2024-2025 Virginia Commonwealth

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2024-2025 VCU Secondary Essay Prompts

1. Using specific examples, discuss how your mission and values align with those of VCU School of Medicine. (2000 characters)

2. How do you define “grit”, and how have you demonstrated this in the past? (2000 characters)

3. Please briefly explain any lapses in your journey to medicine that are not explained in your application. (2000 characters)

4. Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades. (2000 characters)

5. If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now? (2000 characters)

Good luck to all applying!
Interview Feedback:

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center School of Medicine Admissions, Tuition & Student Feedback | SDN

Admissions data, tuition, degrees, location, interview feedback, essay prompts, and SDN forum links for VCU-SOM on SDN Schools Database.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

M2 here at VCU, happy to answer any questions

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Remember to schedule your Casper exam.

2024-2025 list of schools and their SJTs

Updated July 2, 2024 (page updated June 11) on The AAMC PREview® Professional Readiness Exam Participating Medical Schools and MSAR reports Look at the 2023 list to see if your school(s) wanted you to take an SJT. PREview scores are automatically released to AMCAS. Examinees do not need to...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Jason1211]

M2 here at VCU, happy to answer any questions

What are your thoughts on the school so far? Pros and cons of the area and student life?

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

What are your thoughts on the school so far? Pros and cons of the area and student life?

overall satisfied, i like the way the school has 2 week blocks versus a final weeks, most blocks correlate good to well with anking (i never used anking but thats what my classmates say), tests are fair, theres a new pre clinical course director coming in this fall

pros:
Cheap COL (compared to CA)
everything medically related is in close proximity to each other
has all the specialities in house
8 week summer break

cons:
hot and humid in the summers/rly cold winters (again this is coming from someone in cali)
non-nbme exams
OOS cost of attendence is high (like over 100k for tuition + COL)

student life is p good from my experience, we pickle, play volley, have intermural, collaborate way

 

[Strattera]

overall satisfied, i like the way the school has 2 week blocks versus a final weeks, most blocks correlate good to well with anking (i never used anking but thats what my classmates say), tests are fair, theres a new pre clinical course director coming in this fall

pros:
Cheap COL (compared to CA)
everything medically related is in close proximity to each other
has all the specialities in house
8 week summer break

cons:
hot and humid in the summers/rly cold winters (again this is coming from someone in cali)
non-nbme exams
OOS cost of attendence is high (like over 100k for tuition + COL)

student life is p good from my experience, we pickle, play volley, have intermural, collaborate way

Do you know how they view a Q1 CASPer score?

 

[FutBagelMD]

Mostly anecdotal but I was accepted to VCU off the wl last cycle with a Q1 Casper. Matriculated in a different school tho.

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

Do you know how they view a Q1 CASPer score?

no clue, i was accepted with a q2 casper score for reference, have heard of ppl being accepted with q1

 

[ajburt24]

OOS Secondary received just now

 

[flimbo]

+1 OOS

 

[sprinkles1895]

+ IS

 

[justanaverageguy]

Can anyone post the prompts

 

[Strattera]

Can anyone post the prompts

Using specific examples, discuss how your mission and values align with those of VCU School of Medicine. (2000 characters)
How do you define “grit”, and how have you demonstrated this in the past? (2000 characters)
Please briefly explain any lapses in your journey to medicine that are not explained in your application. (2000 characters)
Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades. (2000 characters)
If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now? (2000 characters)

 

[E. Leaf]

+1 OOS

 

[deleted1043440]

Using specific examples, discuss how your mission and values align with those of VCU School of Medicine. (2000 characters)
How do you define “grit”, and how have you demonstrated this in the past? (2000 characters)
Please briefly explain any lapses in your journey to medicine that are not explained in your application. (2000 characters)
Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades. (2000 characters)
If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now? (2000 characters)

Do these prompts specify whether the 2000 characters includes spaces?

 

[physics_123]

+1 OOS

 

[physics_123]

Do these prompts specify whether the 2000 characters includes spaces?

Just checked, the 2000 is including spaces.

 

[Ubiquinolenthusiast]

+1 in state

 

[sensorimotorstage]

+1 OOS strong ties

 

[premed13579]

+1 OOS. What do they mean by "were there any lapses in your journey to medicine?" Does that include gap years?

 

[justanaverageguy]

+1 OOS. What do they mean by "were there any lapses in your journey to medicine?" Does that include gap years?

No, I think they're referring to taking time off from school for any reasons (mental health, physical illness, family death, etc). I talked about my gap year activities in question #5

 

[ecobio]

+1 OOS
How strongly does VCU screen secondaries? I heard they only send them to ~40% of OOS. Is that true?

 

[deleted1125342]

"You may use Pass/Fail or AP credits in this section if your college/university recognizes that these fulfill prerequisite requirements and are found on your official transcript. Click the green 'Add' button, check the 'Future Registration' checkbox, and manually enter the course name that has been met."

I'm confused, am I supposed to drag and drop the already existing classes I have on my list from AP credits or manually input them as future registration?

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

+1 OOS

 

[deleted1190683]

+1 OOS

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

overall satisfied, i like the way the school has 2 week blocks versus a final weeks, most blocks correlate good to well with anking (i never used anking but thats what my classmates say), tests are fair, theres a new pre clinical course director coming in this fall

pros:
Cheap COL (compared to CA)
everything medically related is in close proximity to each other
has all the specialities in house
8 week summer break

cons:
hot and humid in the summers/rly cold winters (again this is coming from someone in cali)
non-nbme exams
OOS cost of attendence is high (like over 100k for tuition + COL)

student life is p good from my experience, we pickle, play volley, have intermural, collaborate way

Are OOS students able to qualified for in-state tuition after the first year?

 

[barbiedoc07]

+1 OOS this morning

 

[sensorimotorstage]

After reading the very strict attestation against AI and other outside sources, is Grammarly bad???

 

[Strattera]

After reading the very strict attestation against AI and other outside sources, is Grammarly bad???

I mean, I would not admit to using it. There is no way to really tell if people use it unless they admit to it. If they accuse you just deny it 🤷‍♂️ As long as you are not liberal with the AI function, grammerly should not make your writing sound like you did not write it.

 

[ecobio]

where is this info from

I saw it on older forums, BUT upon further research it looks like their screening is for GPA >3.3 and MCAT >503

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

Are OOS students able to qualified for in-state tuition after the first year?

Highly unlikely, you would need to purchase a house in VA in order to do so, or something akin to that, expect to pay OOS tuition all 4 years if u are OOS

 

[sensorimotorstage]

Highly unlikely, you would need to purchase a house in VA in order to do so, or something akin to that, expect to pay OOS tuition all 4 years if u are OOS

What if you have family in Richmond, decided to live with them, and switched your residence and permanent address…Would that work?

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

What if you have family in Richmond, decided to live with them, and switched your residence and permanent address…Would that work?

ooo thats a good question, that sounds like a strong case! anyhow, there is a form you can fill out to appeal for instate tuition on the vcu website

 

[sparky7189]

Is 2 a challenge secondary?

 

[bsajeev]

2024-2025 VCU Secondary Essay Prompts

1. Using specific examples, discuss how your mission and values align with those of VCU School of Medicine. (2000 characters)

2. How do you define “grit”, and how have you demonstrated this in the past? (2000 characters)

3. Please briefly explain any lapses in your journey to medicine that are not explained in your application. (2000 characters)

4. Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades. (2000 characters)

5. If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now? (2000 characters)

Good luck to all applying!
Interview Feedback:

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center School of Medicine Admissions, Tuition & Student Feedback | SDN

Admissions data, tuition, degrees, location, interview feedback, essay prompts, and SDN forum links for VCU-SOM on SDN Schools Database.

www.studentdoctor.net

are you guys taking #2 as a challenge essay or adversity essay?

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

are you guys taking #2 as a challenge essay or adversity essay?

I did!

 

[sparky7189]

Is 1 more focused on how I fit their mission and values or more specific on why I want I'm interested in applying to them?

 

[bsajeev]

I did!

which one? adversity essay?

 

[bsajeev]

Highly unlikely, you would need to purchase a house in VA in order to do so, or something akin to that, expect to pay OOS tuition all 4 years if u are OOS

how common are full rides at VCU?

 

[ClashRoyaleKing]

which one? adversity essay?

The define grit one.

 

[bsajeev]

The define grit one.

yeah, but did you write it like it was an adversity essay or a challenge essay? grit can apply to either situation and I'm wondering which essay type others are using

 

[premed123321]

I used challenge, but I chose a version of my challenge essay that included a challenge that occured over a bit of a longer period of time

 

[bsajeev]

I used challenge, but I chose a version of my challenge essay that included a challenge that occured over a bit of a longer period of time

is 1.5 years a longer period of time?

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

how common are full rides at VCU?

our M1 class was the first cohort of McGothlin scholars (full ride) which they gave to 12 ppl that is merit based, this is out of a class of 184

 

[fish_bowl_cat]

I have kind of a dumb question - what would be defined as a "lapse in your journey to medicine"? Does that mean gap years between college and medical school? or are they indicating a period of time where someone is inactive from both work and school? I understand that the wording for this prompt is different from the previous year's, and I'm wondering if that means the question is asking something other than time off during college.

 

[momobrobro]

M2 here at VCU, happy to answer any questions

Hi! Do you know around when VCU starts sending out IIs? This was my undergrad and it's one of my top schools, so I am curious.

 

[zigzagzinger]

I have kind of a dumb question - what would be defined as a "lapse in your journey to medicine"? Does that mean gap years between college and medical school? or are they indicating a period of time where someone is inactive from both work and school? I understand that the wording for this prompt is different from the previous year's, and I'm wondering if that means the question is asking something other than time off during college.

So I called them about this question. I took a gap year in undergrad to do something healthcare related during COVID and continued that after graduating. Her response was essentially "if you think we will wonder about what this break in your education was for, go ahead and answer that question". I used it as a gap year essay and feel good about it!

 

[robot_soup]

"You may use Pass/Fail or AP credits in this section if your college/university recognizes that these fulfill prerequisite requirements and are found on your official transcript. Click the green 'Add' button, check the 'Future Registration' checkbox, and manually enter the course name that has been met."

I'm confused, am I supposed to drag and drop the already existing classes I have on my list from AP credits or manually input them as future registration?

What did you end up doing? I am confused as well.

 

[stinkygirl203]

I have a question about their math prereq. On their website it says "6 credit hours of college-level math or statistics" but on their secondary it says "six credits of college level math/statistics".
When I first applied, I checked their website and understood it as "you need 6 credits of math OR you need stat" and since I have stat, i thought it fulfilled the requirement. But now looking at their secondary app, I feel like it's saying I need 6 credits total. I only have 4 credits (from stat) competed in my undergraduate career.

 

[stinkygirl203]

It definitely means you need at least 6 credits of math courses, period. They're just saying that either math or statistics courses can count towards that.

For example, you could take Basic Statistics (STAT, 3 credits), and Precalculus (MATH, 4 credits), and you would thus fulfill the requirement.

Thank you!