LECOM-Erie Discussion Thread 2010-2011

[Cochan]

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Hi all. I'm interested in LECOM and had a couple of questions related to my situation.


I am currently a post-bacc premedical student at La Salle University in Philadelphia. I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the George Washington University with a GPA of 2.8. After deciding to pursue a career in medicine, I retook several of my lowest undergraduate grades. Having never taken any premedical Science courses as an undergraduate, my Science GPA should be approximately 3.8 after completion of the program. However, my cumulative GPA will be approximately 3.3 with repeated coursework. In terms of extracurricular activities, I have a good deal of shadowing experience and have gained a lot of direct patient contact through a previous job as an ER scribe. I also play sports and am a musician. I have not yet taken the MCAT.

I'm interested in knowing where I stand as far as applicants go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Looks like your resume is packed with great material, your GPA is within the requirements LECOM looks for. As far as your MCAT 26-28 will definitely get you in. the interview at LECOM is very laid back.

Stop worrying and get your application in as soon as your MCAT is done! LECOM is a pretty cool place.

 

[peweee17]

You got a Christmas card?! I don't ever remember getting one last year... Lame.

Yeah I did. My parents read it to me over the phone. I guess I got it Friday. Maybe they only give it to incoming students

 

[RuralDoc315]

Hey just a quick question to the rest of the LECOM class of 2015. Does anyone else have children that will be making the voyage to Erie??

 

[StarStup]

Did anyone else get a Christmas card from LECOM?

Yup got one here! And I am proudly displaying it in my living room! 😀 I'm impressed by little things!

 

[painmd87]

Got a rejection in the mail from another school and it was sitting on top of a LECOM envelope... the first thought in my mind was, "Oh, great, they changed their minds!"

Alas, a Happy Holidays card awaited me.

 

[HockeyDr09]

Yup got one here! And I am proudly displaying it in my living room! 😀 I'm impressed by little things!

I got one too! It was a nice of them to send a card, the little things are nice.

 

[wolverine1]

Did anyone else who interviewed this past Friday have trouble using the flash drive they gave us. Mine is literally blank...

 

[sa22]

Did anyone else who interviewed this past Friday have trouble using the flash drive they gave us. Mine is literally blank...

Mine was blank too. I had someone from adcom send me the files, I think it is all of them. PM your e mail if you want it.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

Hey just a quick question to the rest of the LECOM class of 2015. Does anyone else have children that will be making the voyage to Erie??

My daughter will be 1 by the time we move.

 

[painmd87]

My daughter will be 1 by the time we move.

My daughter turned 2 last week and will be coming with me, as will my wife.

 

[Doc2015]

My daughter turned 2 last week and will be coming with me, as will my wife.

We don't have children yet but my fiance will be moving up with me.

 

[MNBred]

Hey guys,

Do we send in the signed matriculation agreement with our deposit/address form? I only ask because in the letter it only says to send in the deposit/address form, but knowing me, I would miss something important.

Thanks

 

[MNBred]

Hey guys,

Do we send in the signed matriculation agreement with our deposit/address form? I only ask because in the letter it only says to send in the deposit/address form, but knowing me, I would miss something important.

Thanks

I also ask because I wasn't sure if signing the agreement officially bound you to the school or not.

 

[RuralDoc315]

Cool.. My son will be 6 months when we move into town. Its nice to know there will be others in my position. 🙂

MNbred i called admissions on this matter myself because I failed to send in the matriculation agreement with my deposit since i followed the directions. Sending in the signed matriculation packet with your deposit is the way to go. If you didn't, Jamie the admissions representative i talked to said that your seat in the class is saved as long as you send your 1500 but in order to be matriculated they need the agreement signed before classes start. I'm sending mine out today.

 

[MNBred]

Cool.. My son will be 6 months when we move into town. Its nice to know there will be others in my position. 🙂

MNbred i called admissions on this matter myself because I failed to send in the matriculation agreement with my deposit since i followed the directions. Sending in the signed matriculation packet with your deposit is the way to go. If you didn't, Jamie the admissions representative i talked to said that your seat in the class is saved as long as you send your 1500 but in order to be matriculated they need the agreement signed before classes start. I'm sending mine out today.

Thank you for the quick reply! I'll send it all in one shot.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

My wife is due in May, so I'll be starting off the year with a 2 month old! Super excited!

 

[DocLove81]

Hi everyone, did anyone else get 1/14 interview.

 

[RuralDoc315]

Yeah this is my first so I'm very excited too. My wife is worried since we know absolutely no one in Erie, so she wanted me to see if there were any other women with young children in the class.

 

[HockeyDr09]

Hey guys,

Do we send in the signed matriculation agreement with our deposit/address form? I only ask because in the letter it only says to send in the deposit/address form, but knowing me, I would miss something important.

Thanks

I also ask because I wasn't sure if signing the agreement officially bound you to the school or not.

I believe you have to send in the matriculation agreement signed. As far as I am aware, as long as you didn't apply to early decision somewhere, no agreement would bind you to one school. You could always go somewhere else, you just wouldn't get your deposit back.

 

[painmd87]

Yeah this is my first so I'm very excited too. My wife is worried since we know absolutely no one in Erie, so she wanted me to see if there were any other women with young children in the class.

She's certainly not alone in that fear. My wife is 100% on board with the move to Erie but has precisely that same fear about not being able to find social connections.

Is there any sort of significant others group at LECOM for husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc.?

 

[Doc2015]

She's certainly not alone in that fear. My wife is 100% on board with the move to Erie but has precisely that same fear about not being able to find social connections.

Is there any sort of significant others group at LECOM for husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc.?

If there is not one all ready then we need to start one. Just like you guys my fiance is excited to move but also worries about meeting people around the area.

 

[shells227]

For those of you who interviewed in Nov. How long did it take till u heard back... I'm getting anxious. Interviewed de c
3

 

[MNBred]

I believe you have to send in the matriculation agreement signed. As far as I am aware, as long as you didn't apply to early decision somewhere, no agreement would bind you to one school. You could always go somewhere else, you just wouldn't get your deposit back.

Thank you!

 

[Slane]

If there is not one all ready then we need to start one. Just like you guys my fiance is excited to move but also worries about meeting people around the area.

I'm almost 100% positive there is, at least for my class anyways. I remember people organizing get togethers for spouses over Facebook last summer as school was starting.

 

[medic4life]

My application has been under review since it has been processed at 11/10/2010. Is this a bad sign? Can anyone tell me how long it will take to hear something back from LECOM?🙁

 

[Longshanks]

Withdrew my acceptance offer this evening.

Good luck everyone else who is waiting for an interview still or waiting to hear back! And congrats to those accepted and attending!! Great curriculum, just had a better personal fit elsewhere. LECOM was my first interview invite so definitely holds a sentimental place.

 

[DrDre2001]

Has anyone who interviewed before Thanksgiving heard anything about their decision, or at least have their portal status change from the "Congratulations, you've been selected for an interview..."?

If so (or even if not), reply to this here or PM me if you want to.

Good luck to all.

 

[GTP]

She's certainly not alone in that fear. My wife is 100% on board with the move to Erie but has precisely that same fear about not being able to find social connections.

Is there any sort of significant others group at LECOM for husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc.?

Do you mind if I ask why your wife is worried about meeting people? Is this university on a farm or something? I applied and haven't heard back yet. I had high hopes for this school cuz I have read nice things about it. thanks!

 

[Slane]

Do you mind if I ask why your wife is worried about meeting people? Is this university on a farm or something? I applied and haven't heard back yet. I had high hopes for this school cuz I have read nice things about it. thanks!

It's not on a farm, but there isn't a lot going on for the young adult crowd. There's the three other colleges in town (Gannon, Mercyhurst, and PSU Behrend), but those all bring a much younger, party-centric crowd (If that's your thing, you'll fit right in at the Cell Block, when you have time that is). And then it seems like there's a lot of older people. Erie doesn't have much of a night life or any kind of life for that matter really. I guess the place just isn't as "hip" and social as you'd find in some bigger cities. It lacks those cafe/coffeehouse/record store type places you can walk into and just strike up casual conversations with people and mingle. There's bars and then there's the usual study spots (Borders, Barnes, Star Bucks, Panera). There really isn't anything else. I haven't even been able to find a church where I don't feel alienated and about twenty years younger than the rest of the congregation. It's just weird given how big the city is. There's plenty to do with the sports teams, Presque Isle, the zoo, museums, et cetera all around town, but you have to have people to do them with. And I know that pretty much nobody (student-wise) wants to do anything right now except study or get completely blasted after a major exam (like will happen tomorrow after LDP's physio final). Hope that makes a little sense. I know I kind of was all over the place there...

 

[wiscRD]

I am interviewing on Friday and just realized I was never given a room number for the interview - just an address. For those of you who interviewed already, are there signs leading the way or was I suppose to get a room number? Thanks!

 

[LadyPreMed35]

I am interviewing on Friday and just realized I was never given a room number for the interview - just an address. For those of you who interviewed already, are there signs leading the way or was I suppose to get a room number? Thanks!

If you park in the back of the building you can enter through the back doors (front lobby entrance wasn't open when I interviewed)...admissions people will greet you inside that entrance and direct you where to go...

 

[painmd87]

Do you mind if I ask why your wife is worried about meeting people? Is this university on a farm or something? I applied and haven't heard back yet. I had high hopes for this school cuz I have read nice things about it. thanks!

She doesn't want to move far away from family + friends and into a foreign place without knowing anyone. She grew up in "rural" Maine, so that's not an issue. I say "rural" because it's more like desolate, frozen desert Maine; rural is too nice a term to describe it.

I really liked it there and I think we'll do well, I'm just hoping she can meet some other wives/SOs that she gets along with well!

 

[Helen Wheels]

Okay,

Well now I feel a bit cheated. LOL So far, I haven't received a Christmas card in the mail from LECOM. I was accepted at Seton Hill in July. Maybe they only sent these out to Erie campus matriculants?

 

[fiznat]

My application has been under review since it has been processed at 11/10/2010. Is this a bad sign? Can anyone tell me how long it will take to hear something back from LECOM?🙁

I was complete on 11/11 and haven't heard anything yet. Got a rejection from LECOM-B, but nothing from Erie. Coincidentally I am a paramedic as well-- maybe they're planning on just accepting us medics all at once? 😀

Sent ya a PM, by the way.

 

[nerd athlete]

i know they said 30 days but i interviewed nov. 18th and still haven't heard anything. has anyone else heard anything recently? if i don't find out before xmas i might cry!

 

[medic4life]

I was complete on 11/11 and haven't heard anything yet. Got a rejection from LECOM-B, but nothing from Erie. Coincidentally I am a paramedic as well-- maybe they're planning on just accepting us medics all at once? 😀

Sent ya a PM, by the way.

Thanks for the support. I was dying to know the verdict before the end of the year. Which LECOM are you interested in, fiznat?

 

[Doc2015]

Okay,

Well now I feel a bit cheated. LOL So far, I haven't received a Christmas card in the mail from LECOM. I was accepted at Seton Hill in July. Maybe they only sent these out to Erie campus matriculants?

Well it's not just you! I have been accepted to Erie and I have not received a Christmas card either. Maybe they just do not like pbl students! lol

 

[Helen Wheels]

Well it's not just you! I have been accepted to Erie and I have not received a Christmas card either. Maybe they just do not like pbl students! lol

I logged back into the portal just to make sure it still said I was accepted and my matriculation deposit had been received. I got a tiny bit paranoid and thought maybe some computer glitch had removed my acceptance.

 

[fiznat]

Anyone else having trouble using the "view admissions status" link on the portal? Doesn't seem to be working for me....

 

[wolverine1]

anyone else having trouble using the "view admissions status" link on the portal? Doesn't seem to be working for me....

i am, i am!!

 

[Doc2015]

Anyone else having trouble using the "view admissions status" link on the portal? Doesn't seem to be working for me....

same here, most of portal seems to be giving me issues.

 

[Slane]

same here, most of portal seems to be giving me issues.

Students are all on break through January 3rd, so IT is prolly working on it.

 

[fiznat]

same here, most of portal seems to be giving me issues.

Started working again this morning. Great, back to my endless status checking routine.....

 

[Doc2015]

Started working again this morning. Great, back to my endless status checking routine.....

I know it is tough but remember to breathe! Best of luck

 

[bbcnp]

I got into LECOM-Erie a month ago and sent in my deposit already. I really like the school and I really like PBL but I also want to take a year off. I was wondering if I could postpone my admission for one year so I could get a job, volunteer and travel. Is that possible? I would call the admissions department and ask but I haven't completely made up my mind yet.

PROS for Year Off: hang out with old friends while we are still in our 20's, traveling, get to take a year off from the academic world, last time to relax

CONS: 1 less year of a physician's salary, Got accepted to a few places and I am not sure they would accept me again if I turn down their acceptance.

Has anyone tried this or asked about it before? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Slane]

I got into LECOM-Erie a month ago and sent in my deposit already. I really like the school and I really like PBL but I also want to take a year off. I was wondering if I could postpone my admission for one year so I could get a job, volunteer and travel. Is that possible? I would call the admissions department and ask but I haven't completely made up my mind yet.

PROS for Year Off: hang out with old friends while we are still in our 20's, traveling, get to take a year off from the academic world, last time to relax

CONS: 1 less year of a physician's salary, Got accepted to a few places and I am not sure they would accept me again if I turn down their acceptance.

Has anyone tried this or asked about it before? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

They won't defer your admission. I tried last year when my fiancee broke off our engagement a few weeks before school, and they refused to let me defer. You can always call and ask though, as their policies may have changed this year.

 

[CoreyHarness]

So I know this is supposed to go to the "What Are My Chances?" Thread, but this is my top choice for a school and I was wondering what people who got accepted would know about my situation. I will have ~3.0 gpa and MCAT of 28 with over 250 hours of shadowing and volunteer work, collegiate athletics (baseball), national youth leadership forum on medicine, and give baseball lessons. I feel that I have pretty good extracurriculars as well as the drive and personality to make a great DO, but I don't think that my gpa will be high enough. If I applied in June (retaking MCAT at the end of January), what do you think my chances of being accepted to LECOm-Erie are?

 

[painmd87]

So I know this is supposed to go to the "What Are My Chances?" Thread, but this is my top choice for a school and I was wondering what people who got accepted would know about my situation. I will have ~3.0 gpa and MCAT of 28 with over 250 hours of shadowing and volunteer work, collegiate athletics (baseball), national youth leadership forum on medicine, and give baseball lessons. I feel that I have pretty good extracurriculars as well as the drive and personality to make a great DO, but I don't think that my gpa will be high enough. If I applied in June (retaking MCAT at the end of January), what do you think my chances of being accepted to LECOm-Erie are?

Your stats are similar to mine (2.8 sGPA, 3.4 cGPA, 28R) but I had significant clinical experience (full time patient care work x 2 yrs + requisite shadowing). Applying June 1 is the key. I hit submit at midnight on June 2 and was verified by June 4. First interview group. If you can sell yourself in your PS, you should have a pretty decent chance. The only way you won't get in is if you don't apply.

 

[StarStup]

So I know this is supposed to go to the "What Are My Chances?" Thread, but this is my top choice for a school and I was wondering what people who got accepted would know about my situation. I will have ~3.0 gpa and MCAT of 28 with over 250 hours of shadowing and volunteer work, collegiate athletics (baseball), national youth leadership forum on medicine, and give baseball lessons. I feel that I have pretty good extracurriculars as well as the drive and personality to make a great DO, but I don't think that my gpa will be high enough. If I applied in June (retaking MCAT at the end of January), what do you think my chances of being accepted to LECOm-Erie are?

Personally, I don't think you need to retake the MCAT. I would instead focus on getting clinical experience and finding a DO to shadow. LECOM requires a DO letter of recomm. And also, as painmd87 said, apply the first day it opens. I applied about the second day, was interviewed July 16th and was accepted July 28th...so they are pretty quick. Good luck!

edit: just make sure that ~3.0 is above a 3.0 and not below...retake a class if you need to

 

[StarStup]

Any current students doing research at LECOM and could give some insight on how to get involved? I'm not really big into research and haven't done a ton...but I am interested in oncology and know that research is helpful when applying for residency spots. I have spent some time looking at all the research going on at LECOM, but just am not sure how feasible/easy it is to get involved. Thanks for your reply!