RVU-COM Discussion thread 2008-2009

[Brocimus]

is RVUCOM one of your top choices?

RVU is my top choice for DO schools. My family lives like five minutes away in Highlands Ranch and I'm a big fan of Denver. Plus, I like that the school is brand new and I've been impressed by what I've learned about it so far. I'm coming to Denver in two weeks for my sister's high school graduation and I will be taking a tour. I'm hoping they will have my primary by then, but I doubt it.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Brocimus]

There were well over 3000 primary applications for the class of 2013...there were about 300 interviews or so granted and we have a full class already. I would say it is competative.

Are you looking to apply for the class of 2014?

What would you say the adcom gives the most weight to? Stats? Primary? Essays? I think I'm a competitive applicant, but I wouldn't want to blow it by not putting enough effort into the secondary, for example, if they really look at that.

 

[boone95]

What would you say the adcom gives the most weight to? Stats? Primary? Essays? I think I'm a competitive applicant, but I wouldn't want to blow it by not putting enough effort into the secondary, for example, if they really look at that.

I don't think they really focus on any one thing. They're surprisingly good about taking the entire application into account. A number of people are 'under average' in some areas, but make up for it in others.

If I was you (and I was 2 years ago), I would not hold anything back. Once you get the secondary, give it your all and knock their socks off. Every word of your secondary will be read by someone at some point. By touring the campus before doing your secondary, you have the opportunity to ask questions of anyone around, which can be very helpful in your secondary, so take advantage of that. Best of luck!

 

[paramediclizard]

What would you say the adcom gives the most weight to? Stats? Primary? Essays? I think I'm a competitive applicant, but I wouldn't want to blow it by not putting enough effort into the secondary, for example, if they really look at that.

I second what boone said. I think they look for a well rounded candidate. But if you are lacking in any one particular area, you can make it up in another. For me, my weak spot was my MCAT. But I more than made up for it with clinical experience and my LORs.
Just put your heart into the entire application.
Good luck and feel free to ask any other questions!
BTW...consider getting hooked up with an ambassador to sit through class time if you like! Just ask one of the admission folks.

 

[laixx054]

anyone hear of any movement off the "accepted pending seat opening" list? Also, did the school figure out the situation on lenders?

 

[Uranium678]

anyone hear of any movement off the "accepted pending seat opening" list? Also, did the school figure out the situation on lenders?

I heard from admissions that they overaccepted the class and that they were most likely done extending admits. I wouldnt be so hopeful on this--give them a call.
About the lenders, its not finalized but the school has confirmed the availability of private funds through a financial arm of the school. It will be credit based and could cover the cost of attendance for the student.

 

[boone95]

I heard from admissions that they overaccepted the class and that they were most likely done extending admits. I wouldnt be so hopeful on this--give them a call.
About the lenders, its not finalized but the school has confirmed the availability of private funds through a financial arm of the school. It will be credit based and could cover the cost of attendance for the student.

I agree with all of this.

I typed up some stuff about the loans they'll be offering in a post on 4/14 in this thread. Basically, they are the same as a Grad-PLUS loan. Waaaaay better that Sallie Mae.

 

[RVU Student]

We are having some serious issues at Rocky Vista University and the administation is falling apart. The incoming class needs to know what is going on. Hell, the current class needs to know what is going on! We are worried about the firing of the board of trustees and the threatened firing of half the Deans. Faculty members are looking for other jobs. Will we lose accreditation? The students are being told NOTHING! Today we received this letter from the President of RVU. It takes a lawyer or a politician to say so little in a statement. Who on the board was fired? Why were they fired? Who are they trying to replace them with? Why will the new Board be better than the previous Board? Please Please Please look into this matter. Call to talk to Mr. Black, demand to know what is going on. Right now I wouldn't recommend ANYONE come to RVU. Some of current students are looking into whether or not we need to transfer universities for the fall.

Has the experiment in a For-Profit COM failed?

Good afternoon everyone,

It has been brought to my attention that members of the RVU community have a myriad of questions regarding recent changes in RVU Board personnel and its effect on the institution. I can tell you that there have indeed been some changes in the personnel on the RVU Board, and replacements for those particular positions are currently in the works. I can assure you that these changes will continue to further promote the mission of this institution, and the provision of a superior educational program for our students. While I understand that change often fosters uncertainty, the faculty, administration and board members of RVU remain committed to the future, and the successful education of many accomplished physicians in the years to come.

Any future changes made regarding the institution will be communicated to you in the most efficient manner possible. My hope is that this information will help alleviate any concerns you have and allow for a more enjoyable weekend. Good luck with the exam on Monday.

D. Robert Black, Esq.
Interim President
[email protected]
303.373.2008

 

[JE1986]

We are having some serious issues at Rocky Vista University and the administation is falling apart. The incoming class needs to know what is going on. Hell, the current class needs to know what is going on! We are worried about the firing of the board of trustees and the threatened firing of half the Deans. Faculty members are looking for other jobs. Will we lose accreditation? The students are being told NOTHING! Today we received this letter from the President of RVU. It takes a lawyer or a politician to say so little in a statement. Who on the board was fired? Why were they fired? Who are they trying to replace them with? Why will the new Board be better than the previous Board? Please Please Please look into this matter. Call to talk to Mr. Black, demand to know what is going on. Right now I wouldn't recommend ANYONE come to RVU. Some of current students are looking into whether or not we need to transfer universities for the fall.

Has the experiment in a For-Profit COM failed?

Good afternoon everyone,

It has been brought to my attention that members of the RVU community have a myriad of questions regarding recent changes in RVU Board personnel and its effect on the institution. I can tell you that there have indeed been some changes in the personnel on the RVU Board, and replacements for those particular positions are currently in the works. I can assure you that these changes will continue to further promote the mission of this institution, and the provision of a superior educational program for our students. While I understand that change often fosters uncertainty, the faculty, administration and board members of RVU remain committed to the future, and the successful education of many accomplished physicians in the years to come.

Any future changes made regarding the institution will be communicated to you in the most efficient manner possible. My hope is that this information will help alleviate any concerns you have and allow for a more enjoyable weekend. Good luck with the exam on Monday.

D. Robert Black, Esq.
Interim President
[email protected]
303.373.2008

Well that's scary!!!! I certainly hope the school is accredited. What will happen if it isn't????? How are we supposed to pay back all that money we borrowed?

 

[wait4me]

thats so messed up! i knew there was something fishy with this school after being interviewed by a shady interviewer at RVU

 

[boone95]

We are having some serious issues at Rocky Vista University and the administation is falling apart. The incoming class needs to know what is going on. Hell, the current class needs to know what is going on! We are worried about the firing of the board of trustees and the threatened firing of half the Deans. Faculty members are looking for other jobs. Will we lose accreditation? The students are being told NOTHING! Today we received this letter from the President of RVU. It takes a lawyer or a politician to say so little in a statement. Who on the board was fired? Why were they fired? Who are they trying to replace them with? Why will the new Board be better than the previous Board? Please Please Please look into this matter. Call to talk to Mr. Black, demand to know what is going on. Right now I wouldn't recommend ANYONE come to RVU. Some of current students are looking into whether or not we need to transfer universities for the fall.

Has the experiment in a For-Profit COM failed?

Good afternoon everyone,

It has been brought to my attention that members of the RVU community have a myriad of questions regarding recent changes in RVU Board personnel and its effect on the institution. I can tell you that there have indeed been some changes in the personnel on the RVU Board, and replacements for those particular positions are currently in the works. I can assure you that these changes will continue to further promote the mission of this institution, and the provision of a superior educational program for our students. While I understand that change often fosters uncertainty, the faculty, administration and board members of RVU remain committed to the future, and the successful education of many accomplished physicians in the years to come.

Any future changes made regarding the institution will be communicated to you in the most efficient manner possible. My hope is that this information will help alleviate any concerns you have and allow for a more enjoyable weekend. Good luck with the exam on Monday.

D. Robert Black, Esq.
Interim President
[email protected]
303.373.2008

Whoa there. Do you think you might be jumping to a hypothetical conclusion?
No doubt, it's unknown turf, but the unknown isn't always worst case scenario. As of right now, we don't need to worry. I'm curious, but I'm not worried. There's 100 million dollars invested in this school, it'll get accredited. Anyone who is thinking they need to transfer is simply paranoid. Relax, let's see what happens in the next week, then if we need to make some adjustments, we will.

Bottom line, I'm not worried, and nobody else needs to be.
We'll keep this board updated with any other confirmed things that happen though.

 

[boone95]

Well that's scary!!!! I certainly hope the school is accredited. What will happen if it isn't????? How are we supposed to pay back all that money we borrowed?

IF, on the 1 in a billion chance that the school goes under, they will transfer us to another accredited program. You won't have to re-pay tuition because the school has funds set aside for that (as is required for ALL new schools).

Like I said, it's not worth worrying about right now. Wait to see if anything bad happens before you panic. Overwhelming chances are that it's going to be just fine.

 

[laixx054]

Whoa there. Do you think you might be jumping to a hypothetical conclusion?
No doubt, it's unknown turf, but the unknown isn't always worst case scenario. As of right now, we don't need to worry. I'm curious, but I'm not worried. There's 100 million dollars invested in this school, it'll get accredited. Anyone who is thinking they need to transfer is simply paranoid. Relax, let's see what happens in the next week, then if we need to make some adjustments, we will.

Bottom line, I'm not worried, and nobody else needs to be.
We'll keep this board updated with any other confirmed things that happen though.

Are you a med. student Boone95 because you seem way to calm to be one...lol

 

[RVU Student]

Whoa there. Do you think you might be jumping to a hypothetical conclusion?
No doubt, it's unknown turf, but the unknown isn't always worst case scenario. As of right now, we don't need to worry. I'm curious, but I'm not worried. There's 100 million dollars invested in this school, it'll get accredited. Anyone who is thinking they need to transfer is simply paranoid. Relax, let's see what happens in the next week, then if we need to make some adjustments, we will.

Bottom line, I'm not worried, and nobody else needs to be.
We'll keep this board updated with any other confirmed things that happen though.

So you are saying that the mysterious and secretive firing of the Board of Trustees and the likely firing of R. Martin and Smith isn't a cause to worry?

 

[wait4me]

what makes you think other schools will accept or have room for RVU students??

IF, on the 1 in a billion chance that the school goes under, they will transfer us to another accredited program. You won't have to re-pay tuition because the school has funds set aside for that (as is required for ALL new schools).

Like I said, it's not worth worrying about right now. Wait to see if anything bad happens before you panic. Overwhelming chances are that it's going to be just fine.

 

[boone95]

3 good questions!

1. Yep, I'm a med student. And I've got the neuro notes on my lap to prove it.

2. I've heard rumors about the Board of Trustees and the deans, but nothing has been verified yet. If someone is in danger of getting fired, it's legit for it to be a private matter until a decision is official. Even if the dean is fired, there would be a good reason, and the school wouldn't go under. Heck, PNWU opened the same time as we did, and their original dean is gone (fired, resigned, call it what you will), and they aren't worried about accreditation. I'd rather wait to see what actually happens rather than speculate and listen to rumors. I heard a rumor I was a homosexual once, glad I didn't listen to it, because turns out I love ladies.

3. I think it would be a travesty for a school to go under, and I would expect nothing less than for the DO schools of the country to be able to take 5-6 students each. It's plenty feasible. You might not get to pick your dream location, but the AOA wouldn't let 150 students go high and dry.

You all are obviously free to speculate and panic, I just don't think it's time to sounds the alarms right now.

 

[Handy388]

thats so messed up! i knew there was something fishy with this school after being interviewed by a shady interviewer at RVU

what happened/

 

[wait4me]

what happened/

interview went well....then i went back home to look up the interviewer's email to send a thank you note...... after a simple google search I found out that the certain interviewer had a really shady past so I questioned why RVU would hire someone like that without a background check. Not going to put that certain person on blast because they were a very nice person/the incident that they were involved in may have been blown out of proportion but still-- I was kind of in shock!

 

[wait4me]

I dont think any school would be obligated to take these students...especially since a lot of schools were against the creation of a "for-profit" school in the first place

3 good questions!

1. Yep, I'm a med student. And I've got the neuro notes on my lap to prove it.

2. I've heard rumors about the Board of Trustees and the deans, but nothing has been verified yet. If someone is in danger of getting fired, it's legit for it to be a private matter until a decision is official. Even if the dean is fired, there would be a good reason, and the school wouldn't go under. Heck, PNWU opened the same time as we did, and their original dean is gone (fired, resigned, call it what you will), and they aren't worried about accreditation. I'd rather wait to see what actually happens rather than speculate and listen to rumors. I heard a rumor I was a homosexual once, glad I didn't listen to it, because turns out I love ladies.

3. I think it would be a travesty for a school to go under, and I would expect nothing less than for the DO schools of the country to be able to take 5-6 students each. It's plenty feasible. You might not get to pick your dream location, but the AOA wouldn't let 150 students go high and dry.

You all are obviously free to speculate and panic, I just don't think it's time to sounds the alarms right now.

 

[boone95]

interview went well....then i went back home to look up the interviewer's email to send a thank you note...... after a simple google search I found out that the certain interviewer had a really shady past so I questioned why RVU would hire someone like that without a background check. Not going to put that certain person on blast because they were a very nice person/the incident that they were involved in may have been blown out of proportion but still-- I was kind of in shock!

Interesting. I'm glad you acknowledge that it 'may have been blown out of proportion.' I just know that the individual you're likely talking about is an excellent faculty member, and their past doesn't affect us.

I dont think any school would be obligated to take these students...especially since a lot of schools were against the creation of a "for-profit" school in the first place

You're right, they aren't obligated. But I have no doubt that they would still step up and support the profession if a disaster were to occur. And while many people/schools don't favor the for-profit status, they do favor the students. Nobody has told me I'm a bad person for going to RVU. Crazy, huh? And most people don't care. Really.

 

[wait4me]

just wondering...do you know how I'm talking about?

Interesting. I'm glad you acknowledge that it 'may have been blown out of proportion.' I just know that the individual you're likely talking about is an excellent faculty member, and their past doesn't affect us.



You're right, they aren't obligated. But I have no doubt that they would still step up and support the profession if a disaster were to occur. And while many people/schools don't favor the for-profit status, they do favor the students. Nobody has told me I'm a bad person for going to RVU. Crazy, huh? And most people don't care. Really.

 

[Handy388]

Interesting. I'm glad you acknowledge that it 'may have been blown out of proportion.' I just know that the individual you're likely talking about is an excellent faculty member, and their past doesn't affect us.



You're right, they aren't obligated. But I have no doubt that they would still step up and support the profession if a disaster were to occur. And while many people/schools don't favor the for-profit status, they do favor the students. Nobody has told me I'm a bad person for going to RVU. Crazy, huh? And most people don't care. Really.

should MD schools be forced to take caribean kids if ROSS closes? Because RVU is practically a caribean school on mainland that somehow gets accredited.

I hope RVU is either bought out by a non-profit body or fail.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

One thing you can try is that you can hope in one hand and **** in the other, and see which fills up first.

Now that the livelihoods of students are at stake, I hope this school does everything right, and turns out some good docs.

One thing I'm curious about is why they didn't just establish it as a non-profit, and the guy who is the owner could just appoint himself as CEO and pay himself a huge salary.

 

[SaharaGirl]

One thing I'm curious about is why they didn't just establish it as a non-profit, and the guy who is the owner could just appoint himself as CEO and pay himself a huge salary.

The reason I heard is that this guy has lots of money, and he wanted to take all the beginning years of loss from RVU, and use it towards tax deduction.
Also, won't he loose control of the school if he gets fired as a CEO by the board and he loose all his investment?

 

[RVU Student]

One thing you can try is that you can hope in one hand and **** in the other, and see which fills up first.

Now that the livelihoods of students are at stake, I hope this school does everything right, and turns out some good docs.

One thing I'm curious about is why they didn't just establish it as a non-profit, and the guy who is the owner could just appoint himself as CEO and pay himself a huge salary.

I've always wondered that too... that's what Ferretti did at LECOM. I suspect because Yife Tien wanted more control, like say the ability to fire the board of trustees.

I have a math question for you guys, if RVU becomes eligible for federal aid after the class of 2012 graduates then that means...

Class of 2012 will be funded by Yife Tien for 3 years
Class of 2013 will be funded by Yife Tien for 3 years
Class of 2014 will be funded by Yife Tien for 2 years
Class of 2015 will be funded by Yife Tien for 1 years

Assuming that there are 150 people in each class, because we lost at least 11 people the first year... and the current cost of attendance is $65,000 then...

Fund 150 students, 9 times each, for $65,000 each means that the RVU privately funded loans will cost Yife Tien AT LEAST $87,750,000.

That means that Yife Tien has to double down on his investment in RVU, which he wasn't expecting to. That seems like a good reason, from his stand point, to replace an AOA friendly Board of Trustees and AOA friendly Deans with an Yife Tien friendly Board of Trustees and Yife Tien friendly Deans.

 

[RVU Student]

The reason I heard is that this guy has lots of money, and he wanted to take all the beginning years of loss from RVU, and use it towards tax deduction.
Also, won't he loose control of the school if he gets fired as a CEO by the board and he loose all his investment?

Yife Tien is not a CEO, he is the sole owner of Rocky Vista University and cannot get fired anymore than you can get fired by your own lemonade stand.

I've heard lots of things about Yife Tien, but little 'evidence'. All I know is that several slick people (like used car sales men) told me a bunch of things about how nice and wonderful and not profit driven RVU is. I don't buy it.

From a Forbes article http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/0929/060.html

Yife Tien bought the 24-acre Colorado property and built Rocky Vista, a 145,000-square-foot building tricked out with bright anatomy labs, patient simulators and fully wired classrooms, with $30 million from his father, Paul Tien, a wealthy 80-year-old Taiwanese immigrant who started the American University of the Caribbean medical school in 1978. Tien's grand plan, revealed in an application with state accreditors, is to have tuition revenue explode from $2.7 million this year to $25 million in 2012 as four classes of students arrive on campus. In 2012 net income is supposed to be $3 million.

I'm so tired of being lied to, being told half truths and being taken as fools. I don't know who has spiked the Kool Aid at RVU but I far too many students and faculty members have drunk it. The irony is that many people are sobering up and some silly students are trying to force the rest of us to continue drinking it.

 

[RVU Student]

As of right now, we don't need to worry. I'm curious, but I'm not worried. There's 100 million dollars invested in this school, it'll get accredited.

Boone95,

Where do you get your number that there is $100,000,000 invested in this school? The amount invested grows faster than any fisherman's tale I've ever heard. I heard it was $50, then $80 and now you are saying $100 million.

Can you back up that number in a real way, other than "Well Dean Martin said...."?

I got a Forbes article that says $30,000,000. Can you do better then that?

 

[Deceptacon]

RVU student,

Are you gay irl?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

These debates can get heated, but let's try and keep it professional, like the future doctors we are.

 

[infx diseaze]

I'd like to precede this message saying that I've never posted on SDN because I find that the majority of the information given is completely false (thus I don't necessarily expect you to believe me either), and thus it would be a waste of my time. The only reason I'm posting is because I got an e-mail from an accepted student who was asking me about this thread. What I will say is that there has not been any official statement made about the hirings/firings at RVU. They are planning to wait until after our Neuroscience final on Monday (they didn't want the students to think of anything but neuro until then). Then the President is going to make a formal announcement to the students sometime after that.

What does this mean?? Anything that anyone posts right now is completely speculation that has been formed from a rumor mill (which any institution has). I can understand that there are plenty of stressors in life whether it's family, finances, or neuro to make people paranoid, but according to Dr. Mike Martin, one of our Assissant Deans, there is nothing abnormal about the rearranging taking place at RVU. Obviously he did not give me specifics (we'll get the formal announcement of changes next week), but you can expect administration changes at any higher education institution. It would be unreasonable to expect all positions to be held by the same people from one year to the next, especially at a new and growing institution. You plan, do, evaluate, and replan. That is how schools, businesses, hospitals, and anything else works in life. To me, this is simply a sign of progress. I personally applaud our institution for changing what doesn't work. He also told me that currently there are no faculty members who have expressed that they are looking for other jobs, and no faculty member has resigned or moved either.

So for now, don't go getting your undies in a bunch. RVUCOM is here to stay for a long time, and I don't anticipate any durastic changes in our already well-based education.

 

[Bamish]

I'd like to precede this message saying that I've never posted on SDN because I find that the majority of the information given is completely false (thus I don't necessarily expect you to believe me either), and thus it would be a waste of my time. The only reason I'm posting is because I got an e-mail from an accepted student who was asking me about this thread. What I will say is that there has not been any official statement made about the hirings/firings at RVU. They are planning to wait until after our Neuroscience final on Monday (they didn't want the students to think of anything but neuro until then). Then the President is going to make a formal announcement to the students sometime after that.

What does this mean?? Anything that anyone posts right now is completely speculation that has been formed from a rumor mill (which any institution has). I can understand that there are plenty of stressors in life whether it's family, finances, or neuro to make people paranoid, but according to Dr. Mike Martin, one of our Assissant Deans, there is nothing abnormal about the rearranging taking place at RVU. Obviously he did not give me specifics (we'll get the formal announcement of changes next week), but you can expect administration changes at any higher education institution. It would be unreasonable to expect all positions to be held by the same people from one year to the next, especially at a new and growing institution. You plan, do, evaluate, and replan. That is how schools, businesses, hospitals, and anything else works in life. To me, this is simply a sign of progress. I personally applaud our institution for changing what doesn't work. He also told me that currently there are no faculty members who have expressed that they are looking for other jobs, and no faculty member has resigned or moved either.

So for now, don't go getting your undies in a bunch. RVUCOM is here to stay for a long time, and I don't anticipate any durastic changes in our already well-based education.

So did they finally get their problems with the CO state licensing board resolved? I know their current standing with the licensing board has nothing to do with accreditation (which of course can be found out by calling the board). Anyway, I was just curious if they ever did resolve the issue and if the board has decided they will grant a license to practice to graduates from RVU?

If nobody knows the answer no big deal, I don't really care that much but was just kind of curious what (if anything) has happened with the issue.

 

[RVU Student]

... What I will say is that there has not been any official statement made about the hirings/firings at RVU. They are planning to wait until after our Neuroscience final on Monday (they didn't want the students to think of anything but neuro until then). Then the President is going to make a formal announcement to the students sometime after that.

...according to Dr. Mike Martin, one of our Assissant Deans, there is nothing abnormal about the rearranging taking place at RVU. Obviously he did not give me specifics (we'll get the formal announcement of changes next week), but you can expect administration changes at any higher education institution. It would be unreasonable to expect all positions to be held by the same people from one year to the next, especially at a new and growing institution... I personally applaud our institution for changing what doesn't work...

There has been an official statement, it was made by the President of RVU, Robert Black, and it is posted above. The issue at hand is the lack of transparency by RVU. We were told not to worry about the school being a for-profit institution because there was a board of trustees that would protect the integrity of the school. That is what boards are for. The situation now is that Yife Tien has fired the board, just breaking the trust and the integrity that was supposed to protect us as students. To say that they aren't telling us because they don't want us to be distracted by an upcoming exam is non sense, we always have exams. Last monday was Neuro mid term II, this Monday is Neuro Final, after that we have to study study study for the OPP Final and Practical and the OSCE.

The only reason for lack of transparency is because shady stuff is going on. We came to RVU based on trust, and that trust has been continually eroded away over the last year.

Incoming students have a right to know that all is not as rosy as the Ambassadors pretend it is.

 

[boone95]

There has been an official statement, it was made by the President of RVU, Robert Black, and it is posted above. The issue at hand is the lack of transparency by RVU. We were told not to worry about the school being a for-profit institution because there was a board of trustees that would protect the integrity of the school. That is what boards are for. The situation now is that Yife Tien has fired the board, just breaking the trust and the integrity that was supposed to protect us as students. To say that they aren't telling us because they don't want us to be distracted by an upcoming exam is non sense, we always have exams. Last monday was Neuro mid term II, this Monday is Neuro Final, after that we have to study study study for the OPP Final and Practical and the OSCE.

The only reason for lack of transparency is because shady stuff is going on. We came to RVU based on trust, and that trust has been continually eroded away over the last year.

Incoming students have a right to know that all is not as rosy as the Ambassadors pretend it is.

Blown out of proportion. We don't know if anyone has been fired, we don't know who is replacing who. We will know tomorrow.

I do agree with you, that incoming students should know what is going on at the school, good and bad. But you need to wait til you know what is going on before you disseminate speculation.

I realized you want to know what is going on with every aspect of your school, but it's not all your business as it happens. Give them a couple days to make the right decisions, and then they'll tell us.

As for the loan figures you threw out there, Yife isn't fronting the money. Banks are. That's why we have to pay the 8.5% interest like everyone else. I was pissed when I thought RVU was pocketing the interest money, but they aren't.

Talk to you all tomorrow after we know what the scoop is.

 

[RVU Student]

Blown out of proportion. We don't know if anyone has been fired, we don't know who is replacing who. We will know tomorrow.

"I can tell you that there have indeed been some changes in the personnel on the RVU Board, and replacements for those particular positions are currently in the works. " -Robert Black, President of RVU

I do agree with you, that incoming students should know what is going on at the school, good and bad. But you need to wait til you know what is going on before you disseminate speculation.

If RVU wasn't hiding things then there would be no room for speculations. If they told us the truthfully and completely then there would be no speculations or rumors.

I realized you want to know what is going on with every aspect of your school, but it's not all your business as it happens. Give them a couple days to make the right decisions, and then they'll tell us.

They treat us like children "don't forget to fill out your scantrons!" At RVU we aren't seen as students who are part of the university, we are seen as employees on a need to know basis and they never think we need to know. Actually, that's not true, employees get paid, we get charged through the roof and told to shut up and take it.

As for the loan figures you threw out there, Yife isn't fronting the money. Banks are. That's why we have to pay the 8.5% interest like everyone else. I was pissed when I thought RVU was pocketing the interest money, but they aren't.

I'll challenge you on this one. Which banks are loaning to us? What are the details of the loans? Do you have that in an e-mail I missed? Is it posted on myVista? Or did some used car sales man interrupt Dr. Dailey's lecture to tell us how important it is that we get rust protection for our car? We are lied to all the time. The Administration tells us one thing during Deans hour (or orientation) and then changes their mind as they see fit. Having the Administration tell us something doesn't mean squat because it is always subject to change.

When I got my first job working retail in the mall as a kid, I was part of a team. The managers looked after us, taught us and made us better employees because they knew that it was the employees who represented a company. At RVU, we are nothing more than cattle going through the stockade. Dollar signs. We aren't respected enough to be told or included in changes, we are just told to be quiet and not to challenge their authority. It gets old Boone, it gets really old.

 

[Es Pontas]

Well at least I bought my ski pass lol...but seriously I don't see what the big deal is about the change in faculty. Sure it might shake things up but I don't see how that effects me becoming a doctor? (though I'm sure there's someone on these forums that will give me a dozen reasons why its so vital in my education)

 

[Handy388]

The best solution would be a take over from another body of university. Like Touro or something. At least that's non-profit.

 

[Gene Genie]

It is unfortunate that a current student of RVUCOM is propagating very little truth and an excess of emotion, rumor, and conjecture. STOP IT!

Yes, it is true that that Board of Trustees has been altered. The entire Board was not fired. There were three members that were released from their duties. The remainder of the Board is actively seeking replacements for those members. However, this replacement will take longer than two days. It is not uncommon for Boards to change during their first functional years - growing pains and adjustments are often necessary to improve the workings of the organization.

It also seems as though some people feel entitled to know the inner workings of the Board of Trustees. Usually the topics and discussions from any board room are distributed on a need to know basis, so its not suprising that they are not distributing information unless they deem it necessary.

As far as the loan situation - the loan company that they are using to manage the loans is called Sterling Management, so that puts that arguement to rest I hope.

Other than that, there is NOTHING factual regarding some previous posts. No one has been fired. All of the current faculty have been given renewals to their contracts. There are even 6-7 new faculty coming to the school next year. The school is not closing.

I understand the passion and emotion regarding the way some students FEEL you are being treated. However, the majority of the posts I've read are driven by emotion and not fact. There are plenty of students who feel like the school is actually doing very well - even without having "drunk the Kool-Aid."

I have actually been very impressed with how much the faculty and administration have been willing to incorporate the ideas of students into changes to the policies and curriculum. That could only happen to the extent it has at a newer school. It is incredibly difficulty to enact change at a school with years behind it. In other words, we should feel fortunate, not entitled, that the school has listened to its students as well as RVUCOM has.

If anyone has any questions about the status of the school, please request information from an accurate source. I would be happy to answer any questions.

 

[IgnisDU]

RVU Student:

I found this on the http://blogs.do-online.org/aoapresident.php?itemid=26011

Question re: RVUCOM
RVU Class of 12, the AOA’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) is aware of the recent change in members of the governing board at RVUCOM. The COCA is currently in the process of seeking additional information from RVUCOM leadership and is closely monitoring the situation.

The AOA and the COCA take very seriously your concerns about the future of RVUCOM. You should know that RVUCOM recently had an annual comprehensive site visit by an experienced team of inspectors, after which it was granted continuing provisional accreditation by the COCA. This is definitely something that should be noted and speaks to the ability of RVUCOM to deliver its educational mission. At this time, the AOA is not aware of any information that would cause it to believe that students have to worry about continuing their education at RVUCOM next year.

The AOA will keep you posted as additional information becomes available.

Best,
Carlo

Hopefully this will help put you at ease.

 

[PharmdMdStudent]

Why can't we all get along?

 

[libo1369]

First off I would like to cry out "The sky is falling the sky is falling" Now for all of you that have read chicken little know taht just because something changes in your enviorment does not mean that the end of the world is here.

RVUCOM is doing a great job they have been open and honest with us about any issues that have come up. With the board of trustee's changing we have an acorn and not proof the sky is falling. Do we know why there was a change in the board? No, so why speculate. The administration often look to us for input on a myriad of issues and have been very receptive to our input. I can't speak for the entire class but I do know that this has been a high stress time for all of us w/neuro SPE's and the weight of an entire semester behind us that things get blown out of proportion. So let us check for acorns/horses instead of armageddon/zebras.

wait4me I will say that I know who you are talking about also and learned the same way you did. I often google our faculty cause if I find articles or research that they have done I know that they are more likely to be partial to that information for testing. I was concerned also about this faculty memeber but found it had no effect on my learning and quite frankly turned out to be one of my favorites.

by the way I couldn't get through a whole post with only one sarcastic remark ie "the sky is falling" So here is my second. The Kool-aid tastes great! or is it the rootbeer floats?

 

[Confizzled]

It comes down to one thing: THE MONEY!! To throw more fire on the rumors... I just heard that Tien's wife is now on the board along with the car sales man.

The D.O.s ar enow out numbered and the votes will go to the business side of the board.

Oh the loans are going back to the school (Tien's pockets); the banks are just servicing them.

So much for transparency and conflicts of interest.

 

[libo1369]

I may be wrong but I don't think the loans are going back to Tien. The managing company is as stated Sterling management but the bank is a federal bank out in MA. If the school tried to act like a bank they would have to get accredited as a bank in all the states they have students from which would take over three years so loans would be no good immediately. Instead they went with a federal bank because they are already reckognized federally.

 

[Confizzled]

Anyone can write a loan. Since the banks are taking care of issuing and collecting, the whole bank certification process can be sidelined. RVU just need to give the bank certain criteria to lend the schools money: FICO, Grades, prior scholarships.

That is why students who decide to utilize this program will have to pay an origination fee. This fee pays for the banks service to make sure the borrower pays back the money to the lender (in this case the person fronting the money for the loans: Tien) So RVU tuition just jumped 8.5% compunded over the years of the education.

An 8.5% annual return in this economy is awsome. Plus, student loans cannot be discharged under the current banckruptcy laws unless one meets the rigorous criteria they have laid out for hardship. (Brunner v. New York Dept. of Ed.)

There is almost no risk since doctors have a less than 2% default rate (not to sure about this number. This was from the Fin Aid Lecture in the beginnign of the year). It is a safer way to make some money down the road by someone who has a few million to invest in todays economic world. If I had the money, I would loan it out in a heartbeat due to the Bush administration rewrite of the bankruptcy laws.

To top that off, one needs a mid to low 700 score to be qualified for a loan where the interest cannot be deferred during school or residency. This means that the four years will cost $320,149.24 for the class of 2012 assuming it is paid off in one year after graduation: 80K a year (this is assuming one borrows the max 65,000 to pay for food, rent, books, etc.)

MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!

So it's 14.5%+ with Sallie Mae, or 8.5% with RVU. Tien is in it to make some money. So I guess the tax status of the university really is not an issue. Who wins in this one: Mr. Tien who is now taking a chunk of a new doctors income or the new grad who was able to go to a medical school riddled with criticism due its desire to be for profit?

Lev 25:37, Ez 18:13 - food for thought

 

[Confizzled]

To add to the figures

the payment would be $2,461.67 a month for a 30 year repayment to total $886,202.56

20yrs - $2,778.33 / mo. to total $666,798.69

15yrs - $3,152.64 / mo. to total $567,473.82

RVU should tack on a business degree to be handle this kind of commitment

 

[boone95]

To add to the figures

the payment would be $2,461.67 a month for a 30 year repayment to total $886,202.56

20yrs - $2,778.33 / mo. to total $666,798.69

15yrs - $3,152.64 / mo. to total $567,473.82

RVU should tack on a business degree to be handle this kind of commitment

Yeah, the loan situation sucks. No doubt about it.

Suppose RVU didn't loan us the money, and suppose we had federal funding. We would be taking out a little bit of Stafford loans and mostly GradPLUS loans (which is no different to what RVU is offering, minus the Staffords). It would save us some cash with Staffords, but in the overall picture, it's not much different.

Irregardless of where the interest money goes (and I believe it's going to a bank), we, along with every other medical student in the country, have to take out loans that accumulate interest. Complaining about the loans is like complaining about studying.... we all knew it was coming, this shouldn't be a shock.

 

[Confizzled]

I am curious to see where the money is really going. I bet my interest on Mr. Tien.

Why not set up a program to make 3K per loan per month upon graduating the first class. It is a manuver a for profit organization could easily do. All they have to do is set up the loan program and have the bank service it.

If I wanted to loan 40K to a medical student I would just pay a servicer 'a bank' to administer the loan. Just like a retirement, IRA or mutual fund.

Aside from those receiving scholarships, say 100 students need the loan; that is 300K in almost pure intrest a month for the first few years assuming a 15 year payback.

What a way to gross a little over 3 mil a year to provide an opportunity. I have to say it is crafty. I wish I could do it.

 

[Handy388]

What is the cost of attendance at RVU?

Has there been a class that graduated yet?

Has there been a class that had taken USMLE/COMPEX yet?

 

[boone95]

What is the cost of attendance at RVU?

Has there been a class that graduated yet?

Has there been a class that had taken USMLE/COMPEX yet?

$38,000 for a non-resident, $34,200 for residents for the class of 2012 (it went up a little for the next class.

First class to graduate will be in June 2012.

We'll take step 1 exams in 1 year.

 

[Handy388]

$38,000 for a non-resident, $34,200 for residents for the class of 2012 (it went up a little for the next class.

First class to graduate will be in June 2012.

We'll take step 1 exams in 1 year.

is that tuition or cost of attendence?

 

[paramediclizard]

is that tuition or cost of attendence?

tuition

COA is calculated to be around 65K by survey of students