I served on the student council & student government. I visited all sites.
I am from Chicago. Received initially Urbana, then Peoria. Switched with fellow tostay in Urbana all 4 years.
Was very upset at the time, but looking back, I am extremely happy I did not go to Chicago.
Chicago cons: cost of living for all sites is the same in terms of financial aid. At other sites, your money will go very far (I had pools & fitness center where I lived in Urbana), but not in Chicago. Also, commutes to get to rotations will be hell in your 3&4 year. Chicago is a wonderful distraction, not good in med school. It it difficult to make excellent grades in Chicago. 175 students/class. Pro: greater minority cohesion & academic support. Opportunity to earn MPH concurrently.
other sites after M1 year:
25 students urbana - well known hx of grade inflation, very small classes m2 year. con: administration - small town mentality, rumor mill among administrators, (who is sleeping with who - ridiculous.) MD/JD, MD/MBA, MD/PHd combined degree students, handful of straight M.D. students. Much more mature classmates, with healthy egos (average age 28.)
MPH option;
50 students Rockford hx of grade inflation, laid back students w/ a life
50 students Peoria - M2,no spring break very stressed out students in 2nd year. Known as meatgrinder.
When you have 175 students coming through the hospital, every year on rotations it is tough to stand out. Hard to get Outstanding.
When there are 25 total students the attendings really enjoy mentoring, better rapport, better grades.
Your diploma will say, "University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine" with absolutely no regard if you ever set foot there, no matter what site you attend.
If I had to do over I would still do Urbana. An unbelieveable amount of behind the scenes drama there. I detested the very small town mentality. 3 staff/secretaries said I: 1. slept around, 2. raised my voice 3. mistaken identity (It had absolutely nothing to do with academics.)
But they didn't witness any of it (because it did not happen), they heard, from 'someone,' who heard from someone else, that someone who thought it resembled me, so it was reported. Thus, I had to uncomfortably stand before the dean answering questions about who could have possibly said these things & why.
I said it was hearsay, & I was not going to answer to things that other people heard & would not guess their motivation. When pressed, I strongly suggested the school should document who said what about which allegations & that my attorney would address the schools concerns. (That would never, in a million years, have happened in Chicago.) It was dropped, but that was extremely uncomfortable.
If you get to Urbana, you can switch in your M1 year between the Peoria, Urbana & Rockford for m2-m4 years, but not Chicago. On the first day of orientation, the dean quipped "the only way you are getting to Chicago is via I/57,the highway. It's not going to happen forget about Chicago, get that out of your brain."
Once you've been told you are not in Chicago, don't wait on the appeals process or whatever, you will NOT get Chicago. I heard some excellent medical reasons with documentation from physicians. Answer was always a resounding No for m1 year switch to Chicago.
But, it did happen. An m2 from Chicago wanted to switch to Urbana because her husband was accepted to UofI- Urbana graduate school. So she switched to finish up M3-M4 year in Urbana.
Thus, Never say Never. Hopefully, this helps the next year students choose their track.
