VCU - 2008 Applicants

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Wan2BPharmD

Wan2BPharmD

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  1. Pharmacy Student
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I didn't see any threads for VCU's 2008 applicants, so I thought I'd start one. Feel free to share any info, questions, rants...whatever. I'll start off:

This post is two-fold: 1) to share my excitement with everyone...I just got a call today and have an interview at VCU on Sept 15!!! 😀😀😀

2) In case anyone else is applying ED, stay close to your phones! They may call you (if they haven't already) any time now!

Good luck to everyone! Wait...all of you guys are my competition. Uhh.....

just kidding. 😉
 
Hi there Wan2BPharmD! CONGRATS ON THE INTERVIEW!

I just want to ask you when you took the PCATs. I want to apply here but I'm not going to take the PCATs till next week. Do you know if they will put my application on hold until then? Thanks for the help!
 
Who said I've taken the PCAT yet? 🙂

8 days left...
 
Hi! I got a call from them today also stating that they won't interview me since I interviewed with them in april and that they'll use those scores/comments and they'll just review my file.

I'd like to know if anyone has been through this with VCU and have been successful? I figure I have a better chance this year since I applied early compared to being in the last interview phase in april. Thanks in advance!
 
I have not finished my application yet. I stupidly did not request a transcript from VCU, since I have not begun taking classes here yet. duh.

I am studying my butt off for the PCATs and I am nervous as hell. I just moved from Upstate New York to Richmond because VCU is my first choice.
 
im applying also (out of state) but i didnt do early decision. i get the feeling this school isnt just about numbers b/c of they dont even list their minimum GPA's on pharmcas...anyone notice this?
 
rx27563 said:
im applying also (out of state) but i didnt do early decision. i get the feeling this school isnt just about numbers b/c of they dont even list their minimum GPA's on pharmcas...anyone notice this?
Click to expand...

Application Criteria for 2008 Entering Class
Expected GPA of accepted students - 3.4 (3.0 - 4.0)

That's what it says on PharmCAS. I'm gonna guess that 3.0 is the minimum. Ugh, I have a 3.2. I feel so stupid for getting poor grades in dumb classes like history. I don't know what I was thinking.
 
Wan2BPharmD said:
Application Criteria for 2008 Entering Class
Expected GPA of accepted students - 3.4 (3.0 - 4.0)

That's what it says on PharmCAS. I'm gonna guess that 3.0 is the minimum. Ugh, I have a 3.2. I feel so stupid for getting poor grades in dumb classes like history. I don't know what I was thinking.
Click to expand...




I have attended 6 different undergrad schools.... the one thing for VCU that I cannot find is what their expectations are as far as PCAT scores.



I hope I am ok applying late this week or early next... I am only waiting on VCU's transcript! (Oh, and I have to write my personal essay...)
 
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Wan2BPharmD said:
I didn't see any threads for VCU's 2008 applicants, so I thought I'd start one. Feel free to share any info, questions, rants...whatever. I'll start off:

This post is two-fold: 1) to share my excitement with everyone...I just got a call today and have an interview at VCU on Sept 15!!! 😀😀😀

2) In case anyone else is applying ED, stay close to your phones! They may call you (if they haven't already) any time now!

Good luck to everyone! Wait...all of you guys are my competition. Uhh.....

just kidding. 😉
Click to expand...


how soon after your application was submtited to pharmcas did you get an interview? i submitted my application aug 8. pharmcas said that they sent the application packet today. ahhh! where is my interview?!
 
I'm applying. ED as well 🙂

Good luck to everyone!
 
My mailing date was 7/27, and I got a call to schedule an interview on 8/17.
 
Anyone here know how the essay portion of the interview works?

Do you do it at the same time as your interview itself? Do they put everyone in a room and give them 30 minutes to write it out? I'm picturing myself sitting there frantically trying to write an essay while the dean of admissions stares me down with a stern look, 7 inches away from my face, not blinking once. 😱


lol...
 
At the interview you'll be given a schedule with exact time and room of where your (2) interviews will be (in the building), any breaks, tour, and essay. First everyone goes into the auditorium for a welcoming by the dean then you'll go off according to your schedule. For the essay you'll be sitting in a classroom with a couple of students, maybe 6-8 with a student proctor and you'll write the essay there. Just to let you know, the interview will be one with a faculty/student and another with alumni/student. Its very conversational so relax!
 
I will also be there 9/22

anyone know how many get interviews vs how many get accepted?

also, i was going to retake my pcat in oct, but since i got an interview do you all think i should still do it?
 
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Last year 250 interviewed, and 130 accepted.

If you are not happy with your PCAT score, I would take it again.

I do not even know what my PCAT score was (I took it in August), but I am already signed up for the Oct test. They may still put you into rolling admissions, an interview is not a guarantee of admittance. I would still plan on doing everything you can to improve your chances, and if that means taking the PCAT again, so be it.
 
Is this for ED or for overall (ED plus regular decisoin??)

bucket of karma said:
Last year 250 interviewed, and 130 accepted.

If you are not happy with your PCAT score, I would take it again.

I do not even know what my PCAT score was (I took it in August), but I am already signed up for the Oct test. They may still put you into rolling admissions, an interview is not a guarantee of admittance. I would still plan on doing everything you can to improve your chances, and if that means taking the PCAT again, so be it.
Click to expand...
 
Anyone who interviewed hear back from VCU?

Did they tell you guys they'd respond within 2-4 weeks, or did I imagine something? lol
 
You did not imagine anything... they said 2-4 weeks. I believe they will send out decisions w/in the next week or so.
 
Can somebody please tell me .... what was the topic for the essay question? Thank you in advance!
 
Is there any school out there that lay very minimal empasis on pcat

Lets say if your gpa was 3.4-3.5 and you had less than a 50 percentile which is pretty much the average for most schools that require pcat


email me back so i can add that on my list b4 its too late



thanks


ohan
 
Soory i did not answer your question'


I have already being denied by shenandoah and i am waiting on

albany
pittsburgh
howard

trying to apply for more schools with no pcat
 
ohan said:
Lets say if your gpa was 3.4-3.5 and you had less than a 50 percentile which is pretty much the average for most schools that require pcat

ohan
Click to expand...

Not sure where you got the idea that a PCAT of 50 was ""...average for most schools that require PCAT....."

I think if you actually do research (rather than depending on others to feed you information which is likely to be questionable), you'll find that 50 is the average score of all test takers. That's how percentile scores work.

Each school that requires the PCAT will have it's own version of what's good, what's average, what's tolerable, and what counts as "no way on this earth." You need to check with each of your desired schools to find out what they want.

I suspect you'll find that for most schools, the average PCAT of the students offered admission was well over 70. The lowest average I've seen is 65.

But, you should really check it yourself and not depend on others for this information that could turn out to be very important to you.
 
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HELLO EVERYONE.. JUST A NOTE FOR ALL PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY - I CERTAINLY WENT THROUGH IT LAST YEAR

my stats: 3.5 over all, 3.62 science, pcat = 72 percentile, and i was accepted to VCU... my interview went well, but i felt i did a horrible job on the essay that we had to write during the interview. I was an - out of state student.

I took the pcat again and i did very well, but i never updated them about my status. I was accepted to the univ. a week before the new pcat scores came out...meaning, i got accepted to the univ with a 72%tile score...i had zero volunteering work, but i worked a lot in my undergrad years (as a p.tech, tutor, TA, office assistant) I received 2 undergrad degrees, and a minor.

I paid the deposit at VCU and withdrew my seat later. I lost $1000, but it was worth it... VCU was my 2nd choice. I am now at UNC

good luck to all.
 
did you apply early decision? how long until you got a response?
its now the 5th week (they said 2-4 weeks wait time for ED applicants) and i haven't heard from them yet!! ahhh!


prem_baba said:
HELLO EVERYONE.. JUST A NOTE FOR ALL PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY - I CERTAINLY WENT THROUGH IT LAST YEAR

my stats: 3.5 over all, 3.62 science, pcat = 72 percentile, and i was accepted to VCU... my interview went well, but i felt i did a horrible job on the essay that we had to write during the interview. I was an - out of state student.

I took the pcat again and i did very well, but i never updated them about my status. I was accepted to the univ. a week before the new pcat scores came out...meaning, i got accepted to the univ with a 72%tile score...i had zero volunteering work, but i worked a lot in my undergrad years (as a p.tech, tutor, TA, office assistant) I received 2 undergrad degrees, and a minor.

I paid the deposit at VCU and withdrew my seat later. I lost $1000, but it was worth it... VCU was my 2nd choice. I am now at UNC

good luck to all.
Click to expand...
 
prem_baba said:
HELLO EVERYONE.. JUST A NOTE FOR ALL PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY - I CERTAINLY WENT THROUGH IT LAST YEAR

my stats: 3.5 over all, 3.62 science, pcat = 72 percentile, and i was accepted to VCU... my interview went well, but i felt i did a horrible job on the essay that we had to write during the interview. I was an - out of state student.

I took the pcat again and i did very well, but i never updated them about my status. I was accepted to the univ. a week before the new pcat scores came out...meaning, i got accepted to the univ with a 72%tile score...i had zero volunteering work, but i worked a lot in my undergrad years (as a p.tech, tutor, TA, office assistant) I received 2 undergrad degrees, and a minor.

I paid the deposit at VCU and withdrew my seat later. I lost $1000, but it was worth it... VCU was my 2nd choice. I am now at UNC

good luck to all.
Click to expand...


thanks so much for this information!!!
 
I did not apply for ED, but I did send in my application within the first 2 weeks of when pharmCas allowed us to apply. Dr. Reinders is a cool guy! He comes out during breaks at the interview session to interact with the students. I did not get a chance to speak with him at all during my interview b/c everyone just surrounds him as if he is going to make the decision on their application. I did get to speak with him at a later point during a career fair. HE MEANS WHAT HE SAYS....AND HE WILL TELL YOU...."YOU ARE HERE (AT THE INTERVIEW) FOR A REASON" - so if you have an interview sheduled - it's a good thing... just stop thinking about things and practice for your interview as if it's the only interview you will ever have....that's what i did... i went to 5 interviews....and i got better wiht each one. I thought i was very well preprared for the very first one..but i found that i improved at some aspect with each interview... good luck folks
 
still waiting.... hoping that they get back to me before saturday so I dont take the pcat again in vain! argh.

i have a hankering they will defer me for fall grades.... i am beginning to lose it!
 
What did they ask for the Essay question? I know I can look at the interview feed back, but no one has updated any responses for this year.

What were some of the questions like?
 
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I hope you guys can help me out with my questions. I'm like KBOUGHBE, I'll have my interview with VCU soon. For those that interviewed already, can you tell us what type of question do they ask us on the essay part? I'm really nervous about this interview.
Thank you.
 
When are you interviewing? I interview on Nov 10.
 
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I e-submitted through PharmCAS in Oct. 15th, and the schools received the application and other materials on Nov. 5th... I haven't heard back from VCU yet.. I guess it's been only a week, but wouldn't they contact people within a week for interviews if the students were likely to be admitted??
 
how did they let you know if you were accepted to VCU?
 
They'll send you the letter. After the interview, it takes about 4 weeks to hear something if we're lucky 🙂
How was your interview?

KBOUGHBE said:
how did they let you know if you were accepted to VCU?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks.

I knew it would be 2 - 4 weeks, I wasn't sure if they would call, email, or send a letter.

My interview went very well, I flew in the day before and then showed up about 2 1/2 hours early. Which really turned out to be a good thing. I got to talk with Dr. Reinders one on one over an hour. We talked about lots of different things. It was really cool, he made me fill like I was already a student there.

Now it is just a waiting game. Hopefully the game doesn't last long!! LOL!!
 
Aquasonic said:
They'll send you the letter. After the interview, it takes about 4 weeks to hear something if we're lucky 🙂
How was your interview?
Click to expand...
Just FYI...they told me 2-4 weeks, but it took more like 5. Don't sit there and go nuts like me after 28 days.
 
KBOUGHBE said:
Thanks.

I knew it would be 2 - 4 weeks, I wasn't sure if they would call, email, or send a letter.

My interview went very well, I flew in the day before and then showed up about 2 1/2 hours early. Which really turned out to be a good thing. I got to talk with Dr. Reinders one on one over an hour. We talked about lots of different things. It was really cool, he made me fill like I was already a student there.

Now it is just a waiting game. Hopefully the game doesn't last long!! LOL!!
Click to expand...

KBOUGHBE,
I'm glad your interview went well. I didn't have a chance to meet Dr. Reinders. Instead, I met Dr. Ballentine. He's very friendly, helpful, and caring. Actually, everyboby there is friendly. I enjoyed every moment when I had my interview on Oct 27. I apply as out-of state student so I don't know how high my chance is but I'm really glad to have an interview there. I learn a lot about their program.
Please let us know if you hear anything from VCU. You did your best and I hope the good news will come soon.🙂
 
Wan2BPharmD said:
Just FYI...they told me 2-4 weeks, but it took more like 5. Don't sit there and go nuts like me after 28 days.
Click to expand...
Thanks Wan2BPharmD. Well, the good thing is you don't have to sit there and go nuts anymore :laugh:
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
hey anyone looking for a girl roommate for vcu?? i wanna live right next to campus and i want to sign the lease by next week.

looking for...
non-smoker
very clean 🙂
 
hi everyone!! what kind of questions did they ask you guys?? let me know....please....i have my interview in feb. ...so stress!!!😱
 
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