LECOM app experience thus far...

[calid]

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my app experience has been terrible with lecom. after doing the secondary, i hadn't heard anything for about a month even though other people in my batch had, so i decided to call them. when she pulled up my file, she realized that the computer program had read my gpa incorrectly and sent my app into the auto-rejection pile...but never sent me a rejection letter, and therefore i had not been informed. so, my application had sat in the computer-abyss for the past month, where no one would have found it if i hadn't called, or worse yet, i would have received a rejection letter when i shouldn't have, but never would have known otherwise. with a $50 secondary application fee, you'd think they could put human eyes on the only 2 things (gpa and dat) that determine an auto-rejection from lecom, especially when your computer program clearly doesn't work.

so after that, she was like 'ok i'm going to send you the secondary application now...' and i was like 'i already did the secondary...' and she was like 'huh...oooh, ok i see what is happening. let me fix that and send your application on for review.'

-_- i submitted my application in july and now it's going to be treated as though i submitted in september...with a large portion of interview invites already sent out. obviously, i'm very frustrated. and the reason i'm posting this today is because i discovered all of this last week, but got another email from them recently, reminding me to fill out the secondary app...so i called to check yet again, but apparently their system has been 'glitching' (surprise) and sending people superfluous do-your-secondary emails.

it makes me wonder who else (or where else) this has happened to, but ended up getting sent the actual letter, never knowing their application wasn't actually considered...

 

[ewu6three]

They have had a bunch of problems, they sent me an email reminding me to do the secondary app (I had already done it), two weeks after I got an email inviting me to interview. There are a bunch of similar stories on their interview/rejection thread. Seems like they are very unorganized.

 

[Tunaman]

my app experience has been terrible with lecom. after doing the secondary, i hadn't heard anything for about a month even though other people in my batch had, so i decided to call them. when she pulled up my file, she realized that the computer program had read my gpa incorrectly and sent my app into the auto-rejection pile...but never sent me a rejection letter, and therefore i had not been informed. so, my application had sat in the computer-abyss for the past month, where no one would have found it if i hadn't called, or worse yet, i would have received a rejection letter when i shouldn't have, but never would have known otherwise. with a $50 secondary application fee, you'd think they could put human eyes on the only 2 things (gpa and dat) that determine an auto-rejection from lecom, especially when your computer program clearly doesn't work.

so after that, she was like 'ok i'm going to send you the secondary application now...' and i was like 'i already did the secondary...' and she was like 'huh...oooh, ok i see what is happening. let me fix that and send your application on for review.'

-_- i submitted my application in july and now it's going to be treated as though i submitted in september...with a large portion of interview invites already sent out. obviously, i'm very frustrated. and the reason i'm posting this today is because i discovered all of this last week, but got another email from them recently, reminding me to fill out the secondary app...so i called to check yet again, but apparently their system has been 'glitching' (surprise) and sending people superfluous do-your-secondary emails.

it makes me wonder who else (or where else) this has happened to, but ended up getting sent the actual letter, never knowing their application wasn't actually considered...

Lecom's a joke, before applying last year, I called and spoke to STEPHANIE QUILICHINI (you especially are the biggest joke). She instructed me that as long as I don't have a DAT below a 16 and GPA great than 3.5, then I should receive interview...that never happened. I apply in the first batch this cycle, she recognizes my application and says "didn't you apply last cycle?" I reply yes thinking that at least this year I'll be receiving the interview....nope, another snail mail rejection. All the while, Ive gotten 4 interviews with schools that require higher stats, even my reach school sent me an interview. They have a bunch of miseducated, misinformed turds, working in this dental school. They'll tell you anything over the phone to get that supplemental fee out of you...what a joke

 

[JAWSSS]

I disagree. The interview itself was VERY organized and my application has not hit a problem or "glitch" as of yet.

It's sad that your app has not been properly evaluated; however, I think you only know that because LECOM is extremely transparent with their process.

If you would have called another school and the same problem had occurred, they would have just said "you're app will go under review and we will contact you if you're invited for an interview" and you would have never known the difference.

There are other threads of people hating LECOM because they were rejected... But, as dental school applicants, this is really one of the first times we are hearing "no, you're not good enough."

But, I understand how it's frustrating that you would have been told No without even a human evaluation. Good thing you caught it

Best of luck

 

[Junebug1665]

This is their 2nd application cycle EVER. People make mistakes, especially when you are dealing with an entirely new program and they are still trying to decide the best way to get things accomplished. Most schools have had decades to perfect the process. They are also trying to find their identity as a brand new school. If you were rejected it might have just been because they didn't think you were a good fit, regardless of your stats.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

my app experience has been terrible with lecom. after doing the secondary, i hadn't heard anything for about a month even though other people in my batch had, so i decided to call them. when she pulled up my file, she realized that the computer program had read my gpa incorrectly and sent my app into the auto-rejection pile...but never sent me a rejection letter, and therefore i had not been informed. so, my application had sat in the computer-abyss for the past month, where no one would have found it if i hadn't called, or worse yet, i would have received a rejection letter when i shouldn't have, but never would have known otherwise. with a $50 secondary application fee, you'd think they could put human eyes on the only 2 things (gpa and dat) that determine an auto-rejection from lecom, especially when your computer program clearly doesn't work.

so after that, she was like 'ok i'm going to send you the secondary application now...' and i was like 'i already did the secondary...' and she was like 'huh...oooh, ok i see what is happening. let me fix that and send your application on for review.'

-_- i submitted my application in july and now it's going to be treated as though i submitted in september...with a large portion of interview invites already sent out. obviously, i'm very frustrated. and the reason i'm posting this today is because i discovered all of this last week, but got another email from them recently, reminding me to fill out the secondary app...so i called to check yet again, but apparently their system has been 'glitching' (surprise) and sending people superfluous do-your-secondary emails.

it makes me wonder who else (or where else) this has happened to, but ended up getting sent the actual letter, never knowing their application wasn't actually considered...

well, judging by last year's trend, if you receive an interview invitation it'll most prob be a post dec. not to worry though, as more than half of the class was accepted from spring interviews last year. good luck

 

[aspiringdds02]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I was very impressed with their scheduling, interview day, and overall process. As someone else mentioned as a new school mistakes will occur and unfortunately it appears you were on the receiving end of that. Hope the rest of the cycle goes better for you!

 

[calid]

It's sad that your app has not been properly evaluated; however, I think you only know that because LECOM is extremely transparent with their process.

that's why i said 'who else (or where else).' it was a sobering reality. obviously lecom isn't the only school that operates this way and it was demoralizing to think of all the people this probably happens to every year. personally, i've spent 6 years of my life working toward this application, and to think that a computer can incorrectly evaluate that worth, is striking.

 

[member0543183]

LECOM needs to step up its game. I am not a big fan of LECOM. This school is not for me.

 

[bumpntrunk]

I know LECOM dental is new but LECOM university is not. I dont know much about them but that LECOM has been around for a while and I would think they have some kind of application processing policies well established by now and would have implemented them at the new d-school (as far as processing recieved applications). If that is the case, then it would seem many people over the years could have had the same thing happen to their application as well or it means LECOM invented a completely new process just for the d-school which should have undergone a multitude of QA testing before being released...

 

[member0543183]

I know LECOM dental is new but LECOM university is not. I dont know much about them but that LECOM has been around for a while and I would think they have some kind of application processing policies well established by now and would have implemented them at the new d-school (as far as processing recieved applications). If that is the case, then it would seem many people over the years could have had the same thing happen to their application as well or it means LECOM invented a completely new process just for the d-school which should have undergone a multitude of QA testing before being released...

This is very true. Also, LECOM dental is using some of the same people running the DO program such as Mr. Ron Shively... he's pretty much the director of admissions.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

LECOM needs to step up its game. I am not a big fan of LECOM. This school is not for me.

they're very up front and honest about the school's program. the dean told us straight up, that if you want to do research, "don't come here", and if you want to do anything other than general dentistry "don't come here"

the school isn't for everyone, tbh. i mean yeah, i can understand if someone gets rejected and is bitter about the school's process. but if you get an interview, give the school a chance.

and i'm not just saying this because i had an interview already..they waitlisted me from last cycle, and i have yet to be officially "rejected", so i've had my share of objections to the school's process. i was pretty ticked off myself

 

[member0543183]

they're very up front and honest about the school's program. the dean told us straight up, that if you want to do research, "don't come here", and if you want to do anything other than general dentistry "don't come here"

the school isn't for everyone, tbh. i mean yeah, i can understand if someone gets rejected and is bitter about the school's process. but if you get an interview, give the school a chance.

and i'm not just saying this because i had an interview already..they waitlisted me from last cycle, and i have yet to be officially "rejected", so i've had my share of objections to the school's process. i was pretty ticked off myself

I was wait-listed last year as well. I agree that the school is not for everyone... it's pure PBL, no lectures except for anatomy, need to dress up every time, not a lot of faculty/staff members, have to drag your textbooks around (not electronic), sketchy admissions process, not fully accredited... and all that for a very pricey tag, etc etc... However, there are pros as well... but personally, the cons outweigh the pros 🙂

 

[Bis-GMA111]

I was wait-listed last year as well. I agree that the school is not for everyone... it's pure PBL, no lectures except for anatomy, need to dress up every time, not a lot of faculty/staff members, have to drag your textbooks around (not electronic), sketchy admissions process, not fully accredited... and all that for a very pricey tag, etc etc... However, there are pros as well... but personally, the cons outweigh the pros 🙂

so they ironed out a lot of stuff from the last cycle.

1. they have a good amount of faculty. i don't recall hearing about a shortage last year, but there are multiple faculty members per pbl group.
2. everything is electronic on a virtual library. they even said last year that they'd implement an electronic book system (at least they did during my interview). medical students do not have this.
3. they have initial accreditation. they were waiting for middle states which came through literally the day before school started so students were able to get federal loans.

but i can see where you're coming from... the fact that everything was so up in the air last year made matters worse. for this year and future app cycles, they'll probably be more organized, as they now have faculty from other dental schools to help with the process.

 

[JAWSSS]

LECOM uses electronic books. (pro)

 

[member0543183]

so they ironed out a lot of stuff from the last cycle.

1. they have a good amount of faculty. i don't recall hearing about a shortage last year, but there are multiple faculty members per pbl group.
2. everything is electronic on a virtual library. they even said last year that they'd implement an electronic book system (at least they did during my interview)
3. they have initial accreditation. they were waiting for middle states which came through literally the day before school started so students were able to get federal loans.

but i can see where you're coming from... the fact that everything was so up in the air last year made matters worse

LECOM uses electronic books. (pro)

I guess they decided to make changes regarding textbooks (that would be a big PRO)... electronic is the way to go. If they keep making improvements, then I believe the school will have potential.. but there is one thing that won't change... it's still 99% PBL, lol... This will deter away applicants who want traditional.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

I guess they decided to make changes regarding textbooks (that would be a big PRO)... electronic is the way to go. If they keep making improvements, then I believe the school will have potential.. but there is one thing that won't change... it's still 99% PBL, lol... This will deter away applicants who want traditional.

i completely agree. maybe the erie dental school will attract more attention, as it will probably be traditional or half traditional half pbl

 

[hpark10]

i completely agree. maybe the erie dental school will attract more attention, as it will probably be traditional or half traditional half pbl

What's PBL??

 

[shootingstar7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem-based_learning

 

[finchy86]

I interviewed at the school today and was very impressed. Top notch facilities and equipment, electronic library. Kind faculty. The operatory rooms were amazing. I believe that an education at LECOM will prepare anyone to be a great dentist. Stephanie was totally awesome, despite what Tunaman or anyone else may say. The PBL style is different and unique. Honestly, from what I heard on SDN I contemplated rejecting the interview. I am so glad I went and am very interested in the program and school. If you have no interest whatsoever in PBL then don't bother going to the interview.

I do feel sorry for the mess ups in the process and for those of you that haven't received an interview invitation. At the interview today they mentioned that a letter of intent would be helpful to them. I wouldn't BS anything to get an interview. If you're honestly interested in PBL then let them know.

 

[Blue87Fiero]

I just wanted to add that I was nothing but impressed with the school, the interview, the students and the faculity. I feel bad for the OP and if it was me I would also be upset but not everyones experience is bad. I would guess most people have a good experiance with the school. But the school is not for everyone and they will tell you this multiple times throughout the day.

Good luck