2009-2010 University of Chicago (Pritzker) Application Thread

[pOrtEnt]

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They talk about it in an podcast...about 200-250 people are put on hold every year and between 15-30 eventually get interviews.

This is a really interesting fact for anyone put on hold. If 15-30 get interviewed from the hold pool, that sends your odds of getting an interview damn near about right back where you started (9.62% of applicants received interviews 2 years ago according to USNEWS). So you really are getting put on a "hold"

That is a very very low interview percentage, but it should be nice for some of you to know you have the same odds of receiving an interview that you had when you started!

 

[BerlinDude]

I don''t understand why they put me on hold for an interview....I got 4.0/40 combo and all the usual EC stuffs...🙁They cant be freaking serious...

HAHA, that is so funny. When you get accepted to one of your top choices you should send them an e-mail with that exact post.

Seriously though, I have had the exact same thought many many times. I was flat out rejected from Mayo Clinic (no LOR request or anything), and my roommate with an MCAT score 10 points below mine got an interview. Whatever, no worries.

 

[longhorn09]

This is a really interesting fact for anyone put on hold. If 15-30 get interviewed from the hold pool, that sends your odds of getting an interview damn near about right back where you started (9.62% of applicants received interviews 2 years ago according to USNEWS). So you really are getting put on a "hold"

That is a very very low interview percentage, but it should be nice for some of you to know you have the same odds of receiving an interview that you had when you started!

But when you are put "on hold", you are competing with all the overachievers, not with the common applicants anymore.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

I just got the secondary today (added it later).

I think I might just save the $ after hearing some of this.

(11-11-10 P 3.76c, 3.68s)

 

[FSAP]

Put on hold 37O, 3.91sgpa 3.97cgpa. First bad news for me and it made me pretty sad because this was a top choice. Looks like all bad news today? Or did I miss someone. Oh, well I have 24 other baskets to put my eggs into! plus it looks like they interview about 10% of the hold list, so if they accept 20% of the people they interview, I still have a solid 2% chance 😳!

I hope you get an interview. This is really close to my stats and I got mine, but already got canned at Northwestern for whatever reason. Adcom mind works in strange ways.

 

[FSAP]

This is a really interesting fact for anyone put on hold. If 15-30 get interviewed from the hold pool, that sends your odds of getting an interview damn near about right back where you started (9.62% of applicants received interviews 2 years ago according to USNEWS). So you really are getting put on a "hold"

That is a very very low interview percentage, but it should be nice for some of you to know you have the same odds of receiving an interview that you had when you started!

Not really the same odds. Original total includes all the low stat hail mary's that had no shot of getting in. It seems that people put on hold are pretty competitive, so the true odds adjusted to competition are actually lower.

 

[mdeast]

Not really the same odds. Original total includes all the low stat hail mary's that had no shot of getting in. It seems that people put on hold are pretty competitive, so the true odds adjusted to competition are actually lower.

You also have to remember that many of these applicants may become disinterested in Pritzker after being put on hold...and many being strong candidates will already have acceptances at other schools by the time December/January rolls around. Suffice to say, I'd assume a lot of those put on hold won't send an update letter...which probably is almost a requirement for students to be considered again later on. In general, a hold means they were probably interested in you as a candidate but unsure about a certain part of your application. If they didn't like you, they would have rejected you....look at all the rejections on this thread from amazing applicants. Also check out the pod-cast...they talk about this whole hold process briefly but clearly....mainly that they think certain candidates (especially those put on hold) may change their opinions about the type of medical school and locations they want to pursue after interviewing throughout september, october, and november...so they don't expect the entirety of the 200-250 students put on hold to necessarily want an interview.

If you were put on hold, I'd suggest a good update letter sometime in November if you're still seriously considering UChicago and want to be looked at. Who knows who you'll feel about it in three months? (BTW, i'm on hold as well, so this is my perspective)

 

[FSAP]

You also have to remember that many of these applicants may become disinterested in Pritzker after being put on hold...and many being strong candidates will already have acceptances at other schools by the time December/January rolls around. Suffice to say, I'd assume a lot of those put on hold won't send an update letter...which probably is almost a requirement for students to be considered again later on. In general, a hold means they were probably interested in you as a candidate but unsure about a certain part of your application. If they didn't like you, they would have rejected you....look at all the rejections on this thread from amazing applicants. Also check out the pod-cast...they talk about this whole hold process briefly but clearly....mainly that they think certain candidates (especially those put on hold) may change their opinions about the type of medical school and locations they want to pursue after interviewing throughout september, october, and november...so they don't expect the entirety of the 200-250 students put on hold to necessarily want an interview.

If you were put on hold, I'd suggest a good update letter sometime in November if you're still seriously considering UChicago and want to be looked at. Who knows who you'll feel about it in three months? (BTW, i'm on hold as well, so this is my perspective)

But then you got less spots up in the air because a post hold interview will probably be late. But this is all semantics at this point.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Midway, I'd say you have a very good chance. Midway is a ton less busy and much closer to UChicago than O'hare. Be ready to haul, but you should be good. Make sure you take the train. No matter what, take the train. 5:00PM drive out to midway from UChicago is suicide because it's in the direction of traffic and it's 5:00. Get to a train ASAP after figuring out the train schedule (it's online). Plan accordingly. Hope this helps!

My flight is 7pm out of MDW as well, and I've been looking at this map trying to figure it out.

http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap_aug09.pdf

Presumably Midway Airport uses Midway station (orange line), and Google Maps reveals the nearest CTA station to be Garfield on the green line. The trip from Garfield to the transfer station and then to Midway looks like 2 x 20 minutes, not counting two train waits and counting walking (looks like a mile on both ends), I think the trip is likely to exceed an hour, and at worst, take quite a bit longer.

Now, I don't plan to have check in luggage, so this is seems doable, although I'd imagine it will be fairly nerve-wracking. Anyone know of a better way to do this? Is taking a cab to a station on the orange line to avoid the transfer likely to be any faster? Thanks!

 

[nosugrefneb]

so I know that Pritzker is one of those "fit" schools. So what do they specifically look for in each applicant to determine if him or her is a great "fit" for the school? thanks a lot!

Hi,

A lot of folks have been baffled by this mystical "Pritzker fit" thing; I thought I'd let you know that we discussed this exact topic on Episode 8 of the Pritzker Podcast (Chapter 5). Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what the admissions folks are looking for.

Best,
Ben

 

[MBHockey]

Hi,

A lot of folks have been baffled by this mystical "Pritzker fit" thing; I thought I'd let you know that we discussed this exact topic on Episode 8 of the Pritzker Podcast (Chapter 5). Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what the admissions folks are looking for.

Best,
Ben

I just listened to the podcast and it was very helpful. I wish all schools did this. Makes me want to go to Pritzker even more, although I'm not sure how realistic it is.

 

[candbgirl]

My flight is 7pm out of MDW as well, and I've been looking at this map trying to figure it out.

http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap_aug09.pdf

Presumably Midway Airport uses Midway station (orange line), and Google Maps reveals the nearest CTA station to be Garfield on the green line. The trip from Garfield to the transfer station and then to Midway looks like 2 x 20 minutes, not counting two train waits and counting walking (looks like a mile on both ends), I think the trip is likely to exceed an hour, and at worst, take quite a bit longer.

Now, I don't plan to have check in luggage, so this is seems doable, although I'd imagine it will be fairly nerve-wracking. Anyone know of a better way to do this? Is taking a cab to a station on the orange line to avoid the transfer likely to be any faster? Thanks!

University of Chicago has shuttle buses that run from the med center to the trains. I don't much abut them but I see them around campus. Call and ask about them. It is actually closer t 30 minutes from the transfer station to MDW on the Orange line. But the trains run very frequently so you won't have to wait long at all. If you are taking a cab just take it to MDW. Much quicker since it is a straight shot down 55th street(Garfield). If you take the trains you end up going through the loop. You might also ask them if they have a shuttle to MDW or if they can rec one. Good luck,

 

[ItalianGuy13]

University of Chicago has shuttle buses that run from the med center to the trains. I don't much abut them but I see them around campus. Call and ask about them. It is actually closer t 30 minutes from the transfer station to MDW on the Orange line. But the trains run very frequently so you won't have to wait long at all. If you are taking a cab just take it to MDW. Much quicker since it is a straight shot down 55th street(Garfield). If you take the trains you end up going through the loop. You might also ask them if they have a shuttle to MDW or if they can rec one. Good luck,

From the UChicago Interview Scheduler: Conveniently (and economically!) the Chicago Transit Authority #55 bus runs a direct route from Midway Airport to Campus (you would leave the bus at the intersection of 55th Street and Ellis Avenue, then walk 2 blocks to the BSLC).

That's what I'm planning on doing, since I'm flying in/out of Midway.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

You'll be fine just as long as you take a train. Whatever you do, take a train. Walk to the train station if you have to just don't drive anywhere at that time.

...don't wait until it gets dark either, lol

From the UChicago Interview Scheduler: Conveniently (and economically!) the Chicago Transit Authority #55 bus runs a direct route from Midway Airport to Campus (you would leave the bus at the intersection of 55th Street and Ellis Avenue, then walk 2 blocks to the BSLC).

That's what I'm planning on doing, since I'm flying in/out of Midway.

University of Chicago has shuttle buses that run from the med center to the trains. I don't much abut them but I see them around campus. Call and ask about them. It is actually closer t 30 minutes from the transfer station to MDW on the Orange line. But the trains run very frequently so you won't have to wait long at all. If you are taking a cab just take it to MDW. Much quicker since it is a straight shot down 55th street(Garfield). If you take the trains you end up going through the loop. You might also ask them if they have a shuttle to MDW or if they can rec one. Good luck,

The bus looks great (should be no more than an hour, assuming nothing funny happens), but how bad will the traffic be?

 

[cardinalsrock]

I was put on hold last week (AKA the "we're going to make it a slow and painful rejection" option). Pritzker doesn't love me like I love them :cry:

 

[mrfuumanchu206]

Just submitted my secondary finally.. I know I'm real slow 🙁. Now comes the long wait for rejection

 

[candbgirl]

The bus from campus to MDW should be no longer than one hour and probably much less. You'll have plenty of time to make your flight at 7pm.

 

[neuronc]

Just submitted my secondary finally.. I know I'm real slow 🙁. Now comes the long wait for rejection

They get to you in two weeks or a little longer. Quickest turnaround from any school I've seen.

 

[MBHockey]

Is it a snail mail or email rejection? (this is a definite reach school for me, i'm just curious how this all ends)

🙂

 

[mirrorpair]

Invite from status page. Very happy--this is one of my top choices!

 

[CielloStelatto]

On hold...

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Is there an exam going on for first years now? I've filled out the online form, replied to the student hosting coordinator a while back, then sent a reminder email two days ago and still have not received any response. I'll be there in a little more than a week, does this mean that no one is going to host me? 🙁

 

[Snurping]

Is there an exam going on for first years now? I've filled out the online form, replied to the student hosting coordinator a while back, then sent a reminder email two days ago and still have not received any response. I'll be there in a little more than a week, does this mean that no one is going to host me? 🙁

I wouldn't worry TOO much. I didn't have a host until a day or two before I went out to Chicago. I think the schedules of the hosts are usually pretty hectic so someone may not be sure they can host until closer to the date. You could always book a hotel, though, if you're feeling nervous and cancel it, if necessary. Good luck!

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I wouldn't worry TOO much. I didn't have a host until a day or two before I went out to Chicago. I think the schedules of the hosts are usually pretty hectic so someone may not be sure they can host until closer to the date. You could always book a hotel, though, if you're feeling nervous and cancel it, if necessary. Good luck!

Alright, thanks! I was just hoping they would give me some kind of acknowledgment. A "we'll get back to you later" email would have been really nice..

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Alright, thanks! I was just hoping they would give me some kind of acknowledgment. A "we'll get back to you later" email would have been really nice..

Hilariously enough, I got that email the next day. They tend to assign hosts only about 3 - 4 days before, so for other people interviewing, you don't need to get as worried as I did. ^^

 

[mirrorpair]

.

 

[roaming]

They get to you in two weeks or a little longer. Quickest turnaround from any school I've seen.

Is this still true? I thought that UChicago would have slowed down around late August/throughout September and beyond as they get more applications? Has anyone from late August/early September received notification of decision? I was complete Sep 3rd. Thanks!

 

[Contrarian]

They get to you in two weeks or a little longer. Quickest turnaround from any school I've seen.

Is this still true? I thought that UChicago would have slowed down around late August/throughout September and beyond as they get more applications? Has anyone from late August/early September received notification of decision? I was complete Sep 3rd. Thanks!

Nope. Waiting.

 

[AL24]

Is this still true? I thought that UChicago would have slowed down around late August/throughout September and beyond as they get more applications? Has anyone from late August/early September received notification of decision? I was complete Sep 3rd. Thanks!

Complete 9/4, still waiting.

 

[sr9]

Sorry if this has already come up, but does anyone know how long they take to download recommendation letters from AMCAS?

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I have heard that all three interviewers have access to your AMCAS, but only the administrator has access to your secondary and LoRs. Can anyone who knows more verify this? Thanks!

 

[nosugrefneb]

I have heard that all three interviewers have access to your AMCAS, but only the administrator has access to your secondary and LoRs. Can anyone who knows more verify this? Thanks!

That's correct as far as I know. We students only get the AMCAS sans grades and MCAT scores; no secondaries, no letters.

 

[lmrdx]

Interview Invite!!! WOOOTTT!!!! Complete 8/27

 

[Beta Cell]

That's correct as far as I know. We students only get the AMCAS sans grades and MCAT scores; no secondaries, no letters.

That's a very interesting strategy. Thanks for the info!

 

[Beta Cell]

Interview Invite!!! WOOOTTT!!!! Complete 8/27

Congratulations!

 

[killakam10]

Interview Invite!!! WOOOTTT!!!! Complete 8/27

I just got put on hold 😕......Anyone in this situation last year and got offered an interview later??? Any suggestions on how to make my self my appealing please send them my way!!!!!!!!

 

[MzzLLX]

OMG Interview Invite!!! 🙂
Checked via Status...no email yet. The email comes later apparently:

Final Decision for Interview Invitation has been Made: Yes

Congratulations! You have been invited for an on-campus interview. Within the next 3 business days you will be receiving an email from us letting you know further details about the interview process and a range of possible dates for your visit. We are looking forward to meeting you in person!

The status is updated before the interview invite email is sent.

For those of you interested I was complete 9/8/2009.

This makes spending all that time on their secondary worth it.

Best of luck guys! 👍

 

[Contrarian]

OMG Interview Invite!!! 🙂
Checked via Status...no email yet. The email comes later apparently:

Final Decision for Interview Invitation has been Made: Yes

Congratulations! You have been invited for an on-campus interview. Within the next 3 business days you will be receiving an email from us letting you know further details about the interview process and a range of possible dates for your visit. We are looking forward to meeting you in person!

The status is updated before the interview invite email is sent.

For those of you interested I was complete 9/8/2009.

This makes spending all that time on their secondary worth it.

Best of luck guys! 👍

I'm more than slightly jealous. Out of curiosity, do you know if the status got updated over the weekend? I'm wondering if I should still obsessively be checking my status today and tomorrow.

 

[BerlinDude]

I'm more than slightly jealous. Out of curiosity, do you know if the status got updated over the weekend? I'm wondering if I should still obsessively be checking my status today and tomorrow.

My status was updated on one other school over Labor day weekend, so yes it can happen. But even if it won't get updated, you should still obsessively check your status page (for practice).

 

[Contrarian]

My status was updated on one other school over Labor day weekend, so yes it can happen. But even if it won't get updated, you should still obsessively check your status page (for practice).

haha, trust me bro, I'm already a seasoned pro at this.

 

[not respect]

Anyone apply to here MSTP? I got an interview but it seems like it's MD, the MSTP interview according to the site is in January. So do we have to interview like all MD only students then visit again for the MSTP interview if they like us?

 

[nosugrefneb]

Sorry if this has already come up, but does anyone know how long they take to download recommendation letters from AMCAS?

http://pritzkerpodcast.com/2009/08/06/22-listener-questions, 3:19

 

[KTNY]

a

 

[KTNY]

And I am psychic, rejection!

 

[tulli]

And I am psychic, rejection!

I'm sorry 🙁 Their loss ... I'd want a psychic doctor!

 

[huybeme]

Put on hold. Hello, fellow hold-ers...

complete 9/8, so that was quite a quick turnaround.

 

[mdeast]

Put on hold. Hello, fellow hold-ers...

complete 9/8, so that was quite a quick turnaround.

Welcome to the club. Definitely write a follow up email come late November if you decide you still want an interview at that point in the game.

 

[BerlinDude]

...and rejection.

Whatever Pritzker, Illinois sucks, Chicago sucks, and your school sucks too. I only applied for the money. I would never consider going to your school (unless you paid me money).

 

[Contrarian]

Hold. heartbreaking, this was probably my number 1.

 

[CielloStelatto]

charming ^^ (sorry c, didn't mean you. )