2010-2011 University of Chicago (Pritzker) Application Thread

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wow, well guys i apologize if i came off as a cocky ass hole. i was just venting a little. I just assumed there would be someone on here with a similar situation with some kind of feedback. But honestly, all of you guys are so rude, judgmental, and critical that you need to consider whether you guys should even become doctors. If you guys are so quick to pass judgment on someone and mean enough to talk like that then you guys don't even belong in a profession that involves servicing patients. You guys act like you've never over reacted or gotten mad before. "Arigoldforpres" is literally the only nice, practical, smart person on this blog and is the only one that is deserving of going to a school like Pritzker.

:corny:
 
Literally the only reason i made registered for this website was to complain about the university of chicago!
I got a 4.0 and a 40 on the MCAT and i don't get a freakin interview to Pritzker. This school isn't harvard, what the heck is wrong with these people...

so you're saying you weren't arrogant? you sound like you were ENTITLED to an interview.
 
Well guys I mean before you rush to judge here, think about it. The guy has a 4.0 and a 40. This is ridiculous, and it's kind of scary. If he didn't get an interview, WHO IS?????!!!!

According to the AAMC MCAT and GPA grid, 7.4% of applicants with GPA >= 3.8 and MCAT >= 39 do not get accepted ANYWHERE.
 
thanks again everyone, i appreciate the help
 
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oh god i love sdn... this is so much better than actually working on my ucp secondary..
 
your post juxtaposes in an amusing manner to your screenname and avatar.
 
Haha, well I have to be honest, I want to make sure my application is solid. That's the reason I'm watching this school and this thread like a hawk. I don't have the best stats in the world, but getting early decisions like these are helpful because they let you tune the rest of your applications if there is some glaring defect somewhere.
 
I completely agree with arigoldforpres. That blogger posted his grades and scores and that indicates the type of people that are competitive at a school like Pritzker. Unlike you guys, he was helping the people out. You guys are not accomplishing anything by lecturing or trying to tell someone that he/she is arrogant
 
Guys please let's not make this thread sound so ugly this early in the app process. Suffice to say every school looks for something different, and numbers alone won't make your app, especially when there are THOUSANDS of applicants for so few spots. To neilb20289: I'm sorry you were rejected, but it happens to the best of us, and no one can say what will appeal to adcoms. I understand you were venting, but you gotta understand too that when you say you registered just to complain about Pritzker, people will react. And remember no one is ever entitled to an interview anywhere. Be thankful for the ones you get, and let the others go.

Good luck to everyone.
 
This just got better. Mich creates a profile solely to post on this thread... something just isn't right about that haha. This is far too fun.

I never called him out on anything, I simply replied to arigoldforpres asking who will they interview by explaining that we know absolutely nothing about this guy so who knows what happened. Arigoldforpres I completed mine a couple of days ago and still haven't heard anything so who knows. Maybe longer is better and means I won't get rejected haha
 
This just got better. Mich creates a profile solely to post on this thread... something just isn't right about that haha. This is far too fun.

and they both refer to members as "bloggers"...

but my take on it is that above a certain threshold, numbers dont mean as much.. all numbers can say is if you can handle the rigor of medical school-- the rest of the app says a lot more IMO
 
Really sorry that you weren't offered an interview, but as many people have pointed out it isn't just about the statistics. Pritzker is looking for a very specific type of student who will be a good fit and really contribute to the social and interpersonal diversity of the class. I understand that you're upset, but perhaps accusing the school of being unreasonable or "having something wrong" is a little overboard, which is what I think some people were trying to point out.

Regardless, I'm sure you'll have many good offers from other schools, so best of luck in the future.

Everyone, let's try to keep it civil please.
 
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According to the AAMC MCAT and GPA grid, 7.4% of applicants with GPA >= 3.8 and MCAT >= 39 do not get accepted ANYWHERE.

I know a person from last cycle that was in this situation. He decided to apply late and to less than 5 schools (all top 10). After the whole process, he realized he had better things to do and moved on. He wasn't that motivated to become a physician in the first place, but still, his numbers were incredible.
 
Hey guys, how long did it take for your status page to reflect your letters of recommendation being received? I designated them last week on Wednesday but they aren't showing up on the status page yet. Thanks!
 
Mine took only 12 hours or so. I submitted my application on thursday night at around 12 am and by the middle of friday they had everything in and checked off as good to go. My letters had been on AMCAS for a week or so though.
 
Hey guys, how long did it take for your status page to reflect your letters of recommendation being received? I designated them last week on Wednesday but they aren't showing up on the status page yet. Thanks!

It took awhile. I had my application marked as complete, but it took a bit for the "recs" checkmark to get checked. It was weird.

Anyone hear anything over the weekend? I heard these guys work 24x7.
 
I call BS on that.
:laugh:
It took awhile. I had my application marked as complete, but it took a bit for the "recs" checkmark to get checked. It was weird.

Anyone hear anything over the weekend? I heard these guys work 24x7.
I was complete on the 8th when they got a chance to update my payment (which was submitted on the 2nd) and have not heard any word yet.
 
It took awhile. I had my application marked as complete, but it took a bit for the "recs" checkmark to get checked. It was weird.

Anyone hear anything over the weekend? I heard these guys work 24x7.

I dont think that was literal...they work hard and fast, but still work during a normal work week haha
 
rejected....

stats: GPA 4.0, MCAT 40+
activities: clinical + lab research, international research, 600+ clinical hours, leadership, etc

this makes me think that there is something wrong with my writing or recs or...i don't know =(
 
rejected....

stats: GPA 4.0, MCAT 40+
activities: clinical + lab research, international research, 600+ clinical hours, leadership, etc

this makes me think that there is something wrong with my writing or recs or...i don't know =(

wow, what does it take to get in?
 
rejected....

stats: GPA 4.0, MCAT 40+
activities: clinical + lab research, international research, 600+ clinical hours, leadership, etc

this makes me think that there is something wrong with my writing or recs or...i don't know =(

that is really odd. The only thing I could think of was that your personal statement was off or your secondary application responses were weird. with stats like that there are VERY few things that should have caused a problem. Just like the other dude who got rejected.

edit: then again, i think a few people did mention that pritzker is very picky about the kind of students they are interested in.
 
Also, it's important to remember that there's a pretty big element of luck here as well. There's lots of qualified applicants who would be great fits at Pritzker (or any other school) that get rejected just because it's the luck of the draw.
 
sighh.....I certainly hope there wasn't anything critically wrong with my personal statement. I tried pretty hard on it...as well as the secondary essays...

This is depressing =(

Ok....got to pull myself together. I just hope that this doesn't mean my chances at the other schools that I'm applying to are gone as well :xf:

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting, and congrats to those who got interviews!
 
Chin up! A kid at my school last cycle was accepted at Yale, Stanford, and Harvard, but didn't even receive interview invites from UChicago, UPenn, or Cornell. You're bound to have some great options with those stats.

sighh.....I certainly hope there wasn't anything critically wrong with my personal statement. I tried pretty hard on it...as well as the secondary essays...

This is depressing =(

Ok....got to pull myself together. I just hope that this doesn't mean my chances at the other schools that I'm applying to are gone as well :xf:

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting, and congrats to those who got interviews!
 
so for the question involving standing in front of a judicial committee etc the FAQ says to mention anything more serious than a parking ticket... Does that include a speeding ticket? What do you guys think?
 
so for the question involving standing in front of a judicial committee etc the FAQ says to mention anything more serious than a parking ticket... Does that include a speeding ticket? What do you guys think?

is a moving violation more serious than a parking violation? hmmmm😛
 
3.95, 39Q, thought my essays were okay... rejected.

I am so sorry for that, but with your stat, I am sure you will get offer from better places!
It seems that Pritzker has a very strong flavor, but what exactly are they looking for?
 
This school is a big reach for me. Just finished my essays, my second one is 500 words long... how strict is the word limit? They said to about 400 words... I'm only a few sentences over!
 
How long did it take for you guys to get your payment confirmed? I paid the fee, got the confirmation email, but it still doesn't show up on the website.

Good luck to those of you who didn't get interviews! I am sure you will do wonderfully elsewhere--especially with those impressive stats.:luck:
 
3.95, 39Q, thought my essays were okay... rejected.

Damn. It is indeed crazy. Chicago has always been a little "..cliquish.." Maybe they are looking closely at the undergrad school? Taking courses at multiple different schools? A connection to the area? Who knows, but to reject people with the scores that we have seen so far, this early in the cycle, means that they expect to attract some "type" of students who they consider a better fit. Weird.
 
Chin up! A kid at my school last cycle was accepted at Yale, Stanford, and Harvard, but didn't even receive interview invites from UChicago, UPenn, or Cornell. You're bound to have some great options with those stats.

Thank you rjsmit! Kind people like you always make my day better 🙂
 
To anyone still working on their secondary (like me, I'm almost done):
Has reading this thread made you nervous?

I kind of appreciate the wait time for most schools between submitting the secondary and hearing re: interviews

Now I'm afraid just to submit the secondary lol, I don't want a rejection on my mind moving forward.

Can anyone who got an interview mention if they intentionally did something quirky or weird in their essays? That worked for undergraduate apps, though I'm not so sure about their med school.

Thanks
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to wish you all the best of luck with the rest of the application process. It's a stressful and haphazard-seeming year to be sure, but it will feel incredible once it's over and you finally know where you'll be spending the next big chunk of your life.

I also wanted to advise you to be extremely careful about divulging too much specific information about yourself on this or any other public space. Even your username can give your identity away to someone who's paying attention. Your application might be perfect, but if you happen to say something unprofessional, that can really go against you in this process. Most of you have been entirely civil—almost surprisingly so—in this thread, but just always be on the lookout and keep it in the back of your head that you can't always predict who's going to read this stuff.

As always, if you have any questions for us Pritzker folks, fire away!
Ben
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to wish you all the best of luck with the rest of the application process. It's a stressful and haphazard-seeming year to be sure, but it will feel incredible once it's over and you finally know where you'll be spending the next big chunk of your life.

I also wanted to advise you to be extremely careful about divulging too much specific information about yourself on this or any other public space. Even your username can give your identity away to someone who's paying attention. Your application might be perfect, but if you happen to say something unprofessional, that can really go against you in this process. Most of you have been entirely civil—almost surprisingly so—in this thread, but just always be on the lookout and keep it in the back of your head that you can't always predict who's going to read this stuff.

As always, if you have any questions for us Pritzker folks, fire away!
Ben

We're missing you in the 2009-2010 thread, Ben! Thanks for your help an best of luck to you guys on this thread!
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to wish you all the best of luck with the rest of the application process. It's a stressful and haphazard-seeming year to be sure, but it will feel incredible once it's over and you finally know where you'll be spending the next big chunk of your life.

I also wanted to advise you to be extremely careful about divulging too much specific information about yourself on this or any other public space. Even your username can give your identity away to someone who's paying attention. Your application might be perfect, but if you happen to say something unprofessional, that can really go against you in this process. Most of you have been entirely civil—almost surprisingly so—in this thread, but just always be on the lookout and keep it in the back of your head that you can't always predict who's going to read this stuff.

As always, if you have any questions for us Pritzker folks, fire away!
Ben

Lol making me more paranoid that my "complaining" (very professionally asking if they received my payment) made them hate me. Or actually complaining on this thread...

Damn. It is indeed crazy. Chicago has always been a little "..cliquish.." Maybe they are looking closely at the undergrad school? Taking courses at multiple different schools? A connection to the area? Who knows, but to reject people with the scores that we have seen so far, this early in the cycle, means that they expect to attract some "type" of students who they consider a better fit. Weird.

I am so sorry for that, but with your stat, I am sure you will get offer from better places!
It seems that Pritzker has a very strong flavor, but what exactly are they looking for?

I noticed that they really like med students who are super pro socialized medicine, if that means anything. Not sure what else they're looking for. I figured I was a decent applicant. Is it too early to call them and be like "hey what's up dawg?"
 
To anyone still working on their secondary (like me, I'm almost done):
Has reading this thread made you nervous?

Haha I'm only a sophomore in college and this thread makes me nervous!

Good luck to everyone!!:luck:
 
Haha I'm only a sophomore in college and this thread makes me nervous!

Good luck to everyone!!:luck:

Just submitted and paid fee. It's all too real now. Good luck everyone.
 
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I noticed that they really like med students who are super pro socialized medicine, if that means anything. Not sure what else they're looking for. I figured I was a decent applicant. Is it too early to call them and be like "hey what's up dawg?"

Chicago is a fit school. They have a strong educational philosophy of interdisciplinary study and they do screen applicants to make sure that they love that sort of thing. You do not need to be pro-socialized medicine, but you should be interested in pursuing scholarship outside of conventional clinical medicine and basic science research. I interviewed there earlier this year and I enjoyed it very much. I hope that you get the opportunity to interview here as well.

Also to respond to Pritzker being cliquish - I did not get that vibe when I visited. As an aside though, all medical schools are somewhat cliquish.
 
Chicago is a fit school. They have a strong educational philosophy of interdisciplinary study and they do screen applicants to make sure that they love that sort of thing. You do not need to be pro-socialized medicine, but you should be interested in pursuing scholarship outside of conventional clinical medicine and basic science research. I interviewed there earlier this year and I enjoyed it very much. I hope that you get the opportunity to interview here as well.
I wrote about this extensively on my secondary. My interest in their economics and political science programs, especially, as well as my desire to be around other students on the UG campus either extracurricularly or in scientific pursuit. Apparently that still wasn't good enough. Being at a MD school that is part of the larger campus is a HUGE + for me.
 
I wrote about this extensively on my secondary. My interest in their economics and political science programs, especially, as well as my desire to be around other students on the UG campus either extracurricularly or in scientific pursuit. Apparently that still wasn't good enough. Being at a MD school that is part of the larger campus is a HUGE + for me.

I did too. I also wrote about how my graduate degree would tie in to my overall goals.

But, since I was complete for less than 5 hours, I have a feeling that I was screened either based on stats or based on where I took my prereqs. Because as far as interdisciplinary education goes, I am the poster child.
 
I did too. I also wrote about how my graduate degree would tie in to my overall goals.

But, since I was complete for less than 5 hours, I have a feeling that I was screened either based on stats or based on where I took my prereqs. Because as far as interdisciplinary education goes, I am the poster child.
And they say this process isn't random ;P They've definitely got some kind of d20 system going on behind the board.
 
You will get in somewhere good for sure! :luck:

You are so positive. Your numbers 38/4.0, along with your attitude will leave you with some tough choices next May 🙂
 
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