2020-2021 Virginia Commonwealth

Started by TheDataKing
BU Medical Sciences
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luluwild said:
Okay maybe a dumb question - regarding these prompts:
-Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education that are not explained in your application.
-Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades.
-If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now?
Click to expand...

What were the character counts for each of these prompts/boxes?
 
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FWIW, I received an update this morning:

Your File Review is now complete. If you are granted an interview, you will receive a status update on your applicant portal. Please do not call the Admissions Office requesting special dates.

IS, LM 83, complete 7/21
 
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musicmed26 said:
In my portal, it says "Once your supplemental application fee is received and your recommendation letters are processed, your file will be complete." Also, I emailed them to check and they said they haven't received it. It came out of my bank account, though
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+1 At first I told them I didn't know if it went through, and they told me they were having tech difficulties. It came out of my account though, so I let them know in another email. They haven't responded yet.
 
2025MD said:
+1 At first I told them I didn't know if it went through, and they told me they were having tech difficulties. It came out of my account though, so I let them know in another email. They haven't responded yet.
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I paid on 7/20. Emailed 7/21 to see if they got the payment. They hadn't gotten it, and said they were working to fix it. I emailed again, and as of 7/24 they still have not received the payment. My portal still doesn't show that I've paid.

They said (via email) that "everyone that had this problem has been identified and this will be recognized in reviewing application." I wish they'd just review our apps without the payment because I'm worried we're being moved to the back of the line as more people submit their apps!
 
galliumspork said:
Are we only allowed three letters max? The website says up to five in a letter packet, so am I correct in assuming that doesn’t extend to individual letters?

Also, did anyone else send in a transcript before their spring class was finished? Did you put that as fulfilling a prereq or as a future course even tho it’s available in the drop down menu?

I haven’t heard back from admissions and I don’t know how long they take to respond.
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Did you happen to hear back from the admissions committee regarding the individual letters of rec? Thanks in advance!
 
Apologies if this has been asked in the thread already, but do you still need to pay if you are a FAP recipient? I submitted but did not receive any confirmation emails, and also don't see a tab saying "status" or anything like that. They just go "home", "pay supplemental fee", "doc/instructions", and "withdraw application".
 
jcdnak said:
Apologies if this has been asked in the thread already, but do you still need to pay if you are a FAP recipient? I submitted but did not receive any confirmation emails, and also don't see a tab saying "status" or anything like that. They just go "home", "pay supplemental fee", "doc/instructions", and "withdraw application".
Click to expand...
Forward your FAP to VCU, they'll waive the fee
 
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hi all quick question, are people getting R's before the subcommittee portal update or after? My status was complete->committee review-> and now it says subcommittee review, so I was just curious. thanks!
 
deantrblssmile said:
hi all quick question, are people getting R's before the subcommittee portal update or after? My status was complete->committee review-> and now it says subcommittee review, so I was just curious. thanks!
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I have not gotten an R (yet?), but my status went complete -> subcommittee review -> admissions committee review. Looks like theres a couple different messages floating around: "subcommittee", "member of the committee", "admissions committee". And they've appeared in different orders so i'm not sure if there's really a pattern to it all.
 
2025MD said:
+1 At first I told them I didn't know if it went through, and they told me they were having tech difficulties. It came out of my account though, so I let them know in another email. They haven't responded yet.
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update: they responded with the same exact email they sent me before
I am not impressed with the way they've handled this
 
SwimBikeRun12 said:
Im so confused by this because its in a completely different document and the boxes in the app werent marked as required?? But I also didnt fill out the first two because they werent applicable to me so...... :/
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Hi, I'm replying late but I have concerns about this too before I submit. Should I write something for all prompts just to be safe??

I only planned to fill out the last prompt and maybe the one about low grades, but like, I don't know if that means B- or lower than that.. Does anyone know about this question?
 
Got my R this morning. Went from "file complete" -> "member of the committee is reviewing my application" -> "regrets"

LizzyM 73.7, WARS 78.

Submitted on July 26th, which means the review was quick. I'm guessing they didn't like the glaring weakness in my application which was no shadowing experience due to cancellation during COVID-19. Also being a Canadian applicant applying to a public school probably didn't help.

Stats definitely aren't everything and good luck to the rest of you! Have faith in your application and keep on doing your best!
 
I'm slightly confused (and disheartened), I received a secondary about 2 weeks ago, and I was ready to submit today when I got an email about an application status change, which said:

"The committee's initial screening resulted in a decision not to pursue your file further. The Committee does not send supplemental applications unless they are confident that the candidate will be competitive within our large applicant pool. Our committee does NOT offer reasons for this action but does suggest that a discussion with a pre-health advisor might be worthwhile. Based on our school policy, those applications with MCAT scores taken after September during the year of application are not reviewed. We wish you the very best with your other applications."

Why would they send me a secondary, and then send me a rejection before giving me a chance to submit? I know VCU has a 60 day deadline for secondaries, but this is well in advance of that due date.
 
ElementaryMyDearWatson said:
I'm slightly confused (and disheartened), I received a secondary about 2 weeks ago, and I was ready to submit today when I got an email about an application status change, which said:

"The committee's initial screening resulted in a decision not to pursue your file further. The Committee does not send supplemental applications unless they are confident that the candidate will be competitive within our large applicant pool. Our committee does NOT offer reasons for this action but does suggest that a discussion with a pre-health advisor might be worthwhile. Based on our school policy, those applications with MCAT scores taken after September during the year of application are not reviewed. We wish you the very best with your other applications."

Why would they send me a secondary, and then send me a rejection before giving me a chance to submit? I know VCU has a 60 day deadline for secondaries, but this is well in advance of that due date.
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If they already sent you a secondary, I suspect this may have been an error. I would contact them ASAP but do not yet submit the secondary in case they are legitimately rejecting you. I doubt delaying one day for confirmation would have any major impact on file review.
 
"If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now?"

Is this a Gap Year question? As a 2 gap year person, I am thinking about what I did last year and adding what I want to do next year, but neither seem to answer what I am doing now..
 
musicmed26 said:
I paid on 7/20. Emailed 7/21 to see if they got the payment. They hadn't gotten it, and said they were working to fix it. I emailed again, and as of 7/24 they still have not received the payment. My portal still doesn't show that I've paid.

They said (via email) that "everyone that had this problem has been identified and this will be recognized in reviewing application." I wish they'd just review our apps without the payment because I'm worried we're being moved to the back of the line as more people submit their apps!
Click to expand...

2025MD said:
update: they responded with the same exact email they sent me before
I am not impressed with the way they've handled this
Click to expand...

I have had the same exact issue since 7/22 and have sent a couple of emails about it. Now when I log on to my portal the tab to pay the supplemental fee is gone, but my status is still the same - saying they are waiting on my fee to process my app. Is this the same on your portals too?
 
2025MD said:
update: they responded with the same exact email they sent me before
I am not impressed with the way they've handled this
Click to expand...
another update: I was charged the app fee twice, and I still am not complete because it says I haven't paid.
 
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CountryBoy2134 said:
"If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now?"

Is this a Gap Year question? As a 2 gap year person, I am thinking about what I did last year and adding what I want to do next year, but neither seem to answer what I am doing now..
Click to expand...
I would stick mostly to what you're doing now to focus on answering the question that was asked. I kept it very brief because most of what I'm doing now was already addressed in my AMCAS W/A.
 
thunderstorm1824 said:
I would stick mostly to what you're doing now to focus on answering the question that was asked. I kept it very brief because most of what I'm doing now was already addressed in my AMCAS W/A.
Click to expand...

What did you interpret for "Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education that are not explained in your application."
Is that only for people who had a significant gap between semesters?
 
CountryBoy2134 said:
What did you interpret for "Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education that are not explained in your application."
Is that only for people who had a significant gap between semesters?
Click to expand...
Lol so I actually screwed that question up, I think the exact wording was posted earlier in this thread: "Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)". I have several gap years after undergrad but misread the question and left it blank because I thought it was only asking about lapses during undergrad. I emailed the Dean of Admissions after I realized this because I was worried but she said it should be fine because my gap year activities were described in my AMCAS app. But to answer your question, it does seem to be asking about gap years so I would mention why you decided to take gap years.
 
cms18 said:
I have had the same exact issue since 7/22 and have sent a couple of emails about it. Now when I log on to my portal the tab to pay the supplemental fee is gone, but my status is still the same - saying they are waiting on my fee to process my app. Is this the same on your portals too?
Click to expand...
Mine still shows a tab to pay the fee. I'm sending them another email now. Hopefully they resolve this soon!
 
thunderstorm1824 said:
Lol so I actually screwed that question up, I think the exact wording was posted earlier in this thread: "Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)". I have several gap years after undergrad but misread the question and left it blank because I thought it was only asking about lapses during undergrad. I emailed the Dean of Admissions after I realized this because I was worried but she said it should be fine because my gap year activities were described in my AMCAS app. But to answer your question, it does seem to be asking about gap years so I would mention why you decided to take gap years.
Click to expand...

So would this be a good place to talk about what I did last year and what I plan on doing during the upcoming year? I can mention why I decided to take gap years, but I feel like that is less important information
 
CountryBoy2134 said:
So would this be a good place to talk about what I did last year and what I plan on doing during the upcoming year? I can mention why I decided to take gap years, but I feel like that is less important information
Click to expand...
Yeah, that sounds reasonable to me! Their questions are a little silly because the one you mentioned earlier asks about what you're doing now and then this question asks about gap years so there's some overlap, but I think what you suggested is a good use of this question
 
Hi everyone, I was wondering if it was worth mentioning a C+ for the question where they ask to explain poor grades. If so, how the best way to go about that?
 
I just submitted my secondary. Didn't receive any confirmation email. The status page on the portal still says "you have been granted a supplemental app" and I cant see my secondary app on the portal at all. Just the home and doc tab. Is this normal?
 
Internationalphysician said:
I just submitted my secondary. Didn't receive any confirmation email. The status page on the portal still says "you have been granted a supplemental app" and I cant see my secondary app on the portal at all. Just the home and doc tab. Is this normal?
Click to expand...

It took a day or so I think for my secondary to be processed and complete after I submitted it. I would give it a day or so and if it is till giving you problems after that, then I would email the admissions office
 
I accidentally submitted my application on the 19th (we got that email saying not to submit until the 20th). I emailed admissions to see if everything was okay and they replied with "your file status is currently showing as complete" so I took that to mean it was fine, but my status is still "Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application. etc" so do you guys think I should email them again to make sure everything is okay? I'm scared it got lost or something.
 
yaypremed said:
I accidentally submitted my application on the 19th (we got that email saying not to submit until the 20th). I emailed admissions to see if everything was okay and they replied with "your file status is currently showing as complete" so I took that to mean it was fine, but my status is still "Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application. etc" so do you guys think I should email them again to make sure everything is okay? I'm scared it got lost or something.
Click to expand...
why were you told not to submit until the 20th?
 
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I submitted on the 21 and my status is still:

"Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application. This review is done to determine your qualifications for a potential interview invitation. Once this review is complete, you will receive a status update regarding your profile. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE."

I hope my app didn’t get lostdue to some technology problem.
 
FracturedPhalanx said:
I submitted on the 21 and my status is still:

"Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application. This review is done to determine your qualifications for a potential interview invitation. Once this review is complete, you will receive a status update regarding your profile. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE."

I hope my app didn’t get lostdue to some technology problem.
Click to expand...

Hm, I have that status too, and I submitted it days before you did. Not exactly sure what phase of their process it is.
 
FracturedPhalanx said:
I submitted on the 21 and my status is still:

"Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application. This review is done to determine your qualifications for a potential interview invitation. Once this review is complete, you will receive a status update regarding your profile. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE."

I hope my app didn’t get lostdue to some technology problem.
Click to expand...
They said the issue was fixed on the 20th, so I'm sure it's fine if you submitted on the 21st. I submitted on the 26th and my portal says the same thing.
 
I reached out again after accidentally submitting the 19th and she confirmed it went through... still stuck on "Your M.D. file is now complete. A member of the committee will do a review of your application" though :/
 
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