2014-2015 Creighton University Application Thread

[claduva94]

I've taken sociology/statistics but have not taken biochemistry or molecular biology. And I'd definitely prefer taking those new pre-reqs than take the new MCAT over again (and at that point, it would be my 3rd time). I did not want to post-pone applying til next year but it seems like a more realistic scenario now.

They will still take the current MCAT next year. So just kill it this September!

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[Shammyguy3]

Yeah I know that, but i've read on some school's websites that they'll be changing their course pre-reqs to coincide with the new mcat. That's another thing I'm worried about unfortunately

 

[claduva94]

Yeah I know that, but i've read on some school's websites that they'll be changing their course pre-reqs to coincide with the new mcat. That's another thing I'm worried about unfortunately

Right so take the current MCAT in September, take those prereqs to be safe, and you will be ok. They will still accept the old MCAT and you will have taken it just twice.

 

[Omppu27]

I am applying this year so I don't know a lot of school-specific stuff, but I've been living in Omaha most of my life so if anyone has specific questions about the city, let me know. The Old Market/downtown area has a lot of bars/restaurants and it's pretty close to the Creighton campus, but Omaha is sprawling and there are different vibes in different parts of the city. Good luck to everyone!

What exactly do you mean by different vibes in different parts?

 

[Omppu27]

1. I'm planning on volunteering with the student-run clinic (Magis clinic)
2. The new hospital (Creighton-Allegent Health) should be ready in time for your clinical rotations. Plus you have the option of doing rotations in Phoenix instead
3. There's the Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC). Lots of opportunities compared to some other school in interviewed at, I'm looking forward to going abroad on service trips!
4. When I visited I noticed that 'Old Market District' was pretty fun for eating out/nightlife. I'm already signed up for a race in late August (distance runner). To be honest I'm not too sure though, I'm looking forward to exploring Omaha for myself.

Has the Phoenix rotation option already started? Or is this something planned for the future?

 

[Zelda840]

What exactly do you mean by different vibes in different parts?

Downtown is mostly business people/professionals during the day and young people/bar hoppers at night. Amazing zoo, huge venue for the more well-known bands that roll through.
The midtown area and Dundee are pretty diverse with lots of different age ranges and cultures. Very walkable. Also has a few bars and restaurants but they are more.....relaxed is the best way I could put it. You'd go there to have a few beers with friends, whereas you'd go downtown to party til 3am, get completely wasted and dance.
South end of town is a bit more industrial with a large Hispanic population. Great Mexican food and fun little shops. As you go further south into Bellevue, there's the air force base. Once you go far enough to hit Sarpy county, you better be on your best behavior, as the cops are well known for being arseholes.
North Omaha is the oldest part of town. Benson is a fun little neighborhood with a couple good small venues for live music. Farther northeast is filled with predominantly black neighborhoods. Fantastic BBQ and while it used to be pretty run-down, they've made some improvements to local businesses and I think the area is getting better. Still, there are gas stations where you cant go inside after dark and have to pass your money through the window with bars.
West Omaha is full of cookie cutter newer homes as well as more affluent neighborhoods. Target, Walgreens, or Applebees/chain restaurant on every corner. Very safe, but not much to do.
For an incoming student, I would highly recommend the Dundee or midtown areas.

 

[Omppu27]

Downtown is mostly business people/professionals during the day and young people/bar hoppers at night. Amazing zoo, huge venue for the more well-known bands that roll through.
The midtown area and Dundee are pretty diverse with lots of different age ranges and cultures. Very walkable. Also has a few bars and restaurants but they are more.....relaxed is the best way I could put it. You'd go there to have a few beers with friends, whereas you'd go downtown to party til 3am, get completely wasted and dance.
South end of town is a bit more industrial with a large Hispanic population. Great Mexican food and fun little shops. As you go further south into Bellevue, there's the air force base. Once you go far enough to hit Sarpy county, you better be on your best behavior, as the cops are well known for being arseholes.
North Omaha is the oldest part of town. Benson is a fun little neighborhood with a couple good small venues for live music. Farther northeast is filled with predominantly black neighborhoods. Fantastic BBQ and while it used to be pretty run-down, they've made some improvements to local businesses and I think the area is getting better. Still, there are gas stations where you cant go inside after dark and have to pass your money through the window with bars.
West Omaha is full of cookie cutter newer homes as well as more affluent neighborhoods. Target, Walgreens, or Applebees/chain restaurant on every corner. Very safe, but not much to do.
For an incoming student, I would highly recommend the Dundee or
midtown areas.

Haha awesome! Thank you so much for the explanation!

 

[Dr Turkelton]

Does anyone know how Creighton looks at SMP's/upward trends? Debating whether it's worth it to apply here with a 3.0uGPA/3.85 SMP GPA/38 mcat. Thoughts?

 

[BeancheBlanco]

Does anyone know how Creighton looks at SMP's/upward trends? Debating whether it's worth it to apply here with a 3.0uGPA/3.85 SMP GPA/38 mcat. Thoughts?

from their MSAR statistics, they seem to favor GPA over MCAT. Their GPA average is higher than similarly-ranked schools and their MCAT average is lower. They also seem to like community service, so maybe apply if you are strong in that.

 

[Entadus]

Has the Phoenix rotation option already started? Or is this something planned for the future?

This has started (in fact it has been running for around 5 years I believe). If I remember correctly, 110 students remain in Omaha while 42 head to Phoenix for clinical rotations. Keep in mind that students on the Phoenix track have the option of pursuing rotations and electives back in Omaha and vice versa

 

[ADAUC]

OFFICIALLY SUBMITTED TODAY!

 

[Hombre de Vitruvio]

This has started (in fact it has been running for around 5 years I believe). If I remember correctly, 110 students remain in Omaha while 42 head to Phoenix for clinical rotations. Keep in mind that students on the Phoenix track have the option of pursuing rotations and electives back in Omaha and vice versa

For those who are interested the Creighton Phoenix Regional Campus it is located at St. Joseph's Hospital (http://medschool.creighton.edu/phoenix/index.php) and it is the ONLY hospital it is associated with in Phoenix. Creighton is associated with more hospitals in Omaha (I think 6) since it just signed a contract with Alegent.

 

[Ginred]

Just finished my secondary. Now I'll leave it until tomorrow, proof read with fresh eyes, and submit!

 

[Omppu27]

Just finished my secondary. Now I'll leave it until tomorrow, proof read with fresh eyes, and submit!

Exactly what I just did!

Still waiting on one LOR so i think it could be awhile before i'm complete...

Best of luck to everyone! This is definitely one of my top choices!!

 

[Ginred]

Exactly what I just did!

Still waiting on one LOR so i think it could be awhile before i'm complete...

Best of luck to everyone! This is definitely one of my top choices!!

I hear you there, i'm waiting on a letter and my MCAT score will come out August 12. Still a good feeling too have this done though, like someone said earlier in the thread, this secondary was hard to start but once I got started things went smoothly

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

I just got the complete email. It seems like they really like updates, which is nice. When should we start sending them in?

 

[deleted628330]

I just got the complete email. It seems like they really like updates, which is nice. When should we start sending them in?

How long did it take for them to send you a complete e-mail after submitting the secondary?

 

[lexierae494]

Mine was about three weeks later and I sent my secondary in by July 5.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

How long did it take for them to send you a complete e-mail after submitting the secondary?

About three weeks.

EDIT: However, I was marked complete online sometime before 7/16.

 

[Ginred]

Secondary officially submitted!

 

[ccantr10]

Secondary officially submitted!

Way to go!

 

[khrisskhoras]

do they only begin verifying your letters after you submit the secondary?

 

[megan0430]

I received complete e-mail today. Submitted secondary on 7/10. Aaaaand now I wait again.

 

[Omppu27]

I received complete e-mail today. Submitted secondary on 7/10. Aaaaand now I wait again.

Wow. Did you have all the required materials once you submitted the secondary?

 

[megan0430]

Wow. Did you have all the required materials once you submitted the secondary?

Nopee. They received my LORs around 7/16, so it actually took only about a week for them to send me the completion e-mail.

 

[adimelon]

I'll be submitting tomorrow hopefully. It's been over 2 weeks I received the secondary. Hopefully it won't reflect poorly on me for taking time to submit. Everything else is in place though....

 

[Mayday_]

I'll be submitting tomorrow hopefully. It's been over 2 weeks I received the secondary. Hopefully it won't reflect poorly on me for taking time to submit. Everything else is in place though....

I'm hoping to submit tomorrow too. It'll be 2 weeks for me as well

 

[adimelon]

I'm hoping to submit tomorrow too. It'll be 2 weeks for me as well

I think we should be fine. We're early into the cycle

 

[Mayday_]

I definitely just fell in love with Creighton after doing more research for the "why Creighton" essays

 

[dudrjsmed]

Does anyone else still have the letter of recommendations marked as "unknown'? It's been 2 weeks since submission for me..

 

[claduva94]

Does anyone else still have the letter of recommendations marked as "unknown'? It's been 2 weeks since submission for me..

Took 2 and a half weeks for me and I submitted June 28th. So give it some time.

 

[dudrjsmed]

Took 2 and a half weeks for me and I submitted June 28th. So give it some time.

Gotcha thanks, does the status changing to Yes automatically mean you are complete or do they email you?

 

[claduva94]

Gotcha thanks, does the status changing to Yes automatically mean you are complete or do they email you?

It changed to Yes roughly a day before I got the complete email.

 

[hmoactktey]

Does anyone know how Creighton looks at SMP's/upward trends? Debating whether it's worth it to apply here with a 3.0uGPA/3.85 SMP GPA/38 mcat. Thoughts?

A 3.85 gpa plus 38 mcat is going to be more than enough for them to look past the undergrad gpa. Submit an application, you will be fine as long as you show an interest in the school and the rest of your application is up to par.

 

[IL Pre Med]

Does anyone know how Creighton looks at SMP's/upward trends? Debating whether it's worth it to apply here with a 3.0uGPA/3.85 SMP GPA/38 mcat. Thoughts?

A 3.85 gpa plus 38 mcat is going to be more than enough for them to look past the undergrad gpa. Submit an application, you will be fine as long as you show an interest in the school and the rest of your application is up to par.

I hope you're right because I'm in a similar situation. Hoping for some love here as I'm really liking this school the more I look into it!

 

[hmoactktey]

I hope you're right because I'm in a similar situation. Hoping for some love here as I'm really liking this school the more I look into it!

The key is that you need to show that you are capable of handling the workload of med school. Performing well in a graduate program, alongside a high MCAT, is a good way of doing this. Creighton cares very much about the types of people that they are bringing in, it's not all about the numbers. If they believe that you are a good fit at the school- displaying a genuine care for humanity, service, passion for medicine, etc.- then you have a good chance as long as you can show that you are prepared for the academic rigors to come. Don't get me wrong, it's by no means a guarantee, as there are tons of applicants that meet these criteria.

I'm probably not the person to ask about any specifics on this situation, as it wasn't necessarily like mine, but I do know of a few classmates (current M2) that had similar experiences. I just wanted to let you guys know that you won't be automatically screened out, it's been done before.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

When are people thinking about sending in updates?

 

[claduva94]

When are people thinking about sending in updates?

Mid-Late August

 

[LaceyMD]

Mid-Late August

+1. I am starting two new jobs next week, so I'm planning to wait until late August, when I've got some hours under my belt and will actually have something to update them on. I don't think there's a hard-and-fast rule on when to send them relative to when you submitted, I think the more important thing is to send them when you actually have something substantive to add to your application.

 

[skywayz]

Completed email 2 days ago.

 

[Entadus]

When are people thinking about sending in updates?

A good time to update the school would be on your interview day. Bring some notes and they will specifically ask you if you have anything you want to add to your application (or if they don't, it's perfectly natural to bring that up during your interviews).

Another good time would be after the first wave of interview invites go out (if you are NOT in that batch and getting nervous).

 

[pink/\floyd]

Complete email today . I really like Creighton!

 

[Zelda840]

I got my complete email today, too.

 

[Badoodle]

Me too!

 

[ConsultantMD]

Complete here. Has anyone sent an update letter yet? It does say that the update can expand upon something in your Amcas as well, so I might consider doing that. Just wanted to see what others had done.

 

[claduva94]

Complete here. Has anyone sent an update letter yet? It does say that the update can expand upon something in your Amcas as well, so I might consider doing that. Just wanted to see what others had done.

Not yet. Waiting until they start giving IIs.

 

[ccantr10]

Not yet. Waiting until they start giving IIs.

Smart! I will do the same.

 

[rachel993]

Does anyone know when Creighton sends out their first batch of interview invites?? (This may have already been asked. sorry)

 

[claduva94]

Last year it was the 7th.

 

[Bellaphant]

Hi guys, and hopefully future classmates! Anyone hear any news yet?