Illinois Interview- February 18, 2008

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Pigsfoot said:
Also, I was pleased with the variety of fellow applicants i saw. i didnt expect as many men, and applicants that appeared to be older than 21. i hope that means the class will be nice and diverse.
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I noticed that too! Although I also noticed the lack of (in this place) ethnic minorities. I'm sure it's entirely to do with the amount that apply, which also must be very few, but it's a huge difference from any school I've ever been to.
 
Moonpaw said:
I noticed that too! Although I also noticed the lack of (in this place) ethnic minorities. I'm sure it's entirely to do with the amount that apply, which also must be very few, but it's a huge difference from any school I've ever been to.
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Honestly, as an older minority student, I have not seen so many people of color(Not to mention faculty and staff members) in one building, before.

I was usually one of three at the most (usually two, me 😀 and either of the other two in my major) in undergrad classes that counted toward med/vet school requirements. Scratch that, There were a lot of future minority engineers in physics and chemistry, but that was it. If you are used to seeing more than three minorities in a classroom setting, that should be taken into consideration. There are ethnic minorities on campus. Actually, there is a strong office of minority student affairs. They just don't know much about vet med.....at all.🙄 So, I stopped going to them for advice.

There was a row of graduating class photos that line the walls to the cafe. I didn't pay that close of attention, but my guess would be that there were four or five minorities in the newer photos at most. Let's not even talk about the white men in the bow ties in the oldest ones.

TRUTH74
 
its seems like everyone enjoyed their interview for the most part! thats great!

me on the other hand....i absolutely hated it! i hate the closed file part, and i especially hated how they did not interact or converse with you. it was basically question - answer - question - answer - - - extremely dry in my taste. But then again, it may not suite my talents well but for others it might work great.

anyways, CONGRATS TO ALL! heres to monday's snail mail!:hardy:
 
I enjoyed the day as well. Everyone was very nice and helpful, which was a pleasant surprise compared to my expectations. The interview itself was very short (I think mine ran around 15-20 minutes) but was relaxed and I think I did fairly well.

BTW - nice meeting you in person SG - I'm the old(er) lady from the SF area who was next to you at the info session 🙂
 
Mine went very well, but I agree: it was a bit dry. On the way out they asked me whether I interviewed/got in anywhere else yet. So I had to confess I got into VMRCVM. I said I would still consider the offer if it was given to me, and that there are many things I really like about the area/college that would make me want to consider it. So we'll see 😀 One thing that makes me cautious about U of IL is that they are going to undergo all these curriculum changes, and I am a little concerned about being a "guinea pig" class.
 
somemeatgupta said:
its seems like everyone enjoyed their interview for the most part! thats great!

me on the other hand....i absolutely hated it! i hate the closed file part, and i especially hated how they did not interact or converse with you. it was basically question - answer - question - answer - - - extremely dry in my taste. But then again, it may not suite my talents well but for others it might work great.

anyways, CONGRATS TO ALL! heres to monday's snail mail!:hardy:
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I think I've seen you there! Did you stay at Eastland suites? If so, we might have had breakfast across from each other that morning😀
 
somemeatgupta said:
its seems like everyone enjoyed their interview for the most part! thats great!

me on the other hand....i absolutely hated it! i hate the closed file part, and i especially hated how they did not interact or converse with you. it was basically question - answer - question - answer - - - extremely dry in my taste. But then again, it may not suite my talents well but for others it might work great.

anyways, CONGRATS TO ALL! heres to monday's snail mail!:hardy:
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I felt EXACTLY the same way about the closed section. The interview was so dry, I honestly don't know if I did really good or really bad. Since it was question-answer-question-answer with no real interaction in the closed part, I couldn't tell if I was suceeding. I also interviewed at the very end of the day, so in my open part there was also very little interaction as well, maybe because they were tired. (at least they were really nice though. Anway, here's to waiting for snail mail.
 
I agree that the interview was very dry since they couldnt respond. It didn't feel as relaxed as some that were more conversational. I think it just makes it harder to judget how you did. Mine was at the end of the day and most people i spoke to had said they thought it went well and was really relaxed. But that format did make it go really fast. Mine was about 25 minutes and i walked out of the room and looked at my watch and couldnt believe it - it had felt about half that long!
 
Btw- did anyone who attended the morning info. session hear that adcom notified a student on the waitlist only 2 weeks before classes started that he/she was admitted?! Talk about suspense! 😱
 
In the afternoon session,Dr. Foreman talked about a student that had to leave two weeks after school started. He said that they got right back on the phones to try to find someone that still wanted to go to vet school in Illinois. I guess, it ain't over 'til it's mid september.
 
Truth74 said:
In the afternoon session,Dr. Foreman talked about a student that had to leave two weeks after school started. He said that they got right back on the phones to try to find someone that still wanted to go to vet school in Illinois. I guess, it ain't over 'til it's mid september.
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I thought he said that two weeks before one of the accepted students had a medical emergency and that they took someone off the list then.
 
I'd have to disagree. My interview was not dry at all. We conversed and I even got them laughing a few times. My interviewers smiled the whole time, nodding along with my answers. It was much less interrogative and more like they really wanted to get to know me. It could have been because I broke up the question - answers - question - answer format a bit because I asked them a few questions and was able to related to a couple of the interviewers on different parts of my life. I LOVED that it was a closed file review because they didn't ask me things I didn't feel like talking about and I could lead them in any direction I wanted to go. It made it a much tougher decision for me. I didn't expect to love it so much there.

PS - I also stayed at Eastland Suites. I thought it'd be a lot nicer.
 
I believe Mary Kelm at IL mentioned that decisions could be rendered as early as tomorrow. I don't know what form--hopefully, via email. One more day of waiting...😀
 
Tiger1 said:
I believe Mary Kelm at IL mentioned that decisions could be rendered as early as tomorrow. I don't know what form--hopefully, via email. One more day of waiting...😀
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I don't know. The only thing I know is that they said the letters should be out no later than the 25th.
 
Tiger1 said:
I believe Mary Kelm at IL mentioned that decisions could be rendered as early as tomorrow. I don't know what form--hopefully, via email. One more day of waiting...😀
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I asked Mary Kelm about that and she said they do it one way. Letters get mailed out - so no email...sorry to burst your bubble Tiger 🙁

Basically this was the story i got from her. They score everything and add that 25% to your first score. Then they create 2 lists (IS and OOS) and "draw the line". Then they take that to the admissions committee who has to approve those lists and then letters can go out. She said that their hope was to do it wednesday and then get the letters out. But if they decided to phone interview the people who couldn't make it like Dr. Foreman said in the morning info session, or if there was discussion on the lists, it might be postponed until friday and thus why they were saying no later than the 25.

So heres hoping that yesterday was the golden day...😀
 
The suspense is KILLING me!!! IL was the only school I applied to b/c I'm only a junior... I am IS with 15,000 animal/veterinary/research hours though, so hopefully that will pull me through. Ahhhhhh!
:luck: Good luck everyone!
 
Did anyone hear anything about Adcom posting their decisions on the status page? I didn't hear anything about it, but I wonder if they will (in addition to sending a letter)...
 
BartonVet87 said:
b/c I'm only a junior... I am IS with 15,000 animal/veterinary/research hours though, so hopefully that will pull me through.
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How on earth is that possible?! Are you counting hours of pet ownership, too? Thats the equivalent of over 7 years at a full time job....and I'm assuming you're like 21 or so...

Edit: Sorry, I don't mean to sound like I think you're not telling the truth. It's just that the mind boggles since a more normal number for a substantial amount of hours is something like a couple to several thousand hours experience (1500-3000 or so).
 
showing arabian horses since I was 5, showing cattle since I was 9, live/work on a farm that has cattle/hogs, working 20hr/week during school and 40+hr/week during summer at a mixed practice clinic for 5 years, doing research with mice for the last 2 years, various job shadowing at specialty clinics in MO and IL, and other various 4-H volunteering at Farm Safety clinics regarding large animals

I am 20 and very busy 🙂
 
I called IL and was told that we should receive decision letters end of next week. I am IS. I was hoping to get a decision this weekend. I forgot to ask about status page changes. I will probably call again next week. I wonder whether something happened and decisions got pushed back...*Sign* I am ready to move on to the next part of planning-- selecting school, finding an apartment, moving and giving final notice at work. I am reading more vet student blogs these days.
 
I just want to finally make a DECISION. I hear ya. I need an apartment and need to facebook the incoming class at my school!!! Can't wait!!!!! I bet next week the letters will all start rolling in!! MN, IL, MSU... maybe. I'm waiting on ALL of them....
 
Tiger1 said:
I called IL and was told that we should receive decision letters end of next week. I am IS. I was hoping to get a decision this weekend. I forgot to ask about status page changes. I will probably call again next week. I wonder whether something happened and decisions got pushed back...*Sign* I am ready to move on to the next part of planning-- selecting school, finding an apartment, moving and giving final notice at work. I am reading more vet student blogs these days.
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I hear ya - the "waiting game" is getting rather old! It's so hard to plan for the next few months of your life because you have no idea what may be around the corner... not to mention, you might find out about a school at the last second! I have been SO stressed out from this admissions process, work, etc. I've been in a fog ever since my 1st interview at Iowa - people ask me questions and have to keep repeating themselves cause I'm like, "Wait, what? I didn't hear you, sorry," b/c I'm so spaced-out all the time! Kind of being like "deer in headlights" 24/7. :laugh:

Hopefully we'll all have some good news sooner than later! :luck:
 
All this waiting is starting to make me feel like 1 week = 1000 weeks.
 
I understand (from Mary Kelm) that the letters "went out" today. Now, whether they went out early enough to go into today's mail or not, I do not know.
 
Did anyone get the snail mail yet? The suspense is killing me.
 
MikeMisho said:
Did anyone get the snail mail yet? The suspense is killing me.
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Nope, but the suspense is killing me, too! Why can't they just send an email?! I'm so tired of waiting for responses! 😡
 
Nothing, yet. My guess is they didn't actually "hit" the mail until Saturday or even today. (I only live 10 miles away - the next town over - of course that doesn't mean the USPS will get it to me any faster than someone four states away...🙄) I will most definitely stalk the mailman tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😀
 
Darn! That means I will most likely get mine on Wednesday. The mail always takes an extra day to get to me from Springfield. I got really excited when I saw someone has posted on this thread! Hopefully we'll be posting in the Successful Applicants thread soon 😀
 
I guess that I should have introduced myself first - I'm a converted "lurker" (as they're so called) who is pretty new to this whole process. I'm a non traditional applicant and reading posts from all the pre-vets has really shed some light on the procedure. Thanks for all your insights!
 
I got all excited when I saw all the posts, I thought people were getting letters, oh well, perhaps tomorrow.

(I suppose I should also introduce myself, I too am a lurker, oh the shame. But I attend UofI now so if, or rather when, we all get in, I'll be looking for a roomie and I already know my way around the shady Champaign-Urbana housing market! Looking forward to meeting you all.)
 
I was really hoping to get my letter today. Big bummer. Now I will be stalking the mailman all week. Please, dear God, let me letter come tomorrow. I may tear my hair out by Wednesday. So, I will probably get it on Thursday. haha
 
I got my letter today!! 😀 Can't wait to see everyone in the fall!!
 
I'm going to be a veterinarian!!!! Illinois accepted me:wow: and I'll probably be going there, looking forward to meeting everyone. Now back to my hyperventilating.
 
I live in Michigan and I didn't get anything either.
 
Yahoo! The acceptance came today! Good luck to the rest of you - hopefully in your mailbox tomorrow!
 
Congrats to you guys who got in - so exciting. Well it seems it just reached Illinois today...so NY is going to take a few days. Good thing I have plenty to keep me busy tonight, tomorrow, thursday!!!
 
Congrats to all of the acceptances today!!! :hardy: Still no word in Florida...

EDIT: Was the acceptance envelope thick or thin?!
 
EDIT: Was the acceptance envelope thick or thin?![/QUOTE]

Just a regular business size envelope containing two pages and a postcard. Good luck!
 
Yes, mine was also business sized which caused me to have a meltdown before I opened it. Good luck to you far away people, I'm sure good news is on the way.
 
AH! Nothing in the mail today....guess the "big" snow storm in Chicago yesterday gave the PO an excuse to slow up the mail. Please, please, please come tomorrow!!!!:scared:

EDIT: Whoops, sorry, I am getting way too self-absorbed with this whole process.....congratulations to everyone who got in!!:clap:
 
UGH...if those letters reached people in Illinois now, then it's probably going to be at least another two days before I get mine...why couldn't they just send e-mails!??!
 
Does anyone remember the statistical numbers they gave us in the Info Session during the interview day in regards to how many OOS and IS are getting interviewed and how many of those would get an acceptance letter?
Thanks,
 
MikeMisho said:
Does anyone remember the statistical numbers they gave us in the Info Session during the interview day in regards to how many OOS and IS are getting interviewed and how many of those would get an acceptance letter?
Thanks,
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Out of 273 interviewees, I believe it was something like...

IS: 129 interviewees for 80-90 positions
OOS: 144 interviewees for 25-35 positions

Those numbers aren't exactly what they said, but you get the gist of what the odds are - good luck!
 
bclover said:
Out of 273 interviewees, I believe it was something like...

IS: 129 interviewees for 80-90 positions
OOS: 144 interviewees for 25-35 positions

Those numbers aren't exactly what they said, but you get the gist of what the odds are - good luck!
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Yeah but he said that they accept a lot more than that right off the bat. I don't remember the exact numbers but they expect a lot of people declining admission.
 
VelcroSky,

Yep - after further consideration/thinking about it, I think the IS number (as far as for acceptances issued) maxed out at 95, and the OOS number (for the same) was 80 or something like it.
 
bclover said:
VelcroSky,

Yep - after further consideration/thinking about it, I think the IS number (as far as for acceptances issued) maxed out at 95, and the OOS number (for the same) was 80 or something like it.
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Yeah, that sounds about what I remember him saying. So that's 175 people or so and they interviewed 240 I think. So that would be more than 2/3 of the interviewed get accepted right away!
 
greenie53 said:
Yay for Illinois 😀😀😀

Hope the wait for everyone else isn't much longer 🙂
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Hey greenie53, does that mean you received your acceptance today (congrats if so!)? I'm in Chicago, too, so just wondering if my letter's going to be in today's mail...
 
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