Loyola Update

[Asteras1]

In case there any of you still out there waiting for a response from Loyola, I found out something that might interest you. I found out from a very good source that Loyola does not send out rejections until April. So, if any of you have filled out a secondary for Loyola and are waiting for a reply, you'll be waiting a little longer apparently. If you get anything from Loyola in the mail between now and the end of March, smile because it'll probably be an invitation to interview.

Beware however! Loyola prefers to call applicants rather than send them letters so make sure you have an answering machine and call to check your application's status weekly. At this point, I can almost guarantee that if you are selected for an interview you will be called.

Otherwise, the more time that passes between now and April, the lower your chances are of getting an interview. Send in anything you have, transcripts, letters, etc. because you just might need them and then some to get an interview at this point.

Hope this helps!

[This message has been edited by Asteras1 (edited 02-18-2001).]

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[Amitha726]

Thanks for the update. Have you heard anything from them yet? Do they mind if you call to check on the status of your application? I'm having another letter of reccomendation sent to them... I sure hope that helps! How late do they interview?

Another unrelated question... how do you put smilies into your posts?



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Amy
University of Rochester, class of 2001

 

[Asteras1]

Let me tackle the most important question first: How do you put smiles in your posts?

Well, I did this by accident the first time. All you do is the standard colon and a parenthesis. Once you post it, it turns into a smiley face. I only know how to do the one smiling but let me see if I can figure out the others.

Yeah! I figured out two more!

As for your other "less-important" questions about Loyola, I have not received a thing since I sent the secondary. All I did get was a little postcard confirming that my application was complete but nothing substantive.

Status checks are done on thursdays. Disregard what I said about checking your status every week in my previous post. I really should have said every two weeks since I don't think the committee meets every week.

The secretary told me the committee will not be meeting again until early march so now is the time to get anything in.
If they start to send out rejection letters in April, then I would assume that April will be the last month for interviews. I believe this is the case since a few other Chicago area schools of the same caliber interview in April as well.

Recs help but make sure you send them an updated transcript. As for me, I have little hope of getting in. I have a great gpa, great recs, and atrocious MCAT scores that I am too embarassed to even post on this forum. Bad MCAT scores will kill your app even more than a bad GPA. It is possible explain a low GPA by saying things like: "I was really immature my freshman year and I have since grown as a student." Admission committees will look for improvement in cases like that despite a low GPA and may make an exception. (By the way I think this is fair to say in many cases so I am not necessarily complaining about it) If you have bad MCATs then they'll just tell you take them over and "better luck next year."

[This message has been edited by Asteras1 (edited 02-19-2001).]

 

[cjkalmat]

To do smiles: there is a smilies legend on the left hand side of the text box when you are typing your reply. It is underlined.

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That was fun!!!!

 

[Asteras1]

In the words of Eric Cartman, I got kicked "Squaaahh in the nuts!" today. I called Loyola and they told me that my application has been pushed back, AGAIN.

It looks like it's the last call for my app. The next review date is at the end of March. Loyola sends out rejections in April so there is no doubt it will be the final review of my application. To use a baseball analogy, I've only got one strike left and it's the bottom of the ninth with no men on base.

To the rest of you still applying that haven't heard from Loyola, you should be getting calls soon for the remaining interviews. If you don't get a call, well then we're both on the same sinking ship I guess. Barring miracle, I'm already calling this one over. Good luck to the rest of you!

Loyola is a great school.

 

[Amitha726]

I too made the call today, and got the same information. My application will be reviewed again at the end of March. I assume they would've told me if I had been rejected, so I guess there is some hope left. Asteras, it ain't over till it's over! Maybe we'll interview on the same day at the end of April.

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Amy
University of Rochester, class of 2001

[This message has been edited by Amitha726 (edited 02-22-2001).]

 

[jimmybee]

Hey everyone,
I think you all probably already know this, but Loyola filled their class in December. So, if you do get an interview, it will be for the alternate list. Don't be discouraged though, apparently they take a significant portion of their class of the alternate list. I interviewed at the beginning of January so I too am hoping that this is true.
I just thought that I would let you guys know this because I had no idea about it when I went for my interview. It was a bit discouraging when they told me about it once I got there after I had travelled all that way.

Good luck to everyone,
jimmybee

 

[Amitha726]

A spot on the waitlist is a lot better than a rejection!



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Amy
University of Rochester, class of 2001

 

[Asteras1]

Yes, I am well aware of the wait-list situation. In fact most chicago area med schools filled up by mid-december including UIC and Rush.

Don't quote me on this but I read that Loyola takes about 60% of its class from it's wait-list. This is according to someone that interviewed there in January and asked their interviewer how many make it off of the wait-list. The percentage seems ridiculously high but in any case it doesn't really matter at this point for me.

Assuming by some miracle that I do get in on the last round of interviews, I'll be buried so deep on that wait-list that they might need backhoe to dig me out of there. I might as well just get a rejection letter from them.

In a somewhat unrelated matter, I called Rush U. for a status check and they told me the same thing Loyola did: "At this time your application has been reviewed and the committee has not yet decided on granting you an interview. It will be reviewed again in late March."

Translation: "We know that there is no hope of you ever being admitted into our medical school but we like to jerk people around for months with a false sense of hope because it appeases our sadomasochistic sense of humor. Your application will be finally rejected at the end of March since stringing you along any longer would constitute a felonious act punishable by caning to the buttock region."

I am just being sarcastic. Laughter helps me get through difficult times like this.

In another somewhat unrelated story I was able to move one of my interviews up one entire month. An interview spot at UIC opened up for next week to my surprise. I wouldn't have found out unless I called them so my advice to you all is to stay in touch with the admissions office! Good things can come of it!

 

[VAD]

Just as an FYI...

The Rush class didn't fill up in December. I interviewed there the 3rd week of January and received an acceptance mid-February. So there's hope for those that are still waiting for your interview. Also, although Loyola typically takes several students from their waitlist, last year the waitlist moved VERY little (it seems they were pretty much on target with the people they did accept). But from what one of the admissions people told me, that was NOT the norm. It might be worth it to do a little fact-finding to see what you can dig up.

Either way, I hope you get the opportunity to wow them this spring!

VAD

 

[mams]

I just received an interview invitation for Loyola yesterday. i was just wondering if anyone else has recently heard from them (acceptances/waitists/rejections). any feedback on my chances of getting in would be greatly appreciated.

thanks. good luck to everyone in this horrible process.

 

[Riesling]

wow, congrats on your interview...I thought Loyola was done interviewing! Did they call you to invite or did you get a letter??

 

[Doggy]

did it work?

 

[Amitha726]

mams, if you find out how late they will be interviewing this year, please let me know. Congrats on getting the interview... I'm still holding on to a shread of hope that I'll get one too. Good luck!



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Amy
University of Rochester, class of 2001

 

[kris]

I heard from Loyola sometime in mid to late March. I sent them my letter to withdraw, and in return they sent me a letter of rejection. How bizarre.

--kris

 

[wyldstyle2000]

For your infomation for those who haven't heard from them yet regarding their secondary, Loyola told me that if was to be granted an interview, they'd call me. Otherwise, I'd receive something in the mail at the end of the month stating no interview could be granted.

Dang..its getting late in the process...doesn't look too good even if I was to be granted an interview.

wyldstyle

 

[meikalulu]

recieved call from loyola end of march as well and interviewed april 20 which i believe was the very last day of interviews. i was placed on the alternate list (everyone who interviews after jan is either rejected or waitlisted--they are very upfront about this) i will probably withdrawl this week (just got acceptance at my first choice school) but loyola has an awesome program with amazing facilities--good luck to all

 

[jimmybee]

Hey, once someone gets in off of the alternate list, will you please post it on here. I really would like to go to Loyola and it would be nice to know when people actually get pulled from the a-list.

Thanks,
--jimmybee

 

[gel1]

jimmybee, I am just wondering what it is about Loyola that makes you want to go there so much. I have heard good and bad things. They are in a really crappy location far from downtown chicago, but they have brand new facilities. Do you know if they focus a lot on religion? I think that is influencing my opinion of them more than it should I guess. The other thing is, it looks like you're from MI but Loyola heavily favors IL residents. Any thoughts?

 

[jimmybee]

gel1,
Regarding your concerns about Loyola, I don't know what to tell you about how their students seem to be kind of dumb. From the two trips that I have made there, I have run into pretty smart people, but I will keep my eye out for the "stupid" ones in the future. About the favoring of Illinois residents, 50% of the class isn't really that bad as an out-of-state applicant. Its actually quite good. Compared to many schools (even though they may be public) this is a relatively low number. It is pretty common to find schools throughout the country who do not take more than 20% of their students from out-of-state.

With regards to the school's location, I don't think that it is a bad area at all. It might not be downtown, but it is still ok. To me it seems like everyone who goes there really likes it and I think that the suburb atmosphere will be good for me.

Finally, I guess I will get back to the bigger question: Why do I want to go to Loyola?--. After my interview there, I found myself really impressed with the strong dedication that the school has of producing not only competent physicians, but also caring individuals. While the schools offers a large number of specialties to explore, they really emphasize learning the fundamentals of how to deal with patients the most. So, by going to Loyola, I think I will get the most of both worlds---I'll learn how to effectively deal with patients and I will get a good introduction to many specialty areas that I might not get at a primary care oriented school.

I am by no means saying that Loyola is perfect, but I am saying that Loyola fits the best for me among the schools that I am being considered for.

 

[jimmybee]

gel1,
Oh....I forgot to mention religion. Basically it is a non-issue unless you want to learn how to do an abortion or you want to be another Dr. Jack. The school had a big sign that said "Non-believers Welcome" when I interviewed there.

 

[Dr.No]

I would have loved to go to Loyola if they had accepted me. I never even interviewed and they just sent me a rejection letter about 4 days ago. In addition to it being a great school, I live about 2 miles from the school and I personally love the area. But too bad.............

 

[gel1]

jimmybee,
Thanks. I feel a lot better about the school after hearing that it has such a humanistic approach. That non-believers sign is pretty funny, and shows they respect diversity.

 

[jimmybee]

Ok,
Just for clarification, the whole sign welcoming "non-believers" thing was a joke. But, that was really how I felt. They really don't care what religion you are just as long as you respect theirs. So in otherwords, you can be Jewish, a Muslim, or whatever, just don't mock their religion.

--jimmybee

 

[rxfudd]

Originally posted by gel1:
•They are in a really crappy location far from downtown chicago•

Why the hell would you want to BE in downtown Chicago??? I go to UIC (which is downtown) and have spent half of my life downtown. Nothing but traffic - no parking spaces - not such a nice place to be after dark - really really crowded - the list goes on and on.

I took the MCAT on 4/21 at the Loyola campus. I'm not sure whether or not the med school is in the same area, but if it is, it is the nicest campus I have been to in Illinois (except maybe U of C). Right near the lake - clean - nice people - everything that downtown chicago is NOT.

 

[gel1]

rxfudd,
I wish the med school was where the undergrad campus is, but it's not. The med school is in Maywood. I agree with you about downtown being crowded and all, but the good side is that you can find great things to do at all hours. Plus consider the differences in the area of downtown for UIC and say Nothwestern. It seems like a big difference to me (though maybe not to you). There is nothing to do in Maywood (except maybe go to run-down Kiddieland or bet on some horses!)

 

[pcl]

I withdrew from loyola yesterday, so there is at least one letter that someone will get! Good Luck you guys!