2011-2012 Loyola (Stritch) Application Thread

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1. Describe a valuable experience in your personal development? This might be a decision you have made, an achievement of which you are particularly proud of, or a person who has influenced your life.

2. Provide in detail an experience of working with individual(s) from diverse background(s). What was the experience? How did it have an impact on you?

3. Describe how you have dealt with a personal or academic challenge. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how it will help you during the challenges you might face in medical school.

4. What do you hope to contribute to the field of medicine? And what do you hope to get out of a career in medicine?

5. If you will not be enrolled as a full-time student during the current academic year, please explain what you will be doing prior to your planned matriculation into medical school?

6. Please use this space to bring the information in your AMCAS application up-to-date. Please indicate additional grades earned, alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation date, address changes, additions to your list of activities, and anything else you feel we should know.

Best of luck with your application :luck::luck::luck:!
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SteveJMarist said:
Wanted to be the 1st post on this one! :D
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:mad: Oh well, I'll just have to settle for 1st on NW and UIC

PS-Love the school, any current students have any advice/experiences they would like to share?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hello! Full disclosure I just got in last cycle so I can't speak much about actually attending class at Stritch. However, the trials and tribulations of the application process are still freshly burned into my psyche. I can't thank enough the students who responded to questions last cycle so here I am paying it forward :thumbup:!

As I was considering and eventually chose Stritch this Facebook page has been a nice window into what my next four years will look like. http://www.facebook.com/StritchMedicine

I believe the page is maintained by a few incoming MS2's. Other students have chimed in as well. They must have Facebook as their home page or something because I have yet to see a question go unanswered for more than a few hours. The students are also great about posting interesting articles about Stritch and medicine in general. So ya, maybe start there and get a feel for Stritch!
 
Ah I'm all warm inside thinking about this. :)

Anyone pre-writing for this school?
 
Porfirio said:
Does the secondary change from year to year?
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The 2009 and 2010 app were not very different, if at all. It's a more lengthy/tougher secondary than most though so it wouldn't hurt to get started early.
 
Donnie1310 said:
The 2009 and 2010 app were not very different, if at all. It's a more lengthy/tougher secondary than most though so it wouldn't hurt to get started early.
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Yea, I probably will. I just really think there will be certain changes since the introduction of the "most meaningful" section. Probably not a complete overhaul, though.
 
The best thing they could do is move to an online secondary. If they don't change it, you pay the fee before you see the application (not a big deal at all if you are serious about wanting to go to Stritch like >this guy<), and then you fill it in, print it out, and mail it in.
 
Yea, an online secondary would be ideal. I'm also *very* serious about going to Stritch. I'll prob start pre-writing next week.
 
Dunno if I have a good shot here anymore since I heard they average their MCAT scores :( I'll still try! Who knows, maybe I'll pull a 40 on my next test haha
 
phnerd1105 said:
Dunno if I have a good shot here anymore since I heard they average their MCAT scores :( I'll still try! Who knows, maybe I'll pull a 40 on my next test haha
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I was 2-3 points below their average MCAT score and got an early interview and acceptance. Stritch wants students who care about others and also know why they want to go to their school. Write a some good essays and you never know. If they have a section saying "is there anything else you want us to know" be sure to explain why you love Stritch. Also, do NOT just say that you like it because of it's in Chicago. I have heard Dean Jones say on multiple occasions that he does not care for that answer. Research the school, the mission, and the unique curriculum and talk about that. Another piece of advice from Dean Jones, "you never know when you are being interviewed" so if you do happen to call them be polite and sound excited about the school. Good luck and hope this helps some of you.
 
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I completely agree with the above statement. My MCAT was lower than Stritch's average and things ended up nicely for me. Phnerd1105, the secondary is very long but comprehensive so it gives those with less than ideal stats the opportunity to speak about what makes them a good candidate. The choice is yours, but you can't score if you don't shoot!
 
Thanks so much guys! That definitely helps. I'll be retaking in mid july, so I wont get the secondary until August. However, I've definitely explained myself in my application and personal statement, so I hope that comes through.

Are you both matriculating? If so, what are some things that really attracted you about the school? What are you most excited about?
 
phnerd1105 said:
Dunno if I have a good shot here anymore since I heard they average their MCAT scores :( I'll still try! Who knows, maybe I'll pull a 40 on my next test haha
Click to expand...

They do average scores; I'm positive about that. However, as those guys are talking about, they are most definitely not all about numbers. They are very much so interested in the candidate as a whole and likes to see good, honest compassion.
 
phnerd1105 said:
Thanks so much guys! That definitely helps. I'll be retaking in mid july, so I wont get the secondary until August. However, I've definitely explained myself in my application and personal statement, so I hope that comes through.

Are you both matriculating? If so, what are some things that really attracted you about the school? What are you most excited about?
Click to expand...

Yes, I am most assuredly matriculating here. BTW your MCAT retake is not too late. I took mine in August and my primary was not complete until the middle of September. I subsequently did not receive a secondary until October.

I will keep the things that attracted to me to Stritch in easily digestible list form lest I ramble (get the joke? See what I did there, anyone?):

1. Location
Stritch is in an inexpensive and relatively safe part of Chicago. I also liked the ability to do away rotations during my fourth year that were not so away (in the Chicagoland area). Chicago has many residency programs throughout the city and rotating at one or more, I have been told, helps (not makes or breaks) a chance to interview at that program.​

2. Vibe/Fit
Many applicants talk about how they appreciate the "vibe" of a school or whatnot and I think that is a bit overemphasized. OF COURSE most schools will put their best foot forward on interview day make sure you "vibe" with the school. I had good "vibes" at Stritch like I had at all but one of the 7 schools I interviewed at. That is not what made it special. The school is physically and idealistically organized around community and for me, this made Stritch a perfect fit. They have a sunlit atrium with extremely comfortable chairs (kind of a theme at the school) and has high foot traffic from students going from one class to another. This same atrium area has the learning communities, admissions office, financial aid, chaplain's office, computer lab and more. Just a quick flight or two upstairs and you have small group study rooms and lecture halls. Hence, the school is literally organized around community. Look at the photos on Stritch's Facebook page if you want a visual.​

3. Facilities
Gorgegous. Not much else to say here. Again, I will refer you to the Stritch and Loyola University Health System Facebook pages for photos.​

Deep Breath... Hope I am not boring you all. Still with me, good :thumbup:.

4. Curriculum
I took a look at our MS1 first block schedule and we have most afternoons off. This will change in the later portion of the year. This set up is great for developing your own effective study habits. From what current students and administrators have told me Stritch does an excellent job of "easing" you into the whole studying your butt of thing. All while maintaining average Step 1 scores at or above the national average.​

5. Students are Happy, Healthy and Balanced
Not much else to say about that. The flipping awesome gym which is a 5 minute indoor walk from the atrium/classrooms is a likely culprit.​

6. Emergency Medicine Rotation in 3rd year
This is pretty rare and since I am very interested in EM this was a huge plus.​

Ok, that is all I got for now. I might have missed a thing or two but I think I got the main reasons. I sincerely hope this helps you all. I will continue to peruse the forum if anyone has any further concerns.

P.S. I am sure at some point someone will want one of us to concoct a "Con" list. I'll starting brainstorming until then haha.
 
Last edited:
Goober11 said:
Yes, I am most assuredly matriculating here. BTW your MCAT retake is not too late. I took mine in August and my primary was not complete until the middle of September. I subsequently did not receive a secondary until October.

I will keep the things that attracted to me to Stritch in easily digestible list form lest I ramble (get the joke? See what I did there, anyone?):

1. Location
Stritch is in an inexpensive and relatively safe part of Chicago. I also liked the ability to do away rotations during my fourth year that were not so away (in the Chicagoland area). Chicago has many residency programs throughout the city and rotating at one or more, I have been told, helps (not makes or breaks) a chance to interview at that program.​
2. Vibe/Fit
Many applicants talk about how they appreciate the "vibe" of a school or whatnot and I think that is a bit overemphasized. OF COURSE most schools will put their best foot forward on interview day make sure you "vibe" with the school. I had good "vibes" at Stritch like I had at all but one of the 7 schools I interviewed at. That is not what made it special. The school is physically idealistically organized around community and for me, this made Stritch a perfect fit. They have a sunlit atrium with extremely comfortable chairs (kind of a theme at the school) and has high foot traffic from students going from one class to another. This same atrium area has the learning communities, admissions office, financial aid, chaplain's office, computer lab and more. Just a quick flight or two upstairs and you have small group study rooms and lecture halls. Hence, the school is literally organized around community. Look at the photos on Stritch's Facebook page if you want a visual.​
3. Facilities
Gorgegous. Not much else to say here. Again, I will refer you to the Stritch and Loyola University Health System Facebook pages for photos.​
Deep Breath... Hope I am not boring you all. Still with me, good :thumbup:.

4. Curriculum
I took a look at our MS1 first block schedule and we have most afternoons off. This will change in the later portion of the year. This set up is great for developing your own effective study habits. From what current students and administrators have told me Stritch does an excellent job of "easing" you into the whole studying your butt of thing. All while maintaining average Step 1 scores at or above the national average.​
5. Students are Happy, Healthy and Balanced
Not much else to say about that. The flipping awesome gym which is a 5 minute indoor walk from the atrium/classrooms is a likely culprit.​
6. Emergency Medicine Rotation in 3rd year
This is pretty rare and since I am very interested in EM this was a huge plus.​
Ok, that is all I got for now. I might have missed a thing or two but I think I got the main reasons. I sincerely hope this helps you all. I will continue to peruse the forum if anyone has any further concerns.

P.S. I am sure at some point someone will want one of us to concoct a "Con" list. I'll starting brainstorming until then haha.
Click to expand...

Most enjoyable. :thumbup:
 
SteveJMarist said:
They do average scores; I'm positive about that. However, as those guys are talking about, they are most definitely not all about numbers. They are very much so interested in the candidate as a whole and likes to see good, honest compassion.
Click to expand...

I am very happy to hear that as it's my first choice.
 
misterp said:
I am very happy to hear that as it's my first choice.
Click to expand...

Yea, I think they are very fair on their evaluations. From what I know, they very much value volunteering efforts as well. Note that I'm also applying this cycle; I'm just going off of what I have heard from solid resources.
 
Well I hope they can garner that I'm honest from my personal statement :xf: Great advice Goober, thanks a lot! Will def let you know if I have any other questions
 
what GPA cum and sci and MCAT score is usually sufficient to get an interview at CMS? Because in the end, it's a numbers game everywhere and subjective stuff plays a minor role but greater role in the interview...
 
FuturePharm21 said:
what GPA cum and sci and MCAT score is usually sufficient to get an interview at CMS? Because in the end, it's a numbers game everywhere and subjective stuff plays a minor role but greater role in the interview...
Click to expand...

copy/paste fail on 5 threads..nice
 
hey I'm interested in applying, lets wait for some responses at least a few days before claiming the question failed ha
 
Goober11 said:
Hello! Full disclosure I just got in last cycle so I can't speak much about actually attending class at Stritch. However, the trials and tribulations of the application process are still freshly burned into my psyche. I can't thank enough the students who responded to questions last cycle so here I am paying it forward :thumbup:!

As I was considering and eventually chose Stritch this Facebook page has been a nice window into what my next four years will look like. http://www.facebook.com/StritchMedicine

I believe the page is maintained by a few incoming MS2's. Other students have chimed in as well. They must have Facebook as their home page or something because I have yet to see a question go unanswered for more than a few hours. The students are also great about posting interesting articles about Stritch and medicine in general. So ya, maybe start there and get a feel for Stritch!
Click to expand...

Hey guys,
I am one of the student admins for the official Stritch Student Facebook page. (Thanks for the shout-out btw). If you have anything you would like to see us add to the page let us know on our discussion board. The page was newly formed this year and is a work in progress so we would love your feedback to make your decision process this application period as easy as possible. Thanks!

http://www.facebook.com/StritchMedicine
 
Goober11 said:
Hello! Full disclosure I just got in last cycle so I can't speak much about actually attending class at Stritch. However, the trials and tribulations of the application process are still freshly burned into my psyche. I can't thank enough the students who responded to questions last cycle so here I am paying it forward :thumbup:!

As I was considering and eventually chose Stritch this Facebook page has been a nice window into what my next four years will look like. http://www.facebook.com/StritchMedicine

I believe the page is maintained by a few incoming MS2's. Other students have chimed in as well. They must have Facebook as their home page or something because I have yet to see a question go unanswered for more than a few hours. The students are also great about posting interesting articles about Stritch and medicine in general. So ya, maybe start there and get a feel for Stritch!
Click to expand...

Thank you for making yourself available (will definitely check the facebook page out). Do you know if there are any MCAT cut-off scores for Loyola?
 
phnerd1105 said:
Dunno if I have a good shot here anymore since I heard they average their MCAT scores :( I'll still try! Who knows, maybe I'll pull a 40 on my next test haha
Click to expand...

Hey! Don't worry anything is possible! :D I just got in last cycle and I am an incoming M1 at Loyola so i will be here periodically to answer questions through this next cycle! :D

As far as the average MCAT score thing, I had a 25 the first round and a 29 the second...so don't feel like you have to get a 40 to have a chance if your first set of scores are not so great.

Good Luck Everyone! :D
 
I love, love, love Stritch! I would be so happy to be accepted here. The facilities look gorgeous, and I am a huge fan of Jesuit schools (did my undergrad at one). Keeping my fingers crossed for an interview invite!!
 
TheMightySmiter said:
I love, love, love Stritch! I would be so happy to be accepted here. The facilities look gorgeous, and I am a huge fan of Jesuit schools (did my undergrad at one). Keeping my fingers crossed for an interview invite!!
Click to expand...

+1 to all
 
Ladoctora44 said:
Hey! Don't worry anything is possible! :D I just got in last cycle and I am an incoming M1 at Loyola so i will be here periodically to answer questions through this next cycle! :D

As far as the average MCAT score thing, I had a 25 the first round and a 29 the second...so don't feel like you have to get a 40 to have a chance if your first set of scores are not so great.

Good Luck Everyone! :D
Click to expand...

You just brightened my day! :) I scored a 24 my first round after having a breakdown the morning of. Been studying for the past few weeks and am retaking July 16th in the hopes of doing much better! Good luck in your first year and thanks for your encouragement!
 
Im in the same boat, my 27 is not representative of my abilities, and Im retaking mine on the 16th. Super excited about this, especially since they employ more community and application based teaching.
 
js04bx said:
Do you know if there are any MCAT cut-off scores for Loyola?
Click to expand...

To answer this question directly, Stritch either does not have a cut off or it is not readily published on their website. The previous responses hopefully have demonstrated that the MCAT is only a piece of the application pie. It is still a significant piece though, so study hard :)!
 
Soon2bDrH said:
If they have a section saying "is there anything else you want us to know" be sure to explain why you love Stritch. Also, do NOT just say that you like it because of it's in Chicago. I have heard Dean Jones say on multiple occasions that he does not care for that answer.
Click to expand...


People are funny. :laugh:

I'm applying here as well. :)
 
phnerd1105 said:
lol I can't believe people gave those answers. Oh well, more chances for us to shine :)
Click to expand...

+1!!

I do love Chi-town, but Stritch is actually the only Chicago school I'm applying to. I don't think I have enough research or good enough numbers to be competitive at Northwestern or Pritzker, and I just wasn't as into Rosalind Franklin/Rush/UIC as I was Stritch.
 
can all of you out of staters please go back to your state:p

I hate how theres only 1 state school in Chicago that gives preference to me when theres like dozens in NY, FL, CA that give regional preference...

just my luck:(
 
Has anyone received the secondary yet? Are the prompts the same???
 
SteveJMarist said:
I haven't gotten it. They screen, so I would give it some time.
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I didn't know they screened Steve. Is it just a basic screen? For example, my number one state school screens for 3.0/24, so it's no big deal when you receive the secondary. Hoping to come up and see the school and Chicago (or at least its suburbs).
 
Vandy Premed said:
I didn't know they screened Steve. Is it just a basic screen? For example, my number one state school screens for 3.0/24, so it's no big deal when you receive the secondary. Hoping to come up and see the school and Chicago (or at least its suburbs).
Click to expand...

Yea, it's just a basic screening of MCAT scores and GPA. Nothing too crazy. If you do get an interview, I'd be happy to show you the city.
 
I guess I'll jump in here.

From verification to receiving my secondary was about 4 weeks so you all might have some more waiting to do. After submitting the secondary I received an interview in almost exactly 8 weeks. Response time for Stritch after you interview is 1-2 weeks (2-3 times faster than many other schools).

Keep in mind my MCAT score did not come through until September. However, from other applicants I have spoken with my timeline was similar to theirs. All in all after the low screen Stritch moves things quite fast.
 
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Goober11 said:
I guess I'll jump in here.

From verification to receiving my secondary was about 4 weeks so you all might have some more waiting to do. After submitting the secondary I received an interview in almost exactly 8 weeks. Response time for Stritch after you interview is 1-2 weeks (2-3 times faster than many other schools).

Keep in mind my MCAT score did not come through until September. However, from other applicants I have spoken with my timeline was similar to theirs. All in all after the low screen Stritch moves things quite fast.
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Good to hear- thanks for the info.
 
Anyone know how tough their screen actually is? I had heard it was a low, basic screen for GPA/MCAT, but their website says:

AMCAS Applications Received - 10,085
Completed Applications - 5,730

Which leads me to believe only 5,730 completed secondaries, which is roughly 57% and seems like it has to be more than just a basic screen to me? Anyone know anything? :confused:
 
einstein1990 said:
Anyone know how tough their screen actually is? I had heard it was a low, basic screen for GPA/MCAT, but their website says:

AMCAS Applications Received - 10,085
Completed Applications - 5,730

Which leads me to believe only 5,730 completed secondaries, which is roughly 57% and seems like it has to be more than just a basic screen to me? Anyone know anything? :confused:
Click to expand...

Loyola makes you pay the $75 before you can even see the secondary. It is a lot tougher of a secondary than many schools, but my guess is that very few people are stupid enough to pay for it and then not complete it.

Add to the fact that Loyola's stuff tends to come a little later than many schools, so people have secondary exhaustion by then, and you're probably covering most of the bases.
 
einstein1990 said:
Anyone know how tough their screen actually is? I had heard it was a low, basic screen for GPA/MCAT, but their website says:

AMCAS Applications Received - 10,085
Completed Applications - 5,730

Which leads me to believe only 5,730 completed secondaries, which is roughly 57% and seems like it has to be more than just a basic screen to me? Anyone know anything? :confused:
Click to expand...

I had always been under the impression that it was a low, basic screen for GPA/MCAT, as you say.
 
Donnie1310 said:
Loyola makes you pay the $75 before you can even see the secondary. It is a lot tougher of a secondary than many schools, but my guess is that very few people are stupid enough to pay for it and then not complete it.

Add to the fact that Loyola's stuff tends to come a little later than many schools, so people have secondary exhaustion by then, and you're probably covering most of the bases.
Click to expand...

Those are two perfect reasons for that 57%. You can look in last year's Stritch thread to double check but, I can't off the top of my head remember many people posting they were rejected pre-secondary. That leads me to believe the attrition from primary to secondary is largely self selected. Once you see how long the secondary is (if like last year) that statistic will make more sense :laugh:. I think we had 6-7 questions 25 lines a piece which is a little more than a double spaced page per question. Later in the season, compare Loyola's secondary to that of some schools with one 1000 character essay which are you going to complete...
 
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