VCU update for March

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I was just about to ask if anyone has heard anything or called or wrote to the admissions office to receive more information. My guess is that they'll update their waitlists every 2 weeks or about since that seems like a good amount of time for a sufficient amount of withdrawals. I know there is now no set time or date for acceptances but I'm just trying to give myself rough estimates as to when to obsessively check the website again.

Any other ideas?
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Csv321 said:
I was just about to ask if anyone has heard anything or called or wrote to the admissions office to receive more information. My guess is that they'll update their waitlists every 2 weeks or about since that seems like a good amount of time for a sufficient amount of withdrawals. I know there is now no set time or date for acceptances but I'm just trying to give myself rough estimates as to when to obsessively check the website again.

Any other ideas?
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Don't quote me on any of this please :)

I've been in fairly regular touch with that admissions office. I don't expect there to be much more activity until May 15-30 , but a large to massive amount of it then (at least for the out of state list). There are some people that may hear earlier--likely a few stray out of state candidates--but the bulk of the activity will be after W-day.

The unusual thing with the VCU system is that they don't offer more acceptances than seats (as I understand it) , and just fill up as seats become available. The out of state list tends to move through more people, but slower, since only 40% of the 184 seats are made available to them but the high out of state tuition cost and high quality of applicant gives accepted candidates cheaper options that they commonly take. One admissions official projected that around 70% (sometimes more, sometimes less) of the out of state class ends up coming in of of the wait list for this reason. There's a first time for everything in admissions, though, so there's really no way to know for sure.

By contrast, from what I understand and project, there isn't typically as much movement through the in-state list, but the activity tends to happen faster. There are not quite as many withdrawals, though there surely are some as a result of UVA and EVMS and maybe some of the prestigious private medical schools. There's also slightly more people available to withdraw, so there's still some action and it varies from year to year.

You can work your way through it a hundred times, but I suspect most of us won't know until late May or early June and some even later than that. They had considered rejecting people that they were not likely to get to, but had enough preliminary withdrawals that that was not practical. For most of us, that is probably good news.

I imagine my backup plan will be to start working towards a Masters or PhD in physiology, since that's what I did my research in.
 
limbosurfer,

thanks for the informative post. I have yet to take your advice about emailing the dean for the relative frequency of them getting to my ranked score. I am afraid of pestering them.

Is VCU a school that encourages updates/letters of intent? How have you been keeping in touch with the office? Just occasionally calling?
 
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limbosurfer, thanks for the info. However, i wonder how accurate your assesment of the out of state list really is? I'm not saying this out of spite (because i'm in-state) but if you look at the the numbers, VCU receives out of state applications at a ratio of about 3:1...so this means even though more out of staters will get off the waiting list, it's relative, because there are SO many more applicants that are on the list itself.

I've also heard that at the point where the list is made, everything between in state and out of state is equal in terms of numbers. Who knows.

As far as updates/LOI...my general feeling is that at VCU your fate is decided as soon as you're given that magical score. Nothing else can really change that...and plus, why send a letter of intent when they know you'll obviously accept if given an offer?

I guess that's why the alternate list page has both of those choices...its an easier way of getting the 'intent' of an applicant.
 
It may very well be that additional credentials do not help you any. This varies from place to place.

I would have difficulty imaginging that they could hurt.


VCU interviewed about 404 out of state to 317 ish in state this year, is what the admissions people told me. So no, Vivek, most of the cutting has already been done at the interview phase and the 3:1 app volume isn't as much of a factor, the wait lists sizes are similar, albeit the out of state group is probably more competetive since it was chosen from more applications. In fact, I'd guess that would be a point in favor of there being more movement on the out of state list. Higher quality applicants will generally tend to get more other offers, and so there would be more withdrawals. From the other wait list threads here and on other sites, I gather that VCU's out of state list and in state list both generate at least a modest amount of movement each year, as it's not a "first choice" of many.

It may be wise not to pester the admissions people. Or it might be. It's really hard to say. I'd guess it probably doesn't make much difference. Your number is pretty fixed. In my case, I just asked what I felt I needed to know to minimize the anxiety before the great wait.
 
Yeah ok, that makes sense that the numbers are equalized. I wasn't sure and was only offering the 3:1 ratio thing as a possibility. But just out of curiosity, in your discussions with the admissions office did they ever tell you (or give you hints) as to how many people are on the waiting list itself? I feel like with that info it may be easier for us to gauge our luck...
 
They definitely aren't allowed to talk about that specifically, but I can share my logic with you. I'll state right here that this is a big waste of time practically speaking, but hopefully it'll make some of us feel better. It doesn't cost anything for me to speculate, so here goes.

I do know for a fact that some students were rejected post interview in each category, albeit this proportion is a minority (in VCU's case, those with a score of 3.5 or worse on the 1-5 scale with 5 being the worst) lower, is what the Dean told us during our meeting with her on interview day). I'd guess this is no more than 1 student in 5. So let's throw 20% out right away from each pool, so far 240 in state candidates and 320 out of state.

Now we have to factor in preliminary withdrawals, both from those admitted and the waitlist categories. We know these were significant as VCU opted to not do another round of rejections after they finished interviewing, as they had considered doing. I think it's reasonable to assume there'd be twice as many of those from the out of state pool at minimum, probably more, just on the tuition cost difference alone, much more the higher recruitment factor. W-day hasn't even happened yet, but I'd feel safe guessing at least 30 and 60 have already bowed out. That brings us down to 210 and 260.

We know that the top 100 is and top 80 oos already are holding offers and aren't on the wait list per se. That brings us down to 110 and 180 of people just waiting. I also know from my communications that VCU makes about 320-380 total offers a year to fill a class of 184, which means that there are around 175 wait list offers in an average year.

Keeping the 1:2 ratio in mind (which is being as conservative as I can be. 1:2.5 or even 1:3 would not surprise me) I would suspect that, of those 175 offers, a minimum of 120 (probably a bit more) are made to a wait list pool of a maxiumum 180 or so (likely a bit less) of the out of state pool. At least 66-75% of the list ends up being happy eventually, although it takes much longer.

For the in state wait list, it's a bit tougher quantitatively but easier qualitatively. I'd guess around 55 of 110, or half the list, gets reached at minimum. Again, this is just a model of speculation.

These numbers are being conservative; it could well be higher. It is a given that the waitlist is never entirely exhausted. That would be unprecendented. I do think VCU are trying to minimize the number of people that wait and don't ultimately get called, which is generally good news.

There's no way to know for sure. My heart goes out to anyone that ends up not being called. I do think that number is a minority figure, but I sure hope it's no one that is reading and I wish that it could be nobody. Good luck to everyone.
 
Wow dude, that was an amazing analysis!

But I guess the take home message for us all is that chances are about 50-50 that we'll get in...and we just need to WAIT.

And personally, that's kind of hard to do.
 
C'on folks...if you have waited all this long, you handle a couple more months...but i think the fact that we don't know where we stand in the line is really lame....I mean I could understand why they weren't giving us our priority score for being interviewed or even after that, but not telling us where we stand on the list?? what's that all about???

I honestly could only think of one reason, and that would be that there are some "out-of-order" acceptances happening for whatever reason..and school doesn't want us to find out about them...so everything stays sort of calm and goes along as they want it.

For now I just have to smile like this:
 

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mzafaran said:
C'on folks...if you have waited all this long, you handle a couple more months...but i think the fact that we don't know where we stand in the line is really lame....I mean I could understand why they weren't giving us our priority score for being interviewed or even after that, but not telling us where we stand on the list?? what's that all about???

I honestly could only think of one reason, and that would be that there are some "out-of-order" acceptances happening for whatever reason..and school doesn't want us to find out about them...so everything stays sort of calm and goes along as they want it.

For now I just have to smile like this:
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I agree. By not telling us exactly where we stand, it leaves the door open for them to move some people around out of order. Why else would they ask whether or not we had been accepted to another school on the waitlist page?
 
My suspicion is that there may be moving around done for demographic, diversity and balance considerations. That requires some flexibility.
 
vivek311r said:
Wow dude, that was an amazing analysis!

But I guess the take home message for us all is that chances are about 50-50 that we'll get in...and we just need to WAIT.

And personally, that's kind of hard to do.
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Thank yew, thank yew. Five shows a week everyone.

Yeah. Being stuck in limbo sucks. I have been doing everything I can possibly think of to take my mind off it, but the daydreams never cease.
 
I totally agree with ya'll. I loved how the letter was like, "Would you like to remain on our waitlist? Yes? Excellent. You may or may not hear from us between now and August. Enjoy!"

I would just like to know. If I didn't get in, that's fine, life will go on. I do not like the thought that I could be hanging out and working and making money for another year and a half, or I could be starting school and working my butt off in 5 months. That is a huge difference, and tough to switch gears like that.
 
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I can't wait until we're all pulled off the waitlist and those of us who actually accept and end up at VCU in September can get together and reminisce (sp?) about how anxious and neurotic we were during this time.

Good times await... :)
 
BUMP.

So has anybody heard anything lately from VCU? Do they give out a small number of acceptances throughout the month or do they wait to give out a group of offers at the same time? I know they don't give out priority scores or ranks on the waitlist, but has anyone tried to get an idea of where they stand on the alternate list?
 
I tried emailing Dr. Heldberg last week and got an automated email back saying that she'll be out of the office until the 25th. Maybe when she gets back, a whole buttload of people will have withdrawn and the waitlist will start moving just a teensy bit :)

So maybe next week, one/some of us will hear some good news!
 
Although there may be limited activity before May 15, I think it would probably be in the best interest of the mental health anyone sitting on the VCU waitlist to pretend that it's impossible they will hear anything before then, and that way in the exceptional occasion you do it'll be a pelasant surprise as opposed to the persistent letdown of looking and not seeing anything. There has been a little activity that I am aware of, but there's probably not going to be very much more until the second half of May.

Not to be a pessimist or anything, but that's probably the truth.
 
LimboSurfer said:
Although there may be limited activity before May 15, I think it would probably be in the best interest of the mental health anyone sitting on the VCU waitlist to pretend that it's impossible they will hear anything before then, and that way in the exceptional occasion you do it'll be a pelasant surprise as opposed to the persistent letdown of looking and not seeing anything. There has been a little activity that I am aware of, but there's probably not going to be very much more until the second half of May.

Not to be a pessimist or anything, but that's probably the truth.
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well put! :thumbup:
 
that's pretty much the way i'm looking at it... i have to admit, its better than stalking the login page that hardly ever changes. come may 15th though i'll probably start to get neurotic again...
 
Hey guys, I'd almost even take limbosurfer's message one step further and say that we shouldn't assume that we'll get off the waiting list at all. I know you guys will probably hate me for saying this, but I feel like a lot of us on this board, myself included, are a little overly-optimistic about getting off the list. I'm from Virginia and I dont know anyone that's ever gotten off the waiting list...I know that's circumstantial, but its something. I realize that tons of people do get off, but I mean, it may just not happen.

I also feel that using SDN and checking this thread is the same as checking the application status at VCU's webpage...nothing is going to come of it. I say that we should just assume the worst, move on with things, and if we get in party our asses off.

Again, I know this may not sound great to some of you...but sometimes being pessimistic about a situation helps deal with the stress.
 
aww booooo :(



Ill remain hopeful yo. I wish the best for all of y'all!
 
Oh...see now I feel bad :( I guess I should clarify what I was trying to say. I was trying to sort of echo limbosurfer in saying that rather than all of us pulling out hair out on a daily basis checking the website and calling the admissions office, we should just sort of "forget" about it and assume the worst. If we assume the worst, then it wont be a big deal if things dont work out, and if things DO work out it'll be FANTASTIC! I know that we all do have a good chance, I just hate being in limbo...which is why i've been focusing on plan B.

So that's really all I'm trying to say. I as much as anyone else want to see ALL of us get accepted and party in Richmond next year, but I think if we keep being stressed out over the waiting list every day, it may do more harm than good.

Good luck, as always, to all of you...may the blessings of Cynthia Heldberg be on us!



Wow...that was awful.
 
I would stop short of saying be pessimistic.... just try not to think about it to the best degree that you can, focus on the other things in life that make you happy, and wait.

I do think it is good to be comfortable with the worst case scenario, at least to the point where you won't be incapacitated if it happens, but it's not healthy to dwell on that, either. It might be wise for a Virginia resident to be a bit more guarded in their appraoch, because it is a fact that the wait list for in state does not move as much--though it surely does move.

Just make your backup plans, and try to look forward to whatever those happen to be. It's really important to all of us, we've all made a lot of sacrifices in the name of getting into medical school, but there are plenty of other great things in the world to do and think about, I'd just suggest finding one of those for another month or two. Spend some more time with your friends, or do some leisure reading.

If you were wondering about what I've been doing for distractions, video games seem to work pretty good. Nice and absorbing. I liked the Harry Potter books, too.
 
bump...
anyone hear anything? anyone planning on withdrawing?
 
Any recent activity or updates from anyone? Anyone tried calling or contacting the office for whatever reason? Is it May 15th yet? Can I quit my job yet?

Ahhhh...I just keep thinking, "what if this is the one year where the out of state waitlist doesn't really move?" I mean, I was looking at the preprofessional health office on campus where they post pictures of those who have been accepted to medical school and it is a lot less than last year's. What if applicants don't have as many choices as they did in previous years? Is it because it is more competitive this year?

Ok...I'm done. It took a lot of self-control for me to not post anything on this thread for the past week...
 
I wish they would at least let us know approximately where we are on the waitlist (top third, etc.)! I have a back up plan, I have a good job, I have a place to live for next year. I have everything set, but then there is still that chance I could get into MCV. I would just like to know the probability that my entire life will change and be uprooted in a matter of months. I mean, I could be chilling and working for another year, or going back to school in 4 months....big difference mentally! I am so confused, and lost as to what I want anymore, and what is going to happen. Oh, I just needed to vent, I feel better.
 
Wahoo, I totally understand. I've already sent in deposits and I'm about to find a place to live for next year...but there's that chance that MCV will let me in at the last minute, and I know that if that happens I'll drop everything and go to Richmond.

That said, I think we should know by the end of the month. Personally, if I havent heard anything by like June 10th, I'm going to just go on with my business. Then again they have let people in at the end of July and beginning of August...
 
Has anyone TRIED to get an idea of where they stand on the waitlist?
 
I just can't wait for May 15th. I really hope that out of state list moves well!
 
fools gold, they wont tell you where you stand...I've tried.

VCU is infamous for keeping their whole "rank" thing secret.
 
camisho said:
I just can't wait for May 15th. I really hope that out of state list moves well!
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my friend just got in at VCU on Monday 5/2...he's an out-of-state applicant. Good luck to everyone waiting! :luck:

edit: he was on the waitlist 2
 
i wonder if they are letting people in of the waitlist in batches or whether they are accepting people as they withdraw individually? anybody know? i would guess they would do it in batches just cause that would be easier for them... good luck everyone :luck:
 
patel8 said:
i wonder if they are letting people in of the waitlist in batches or whether they are accepting people as they withdraw individually? anybody know? i would guess they would do it in batches just cause that would be easier for them... good luck everyone :luck:
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Well, it seems like they're doing it individually for now. They might start doing em in batches after the 15th when they have more to give out. :luck: :luck:
 
chondrocyte said:
bump...
anyone hear anything? anyone planning on withdrawing?
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I am withdrawing my spot. I'm out of state. I just mailed the letter today. Best of luck
 
Thank you for your support, GuamGuy :)
 
That's nice that out-of-staters are giving up spots, but what about us in-staters?
 
BUMP

I was just wondering, did everybody that's on the waitlist receive the exact same information from VCU back in March, in particular the part that says..."We are anxious to assure you that we found you to be a relatively strong candidate and that the large applicant pool is the primary reason that we are unable to make an offer at this time..."

I'm pretty sure everyone was told this, but I was just curious...
 
I just withdrew my acceptance as an out-of-stater. I was taken off the waitlist a couple of days ago. Good luck!
 
Thanks for your support, Code Brown :)
 
Looks like people are slowly getting off the waitlist...Thanks to those who are keeping us updated with their status. I am praying for some good news by graduation day! That would be the best gift ever!
 
Anyone else doing anything? How confident can we out of staters feel about being on the waitlist at this point? I interviewed in November! They say that once the committee scores you, nothing will change that number or your place on the list once the waitlist is formed...any truth to this or does anyone have any insight? Thanks
 
I heard that no one knows their position at any time because although you're already scored, they committee has the power to pull anyone off in any order. I'm not sure if updates/intent letters would help much, but they certainly couldn't hurt.
 
I am so paranoid about the waitlist right now...like I said, I interviewed in November and thought maybe they did it that early because they liked my app but i got passed over for 3 rounds! That being said, I am out of state...do you guys know what kinds of numbers out of staters typically have at VCU (3.2 and 32 perhaps?)...what's it looking like as far as waitlist movement? They say they'll take a couple weeks to process things after May 15th, but I'm hoping that something happens around then!
 
I am so paranoid about the waitlist right now...like I said, I interviewed in November and thought maybe they did it that early because they liked my app but i got passed over for 3 rounds! That being said, I am out of state...do you guys know what kinds of numbers out of staters typically have at VCU (3.2 and 32 perhaps? ;) )...what's it looking like as far as waitlist movement? They say they'll take a couple weeks to process things after May 15th, but I'm hoping that something happens around then!
 
Camisho,

Don't worry. I interviewed in November as well and trust me, I know how you feel about being passed up. But last year's VCU thread had people getting off the waitlist in June-August, 8-10 months AFTER they had interviewed. I'm hoping for good news for all of us!
 
I interviewed in OCTOBER and i'm still waiting. i really hope vcu pulls through for all of us.. hopefully we'll all end up being classmates! :luck:
 
I wish you all good luck with getting off the list! I wanted to know if anyone is planning on going to VCU/MCV, and if so if they were looking into housing. I know this is out of place & threadjacks but I would apreciate some advice. I am probably going to do their physiology BHS post bacc program. Ive looked into apts in Shockhoe bottom and "The Fan" area. Anyone else need a roomate?

Thanks
 
Hey mprover!

I had been looking into VCU housing a couple months ago, just trying to plan ahead in case I get off the waitlist. I searched several places that looked really nice and if I get off the list, then maybe we can work something out.

I also checked out places in the fan and Shockhoe, Tobacco Row (I think that's what it was called)...
 
camisho said:
that's what i got
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Anyone else? I'm just trying to figure out if they have different "tiered" status messages like they do for people pre-interview.

May 15th is roooollin' in....

:luck:
 
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