VCOM Discussion thread 2008-2009

[Hokie06]

congrats to all those that are accepted. My VCOM interview is this coming monday! So excited! Anyone else interviewing that day?

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[Tybalt1]

"I'm so excited, and I just cant hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it." I instantly thought of this song for some reason after reading the previous post.

 

[kdmt7]

"I'm so excited, and I just cant hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it." I instantly thought of this song for some reason after reading the previous post.

"I'm so.....scared", classic saved by the bell episode. Addicted to caffeine pills, gotta love it.

 

[jujuh001]

Does anyone know if they are calling for interview invites today as well?

 

[Limvostov]

I'm in !!!!!!!!!!

 

[sobe15]

Me too!!!

 

[MuddyDogs]

VCOM let me in too!!! I'm moving back home to the Blue Ridge!
Congrats to everybody who has been accepted, and good luck to everyone still waiting for a call!

VCOM class of 2013

 

[sobe15]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum GPA you must retain between acceptance and matriculation? Since I've been doing so many interviews this semester I feel like my GPA is going to go down.

 

[Limvostov]

VCOM let me in too!!! I'm moving back home to the Blue Ridge!
Congrats to everybody who has been accepted, and good luck to everyone still waiting for a call!

VCOM class of 2013

Sweet Deal!!! Good to know we will be in school together

 

[Spooner13]

"I'm so.....scared", classic saved by the bell episode. Addicted to caffeine pills, gotta love it.

Aw, great episode. And some incredible acting.

Congratulations to everyone that has recently been accepted!

 

[simpleman]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum GPA you must retain between acceptance and matriculation? Since I've been doing so many interviews this semester I feel like my GPA is going to go down.

dont drop drastically....

anyway, have fun and enjoy ur last semester or two in undergrad take it easy on yourself and go play some golf


i am happy for all the good news on SDN today....keep them coming

 

[sobe15]

What do you call drastically?

 

[mixtape]

I have my interview 12/10...I'm super excited. The last time I was in Virginia was in 2005 when I visited Roanoke College for some scholarship competition. I fell in love with the area but my mom wasn't into me being so far away from home (Florida).

Anyone else interviewing 12/10?

 

[Vita]

Congrats to everyone who got in! I can't wait to meet you all in the Fall.

 

[docman85]

So I just got the call from Bea that I have an interview on Dec. 16!!! So excited b/c I did not think I would get anymore this cycle this is awesome!!! If anyone has any advice.... feel free

 

[sexyman]

read the interview section of this website and relax and be yourself. The interviews are conversational and actually enjoyable.

goodluck

 

[kdmt7]

So I just got the call from Bea that I have an interview on Dec. 16!!! So excited b/c I did not think I would get anymore this cycle this is awesome!!! If anyone has any advice.... feel free

Congrats buddy! I just got a call today as well. woohoo! I was offered December 16th also, but my schedule was full so I will be interviewing January 12th. Anyone out there interviewing this day? Well good luck to you and everyone else who got interviews here, for me this is my top choice so hopefully everything works out. Only thing that sucks is I have a deposit due December 15th at WVSOM ($2K).

 

[AMEHigh]

I have my interview 12/10...I'm super excited. The last time I was in Virginia was in 2005 when I visited Roanoke College for some scholarship competition. I fell in love with the area but my mom wasn't into me being so far away from home (Florida).

Anyone else interviewing 12/10?

Yep, I'll be there on the 10th. I won't be traveling as far though....I'm alraedy in VA. See you then!

 

[simpleman]

Congrats buddy! I just got a call today as well. woohoo! I was offered December 16th also, but my schedule was full so I will be interviewing January 12th. Anyone out there interviewing this day? Well good luck to you and everyone else who got interviews here, for me this is my top choice so hopefully everything works out. Only thing that sucks is I have a deposit due December 15th at WVSOM ($2K).

u could have requested an earlier date!!!! i really highly recommend calling and see if u can get an earlier date.....i did that two years ago and they put me into an earlier spot....

so i ended up with 3 interviews in the row....i drove to PCOM, then WV, then to VCOM...i didnt want them to be apart so i wont have to drive multiple times since i lived in the south!

 

[kdmt7]

u could have requested an earlier date!!!! i really highly recommend calling and see if u can get an earlier date.....i did that two years ago and they put me into an earlier spot....

so i ended up with 3 interviews in the row....i drove to PCOM, then WV, then to VCOM...i didnt want them to be apart so i wont have to drive multiple times since i lived in the south!

Unfortunately when I was talking to her she said that there were no dates before Dec. 15th (when my deposit is due) so I guess if anyone on here cancels their interview and it is before the 15th PLEASE let me know so I can call them and see if I could come ealier. Otherwise I will have to eat the deposit, but it will be worth it if I get an acceptance here since it is my first choice ( And losing 2K to go to VCOM where the tuition is $15k dollars cheaper a year is a small price to pay in the long run). Also, do any of you know how good of a chance you have at getting accepted once you receive an interview and how long they typically take to make their decision.

 

[tdittyx2x3]

While I was there someone asked Bea these same questions and she estimated around 2/3rds of interviewees are accepted.

The committee meets on the next Thursday after your interview, and they call you that afternoon, so you don't have to wait more than 10 days to hear back. Here's to next Thursday..

 

[Sabzi]

Spooner,

Hang in there, buddy. I KNOW you'll get an interview at VCOM and become a Hockie. You've worked very hard and you deserve it. Keep you head high.

Sabzi

 

[Spooner13]

Spooner,

Hang in there, buddy. I KNOW you'll get an interview at VCOM and become a Hockie. You've worked very hard and you deserve it. Keep you head high.

Sabzi

Thanks for the encouraging words Sabzi. I really appreciate it, and I hope you're right. After going to the open house last week, I want an interview/acceptance/high five from the admissions committee more than ever. Well, I'll just keep my fingers crossed indefinitely.

 

[simpleman]

What do you call drastically?

haha...more like a 0.5 drop in your GPA!! ex: 3.5-->3.0! not good! believe me, they do compare ur current GPA and graduating one, prior to matriculation process. At a lot of schools, i have heard of many lost their acceptances due to not maintaining gpa....

but as long as you have above a 3.5, u r good!!!

any way, go

 

[sobe15]

haha...more like a 0.5 drop in your GPA!! ex: 3.5-->3.0! not good! believe me, they do compare ur current GPA and graduating one, prior to matriculation process. At a lot of schools, i have heard of many lost their acceptances due to not maintaining gpa....

but as long as you have above a 3.5, u r good!!!

any way, go

OK, that's not a problem. At most I could go down like 0.1 in my overall GPA. It's just one class that's bringing me down.

I have another question. Next semester I have the option of taking a comparative anatomy class and a microbiology class. Which one do you all think would be most helpful? I don't have much of any background in either.

 

[simpleman]

TAKE MICRO!!!!!!!!!!! i will be honest with you...our micro classes here are not that good....horrible professor to say the least!!! When you take Micro, it will really help you tremendously when you it comes to learning clinical cases. I am glad i took it undergrad...my colleagues who never took it before are still struggling with micro till today (we are current MSIIs)
Anatomy, that is one of the strongest courses here at VCOM...i would really recommend taking both, but if it comes down to choosing, pick Micro!!!!!!

 

[kdmt7]

haha...more like a 0.5 drop in your GPA!! ex: 3.5-->3.0! not good! believe me, they do compare ur current GPA and graduating one, prior to matriculation process. At a lot of schools, i have heard of many lost their acceptances due to not maintaining gpa....

but as long as you have above a 3.5, u r good!!!

any way, go

Also, you want to be sure to get at least get C's in the required courses, such as Bio, Phys, Organic Chem, and Chemistry. I believe you can lose an acceptance because of this, maybe someone can back this up?

 

[tideleonheart]

TAKE MICRO!!!!!!!!!!! i will be honest with you...our micro classes here are not that good....horrible professor to say the least!!! When you take Micro, it will really help you tremendously when you it comes to learning clinical cases. I am glad i took it undergrad...my colleagues who never took it before are still struggling with micro till today (we are current MSIIs)
Anatomy, that is one of the strongest courses here at VCOM...i would really recommend taking both, but if it comes down to choosing, pick Micro!!!!!!

I second this... Take Micro.... Oh, and when you start Micro (Block 1), be sure to start making flash cards AS you get the various parasites and start going over them way before the test. Not because it'll help you pass the class (that's not too hard), but because it'll help you RETAIN the information down the road.

Also, you want to be sure to get at least get C's in the required courses, such as Bio, Phys, Organic Chem, and Chemistry. I believe you can lose an acceptance because of this, maybe someone can back this up?

Correct - you MUST make at least a C in the required courses... If you can't do it, you won't be allows in. But come on, shoot for an A, right?

 

[River Rat]

any of you guys looking into housing for next year or for a roommate yet?

 

[sobe15]

I second this... Take Micro.... Oh, and when you start Micro (Block 1), be sure to start making flash cards AS you get the various parasites and start going over them way before the test. Not because it'll help you pass the class (that's not too hard), but because it'll help you RETAIN the information down the road.


Correct - you MUST make at least a C in the required courses... If you can't do it, you won't be allows in. But come on, shoot for an A, right?

Thanks for the advice. I've already met all the requirements with A's and B's. I've got a D in my histology class right now (I bombed a test that I took after being away for interviews for a couple days). I'm trying to get it up to a C by the end of the semester. I was just concerned that they might take away my acceptance if I get the D. I'm in the A-/B+ range for all my other classes right now.

 

[Sabzi]

any of you guys looking into housing for next year or for a roommate yet?

I surely am. But I don't know anyone in Blacksburg. Have you looked at apartments yet? What is the cheapest you could find?

 

[mixtape]

Yep, I'll be there on the 10th. I won't be traveling as far though....I'm alraedy in VA. See you then!

Awesome! See you there!

 

[simpleman]

I surely am. But I don't know anyone in Blacksburg. Have you looked at apartments yet? What is the cheapest you could find?

there is a lot of cheap apt places around here....and if u want a roommate...Megan can put you on the roommate listserv to find you someone....

and when looking for places, make sure u visit them prior to rental...i was foolish enough to sign a one yr contract without seeing the apt layout at my place.... i was just lazy enough to make a 20 hour roundtrip drive...oh well

if u need anything, we are here for you....and the admission staff are welling to help you in anyway good luck with all your interviews....its a fun time during this season and getting your acceptance before christmas time is always fabulous

 

[Sabzi]

there is a lot of cheap apt places around here....and if u want a roommate...Megan can put you on the roommate listserv to find you someone....

and when looking for places, make sure u visit them prior to rental...i was foolish enough to sign a one yr contract without seeing the apt layout at my place.... i was just lazy enough to make a 20 hour roundtrip drive...oh well

if u need anything, we are here for you....and the admission staff are welling to help you in anyway good luck with all your interviews....its a fun time during this season and getting your acceptance before christmas time is always fabulous

Do you have any cheap and convenient apartments in mind you could recommend me?

Also, do we get laptops from VCOM? Or do we have to have our own?

Sabzi

 

[tideleonheart]

Do you have any cheap and convenient apartments in mind you could recommend me?

Also, do we get laptops from VCOM? Or do we have to have our own?

Sabzi

You have to get your own laptop - as an ex-computer science guy, this was a good thing! I highly recommend getting a Lenovo Thinkpad. When I was applying, this was THE definitive thread... Any post by Syncope82 is a good thing to read. It's got a ton of info in it if you have the patience for it. Summary? Lenovo Thinkpads are awesome. I am on a T61p and I have loved it. I would probably just start a new thread instead of posting on that one though, since that one is so cluttered.

Apartments? It's so variable. I live in the Fox Ridge graduate apartments with my wife and we like it a lot... it is a little on the expensive side, but the area is very nature-y, it is close to everything, but not in the MIDDLE of everything (feels secluded). If we didn't have a big dog, we probably would have lived in Knollwood or The Crossing - it's literally right across the street from the school.

If you go to accepted students day, they'll have a lot of info and brochures you can pick up. Also, if you're looking for a roommate, be sure to let Megan know and she'll put you on the list.

 

[Limvostov]

You have to get your own laptop - as an ex-computer science guy, this was a good thing! I highly recommend getting a Lenovo Thinkpad.

So, how do you feel about Sony vaio, and toshiba laptops? I really like the vaio's, but if there was a great reason to check out lenovo I would make sure and not pass them up.

How about Christiansburg? Any decent places you know to live there? I like the idea of the gym in the town, being a little ways from campus, and cheaper rent

 

[simpleman]

So, how do you feel about Sony vaio, and toshiba laptops? I really like the vaio's, but if there was a great reason to check out lenovo I would make sure and not pass them up.

How about Christiansburg? Any decent places you know to live there? I like the idea of the gym in the town, being a little ways from campus, and cheaper rent

honestly, I think Christianburg is much more nicer, affordable, closer to shopping malls and I wish I knew that ahead of time. I live right beside VT main campus and while its crowded and noisy sometimes, i like it, but i feel that i am far away from the major shopping centers. Now, ask Megan or whoever is charge of settling you guys in, about the best place to rent in cburg....i cant suggest any since i dont live in cburg.

also, i have a HP tablet which i highly recommend.....any form of tablet would do and this will help you tremendously when it comes to histological slides.....it helped me alot!!!! i dont know what a Lenovo is, but if there are Lenovo tablets, get it....u wont regret it......i had to email my lecture notes to many of my colleagues b/c i used my pen to point the impt structures out on many of the ppt lectures.!!!! highly recommend it...

 

[JLM]

I think the housing issue is actually pretty important, so I want to throw my 2 cents in.

1. Christiansburg - great for families and those who like average, everyday American life. Its good for anyone who needs to shop on the frequent, or if you prefer large chain restaurants to smaller, smokier places in town. Most of the christiansburg apartments are relatively new and cheaper than their blacksburg equivalents. And, fewer undergrad parties going on. However, if you hate driving (which I do) C-burg is not for you. Any excursion in Christiansburg will require a vehicle and some gasoline in said vehicle.

2. Blacksburg - if you are the young, single townie Blacksburg is for you. There are almost NO chains in Blacksburg. I find this to be phenomenal. If you need a chain store, you will find every one in existance in the chain-mecca that is Christiansburg VA -- though it is a short drive to get there. In Blacksburg, I drive almost nowhere. My car stays parked and I walk into downtown to eat, shop, socialize, or just stroll. When we hit the bar scene, I walk home. School can be reached by bike or a 5 min car ride (during the winter). Property is a bit more expensive, but is older with more charm. Cons: more frat parties in blacksburg, though they usually dont bother me. And, game-day traffic makes me want to kick puppies.

3. Knollwood - ehhhh. its cool i guess. A bit overpriced, I think. Newer construction. I have three major issues with knollwood. First, you are kinda on the line between blacksburg and c-burg. so, you are not really very close to anything. Again, a 10 min car ride will get you where you are going, but every errand becomes an outing . . . well, everywhere but VCOM. Which brings me to problem number 2 - while you love VCOM right now because its new and exciting, there will come a point where you will be thrilled to leave at the end of another long, hard day. Medical school really is challenging, and the constant reminder from your bedroom window may prove to be a bit stressful. Lastly, many of my classmates wanted to live at knollwood so that they could walk to school. That lasted about 6 months, and thereafter a line of cars would travel the 50 yards from Knollwood to the VCOM parking lot.

4. Foxridge - huge complex. Expensive, but absolutely delightful. If you are the outdoorsman, Foxridge may be good for you. From their complex, you can jump on a walking trail and wander for hours. All of the trails in blacksburg overlap which allows for optimal strolling time. Surrounded by farmland and beautiful scenery. A 40 min walk through campus into downtown, but you will have to drive to VCOM every day. Also, larger apartments for those with more gear/stuff. On game day when the hokies score, the entire complex roars . . . its orchestrated, almost erie -- but incredibly cool. Cons: lots of parties in the undergrad section. And, the residents of foxridge have always had a fascination with fireworks. especially true on holidays and game days, but really they need no occassion. In 2nd year there was a huge storm at 3 am and it knocked out power to the complex. So, a large spontaneous party broke out in the parking lot with fireworks . . . and EtOH. And not just a few individuals, people came out en mass at 3 am. I thought it was amazing.

Just take a moment to think about your personality before you jump into housing. Everyone will find a good fit somewhere.

This is a really cool place you have chosen to be a part of. I will not be here when you arrive, but I have no doubt that the other classes will take wonderful care of you, as our big brothers and sisters did for us.


Welcome. My best to you all.

 

[River Rat]

my fondest memories from undergrad years ago include one random 3 am morning/night, when my apartment at foxridge and our neighbors decided to battle each other with bottle rockets from each others balconies.

moral of the story: might be a good idea to look into graduate housing for your peace and quiet. there are def some places that are more geared towards the undergraduate scene.

 

[High Rolla]

My aacomas application was released on Oct 22 and i got an email from VCOM on oct 27 saying they would let me know whether or not to submit the secondary app within a week.

I called today and asked if I should submit my secondary and they said its STILL being decided if its a good investment for me to submit the secondary!

SHould I take this as a pre-secondary rejection? My cumulative gpa is 3.42 and mcat 30Q.

 

[JagerDO]

High rolla- I'm in the same situation except my primary has been verified since middle september. I've sent a couple emails asking if I should send in the secondary (I have it all ready to go) and I always get the response that they are still considering whether or not it would be worthwhile. My stats are slightly lower than yours but I still def considered them high enough to receive a secondary. Not sure what's going on...

 

[kdmt7]

JLM, GREAT post! I will find this very helpful if and when I get accepted. Thank You!

 

[simpleman]

excellent post....really like it

I think the housing issue is actually pretty important, so I want to throw my 2 cents in.

1. Christiansburg - great for families and those who like average, everyday American life. Its good for anyone who needs to shop on the frequent, or if you prefer large chain restaurants to smaller, smokier places in town. Most of the christiansburg apartments are relatively new and cheaper than their blacksburg equivalents. And, fewer undergrad parties going on. However, if you hate driving (which I do) C-burg is not for you. Any excursion in Christiansburg will require a vehicle and some gasoline in said vehicle.

2. Blacksburg - if you are the young, single townie Blacksburg is for you. There are almost NO chains in Blacksburg. I find this to be phenomenal. If you need a chain store, you will find every one in existance in the chain-mecca that is Christiansburg VA -- though it is a short drive to get there. In Blacksburg, I drive almost nowhere. My car stays parked and I walk into downtown to eat, shop, socialize, or just stroll. When we hit the bar scene, I walk home. School can be reached by bike or a 5 min car ride (during the winter). Property is a bit more expensive, but is older with more charm. Cons: more frat parties in blacksburg, though they usually dont bother me. And, game-day traffic makes me want to kick puppies.

3. Knollwood - ehhhh. its cool i guess. A bit overpriced, I think. Newer construction. I have three major issues with knollwood. First, you are kinda on the line between blacksburg and c-burg. so, you are not really very close to anything. Again, a 10 min car ride will get you where you are going, but every errand becomes an outing . . . well, everywhere but VCOM. Which brings me to problem number 2 - while you love VCOM right now because its new and exciting, there will come a point where you will be thrilled to leave at the end of another long, hard day. Medical school really is challenging, and the constant reminder from your bedroom window may prove to be a bit stressful. Lastly, many of my classmates wanted to live at knollwood so that they could walk to school. That lasted about 6 months, and thereafter a line of cars would travel the 50 yards from Knollwood to the VCOM parking lot.

4. Foxridge - huge complex. Expensive, but absolutely delightful. If you are the outdoorsman, Foxridge may be good for you. From their complex, you can jump on a walking trail and wander for hours. All of the trails in blacksburg overlap which allows for optimal strolling time. Surrounded by farmland and beautiful scenery. A 40 min walk through campus into downtown, but you will have to drive to VCOM every day. Also, larger apartments for those with more gear/stuff. On game day when the hokies score, the entire complex roars . . . its orchestrated, almost erie -- but incredibly cool. Cons: lots of parties in the undergrad section. And, the residents of foxridge have always had a fascination with fireworks. especially true on holidays and game days, but really they need no occassion. In 2nd year there was a huge storm at 3 am and it knocked out power to the complex. So, a large spontaneous party broke out in the parking lot with fireworks . . . and EtOH. And not just a few individuals, people came out en mass at 3 am. I thought it was amazing.

Just take a moment to think about your personality before you jump into housing. Everyone will find a good fit somewhere.

This is a really cool place you have chosen to be a part of. I will not be here when you arrive, but I have no doubt that the other classes will take wonderful care of you, as our big brothers and sisters did for us.


Welcome. My best to you all.

 

[calebherndon]

Just got the call for the interview and scheduled for Dec. 15th. Definitely stoked about this one as I have heard several nice aspects about this program. Is it normal to check your email 50 times a day...just wondering?! Please let a brother make it!

 

[Hokie06]

The decision is supposed to be made tomorrow morning for the people that were interviewed last week and this week! IF accepted, I heard we should be receiving a call some time after 3pm!!! CRAZY!

 

[tideleonheart]

So, how do you feel about Sony vaio, and toshiba laptops? I really like the vaio's, but if there was a great reason to check out lenovo I would make sure and not pass them up.

How about Christiansburg? Any decent places you know to live there? I like the idea of the gym in the town, being a little ways from campus, and cheaper rent

Sony: I don't have personal experience with Sony Vaios except for my father in law. He has one and, though only a year or two old, is starting to get pretty rackety. The hinges connecting the monitor to the base are getting loose. And he doesn't move it much. As a medical student, you're going to be toting your laptop eVeRyWhErE.

Toshiba: They can make some solid computers. I would place them 2nd to Lenovo... but their bloatware is horrid. Immediately format your hard drive and put a clean install of XP or Vista on there. If you don't know how to, get a friend to.

Lenovo: In my opinion, their line of ThinkPads are the best. I've heard a lot of people talk about them and very very few bad things. The best thing everyone always seems to say is about their durability. These things are tanks! Since you're going to be taking it to school to study, taking it to the library to study, taking it home to study, taking it in the shower to study (joking), you want a durable computer. If you prefer the tablet variety, the Thinkpad X series is nice. Me? I didn't think I would need the tablet much and I also wanted something to occasionally play a computer game on, so I went with the ThinkPad T61p. (the T61p has a better video card than the T61.... not necessary for most users.) So far? No complains. However, like the Toshiba, I also recommend doing a format on the hard drive, getting rid of any bloatware, and starting fresh and clean. This will make your computer a LOT more organized and make it faster.

If I had to rate laptops in order of WORST to BEST, I would say:

eMachines
HP / Gateway (though heard good things about Gateway's tablets from some at DCOM)
Dell / Sony / Acer
Toshiba
Lenovo

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Limvostov]

Immediately format your hard drive and put a clean install of XP or Vista on there. If you don't know how to, get a friend to.

I just did that with my new pc... got an XPS 420 for some light gaming. This is the first pc I have not built on my own and it came with tons of extra things installed. Loads much faster now.

I will have to look into the T61p... maybe when I buy the mobile 4870 ATI or 280 nvidia will be available. Then I can play some crysis on my free time...if I have any left.

 

[tdittyx2x3]

The decision is supposed to be made tomorrow morning for the people that were interviewed last week and this week! IF accepted, I heard we should be receiving a call some time after 3pm!!! CRAZY!

Well looks like they started calling before 3.. I was just accepted!

 

[Hokie06]

IM IN TOO! hahahaa I received the call at 1:10pm today! Amazing! My first acceptance to medical school!

 

[benlinus]

I got the call today today too..IM IN! Great feeling.