Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

The 2026-2027 prompts

Want these drafted from your own story? Start with MedCoach

Collected from public applicant reports. Prompts occasionally change mid cycle, so confirm against your own secondary portal before you submit.

1. 01

   Using specific examples, discuss how your mission and values align with those of VCU School of Medicine.

   2000 characters
2. 02

   Describe an experience that led you to change your views about an issue for which you previously held a strong opinion.

   2000 characters
3. 03

   Please briefly explain any lapses in your journey to medicine that are not explained in your application.

   2000 characters
4. 04

   Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades.

   2000 characters
5. 05

   What will you be doing for the next twelve months during the application cycle?

   2000 characters

How to write these well

• Turn secondaries around within 7 to 14 days of receiving them. Schools read speed as interest, and slow essays land in a bigger pile.
• Pre-write the universal question types (diversity, challenge, why us) once, then adapt per school. Adapting is rewriting the school specific half, not swapping the name.
• Name real programs. A why us answer that cites a specific clinic, track, or community partnership reads ten times stronger than praise for reputation or location.
• Stay under the limit without padding to reach it. Readers are working through thousands of these; a tight answer is a kindness they remember.
• Heads up: this school also requires CASPer, so build that into your timeline alongside the essays.

More schools in VA