Midwestern University Chicago (CCOM) Discussion Thread 2013 - 2014

[BB8730]

New year, new thread!

Helpful links:
CCOM Page of the College Information Book (pdf)

CCOM Website

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[mommy2three]

Current 3rd almost 4th year around and happy to answer any questions

 

[mommy2three]

1. Is there a regional bias?

2. Are the clinical rotations awesome?

3. dress code or required attendance?

4. Is everyone going to specialize to pay off the student loans since tuition here is 56k a year?

5. Is very cheap housing available?

1. Not an overwhelming regional bias but slightly tilted toward Midwest residents but we get a good geographical distribution

2. Rotations are awesome there is good and bad but not more than you would expect anywhere. It mostly just feels good to be out of the classroom and doing something

3 dress code only for OMM which is scrubs and clinical practice patients which is business casual (like three times per year max). No required attendance except for anatomy lab, OMM lab and clinical skills lab

4. A lot of my class is doing primary care so it is possible

5. You can share an apartment or house for in the range of $600-700/month

Hth

 

[MD2BHA]

Still indecisive about applying! 3.9 GPA and 24 MCAT.


Any advice??


Illinois resident (it's about 20 minutes away from my home!)

 

[Peterako]

Right now this is at the top of my list. Does anyone know if there is graduate assisstant positions available in Residential Life? I'm an RA at my current university and would love to continue that to pay for housing. I wasn't able to find info on the website.

*edit: OP has the first link wrong.

 

[mommy2three]

Right now this is at the top of my list. Does anyone know if there is graduate assisstant positions available in Residential Life? I'm an RA at my current university and would love to continue that to pay for housing. I wasn't able to find info on the website.

*edit: OP has the first link wrong.

They do offer RA positions but I think you have to wait until you are a second year to do it so in other words you apply during your first year
You could always call and ask if they offer positions to first year students but I think they figure you need to focus on studying and hitting a groove rather than being in charge of a bunch of people

 

[mommy2three]

Still indecisive about applying! 3.9 GPA and 24 MCAT.


Any advice??


Illinois resident (it's about 20 minutes away from my home!)

Depends on you EC

Apply early and get a LOR from a DO and you may have a shot

 

[HeronsBeak]

Really want to go here, hour from home, 3.5 c and s, 27.

 

[green lantern]

Definitely in my Top 3.
3.7 cGPA
3,6 sGPA
26 MCAT
OH resident

Right now this is at the top of my list. Does anyone know if there is graduate assisstant positions available in Residential Life? I'm an RA at my current university and would love to continue that to pay for housing. I wasn't able to find info on the website.

*edit: OP has the first link wrong.

Dude I have been an RA for 2 years, props to you for continuing. I don't think I can deal with all crap Residents try to pull anymore.

 

[MD2BHA]

Depends on you EC

Apply early and get a LOR from a DO and you may have a shot

EC are very good. I interned with an MD for 2.5 years. I'm just having a hard time finding a DO in the Chicagoland area to shadow. Any advice on how to reach out to any DOs??

 

[mommy2three]

EC are very good. I interned with an MD for 2.5 years. I'm just having a hard time finding a DO in the Chicagoland area to shadow. Any advice on how to reach out to any DOs??

Osteopathic.org
Use the find a DO
Just keep calling, I know it is challenging. I got a ton of nos before I got a yes but I eventually got the yes. If you use google to figure out their alma mater alums are more willing to let you shadow them

 

[mommy2three]

Chances?

3.68c/3.64s/25

Illinois resident, DO letter

above average ECs

Same as the guy earlier, apply early as in secondary in on first day it can be submitted with everything ready to go.
You want to interview early in the cycle

 

[MD2BHA]

Osteopathic.org
Use the find a DO
Just keep calling, I know it is challenging. I got a ton of nos before I got a yes but I eventually got the yes. If you use google to figure out their alma mater alums are more willing to let you shadow them

Thank you! I will get on that! But do you think that my application will be lacking if I only get a letter from an MD and not a DO. I know Midwestern encourages experience with a DO but do you think that will be something that goes against me?

 

[mommy2three]

But do I have a good shot at getting an interview if I do all that?

I do not know 100% but I would say decent

Your best shot is to apply early and interview early

 

[mommy2three]

Thank you! I will get on that! But do you think that my application will be lacking if I only get a letter from an MD and not a DO. I know Midwestern encourages experience with a DO but do you think that will be something that goes against me?

I think that is why they will take either which is why they will accept either simply because of the number situation as well as it can be hard to find a DO in parts of the country
If you have an osteo school near you, contact them and see if they can get you in touch with alum in the area who would be willing to take a student
But in my opinion it is better to have a good endorsement from the letter rather than a great person letter regardless of the initials behind the name

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Hey guys, I will be matriculating this fall for the class of 2017. I'd be happy to answer any questions as well!

I would reiterate what mommy2three said by getting everything in as early as possible. I think that definitely helped me secure an early acceptance here. My stats were about average, but after getting everything turned in right away and taking the first interview date ( when someone else dropped it), I wound up in the first batch of acceptances.

 

[MD2BHA]

Hey guys, I will be matriculating this fall for the class of 2017. I'd be happy to answer any questions as well!

I would reiterate what mommy2three said by getting everything in as early as possible. I think that definitely helped me secure an early acceptance here. My stats were about average, but after getting everything turned in right away and taking the first interview date ( when someone else dropped it), I wound up in the first batch of acceptances.

Congrates on your acceptance! What were your stats? And when did you apply? (If you don't mind sharing lol)

 

[MD2BHA]

I think that is why they will take either which is why they will accept either simply because of the number situation as well as it can be hard to find a DO in parts of the country
If you have an osteo school near you, contact them and see if they can get you in touch with alum in the area who would be willing to take a student
But in my opinion it is better to have a good endorsement from the letter rather than a great person letter regardless of the initials behind the name

I agree! Thanks for the input!

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Congrates on your acceptance! What were your stats? And when did you apply? (If you don't mind sharing lol)

27 MCAT
3.45/3.35 GPA
Lots of clinical experience and DO shadowing with letters

Primaries were out June 1st at 12:01 ( earliest you could was noon).
Got a secondary mid August I believe and turned it around in a day or two.
And thanks by the way, I was fortunate to hear back early. Can't wait to start!

 

[MD2BHA]

27 MCAT
3.45/3.35 GPA
Lots of clinical experience and DO shadowing with letters

Primaries were out June 1st at 12:01 ( earliest you could was noon).
Got a secondary mid August I believe and turned it around in a day or two.
And thanks by the way, I was fortunate to hear back early. Can't wait to start!

Haha I plan on doing the same! Good luck!

 

[redPastel]

Any prompts on secondary application?

 

[DeFused]

This is also one of my top choices! My stats are 3.23cGPA, 3.6sGPA, 29 MCAT. I'm a little worried about my core GPA and I feel like I'm just an average applicant. I have about 150 hours of volunteer and 40 hours of shadowing (20 with a DO). What do you think my chances are?

-Not an Illinois resident but my family lives there.

 

[JPickos9989]

27 MCAT
3.45/3.35 GPA
Lots of clinical experience and DO shadowing with letters

Primaries were out June 1st at 12:01 ( earliest you could was noon).
Got a secondary mid August I believe and turned it around in a day or two.
And thanks by the way, I was fortunate to hear back early. Can't wait to start!

I have almost the exact same stats as you. Good to know considering this is my top choice.

Any input on how they view EC's? I have been working just under full-time hours for my past four years of school along with clinical hours for my major (Athletic Training) with a 3.73 cGPA and 3.51 sGPA to show for it. But my first two years of school were mediocrity at its finest. Hoping they will look more heavily upon my later years of performance.

 

[cyaneidae]

Hope to hear good news from CCOM this cycle! I am from the area, so I already know what to expect living in the western suburbs of Chicago (and I would be able to stay at my house before an interview, woo).

 

[pepes1lv1a]

Definitely a CCOM hopeful. Half an hour from my house

3.0sGPA/3.2cGPA 34 MCAT tons of clinical experience, a decent amount of volunteering, and lots of shadowing (inc. DO)


At least, I hope it's a 3.0...it seems to have been verified the way I submitted it, but if they changed anything, it'd be a 2.9 :/

 

[HH8911]

Verified 6/6, with a 3.7/28. Would love to check out this school!

 

[Melomare17]

applying too!

 

[BecksTriad]

just submitted my AACOMAS. will be applying here for next cycle .

 

[deleted451730]

27 MCAT
3.45/3.35 GPA
Lots of clinical experience and DO shadowing with letters

Primaries were out June 1st at 12:01 ( earliest you could was noon).
Got a secondary mid August I believe and turned it around in a day or two.
And thanks by the way, I was fortunate to hear back early. Can't wait to start!

Same with me, I applied relatively early (before June was up). I heard back quickly and was accepted in the first batch. Do not wait.

Definitely a CCOM hopeful. Half an hour from my house

3.0sGPA/3.2cGPA 34 MCAT tons of clinical experience, a decent amount of volunteering, and lots of shadowing (inc. DO)

At least, I hope it's a 3.0...it seems to have been verified the way I submitted it, but if they changed anything, it'd be a 2.9 :/

Hey pepes1lv1a. Your MCAT is amazing, but I would say your GPAs are low for CCOM. Their cutoff cGPA is 2.75, but their average cGPA is a 3.63. Apply anyway though because with your experiences/volunteering/shadowing and MCAT score (which matters more than gpa), you have a shot.

 

[psquared22]

Little worried about the cost of living associated with the area but the rep for the school is crazy good from what I've read on here. Excited to apply here.

 

[cyaneidae]

^I'm not sure how expensive it is to live near the school itself, but I'm from the area and can definitely tell you the town (Downers Grove) and its neighboring towns (like Hinsdale, Naperville) are all middle-class/upper middle-class (some even upper class--Oakbrook is just north of the school) suburbs of Chicago.

The towns themselves and the stores & atmosphere are great, but you can definitely see houses priced at half a million or a million or more (Downers Grove houses tend to be from 300,000-600,000, sometimes more--not sure about apartments).


Tl;dr: you are correct to worry about the cost of living. I love the Chicago western suburbs, but I'm biased.

That said, I have absolutely *no idea* how much apartments in the area run. DG's northern end tends to be more expensive (for cost of living), but the very southern end isn't more than a 15 min drive from CCOM and is cheaper. There's a number of apartments on both ends of town that probably fit a med student's budget.


Oh and one of the best parts is that Chicago is only ~25 miles away--not a bad drive if you go at the right time. =)

 

[Shinobiz11]

Applied

 

[aspiringdoc21]

LORs only need to be sent in before submitting secondaries, right? I'm done with my primary, but am not sure if I should submit it or wait for all of the LORs.

 

[ZeroViBritannia]

LORs only need to be sent in before submitting secondaries, right? I'm done with my primary, but am not sure if I should submit it or wait for all of the LORs.

Submit if everything else is ready so you can get verified, and add your letters as you get them.

 

[Success]

Hey guys, so I am new to the whole D.O. application process. I was wondering if CCOM sends secondary applications. And do they send it everyone or a selected few? I hope I am not late, because I just submitted my application today morning.

 

[mskccgarnett]

Submit if everything else is ready so you can get verified, and add your letters as you get them.

Do you mean submit letters etc even though primaries have not been released to CCOM (and secondary has not been sent out yet)?

 

[ZeroViBritannia]

Do you mean submit letters etc even though primaries have not been released to CCOM (and secondary has not been sent out yet)?

No, I was referring to the primary. I'm pretty sure you don't have to submit LORs until you submit your secondaries.

 

[Yehoshua24]

No, I was referring to the primary. I'm pretty sure you don't have to submit LORs until you submit your secondaries.

I am not aware of a DO program that expects to see a LOR with the primary. It is usually a apart of the secondary or if your are invited for an interview after your secondary is reviewed.

 

[psquared22]

Secondary invite this morning. Time to get this train rolling. Good luck everybody!

 

[yaiba48]

Just got secondary. So excited !!!!

 

[CanePreMed]

Secondary invite this morning. Time to get this train rolling. Good luck everybody!

+1!! Very excited to be applying here!!

 

[HH8911]

Secondary here too! First of the season- bring it on!

 

[Back 5]

No essay, just demographics and LoR's + fee?

EDIT: NM, I found the prompts.

 

[geh926]

No essay, just demographics and LoR's + fee?

EDIT: NM, I found the prompts.

Prompts same as last year's ?

 

[pepes1lv1a]

Prompts same as last year's ?

Yes, except somewhere on SDN I read they don't send out secondaries til August, so I procrastinated it. grrr

 

[dollarbill]

Secondary received!

Can anyone tell me how my chances look?

3.68c/3.64s/25 MCAT

Solid ECs

Illinois resident

I think your chances are good...cGPA/sGPA right on par with the averages, MCAT is a little below 1 SD from the average (29 was last year). The 2ndry is your time to shine now, most people underestimate it (especially the resume/CV) but these hold a good amount of weight as well as being the only thing your interviewers will get. Best of luck

EDIT: 29 was the average mcat score for CCOM, and 26 was 1 SD from the average...ultimate goal is you'd like to be within 1 SD of the average

 

[mtb1507]

Anyone willing to direct me to the prompts from last year or share this year's? Thanks in advance!

 

[dollarbill]

Anyone willing to direct me to the prompts from last year or share this year's? Thanks in advance!

Previous years have basically been boiled down to why CCOM and why YOU with attached resume...

 

[Mosonik]

I think your chances are good...cGPA/sGPA right on par with the averages, MCAT is a little below 1 SD from the average (26 was last year). The 2ndry is your time to shine now, most people underestimate it (especially the resume/CV) but these hold a good amount of weight as well as being the only thing your interviewers will get. Best of luck

Actually the matriculating class of 2012 had an average MCAT last year of 29.
25 isn't a kiss of death but it will take an otherwise amazing application for consideration here. CCOM gets well over 5k applications a season.
Good luck!

 

[cyaneidae]

Wooo, my first secondary! Gonna get writing today...