Loyola MAMS attending

[rayster]

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Hey, I'm going to be attending the Loyola MAMS program, and I just wanted to see who else is going. Post if you're coming or thinking about it! 🙂

 

[fightingon]

Hey, I'm going to be attending the Loyola MAMS program, and I just wanted to see who else is going. Post if you're coming or thinking about it! 🙂

hey i was going but i got into my top choice SMP so i decided im going to withdraw. though it was a hard decision because loyola is SO nice and the people are amazingly friendly/supportive. good luck to you 👍

 

[MissCutie]

Hey, I'm going to be attending the Loyola MAMS program, and I just wanted to see who else is going. Post if you're coming or thinking about it! 🙂

I'm coming! Have you found housing yet? I'm curious about whether people choose to live near the Lakeshore campus or elsewhere. I'm thinking Wrigleyville for myself. I'll just take the El from there to the Loyola stop, probably. 🙂

 

[rayster]

Awesome! I'm not totally sure about housing, I may end up staying on campus, we'll see. 🙂

 

[starbrite637]

hey =) i am going too! i think i am going to live at the water tower campus in that new residence hall.. it's pricey but i figure it's easier... or so i hope! when are you moving in? going to orientation?

 

[braluk]

i had a really difficult time rejecting their acceptance. They were ridiculously nice, and sent me alot of personalized letters and even a gift package. It would have been nice to be in Chicago as well, but life goes on.

 

[fightingon]

i had a really difficult time rejecting their acceptance. They were ridiculously nice, and sent me alot of personalized letters and even a gift package. It would have been nice to be in Chicago as well, but life goes on.

i know, right! you know a school has class when they send you a luggage tag with their name on it.

btw, braluk, where did you decide to go instead?

 

[MissCutie]

hey =) i am going too! i think i am going to live at the water tower campus in that new residence hall.. it's pricey but i figure it's easier... or so i hope! when are you moving in? going to orientation?

I was actually thinking about living in that new residence hall too. I know you're gunna have a blast because it's a prime location. I'll stick to Wrigleyville though, I guess because it's cheaper. And the El goes through there so it's perfect. I might be moving in after the 19th, but of course before orientation starts on the 24th.

So out of curiosity, what have you guys heard about the program? I know they are pretty new, but I hear about 80% of the students successfully gained admission into medical school (after the lag year). I talked to an SDNer who graduated from the program, and he said many of the students went to schools in the greater Chicago area (i.e. Northwestern, UIC, Rush, Loyola). Honestly, getting into any one of those schools would rock my world. 🙂

 

[braluk]

i know, right! you know a school has class when they send you a luggage tag with their name on it.

btw, braluk, where did you decide to go instead?

i was accepted into georgetown, loyola, drexel and a bunch of other places, but i ended up deciding on university of Cincinnati's Special Masters. it has an excelletn medical school, its low cost, i take two med school classes (biochem and phsyiology) that are excellent predictors of med school success, and i also take them early on, so i can send them out in this AMCAS cycle and wont be late iwth grades. One really great thing is that the program is 20 students, and i was recruited before my mcat scores were available. and sice its in its first year, i know that the faculty will bust their ass to get us into med school so they can boast good numbers. You can also apply to be an ohio resident after one year, so tuition drops by half if i go to school in ohio. All in all, i feel that all SMPs will eventually get you there, i just wish cincinnati could measure up to a big city like chicago

 

[fightingon]

i was accepted into georgetown, loyola, drexel and a bunch of other places, but i ended up deciding on university of Cincinnati's Special Masters. it has an excelletn medical school, its low cost, i take two med school classes (biochem and phsyiology) that are excellent predictors of med school success, and i also take them early on, so i can send them out in this AMCAS cycle and wont be late iwth grades. One really great thing is that the program is 20 students, and i was recruited before my mcat scores were available. and sice its in its first year, i know that the faculty will bust their ass to get us into med school so they can boast good numbers. You can also apply to be an ohio resident after one year, so tuition drops by half if i go to school in ohio. All in all, i feel that all SMPs will eventually get you there, i just wish cincinnati could measure up to a big city like chicago

sounds like youve done your research...good luck to you. im headed to gtown because i felt that the establishment of the program would be an asset. however i wish there were less students (~150) like your program and loyola have. ultimately if you work hard wherever you go, it will pay off!

 

[rayster]

Well, I hope we all get into great med schools, wherever we go. I'm probably going to move in Aug 22 or so, to get settled in before orientation. I kind of wish they would send us more information, but hopefully they will soon. I did find the class schedule online though, and apparently biochemistry is at 8:15am- that's way early!

 

[MissCutie]

Well, I hope we all get into great med schools, wherever we go. I'm probably going to move in Aug 22 or so, to get settled in before orientation. I kind of wish they would send us more information, but hopefully they will soon. I did find the class schedule online though, and apparently biochemistry is at 8:15am- that's way early!

haha i noticed that. it sounds killer, especially in the winter. soooo cold.
i hope we all get in too. honestly, i think all of the smps have their strengths and weaknesses, and people matriculate from a bunch of different places.

 

[rayster]

Just out of curiosity, are any of you who are going to Loyola next year planning on applying to med school while you're in the program? I am, and I just wanted to know if anyone else was.

 

[chopper]

Just out of curiosity, are any of you who are going to Loyola next year planning on applying to med school while you're in the program? I am, and I just wanted to know if anyone else was.

Just to let you know. I did the post bacc program at Loyola a couple years back. In my glide year, I taught princeton review there. One of my students was in the inagural MAMS class. He said that he and a few others were applyingto med school while attending the program. He ended up getting in late to med school. So people have done it, and it has worked out for them. Good luck to you

. . . He stopped coming to my TPR classes by the way. 🙂

 

[MissCutie]

Just out of curiosity, are any of you who are going to Loyola next year planning on applying to med school while you're in the program? I am, and I just wanted to know if anyone else was.

i was thinking about doing that since i am presently on two waitlists, hence a borderline applicant. unfortunately, my gpa went down this year so i dont feel ready. plus, i want the time off. diane suter mentioned that it makes sense for people on the waitlist to be applying otherwise though because they were so close. i definitely think a few others will be too so you wont be alone. if im not mistaken, things like the automatic interview will not apply to you this year, but if your app cycle wound up being unsuccessful, perhaps it would work out the following year.

 

[mbawife]

Any word on the MAMs waitlist?

 

[MissCutie]

Any word on the MAMs waitlist?

Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything. So frustrating though that these programs have waitlists. Do you have anything else in hand? I bet there is still hope because students on med school waitlists might drop out of the program if they get in.

 

[doctortobe21]

i was just trying to find out some information about these post bac programs and wondered if someone could help. My gpa is very low and im entering my senior year in undergraduate pre-med. I already knwo im taking a year off becaus ei havent applied and im gonna work my butt off to do better this year. Also i took the mcats in april and didnt do well. I'm planning on taking it in april most likely not in august anymore becasue im afraid i may do bad and dont know if taking it three times would look bad if i were to retake it in april.
So i was looking into these programs for future reference. If i were to be in a post bac lets say of one year would i have to wait another year after to apply. So lets say i gradaute 2006 go into post bac 2006-2007 and wont go to med school until 2008? or could i apply while in teh program??
thank you sorry for the long question.

 

[Neha25]

.

 

[MissCutie]

hiii,

Does anyone know if you can start the Loyola MAMS program in the SPRING? i was thinking of staying at my undergrad school (its a good school and i get a good financial aid package) for another semester to up my gpa a little before starting the MAMS. I want to apply next summer after being in the program for a semester. anybody know the advantages and disadvantages to this? what course schedule would u take?

I'm actually still waiting to hear from Loyola MAMS! They sent me a letter two weeks ago that they would review my application and get back to me in two weeks. Do you know who I can email to find out about it? My other option is BU MAMS... which do you think is better?

I was accepted to both BU MAMS, Loyola, Drexel, NYMC, and Wayne, but I chose Loyola. BU MAMS is a really well-established program that allows you to take courses with med students and write a thesis. They also have a record of getting students into medical school. Loyola is a new program in which you take courses separately from medical students through the graduate school. They do have a record of getting students into medical school, but they really only have a year or two to show for. Also, you do not write a thesis.

So why Loyola for me? I dont see the benefit of taking classes with med students, just because that makes it much harder to get a 3.5+ in the program, which is what I need to get into my schools of choice. Most people on SDN would beat me with a stick for saying that because the common belief is that you need to attend a program where you prove you can handle real medical school coursework. The schools I'm applying to have said it really doesn't matter and that they see no advantage to taking the medical school courses. And I know plenty who have pursued SMPs without medical school courses and have gotten in to multiple schools, including some tough ones. And I do know some people who have chosen BU MAMS for themself and have been dissatisfied with the outcome (though others are happy too). Does this approach apply to every school? Probably not. But my top choice schools that I'm targeting will probably be fine and dandy with my choice. I would look into a couple of your top choice schools and see how they feel because I'm sure it's variable. They have programs that allow you to take med school courses for a reason.

Some other positives to Loyola. Great location, fairly small program (~50 students), extremely supportive faculty, great advisers, etc. They also make a point of helping you become a "complete" applicant by working with you to obtain great internships, clinical experiences, etc. Also, I probably will want to retake the MCAT (29), so I appreciate having the additional time to do so.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. I'm sure plenty would beg to differ, so definitely get lots of feedback and research the schools you're interested in. It's a tough decision, but I bet any one of these programs will benefit you to some extent, as long as you do well. And you know, I'm a strong believer in "fit" as cheesy as it sounds. You need to be in an environment in which you'll thrive, and if you're not, you need to make it that! 🙂

 

[MissCutie]

i was just trying to find out some information about these post bac programs and wondered if someone could help. My gpa is very low and im entering my senior year in undergraduate pre-med. I already knwo im taking a year off becaus ei havent applied and im gonna work my butt off to do better this year. Also i took the mcats in april and didnt do well. I'm planning on taking it in april most likely not in august anymore becasue im afraid i may do bad and dont know if taking it three times would look bad if i were to retake it in april.
So i was looking into these programs for future reference. If i were to be in a post bac lets say of one year would i have to wait another year after to apply. So lets say i gradaute 2006 go into post bac 2006-2007 and wont go to med school until 2008? or could i apply while in teh program??
thank you sorry for the long question.

I'm no expert on post-bac programs, but I think the numbers you apply with have a lot to do with what decision you make. If you have a really weak application, you might be better off completing your one year and applying the following summer. If you dont mind potentially getting rejected and needing to reapply, you could always just give application a shot. Keep in mind, however, that you typically need certain stats to really even be noticed by admissions committees, and if you dont have them, submitting new grades may not benefit you.

 

[ChaChaDocta]

Hey all, I'm attending Loyola this year, and am moving into an awesome little apartment near Wrigleyville on Addison in early August. I'm SO excited, the city is amazing, the campus is beautiful, the program is ideal, and Diane Suter, who is more or less in charge of the program is so incredibly nice!

I was also accepted to Barry, UMDNJ, Ohio, Midwestern (AZ), Drexel, and was waitlisted at Georgetown, but Loyola was my #1 the whole time.

My Advice: If ANY of you are even remotely considering this program, GO VISIT!!! Check out the website (http://www.luc.edu/depts/biology/mams.htm) and/or contact Dr. Suter ([email protected]). She is more than happy to answer any and all of your questions.

To answer some of your questions:

1) No, you cannot start the program in spring, it is a year long (August to May) planned-out program.

2) I spent many hours talking with advisors, and basically, I decided (and was STRONGly advised) not to apply during the academic year, to wait so that I have my grades to show off after the program, I'll have more flexiblity when it comes to interview dates and spending time on secondary essays and such, and the Medical school adcoms look VERY favorably on people who take their time and learn more about life and themselves or take time to volunteer or see the world, not just fly straight from campus to campus... I was advised that the only people who usually successfully gain acceptance to schools of their choice during their post-bacc year are the ones who have very strong numbers and apps as is (ie: they would have gotten in with or without the program). So in summary: wait. Put your all into the program, shine, and apply the next year. After all, the whole point is to have the BEST shot at the schools you want, right? Why waste your time applying before you even start the program, then worrying through it? It's not worth it, in my opinion.

3) Housing: Live in Rogers Park if you value a quiet, older, very residential neighborhood within walking distance to campus. Live near LakeView/Wrigleyville Area if you value nightlife, shops, restaurants, and don't mind commuting on the El (elevated train) to and from campus. Search for places near the RED LINE!!! It drops you off right on campus.

4) Loyola's "guaranteed interview at Stritch" is just that: an interview, not an acceptance, guaranteed if you keep up a minimum GPA (3.5, I believe). Keep in mind that it is for the NEXT years cycle (ie, I'm starting MAMS 2006, so I'd interview for fall 2008 entrance). In the past couple years, since the program started, only ONE student has matriculated to Stritch from the MAMS program.

Hope that helps somebody. PM me if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer whatever I can!

-Aurora

btw...
my GPA: 3.15 from a Big10 University, BS in Neuroscience
MCAT 30O (11, 9, 10)
6 years CNA, 1 year volunteer EMT.

 

[MissCutie]

Hey all, I'm attending Loyola this year, and am moving into an awesome little apartment near Wrigleyville on Addison in early August. I'm SO excited, the city is amazing, the campus is beautiful, the program is ideal, and Diane Suter, who is more or less in charge of the program is so incredibly nice!

I was also accepted to Barry, UMDNJ, Ohio, Midwestern (AZ), Drexel, and was waitlisted at Georgetown, but Loyola was my #1 the whole time.

My Advice: If ANY of you are even remotely considering this program, GO VISIT!!! Check out the website (http://www.luc.edu/depts/biology/mams.htm) and/or contact Dr. Suter ([email protected]). She is more than happy to answer any and all of your questions.

To answer some of your questions:

1) No, you cannot start the program in spring, it is a year long (August to May) planned-out program.

2) I spent many hours talking with advisors, and basically, I decided (and was STRONGly advised) not to apply during the academic year, to wait so that I have my grades to show off after the program, I'll have more flexiblity when it comes to interview dates and spending time on secondary essays and such, and the Medical school adcoms look VERY favorably on people who take their time and learn more about life and themselves or take time to volunteer or see the world, not just fly straight from campus to campus... I was advised that the only people who usually successfully gain acceptance to schools of their choice during their post-bacc year are the ones who have very strong numbers and apps as is (ie: they would have gotten in with or without the program). So in summary: wait. Put your all into the program, shine, and apply the next year. After all, the whole point is to have the BEST shot at the schools you want, right? Why waste your time applying before you even start the program, then worrying through it? It's not worth it, in my opinion.

3) Housing: Live in Rogers Park if you value a quiet, older, very residential neighborhood within walking distance to campus. Live near LakeView/Wrigleyville Area if you value nightlife, shops, restaurants, and don't mind commuting on the El (elevated train) to and from campus. Search for places near the RED LINE!!! It drops you off right on campus.

4) Loyola's "guaranteed interview at Stritch" is just that: an interview, not an acceptance, guaranteed if you keep up a minimum GPA (3.5, I believe). Keep in mind that it is for the NEXT years cycle (ie, I'm starting MAMS 2006, so I'd interview for fall 2008 entrance). In the past couple years, since the program started, only ONE student has matriculated to Stritch from the MAMS program.

Hope that helps somebody. PM me if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer whatever I can!

-Aurora

btw...
my GPA: 3.15 from a Big10 University, BS in Neuroscience
MCAT 30O (11, 9, 10)
6 years CNA, 1 year volunteer EMT.

I'm actually hoping to get an apartment right around where you'll be living, but I haven't signed yet since I'm still on two waitlists. That area is fabulous. I'm so excited!

 

[NRAI2001]

Was accepted to loyola and rfu........I just had my first day at RFU.....school is ok. Location isnt too great.

I was thinking of living near loyola and commuting to rfu in north chicago.

Does anyone know any good housing, dorms, etc near loyola?

How many students does loyola have by the way?

 

[MissCutie]

Was accepted to loyola and rfu........I just had my first day at RFU.....school is ok. Location isnt too great.

I was thinking of living near loyola and commuting to rfu in north chicago.

Does anyone know any good housing, dorms, etc near loyola?

How many students does loyola have by the way?

the medsci program should have 55 students. i dont particularly know about housing just yet since im still trying to figure that out. im not planning on living near loyola. instead, im thinking about living in the wrigleyville/lakeview area.

 

[mars2213]

Was accepted to loyola and rfu........I just had my first day at RFU.....school is ok. Location isnt too great.

I was thinking of living near loyola and commuting to rfu in north chicago.

Does anyone know any good housing, dorms, etc near loyola?

How many students does loyola have by the way?

I am from the suburbs and was thinking about going to RFU or Loyola too, but I'll be heading to BU this fall. I'd recommend living in Evanston (home of Northwestern U) if you are going to RFU, it will only be about 30 min drive to North Chicago. If you live any farther south, the traffic from North Chicago to say lakeview/wrigleyville could be a pain in the afternoons. There are some nice places near the northwestern campus, so you could take advantage of their libraries. (BTW, depaul university has a really nice quiet library if you are looking for a new place to study.)

Wrigleyville/lakeview has a great nightlife, but sometimes it can be a little too much if you need some quiet time. My sister is going to loyola in the fall, and she said there is a new apt building really close to campus that is nice. Loyola is in the Rogers Park neighborhood. I wouldn't stray too far from the loyola campus though, because it isn't the greatest area. Living in Evanston would also be a good option if you are going to Loyola. It is only 15-20 min by car, and accessible by the L. You'd take the purple line transfer at howard and take the red line to loyola.

The "L" is a good source of transportation especially to loyola, so like someone else said live close to the red line. You might want to look into the bus routes if you plan on living on the north side of chicago. www.transitchicago.com

Other neighborhoods you might like if you like wrigleyville is lincoln park/depaul university. This includes the Fullerton and Diversey stops on the Purple line, but you'd be better off taking a bus from lincoln park to loyola to avoid transferring on the "L". (The purple line does not stop at loyola)

Also, for those furnishing your apt on a tight budget, most of my friends went to the Ikea at Schaumburg. If you want to buy food in bulk, there are Sam's clubs in the suburbs and there is a Costco (just like Sam's) in lincoln park.

If you have any other questions, just let me know. 🙂

 

[MissCutie]

I am from the suburbs and was thinking about going to RFU or Loyola too, but I'll be heading to BU this fall. I'd recommend living in Evanston (home of Northwestern U) if you are going to RFU, it will only be about 30 min drive to North Chicago. If you live any farther south, the traffic from North Chicago to say lakeview/wrigleyville could be a pain in the afternoons. There are some nice places near the northwestern campus, so you could take advantage of their libraries. (BTW, depaul university has a really nice quiet library if you are looking for a new place to study.)

Wrigleyville/lakeview has a great nightlife, but sometimes it can be a little too much if you need some quiet time. My sister is going to loyola in the fall, and she said there is a new apt building really close to campus that is nice. Loyola is in the Rogers Park neighborhood. I wouldn't stray too far from the loyola campus though, because it isn't the greatest area. Living in Evanston would also be a good option if you are going to Loyola. It is only 15-20 min by car, and accessible by the L. You'd take the purple line transfer at howard and take the red line to loyola.

The "L" is a good source of transportation especially to loyola, so like someone else said live close to the red line. You might want to look into the bus routes if you plan on living on the north side of chicago. www.transitchicago.com

Other neighborhoods you might like if you like wrigleyville is lincoln park/depaul university. This includes the Fullerton and Diversey stops on the Purple line, but you'd be better off taking a bus from lincoln park to loyola to avoid transferring on the "L". (The purple line does not stop at loyola)

Also, for those furnishing your apt on a tight budget, most of my friends went to the Ikea at Schaumburg. If you want to buy food in bulk, there are Sam's clubs in the suburbs and there is a Costco (just like Sam's) in lincoln park.

If you have any other questions, just let me know. 🙂

Thanks a bunch for the insights. Out of curiosity, which apartment was your sister looking at? My parents would love for me to live right next to the Loyola campus, but I was looking at other neighborhoods only because I heard Rogers Park isn't great safety-wise and I'm not familiar enough with the area to figure what is safe and what's not in the neighborhood. I did find a really reasonably priced, beautiful apartment one train stop from Loyola with a lot of Northwestern students in the area so it might be okay?

 

[mars2213]

Thanks a bunch for the insights. Out of curiosity, which apartment was your sister looking at? My parents would love for me to live right next to the Loyola campus, but I was looking at other neighborhoods only because I heard Rogers Park isn't great safety-wise and I'm not familiar enough with the area to figure what is safe and what's not in the neighborhood. I did find a really reasonably priced, beautiful apartment one train stop from Loyola with a lot of Northwestern students in the area so it might be okay?

Hey there, so the apt building my sister told me about is actually a condo building. www.atproperties.com @properties is the developer. so, i'm not sure if you'd be interested on that. as far as one L stop north, its still in rogers park so i would try to live close to the L stop. Be aware also (for those that will be commuting by L) that on the L, you may have to wait 10-15 min for the next train, especially at non-rush hour times.

I haven't asked my sister yet, but you should check to see if Loyola has a shuttle or a late night car service. I'd also look into the public bus routes.

 

[MissCutie]

Hey there, so the apt building my sister told me about is actually a condo building. www.atproperties.com @properties is the developer. so, i'm not sure if you'd be interested on that. as far as one L stop north, its still in rogers park so i would try to live close to the L stop. Be aware also (for those that will be commuting by L) that on the L, you may have to wait 10-15 min for the next train, especially at non-rush hour times.

I haven't asked my sister yet, but you should check to see if Loyola has a shuttle or a late night car service. I'd also look into the public bus routes.

You know, I think they might. The place I was looking at one stop north of Loyola is right next to the train. And there is a cafe/bar right there that runs really late and looks really cute. I think that's a good sign. Still, I'll probably target the Wrigleyville area since it's close, fun, and cute. 🙂

 

[asmaka19]

Drexel '06
Biology
GPA 3.2
MCAT 29

Wow! I didn't know these forums existed, I haven't even met another post-bac, all of my pre-med friends have either gotten into med school after undergrad or are working.

I was a late applicant to Loyola but just got accepted, and I also got into Tulane, I personally was thinking more highly of Tulane; it has a better name, there's only like 7 of us in the program, and I have all these romantic ideas about rebuilding New Orleans (joking).

Tulane doesn't offer all of those pre-med services that Loyola promises but it's cheaper and I figured that in 10 years it will matter more that I have a masters in genetics over a MA in medical sciences.

I haven't made my final decision, any opinions? Does anyone actually know anyone who went through with MAMS?

 

[vincey915]

Hey I was just accepted into the Loyola MAMS program and I was looking for a roommate(s) who would be willing to live near Loyola's main campus. I looked into a lot of apartments and it looks like being in at least a double will save a lot of money in the long run. If you are interested send me an email at [email protected].

 

[classy and fab]

hi, im interested in applying to all the smp programs, because i really want to go to med school, but dont want to take crazy amounts of time off (like, 2 years). i really like the MAMS program because it's only 9 months, but does that mean i can apply to med schools the following year? i graduate in spring 2008, and hopefully start the smp that same year. which means i can apply to med school in fall 2009? im so confused as to how the system actually works. and, does NYMC offer a similar program? the only ones i have found so far are Georgetown, BU, and Loyola. what was the mcat score that was accepted for MAMS, they said that 25 is the baseline, but rarely accept that score. im so nervous and stressed and dont know what to do 🙁

 

[halekulani]

hi, im interested in applying to all the smp programs, because i really want to go to med school, but dont want to take crazy amounts of time off (like, 2 years). i really like the MAMS program because it's only 9 months, but does that mean i can apply to med schools the following year? i graduate in spring 2008, and hopefully start the smp that same year. which means i can apply to med school in fall 2009? im so confused as to how the system actually works. and, does NYMC offer a similar program? the only ones i have found so far are Georgetown, BU, and Loyola. what was the mcat score that was accepted for MAMS, they said that 25 is the baseline, but rarely accept that score. im so nervous and stressed and dont know what to do 🙁

(current MAMS student)
more than half the people here are applying this cycle...so it's not unusual. it's definitely quite an additional load to put onto your courseload here IMO.

people like me are planning to complete the program then apply after we graduate (thus taking another year off).

I don't know what the average MCAT score is here, but i think it's around 27+. I was accepted with a 27. You should really email them to find out...don't be scared of e-mailing b/c the staff is really friendly.

 

[MaizeNblue16]

So I've been accepted to Loyola MAMS and Georgetown SMP, and I'm going to be spending the next few months or so deciding where to go. I'm on the alternate list at Wayne State SOM, so that is my number one choice but if anyone wants to offer any additional advice... that'd be great.

Ultimately, my goal is to get into a top tier medical school, particularly University of Michigan (my alma mater).

Stats:
3.6 (3.5 science) from UofM-Ann Arbor
33Q MCAT
Plenty of clinical experience, no research experience (interested more in patient care)
Good letters

Which program would be my best choice to achieve my goal of getting into Michigan, or schools outside of Loyola and Georgetown? (i'll be applying to Stritch and Gtown as well though)

 

[laddr]

?

 

[ferragamo]

I can't say enough good things about this program. My class (2009) had a huge acceptance rate into medical schools (when we got together and thought about it, everyone we knew was in). Myself and every one of the guys I partied with had multiple acceptances.
The program is rigorous (Biochemistry is ridic) but none of us really need to study so far in med school for biochem. There is excellent tutoring, and the program director (Dr. Pickett) is about as supportive as they come. They really want you to get in, and will bend over backwards to help you do that.
Obviously, Chicago is a blast. The winters can be brutal, but the campus is very chillaxed, and it sits right on the lake, so you can't beat the views. The main building you will study in overlooks the lake.
I can't recommend this program enough. Several of us saw a several point bump in our MCAT, and at least everyone I know had their bio portion go up. Again, all the guys I partied with and myself ended up with double digits in every section, and the lowest writing score we had was an R. If you have any questions, feel free to post, I will be more than happy to answer any questions anyone may have about the program. I got into my top choice (Rush) so am in Chicago for the next four years at least.