why every institution wants to rip off students?

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emno

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It is bad economy and students are the one who are in the wrost shape financially.

Every school charge for secondary even if you are not a suitable candidate.

AACOMAS is chaging $50 per school if you did not added all the school at the time of initial submission.

this is too much...
 
emno said:
It is bad economy and students are the one who are in the wrost shape financially.

Every school charge for secondary even if you are not a suitable candidate.

AACOMAS is chaging $50 per school if you did not added all the school at the time of initial submission.

this is too much...
Click to expand...

Unneccessary to double post but read my response in the last thread

Directly from AACOMAS

"$50 for the first additional school and $32 for each additional college at the same time."

CALL THEM tell them that their directions clearly state contrary to what they are charging you and that you would like to be refunded the proper amount. I have the instructions saved if you would like to e-mail it to them for proof. I just downloaded them.
 
its the same reason that schools give out secondaries to nearly every applicant... they are a business. the goal of a business is to make profit.
 
futuredoc4432 said:
its the same reason that schools give out secondaries to nearly every applicant... they are a business. the goal of a business is to make profit.
Click to expand...

Profit from students who dont have money and fighting to get some career options.

It is not a good business model.
 
DbDan said:
Unneccessary to double post but read my response in the last thread

Directly from AACOMAS

"$50 for the first additional school and $32 for each additional college at the same time."

CALL THEM tell them that their directions clearly state contrary to what they are charging you and that you would like to be refunded the proper amount. I have the instructions saved if you would like to e-mail it to them for proof. I just downloaded them.
Click to expand...

I was trying to give some example where the institutions are ripping off the students.
I also downloaded the instruction just now, in case. any way thanks.
 
emno said:
It is not a good business model.
Click to expand...

PSH. It's a GREAT business model. That's why you hate it. It works for them, not you.

But I'm with ya. It blows. I especially hate the secondaries that offer them NO ADDITIONAL INFO on you as an applicant. There's no point, it's just for the cash.
 
I think the secondary fees are necessary and helpful to eliminate applicants that are just shot-gunning their applications. On the other hand, I think that some of the DO deposits are a rip-off.
 
emno said:
Profit from students who dont have money and fighting to get some career options.

It is not a good business model.
Click to expand...

Are you attempting to say that business have some sort of moral obligation to care about you? They get $ and you pay them insane amounts of money( which is why you should aim to apply only once). They always win, you attempt to win.
 
Whatever you pay now is peanuts compared to what you will pay once you started medical school. Further, what you pay now is peanuts compared to what the education you will be getting from any school will allow you to make. I realize that this isn't the easiest information to swallow when you're in the middle of paying for it, but if you look at the big picture, it really is a minuscule amount of money.
 
judasreznor said:
Whatever you pay now is peanuts compared to what you will pay once you started medical school. Further, what you pay now is peanuts compared to what the education you will be getting from any school will allow you to make.
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+1 👍
 
judasreznor said:
Whatever you pay now is peanuts compared to what you will pay once you started medical school. Further, what you pay now is peanuts compared to what the education you will be getting from any school will allow you to make. I realize that this isn't the easiest information to swallow when you're in the middle of paying for it, but if you look at the big picture, it really is a minuscule amount of money.
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I keep hearing people say this. But the application process is really difficult for people who don't have a lot of money or help from parents. At least once you are in med school, you can take out loans to cover the cost. In the app process, you're on your own. I think it's reasonable for people to vent a little. It's not like my future self can send back some $$ to my present self to help pay. I realize in the future I will probably have more money and look back thinking it wasn't so much, but as of now, the thousands of $$s it takes for the mcat, apps, secondaries, travel for interviews, etc really is a lot.

I think it's pretty shady for schools to collect secondary fees from students they have no intention of reviewing.
 
seap3 said:
...I think it's pretty shady for schools to collect secondary fees from students they have no intention of reviewing.
Click to expand...

last cycle pnwu sent me my email rejection 25 minutes after I submitted the secodary $175 fee.

What do u think if that..?
 
seap3 said:
I keep hearing people say this. But the application process is really difficult for people who don't have a lot of money or help from parents. At least once you are in med school, you can take out loans to cover the cost. In the app process, you're on your own. I think it's reasonable for people to vent a little. It's not like my future self can send back some $$ to my present self to help pay. I realize in the future I will probably have more money and look back thinking it wasn't so much, but as of now, the thousands of $$s it takes for the mcat, apps, secondaries, travel for interviews, etc really is a lot.

I think it's pretty shady for schools to collect secondary fees from students they have no intention of reviewing.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's unjust to complain about all the fees because it is a very expensive process. That doesn't make what I said untrue, either. It would be nice if they didn't charge all of the money for secondary fees (especially annoying are schools that send them out to every applicant). I don't enjoy paying for it, but I must.
 
emno said:
It is bad economy and students are the one who are in the wrost shape financially.

Every school charge for secondary even if you are not a suitable candidate.

AACOMAS is chaging $50 per school if you did not added all the school at the time of initial submission.

this is too much...
Click to expand...

They have a fee waiver...
 
emno said:
when they know a candidate is nou suitable for the school, still they want to charge application fee for secondaries.
Click to expand...

The fee waiver would take care of this for you, though, if you genuinely cannot afford to pay for the secondary. Ultimately, if it concerns you so much, you don't have to apply to the school. You could only apply to the schools that screen before they send secondaries.
 
judasreznor said:
The fee waiver would take care of this for you, though, if you genuinely cannot afford to pay for the secondary. Ultimately, if it concerns you so much, you don't have to apply to the school. You could only apply to the schools that screen before they send secondaries.
Click to expand...

Not everyone qualifies for the fee waiver... Its based on income from the previous year, debts, blah blah blah. I do not qualify for the fee waiver and I'm currently putting everything on a credit card that at this point I'll be paying off until I matriculate... I simply don't make enough.

Its also based on the national poverty line. Someone making 20,000 in Los Angeles is not going to be able to live on their own and pay for applications, its simply not going to happen. That same person living somewhere that costs are cheaper will be able to afford those things. Regardless, I've sucked it up but I'm not able to apply to as many schools now if they are going to raise their prices after already accepting our primary applications. Its bull**** if you ask me.

Also, I don't think that any DO schools actually screen for secondaries. At least not that I am aware of, maybe a handful, tops. Also, fee waiver applications have to be submitted before you submit your application so its a moot point now.
 
DbDan said:
Not everyone qualifies for the fee waiver... Its based on income from the previous year, debts, blah blah blah. I do not qualify for the fee waiver and I'm currently putting everything on a credit card that at this point I'll be paying off until I matriculate... I simply don't make enough.

Its also based on the national poverty line. Someone making 20,000 in Los Angeles is not going to be able to live on their own and pay for applications, its simply not going to happen. That same person living somewhere that costs are cheaper will be able to afford those things. Regardless, I've sucked it up but I'm not able to apply to as many schools now if they are going to raise their prices after already accepting our primary applications. Its bull**** if you ask me.

Also, I don't think that any DO schools actually screen for secondaries. At least not that I am aware of, maybe a handful, tops. Also, fee waiver applications have to be submitted before you submit your application so its a moot point now.
Click to expand...

There are some schools that screen for secondaries, as I understand it. There is a link from ChocolateBear in the FAQ that includes a list of schools that screen based on certain criteria. They don't all screen (maybe not even most), but a good number do.

I realize that some people don't qualify for fee waivers (I'm one that doesn't). What I meant before is to express what the fee waiver would accomplish if he or she tried to get it. I understand the basis for receiving the waiver. I hope this individual can meet his or her goal of becoming a medical student/physician in as cost effective way as possible.
 
judasreznor said:
There are some schools that screen for secondaries, as I understand it. There is a link from ChocolateBear in the FAQ that includes a list of schools that screen based on certain criteria. They don't all screen (maybe not even most), but a good number do.
Click to expand...

Nearly every school "screens" on the basis of a GPA and MCAT cut-off. If you meet those minimums you automatically get an interview. The Touro's are supposedly 3.0, but I got secondaries from them last year with <2.8. Western supposedly screens, not sure about that. I know they have handed out interviews without secondaries before but I haven't heard of anyone not getting a secondary. NYCOM changed last year from screening to having everyone fill out a secondary, in the middle of the cycle no less, causing people to scramble to have to become "complete" in December or January.

VCOM is thus far the only school that I know for a fact screens before sending out secondaries. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on this but the initial screening is literally a computer simply throwing out those who don't meet the minimums. I received every secondary last year (13 schools) the day that my application was sent out, I can hardly believe that they all screened my application and determined me qualified by anything more than a filter based on GPA and MCAT.
 
Skippygonenuts said:
last cycle pnwu sent me my email rejection 25 minutes after I submitted the secodary $175 fee.

What do u think if that..?
Click to expand...

That's really low...like crud beneath my shoes low. It's a crapshoot-damned if you, damned if you don't.

All you can do to fightback is get in and then protest by entering an ACGME accredited residency (just kidding...but not really) 😀
 
Skippygonenuts said:
last cycle pnwu sent me my email rejection 25 minutes after I submitted the secodary $175 fee.

What do u think if that..?
Click to expand...


:uhno: Dude, that's just cold... I would have called them and given them a piece of my mind.
 
DbDan said:
Nearly every school "screens" on the basis of a GPA and MCAT cut-off. If you meet those minimums you automatically get an interview. The Touro's are supposedly 3.0, but I got secondaries from them last year with <2.8. Western supposedly screens, not sure about that. I know they have handed out interviews without secondaries before but I haven't heard of anyone not getting a secondary. NYCOM changed last year from screening to having everyone fill out a secondary, in the middle of the cycle no less, causing people to scramble to have to become "complete" in December or January.

VCOM is thus far the only school that I know for a fact screens before sending out secondaries. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on this but the initial screening is literally a computer simply throwing out those who don't meet the minimums. I received every secondary last year (13 schools) the day that my application was sent out, I can hardly believe that they all screened my application and determined me qualified by anything more than a filter based on GPA and MCAT.
Click to expand...

VCOM does not screen. I have a friend who sent in a secondary to vcom only to get a rejection email stating that his gpa and mcat scores were too low.
 
And actually wvsom doesn't rip u off (except in the $50k OOS tuition). But they only make u submit a secondary if they plan on giving u an interview.
 
DbDan said:
Nearly every school "screens" on the basis of a GPA and MCAT cut-off. If you meet those minimums you automatically get an interview. The Touro's are supposedly 3.0, but I got secondaries from them last year with <2.8. Western supposedly screens, not sure about that. I know they have handed out interviews without secondaries before but I haven't heard of anyone not getting a secondary. NYCOM changed last year from screening to having everyone fill out a secondary, in the middle of the cycle no less, causing people to scramble to have to become "complete" in December or January.

VCOM is thus far the only school that I know for a fact screens before sending out secondaries. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on this but the initial screening is literally a computer simply throwing out those who don't meet the minimums. I received every secondary last year (13 schools) the day that my application was sent out, I can hardly believe that they all screened my application and determined me qualified by anything more than a filter based on GPA and MCAT.
Click to expand...

Forgive me for spreading misinformation. WVSOM claims to only send out secondaries with interview invites, so there seems to be a screening process there. There may be others, but I'm not sure about them. I misspoke earlier about the screening process. However, I think that the application fees are expensive (minimal in the long run), but the school doesn't force the student to apply there. The student realizes before they apply that the secondary application is going to cost extra. I realize this thread is just a complaint about the costs associated with applications.
 
whoop said:
VCOM does not screen. I have a friend who sent in a secondary to vcom only to get a rejection email stating that his gpa and mcat scores were too low.
Click to expand...

In my experience vcom does. Not everyone last cycle got a secondary via email, some got a type of "hold" email after submitting the primary if I remember correctly. I received the secondary and when my information on a particular letter writer wasn't complete they put me on hold until I found out when that particular person graduated medical school. As soon as I updated the application and emailed it back I got an email maybe an hour or 2 later saying they did not wish to interview me at this time. Makes no sense if you ask me, but the next day my check was cashed and I never heard from them since. Oh well, I should have read the school's mission statement before I applied...I did not fit it at all + I couldn't bullsh*t well enough on there 20 page secondary filled with stupid essays.

So my advice OP is research the schools because some are selective about where you live and are looking for students that live in the boonies or what have you so that youre more likely to stick around after graduation.
 
whoop said:
VCOM does not screen. I have a friend who sent in a secondary to vcom only to get a rejection email stating that his gpa and mcat scores were too low.
Click to expand...

VCOM definitely does screen. Many students from outside of the Appalachian region are put on hold before receiving a secondary and never get one, as the poster above me stated.
 
DbDan said:
VCOM definitely does screen. Many students from outside of the Appalachian region are put on hold before receiving a secondary and never get one, as the poster above me stated.
Click to expand...


The cut off must be an MCAT in the teens, because they sure give secondaries to individuals who have mcats in the teens and GPA's less than 3.4.
 
whoop said:
The cut off must be an MCAT in the teens, because they sure give secondaries to individuals who have mcats in the teens and GPA's less than 3.4.
Click to expand...

Unless you mean both in the same person, many people w/ less than a 3.4 will get a secondary. Also, not everything is about stats, as has been discussed constantly. Regardless, you friend had to have some something to warrant a secondary, not everyone gets one, which means they screen.
 
Just as an FYI, some schools have reduced the amount they require for deposits this year as compared to previous years. This is evident in the 2011 CIB and I have verified it with the Admissions personnel at these schools. I think this is one example of the schools making an effort to accommodate students during tough economic times.
 
PeachyPhd said:
Just as an FYI, some schools have reduced the amount they require for deposits this year as compared to previous years. This is evident in the 2011 CIB and I have verified it with the Admissions personnel at these schools. I think this is one example of the schools making an effort to accommodate students during tough economic times.
Click to expand...

That.. or it could be that by lowering it, more people will turn in the secondary application + money which = increased profit for the school.. or it could be both.
 
wow... waited all weekend for a response to the question because it was being "forwarded to a manager" who took so much time to respond to my questions that he said, "I believe you add $32 during the initial submission. After you submit your application and you decide later on to add more schools, the additional designation fees change to $50."

Seriously AACOMAS? Thats your response? You BELEIVE this to be the case? I'm getting extremely frustrated with them about now. I told them that they changed it in the CIB but the instructions are what are "required" to be read before completing the application and in them it is the 50+32 pricing. Now i'm probably going to have to wait another 2 days for a response. Ugh...



EDIT: I just went to call AACOMAS but clicked pay and submit before calling and saw that it was 210 dollars instead of 300 for the 6 additional schools. Either the e-mail worked and someone changed it or they have revised the policy. I would say everyone who was waiting on a response should check and see if theirs is showing the same thing. I took advantage before it changed back and submitted to the last 6 schools :laugh:
 
Last edited:
lokiperson said:
That.. or it could be that by lowering it, more people will turn in the secondary application + money which = increased profit for the school.. or it could be both.
Click to expand...

Looking at the 2010-2011 LECOM thread, someone posted that the school has no secondary essay's this year and they no longer require a DO LOR to be sent with the secondary (I guess they require it after acceptance). Looks to me like the school is trying to make it so more applicants can submit secondaries and likely profit from the increase in secondaries (my guess).
 
csmittyB said:
Looking at the 2010-2011 LECOM thread, someone posted that the school has no secondary essay's this year and they no longer require a DO LOR to be sent with the secondary (I guess they require it after acceptance). Looks to me like the school is trying to make it so more applicants can submit secondaries and likely profit from the increase in secondaries (my guess).
Click to expand...

I was surprised about the secondary as well but they did not require a DO letter before interview in previous years either. I was offered an interview before my letters even got to LECOM-B
 
DbDan said:
I was surprised about the secondary as well but they did not require a DO letter before interview in previous years either. I was offered an interview before my letters even got to LECOM-B
Click to expand...

Hmm...I was just going off what the 2010 CIB said. According to that, LECOM required a non-related DO LOR with the supplemental app.

Sounds like you may have gotten a priority interview from LECOM-B. I got those from other schools. I was like, why are they offering me an interview, I haven't even sent my secondary app yet?
 
csmittyB said:
Hmm...I was just going off what the 2010 CIB said. According to that, LECOM required a non-related DO LOR with the supplemental app.

Sounds like you may have gotten a priority interview from LECOM-B. I got those from other schools. I was like, why are they offering me an interview, I haven't even sent my secondary app yet?
Click to expand...

My stats were far from warranting a priority interview. I'm not sure what happened but there were a few people I remember saying that they did not have their DO letter in yet. FWIW, the 2011 CIB says letter from a non-related DO is required as well.
 
DbDan said:
My stats were far from warranting a priority interview. I'm not sure what happened but there were a few people I remember saying that they did not have their DO letter in yet. FWIW, the 2011 CIB says letter from a non-related DO is required as well.
Click to expand...


Their website also stated that a letter from a DO is required. That's one of the reasons I didn't apply there.


As an aside, I did just hear back about the AACOMAS primary fees of $50 for each school after the initial submission and they stated that it should be corrected tomorrow.
 
DbDan said:
My stats were far from warranting a priority interview. I'm not sure what happened but there were a few people I remember saying that they did not have their DO letter in yet. FWIW, the 2011 CIB says letter from a non-related DO is required as well.
Click to expand...

Maybe the yet is the key and they expect it at some point😕

Did you turn one in at some point?
 
MightyMoose said:
Their website also stated that a letter from a DO is required. That's one of the reasons I didn't apply there.


As an aside, I did just hear back about the AACOMAS primary fees of $50 for each school after the initial submission and they stated that it should be corrected tomorrow.
Click to expand...

I posted before, it has been corrected. I submitted this morning.
 
They want to milk every penny they can out of us. My undergrad school was charging me 10 bucks to send a transcript. 10 bucks for what!?!?! a sheet of paper, an envelope, and a 30-something cent stamp.....madness.
 
Skippygonenuts said:
last cycle pnwu sent me my email rejection 25 minutes after I submitted the secodary $175 fee.

What do u think if that..?
Click to expand...

Sucks, doesn't it? Last year Case Western rejected me the very next day after my application was complete. I thought that was bad but 25 minutes definitely takes the prize. You know the school screens based on numbers if they can reject people so quickly.

I think it is a shame schools aren't more transparent about their cut offs. It is in their best interest, though, to have as many people as possible send in the app fee. So, poor suckers like me hand over cash and we never had a chance, anyway... I have a lot of respect for schools that screen for secondaries so you don't get one or pay the school's app fee if you have absolutely no chance (Wake Forest, for example). Also, I like the schools that are honest about cut offs and put them right on their web site (Rush comes to mind).
 
absolutdokta said:
They want to milk every penny they can out of us. My undergrad school was charging me 10 bucks to send a transcript. 10 bucks for what!?!?! a sheet of paper, an envelope, and a 30-something cent stamp.....madness.
Click to expand...


only 10 bucks??!?!?!? you're lucky. i'm paying $25. that's for the regular slow service. upgrade to priority costs an arm and a leg. +pity+
 
emno said:
It is bad economy and students are the one who are in the wrost shape financially.

Every school charge for secondary even if you are not a suitable candidate.

AACOMAS is chaging $50 per school if you did not added all the school at the time of initial submission.

this is too much...
Click to expand...

That is the way the system has been set up. There was a time when college was a type of public institution where they worked to create a greater good. Today its all about money. Even very elite institutions that attract the best students are out to make a buck. I noticed the school I went to has created a number of "graduate" programs.

I think the acceptance fees that many schools require are exorbitant too, also factor in you have spend time and money to travel to the interview.
 
Seth Joo said:
That is the way the system has been set up. There was a time when college was a type of public institution where they worked to create a greater good. Today its all about money. Even very elite institutions that attract the best students are out to make a buck. I noticed the school I went to has created a number of "graduate" programs.

I think the acceptance fees that many schools require are exorbitant too, also factor in you have spend time and money to travel to the interview.
Click to expand...

.................................

this is a 4 year old thread
 
baxt1412 said:
.................................

this is a 4 year old thread
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88434-Zch-Galifianakis-WHY-gif-Candi-msY6.gif
 
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