Philadelphia COM - Philadelphia (PCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

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im really confused..how do we know if we are complete or not? I have dates in all of my columns. Status and notes are all empty though...

Did you guys use AACOMAS LOE service? It seems like that's the major speed bump for most people, myself included. And I believe that having a date next to everything would mean complete since they've verified having each component.
 
Update: they just said that I must not have submitted my secondary, and so they will not rush it. What a joke.
 
How long does it generally take to get a secondary from PCOM? I got LECOM and MSUCOM relatively quickly.

AACOMAS is so bad with notifying MCAT reception that I have no idea if my DO schools even have it or not. smh...

They told me 10 days after telling me 5... Meh I guess I'll call again.
 
Also they have no control over your MCATs getting into your file, it is AACOMAS and this new thing that they are using is a challenge to all of us, including the COMs. My friend used to tell me the questions that were asked everyday regarding letters, PCOM has it noted on the website and emails what they want and people still want to know if they can make an exception. That does not happen at PCOM. They don't have to make exceptions. People want status updates and last year they said in their email they don't provide status updates. My friend said they would get at least 50 emails or calls a week asking for a status update. Read what is required and let them do their job. There are four people in that office that handle over 15,000 applications for all the program. They do a great job. Be considerate and patience is a virtue.

4 ppl? A little understaffed no?
 
Committee letter was uploaded to AACOMAS on July 24th... Still doesnt appear on PCOM portal. Will give em a call tomorrow I guess
 
Committee letter was uploaded to AACOMAS on July 24th... Still doesnt appear on PCOM portal. Will give em a call tomorrow I guess

how did you check on their portal? was your application verified?
 
This place is ridiculous. I can't believe I actually gave them my money to treat me like this. Then again this is Philadelphia. You're just as likely to get shot or stabbed as getting a degree from PCOM.
 
Simmer people....the website says don't call for status updates and to expect each piece to take up to 30 days to process. It's August!
 
Be easy people, based on last year's thread it looks like II don't go out until the first week of september or possibly the week after. It seems like we have to sit tight for at least another week.
 
Update: they just said that I must not have submitted my secondary, and so they will not rush it. What a joke.
You must not have hit the submit button because there system will not let us submit twice because they don't want people going in and making changes. You just can not do it so maybe in all the rush you just did not hit the submit button. Not everything is their fault. This new system that AACOMAS has is really wreaking havoc with everyone. My girlfriend is applying and all school are having issues, some as much as 3 weeks behind. They tell you in the emails what they will and will not do so don't call asking them questions. Four people was plenty the old way, this new system is apparently crazy and for letters you have to tell them when letters have been added so they can go back in and get them. This is a great place and there are a lot of other schools out there, just saying
 
has anyone got II yet? I got an email from them telling me my application was complete so I wonder when I will get an udpate.
 
has anyone got II yet? I got an email from them telling me my application was complete so I wonder when I will get an udpate.

Can you post the complete email? I never received one and all my materials were marked received 6 weeks ago
 
I just got an email that my application was incomplete despite the supplemental received being on Aug 18...My school doesnt have a pre health committee so I got 3 faculty letters instead. I think they were still expecting a committee letter and thats why my application is still incomplete. Anyways I emailed them and waiting on a response.
 
Can you post the complete email? I never received one and all my materials were marked received 6 weeks ago

Ah nevermind sorry, this was just the email telling me they processed my secondary. Im sure everyone got this one:


This message is to acknowledge the successful processing of your supplemental application to the Osteopathic Medicine program for Fall 2016 term at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on our Philadelphia Campus.

You may review the items received by the Office of Admissions by visiting your online application summary.
Once your application is complete and the Faculty Committee on Admissions has determined if you are qualified, you may be invited to our campus for a personal interview. The invitation is extended via email, so please check your email account on a regular basis as candidates can be selected at any point throughout the application cycle. Application status updates are not available online or via phone/email as candidates selected to interview will be contacted when appropriate.
We are pleased to know of your continued interest in the Osteopathic Medicine at PCOM and wish you the best in the application review process!
 
High applicant volume doesn't excuse poor customer service. Point blank period.

Sure, but I've been living in the real world and if something like poor customer service makes you fly off the handle then godspeed to you. 😉
 
How do you know pcom gets 10000 apps? Most recent data says they got ~8000 apps. More ppl are applying do this cycle but not that many to 1 school
 
How do you know pcom gets 10000 apps? Most recent data says they got ~8000 apps. More ppl are applying do this cycle but not that many to 1 school
I thought it was just ~8.5k (friend went to Open house) but people here keep saying 10k (claim they went to open house) so idrk. 8.5k...10k...doesnt matter super competitive either way
 
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The CIB says 8506 applicants last year. LECOM and CCOM weren't too far behind in applications. PCOM admissions department just isn't as efficient or nice as other admissions departments. No excuses need to be made, nuff said
 
How do you know pcom gets 10000 apps? Most recent data says they got ~8000 apps. More ppl are applying do this cycle but not that many to 1 school

There were 9800 applications 770 interviews 440 acceptances for a class of 270. There is no way to know whether more or less people are applying this cycle.
 
Current M2 here. Great school. Great reputation. Any specialty is yours if you work your ass off for it. Don't hate on the secondary process because the admissions team works around the clock due to the volume of apps pcom receives. Good luck
yo put in a good word for me to admissions, ightt? 😉
 
The CIB says 8506 applicants last year. LECOM and CCOM weren't too far behind in applications. PCOM admissions department just isn't as efficient or nice as other admissions departments. No excuses need to be made, nuff said

The LECOM number includes multiple campuses and PCOM received almost 10k applications not 8500.
I thought it was just ~8.5k (friend went to Open house) but people here keep saying 10k (claim they went to open house) so idrk. 8.5k...10k...doesnt matter super competitive either way
8.5 was for the class of 2018. Class of 2019 is 9.8. They told us that during orientation
 
I submitted three LOR also but my app has been labeled as incomplete smh
 
The LECOM number includes multiple campuses and PCOM received almost 10k applications not 8500.

8.5 was for the class of 2018. Class of 2019 is 9.8. They told us that during orientation

Are the #s just for Philly or did that include the Georgia campus as well?
 
Just realized that they need 3 faculty members instead of 2 and a physician letter... That I am sure will set back the process
 
Aacomas' letter system is just turrrrible. Ive had my letter in there for 23 days. And it's 3 faculty OR a prehealth committee letter.
 
Aacomas' letter system is just turrrrible. Ive had my letter in there for 23 days. And it's 3 faculty OR a prehealth committee letter.

Got the same email today... kind of confused since it says my DO and both my science were obtained on 7/16. To my knowledge I should be cleared for the "Pre-Health Advsr/Committee" Letter....
 
Got the same email today... kind of confused since it says my DO and both my science were obtained on 7/16. To my knowledge I should be cleared for the "Pre-Health Advsr/Committee" Letter....
Yeah same here. I'm having this issue with PCOM and western actually.. All my letters were sent out first week of july by my prehealth committee. It also says on my PCOM portal that they've received my science and DO letters.
 
Yeah same here. I'm having this issue with PCOM and western actually.. All my letters were sent out first week of july by my prehealth committee. It also says on my PCOM portal that they've received my science and DO letters.

I actually didn't have that problem with Western thankfully. But I am emailing PCOM right now and will let you know what comes of!
 
Just got the "incomplete email"...

I got it last night as well. Funny thing is, they have my letter packet from my school. I can see it on application portal but they have it classified wrong. Super disheartening to hear. I should have been complete in mid-July if it weren't for this
 
apparently my "incomplete' was because i didn't meet the correct LOR requirements. I had my other science professor email admissions to let them know she wrote my other science letter. This would give me 2 sci and 1 non-sci LOR. let's hope that makes me complete...

Yeah same here. I'm having this issue with PCOM and western actually.. All my letters were sent out first week of july by my prehealth committee. It also says on my PCOM portal that they've received my science and DO letters.
 
I got the same email last night! I was wondering if it was worth it to call them and ask them to fix it because I have definitely handed in all my letters with my secondary! this is frustrating!!
 
They are specific about the LOR. Your reference had to have explicitly mentioned the course you took with them (like mention the course code specifically). Something like "Jon was a student in my fourth year research course" is not specific enough and will make your LOR not meet the requirements.
I emailed them and that pretty much the reason why my LOR did not meet the requirements. They give you the option to submit updated letters and your references can send them to [email protected]
 
apparently my "incomplete' was because i didn't meet the correct LOR requirements. I had my other science professor email admissions to let them know she wrote my other science letter. This would give me 2 sci and 1 non-sci LOR. let's hope that makes me complete...
That is so ridiculous, and I'm assuming that's what happened to me as well. I suppose I'll give pcom a call/email today or tomorrow to straighten things out.
 
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