2008-2009 University of Illinois (UIC) Secondary Application Thread

[l7anxtl7lvln2n]

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Thanks Hypnix... I am also VERY grateful to have an interview...Its my first so I am kind of nervous because its my number one choice. I have another interview a couple days later at a school that I am not so keen about attending (kind of wish it was in reverse order so I would have some practise first).

I will focus on preparing tho....I believe God knows best

I feel you ChichiMD. I'm kinda in the same situation you're in. This is my first interview but I have one few days after. Mines should be interesting as I'll be interviewing the week of Thanksgiving break. So nervous yet excited!😱 Good luck and I hope we both make it!

 

[rjpark2]

i had a dream last night that i got a large envelope from uic. i cried tears of joy. then i woke up. =(

 

[BambiMD]

Did you give them a call and schedule?

Actually, I called them twice today to try to schedule. The second time I spoke to a LIVE human being who politely asked me to call back tomorrow when she opens up more interview slots.

Oh, well...one more day isn't going to kill me...

 

[hypnix]

i had a dream last night that i got a large envelope from uic. i cried tears of joy. then i woke up. =(

Me too! I had the same dream where I received a large envelope and joyfully looked through all the information. Hopefully the dream is prophetic!

 

[Chicago Person]

Hi guys,
I have a question I'd like your opinions on. My interview is approaching quickly, and its in the swell ol' city of Rockford.

I've lived in Chicago for some time now. There is no doubt in my mind that I want to take the Chicago track. In the interview, they will no doubt ask some type of "Why did you want to come here for medical school?" question. If I answer that question using "here" = Chicago, I could talk for an hours. But would the people in Rockford frown upon that?

After all, there is no guarantee that there will be Chicago spots available if/when they accept me. But I feel like I could really answer the question better as if I was being interviewed specifically for a Chicago spot. Do I take a risk and give a strong answer, or do I give a weaker generic answer (about why I want to attend University of Illinois as a whole) to play it safe?

Your input would be appreciated!

 

[iduwanna]

Hi guys,
I have a question I'd like your opinions on. My interview is approaching quickly, and its in the swell ol' city of Rockford.

I've lived in Chicago for some time now. There is no doubt in my mind that I want to take the Chicago track. In the interview, they will no doubt ask some type of "Why did you want to come here for medical school?" question. If I answer that question using "here" = Chicago, I could talk for an hours. But would the people in Rockford frown upon that?

After all, there is no guarantee that there will be Chicago spots available if/when they accept me. But I feel like I could really answer the question better as if I was being interviewed specifically for a Chicago spot. Do I take a risk and give a strong answer, or do I give a weaker generic answer (about why I want to attend University of Illinois as a whole) to play it safe?

Your input would be appreciated!

I think you're still good to go w/ the Chicago answer. A friend interviewed last January and still got a spot in Chicago.

I'd preface it with a sentance or two about your desire to attend any of the campuses and then proceed with the Chi-town schpiel for the kill.

 

[Michael845]

i think i fell in love with a med school

 

[kac714]

i just checked my status and got an interview!!!

 

[MDWannabe2009]

i just checked my status and got an interview!!!

Just curious, but when were you complete?

 

[kac714]

9/8. i'm instate. and i had a 31 and a 3.5

 

[Brock Samson]

.

 

[kac714]

it was like 2.5 weeks for me.

 

[MDWannabe2009]

just got the interview scheduling page!

 

[herewego]

So I called today, and the woman who answered the phone said they had not heard anything from the "screeners" about my application.

I was complete early Sept.

Guess I'm not out of it but not worth an interview yet 🙁

 

[BambiMD]

Congrats KAC and MDWannabe!

I keep calling the Admissions Office, each time they tell me to call back at "X" time because they need to open up more interview slots. And, when I call back at "X" time, they tell me to call back at "Y" time...

This has happened 4 times already...kind of frustrating.

At least, they're polite about it.

 

[kac714]

same here. i've called 3 times since getting the invite. she told me to call back tomorrow.

 

[kac714]

for those of you who interviewed in peoria, where did you stay?

 

[MDWannabe2009]

kac - were you able to sign up for an interview? I checked the status page, and the only available slots were on Jan 6th in Peoria. I'm thinking about waiting a few more days to see if anything in Chicago opens up.

 

[kac714]

yea... i picked the 6th in peoria... its only a couple hours from chicago. i wanted to get the earliest possible date.

 

[BambiMD]

kac - were you able to sign up for an interview? I checked the status page, and the only available slots were on Jan 6th in Peoria. I'm thinking about waiting a few more days to see if anything in Chicago opens up.

Yeah, when I talked to them today, all they had was Jan. 6th--which is a no go for my schedule. I inquired about how often they open up spots--and she couldn't say; it's rather irregular. So, she just suggested I just keep calling until a date that opens up fits with my schedule...

 

[Michael845]

november intervieweees... does anyone know when the november meeting is? they said we'd be discussed then but i don't know when "then" is

 

[DrJD]

november intervieweees... does anyone know when the november meeting is? they said we'd be discussed then but i don't know when "then" is

I am pretty sure that it is Thursday the 20th, but I'm not positive. If anybody else knows for sure let us know though. This next couple weeks is going to go by slowly!!

So for those of you who were accepted in the first batch lets condense our rumors.

1) If you got the decision made on XX-XX-XX message + CBC did that = acceptance?

2) If you got just the decision made on XX-XX-XX message = rejection?
IE. Was there anybody who got this message but still got the large envelope?

 

[DrJD]

To those of you who accepted your acceptance from last month here which campus did you pick and why? Its a big decision! If you picked the Chicago campus was there a reason other than, "its in chicago?"

 

[halekulani]

does anyone have tips or a list of topics covered in the interview (other than what you wrote in your app?)?

 

[RafaTech]

I am pretty sure that it is Thursday the 20th, but I'm not positive. If anybody else knows for sure let us know though. This next couple weeks is going to go by slowly!!

So for those of you who were accepted in the first batch lets condense our rumors.

1) If you got the decision made on XX-XX-XX message + CBC did that = acceptance?

2) If you got just the decision made on XX-XX-XX message = rejection?
IE. Was there anybody who got this message but still got the large envelope?

I received two emails, one including the CBC. Then two days later I had an acceptance envelope in the mail.

 

[229756]

I am pretty sure that it is Thursday the 20th, but I'm not positive. If anybody else knows for sure let us know though. This next couple weeks is going to go by slowly!!

So for those of you who were accepted in the first batch lets condense our rumors.

1) If you got the decision made on XX-XX-XX message + CBC did that = acceptance?

2) If you got just the decision made on XX-XX-XX message = rejection?
IE. Was there anybody who got this message but still got the large envelope?

I got the decision made message followed by the CBC email the next morning. The packet arrived two days later. I have a buddy who got the decision made message, but he hadn't been invited to interview, so he got a rejection letter in the mail about a week later.

 

[229756]

To those of you who accepted your acceptance from last month here which campus did you pick and why? Its a big decision! If you picked the Chicago campus was there a reason other than, "its in chicago?"

In the end, I ranked my choices as:

1-Urbana
2-Peoria
3-Rockford

I'm not MD/PhD, but I would really like to stay in Urbana all four years rather than move after year one. I checked all of the residency matches, and all of the campuses (doesn't it sound like it should be campi?) seemed to do pretty well, but Urbana had a lot of really great matches (though mostly due to the fact that they're mainly MD/PhD, I'm sure). I liked Peoria where I interviewed just because the smaller class size seemed to help the students work well together. Since it's rare for an MD-only to stay in Urbana, odds are I'll end up here for years 2-4. I know the lifestyle is a lot slower-paced than Chicago, but I think the student atmosphere will be good -- they really tried to make themselves attractive to us during the interviews. I also liked the fact that cost of living in Peoria or Urbana is much lower than that in Chicago. I'm just not crazy about living in a big city (hometown = 3000 people). There are my reasons.

 

[happygirl]

Hi, I'm looking into Chicago hotels for my upcoming interview and I have a question. For those of you familiar with the area, if I stay in the Marriott at Medical District ("across the street from UIC"), can I really just walk over for my interview? It's a lil expensive, so I'm debating whether or not to fork over the $$ for the sake of convenience. Also, I believe this hotel is close to a station, so I will be able to take the blue line (i think) from Midway to save on travel money.
thanks for the help!

 

[BeardedRunner]

Peoria Overnight Housing - Best place to stay is probably with a student, the apt. complex associated with the medical school is across the street. I also saw a hotel that was about 50 yards away.

Campus Selection - I chose Chicago because I was not impressed with the facilities in Peoria.

 

[Chicago Person]

Hi, I'm looking into Chicago hotels for my upcoming interview and I have a question. For those of you familiar with the area, if I stay in the Marriott at Medical District ("across the street from UIC"), can I really just walk over for my interview? It's a lil expensive, so I'm debating whether or not to fork over the $$ for the sake of convenience. Also, I believe this hotel is close to a station, so I will be able to take the blue line (i think) from Midway to save on travel money.
thanks for the help!

Yes, you can walk over to your interview from the Marriott. Its about two blocks away, I'd say a 5 minute walk if you're walking the pace of someone excited to get to their interview 🙂

You'll walk down Polk Street heading west, and you should pass right by the Blue Line station (its about halfway between the hotel and the school). I don't think the Blue Line will take you directly to Midway, but you can transfer for free onto the Orange Line (or is it Red line? Either orange or red) for free and get to Midway.

 

[Chicago Person]

does anyone have tips or a list of topics covered in the interview (other than what you wrote in your app?)?

Just from reading the interview feedback, I found that the following questions were consistently asked in some form:

What do you think is the problem with the healthcare system, and what would you do to change it?

What do you think about socialized healthcare?

Why do you want to come here for medical school?

What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

Can you handle the stress of medical school?


And they always ask a few questions specific to your secondary and/or personal statement. They usually throw a medical ethics question in there too.

 

[unlucky87]

Hi guys,
Just wondering how long it takes for AMCAS to send our recommendation letters to UIC and to show up on status page. AMCAS received my letters in the 2nd week of september, but UIC status page does not show it as received. I called the admissions 3 weeks ago and they told me to contact in 3 weeks. I called them yesterday (still as incomplete) and the lady told me that it will take some time because they are backed up. Seriously? They have my application ready and money but just not letters. I am very worried and not sure what is going on.

 

[sleepy12]

Has anyone been rejected post-interview yet? Has anyone been waitlisted yet? Did anyone who interviewed in Sept/early Oct NOT receive any news yet?

 

[Michael845]

I am pretty sure that it is Thursday the 20th, but I'm not positive. If anybody else knows for sure let us know though. This next couple weeks is going to go by slowly!!

thanks DrJD! good luck

 

[RafaTech]

Has anyone been rejected post-interview yet? Has anyone been waitlisted yet? Did anyone who interviewed in Sept/early Oct NOT receive any news yet?

What they told us at the interview that if you aren't accepted initially after your interview, your file will be put back for review at other review dates.

 

[RafaTech]

Hi, I'm looking into Chicago hotels for my upcoming interview and I have a question. For those of you familiar with the area, if I stay in the Marriott at Medical District ("across the street from UIC"), can I really just walk over for my interview? It's a lil expensive, so I'm debating whether or not to fork over the $$ for the sake of convenience. Also, I believe this hotel is close to a station, so I will be able to take the blue line (i think) from Midway to save on travel money.
thanks for the help!

So what I actually did to save money was stay near the o'hare where the hotels are a lot cheaper than near the school. Then I just took the blue line into the school on the day of the interview. It took about an hour, and since I had the afternoon interview schedule I didnt have to wake up really early to get there on time. The blue line drops you off about a 5-7 min walk from the school. The pink line drops you off about 3 mins from the school. Good luck.

 

[happygirl]

So what I actually did to save money was stay near the o'hare where the hotels are a lot cheaper than near the school. Then I just took the blue line into the school on the day of the interview. It took about an hour, and since I had the afternoon interview schedule I didnt have to wake up really early to get there on time. The blue line drops you off about a 5-7 min walk from the school. The pink line drops you off about 3 mins from the school. Good luck.

cool! thanks the suggestion =)

 

[DrJD]

cool! thanks the suggestion =)

Thats what I did as well... I had the morning interview and it still wasnt too bad to get there on time. From the hotel I was at to UIC it took between 1.5 and 1.75 hours, wasn't too bad for the saved money.

 

[skrilladoc]

all i have to do is walk on down to the college of medicine building 🙂

 

[San Marzano]

but does the spouse have to work and live in IL for a year as well? or is it instanteous for them? cuz that would mean i would still have to pay OOS for at least the first year until his income was verifed or however they check up on that...

Someone asked this question when I was there for my interview. He said that your spouse has to be an IL resident before you get married. If you are married to someone and you both move to IL at the same time you'll never be considered a resident as long as your purpose for being here is to be a student.

 

[DrJD]

Someone asked this question when I was there for my interview. He said that your spouse has to be an IL resident before you get married. If you are married to someone and you both move to IL at the same time you'll never be considered a resident as long as your purpose for being here is to be a student.

I assume you are saying that if you are married, both move and the spouse also goes to school or doesn't work? Cause if not I don't think this is right... Could you expound further on what was said?

If your spouse works and earns more than half of the expenses for the year (Over 35K) then the second year you would be considered a resident. There is a long list of things they look for to prove that you are a resident at that point, voter registration, driver's license, etc. etc.

I was told by an interviewer that "and since your married by your second year you'd be paying instate tuition, she's going to be working right?"

Anyway, if your spouse moves to Illinois and isn't enrolled in school and pays state taxes for a year they become a resident and then by proxy so do you. This is my understanding based on UIC's website, and talking with the people there. But obviously the only people who could tell you for 100% would be the financial aid office.

 

[San Marzano]

I assume you are saying that if you are married, both move and the spouse also goes to school or doesn't work? Cause if not I don't think this is right... Could you expound further on what was said?

If your spouse works and earns more than half of the expenses for the year (Over 35K) then the second year you would be considered a resident. There is a long list of things they look for to prove that you are a resident at that point, voter registration, driver's license, etc. etc.

I was told by an interviewer that "and since your married by your second year you'd be paying instate tuition, she's going to be working right?"

Anyway, if your spouse moves to Illinois and isn't enrolled in school and pays state taxes for a year they become a resident and then by proxy so do you. This is my understanding based on UIC's website, and talking with the people there. But obviously the only people who could tell you for 100% would be the financial aid office.

The question asked was if the spouse worked full time. The one who answered worked for admissions though so maybe financial aid can clear it up better.

 

[nellia]

alright going on week 7 on applicant in status . it feels like it has been an eternity .. hopefully i will hear good news soon .. fingers crossed

 

[rjpark2]

yeah, i'm so sick of waiting. I'm pretty sure i've been on applicant in process for about...oh, i don't know 2 and a half months!!!!! *sigh*

 

[Chicago Person]

Hi guys,
I think the general consensus is that the AdCom is going to be meeting on 11/20 to make decisions for the latest batch of interviewees. You think we'll get a decision made before thanksgiving weekend rolls around?

 

[hypnix]

Hi guys,
I think the general consensus is that the AdCom is going to be meeting on 11/20 to make decisions for the latest batch of interviewees. You think we'll get a decision made before thanksgiving weekend rolls around?

I sure hope so!

 

[San Marzano]

I interviewed in the last couple of weeks, my status is now "decision pending"... they told us when I interviewed that the committee will meet next week, but I don't want to wait any longer! 🙂

 

[eelleellee]

Does anyone know if the afternoon interview in Peoria actually goes until 4:30 pm or if it ends a bit earlier than that? Other interviews I've been on tended to end earlier than they said they would.

I'm concerned because I have an 8:40 pm flight out of Midway that I would prefer not missing.

Thanks.

 

[Proctodoc]

Does anyone know if the afternoon interview in Peoria actually goes until 4:30 pm or if it ends a bit earlier than that? Other interviews I've been on tended to end earlier than they said they would.

I'm concerned because I have an 8:40 pm flight out of Midway that I would prefer not missing.

Thanks.

Might be cutting it close! I was last in my group to interview and I left at 4:10pm and got to suburbs of Chicago around 7:00pm. Now Midway is a bit further to go than where I live, so suppose another 40 mins, you would get to Midway just in time to check in, run, and board. You can actually call UIC at Peoria and ask what your interview slot is, just so you know and can plan accordingly. Some people are done as early as 2:30pm.

 

[goone2524]

yeah, i'm so sick of waiting. I'm pretty sure i've been on applicant in process for about...oh, i don't know 2 and a half months!!!!! *sigh*

Is it me or do the words "Applicant in Process" piss you off so much you just wanna kick the screen. 😡😡 🙁🙁