Midwestern University - Chicago & Glendale

[Tai]

Okay does anyone on this forum know exactly how Midwestern (both campuses) go about selecting applicants for an interview?

Do they give preference to those students in a pool of completed applications who took the PCAT in October vs. November? I have a feeling that might be the case....but am not sure. I have a pretty good (not great) PCAT score and a very high GPA so I am now getting worried about my status.

Also how is the interview set up?

thanks

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[Roxicet]

Okay does anyone on this forum know exactly how Midwestern (both campuses) go about selecting applicants for an interview?

Do they give preference to those students in a pool of completed applications who took the PCAT in October vs. November? I have a feeling that might be the case....but am not sure. I have a pretty good (not great) PCAT score and a very high GPA so I am now getting worried about my status.

Also how is the interview set up?

thanks

I can help a little in regards to the Glendale campus (I'm a PS1 there). Have you signed up with the "interact now" feature on the Midwestern website? It will allow you to check the status of your application, and send messages/questions to the admissions counselor. I think admissions is on a rolling basis this year, and there have been two interview sessions held so far. The actual deadline isn't until Feb, so there could be interviews as late as April; don't worry. When did you submit your app?

Last year I submitted mine at the beginning of Sept, and was invited in Nov to an interview in Dec. I took the Oct 2003 PCAT, and the school hadn't received my scores before I was invited for the interview, so I'm not sure how much weight the PCAT has in getting you an interview. I was accepted in Dec after they received my scores.

About the interview, last year it was a panel of three....a professor, a student, and a preceptor, but I heard that this year it has been changed to a panel of 3 professors to eliminate the variance in interviewee evaluations. Interview feedback is posted here http://www.studentdoctor.net/interviewpharm/interview_read.asp, in case you haven't already read it.

You can pm me if you need more info.

 

[kayjay]

Tai,
Does your application status indicate that your application is complete (for CCP in particular)?

 

[Tai]

Tai,
Does your application status indicate that your application is complete (for CCP in particular)?

Yes my application is complete in Interact Now. Im just waiting on pins and needles! Im just neurotic, what can i say? Although I was a bit perturbed when I discovered that my application was sort of "misplaced" and not entered into the system until later, which is why it took longer for it to have Completed status.

 

[kayjay]

Yes my application is complete in Interact Now. Im just waiting on pins and needles! Im just neurotic, what can i say? Although I was a bit perturbed when I discovered that my application was sort of "misplaced" and not entered into the system until later, which is why it took longer for it to have Completed status.

Sorry to sound so redundant, but I just wanted to make this clear for myself. For your application status on Interact Now, does it specifically say "Application Complete" where it says application status? It appears that they received all of my documents, but my application status still shows "Applied"?? Is it supposed to change once they receive all your materials? I received a reply today from the adcom after I emailed them before the holidays, and they told me my app. is complete. Did they say how long it will take before you hear back from them? They told me 2-3 weeks minimum. I remember someone else who applied to CCP in another thread said he/she (?) was informed of being eligible for a campus visit ~3-4 days after his/her application was complete. I'm getting nervous..and "neurotic" also.

 

[nparikh84]

Did they say how long it will take before you hear back from them? They told me 2-3 weeks minimum. I remember someone else who applied to CCP in another thread said he/she (?) was informed of being eligible for a campus visit ~3-4 days after his/her application was complete. I'm getting nervous..and "neurotic" also.

Hey, thats right. I e-mailed MWU to see why my admission status was not changing even though I knew they had all of my supplemental materials. They responded to my e-mail the next day, but it took a day or two before my InteractNOW page was updated. On that page it says that my application status had been changed to "complete" on December 13, 2004. I got an e-mail from the admissions department on December 16, 2004 which stated that I was eligable for a campus visit. The actual physical piece of mail did not arrive at my home until December 24, 2004. But I was informed about the visit exactly three days after my application status had been changed. Hope this clears up some confusion.

 

[Tai]

YIKES! That is wierd. My status is Complete for both campuses since December 27 but I still have not received anything. Just to clear my mind about it, I called Midwestern and they said that it takes 2-3 weeks after Complete status to hear back from them. I think they look at the apps in batches and then send out emails on certain days (i think). It was probably coincidence that Nparikh's application was reviewed in the last batch so was sent an invitation promptly.

Kayjay dont worry, im assuming we wont hear for another week, although I still have the tendency to be neurotic about it! =) You should call them and inquire about your status.

I also heard that (at least CPG did it this way) they may be first going through the apps of applicants that took their pcats in OCtober and then those in November.

Hope this helps!

 

[kayjay]

Thanks for the reassurance guys! I just checked my status on their website and it says that it's complete now. *relieved* I pm-ed Wendy and she said it does in fact take 24 hours before it updates. Sorry, I'm just getting sooo nervous and impatient. 😳 Now the wait is going to drive me crazy! 🙂

 

[nparikh84]

Just got back from the MCV today.....for tai and kayjay:

guys keep checking your e-mail and regular mails because in todays visit Wendy told us that there is another visit scheduled to occur within the next two weeks. The admissions committee will be meeting within that time span to discuss the admission decision for both visits within that two week time period.

 

[kayjay]

Just got back from the MCV today.....for tai and kayjay:

guys keep checking your e-mail and regular mails because in todays visit Wendy told us that there is another visit scheduled to occur within the next two weeks. The admissions committee will be meeting within that time span to discuss the admission decision for both visits within that two week time period.

Thanks for the info!

How was it by the way? (I'm excited for you! 😛 ) Did you find the essay question difficult to answer (would you suggest reading up on current healthcare issues, or was it based on a more personal level)? Can you share your experience in a little more detail (how many people attended, do u dress formally casual for it or would you suggest wearing business attire, i.e. suit, would u suggest bringing anything with)? I haven't even been invited, but just in case... hehe 🙂

 

[nparikh84]

Thanks for the info!

How was it by the way? (I'm excited for you! 😛 ) Did you find the essay question difficult to answer (would you suggest reading up on current healthcare issues, or was it based on a more personal level)? Can you share your experience in a little more detail (how many people attended, do u dress formally casual for it or would you suggest wearing business attire, i.e. suit, would u suggest bringing anything with)? I haven't even been invited, but just in case... hehe 🙂

Hey, no problem, just tryin to help out. Just like you I thought that the essay would be on current health care issues, but it really wasn't. It was quite basic actually, one of those "what would you do......(social problem)" trust me it's not too hard, just as long as you don't make it all hard by reading too much into it and getting all philosophical about it. The room we were in was pretty small so i'd say there were about 35 people, 40 tops. I had on nice slacks and a dress shirt, NO TIE. There was one individual with a full suit, and a couple had blazers (but these guys were kind of old....i'd say they were about 30+ years old). The women had on i'd guess you'd call it a business suit for women, i don't know exactly how to describe it. But no one had on anything overtly classy or expensive or anything like that. I'm sorry I can't be of more help in this department, but theres another thread devoted to "interview clothing" and you might want to check that out. I brought a folder with me, and it contained loose leaf paper, my supplemental essays from the MWU application, a few questions about the school that I had in mind, and the mail that MWU sent me (the letters accompnying my invitation). If you have any other questions i'll be happy to help; and i also posted up an "interview experience" or whatever its called in the "pharmacy school interview feedback" page under Midwestern University (Illinois).

 

[lazydazy]

hi everyone,

1. what do you think about MWU's curriculum involving lots of group projects? I think it's good b/c we get to work w/all different types of people, but on the same token it's difficult and frustrating when someone slacks. I always loathed group projects as an undergrad b/c someone always failed to do their fair share of work. That's the only negative I have regarding MWU CCP.

2. Can some of the current MWU CCP's students share their feelings and experiences regarding group projects?

3. Also, are the majority of exams similar to prof. previous exams? It seems that students at both MWU & UIC emphasize to obtain copies of a prof. old exams. How are we learning the material if it's necessary to memorize an old exam. I had former prof. at that did that and I hated it. OK, I know what you're thinking, she's such a dork. I know I am! But, I'm paying $ to learn not to memorize an old exam. Sorry if I'm ranting...I don't mind using it as a study aid, but def. don't want to just memorize it and only that to pass the class. Am I making sense?

Thanks!

 

[indoflip]

hi everyone,

1. what do you think about MWU's curriculum involving lots of group projects? I think it's good b/c we get to work w/all different types of people, but on the same token it's difficult and frustrating when someone slacks. I always loathed group projects as an undergrad b/c someone always failed to do their fair share of work. That's the only negative I have regarding MWU CCP.

2. Can some of the current MWU CCP's students share their feelings and experiences regarding group projects?

3. Also, are the majority of exams similar to prof. previous exams? It seems that students at both MWU & UIC emphasize to obtain copies of a prof. old exams. How are we learning the material if it's necessary to memorize an old exam. I had former prof. at that did that and I hated it. OK, I know what you're thinking, she's such a dork. I know I am! But, I'm paying $ to learn not to memorize an old exam. Sorry if I'm ranting...I don't mind using it as a study aid, but def. don't want to just memorize it and only that to pass the class. Am I making sense?

Thanks!

I dont feel we had alot of group projects aside from our workshops in therapeutics every other week. And we had a quality assurance class where we had to do a group poster presentation (a 10 week thing where you go to a site with your group and you collect data, present it in a professional poster and find ways to improve the site).

You will be doing some things with other people, but they are hardly group projects since you still work independently (ie: IPE -introductory to practice experience- classes) But I've heard they've changed it quite a bit, for example I heard the c/o 2006 has to present some big project to the rest of their class after their rotations are done. Yuck.

And I wouldnt worry too much about someone not pulling their own weight because chances are that other person cares just as much about their grade and sometimes there are enough people that they can pick up the slack of the slacker.

But I will say this, when you are on rotation the school requires you to do alot of projects that take up a ton of time. Not like other schools where you do whatever your preceptor wants you to. We have to do that (what the preceptor wants) plus do a journal club, write a DI paper, write and present a case presentation, and complete 3 other activities, all in 6 weeks. We also have this huge checklist of stuff to finish by the end of our rotations that takes all year to do. Glad I only have 3 more weeks of this madness

I had alot of old exams for tests but they are a good study guide at best. Many of the questions were NOT repeated except in our pharmacology class, and only a certain professor would repeat some questions. I used the old tests mainly as a way to quiz myself or review content that I may have not paid much attention to while studying.

 

[lazydazy]

Hey Indoflip!

Thanks for your thorough response! It really sounds like MWU is changing it's curriculum a lot. I really don't mind doing group projects b/c as a pharmacist you need to be able to work with lots of different personalities. Also, presenting stuff is good to b/c I'm so uncomfortable speaking in public. I like to get as much exposure to giving presentations as possible. I can talk to anyone during a normal conversation...a complete stranger w/no problem. However, I become so nervous I'm standing infront of a people in a room. I'm sure that'll pass w/time and experience.

Thanks again!!!

 

[indoflip]

Hey Indoflip!

Thanks for your thorough response! It really sounds like MWU is changing it's curriculum a lot. I really don't mind doing group projects b/c as a pharmacist you need to be able to work with lots of different personalities. Also, presenting stuff is good to b/c I'm so uncomfortable speaking in public. I like to get as much exposure to giving presentations as possible. I can talk to anyone during a normal conversation...a complete stranger w/no problem. However, I become so nervous I'm standing infront of a people in a room. I'm sure that'll pass w/time and experience.

Thanks again!!!

No problem! They have definitely changed it quite a bit since I was a PS1. I heard that med chem is only 2 quarters now and is only weighted 3 hours or something versus I had to take it for a while year and each quarter it was weighted 4 or 5 hours 👎 And there are a host of new electives and I think you can start taking them your 2nd year vs. I had to wait til 3rd year.

And you will definitely get over the public speaking thing. They make sure you do alot of it, especially while on rotations. You do at least 3 major presentations during *each* rotation and this is to other MDs, RNs, RPhs. I used to be really nervous too when I first started school and I was still a little when rotations started but after all that practice I pretty much have no problem. Anyway, good luck, MWU rocks! 😀