First, I think this is a fantastic idea for all the reasons people have mentioned. I also think it's great to have a VMCAS representative on the boards. It's a great way to share information with applicants. It's also important to ensure every tiny detail is provided correctly, because having applied last year, I know how important (and stressful) it was to keep track of the administrative side of applying. But some of the info being provided here is contradictory and some is just unclear, so I hope VMCASSTAFF can address it and clear up the confusion.
VMCAS
STRONGLY suggests you complete your application, and submit
NO LATER than September 1st, 2012 to ensure time for your application to be verified!
[*]
VMCAS 2014 Deadlines:
- Early June, 2013: VMCAS 2014 Application Opens
- September 1, 2013: Transcripts Due to VMCAS
- October 2, 2013: Final Deadline for Applications & Evaluations
- February 1, 2014: Fall Transcripts due to VMCAS
In the first post, VMCASSTAFF lists transcripts as being due to VMCAS by September 1st while the final deadline is October 2nd. I believe this is incorrect based on previous year's deadlines. Schools will still consider your application if submitted with transcripts by Oct. 2nd, correct?
If all your application materials are in BEFORE October 2nd, your application will still be considered COMPLETE, but not yet verified, VMCAS will continue to verify until completed. That's why we STRONGLY recommend getting all this in by September 1st, to ensure verification prior to October 2nd.
This second quote implies that your application will still be considered complete and reviewed by schools if everything (including transcripts) is in by October 2nd, not Sept. 1st. Also, the first sentence and second sentence are confusing. Is an application complete if in by October 2nd regardless of verification? Then why does VMCAS strongly recommend verification occurs by to October 2nd? Schools will still consider an application if
verified after Oct. 2nd, correct?
Yes, there's a HUGE advantage to getting your application verified prior to October! As soon as you have a verified application, schools WILL begin reviewing them!
As for future experience, if you are aware of upcoming experience, list it anyway with future dates, and add that it's upcoming in your duties explanation.
Does VMCAS now allow the listing of future hours? Because that has been specifically forbidden in previous application cycles.
Absolutely the earlier the better!!
All of the quotes above "
strongly suggests," "
strongly recommends," states there's a "
huge advantage," in completing your application with transcripts by September 1st. Better yet, "the earlier the better." This is EXTREMELY confusing and perhaps misleading. No schools that use VMCAS as far as I know have switched to rolling admissions. In fact, there is likely NO actual advantage to getting in your application prior to October 2nd. Maybe I'm missing something, but schools will still evaluate two candidates equally no matter if one is verified by VMCAS on October 2nd or a later verification date, say November 1st, as long as both were submitted by the Oct. 2nd deadline, correct? Is this a way for VMCAS servers to deal with the crush of last minutes submissions on Oct 2nd? If so, I wish that would be more transparent and explicitly stated.
I don't mean to come off as attacking, so I apologize if my post is read that way. But these seemingly tiny details matter to people in the application stage. I also think it a bit irresponsible to post misleading or incorrect information. As I said before, I truly appreciate having a VMCAS representative on these boards, so hopefully you will take the chance to clear up the confusion. Thanks.
