2009-2010 University of Chicago (Pritzker) Application Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Members don't see this ad.
Chili Con Carne said:
I actually asked Sylvia Robertson if the adcoms would appreciate it if I brought some med-themed desserts to help them make their decisions. She mentioned desserts would be great, but update letters are good for now.:laugh:
Click to expand...
hahahahaha niiiice! just out of curiosity, do you email your letters to the general pritzker admissions email or straight to the admin that you interviewed with?
 
BBender716 said:
hahahahaha niiiice! just out of curiosity, do you email your letters to the general pritzker admissions email or straight to the admin that you interviewed with?
Click to expand...

I was sending update letters/LOI to Joni, but she left on maternity leave. Now I send my updates to Sylvia Robertson. However, I had a little bit of trouble contacting her last week, but I am assuming it was due to the second-look preparation.
 
Chili Con Carne said:
I was sending update letters/LOI to Joni, but she left on maternity leave. Now I send my updates to Sylvia Robertson. However, I had a little bit of trouble contacting her last week, but I am assuming it was due to the second-look preparation.
Click to expand...
I was wondering if I should stop sending them to the general email and start sending them to the admin in familiar with or if it makes a difference... Hmm I think the next one I'll send David Owen's way!
 
Chili Con Carne said:
Bbender and adreamer, I'm hoping we all get some great news over the next month(s) from this place!🙂 I'm at the point where I may have to develop a really creative way of expressing how much I would love to attend Pritzker. Just not sure how to make use of my time besides watching this thread 😀
Click to expand...

👍

Nothing would bring me more joy than if things turned out well for all of us, for the simple fact that then we can have that awkward moment when we meet in person and can say...''Ohhhhh you'rrrreee Bbendeeerrr/aDreaaammerr/Chili Con Carneeee". Doesn't get much stranger than that lol!

Bbender, I've been sending mine to a specific person (Joni because she interviewed me, then David Owen because I later talked with him on the phone) and CC'ing in the general admissions group. I still address it "Dear Admissions Committee" though. (except for my thank you to Joni which went right to her). The bad part is that none of us can really know which way is best/most effective. At least not for awhile...!
 
Last edited:
BBender716 said:
Thanks mdeast! I have two main purposes behind posting in this thread: to reduce my neuroticism and to entertain. I'm glad I have accomplished one of those :laugh:
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better :laugh:

For my next trick, I will demonstrate how to obsessively scour past forums for hours to search for past trends and analyze the time frame, in days and weeks, when you are most likely to hear back. (A true skill I assure you--considering the changing composition of the admissions committee, changes in class size, shifting second look days, etc.--a lot to factor in. A true science. Might squeeze in a senior thesis out of this whole thing)
 
aDreamer said:
👍

Nothing would bring me more joy than if things turned out well for all of us, for the simple fact that then we can have that awkward moment when we meet in person and can say...''Ohhhhh you'rrrreee Bbendeeerrr/aDreaaammerr/Chili Con Carneeee". Doesn't get much stranger than that lol!

Bbender, I've been sending mine to a specific person (Joni because she interviewed me, then David Owen because I later talked with him on the phone) and CC'ing in the general admissions group. I still address it "Dear Admissions Committee" though. (except for my thank you to Joni which went right to her). The bad part is that none of us can really know which way is best/most effective. At least not for awhile...!
Click to expand...
Do you send it in the body? Or do you write a mini-email to Joni with the letter attached? I've been doing the attachment dealie, but wouldn't know how to intro into "Hi David Owen, you interviewed me awhile ago..." etc.

Guess what I'm really asking is if you made the letter the body of your email or had it as an attachment, lol
 
BBender716 said:
Do you send it in the body? Or do you write a mini-email to Joni with the letter attached? I've been doing the attachment dealie, but wouldn't know how to intro into "Hi David Owen, you interviewed me awhile ago..." etc.

Guess what I'm really asking is if you made the letter the body of your email or had it as an attachment, lol
Click to expand...

If it's a LOI or activity update or something I know they will definitely put into my file, I send it in as a pdf. I go extremely formal on these, with the 2 addresses on them, date, etc. etc. The subject line I use is to the point (i.e. "Activities Update" or "Update Letter"). For the body of the email I say something like:

Hello,
Attached you will find a letter detailing my activities following the submission of my primary application.

All the best,
aDreamer

(that's almost verbatim).

If I'm sending in something that probably won't go on my file (thank-you, a question), then I'll just write a slightly less formal email with everything there in the body.

With your other question about writing to David Owen in particular, I think you're good with the direction you're going. I did a similar thing with Joni after a few months had past since my interview/thank-you and I wanted to reach out to her in particular since she would likely have been the most familiar with my file (wanted to see if there was anything else I could address/clear up). I just opened with:

"Hello Mrs. Krapec,

It's been a few months since I interviewed with you at Pritzker. Since then, I have learned that I am a continued candidate. Firstly, I should say that I am absolutely ecstatic to continue to be under consideration. Secondly, in addition to conveying my sincere interest, I am hoping to provide as much information as possible to the committee as they move forward in the decision making process blah blah..."

That's how I've been doing it anyway. Anyone have other methods/thoughts?

Hope that helps! We're all in this together!

Disclaimer: I used to work at my school's career advising center so I'm probably way more neurotic than your average applicant!
 
aDreamer said:
If it's a LOI or activity update or something I know they will definitely put into my file, I send it in as a pdf. I go extremely formal on these, with the 2 addresses on them, date, etc. etc. The subject line I use is to the point (i.e. "Activities Update" or "Update Letter"). For the body of the email I say something like:

Hello,
Attached you will find a letter detailing my activities following the submission of my primary application.

All the best,
aDreamer

(that's almost verbatim).

If I'm sending in something that probably won't go on my file (thank-you, a question), then I'll just write a slightly less formal email with everything there in the body.

With your other question about writing to David Owen in particular, I think you're good with the direction you're going. I did a similar thing with Joni after a few months had past since my interview/thank-you and I wanted to reach out to her in particular since she would likely have been the most familiar with my file (wanted to see if there was anything else I could address/clear up). I just opened with:

"Hello Mrs. Krapec,

It's been a few months since I interviewed with you at Pritzker. Since then, I have learned that I am a continued candidate. Firstly, I should say that I am absolutely ecstatic to continue to be under consideration. Secondly, in addition to conveying my sincere interest, I am hoping to provide as much information as possible to the committee as they move forward in the decision making process blah blah..."

That's how I've been doing it anyway. Anyone have other methods/thoughts?

Hope that helps! We're all in this together!

Disclaimer: I used to work at my school's career advising center so I'm probably way more neurotic than your average applicant!
Click to expand...
haha thanks! Actually, I've emailed David Owen back and forth a couple times after my interview with him, one thanking, and some others about how to further strengthen my candidacy through LOIs/updates. Then when I actually drafted the updates, I save them as PDFs and attach them in emails to the regular Pritzker admissions email address, then they add it to my file :shrug:

I just would feel bad sending things to be added to my file to David so that he has to forward to the right person to add it to my file or do it himself. On the other hand, maybe I need to just talk with him on more of a continual basis to pick his brain about if there's anything else I can possibly do (after/assuming I get on the WL).

Bwahh! Only on SDN can we find this neuroticism.
 
aDreamer said:
I'm literally 🤣 over our collective crazy. Again I say, this is not healthy!!!
Click to expand...
hahaha I'm just ready for some updates from the other side, though I know things are definitely moving behind closed doors. I just keep :xf: lol I feel like sending a letter serves two purposes: allows Pritzker to know more about me and my interest and updates, and also relieves my anxiety for about a week :laugh:
 
BBender716 said:
hahaha I'm just ready for some updates from the other side, though I know things are definitely moving behind closed doors. I just keep :xf: lol I feel like sending a letter serves two purposes: allows Pritzker to know more about me and my interest and updates, and also relieves my anxiety for about a week :laugh:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry...I'm in the middle of class and I ACTUALLY laughed out loud at that one. People think I'm crazy!!!!!!

SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really should take a vacation from this board. I'm almost sure I'm getting worse each day. I found out this morning that my good friend and her bf just decided that they're going to Pritzker. While I'm happy for her (very fairy tale like, and I'm a sap) it just reminded me that, wow, this is happening! Like you said, decisions really are being made as we speak!
 
aDreamer said:
I'm sorry...I'm in the middle of class and I ACTUALLY laughed out loud at that one. People think I'm crazy!!!!!!

SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really should take a vacation from this board. I'm almost sure I'm getting worse each day. I found out this morning that my good friend and her bf just decided that they're going to Pritzker. While I'm happy for her (very fairy tale like, and I'm a sap) it just reminded me that, wow, this is happening! Like you said, decisions really are being made as we speak!
Click to expand...
:xf: :xf: :xf: alrighty, I'm out for awhile. I'll be "holding" strong, so to speak. Wow that was terrible... lol later!
 
Haha you guys are such dorks. Reminds me of me last year, love it 🙂
 
i am on the waiting list too!!!! would love to go to school here!!
 
salam23 said:
i am on the waiting list too!!!! would love to go to school here!!
Click to expand...

Waiting list huh? Can't throw words like those around in these parts. We're much too desperate lol 🙂

You mean continued list? WL hasn't been sent out yet 😉

Hopefully we all get to that stage!
 
let's hear it for the nightly Pritzker bummmmmmmp!
 
Does anyone know when WL might go out? It looks like people from past threads have called around this time and been able to hear about their status.

Ugh.
 
aDreamer said:
Does anyone know when WL might go out? It looks like people from past threads have called around this time and been able to hear about their status.

Ugh.
Click to expand...
I heard that some received their WL notification on May 15 via snail mail. But who knows... :shrug:
 
FSAP said:
I received mine via snail mail exactly on the 15th last year.
Click to expand...

Ooh ok. I also heard that this is the big jump (making it from continued to WL) vs getting continued (or accepted) vs rejected post interview. Has anyone else heard this? I guess I'm trying to figure out how scared I should be right now. I have no idea how many people were continued (vs accepted/rejected straight out) or how big they are going to make the waitlist. I am DEFINITELY not taking it for granted that I will be waitlisted which is why I'm petrified, haha.
 
aDreamer said:
Ooh ok. I also heard that this is the big jump (making it from continued to WL) vs getting continued (or accepted) vs rejected post interview. Has anyone else heard this? I guess I'm trying to figure out how scared I should be right now. I have no idea how many people were continued (vs accepted/rejected straight out) or how big they are going to make the waitlist. I am DEFINITELY not taking it for granted that I will be waitlisted which is why I'm petrified, haha.
Click to expand...
I'm very interested in this as well. I'm hoping that the same passion and interest that keeps me posting here shines through in my letters :xf:
 
just over two weeks until WL notifications go out! :xf:
 
aDreamer said:
Here's to hoping the postal service is on their A game...any mail delay=immediate heart palpitations :laugh:
Click to expand...
True dat. Our mailman's terrible though. Delivered my neighbor's undergrad acceptance to the wrong house and had to call to school to find out that he was accepted. Ahhhh!
 
May is tomorrow (or now if you are EST)! Counting down the days, lol
 
I wonder if I should send another letter in...or if the other 4 were enough and it would just be overkill...sigh.
 
aDreamer said:
I wonder if I should send another letter in...or if the other 4 were enough and it would just be overkill...sigh.
Click to expand...
I'd wait until after a possible waitlist notification. That's when I plan on sending my next one, FWIW. 🙂
 
Did anyone else think that the Pritzker Admissions twitter would actually have tweets concerning...Pritzker admissions? lol

http://twitter.com/UCPritzker_Adm

Oh well. Pre-interview I was especially impressed with Pritzker's transparency. It means a lot when you're on the other end. Listened to the podcasts religiously...now I don't even have those to obsess over (been a dry spell). I do wish overall though that more schools would move toward a similar model, for the sake (and sanity) of future applicants.

The only school that I think gave Pritzker a really good run for transparency this cycle was UMich. They didn't have podcasts but they are ALWAYS in touch and their twitter is amazing (perhaps their twitter raised my expectations too high). Their latest:

"Waitlist Update: Being candid, no idea yet. It will be at least May 19 before I could speculate what our waitlist situation might be."

I'd kill for info that precise, those lucky, lucky b*****ds. (yay for WL neuroticism!) :laugh: The worst is the whole having no clue what's going on thing. Everyday, you're just waiting for something to happen, never really knowing when. I have this theory that THAT'S what causes the crazy...not the waiting itself but the unpredictability of the waiting...if that makes sense.

I will stop now (but if you can't de-stress on an anonymous forum of people who understand your plight where can you?) and leave it at this simple appeal: Pritzker, please love me like I love you 🙂
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the feedback. We need nudging like this—really.

They tweeted admissions updates early on in their Twitter life but quickly realized there's just not that much to say, especially now when things have largely died down, the season is mostly over, and they're just waiting for people to make decisions so they can move. You're right though—UMich's admissions Twitter is amazing. We should do everything we can to make ours as useful. The podcast has one, too: @pritzkerpodcast. (Most of it is cross-posted to the Facebook page, too.)

There are more podcast episodes planned but I've been extremely busy (second-to-last grad school committee meeting this afternoon!), Mary is done with school now, and Joni is still on maternity leave, so time is thin. Some upcoming episodes: We'll discuss the orientation week here, and we're still trying to get Funmi Olopade free for a bit to chat about international opportunities for medical students. Perhaps we can do a quick one and give a brief update on the state of affairs for those still waiting to hear something... (Any suggestions on what else you might like us to talk about?)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of you!

Best,
Ben
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 University of Chicago (Pritzker)
12 13 14 15 16
Replies
778
Views
206K
X0001234
X0001234
wysdoc
2023-2024 University of Chicago (Pritzker)
12 13 14 15 16
Replies
763
Views
214K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
wysdoc
2022-2023 University of Chicago (Pritzker)
12 13 14 15 16
Replies
755
Views
204K
snowman888
snowman888
wysdoc
2024-2025 University of Washington
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
680
Views
146K
stew_md
S
wysdoc
2021-2022 University of Chicago (Pritzker)
13 14 15 16 17
Replies
814
Views
232K
KnightDoc
K
Top