2014-2015 Rosalind Franklin University Application Thread

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Someone needs to come up with an interactive status page where changing the status is super easy so that you know exactly what is going on. If your app gets reviewed, all they have to do is press a button next to your name and your status changes to reflect that...same things for II, rejections, holds, and every time your status changes it sends an auto email.
 
Someone needs to come up with an interactive status page where changing the status is super easy so that you know exactly what is going on. If your app gets reviewed, all they have to do is press a button next to your name and your status changes to reflect that...same things for II, rejections, holds, and every time your status changes it sends an auto email.

Yes! One that has a really easy user interface that simplifies everything for both the applicant and the committee.
 
I feel like these small pools are going out in waves so those of us complete in early August shouldn't worry about it yet. (That's what I am telling myself.)

You should really just ignore all of this small-pooling. It means nothing unless you get an interview.
 
Yes! One that has a really easy user interface that simplifies everything for both the applicant and the committee.
YES, and post-interview you can find out before you get the official offer by phone, mail, email, etc. That happened for me at a few schools for undergrad. It was beautiful.
 
YES, and post-interview you can find out before you get the official offer by phone, mail, email, etc. That happened for me at a few schools for undergrad. It was beautiful.

you shud get on the admissions committee when u become a med student and implement your ideas!!! make this whole process more user-friendly!
 
How long has it taken people to get Rodalind's secondary? I submitted ~two weeks ago and haven't heard a thing
 
Here's your unofficial status page guide:

1) If you've received a "complete" email and no small pool email yet, they either haven't looked at your app (they're people too, and they are VERY busy at this time of year) or they've seen your app and haven't yet decided if they want to put you in the pool from which they select interviewees. The 4-6 week timeframe is just a guideline/average. At less busy times, it might take 2 weeks, at more busy times, they will get to your app just as soon as they can.

2) If you've been small pooled then you're in the group that is up for selection for interview. Then you sit tight and wait. This could take months. Some people get small pooled in August and don't get an interview invite until April.

3) If and when you get an interview invite, rest assured that it is in their best interest to contact you via email right away.

4) After they interview you, they meet to discuss those that have interviewed once per month and release their decisions via email shortly thereafter. From here, you can either be accepted, wait listed (they haven't made a decision yet), or alternate listed (which is where they pull applicants from as spots open up in the class throughout the year).

This is everything I have gathered about how the process generally works from my 3 years of experience both as a 2 time applicant to this school and a current 2nd year student here. Also, as someone who has been through the frustrating and awful process of applying to medical school twice, it really is best to try to put it out of your mind and enjoy whatever else is going on in your life. After all, this might very well be your last year of freedom.
 
Here's your unofficial status page guide:

1) If you've received a "complete" email and no small pool email yet, they either haven't looked at your app (they're people too, and they are VERY busy at this time of year) or they've seen your app and haven't yet decided if they want to put you in the pool from which they select interviewees. The 4-6 week timeframe is just a guideline/average. At less busy times, it might take 2 weeks, at more busy times, they will get to your app just as soon as they can.

So in regards to small pooling schools, like Rosalind Franklin, you either get in the small pool, or you get a notification of rejection?
 
So in regards to small pooling schools, like Rosalind Franklin, you either get in the small pool, or you get a notification of rejection?

Honestly, just stop worrying about the small pooling. At this school, you either get an interview invitation or you don't. So many people are "small" pooled so as to make any notification of it completely worthless.
 
So in regards to small pooling schools, like Rosalind Franklin, you either get in the small pool, or you get a notification of rejection?

No. You'll either get small pooled or you won't. They do mostly silent rejections here. But as tantacles said, a large proportion of applicants get small pooled, so it really doesn't mean all that much. It's just another small checkpoint they use before interview.

So....if you're small pooled, be happy, because now you're officially in the running for an interview invite. BUT, know that a TON of applicants are small pooled, so it's a lot less significant than it may seem.
 
Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
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Is this the complete or small pool email? o.o
 
what does the subject line say?

this is the small pool email i got:

"We are excited you chose to apply to the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. At this time, your application remains under consideration with the Admissions Committee. This means you are in the pool of applicants who may be invited to interview with The Chicago Medical School. However, this does not guarantee an invitation and you may be invited to interview or declined an interview at anytime during the admissions process. We thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

The Chicago Medical School is interviewing from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note additional information or letters of intent may not be submitted until an invitation to interview has been extended. Please let us know if you have any further questions."

Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
--------------------------------------------
Is this the complete or small pool email? o.o
 
Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
--------------------------------------------
Is this the complete or small pool email? o.o
Also received this! I got a complete email but it doesn't sound like a small pool?
 
Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
--------------------------------------------
Is this the complete or small pool email? o.o
Also received this! I got a complete email but it doesn't sound like a small pool?
 
what does the subject line say?

this is the small pool email i got:

"We are excited you chose to apply to the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. At this time, your application remains under consideration with the Admissions Committee. This means you are in the pool of applicants who may be invited to interview with The Chicago Medical School. However, this does not guarantee an invitation and you may be invited to interview or declined an interview at anytime during the admissions process. We thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

The Chicago Medical School is interviewing from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note additional information or letters of intent may not be submitted until an invitation to interview has been extended. Please let us know if you have any further questions."
I got the email too, subject line is "Chicago medical school primary screening complete"
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?!?
 
what does the subject line say?

this is the small pool email i got:

"We are excited you chose to apply to the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. At this time, your application remains under consideration with the Admissions Committee. This means you are in the pool of applicants who may be invited to interview with The Chicago Medical School. However, this does not guarantee an invitation and you may be invited to interview or declined an interview at anytime during the admissions process. We thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

The Chicago Medical School is interviewing from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note additional information or letters of intent may not be submitted until an invitation to interview has been extended. Please let us know if you have any further questions."

errr...Chicago Medical School Primary Screening Complete? Does that mean hold? o.o
 
Same email. I completed on July 2; they must do one heck of a preliminary screening!
 
OOS, LizzyM 70, received the same email. I'm assuming it's yet another "Hold" email for me. Not sure what it means for our chances of an II.

There isn't any mention of this email in last year's thread, so maybe they just changed the wording of the small pool email since it isn't really small pool. It does say we are under consideration, and there are enough people in the "small pool" that they would probably just reject us rather than put us on hold. Here's to positive thinking!
 
There isn't any mention of this email in last year's thread, so maybe they just changed the wording of the small pool email since it isn't really small pool. It does say we are under consideration, and there are enough people in the "small pool" that they would probably just reject us rather than put us on hold. Here's to positive thinking!

I try, I really do! I've just received a lot of bad news in the last few days that has made me pessimistic. Good luck to you!
 
I try, I really do! I've just received a lot of bad news in the last few days that has made me pessimistic. Good luck to you!

I'm sorry to hear that 🙁 Good luck to you too! I'll be rooting for you! Just keep swimming!
 
OOS, LizzyM 70, received the same email. I'm assuming it's yet another "Hold" email for me. Not sure what it means for our chances of an II.
It is a very strangely worded Hold if that is indeed what it is. It states we've passed the preliminary screening and are now under review. Wouldn't hold mean they've reviewed us and put us aside to look at again later?
 
I got that "primary screening complete" email too this morning (app complete 7/11). Sounds like it is most likely a small pool, because it neither sounds like an II nor does it indicate any sort of final rejection.

Unless they have an alternate small pool, which would just be stupid when you have 10k+ apps in the first place.
 
what was the jist of it?

First they have a "Initial administrative evaluation" which is based on purely numbers (sGPA max 35, cGPA max 5, and MCAT max 45 - total score of 50 needed to pass to next step).

Then, "Primary screening":

Science GPA score (max of 34)
Overall GPA score (max of 5)
MCAT score (max of 45 plus 1)
Graduate Degree score (max of 5)
Personal Statement score (max of 5)
Medically Related Experiences score (max of 10)
Leadership/Humanitarian Activities score (max of 10)
Letters of Recommendation (max of 10)

Need 77 score to advance.


Cheers everybody, my thumbs hurt from all this typing on my iPhone.



Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile
 
Last edited:
First they have a "Initial administrative evaluation" which is based on purely numbers (sGPA max 35, cGPA max 5, and MCAT max 45 - total score of 50 needed to pass to next step).

Then, "Primary screening":

Science GPA score (max of 34)
Overall GPA score (max of 5)
MCAT score (max of 45 plus 1)
Graduate Degree score (max of 5)
Personal Statement score (max of 5)
Medically Related Experiences score (max of 10)
Leadership/Humanitarian Activities score (max of 10)
Letters of Recommendation (max of 10)

Need 77 score to advance.

Finally, "Secondary screening": entire file out of 100 points - where then interviews are awarded. "Small % of files get a secondary screen".

Cheers everybody, my thumbs hurt from all this typing on my iPhone.



Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile

That's not what it says at all...the secondary screening is only necessary if something's inconsistent/off about your application. After the primary screening you get a priority number, which determines your interview decision time.
 
"The Admissions officer prepares a dynamic, ongoing rank order list of the candidates who have completed primary screening using the AMCAS site’s advanced features...From that list, slates of candidates are invited for interviews."

so looks like they compile a list of all who completed primary screening and send out interviews based on ranking of that list?
 
That's not what it says at all...the secondary screening is only necessary if something's inconsistent/off about your application. After the primary screening you get a priority number, which determines your interview decision time.

Oh true, oops. Anyways the rest is okay then.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile
 
The link worked for me, if anyone is interested:

2. Screening

Initial administrative evaluation: After checking that the file is complete, the CMS Admissions Officer conducts an initial “screen in or screen out” of each applicant based on metrics that have been established as minimum criteria for further consideration. The CMS Admissions Committee evaluates these criteria at the beginning of each admission season, based on experience, feedback from primary screeners, and other factors. To generate the metric used, the Admissions Officer calculates a score using data in the AMCAS application file that encompasses points for science GPA(max of 34), overall GPA (max of 5) and MCAT score (max of 45 plus 1). Applicants with a base metric of 50 points or more, move on to the primary screening step. Applicants with an evaluation score below 50 are rejected at this initial step. More information can be found in the booklet entitled “CMS Admissions Committee and Interviewers Handbook”.

Primary screening: The primary screening of applicants is primarily done by several experienced Primary Screeners who are CMS faculty members; some members of the CMS Admissions Committee also participate. The primary screening sheet that is used in this process is found in the “CMS Admissions Committee and Interviewers Handbook”. Primary Screeners use a 0 -125 scale in evaluating an application. Points are generated in the following categories:

Science GPA score (max of 34)

Overall GPA score (max of 5)

MCAT score (max of 45 plus 1)

Graduate Degree score (max of 5)

Personal Statement score (max of 5)

Medically Related Experiences score (max of 10)

Leadership/Humanitarian Activities score (max of 10)

Letters of Recommendation (max of 10)

The highest score an applicant could theoretically receive is 125, although scores are typically in the range of 50 – 100. The total score is used to determine the applicant’s standing compared to other applicants when decisions are made about interview invitations. Applicants who receive a primary screening score of 77 are advanced on; applicants who score below this number are rejected at this step. (Note: there are exceptions, which are discussed below in “Secondary Screening”). More information on this issue and the primary screening sheet is found in the “CMS Admissions Committee and Interviewers Handbook”.

Secondary screening:A secondary screening by a faculty member of the Admissions committee may occur if the primary screener makes a professional judgment that a secondary screening is warranted. This may occur if there is significant institutional action noted on the applicant’s file (dishonesty, illegal activity, etc), or if some inconsistency is noted. Applicant folders which require a secondary screening will be sent to the Chair. The Chair will send the applicant folders to a rotating faculty member of the CMS Student Admissions Committee for secondary screening, or conduct the screening his/herself.

The secondary screener will review the applicants entire file and determine one overall score within the range of 0 – 100. This overall score should reflect the applicant’s suitability for an interview. The secondary screener should pay particular attention to any comments made by the primary screener as to why this applicant required a secondary screening. Applicants may be rejected at this step. Only a small percentage of the files typically undergo secondary screening. More information on this issue and the secondary screening form is found in the “CMS Admissions Committee and Interviewers Handbook”.
 
Just got this:

Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Regards,

Office of Admissions and Recruitment
Division of Strategic Enrollment Management
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
[email protected]

small pool? doesn't look like it though....looks more like hold to me
 
Got the same vague potentially hold/potentially small pool email as well this morning. After reading the screening process and comparing the wording of the older small pool email from a few weeks ago, it seems like today's email is a small pool as well.

Small pool email from a few weeks ago:

"Dear Applicant,

We are excited you chose to apply to the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. At this time, your application remains under consideration with the Admissions Committee. This means you are in the pool of applicants who may be invited to interview with The Chicago Medical School. However, this does not guarantee an invitation and you may be invited to interview or declined an interview at anytime during the admissions process. We thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

The Chicago Medical School is interviewing from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note additional information or letters of intent may not be submitted until an invitation to interview has been extended. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Confusing email from today:

Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.


While the former small pool email sounds more positive, the main ideas are the same. It seems both are implying that we have passed the primary screening and now are being ranked for an II. I think they just changed the wording, that's all. Okay, my neuroticism has reached a whole new level.
 
I got that "primary screening complete" email too this morning (app complete 7/11). Sounds like it is most likely a small pool, because it neither sounds like an II nor does it indicate any sort of final rejection.

Unless they have an alternate small pool, which would just be stupid when you have 10k+ apps in the first place.
The small pool email was worded differently. But who knows. I think the vagueness is kind of off putting, when earlier they specifically stated you're in the pool.
 
Got the same vague potentially hold/potentially small pool email as well this morning. After reading the screening process and comparing the wording of the older small pool email from a few weeks ago, it seems like today's email is a small pool as well.

Small pool email from a few weeks ago:

"Dear Applicant,

We are excited you chose to apply to the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. At this time, your application remains under consideration with the Admissions Committee. This means you are in the pool of applicants who may be invited to interview with The Chicago Medical School. However, this does not guarantee an invitation and you may be invited to interview or declined an interview at anytime during the admissions process. We thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

The Chicago Medical School is interviewing from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note additional information or letters of intent may not be submitted until an invitation to interview has been extended. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Confusing email from today:

Dear Applicant:

At this time, your application to the Chicago Medical School is under consideration with the Admissions Committee. We thank you for your patience throughout this process.

The Chicago Medical School conducts interviews from September- April, with invitations being sent out via email. Please note we cannot accept any additional information or materials for your file, unless it concerns an Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge. Please let us know if you have any further questions.


While the former small pool email sounds more positive, the main ideas are the same. It seems both are implying that we have passed the primary screening and now are being ranked for an II. I think they just changed the wording, that's all. Okay, my neuroticism has reached a whole new level.


I received the same email today but I was never "small pooled" (at least never got that first email).
 
While the former small pool email sounds more positive, the main ideas are the same. It seems both are implying that we have passed the primary screening and now are being ranked for an II. I think they just changed the wording, that's all. Okay, my neuroticism has reached a whole new level.

I am tending to agree with this line of thought. We will find out when they start releasing II's.
 
got the primary screening email... did anyone receive the "small pool" email also receive the primary 'screening complete email' today?


edit: complete 7/8... lizym 73 OOS
 
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