actually start doing that today. I put my heart and soul into that autobiography and secondary in general, but my stats are a bit on the lower end so we will see.

 

[ripmysociallife]

I have big doubts that they’ll start today but still every notification for this thread makes me nervous lol

 

[WindmillChaser92]

Wow, thanks for giving me anxiety lol, just kidding. I'm curious to know if they will actually start doing that today. I put my heart and soul into that autobiography and secondary in general, but my stats are a bit on the lower end so we will see.

Highly doubt they stick to that timeline, but still checking this thread while I should be doing other stuff.

 

[deleted1065184]

Highly doubt they stick to that timeline, but still checking this thread while I should be doing other stuff.

I'm literally doing experiments and checking my email and this thread during free moments lmfao

 

[Internationalphysician]

are the secondary prompts for MSTP application the same as MD? any additional prompts?

 

[seamilk]

are the secondary prompts for MSTP application the same as MD? any additional prompts?

There was just a section to list pubs, presentations, etc.

 

[seamilk]

Is anyone else unable to logon to the portal? Like it just refreshes the logon page

 

[SiberianIris]

Is anyone else unable to logon to the portal? Like it just refreshes the logon page

I logged in just fine; maybe clear your cache or try a different browser.

 

[srstudent]

In previous threads/on some secondary advising site, people were suggesting that Vandy is looking for a professional challenge for the challenge prompt. Did you guys write about a personal or a professional challenge, and what do you think is more appropriate for this prompt?

 

[rep_the_don]

In previous threads/on some secondary advising site, people were suggesting that Vandy is looking for a professional challenge for the challenge prompt. Did you guys write about a personal or a professional challenge, and what do you think is more appropriate for this prompt?

I haven't heard about that before. Did they give reasons for why they thought Vandy is looking for a professional challenge? I wrote about a professional challenge, but my personal opinion is that either could work as long as it answers the prompt well. Again, I don't have insider knowledge about what Vandy's committee prefers though.

 

[srstudent]

I haven't heard about that before. Did they give reasons for why they thought Vandy is looking for a professional challenge? I wrote about a professional challenge, but my personal opinion is that either could work as long as it answers the prompt well. Again, I don't have insider knowledge about what Vandy's committee prefers though.

I'm not sure why tbh. It was just repeatedly mentioned in the couple previous year's threads that they're looking for a professional challenge. I decided I'm probably going to stick with my personal adversity essay though, since a whole another 500 words about an insignificant professional challenge ain't gonna happen for me.

2019-2020 Vanderbilt

Still did not work for me. Try this.

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[rep_the_don]

I'm not sure why tbh. It was just repeatedly mentioned in the couple previous year's threads that they're looking for a professional challenge. I decided I'm probably going to stick with my personal adversity essay though, since a whole another 500 words about an insignificant professional challenge ain't gonna happen for me.

2019-2020 Vanderbilt

Still did not work for me. Try this.

forums.studentdoctor.net

Got it. I see what you're talking about with last year's thread and the recommendations from the outside advising website. I think as long as you demonstrate how you rose to the occasion and grew as a person that you'll show them what's important.

 

[WindmillChaser92]

In previous threads/on some secondary advising site, people were suggesting that Vandy is looking for a professional challenge for the challenge prompt. Did you guys write about a personal or a professional challenge, and what do you think is more appropriate for this prompt?

I would say let those sites speculate. If Vandy really wanted only a professional challenge they would probably word the prompt more specifically. But, as long as you answer the prompt as it is written with your best possible example/answer, then that will probably work best for you.

 

[rep_the_don]

Anyone else struggling with this autobiography? It's a very interesting and open-ended prompt, which makes it tough to determine which parts of my life I want to emphasize.