Any current CMS students here? How do you like the school (and living in North Chicago)?
Hey there, guys. I am a current M2 at CMS, as well as an Ambassador for the school (when you guys come to interview, I will be one of the ones taking care of you throughout the day. Don't worry, though, anything said on this thread stays on this thread). Feel free to PM me with any questions at any time and I will be glad to help.
If I could, I would like to address a couple of common points I have seen so far.
1. The website is a bit confusing. It is new, and they aren't done with it yet, though, so I am hopeful that it will get better.
2. The big thing about CMS admissions is that the stats don't matter as much as at other schools. They really do take a good look at the entire application. It isn't just words here. So for the people who posted about having high stats, or low stats, that doesn't mean you are automatically in or out. CMS accepts a wide range of stats, experiences, etc (there is a former opera singer in the class of 2016). For the person who posted about having high stats and the replies about the school thinking you are just applying as a safety, that is definitely not the case.
3. Slow application process- there is a lot going on, and a flood of applications. Some things take time, as agonizing as I know it is for you guys. Just try and be patient. Watching Scrubs helps. Also, it is the school's centennial this year, and there are lots of extra things going on.
4. As for those of you wanting a current student's opinion of the school, I can say there are pros and cons. It all depends on you for which is which. The area is nice, but far from the city. If you are all about city life, hip places, etc, you may find it not as good (though some students do live in the city their first 2 years, and most live in the city for the last 2). The curriculum is tough, but the administration is always listening. Case in point- the switch to pass/fail. They asked us last year, and we told them. Therefore, you guys will be the first class to have the pass/fail system.
5. This is a continuation of the last point, but is another trend that is usually the case, and I have seen some inklings of on here. Our reputation. Some people don't think we have as good of a rep as other chicago schools, however, for those in the field, we have a VERY high reputation. Our match lists are incredible, and we are always looked at favorably during rotations (which are all over the city- another plus). We consistently find that when matched up with peers from other schools, we are as good if not better than them. Also, our alumni are all over the country, and very distinguished. For example, the guy who runs the UCLA health system is a CMS grad. In fact, from what I have seen I think we run most of Southern California. Not to mention that the alumni are really cool and friendly, and extremely supportive of current students.
Sorry for the little novel, but I hope this info helps you guys out.
