loyola interviews

[DoctorV09]

I got a call from Loyola saying that they wanted to interview me, but they were full, so that if anyone who is currently signed up for one of the last interview dates decides to withdraw their app, they would call me. Any of you out there one of these people who has an interview next week sometime, but is planning on withdrawing? just wondering if i should keep any hope alive...thanks

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[YzIa]

I got a call from Loyola saying that they wanted to interview me, but they were full, so that if anyone who is currently signed up for one of the last interview dates decides to withdraw their app, they would call me. Any of you out there one of these people who has an interview next week sometime, but is planning on withdrawing? just wondering if i should keep any hope alive...thanks

Sorry buddy, I already declined mine and I only had one to give.

 

[Peterock]

I got a call from Loyola saying that they wanted to interview me, but they were full, so that if anyone who is currently signed up for one of the last interview dates decides to withdraw their app, they would call me. Any of you out there one of these people who has an interview next week sometime, but is planning on withdrawing? just wondering if i should keep any hope alive...thanks

Their waitlist doesn't move the way it used to. It is also ranked by gpa/mcat for the most part. Keep that in mind before getting all giddy.

 

[LaurieB]

Their waitlist doesn't move the way it used to. It is also ranked by gpa/mcat for the most part. Keep that in mind before getting all giddy.

I'm not sure where you got this information. It is true that last year Loyola had significantly less waitlist movement than in years past*, but that is hardly a trend. Untill May 15th rolls around all bets are off as to how the waitlist will be this year.

The admission's committee is pretty tight lipped about the waitlist, but Loyola is very focussed on character qualities so I would be surprised if the waitlist was primarily ranked on GPA and MCAT. It is my understanding that GPA and MCAT are significant in getting an interview, but not as significant in getting an acceptance. If you get an interview, they already consider you academically qualified.

Good luck! I hope a spot opens up for you.
Laurie

*Last year only 11% of our class came from the waitlist. The average for previous years is roughly a third.

 

[Peterock]

I'm not sure where you got this information. It is true that last year Loyola had significantly less waitlist movement than in years past*, but that is hardly a trend. Untill May 15th rolls around all bets are off as to how the waitlist will be this year.

The admission's committee is pretty tight lipped about the waitlist, but Loyola is very focussed on character qualities so I would be surprised if the waitlist was primarily ranked on GPA and MCAT. It is my understanding that GPA and MCAT are significant in getting an interview, but not as significant in getting an acceptance. If you get an interview, they already consider you academically qualified.

Good luck! I hope a spot opens up for you.
Laurie

*Last year only 11% of our class came from the waitlist. The average for previous years is roughly a third.

Your dean (Nordstrom) told me. (Nice lady btw)

 

[Ames980]

Their waitlist doesn't move the way it used to. It is also ranked by gpa/mcat for the most part. Keep that in mind before getting all giddy.

...so when did you hear this from the dean?? just out of curiosity, because when i met with her she totally put the emphasis on service and personal character, and like laurie said, when i mentioned that i was nervous about my [somewhat lacking] mcat score, she said that i wouldnt be there for the interview if i wasnt academically qualified, so that didnt really matter at this point.... ranking the waitlist based on numbers seems to go against everything they seem to be as a school.... and it scares the crap out of me that ill be ranked via my mcat, which is so not my strength...

and as far as the movement, did she tell anyone else about how they limited initial acceptances for the purpose of accepting more people off the waitlist??

 

[Peterock]

...so when did you hear this from the dean?? just out of curiosity, because when i met with her she totally put the emphasis on service and personal character, and like laurie said, when i mentioned that i was nervous about my [somewhat lacking] mcat score, she said that i wouldnt be there for the interview if i wasnt academically qualified, so that didnt really matter at this point.... ranking the waitlist based on numbers seems to go against everything they seem to be as a school.... and it scares the crap out of me that ill be ranked via my mcat, which is so not my strength...

and as far as the movement, did she tell anyone else about how they limited initial acceptances for the purpose of accepting more people off the waitlist??

What school does NOT consider personal morals/characteristics? Every school says that - yet every school has roughly a 3.6-3.7gpa and a 29-31mcat average. Loyola obviously likes people who have lots of community service, but they are still a numbers first school (just like EVERY school). Any statement about moral/character superiority is bordering on arrogant and absurd. Why do you think people with lower mcats (you) and lower gpas (me) get interviewed later?

It doesn't matter when I interviewed with them. It's a nice school that is very expensive and it's in a great area. The administration also seemed unusually responsive. Bottom line, I really liked the school, I just wish I knew what I was getting into when I took a waitlist-only interview.

I think it's growing positive rep will continue to limit waitlist movement.

 

[LaurieB]

My GPA was far from stellar so I have to assume that there is more to this than numbers.

 

[Calizona]

My GPA was far from stellar so I have to assume that there is more to this than numbers.

See, I think that for Loyola, while GPA and MCAT are generally important, it seems like they take quite a few people early. For example, they had already handed out acceptances for the number entering their medical school class by December. That means that almost everyone who interviewed early got accepted. My student host also agreed that this is a huge factor in their admissions process. Maybe even more so than other schools. In addition, I don't think it hurts to have gone to an undergraduate Jesuit/Catholic school, such as Loyola Marymount University in LA, Boston College, etc. From what I've heard Jesuits tend to take good care of their own. Lauri, have heard of this being the case at all?

 

[Peterock]

My GPA was far from stellar so I have to assume that there is more to this than numbers.

~3.4overall gpa / 32L MCAT
school's average is a ~3.6 / 29-29.5

I believe you hit their numerical averages. Yes, your science gpa is lower, but you were also an enginerd (which they were probably more forgiving of considering the difficulty of the curriculum), and your MCAT was higher. Therefore, you represent an average accepted student at the school. Of course your acceptance is more than just numbers, but the largest % is still based on 2 numbers. While I'm sure you excelled in other areas, you were not HURT by your gpa/mcat while some applicants (me - similar mcat, lower gpa) were. W/o giving too much away, I am sure I had more research/community service and diverse background junk going on than almost every applicant (4consistent yrs of each)... but the waitlist is doom for an applicant like me in a weighted system.

Falling back on cliche's like "this school accepted me b/c they like to look beyond the numbers" is kind of insulting to everyone in the process. Did the school not interview another person b/c they are nothing more than numbers? Thats rather dehumanizing and insulting.

I've seen you make a lot of statemetns like this instead of focusing on the fact that medical schools like Loyola clearly make an effort to favor applicants with certain activities such as a marked commitment to community service and people from a jesuit/catholic background. Having a focus in either of these areas does not make you superior to a person with lots of say, research.

(Anyway, LaurieB, I hope you're loving Loyola. I finally got into my first choice w/ some aid and will probably pay no more than $4k in tuition/yr so definitely no hard feelings here.)

 

[LaurieB]

~3.4overall gpa / 32L MCAT
school's average is a ~3.6 / 29-29.5

I believe you hit their numerical averages. Yes, your science gpa is lower, but you were also an enginerd (which they were probably more forgiving of considering the difficulty of the curriculum), and your MCAT was higher. Therefore, you represent an average accepted student at the school. Of course your acceptance is more than just numbers, but the largest % is still based on 2 numbers. While I'm sure you excelled in other areas, you were not HURT by your gpa/mcat while some applicants (me - similar mcat, lower gpa) were. W/o giving too much away, I am sure I had more research/community service and diverse background junk going on than almost every applicant (4consistent yrs of each)... but the waitlist is doom for an applicant like me in a weighted system.

Falling back on cliche's like "this school accepted me b/c they like to look beyond the numbers" is kind of insulting to everyone in the process. Did the school not interview another person b/c they are nothing more than numbers? Thats rather dehumanizing and insulting.

I've seen you make a lot of statemetns like this instead of focusing on the fact that medical schools like Loyola clearly make an effort to favor applicants with certain activities such as a marked commitment to community service and people from a jesuit/catholic background. Having a focus in either of these areas does not make you superior to a person with lots of say, research.

(Anyway, LaurieB, I hope you're loving Loyola. I finally got into my first choice w/ some aid and will probably pay no more than $4k in tuition/yr so definitely no hard feelings here.)

I certainly didn't mean to offend. I guess I have always felt like this process is highly arbitrary, and I was surprised to have done as well as I did, especially when I see plenty of more qualified candidates get rejected.
I have no clue what made one school look twice at my application and another send out a presecondary rejection. I suppose it is presumptious of me to think that "character qualities" are a major factor. I do think schools in general look for people with interests and attitudes that fit with their institution - whether they actually succeed in making a good match is unclear. The point is that I don't consider one set of qualities to be superior to another; however, I do recognize some common qualities that most of my classmates share. Furthermore, I noticed that when I interviewed at the University of Washington that there were qualities that their adcom valued that I did not posess.

Sorry for the digression - I just want to say that I didn't mean to offend you at all, and that I'm really glad that you got into your first choice.

Laurie

 

[NorCalGirl]

See, I think that for Loyola, while GPA and MCAT are generally important, it seems like they take quite a few people early. For example, they had already handed out acceptances for the number entering their medical school class by December. That means that almost everyone who interviewed early got accepted. My student host also agreed that this is a huge factor in their admissions process. Maybe even more so than other schools. In addition, I don't think it hurts to have gone to an undergraduate Jesuit/Catholic school, such as Loyola Marymount University in LA, Boston College, etc. From what I've heard Jesuits tend to take good care of their own. Lauri, have heard of this being the case at all?

So this is the 2nd time I've applied to med school. The first time, I interviewed at Loyola in late March and was waitlisted. This time, I interviewed in September and got accepted. I went to a Jesuit undergraduate university and most of the premeds I knew from college went on to the Jesuit med schools. Of course it's more complicated than that, but that's what I've noticed.

Anyway, I think Loyola is a great school. Good luck to everyone.

 

[Peterock]

No. You're fine, you didn't offend me one bit. You are your schools biggest advocate and cheerleader and there is nothing wrong with that. And yes, I think this application is almost absurdly random.

I certainly didn't mean to offend. I guess I have always felt like this process is highly arbitrary, and I was surprised to have done as well as I did, especially when I see plenty of more qualified candidates get rejected.
I have no clue what made one school look twice at my application and another send out a presecondary rejection. I suppose it is presumptious of me to think that "character qualities" are a major factor. I do think schools in general look for people with interests and attitudes that fit with their institution - whether they actually succeed in making a good match is unclear. The point is that I don't consider one set of qualities to be superior to another; however, I do recognize some common qualities that most of my classmates share. Furthermore, I noticed that when I interviewed at the University of Washington that there were qualities that their adcom valued that I did not posess.

Sorry for the digression - I just want to say that I didn't mean to offend you at all, and that I'm really glad that you got into your first choice.

Laurie

 

[Calizona]

Anyone get any more updated info on the waitlist? I interviewed at Loyola about 3 weeks ago and haven't heard if I was waitlisted or not. Anyone know when they are going to rank the waitlist? Anyone know when it is expected to move?

 

[newhavenjake]

No. You're fine, you didn't offend me one bit. You are your schools biggest advocate and cheerleader and there is nothing wrong with that. And yes, I think this application is almost absurdly random.

You really love showing people how much you know, huh?

 

[brats800]

i like showing how much i know too...just ask easy questions cause i cry when i get stumped

 

[Ames980]

Anyone get any more updated info on the waitlist? I interviewed at Loyola about 3 weeks ago and haven't heard if I was waitlisted or not. Anyone know when they are going to rank the waitlist? Anyone know when it is expected to move?

i interviewed on march 31, got a letter from them on april 16-ish saying i made the waitlist -- i think it depends on when the committee meets though, b/c the dean said they were meeting on april 11th and my letter was dated the 12th... the letter said something about the waitlist being ranked when interviews were officially over, so i believe now-ish, maybe the first week of may? they dont tell you youre location on it, though. as far as movement goes, she said that it has the most the last 2 weeks of may, then kind of moves in drips and drabs with another push around the first week of july.

anyone know if there has been any waitlist movement thus far?

 

[Calizona]

i interviewed on march 31, got a letter from them on april 16-ish saying i made the waitlist -- i think it depends on when the committee meets though, b/c the dean said they were meeting on april 11th and my letter was dated the 12th... the letter said something about the waitlist being ranked when interviews were officially over, so i believe now-ish, maybe the first week of may? they dont tell you youre location on it, though. as far as movement goes, she said that it has the most the last 2 weeks of may, then kind of moves in drips and drabs with another push around the first week of july.

anyone know if there has been any waitlist movement thus far?

Yeah I also just received my waitlist position letter today after interviewing on April 11th. While I am excited (since I was interviewing for a waitlist position anyways) I'm also wondering now what my chances are of getting off the waitlist. I understand last year was a fluke with 11% being taken off. I also understand that usually they have ~33 taken off. However, you also have to realize that they have waitlisted people from January through now. Wouldn't you expect that those interviewed in January might have better stats and be more likely to come off the waitlist than those interviewed in March/April? Maybe I'm just thinking negatively. Anyone have any info that counters this way of thinking?

 

[brats800]

well i was told that they have such an odd way of interviewing, with strong applicants being interviewed into january and later. i wouldn't count yourself out just because you interviewed late. they look at more than just numbers (if you got an interview, you are good enough to go there).

 

[Ames980]

i was kind of thinking along the lines that since they rank the waitlist after the interviews are done, hopefully it wont hurt toooo much that we interviewed late -- i mean, personally i think my hurdle in getting an interview was my numbers so they finally got over that and interviewed me, im hoping that the rest of my application and interviews will speak for themselves and ill get an ok spot on the waitlist as opposed to being kicked to the bottom of the list simply because i interviewed later... does that make sense?? not that i think its a totally level playing ground at this point, but hopefully the post-interview season ranking will help out