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PCOM (Philadelphia) Discussion Thread 2009-2010
Started by slamindesi
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Personally, I've been waiting more than 3 months 😀. They also haven't replied to the email I sent a week or two ago. I'm kinda taking that as a silent rejection. Eh, you can't win them all.
I interviewed on the 9th, they told us we'd hear by the first week of January. Got the letter this past Monday, the 14th and it was dated the 10th. So I think you should definitely hear before the third week of January. I think they're just under-promising and over-delivering.
LECOM did the same thing; I interviewed on the 7th and heard by that Saturday.
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The 63k is for attendance cost only, or is some sort of living expense/boarding part of this?
Cost of attendance is all the cost associated with going to school such as tuition, rent, books, supplies, food, etc.
I don't know what the 63k is. I forgot the technical term (I'm bad with knowing the ins and outs of financial aid), but each school determines what it should cost to go there and then that's the max amount that you can take out in loans, unless you get private loans on top of that.
Tuition is 39k per year. Anything you take out above that will be for living expenses and school supplies.
how long after complete email did you all get your interview invites?
Complete October 14, interview invite November 12.
Hey all,
This is my first SDN post ever! 👍 I was accepted into pcom's c/o 2014 last month. 👍👍 I was just wondering if anyone knows when I can expect financial aid information to come in the mail! Specifically, about how long do I have to wait after I submitted my deposit to reserve my place in the class? (I know this seems weird but Im financing med. school myself 👎yikes )
Thanks! 😀
This is my first SDN post ever! 👍 I was accepted into pcom's c/o 2014 last month. 👍👍 I was just wondering if anyone knows when I can expect financial aid information to come in the mail! Specifically, about how long do I have to wait after I submitted my deposit to reserve my place in the class? (I know this seems weird but Im financing med. school myself 👎yikes )
Thanks! 😀
I am in exactly the same position, however, with a slightly lower MCAT...
I find this fact interesting, as we both have higher GPA/MCAT numbers than what they traditionally accept. Perhaps, they feel that we would not attend if accepted post-interview, and thus will not offer us an interview. This seems ridiculous but I do not know anymore. I am beginning to feel that it is a silent rejection as well, but I have been told that this may not be the case by members of the admissions department. They said that sometimes applications have to be reviewed multiple times by multiple people, which takes time. As such, they said to wait until we hear something before making any conclusions.
Don't lose hope! I definitely don't think they aren't interviewing you because of your higher than normal stats! Lots of people with high stats have already been interviewed! PCOM seems kind of...difficult to read in terms of what they are looking for. I have probably said this in this thread too many times, but I sent in a letter of interest to them, because I hadn't heard anything back since I sent in my secondary in the middle of July. I literally received an interview invite a day after they received my letter (Oct. 22nd). If you are really interested in PCOM, perhaps it would benefit you to do this as well?
Good luck! I hope you both hear from them really soon!
We won't be receiving financial aid packets probably until at least April....possibly not until June. (FAFSA doesn't even open until Jan). We will get our binders probably sometime in Jan (that is when it seems like students that sent in their deposits by Dec. 15 got them last year), which will have more information in regards to costs. And don't worry! You are not alone - the majority of students finance med school themselves (loans, scholarships, savings, etc).
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does anyone know if PCOM will tell you over the phone thier decision about acceptances? just wondering because I have deposit deadlines coming up reallyyy soon and want to save myself the money!
Add my name to this list. PCOM (and PCOM-GA) are the only schools I haven't received a decision from. I'm considering it a silent rejection. I've already sent a deposit to another school, but would have liked the opportunity to compare it to PCOM. At this point I just want to hear something😡
Thanks for your help!
Does anyone know which apt. complexes are closest to PCOM? So far I've heard: Lincoln Green, Presidential,...
I would like to live really close to campus.. walking distance!
Thanks 🙂
Does anyone know which apt. complexes are closest to PCOM? So far I've heard: Lincoln Green, Presidential,...
I would like to live really close to campus.. walking distance!
Thanks 🙂
Has anyone gotten the packet to sign onto Nucleus andd Aid info yet?
I got an application complete email
I just got my letter stating I'm on hold here...I'm not really sure what to think about this...I honestly was interested in going to PCOM, but they gave me such a hard time about applying to MD and DO schools that I think they barely gave me anything near a fair interview. They asked if I had recieved any acceptances and then asked if I was holding my spot at those places = crap!
My stats shouldn't keep me out of here: 34Q, 3.6 GPA, and In-state.
I'm just kinda turned off in general I guess.
My stats shouldn't keep me out of here: 34Q, 3.6 GPA, and In-state.
I'm just kinda turned off in general I guess.
all materials received sept 14
complete email dec 18
hoping for an interview soon...
complete email dec 18
hoping for an interview soon...
Just got back from Christmas visit to the parents to find that I'm in!!! Woo hoo! And in time to save my $2000.00 deposit elsewhere, which is even better. I am so excited.
Now all I have to do is.....sell my house, find my husband a new job, find a new place to live in a family-friendly neighborhood with good schools, find a good daycare with openings.....all before mid August. Lots of work, but oh so worth it.
Class of 2014.......here I come!
Now all I have to do is.....sell my house, find my husband a new job, find a new place to live in a family-friendly neighborhood with good schools, find a good daycare with openings.....all before mid August. Lots of work, but oh so worth it.
Class of 2014.......here I come!
So my secondary was received and app marked by PCOM as complete 12/16. Anybody have any idea how long its taking nowadays to hear back about an interview? Im out of state and my stats are very average, even below actually (Sc 3.43, Overall 3.65 and 23M) and so Im really nervous. Just trying to figure out a timeframe...Thanks
I'm sorry to hear about the hold. 🙁 Congrats on your other acceptance(s) though! Keep in mind that every interviewer may be different though! I had two friends interview at PCOM this year with stats slightly above yours, both you already held multiple acceptances at MD schools, and were accepted at PCOM. Different interviewers look for different qualities, and it is unfortunate that they focused on that particular part of your application, especially since you are such a strong applicant.
congrats and good luck with all of your planning! i know it was mentioned earlier in this thread, but how awesome was it to get the letter from them and have the first thing it says be, "YES!" haha...i have some serious decision-making to do, but there is a very good chance i will be at pcom with you next year! congrats again!
My .02, which isn't much
Sounds like the interview was a "stress interview". Maybe the interviewee did not react well to the questions/showed agitation? Don't know. Same line of questioning happened to someone I know with similar stats, and they didn't get in - I know for a fact that this individual did not handle themselves well. However, I know someone who had a sub 25 MCAT, w/ a strong gpa, and got in to PCOM.
I think both DO and MD schools are applicant specific (who can complement the entering class), but I feel DO is less number oriented as compared to MD.
I was surprised to see this post.....not from dudechiefboss......but the one being replied to..... his stats are obviously strong.
I agree----I don't think it's the questions that caused the problem....maybe just some reaction to them?
The first question I had in the interview room at PCOM was did I have any other acceptances already? --yes
and the second question was did I apply to any MD programs? --yes, absolutely.
I didn't let these questions bother me, b/c I was totally expecting them and the people in the room didn't seem bothered by my answers.
But chin up! If you are on hold, you are not rejected.....so there is still a chance. And your stats are strong, so you'll probably gain admittance somewhere.
I know how disheartening a bad interview experieince is. My VCU interview was horrific and combative and lasted 1 hr 20 minutes. I spent the whole day on campus with a smile and then went home and had a big cry! No lie. VCU would've kept me from having to uproot my family and move. But honestly, I am glad it has worked out this way......in the end it just feels more "right" somehow.....Can't explain it....just a gut feeling.
Anyway, good luck with the process. I know it is long and painful. Hopefully it will work out to your liking in the end.
Edited to add that I see you already have some other acceptances.......so you are in good standing then!
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Yeah my file was complete about the same time as yours ,Dec 16th. Iv got my fingers crossed for an interview as well. No word back yet.I know how antsy I'v been so hang in there on the waiting, esp with it being the holidays. Just wanted to say Good Luck!🙂
Thanks, I've been asked what other schools to which I am applying at all of my DO interviews, so I wasn't surprised when they asked me about this; however, I was taken aback when they started asking if I had held my spot somewhere else (I did) and how I would decide between PCOM and this other school. Then, they asked me if I got an interview at Pitt (I went to Pitt undergrad). I don't really know exactly what the deal was, I feel like they just didn't give me a fair interview because they spent too much time talking about schools other than PCOM, etc.
I think you're right about the 'feeling' thing...I know PCOM is a good school, but I don't see myself there anyway...at least after this.
Good luck to you too!
Hello All: I am sending in my secondary this week. do you think that it is realy late to get an interview?
I don't know...but my app was complete as of 12/16 and I still havnt heard anything back....im wondering the same thing....Ill post if and when I hear something back
I submitted sometime in mid-November and got the "complete" email on Dec 2nd. No word since. They seem to take their time pre-interview. Let's choose to believe this means they thoroughly discuss each applicant's unique qualities rather than give the stats a cursory glance 🙂
same here, heard nothing from this school yet.
ha, thanks - the GPA is lacking though. i worked a lot through school, mostly night shifts, and my GPA always suffered.
did you apply to all DO? i ask because of the timeline - you mentioned you're still waiting from all.
Nope, just NYCOM, CCOM, PCOM, and NSUCOM
and might still send out the secondary to Touro-CA
couldn't really afford to send out to more schools, and considering how late it is, I don't think it would be a good idea to apply to anymore schools at this point
I've been complete since mid November/early December... so still holding on to a shred of hope, but not much left now
I'm his buddy that lives in Imperial. Its def expensive, I pay $1000 for a deluxe one bedroom, but the place is unbelievable. Haven't seen a mouse, bugs, etc since moving in. All utilities included. My fridge and stove were brand new too. But again, its mad expensive. I'm thinking about moving somewhere cheaper. But if money is not a factor, Imperial is one of the best that's close to the school. Plus no traffic if you drive to school. You'll get there in 2 min.
I looked at Belmont Apartments before. It is a crap hole. I wouldn't recommend anyone living there.
Macbook Air.
Seriously, this is probably from one of the faculty that probably just felt like intimidating you that day. It should not reflect your views of the school itself. And you probably shouldn't base your future medical education on an interview question.
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did your apt have a dishwasher?
Yes it does. Only 1 bedroom deluxe have dishwashers.
What about for a family looking to rent a house? Someone (not affiliated with PCOM) has suggested I look in Ardmore, Narberth areas. I know the schools are good there. And there seem to be a small number of houses for rent. Do you know anyone who rents a house there? Do you know anything else about possible areas?
Thanks....I don't mind a little drive in to school. I already knew I needed to keep my kids out there in L Merion school district, so that should be fine. I have found a few rentals in Ardmore that could fit in our budget. There are even a few houses for sale that we could probably purchase......around what we can sell our current house for. I just am not sure I want to buy for only 4 years.... and I'm not sure of the locations....since I know nothing of the area, except what I have gleaned from this forum. I know they are not uber-expensive and they are generally in an expensive area, so they may be on an unsavory side of town......or maybe just have something less than desirable that I can't see in the posted pix. Hopefully, we can make a trip up to Philly when it gets a tad warmer to do some househunting. I am just wondering where other similarly-situated students there live? Surely, I can't be the only old-married-with-kids student. lol....though I understand that that will not be the majority.
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