Last day to access VMCAS 2011

[Halebug]

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The final day to access your VMCAS 2011 Application is June 2, 2011. All applicants who need to print a copy of their application should do so before that date. All evaluators who need to print a copy of their evaluations should also do so before June 2, 2011.

Just thought people should know! If you are applying again I definitely recommend it. Even if you plan on completely changing your application your class list, experience, and lots of other parts are a lot easier to re-enter when you have a copy of your previous VMCAS! For those of you applying this cycle...GOOD LUCK!

 

[equitate]

Thanks for the heads up! I saved mine a couple days before I submitted it but I just saved it again because I'm sure I did some last-minute tweaking 😉 I definitely want to have it in case I need to reapply! The thought of starting all over makes me nauseous, haha

 

[Halebug]

Thanks for the heads up! I saved mine a couple days before I submitted it but I just saved it again because I'm sure I did some last-minute tweaking 😉 I definitely want to have it in case I need to reapply! The thought of starting all over makes me nauseous, haha

By saving it I hope you meant not just saving it on the site. You need to physically have it because at least to my knowledge they close each person's 2011 VMCAS and if you plan on applying again then you need to start a whole new one. If that is what you meant then you are just fine! I know, I was pulled off the waitlist and when I thought I had to reapply I was dreading having to reenter everything! I don't understand why it is made that way...don't you think it would just be easier to update your VMCAS the next time around instead of having to reenter everything and then add your new stuff.

 

[equitate]

Yes, I meant saving it as a PDF on my computer, but thanks 🙂 I know that I'll have ti re-enter everything if I don't get called off of either of my two waitlists (congrats to you, BTW!), but it will be much easier next time around since I can just copy all of the basics that I used last time.

 

[Halebug]

Very true! I really hope you get called off so you don't have to go through the process again! I will keep my fingers crossed for you...and anyone else out there still on a waitlist.

 

[awaring1]

Is there a way to view your eLORs through VMCAS? I did not waive my right to view it, but none of my references actually emailed me what they wrote. They said I could view them once I was accepted, and I have been, so I am very curious.

 

[Jakesmom]

Ooh good question awaring! I, on the other hand, did waive my right, but am still curious 🙂

 

[twelvetigers]

You can only see them from the school you were accepted to, I think, and only if you did not waive. (It never made any sense to me, anyway.) There's no way to see them on VMCAS.

 

[LetItSnow]

You can only see them from the school you were accepted to, I think, and only if you did not waive. (It never made any sense to me, anyway.)

I believe you pegged it exactly: you can only see them once you're accepted (at which point you don't really care all that much). It didn't make much sense to me either, so I just went ahead and waived it, in the interests of extending the courtesy of privacy to my writers.

 

[awaring1]

I believe you pegged it exactly: you can only see them once you're accepted (at which point you don't really care all that much). It didn't make much sense to me either, so I just went ahead and waived it, in the interests of extending the courtesy of privacy to my writers.

I did not waive it because I figured if they were saying things that they did not want me to see that I probably did not want them writing my reference anyway.

 

[twelvetigers]

I don't think it matters if you waive or not (to the evaluator). But yeah, you'll have to ask a school you were accepted to if you can see a copy of your file - they should be able to let you see the LORs then.

 

[LetItSnow]

I don't think it matters if you waive or not (to the evaluator).

That may be true for most - I don't know how you or I would know - but I'm doubtful you can really say "it doesn't matter" universally. To some it would, almost certainly, and to some it wouldn't. I'd feel more comfortable writing one if I knew my privacy was ensured, so it would matter to me.

I didn't really consider whether they cared or not; I didn't even ask them. I just waived it because I already knew basically what they'd write, I wanted to extend a gesture of trust to them, and in the end you can't see them until the game's over and you've won. According to VMCAS, you "still won't be able to see the evaluation until you are admitted and enrolled." [VMCAS Instructions, 2011]

So my take on it was: If I don't get in, I won't get to see what they wrote to find out if I misplaced my trust in one of them. If I do get in, I don't care what they wrote, good or bad. And on top of it, I trust them all. So... why not show them that?

@awaring1: I don't understand what you're saying, but I wasn't suggesting my choice was the only right one. If it makes you feel better to know that you can review your letters after getting accepted ... great. That's why the option is there, I 'spose.

After I didn't get in my first time, I did bring up the LORs in a review. She affirmed that she couldn't share them, but she did go so far as to say "they were all excellent, and you could use all of them again, but I'd make particularly sure that you use [so-n-so] again." I felt like that was a fair way to approach it.

 

[twelvetigers]

I suppose it could be an issue, but if it were, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable asking them for a letter anyway. That's more that I meant - it *shouldn't* matter.

I think most people just waive anyway. I still got a copy of one of mine, and surely could have asked for the other 3 and gotten them without any problems. No need to go through the school! Not that awaring shouldn't - no big deal - but that's why I waived, anyway.

 

[awaring1]

@awaring1: I don't understand what you're saying, but I wasn't suggesting my choice was the only right one. If it makes you feel better to know that you can review your letters after getting accepted ... great. That's why the option is there, I 'spose.

I did not really waive the letter because I specifically wanted to read it. I once had a bad experience with an internship (at a zoo) where I thought I had performed great but then was slammed at the end review. They were saying things like I "made the enrichment food too large" when I made the enrichment every single day right next to them and they never corrected me once! Also things like "did not use downtime wisely" when I would always try to organize/clean whenever I wasn't busy. My mentors were the ones that would sit around joking and doing nothing. There was just terrible communication on their part and I did not realize it til the end. Even though the final comment on the review was "good job!" it always made me really paranoid that people aren't pleased with me even when it seems like they are. I was 99% sure that my eLORs would have great things to say but I did not waive my right to view because that 1% of my mind was freaking out thinking that they may have secretly hated me the whole time. I figured if they knew I would see it they would not write bad things. They all filled them out without a second thought so I don't think it was a problem.

TL;DR: I got burned by an internship and am now paranoid that everyone really thinks I suck.

 

[LetItSnow]

I figured if they knew I would see it they would not write bad things. They all filled them out without a second thought so I don't think it was a problem.

TL;DR: I got burned by an internship and am now paranoid that everyone really thinks I suck.

Ah! Now I understand what you meant. Sure, I can see that, especially if you've had a bad experience in the past.

And it wasn't TL;DR. I was genuinely curious.