I guess lot of SDNers must have got accepted into UIC by now. So I thought it would be a good idea to open a thread to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of UIC.

Everyone is invited.

I would start with some obvious strengths.

1. Cheap instate tuition (for me).
2. Good hospitals.
3. Fewer Gunners.
4. Awesome city of Chicago!

I also noted some threads about UIC site preference and interviews. Feel free to post your inquiries here.

PRO=

located in largest medical district in the world.

CON=

first two years are hell, so i have heard

to everyone that was accepted this year...what were your stats and were you instate our out?

i'd be interested in the stats as well..

35 MCAT/3.8 GPA, tons of research experience, Illinois resident, undergrad at University of Illinois, just got an interview invite last week.

35 MCAT/3.8 GPA, tons of research experience, Illinois resident, undergrad at University of Illinois, just got an interview invite last week.

Sounds like me. I go to U of I too! I might be in one of your classes..haha. Or I might even know you. I am amazed by how many people at U of I score in mid to high 30s on the MCAT. I guess it is a result of strength in numbers. With so many people, some of them will definitely do well. Also, U of I's sciences program is very strong. MCB 150/250 + Chem 107/108/236/336 + Phys 101/102 do the trick for most people. U of I education was definitely a good value!

Lets hope that UIC education will be a good value too!

P.S: Got assigned to Chicago campus..Yay!

Did anyone read about the boy who left the hospital for the first time in his life at two years age? It's on the first page of Chicago Sun Times. He was treated at UIC Medical Center, and had two transplants. At downtown schools, one is more likely to come across this kind of cases than elsewhere. I am glad that I got in the Chicago campus.

Just got confirmation about being assigned to the Chicago track!

Therefore, put me down to be in the club!

(Pending the financial aid packet, of course :D :D :D )

If you want stats, click the link...you know the drill

hey guys, anyone accepted to uic from cali or outta state... as of now, UIC is my top choice...

those of you accepted, what are u like. are u gonna go to uic, is it worth the out of state fees?

hey guys, anyone accepted to uic from cali or outta state... as of now, UIC is my top choice...

those of you accepted, what are u like. are u gonna go to uic, is it worth the out of state fees?

I don't know about all the other acceptees, but I beat you and beat you and beat you if you decide to come.

hey guys, anyone accepted to uic from cali or outta state... as of now, UIC is my top choice...

those of you accepted, what are u like. are u gonna go to uic, is it worth the out of state fees?

Definitely not worth the out of state tuition. It is a good school, but there is no need to pay $50,000-60,000 for UIC. I wouldn't pay that even for Harvard. Of course, I didn't have any Harvard like extra-curricular activities, or life experiences to get into Harvard.

I just had my interview Friday in Chigaco and loved it! It's one of my top choices. They told us that we would basically get our first choice campus with this round of acceptances.

Got my confirmation for the Chicago campus. Just waiting on a response from one more school... then I will know what part of Chicago I will call home next year :o

Did anyone read about the boy who left the hospital for the first time in his life at two years age? It's on the first page of Chicago Sun Times. He was treated at UIC Medical Center, and had two transplants. At downtown schools, one is more likely to come across this kind of cases than elsewhere. I am glad that I got in the Chicago campus.


I'm a resident there. I worked the PICU a couple months back. That child is basically the child of all the collective nurses and most of us residents. Cute kid, I was there when he ate the first time in his life. Pretty cool, he's definitely fun to have around except for when he gets sick. Talk about wetting your pants. If anything happened to that kid on your call night, no one in the department would let you live it down. Thank god I made it through my month without him getting sick.

Also congrats to all you choosing UIC. 1st 2years can be painful, but if you bust your but 3rd and 4th year you will come out strong. The hard working UIC med students I have worked with clinically outshine most of the other students I have worked with in the past. Just my biased 2 cents. ;)

Does anyone know when the next admissions committee meeting is? I just had my interview at a different UIC site yesterday and they told me I'd hear back near the middle or end of January, so I was wondering if there was a meeting in December.

They told us they were meeting this week.

How long does it usually take between their meeting time and sending out responses?

Anybody get any news from UIC?

My friend interviewed there in late November. The adcom meeting was supposed to be yesterday, but his status page hasn't changed yet. So no worries.

Happy Holidays.

Cheers,

IS

My status page didn't change until the Friday night after the meeting, which I guess would be tonight for you guys!

does the status page actually tell you the adcom's decision?

My status page didn't change until the Friday night after the meeting, which I guess would be tonight for you guys!

I thought that the status page changed on Monday, not Friday. Mine hasn't changed, so I am hoping that it either means it's because it doesn't change until Monday, instead of meaning that I am on hold.

I thought that the status page changed on Monday, not Friday. Mine hasn't changed, so I am hoping that it either means it's because it doesn't change until Monday, instead of meaning that I am on hold.

Sorry, you're right. Mine did change on a Monday, I meant to put Monday but typed Friday (I was really excited it was Friday today). So yeah, maybe it'll change Monday but if you are on hold, they will shoot you an email telling you so.

Sorry, you're right. Mine did change on a Monday, I meant to put Monday but typed Friday (I was really excited it was Friday today). So yeah, maybe it'll change Monday but if you are on hold, they will shoot you an email telling you so.

Cool, thanks for letting me know. I haven't gotten an email from them telling me I am on hold. So, I will hope for the best.

best of luck!! my interview is in jan so around this time month ill be waiting anxiously

best of luck!! my interview is in jan so around this time month ill be waiting anxiously

Good luck Chitown~don't sweat the interview it is super chill

On another note, has anybody's status page changed or have they recieved an email? Sorry to be so neurotic!

Good luck Chitown~don't sweat the interview it is super chill

On another note, has anybody's status page changed or have they recieved an email? Sorry to be so neurotic!
Not yet, I'll definitely post when it does change though. :)

WTF? Where's the change in status page? :mad:

WTF? Where's the change in status page? :mad:

According to a friend who called- they will send letters, but the status page will not indicate whether we have been accepted or waitlisted. But others said the status page does change, so who knows. Mine hasn't changed either.

I just checked my status page and it changed indicating that I needed to schedule an interview. I called and surely I was invited and scheduled an interview. Apparently the letter is in the mail.

WORD! My status page hasn't changed either. Does anyone know if we can call and get some kind of information? Or do we have to wait till thursday?

WORD! My status page hasn't changed either. Does anyone know if we can call and get some kind of information? Or do we have to wait till thursday?

When my friend called yesterday they said they will not tell you what the decision is over the phone- you have to wait for the snail mail.

When my friend called yesterday they said they will not tell you what the decision is over the phone- you have to wait for the snail mail.

But at least we could find out whether or not a decision was even made. I mean, if the status page isn't changing, isn't it safe to assume that no decision has even been made?

But at least we could find out whether or not a decision was even made. I mean, if the status page isn't changing, isn't it safe to assume that no decision has even been made?


If a decision has been made, your status page will change from "Application Pending" to "A final decision was made on your application on (date). Please allow two-weeks to receive the correspondence in the mail. If you do not receive this correspondence in two-weeks, please contact the Admissions Office. No decision will be given over the telephone." Usually, if you get this, that means you are in...

Has anyone looked into housing or fin aid at UIC? In blue handbook, they seem to have lot of scholarships available. However, they don't talk about any of those scholarships in the Financial Aid pamplet. Does anyone know how it works?

How does housing work at UIC? Any current students with information out there..?

If a decision has been made, your status page will change from "Application Pending" to "A final decision was made on your application on (date). Please allow two-weeks to receive the correspondence in the mail. If you do not receive this correspondence in two-weeks, please contact the Admissions Office. No decision will be given over the telephone." Usually, if you get this, that means you are in...

Just checked my status page - it finally changed from "Application Pending" to this message! So those who are waiting, check yours and see if a decision has finally been made! Too bad I won't see the actual decision for another day or too.

Just checked my status page - it finally changed from "Application Pending" to this message! So those who are waiting, check yours and see if a decision has finally been made! Too bad I won't see the actual decision for another day or too.

when did you interview? Congrats!

when did you interview? Congrats!

2 weeks ago! They told us that we would have our decisions by Christmas, and they were right.

Just checked my status page - it finally changed from "Application Pending" to this message! So those who are waiting, check yours and see if a decision has finally been made! Too bad I won't see the actual decision for another day or too.

Mine also change to "A final decision was made on your application on 12-22-04. Please allow two-weeks to receive the correspondence in the mail. If you do not receive this correspondence in two-weeks, please contact the Admissions Office. No decision will be given over the telephone." Is this good news? Have they rejected anyone post-interviewy yet?

How does housing work at UIC? Any current students with information out there..?[/QUOTE]

RE: UIC- Chicago campus
Single Student Residence (SSR) Hall on the West campus is the one usu. given to Med students and other students over 21yrs old.

http://www.housing.uic.edu/halls/index.html

Mine also change to "A final decision was made on your application on 12-22-04. Please allow two-weeks to receive the correspondence in the mail. If you do not receive this correspondence in two-weeks, please contact the Admissions Office. No decision will be given over the telephone." Is this good news? Have they rejected anyone post-interviewy yet?
Yeah mine changed too. Everybody hope for the best!!

Hiya folks,
Anyone know of UIC's MD/PhD program and their application process?

I also received this email a while ago freom UIC MD program about writing two more essays on various listed topics. Anyone else receive this too?

Thanks in advance, happy holidays.

Who else here has seen their status page change? Has anybody's not changed?

Mine changed (interview 12/7) today. Hoping for the best because I could really use my first acceptance right about now!

Mine hasn't changed from Oct 18th (Complete date for the addendum). I haven't been rejected or invited for an interview yet.

I HATE the words "Application in Process." right about now.

yo,

if anyone on this thread has any questions about UIC Med, i am an M2 and have amassed some knowledge that you may like to know.

one thing that i will say for sure, i have friends at all three campuses - chicago, rockford and peoria. when i was in your shoes, i wanted to go to chicago worse than anyone...but i got placed in the UIUC track. this was probably the best thing that could have happened.

the friends i have in chicago have done nothing but complain about the quality of teaching at UIC Chicago, while i would say just the opposite. especially true once you get to peoria, the attention that you get here is MUCH more than you would get in chicago, especially in the clinics. you may think that chicago has sweet hospitals, which is true. but being here i feel like i am getting treated with respect and learning a TON. also, you should check for sure, but last i checked UIC Peoria had the best step 1 scores of all three campuses. that says it all.

good luck everyone!

Mine hasn't changed from Oct 18th (Complete date for the addendum). I haven't been rejected or invited for an interview yet.

I HATE the words "Application in Process." right about now.

hmmmm...seemed to have lost my email with the link to the status page (and username and password as well...grrrr. can someone please paste the link??? thanks!
:thumbup:

Wow, looks like lots of acceptances coming your way...

Those of you with status changes that say "A final decision was made on your application..." Is there a date next to Additional Correspondence on the top right corner of the screen? There is not a date on mine and I'm wondering if that suggests they haven't even sent out anything yet.

Those of you with status changes that say "A final decision was made on your application..." Is there a date next to Additional Correspondence on the top right corner of the screen? There is not a date on mine and I'm wondering if that suggests they haven't even sent out anything yet.

No, I don't have a date either.

How does housing work at UIC? Any current students with information out there..?[

RE: UIC- Chicago campus
Single Student Residence (SSR) Hall on the West campus is the one usu. given to Med students and other students over 21yrs old.

http://www.housing.uic.edu/halls/index.html

How does SSR work? From the website, I m getting the impression that everyone gets a room in the 3-4 person apartment. What about food? Do u guys have a food plan or do you all cook in the apartment together?
Are the apartments co-ed?

Would you recommend living in SSR or getting an apartment?

What do people think about the residency matches of UIC-Chicago?

I know about half the people go into IM/Family Practice, and the other half go into specialities. Being a state school, Dean believes that it is school's responsibility to train family doctors for the state.

But what about those who want to go into competitive specialities? Is it possible to get into competitive residencies with UIC degree? I looked at the match list, and noticed that very few students match at good hospitals in the east coast or west coast. At the same time, students match into competitive residencies like orthopaedic surg, rad onc, neurosurg,..

Is it worth going to UIC just to save money? How does UIC's match list compare with those of Rush, Loyola..?

What do people think about the residency matches of UIC-Chicago?

I know about half the people go into IM/Family Practice, and the other half go into specialities. Being a state school, Dean believes that it is school's responsibility to train family doctors for the state.

But what about those who want to go into competitive specialities? Is it possible to get into competitive residencies with UIC degree? I looked at the match list, and noticed that very few students match at good hospitals in the east coast or west coast. At the same time, students match into competitive residencies like orthopaedic surg, rad onc, neurosurg,..

Is it worth going to UIC just to save money? How does UIC's match list compare with those of Rush, Loyola..?

I thought it was interesting that they told us all three campuses have the same percentage of grads going into primary care vs. specialty. Given Rockford's emphasis on rural medicine, I would have thought that it would be mostly primary care, and that Chicago would be more specialty.

As for the residencies, I would think that because UIC is a state school, many of the students are from Illinois, went to med school in Illinois, and probably have many connections in the area. Therefore they want to do their residency in Illinois as well. Lord knows there's plenty of top-notch programs available (like NWU, U of C, and of course UIC).

Here's to hoping for a thick letter from UIC.

out of curiousity, does anyone know how many people UIC has accepted thus far and how many *will* be accepted after they mail out the december decisions?

also, does anyone NOT choose the chicago campus as their first choice?

How does SSR work? From the website, I m getting the impression that everyone gets a room in the 3-4 person apartment. What about food? Do u guys have a food plan or do you all cook in the apartment together?
Are the apartments co-ed?

Would you recommend living in SSR or getting an apartment?
SSR is a dump. Avoid it like the plague, unless you speak chicagoan-cockroachese and don't mind sharing your food...and your bed. SSR is more like a dorm than an apartment. It is part of a complex that includes two other dorms, SRH and PSR. Everyone gets a room and they share a small kitchen. The layout is pretty much universal in SSR: http://www.housing.uic.edu/halls/ssr.room.html
There is no living room, so in that respect it is like a dorm. It is literally a 30 second to 1 minute walk to school, but that means you'll probably dream of escaping the Med district all day and night after a few months(and like I've mentioned before, the mutagenic swamp gas that oozes from the ground-no joke).

out of curiousity, does anyone know how many people UIC has accepted thus far and how many *will* be accepted after they mail out the december decisions?

also, does anyone NOT choose the chicago campus as their first choice?


I know several people that ranked Rockford or Peoria first. Their main reasons were that it was close to home or family, they liked the small size of the campuses, or they were specifically interested in the rural med program at Rockford (Peoria has one too, but I don't know much about it). The only residency program at Rockford is family practice, so the med students interact more directly with attendings there. Peoria is similar, but there are a few more residents. At either place, you are just about the only game in town. The downside (for some people) is that you have to move from Champaign to your other site after your first year. Staying in Champaign is mainly just for MD/PhD people.

Chicago is first on a lot of peoples' lists because of the increased name recognition, more and bigger hospitals to do rotations (as well as the opportunity to do "away" rotations at other Chigaco med schools w/o leaving town), and the opportunity to live in Chicago.

If I am accepted, I will probably rank Chicago first, but I think all the campuses are fine. It's all in what you're looking for.

I don't know how many people UIC has accepted so far, but from what I know, the Chicago campus is not full yet. They said that for their class of 300, they'll give out 500-600 acceptances, and that post-interview rejections are uncommon (unlike other schools).

Well, I just finished my first semester at UIC and am glad it's over. I go to the Chicago campus and live in a pretty nice apartment a few blocks down from the school. If any of you want any extra information about financial aid, their curriculum, the area or how things work, feel free to pm me any time. I would suggest if you have any doubts on what campus to choose, then choose the Chicago campus. I do have a few friends at Rockford who are M2s and learned a few things about Peoria as well, but the only thing I can really compare is the M1 year thus far. Only M2s do the interviews so I don't have much insight on the acceptance process except from my own experience last year, but if you'd like a place to stay, I could help you arrange that.

A few things that I've observed from my first year at the Chicago campus. You learn a lot in your first year and there are plenty of people willing to help you out no matter what. It is one of the largest classes in the country, but it is definitely without a doubt, the most diverse class in the country. I am amazed by it every time I look at my class as a whole, I was also surprised when I met some of the non US citizens as well, but they just add to the diversity. Financial aid will take care of you, but you need to learn how to budget if it your only source of funding. Luckily, the school can support you soley on federal loans as of now which is a big plus. To me private loans are the worst type, make sure you do your homework if you get one. Also, every school will complain of their teachers or curriculum some time, no school is perfect. I'm always amazed how involved UIC students are in the community around them, most of the time I see people from the other Chicago schools joining us in our outreach programs throughout out the city. I felt that I've gotten plenty of attention from the school and it's mostly your choice wether to get help, attention or whatever you want to get out the school.

...My status page still hasn't changed yet, and I interviewed the second week of December along with many other posters on this thread. Does that mean I'm waitlisted?

Those of you with status changes that say "A final decision was made on your application..." Is there a date next to Additional Correspondence on the top right corner of the screen? There is not a date on mine and I'm wondering if that suggests they haven't even sent out anything yet.

Mine says 12/23/04.

Do you guys know if the office of admissions is closed this week? I'm calling them to try to schedule an interview, but a recording keeps saying that all lines are busy. Is anyone else trying to schedule an interview?

I tried calling them too and got the same message. I just got my acceptance letter and on the Requirements for Permsision to Register sheet, it says I MUST get a grade of C or better on all the courses I take in senior year. Is a C- within those limits? I'm worried :(

hmm, i don't know. it seems unfair to tell you about the "C or better" requirement now though, doesn't it? perhaps you can say that you weren't aware of this, and it won't happen the next two quarters/ next semester.

Well it is my fault, I recognize that. A C- is just unacceptable. But nonetheless, I have to face reality and see if this warrants them to rescind my acceptance. Too bad their office isn't open, I just want to stop thinking about it.

I tried calling them too and got the same message. I just got my acceptance letter and on the Requirements for Permsision to Register sheet, it says I MUST get a grade of C or better on all the courses I take in senior year. Is a C- within those limits? I'm worried :(

Hey, Congrats on the acceptance. I hope that I will have an acceptance letter waiting for me when I get home. Unfortunately, I am all the way in SF, so the mail may take longer.

-I am sure that they will work with a C-. Best of luck!!! :thumbup:

Hey, Congrats on the acceptance. I hope that I will have an acceptance letter waiting for me when I get home. Unfortunately, I am all the way in SF, so the mail may take longer.

-I am sure that they will work with a C-. Best of luck!!! :thumbup:

Thanks bugger! I live right outside of Chicago so I'm sure it'll get there in a day or two for you! Goodluck!

Thanks bugger! I live right outside of Chicago so I'm sure it'll get there in a day or two for you! Goodluck!

The mail was speedier than I thought. I recieved my acceptance letter today :D It is my first one, so I am super stoked!!

hmmmm...seemed to have lost my email with the link to the status page (and username and password as well...grrrr. can someone please paste the link??? thanks!
:thumbup:


here you go, SigPi:

https://mercury.comd.uic.edu/appstat

they will email you your password if you forgot it.
and congrats to all of you that got in :thumbup:
now if only i could schedule that interview...
pick up the phone, office of admissions!!

Guys, in your collective opinion, if you got accepted to UIC, Rush, CMS, and Loyola which one would you attend? Why?

I am most likely going to be having to make this kind of decision (as I suppose alot of you are), and i would like to get some legit comparisons rolling...help me out...

Do you guys know if the office of admissions is closed this week? I'm calling them to try to schedule an interview, but a recording keeps saying that all lines are busy. Is anyone else trying to schedule an interview?

I work in a lab at the medical school and i think everyone or (admissions) is off to Jan 3.

Guys, in your collective opinion, if you got accepted to UIC, Rush, CMS, and Loyola which one would you attend? Why?

I am most likely going to be having to make this kind of decision (as I suppose alot of you are), and i would like to get some legit comparisons rolling...help me out...

that's a great question.
having gone to an undergrad with a ridiculously high tuition, i definitely don't want to add on a great deal more on my student loans. and because i've been told that loyola and rush don't match THAT much better than UIC, i think i will stick to UIC if i get in. but please correct me if i am wrong about the matching.

also, while i think rush and loyola are a little better than UIC b/c they have smaller classes, i don't think they are ~$20,000/year better.

and in the end, i think it matters more how much effort one puts in and how dedicated one is, regardless of what school you went to. if you're good, you're good anywhere.

what do you guys think?

Guys, in your collective opinion, if you got accepted to UIC, Rush, CMS, and Loyola which one would you attend? Why?

I am most likely going to be having to make this kind of decision (as I suppose alot of you are), and i would like to get some legit comparisons rolling...help me out...

I would talk about myself.

I did not apply to CMS/Rosalind Franklin. So it is out of question for me.

Loyola is a good school, and is affliated with good hospitals like VA. However, it is too conservative for me. They don't do abortions. I am not a big proponent of abortions, but I believe they are legit when the fetuses/embryos have severe life-threatening disorders. I don't need religious guidelines to decide what is morally wrong or right, and I certainly would not enjoy spending four years with students/professors who frequently use Catholic/Jesuit teachings to make their decisions.

That narrows down the choice to Rush and UIC. Rush is a great school with affliation to St. Luke's Hospital which is ranked higher than any NU or UChicago hospital.

However, Rush is not big on research. UIC is strong on basic sciences research. Most med students don't have time to do substantial research, and so research aspect doesn't affect many of us.

UIC has a bigger class than Rush. Both have similar match lists. Both send half of the students to IM and Family practice, and the other half into specialities. However, UIC is able to send few students to the most competitive residencies (like derm, ortho, rad onc, neuro surg) which I did not see on the Rush match list. It may be partly due to large class size.

UIC seems to have more competitive environment, and A/B/C type grading system. UIC also tends to stress numbers while accepting applicants unlike Rush. So UIC has many good applicants who did't get into UChicago or NU because of their average PS/essays or average rec letters. In short, if competitive environment assists you in learning, then UIC might be a better match for you.

Another factor is tuition. UIC is considerably cheaper than Rush. You will see few classmates at UIC (Chicago campus) who chose UIC over NU/UChicago because of the cost of education. However, I have heard that Rush is very generous in financial aid which often makes up for higher tuiton. The best way to decide is to look at the financial aid package.

I go to UIC and some people think the tuition diff between Loyola and Rush is becoming smaller which is true, but you can still use all federal loans to pay for everthing. But there are more than a few students at UIC that get the General Assembly Scholarship. They get a full tuition waiver plus some of them live at home so they aren't paying much at all for school. The scholarship is only for state schools and illinois residents. There are only 2 allopathic medical state schools in illinois. You have a decent shot at no matter which county you live in. Just a thought.

The actual school doesn't have apps for this scholarship, only your state reps do.

FYI UIC is Paas/Fail/Honors. Plus, by the time you finished your exams, you don't care about Honors, only about passing. Your board scores will determine how competitive you are, not much emphasis is placed on the grades of the first 2 years anyway.

UIC, Rush and all the Chicago schools have their students do rotations in religious affiliated hospitals that will not do abortions, you will learn how to discard the fetus no matter where you do your rotation which is almost the same thing. Anyway, no matter what school you go to, it is impossible to predict whether you will have the opportunity to see an actual live fetus or embryo being aborted. If you really want to be an Obgyn then you can do an elective rotation in your 4th year somewhere where you can be taught how to do abortions if you like. I would suggest that you don't base your decision on a school's view on abortion.

Im from Cali, and i was wondering if tuitiion is really 50+ and if there is anything i can do now to get grants or scholarships?

Im from Cali, and i was wondering if tuitiion is really 50+ and if there is anything i can do now to get grants or scholarships?

To add to that thought: anybody know of any IL-resident males who might want to marry me for the sake of IL residency status? :D

To add to that thought: anybody know of any IL-resident males who might want to marry me for the sake of IL residency status? :D

i might know a few guys... are you a citizen and into pakistani/indian men straight from the motha-land?

lol. i'm just joking :p

hey all,


i've got my interview coming up (at the chicago campus), and i think they confirmation letter was sent to my school address and since i don't go back to school before my interview, i won't have the info....

could someone please tell me what the confirmation letter says? where do i have to be and at what time? also, approximately what time is the interview over with? i might need to fly out that same day...

any tips on the interview? whats the day like?

thanks, everyone!

hey all,


i've got my interview coming up (at the chicago campus), and i think they confirmation letter was sent to my school address and since i don't go back to school before my interview, i won't have the info....

could someone please tell me what the confirmation letter says? where do i have to be and at what time? also, approximately what time is the interview over with? i might need to fly out that same day...

any tips on the interview? whats the day like?

thanks, everyone!

It depends on if you are AM or PM. Mine was AM, and I believe I had to be there at 11:30. I don't have my letter with me, but you might want to try calling the office and asking then directly. Maybe they can send another copy to our home address.

hey all,


i've got my interview coming up (at the chicago campus), and i think they confirmation letter was sent to my school address and since i don't go back to school before my interview, i won't have the info....

could someone please tell me what the confirmation letter says? where do i have to be and at what time? also, approximately what time is the interview over with? i might need to fly out that same day...

any tips on the interview? whats the day like?

thanks, everyone!

Yeah, there's two different groups each day. I was in the PM group and reported at about 11:30, had the tour and lunch and then had interviews until 4:30 or so. I think the AM group meets at 8 or so, has interviews and later meets for the tour and food with the whole group. The meeting room was in the Alumni-Faculty lounge, which is the nicest room at any med school I have been to. (I understand why that was the room they wanted us prospectives to see). Be nice to the med students you eat lunch with, as the one I sat next to ended up being one of my interviewers!

So I know that the day I interviewed, the admissions counselor said we would hear something by New Year's, either a final decision letter or a waitlist email. I know some people have received acceptances, but has anybody gotten the email? Or heard nothing at all?

Yeah, there's two different groups each day. I was in the PM group and reported at about 11:30, had the tour and lunch and then had interviews until 4:30 or so. I think the AM group meets at 8 or so, has interviews and later meets for the tour and food with the whole group. The meeting room was in the Alumni-Faculty lounge, which is the nicest room at any med school I have been to. (I understand why that was the room they wanted us prospectives to see). Be nice to the med students you eat lunch with, as the one I sat next to ended up being one of my interviewers!

So I know that the day I interviewed, the admissions counselor said we would hear something by New Year's, either a final decision letter or a waitlist email. I know some people have received acceptances, but has anybody gotten the email? Or heard nothing at all?


hey there,
thanks for all the info! ill call to see what group i'm in...i forgot. i haven't even interviewed yet, but i'm getting pretty anxious as uic is one of my top choices! i wish they'd meet more than once a month to review files and im crossing my fingers that the chicago campus still has a few slots for the upcoming batch of interviewers. anyone know how full chicago is or if you can switch sites easily? also, is anyone DEFINITELY no matter what going to uic next year?

gluck everyone!

hey there,
thanks for all the info! ill call to see what group i'm in...i forgot. i haven't even interviewed yet, but i'm getting pretty anxious as uic is one of my top choices! i wish they'd meet more than once a month to review files and im crossing my fingers that the chicago campus still has a few slots for the upcoming batch of interviewers. anyone know how full chicago is or if you can switch sites easily? also, is anyone DEFINITELY no matter what going to uic next year?

gluck everyone!

When I interviewed back on 12/7, the dean told us that we were early enough that everyone should get their first choices. I met up with a friend who is a first year, and she was able to get Chicago last year with a February interview.

I'm not definitely going to UIC, but it's looking more and more attractive every time I read these comparison threads.

Another question...Does anyone know how to go about starting a scholarship search? How do I get a hold of applications for the General Assembly Scholarship?

Another question...Does anyone know how to go about starting a scholarship search? How do I get a hold of applications for the General Assembly Scholarship?


I second that, and does anyone know if out of state students can get in state tuition their second year?

b

FYI The medical school has nothing to do with deciding on who gets a General Assembly Scholarship. Don't ask them. They are given by the General Assembly of Illinois. You must contact your own Illinois State Senator or State Representative in whichever state legislative district you live in or is your permanent address to get an application. There is no standard application and it's not soley for medical students.

I have an interview at UIC-Rockford on Jan 19th. Is that when they ask you to rank location preferences? I want to stay in Chicago, but I also wanted to get the earliest interview...

also, it seems like they always ask medical ethics questions. did you accepted/interviewed people notice any other trends? i haven't had any interviews before, so i'm getting kinda anxious...

I have an interview at UIC-Rockford on Jan 19th. Is that when they ask you to rank location preferences? I want to stay in Chicago, but I also wanted to get the earliest interview...

also, it seems like they always ask medical ethics questions. did you accepted/interviewed people notice any other trends? i haven't had any interviews before, so i'm getting kinda anxious...

1) They don't have you rank locations until you get your acceptance packet. So no sense worrying about that...

2) I was definitely asked ethical-type questions. My answers were certainly not perfect, but I don't think that's what they look for. I had taken the time to think about different types of issues in medicine today. I put thought into the potential causes of these problems and of course the general impact they could have on medicine. My interviewers did not expect me to have the correct answer, but they responded well when I was able to speak logically with some conviction. Be yourself, be prepared, and I guarantee you'll be fine. Good luck!

juicyday,
when i interviewed at chicago, they were all pretty laidback, prolly check out the questions from the postinterview feeback on SDN. People talked a lot about weird questions like "why is a manhole cover round ? " but they didnt ask any of the people that when I interviewed fo sho! Ethical questions?? I got none but be prepared to talk about stuff in the news ... good luck!!! They were all pretty laidback and hope you get into chicago!!!!!! :)




I have an interview at UIC-Rockford on Jan 19th. Is that when they ask you to rank location preferences? I want to stay in Chicago, but I also wanted to get the earliest interview...

also, it seems like they always ask medical ethics questions. did you accepted/interviewed people notice any other trends? i haven't had any interviews before, so i'm getting kinda anxious...

I am also going to Rockford on 1/19 for my interview and I was curious to know a few things:

Since the SDN interview files don't always indicate where students interviewed, I wanted to ask those students that interviewed at Rockford if these interviews were closed file or open file and if they were asked about any hiccups in their academic performance?

Thanks so much!!!

juicyday,
when i interviewed at chicago, they were all pretty laidback, prolly check out the questions from the postinterview feeback on SDN. People talked a lot about weird questions like "why is a manhole cover round ? " but they didnt ask any of the people that when I interviewed fo sho! Ethical questions?? I got none but be prepared to talk about stuff in the news ... good luck!!! They were all pretty laidback and hope you get into chicago!!!!!! :)

thanks for your help, blingblah! i really appreciate it :) :)

hey everyone,

my day of reckoning with uic is coming up next thursday. i was wondering if anyone here received a post-interview rejection or a hold e-mail from uic (and did your status page subsequently change)? if so, when did you receive this?

also, for those who got in (first, congrats!!!), how soon after the adcomm met did your status page change? and how soon after did you receive the actual letter?

thanks! good luck to everyone. i interviewed there recently and i loved it! much better than i anticipated. please feel free to PM me if anyone has specific questions about the interview. i'd be glad to help!

hey everyone,

my day of reckoning with uic is coming up next thursday. i was wondering if anyone here received a post-interview rejection or a hold e-mail from uic (and did your status page subsequently change)? if so, when did you receive this?

also, for those who got in (first, congrats!!!), how soon after the adcomm met did your status page change? and how soon after did you receive the actual letter?

thanks! good luck to everyone. i interviewed there recently and i loved it! much better than i anticipated. please feel free to PM me if anyone has specific questions about the interview. i'd be glad to help!

Hey chitown. I have wondering the same thing. I interviewed on 12/23 at the Chicago campus in the am. They told our group that they'd come to a decision by mid-Jan. When/where did you interview? Best of luck! Let me know what happens. I loved it there too.

I interviewed in early December and have not heard anything by letter, email, or the status page. I called the office and they said that we might hear something by the end of January. Well, at least they haven't rejected me.

Hey chitown. I have wondering the same thing. I interviewed on 12/23 at the Chicago campus in the am. They told our group that they'd come to a decision by mid-Jan. When/where did you interview? Best of luck! Let me know what happens. I loved it there too.


hey i interviewed there last week. they said files for the january/late december batch will go to committee next thursday and we should hear back about a week afterwards. someone earlier mentioned that if we were placed on hold we would get an e-mail, not a letter. can anyone confirm this? and of course, acceptances and rejections will be via letter. good luck1

hey i interviewed there last week. they said files for the january/late december batch will go to committee next thursday and we should hear back about a week afterwards. someone earlier mentioned that if we were placed on hold we would get an e-mail, not a letter. can anyone confirm this? and of course, acceptances and rejections will be via letter. good luck1

'tis true...

bumping for the latest round of decisions from uic....if anyone's status page gets updated or receives a hold e-mail, post here!

good luck everyone!

bumping for the latest round of decisions from uic....if anyone's status page gets updated or receives a hold e-mail, post here!

good luck everyone!

I was under the impression that those of us who interviewed in Dec/Jan would go to the committee today. However, I spoke to an adcom rep on Mon-she said my file would go to the committee sometime NEXT week, and that I would "hear something" in the next two weeks. I interviewed on Dec 23rd (Chicago campus).

[Sigh...]

Let me know if you here anything. Hang in there guys :thumbup:

I was under the impression that those of us who interviewed in Dec/Jan would go to the committee today. However, I spoke to an adcom rep on Mon-she said my file would go to the committee sometime NEXT week, and that I would "hear something" in the next two weeks. I interviewed on Dec 23rd (Chicago campus).

[Sigh...]

Let me know if you here anything. Hang in there guys :thumbup:

hmm, that sucks. i too thought they would meet today. i called just now and the angry lady on the other end said "this month" before i could even finish my question. the dean told my interview group today - go figure. if anyone else calls (today is status check day), see if you can find out when files go to committee...

:luck:

Hey all, so I originally interviewed at UIC in early December. By the end of the month I hadn't heard back from them, but then a couple weeks ago I got a letter saying they wanted me to come back and interview a second time. Anyone have any ideas what this means or go through something similar? I am still waiting for my first acceptance and had hopes that UIC could come through for me. Now though, I am going to have to wait until after my second interview in mid-feb to find out and I imagine my chances are diminishing by the day.

Hey all, so I originally interviewed at UIC in early December. By the end of the month I hadn't heard back from them, but then a couple weeks ago I got a letter saying they wanted me to come back and interview a second time. Anyone have any ideas what this means or go through something similar? I am still waiting for my first acceptance and had hopes that UIC could come through for me. Now though, I am going to have to wait until after my second interview in mid-feb to find out and I imagine my chances are diminishing by the day.


I've heard about this at UIC. Apparently, they call people back for a second interview if the first time your interviewers scored you very differently (i.e. very positive and very negative). I also heard it can happen if you are very borderline. However, as UIC is a state school and their class is by no means full, I don't know why they would do this. Good luck!

I've heard about this at UIC. Apparently, they call people back for a second interview if the first time your interviewers scored you very differently (i.e. very positive and very negative). I also heard it can happen if you are very borderline. However, as UIC is a state school and their class is by no means full, I don't know why they would do this. Good luck!
bump

bump

Called again this morning to check on my post-interview status (Interviewed 12/23). The secretary (Cheryl?) indicated that no decision has been made yet. I asked her if she knew if that applied to just my app, or if no decision has been made on other apps, who interviewed around the same time- she said that she didn't know, and that she would have someone call me back to answer my question(s)...

I hope this isn't bad news (ie rejection and/or second interview) :scared:
PS I hate that damn smiley face...

Does anyone know when we get our award letters? Has anyone got any info on housing in mail yet?

Did anyone revisit the campus, or do they ever invite us for second look? I don't need it, but would love to meet future classmates.

Hi!

To those who interviewed at UIC and drove there, is there any parking available nearby? The letter I received did not have any such info.
I looked at their online maps, but most of the parking is via card access.

Thanks :)

Hi!

To those who interviewed at UIC and drove there, is there any parking available nearby? The letter I received did not have any such info.
I looked at their online maps, but most of the parking is via card access.

Thanks :)

Cook county hospital car park, on polk str, is right across the UIC College of Med or use UIC visitors parking on wood str and taylor. Good luck.

http://www.uic.edu/depts/oae/bldgs_pl/937.html

for those of you accepted in the january batch, when did your status page update to reflect the receipt of your deposit/site card? i sent my stuff in the day i got it and there is no update yet. also, for those who were accepted earlier, how long did it take before you got your site assignment?

site assignment took abt a week to get back. good luck!

Cook county hospital car park, on polk str, is right across the UIC College of Med or use UIC visitors parking on wood str and taylor. Good luck.

http://www.uic.edu/depts/oae/bldgs_pl/937.html

Thanks DoctorG :)

Is the parking in the cook county hospital lot free or have a time limit? In the map the structure looks big. Can I just park in anywhere or do I need to go to a special level?

Thanks DoctorG :)

Is the parking in the cook county hospital lot free or have a time limit? In the map the structure looks big. Can I just park in anywhere or do I need to go to a special level?

The CCH parking is not free (that would be nice); no time limit and you can park anywhere not reserved for the staff. Good luck.

The CCH parking is not free (that would be nice); no time limit and you can park anywhere not reserved for the staff. Good luck.

Thanks again! :D

We don't have a second look weekend, do we? I haven't received any information, but just wondering if there were just an event for UIC hopefuls. Also, in the coming months, will there be a listserv for students looking for roommates?

We don't have a second look weekend, do we? I haven't received any information, but just wondering if there were just an event for UIC hopefuls. Also, in the coming months, will there be a listserv for students looking for roommates?

As far as a second look goes, UIC doesn't have one. Hopefully the administration will creat a mailing list, but knowing their reputation, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

i know this is super early, but anyone have any living suggestions? dorms? apartments? perhaps looking for a roommate? im going to email some current students to get some ideas....

a current student pointed me to this site: http://www.villagegreen.com/med/default.htm

place looks nice and they've got a deal going where they give you 1 month off on 1bdr apts, and 1.5 months of on 2 bdr apts...

anyone know when orientation is? or when schools starts?

i know this is super early, but anyone have any living suggestions? dorms? apartments? perhaps looking for a roommate? im going to email some current students to get some ideas....

a current student pointed me to this site: http://www.villagegreen.com/med/default.htm

place looks nice and they've got a deal going where they give you 1 month off on 1bdr apts, and 1.5 months of on 2 bdr apts...

anyone know when orientation is? or when schools starts?

I've spent the past 4 years living in a dorm...so to hell with that...

I am definately in the market for an apartment and will probably need a roommate...

yea i spent four years in a frat and finally moved into an apt this year....no way i can go back to a dorm/frat type housing..

Village Green looks great.

but a studio is the size of a cardboard box :laugh: oh i think i will
love chicago.

is anyone else scared to walk into a room of 175 on the first day? :scared:

Village Green looks great.

but a studio is the size of a cardboard box :laugh: oh i think i will
love chicago.

is anyone else scared to walk into a room of 175 on the first day? :scared:


the first few weeks of school kinda set your social scene to some degree so if you meet the right people, you're set and if you don't, it might take a lil more time. im looking forward to beginnings...its the only time where its totally normal and expected to go up to random people and introduce yourself.

where is everyone from that is going to UIC? personally, from the northwest burbs of chicago..go to school in boston

yeah... I am going to need to find a roommate too. How are you all going about finding someone to live with?

yeah... I am going to need to find a roommate too. How are you all going about finding someone to live with?


post here! haha, jk. i hope uic helps us out with some sort of mailing list or website dedicated to matching potential roommates.

I was thinking about staying in SSR so that I can meet more M1s. Seems like no one is goin to be there.. Betta start looking for apartment now. anyone know any good places...?

I was thinking about staying in SSR so that I can meet more M1s. Seems like no one is goin to be there.. Betta start looking for apartment now. anyone know any good places...?

anyone know what ssr is like? i havent heard the best of things about it...and do most students live there or in apts?

anyone know what ssr is like? i havent heard the best of things about it...and do most students live there or in apts?

I've heard mixed stuff about SSR. Keep in mind it is a dorm so...

again, 4 years of dorm living = me ready for an apt!

I interviewed on 2/1/05 and my status page just changed to " A final decision has been made and you'll hear in two weeks and don't call us..." Based on the previous posts, most people have gotten acceptances afterwards. Anybody NOT get an acceptance with that message???

I interviewed on 2/1/05 and my status page just changed to " A final decision has been made and you'll hear in two weeks and don't call us..." Based on the previous posts, most people have gotten acceptances afterwards. Anybody NOT get an acceptance with that message???

great question. i wanna know too...

although from the looks of it, it doesn't seem so. those who got rejected still had "app in progress" on their status pages...

After I was accepted, I saw the online status update page...

"A final decision has been made..."

so don't be discouraged!

THIS IS FOR REAL
Please help! I need this if I am going to be a doctor!

My situation is such that if I am to attend UIC I MUST be at the Chicago campus. Not for 'fun' reasons, or because its cooler, etc. I look after my elderly parents who are in the Chicago area and so I cant go down to Urbana for the first year...its out of the question.

Therefore, I am willing to PAY cash to someone who is assigned to Chicago campus if they will switch campus assignments with me. I believe the addmissions people will have no problem if two people come into their office and ask to switch places.

So, if you could use some CASH right now, please PRIVATE MESSAGE me (not email).

It will be a lowest bidder type thing so lets talk! THIS IS NO JOKE!!!! Think of it as getting paid to do an act of charity!
Thanks

THIS IS FOR REAL
Please help! I need this if I am going to be a doctor!

My situation is such that if I am to attend UIC I MUST be at the Chicago campus. Not for 'fun' reasons, or because its cooler, etc. I look after my elderly parents who are in the Chicago area and so I cant go down to Urbana for the first year...its out of the question.

Therefore, I am willing to PAY cash to someone who is assigned to Chicago campus if they will switch campus assignments with me. I believe the addmissions people will have no problem if two people come into their office and ask to switch places.

So, if you could use some CASH right now, please PRIVATE MESSAGE me (not email).

It will be a lowest bidder type thing so lets talk! THIS IS NO JOKE!!!! Think of it as getting paid to do an act of charity!
Thanks


hey there,

if you set up a meeting with the dean and explain to him your situation, im sure he'll switch you into the chicago campus. dont write a letter - go talk to him in person. i know some people who get accepted in april/may get into the chicago campus. also, people who are assigned to the chicago campus invariably drop their place at uic all together for another school (post may 15) thereby opening up a spot for someone who has compelling reasons such as yourself. let uic know of your situation (in person).

good luck

THIS IS FOR REAL
Please help! I need this if I am going to be a doctor!

My situation is such that if I am to attend UIC I MUST be at the Chicago campus. Not for 'fun' reasons, or because its cooler, etc. I look after my elderly parents who are in the Chicago area and so I cant go down to Urbana for the first year...its out of the question.

Therefore, I am willing to PAY cash to someone who is assigned to Chicago campus if they will switch campus assignments with me. I believe the addmissions people will have no problem if two people come into their office and ask to switch places.

So, if you could use some CASH right now, please PRIVATE MESSAGE me (not email).

It will be a lowest bidder type thing so lets talk! THIS IS NO JOKE!!!! Think of it as getting paid to do an act of charity!
Thanks

You gotta do what you gotta do but know that It may be unethical to pay someone to switch with you.
Just go to the Dean or Dr Girotti and explain your situation. You have a legitimate reason to wanna be in chicago. They switch students for such reasons all the time.
Good luck to you.

to everyone that was accepted this year...what were your stats and were you instate our out?

37 MCAT/2.8 GPA (UC Berkeley engineering undergrad)/
out of state, but originally from the northern 'burbs and have tons
of extended family in the Chicago and Rockford areas.

Interviewed at the end of November 2004 in Rockford.
Got into the Chicago campus.

The weather is better in the Caribbean, but I'm not looking for a
four year vacation. :p

THIS IS FOR REAL
Please help! I need this if I am going to be a doctor!

My situation is such that if I am to attend UIC I MUST be at the Chicago campus. Not for 'fun' reasons, or because its cooler, etc. I look after my elderly parents who are in the Chicago area and so I cant go down to Urbana for the first year...its out of the question.

Therefore, I am willing to PAY cash to someone who is assigned to Chicago campus if they will switch campus assignments with me. I believe the addmissions people will have no problem if two people come into their office and ask to switch places.

So, if you could use some CASH right now, please PRIVATE MESSAGE me (not email).

It will be a lowest bidder type thing so lets talk! THIS IS NO JOKE!!!! Think of it as getting paid to do an act of charity!
Thanks

Hey, as of now, I'm waiting for finaid, but if it pulls through, I do'nt think I will be attending UIC. I was assigned the Chicago campus so if I decide to not go, I'll gladly switch with you then and then withdraw...I can really empathize with you and your situation. Anyway, if you're interested, let me know, and I'll keep in touch.

UIC was my first choice and I will most definetly go there.

Here are some of my thoughts after having read the previous posts:

1. I think if your status page is updated w/ " final decision/date", you are pretty much in. Just do the math- MSAR says that U of I interviews like six hundred something applicants, and there are about five to six hundred acceptances offered (according to one of the posts which I think is logical and shall assume is legitimate). So, my view is, unless you come to your interview belligerently intoxicated and start throwing chairs at the interviewers, you are pretty much in- even if you get waitlisted (although that could be nerve-racking).

2. I'd start two threads for "UIC Housing- Chicago; Urbana" which people could post to w/housing inquiries and also start looking for roommates. Posting to these threads would be most reasonable once you actually have your site assignment.

3. Come on guys- does it really matter that much where you end up being assigned (unless you have special circumstances)? After all, you will become a doctor one way or the other. Just be glad you got into med school!!!

4. If you got into UIC, but are pretty set on going somewhere else, and have already gotten in to that other place,- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE withdraw your offer of admission NOW (you know- you get the entire $100 deposit back if you do it before May 15th). By doing this, you'll be very helpful to some of your future professional colleagues who are stressed out about being waitlisted.


Best Wishes to All!!

when is finaid due for UIC... and what do we have to fill out?

thanks guys

when is finaid due for UIC... and what do we have to fill out?

thanks guys


you get all the info for that w/ your acceptance packet... but in any case, fill out your FAFSA asap

is it really due March 2nd for grad students too?

Their website says that the priority deadline is March 1st. You only need to fill out your portion unless you want a need based scholarship, in which case you need to fill out the parents portion as well. Took me 10 min to fill out my renewal FAFSA... It's really easy if you have your federal and state tax forms ready. :D

One more question, do I need to fill out additional forms if I already filled out my parents info in the FAFSA? I know you need to do this for RUSH, but I'm not sure about UIC.

Thanks :)

quick quesiton: what is the first day of classes/orientation for UIC?

quick quesiton: what is the first day of classes/orientation for UIC?

I know for sure orientation begins August 9 (Tuesday) and the white coat ceremony is August 13 (Saturday). Presumably, classes will start August 15.

I heard that white coat isn't until the summer before M2 year? Is it different for the Chicago track vs the Champaign/Rockford/Peoria track?

I e-mailed a few current UIC-Chicago students about housing and other general information. I'm cc-ing the reply here:

> i had a few questions i was hoping you could answer. i
> was looking as housing options and it would be great
> to get your opinions on the dorms at uic. i haven't
> heard the best things about them, but perhaps they
> aren't as bad as rumor has it. i was also looking at
> the medical district city apartments near the uic
> campus..any thoughts on those?

As for housing- I had many friends live in the dorms first year. If you
don't care about where you live, don't mind small dorm rooms- than it'd be
ok for you to live. There are lots of benefits to the dorms- cheap
($600/mo), Very close to campus- less than 5 min walk, connected to the
student union- so connected to the cafeteria, gym, and the bookstore, and
small food shop, and I think most utilities are included. But, then again, it is a dorm, so it's a bit dingy, and SMALL. Parking is available on the campus lots a few blocks away from the dorm for about $230 per semester, and then $180 or so in the summer. I personally, hate dorms, and I wanted my own apartment- I went for housing at the Medical district city apartments- although back then- it was called something else. Anyway, I had a convertible studio which I rented for $800/mo, and then paid about $100 for all my bills, and then $100 for parking. It's much more expensive, but I liked having my own spacious apartment, and they have a gym downstairs, it's only a 10 min walk to campus, and much nicer than the dorms. Now, I'm pretty sure the rent has gone up- something near $1000 for the convertible studio, but it really depends on what you prefer. Of course- if you have a roommate, living will be MUCH cheaper, and you could probably get a two bedroom at the Medical District apts for about $1600.


>general info about uic, the different tracks, etc.

Choosing between the sites really depends on your personality. If you're a small town person, and prefer smaller rural areas, than you should choose the Peoria campus. But, if you prefer larger cities, and don't mind traffic, and lots of bustle, than Chicago is for you.

Me, personally, I prefer Chicago, but I'm biased because I'm from here. I love Chicago because I think it has so much to offer anyone. We have tons of things to do around here, museums, tons of restaurants, great theatre/opera/symphonies, and zoos, fun parks, and a navy pier which you
can go and tour on any weekend. The Navy Pier is right off lake Michigan,
and there's tons of attractions there, a ferris wheel, lots of little shops, restaurants, bars, a children's museum, the Shakespeare Theatre, and large cruise ships that go out on dinner cruises often. So, needless
to say, we have a lot here in Chicago.

The medical school campus is also the largest in Chicago, and I think we have a lot to offer our medical students here beacuse we are affiliated with so many hospitals that we rotate our medical students through. We have over 8-10 hospitals that I can think of off the top of my head. This is a huge bonus. And yes! We do start rotating medical students through the hospital as early as the 1st year of studies. 1st and 2nd year your hospital exposure and patient exposure is limited compared to 3rd and 4th, but we definitely do try and get you in there as soon as possible, and pair you each up with a primary care physician to shadow throughout your first year. At those sessions, you will have the opportunity to practice you patient history taking skills. And then during your second year, you'll have opportunities (6wks) dedicated to time for you all to go into the hospitals and start working with
patients, taking histories and physical exams. It's a lot of fun.

The class size at the Chicago campus is so large that I really feel anyone can make tons of friends and find numerous groups and student organizations to participate in. I sure took advantage of that, and got really involved and met so many different people.

One major downfall of the Chicago campus is that it is very expensive. It runs about $800-$1,000 for a one bedroom apt. Sometimes you can get lucky and find something for a bit cheaper.... or if you have someone you want to live with, you could definitely find something for $600-$700 per month. Parking is also expensive and usually runs between $75-$150 per month. Depending on where you live. We do offer student dorms which many students take advantage of during their first year because it's cheap, and right across the street from the medical school building. It's about $600 per month, but again... it's a dorm, so you can't expect too much.

The area is gernerally pretty safe if you're smart about it. Don't go walking around at night by yourself, and don't leave all your bags open, especially when you're taking public transportation. Our school offers student parking for about $250 per semester. It's the luck of the draw pretty much which parking lot you get. The sooner you sign up the better the spot. The most desired lot is the Wood Street Parking Structure- covred parking close to school.

There are a lot of hospitals around here that have their own Children's hospital. The most famous of Chicago is the Children's Memorial hospital, located in Lincoln Park. You can rotate there during your 3rd and 4th years if you apply. We also have Advocate Christ's Children Hospital in Oak Lawn- approx 30 min from campus. It's also a VERY good Children's hospital. And every hospital has a children's unit, but those are the two best that stand out in my mind. We do rotate our studetns through Advocate Christ, so if you're lucky you may get assigned there during your 3rd year pediatrics rotation. I loved it!

The curriculum does do it's best to prepare you, and UIC Chicago medical students have always been commended on our outstanding clinical skills. We are very prepared clinically, and as for the knowledge component... you get out of it what you put in. If you study hard and pay attention to lectures, you will come out an excellent physician. If you study enough just to pass... well, you'll still be an M.D., but will have a harder time out in the wards. But yes, our curriculum does prepare you well.

wow, that's all very good to know!
i dropped off my preference card today at S. Wood Street, and was pleasantly surprised with the area and the people working there. (i still haven't gotten a tour or sat in on any of the classes). but i really am hoping for Chicago! how long did it take you guys to hear back? and does your status page change at all? if i read this thread in detail, i'm sure i can answer that myself, but this thread has gotten sooo long...

thanks!! :)

wow, that's all very good to know!
i dropped off my preference card today at S. Wood Street, and was pleasantly surprised with the area and the people working there. (i still haven't gotten a tour or sat in on any of the classes). but i really am hoping for Chicago! how long did it take you guys to hear back? and does your status page change at all? if i read this thread in detail, i'm sure i can answer that myself, but this thread has gotten sooo long...

thanks!! :)

I am hoping Chicago as well.. (Don't we all :p) When I was there to drop the card, the person there said that I can call on Thursdays to inquire. But I've read before that they don't tell site assignment info over the phone. The person working there was new, so I dunno. She said she had only been there for a week, so if we get her on Thursdays, then maybe she'll tell us.. hehe

wow, that's all very good to know!
i dropped off my preference card today at S. Wood Street, and was pleasantly surprised with the area and the people working there. (i still haven't gotten a tour or sat in on any of the classes). but i really am hoping for Chicago! how long did it take you guys to hear back? and does your status page change at all? if i read this thread in detail, i'm sure i can answer that myself, but this thread has gotten sooo long...

thanks!! :)


Once your acceptance is processed, something like this should appear on your status page:
__________________________________________________ ___________

Pre Enrollment Requirements
Regular Offer Accepted Y Accepted On 03/02/2005
Hepatitis B Form Received N Received On
Transcript Received N Received On
Deposit Received Y Received On 03/02/2005

Current Status
Acceptance and Deposit Received, Pre-Enrollment requirements not yet complete (Please see above)

__________________________________________________ ____________

Hope that helps...

Mine says the same thing too:

Regular Offer Accepted Y Accepted On 03/02/2005
Hepatitis B Form Received N Received On
Transcript Received N Received On
Deposit Received Y Received On 03/02/2005

Current Status
Acceptance and Deposit Received, Pre-Enrollment requirements not yet complete




I called them about site assignments and they said they haven't started processing requests yet, and they won't tell us which site we got assigned to over the phone.

cool, mine says the same. so i guess the only way you can know where you're assigned is by mail. it takes about a week, i hear.

cool, mine says the same. so i guess the only way you can know where you're assigned is by mail. it takes about a week, i hear.

It took about two weeks for me to receive the letter. I guess in previous months they have been quicker. I actually called the Admissions Office before I received the the letter and pleaded with them to tell me. The first week I called they wouldn't tell me, but the second week I called, a different person picked up and she told me. Good luck!

I think I have made up my mind on housing. First year is gonna be SSR, and then move out into the apt in second year. so who else is in for SSR?

I think I have made up my mind on housing. First year is gonna be SSR, and then move out into the apt in second year. so who else is in for SSR?

if i get chicago, i'd do ssr for the first year. (i've been living in a dorm for 4 years now, and i am tooooo spoiled to give up proximity). plus i want to get to know some people so i can figure out who to get an apt with in the following years. i've had bad roommates; don't wanna repeat that in med school by picking a random one!) :)

does anyone know the names of apartment complexes near the med school (except for med district city apts)? or realtors in the area?

i'm an M1--i live ~10 minute walk from campus and rent from New Realty. for those of you who don't want to live in ssr there are plenty of apartments for reasonable price (i.e. not as expensive as medical district apts) within walking distance. i found my apartment in less than a day--it's a two-bedroom and i live by myself.

i'm an M1--i live ~10 minute walk from campus and rent from New Realty. for those of you who don't want to live in ssr there are plenty of apartments for reasonable price (i.e. not as expensive as medical district apts) within walking distance. i found my apartment in less than a day--it's a two-bedroom and i live by myself.

I know a UIC pharm student who lives in downtown/goldcoast and takes a short el ride to campus every day... does anyone think this is a good idea, since the neighborhood UIC is in kind of sucks? Or do you think it's more important to be closer to campus at whatever cost?

For those of you waiting to hear about site assignments from the last batch of acceptances, I just wanted to let you know that I received mine today in the mail so your letters shouldn't be too far behind.

Good luck to all :)

For those of you waiting to hear about site assignments from the last batch of acceptances, I just wanted to let you know that I received mine today in the mail so your letters shouldn't be too far behind.

Good luck to all :)

I'm just curious: where were u assigned?

Ugh, I just got assigned to Rockford.

I was assigned to Urbana-Rockford as well. I figure that some of you on this board are born-and-raised Chicagoans just like me so maybe we can learn to live the "small-town life" together. Of course I mean no offense to Rockford which I understand is a small city, NOT a small town (I have been corrected on this fact a number of times by Rockford natives).

Hey, don't forget, things could be worse. We could have been rejected by UIC altogether.

i got peoria.

and i had sent in a letter stating academic medicine was the reason i should go to chicago. i called all of last week, and apparently they still had not gotten the letter. (even though i sent it the day i knew a final decision was made, the 22nd.)

I attached my letter to the site pref card with a paperclip, personally handed it to the secretary, and watched while she read it. And it made no difference.

I wish that UIC had people apply to the tracks separately. This system sucks.

( )

Anybody know if Peoria or Rockford have amenities like a gym, a cafeteria, etc?

i got peoria.

and i had sent in a letter stating academic medicine was the reason i should go to chicago. i called all of last week, and apparently they still had not gotten the letter. (even though i sent it the day i knew a final decision was made, the 22nd.)

are you a Feb acceptee or you got accepted earlier in Jan?

Anybody know if Peoria or Rockford have amenities like a gym, a cafeteria, etc?

Rockford has a cafeteria that serves breakfast and lunch, but no Gym. From what I remember in my interview, however, you can get a really good deal at the YMCA. Also, the rentals around there are ridiculously cheap.

I don't know anything about Peoria. Best bet would be to check the website.

These sites might be helpful:

http://www.uirockford.com/

http://www.uicomp.uic.edu/

are you a Feb acceptee or you got accepted earlier in Jan?

i interviewed on jan 19, but was accepted in february b/c i just missed the jan adcom meeting.

i interviewed on jan 19, but was accepted in february b/c i just missed the jan adcom meeting.

you heard back pretty fast. they took a month before they replied back to me.

yep... ymca is ridiculously cheap... and freaking awesome; i never have more than a 5 minute wait for machines, and it's right on the river so running outside during good weather has nice scenery. it's also a well-run and relatively new facility (~5yrs or so).

rentals = cheap.

cafeteria = so-so, but lecture's done by 12 every day during m2 year, so go home. during m3, just eat in hospital (pretty good food).

plus - housing allowance is factored on the cost of living in CHICAGO. soooo... you can get a very nice place to live (my apt = 1500sqft + hardwood + off-street parking = 600);plus, no crazy kennedy/edens/ike traffic in the morning.

-t

Rockford has a cafeteria that serves breakfast and lunch, but no Gym. From what I remember in my interview, however, you can get a really good deal at the YMCA. Also, the rentals around there are ridiculously cheap.

I don't know anything about Peoria. Best bet would be to check the website.

Are any of the housing links working for anyone :confused: ?

I cannot access any page starting w/ www.housing.uic.edu

**Edit: Seems like they fixed the link.**

So, I was bored for a few minutes and decided to spend my time comparing the 2005 US News rankings of 4 Chicago schools (UIC, Rush, Loyola, Rosalind) most of us probably applied to. Although the AAMC says the rankings are BS, here's what I found: Rush and Rosalind are unranked because they refused to give US News their info. UIC is ranked #61 in research and Loyola is ranked #65. I'll assume that because admission standards are similar for Rush and Rosalind, they should also be within the same range.

Just some food for thought.

So, I was bored for a few minutes and decided to spend my time comparing the 2005 US News rankings of 4 Chicago schools (UIC, Rush, Loyola, Rosalind) most of us probably applied to. Although the AAMC says the rankings are BS, here's what I found: Rush and Rosalind are unranked because they refused to give US News their info. UIC is ranked #61 in research and Loyola is ranked #65. I'll assume that because admission standards are similar for Rush and Rosalind, they should also be within the same range.

Just some food for thought.

If you look at NIH funding rankings liked from the AAMC website (http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medttl03.htm), the ranks for the Chicago schools are:

25. UChicago
38. NU
47. UIC
86. Loyola
108. Rosalind Franklin

If you look at NIH funding rankings liked from the AAMC website (http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medttl03.htm), the ranks for the Chicago schools are:

25. UChicago
38. NU
47. UIC
86. Loyola
108. Rosalind Franklin


I think the US News rankings take more into account than just research- hence the different rankings. Any idea where Rush is on that list, btw?

I think the US News rankings take more into account than just research- hence the different rankings. Any idea where Rush is on that list, btw?

hey there,

for some reason, rush wasn't on that list...i couldn't find them. does this mean they dont get funding from the nih? that seems unlikely...anyone else have info?

hey there,

for some reason, rush wasn't on that list...i couldn't find them. does this mean they dont get funding from the nih? that seems unlikely...anyone else have info?

they definitely get funding from the NIH; a lab i've worked for has collaborated with Rush on an NIH-funded study. i think they try to stay away from turning in any kind of rankings lists. maybe they don't want to be classified as any specific kind of school (like a "research school" or a "clinical school").

I found this link on SDN.
http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/march04/ratingtherankings.htm

You can't just look at NIH funding alone. Look at Harvard. It is below U of C, but it has lot of private funding (ever wonder why?). So the school's total research funding is not just NIH funding.

UIC and U of C both are into basic sciences research, and don't get lot of private funding (bad alumni relations? or private donations don't get u accepted?). NU gets lot of funding from its alumni, and it is more into clinical research. Loyola and Rush are not that big on research but both get NIH funding. I wouldn't expect them to be on US news research ranking list, or they might be ranked very low because of less funding. It doesn't mean that they are bad schools. Both schools give good education.

Good news for UIC M1s: New building (supposedly built exclusively for research) might bring in more talented faculty, and thus more research dollars.

Good new for NU M1s: NU is getting a new hospital. Since the hospital will be owned by NU, all the research funding that hospital will get will be part of NU Medical School research funding.

hey there,

for some reason, rush wasn't on that list...i couldn't find them. does this mean they dont get funding from the nih? that seems unlikely...anyone else have info?


Rush didn't respond to the US N&WR survey.

Rush didn't respond to the US N&WR survey.

hmm, i think the link i posed was from the nih website which is different from the us news survey...i could be wrong though..

hmm, i think the link i posed was from the nih website which is different from the us news survey...i could be wrong though..


Ahhh yes, my previous post does not answer the question. Whoops! You were referring to NIH grants, etc.
Hmmm.... I dunno. I know that Rush is unabashedly clinically-focused, but they still participate in research. They did just change their name (from Rush-Presbyterian St. Lukes to Rush University Medical Center), and went on a major business development/capital generation campaign, but Rosalind Franklin just did much the same thing (i.e. they used to be Finch/CMS).

For those who care, this is a response to an e-mail I sent to a current M1...
---
hey---sorry to be delayed in responding (as i recall you wrote during our exams and then we had spring break). i'm more than happy to try to address some of your questions....
regarding housing: most people (so far as i'm aware) live off campus. that may have a lot to do with the fact that a significant number of my classmates have been out of school for at least a year and so are uninclined to go back to living in a dorm. that said, plenty of folks do live in campus housing. it's tremendously convenient--stumble out the dorm building and across the street and you're at school.
i've been out of school for multiple years and haven't had any difficulty meeting classmates even though i live off campus--after all you're with your classmates all day long! (that is if you like going to class)
i've never been in one of the dorm rooms so i really can't tell you what they're like--i hear they're pretty decent tho. as i mentioned in my post, i rent from new west realty--i had absolutely no problem finding a spacious apartment that is only about ten minutes from campus. i personally wouldn't want to feel as though i lived at school (i.e. living across the street in the dorm)--i spend enough time there as it is! if you're a younger student just out of college and aren't used to living on your own it's probably a decent idea (and really good if you're not a morning person!) you mentioned living in the dorms because it would be easier to study with others--lots of folks study in edelstone (the student center in the basement of the medical school)--there's a contingent (myself included) that study primarily over at the rush library (much nicer than uic's! but from all accounts, uic is a far better education).
i've been pleasantly surprised by my classmates--it's a good group of people with really diverse backgrounds, single parents, married students, lawyers, architects, musicians....etc. over the course of the first semester i've found a group of very dear friends--aside from orientation it really just takes time to really get to know your classmates. it can be a busy and intimidating time but also really exciting.
compared to some friends at other schools, the first semester schedule does seem to be particularly grueling--but you make it through and you learn an incredible amount. rumor has it that after spring break things ease up a bit (i can give you a more informed opinion on that in a few weeks!).
some of the professors are pretty good and some are truly quite not-good! i think that's pretty typical of most schools, though. you figure out which classes are worthwhile for you to attend and which hours are better spent studying on your own. (this is definitely NOT the same from person to person). plenty of people don't attend class at all and choose instead to study on their own. most folks find a balance. last summer i considered myself to be absolutely a class-attender and a textbook-reader----while i still like to be in class and to read the books i've found a balance that works for me and optimizes my time.
plenty of people do research during school. while i'm not a budding researcher, i think that those who are heavily interested in research do tend to be more selective in class attendance, but one of my friends who is MD/PhD is in class every day almost all the time and still has plenty of time to study, do research and do justice to his relationship. it seems to be more and more about time management and learning how to study most efficiently.
are you familiar with the jones scholars program? (i'm sure there's info on the website and in the book you were probably given at your interview). one of my closest friends is involved in this program which involves a certain number of research hours each week in exchange for reduced tuition. (let me know if you're unaware of this program--i'll try to direct you to a better resource).
i hope i've answered some of your questions (feel free to ask more). i'll end by saying that i'm happy to have decided on uic.
let me know if i can be of further help!

Thanks for passing along the info chitown82 :thumbup:

Thanks for passing along the info chitown82 :thumbup:

no prob...are you set on uic or still considering other schools?

no prob...are you set on uic or still considering other schools?

Still have an interview at Jefferson in April, but pretty much set on UIC. You?

Does anyone know if there is a second look weekend? Also, any word on when we will receive a financial aid package??
go easy and congrats to UIC '09!!

Does anyone know if there is a second look weekend? Also, any word on when we will receive a financial aid package??
go easy and congrats to UIC '09!!


Hey there, there isn't a second look weekend for UIC, unfortunately. No idea about aid packages though.

:thumbup:

On another note, I went to see the MD City Apartments. I really liked what they had to offer. The apartments are super close to campus, they have security/concierge, and they are doing a ton of renovations (a new gym, indoor/outdoor pool, new facade, a business center, club house). They have studios, convertibles, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments. Most of the units are carpeted, but you have the option of getting wood floors in your unit (minus the bedroom). They are reasonably priced (my experience with housing is in Boston where things are relatively much more expensive), and they are offering one month free for a twelve month lease. They also have indoor and outdoor parking.

There are a ton of apartments in the area - 10 min max from campus. I plan on checking out a few more places with a realtor later in the week. However, most of them places are stand-alone, individual landlord-owned. Does anyone know of other apartments complexes/buildings other than the MD City Apartments in the area?

The med school is really close to Taylor street where there are a ton of restaurants. I ate at some hole in the wall Indian place and it was mad good. :thumbup:

Does anybody know if which campus you train at matters when you apply for residency? I know that each has strengths, for example, Rockford emphasizes primary care, Peoria is good for surgery, etc, but I'm wondering if being on the UPR track is a disadvantage compared to Chicago.

Also, I've heard that classes during the first year at Champaign can be pretty tough. Do they have block scheduling? Anybody know on average, how much time M1's spend in class. Like 8-5?

Does anybody know if which campus you train at matters when you apply for residency? I know that each has strengths, for example, Rockford emphasizes primary care, Peoria is good for surgery, etc, but I'm wondering if being on the UPR track is a disadvantage compared to Chicago.

Also, I've heard that classes during the first year at Champaign can be pretty tough. Do they have block scheduling? Anybody know on average, how much time M1's spend in class. Like 8-5?

Check out http://www.med.uiuc.edu/m1/ - it has the current M1 schedule.

What are some of the nicer parts of town (chicago) to live yet still have an easy L ride to UIC? I'm outta state so bare with me.

What are some of the nicer parts of town (chicago) to live yet still have an easy L ride to UIC? I'm outta state so bare with me.

Sure.

What are we bareing?

What are some of the nicer parts of town (chicago) to live yet still have an easy L ride to UIC? I'm outta state so bare with me.

UIC is on the blue line. Bucktown has a blue line stop at North and Damen. That area is up and coming with young people. It's worth a look. If the train is your priority, then you don't really have any other options, unless you want to live in the loop - or west loop (UIC campus). Good luck!

Friday, April 22nd

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

BE THERE, BIATCHES!

Friday, April 22nd

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

BE THERE, BIATCHES!


damn, where did you get the info????

damn, where did you get the info????

Got a postcard today...look for it in the mail!

snail mail

snail mail
cool, cool. Maybe I can get a cheap flight from cali on southwest.

cool, cool. Maybe I can get a cheap flight from cali on southwest.

Me too. Socal to midway!

got the card too.

did anyone get financial aid info...another form to fill out.
i know someone who said they did.

got the card too.

did anyone get financial aid info...another form to fill out.
i know someone who said they did.


I got one maybe a week and a half ago.

Do UIC students at all campuses have a pretty easy time with the administration? I ask because so far, I've not been impressed. I called to try to get a meeting with Dr. Girotti and the secretary, albeit very nice, led me around in little circles until it became clear that I would not get to see him. This is opposed to other schools where all I had to do was call and ask to meet with the director of admissions.

Friday, April 22nd

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

BE THERE, BIATCHES!

i stand corrected! cool, now i gotta look for flights

UIC is not including my apartment # in the things they send me.... I called today and the lady said they have the correct address. According to the post card, they do not! AHH!! Frustration :thumbdown

UIC is not including my apartment # in the things they send me.... I called today and the lady said they have the correct address. According to the post card, they do not! AHH!! Frustration :thumbdown


On the online statu