Thoughts on Loyola Stritch part 01

[ExtraAverage]

Hello,
I wanted to know if anyone has thoughts/praises/concerns/juicy info regarding Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. I'm not asking for numerical, "Go look it up in MSAR" sort of information; I'm thinking more of "heard through the grapevine" sorts of things. Or, perhaps you are a student or alumnus that has wandered into the pre-allo page; do you have any thoughts? I was recently accepted there and love the school. I will most likely be attending in the Fall. Unless, of course, one of the venerable cadres of SDN forum junkies can convince me otherwise.

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[jebus]

Hello,
I wanted to know if anyone has thoughts/praises/concerns/juicy info regarding Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. I'm not asking for numerical, "Go look it up in MSRP" sort of information; I'm thinking more of "heard through the grapevine" sorts of things.

I don't know anything about loyola, but I do know that MSRP = manufacturer's suggested retail price. Perhaps you meant MSAR.
Were I you, with your stats, I would go there. Congrats on the acceptance.

 

[jbrice1639]

Hello,
I wanted to know if anyone has thoughts/praises/concerns/juicy info regarding Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. I'm not asking for numerical, "Go look it up in MSRP" sort of information; I'm thinking more of "heard through the grapevine" sorts of things. Or, perhaps you are a student or alumnus that has wandered into the pre-allo page; do you have any thoughts? I was recently accepted there and love the school. I will most likely be attending in the Fall. Unless, of course, one of the venerable cadres of SDN forum junkies can convince me otherwise.

Hey, i've heard nothing but great things about the school. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs a few minutes from the school, and as a member of the general public, it was always a respected place. My wife was actually born there.

Like you, I got accepted to Loyola recently, and am 99% sure that I will be attending in the fall. Not sure your age/status, but I know the school is very friendly towards non-traditional students, and specifically very friendly towards married students. Everyone I've known who has gone there before me has said wonderful things about the other students and the staff, and seem to be very happy (well, as happy a med student can be anyways).

If you have any more specific questions, feel free to PM me. And, congrats on your acceptance...hope to see you in the fall...er...July

 

[Chopianista]

I've heard great things as well. I have an interview there in a couple of weeks and I'm so excited! Although, I'm concerned that this interview might be a little late in the process... is it true that they fill most of their class by early December?

 

[jbrice1639]

chopianista...don't worry about it being late...from what i've heard, most of their interviews before january 1 are for spots in the class, and most of the interviews after the new year are for waitlist spots...so you should be fine. good luck to you

 

[ExtraAverage]

I don't know anything about loyola, but I do know that MSRP = manufacturer's suggested retail price. Perhaps you meant MSAR.
Were I you, with your stats, I would go there. Congrats on the acceptance.

Thanks for the heads up (and the backhanded compliment) MSRP has been altered.

 

[OddNath]

I almost went to Loyola-- the med school is beautiful, it seems like a tight community, the people were awesome, and even being a non-religious person, I liked the religious/spiritual grounding given to bizarre and scary things like anatomy lab.

All in all, I really adored the med school (I didn't end up going there for reasons dealing with the MD/PhD program, not the med school itself), and you should go there! Congrats!

 

[AL112934]

Sorry guys if this isn't relevant, but just wondering what form did your interview invites came from Loyola... I've been waiting....


http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=4504

 

[ExtraAverage]

Sorry guys if this isn't relevant, but just wondering what form did your interview invites came from Loyola... I've been waiting....


http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=4504

I got a call.

 

[jbrice1639]

Sorry guys if this isn't relevant, but just wondering what form did your interview invites came from Loyola... I've been waiting....


http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=4504

i wasn't home when i got my invite...but when i came home, there was a message on my answering machine and an email. i'm assuming they called first and then sent the email in case i didn't get the phone message. i don't know if it's a once-a-week kinda thing or not, but they called me sometime before noon on a monday if that helps...

 

[ExtraAverage]

I know, I know, I'm throwing in my own bump for more info (hopefully).

 

[dopaminophile]

I'm an MSI at Loyola now if you guys have any questions. It's a great place and I've never been happier. Medical education is long, hard, and exhausting no matter where you go, but I can't think of anyone in our class who would want to be anywhere else right now. For that matter, I can't think of anyone in our class I'd want to be somewhere else. Good luck all!

 

[jbrice1639]

flopotomist is interviewing there today...i'm sure we'll get a full report tonight/tomorrow/sometime soon.

 

[anystream]

flopotomist is interviewing there today...i'm sure we'll get a full report tonight/tomorrow/sometime soon.

do any of you know what they look for in applicants? i would love to get an interview, but i don't think its coming. should i send a letter of interest?

 

[jbrice1639]

do any of you know what they look for in applicants? i would love to get an interview, but i don't think its coming. should i send a letter of interest?

despite every school saying it, loyola is actually a "beyond the numbers" type of school. they're heavy into clinical care over research. they follow their motto (we also treat the human spirit) in every part of the school...including their application process. they're specifically looking for people who they believe will be both competent and compassionate. if you are interested, i'd definitely write a letter and let them know...and let them know why you think you'd fit well at loyola, because they seem to be most interested in finding the right fit between themselves and their students, beyond just having the best academic achievers.

 

[ExtraAverage]

do any of you know what they look for in applicants? i would love to get an interview, but i don't think its coming. should i send a letter of interest?

Hello there,
I have quite a bit of experience with this matter as it pertains to Loyola. To answer your last question first, DEFINITELY send a letter of interest, maybe even call and ask to talk to the Dean of Admissions, LaDonna Norstrom. The first time I applied to Loyola (this was my second), I didn't get an interview until March. I got the interview about two weeks after I sent in a letter of interest. I'm pretty sure that's what got me the invite.
As far as what they look for in applicants, I think the biggest emphasis is on personal qualities: commitment to social justice, community service, helping underserved populations. Of course they look at numbers, but they don't over-emphasize them. A big thing for Loyola is they want to make sure you are the "right fit". If you have super numbers and amazing research credentials they may not invite you if you appear to have no interest in Loyola and "compassionate" medicine. On the other hand, if you are like myself (crappy to mediocre numbers but with experience in helping the underserved,) you should definitely keep your hopes up. I spent 10 minutes talking one on one with the director of admissions after my interview and so most of what I have said here comes directly from her.
I hope that helps and good luck in the future.

 

[Flopotomist]

I just got back from my interview there (still wearing my suit). THIS SCHOOL IS AMAZING!!!

Every single person that I met was so enthusiastic about the school, I felt like they must be piping Prozac or something through the vents. Everybody was smiling, happy, and completely filled with joy.

The point that really sold me - I was dropped off in the anatomy lab to watch them do dissections in between my interviews. Matt (the admissions administration guy) literally just dropped me into the lab. I felt a bit awkward, but then just took the opportunity to observe how the students interacted with each other. They were amazing towards each other - they all worked as a giant team helping each other learn. After a moment, a guy walked up and introduced himself to me, and invited me over to his cadaver. His group was busy dissecting the neck, but were all exhuberant in their praise of the school.

The interviews themselves were very laid back and relaxed. More like conversations than interviews. No tricky, weird, or hard questions - my questions were all about my ECs for the most part.

The facilities are all very new. The fitness center is stunning - pool, indoor running track, new equipement, racquetball courts.

I really just can't say enough about how positive the students themselves struck me. I did not see one stressed out or unhappy person. I met the person that they described as the class "gunner," but even he was very friendly, kind, and apparently is very fun during social outings. Every student seems to know nearly all the other members of the class, and the sense of class spirit is very strong.

OK - I gotta go change so I can walk around Chicago!

PM me if you want more praise of how my day went!

 

[jbrice1639]

flopotomist is interviewing there today...i'm sure we'll get a full report tonight/tomorrow/sometime soon.

and here he is, right on cue!

 

[Flopotomist]

and here he is, right on cue!

Well, if I do get in, I hope that our future class is as tight as the first years this year! With teamwork like that, what an amazing way to learn! (and fun!)

 

[gdbaby]

Well, then you will definitly need me to be in the class with you all. Come on Loyola...all I need is the phone call.

Say Loyola, my mom graduated from your school (not the med school); it works for Bush, why not me?

 

[ExtraAverage]

Thanks to all who responded. Hopefully I'll see you all next year.

 

[drmota]

flop. sounds like the kind of place for you. i'm sure the interview went real well. good luck bro.
-mota

 

[dopaminophile]

Hey flop... glad you had a good time today. Some of your fellow interviewees looked a little queezy as today was one of our more greusome dissections. I laughed when you mentioned our "gunner"... I knew exactly who you were talking about. He's actually a really cool guy and doesn't at all meet the definition of a "gunner" in the sense that he wouldn't ever try to knock other people down to lift himself up. The guy just works really rediculously hard. You're right on the money too with your comment about how tight our class is. Good luck, I'm sure you did great, and enjoy Chicago a little while you're here!

 

[Chopianista]

After reading all of this, I don't think I can handle waiting another 2 weeks til my interview. I want IN! NOW!

Just kidding. Not really. But seriously, I want in.

 

[powerbooki]

Flop, is the pool 25m in length or 50m in length?

 

[theunderdog]

Flop, is the pool 25m in length or 50m in length?

i dont know about u guys, but according to the MSAR, the $58,000 OOS tuition kept me from applying....

 

[dopaminophile]

That's the total budget, not the tuition. While it may be too late for you, trust me as an out of stater taking the whole thing in loans, it's worth every penny and more. They told us in orientation that it actually costs well over a million dollars to educate a physician from start to finish.

 

[TimmyTheWonderD]

That is SO great that you got in, and I have heard from a friend of mine (M1 at Loyola) that it is an incredible atmosphere in which to spend those grueling years! BRAVO!

p.s. we have a lot in common!

 

[ambulancedriver]

hi,

i'll be starting at stritch next year. i'm excited to see people getting accepted to stritch and deciding that is where they want to be in the fall.

dopaminophile, I have a quick question. can you comment a little on the financial aid situation. what does a typical grant/scholarship look like?

I ask so that we can do a little planning ahead of time in terms of how much to work and such... any input would be appreciated

oh yeah, congrats to ExtraAverage and jbrice!

 

[chandelantern]

hi,

i'll be starting at stritch next year. i'm excited to see people getting accepted to stritch and deciding that is where they want to be in the fall.

dopaminophile, I have a quick question. can you comment a little on the financial aid situation. what does a typical grant/scholarship look like?

I ask so that we can do a little planning ahead of time in terms of how much to work and such... any input would be appreciated

oh yeah, congrats to ExtraAverage and jbrice!

I second that I was excited to see a post on my possible future loyola classmates! I got accepted (via phone 1.5 weeks ago, letter at the end of last week) and am SUPER excited! I really liked the school and it definitely has a "warm-fuzzy" feeling as far as student happiness! I am interested in the financial aid - non-loan money...cuz it's so expensive. Anyone with any info please share!

 

[trishaaa]

I'll be there next year too!

I'll make sure our class is tight, don't worry

 

[ExtraAverage]

I second that I was excited to see a post on my possible future loyola classmates! I got accepted (via phone 1.5 weeks ago, letter at the end of last week) and am SUPER excited! I really liked the school and it definitely has a "warm-fuzzy" feeling as far as student happiness! I am interested in the financial aid - non-loan money...cuz it's so expensive. Anyone with any info please share!

Hey there,
Yeah, I gave Loyola a call the other day on the financial aid situation. (Which is actually the one thing I would change about the interview day, no FA packet or presentation.) They said they would send out all the FA stuff after Jan. 1st. So, until then I guess we are left waiting.
They do have some info on their website about scholarships. You might want to check it out.
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/depts/finaid/index.htm

 

[Flopotomist]

Flop, is the pool 25m in length or 50m in length?

I didn't measure it - I was busy trying to figure out if the guy in the pool was actually naked or not (he was wearing a flesh colored speedo that was a bit too tight - GASP)

 

[Flopotomist]

Hey flop... glad you had a good time today. Some of your fellow interviewees looked a little queezy as today was one of our more greusome dissections.

Uh oh - if you know that my "fellow interviewees" looked queezy, that means you must have figured out which interviewee I was - my super secret squirrel avatar didn't keep my identity a secret? Booo... lol. Did I get to meet you?

 

[Flopotomist]

i dont know about u guys, but according to the MSAR, the $58,000 OOS tuition kept me from applying....

Sorry to post so many multiple posts, but I had such a great experience, that I feel compelled to stand up and defend Loyola lol. THe OOS tuition is 33,500ish - which is just about the same as the tuition at most private schools. Where did you get the $58,000 number? I do agree though that in future years, it would be nice if during interview day, a presentation was made from a financial aid rep.

 

[dopaminophile]

Hey guys... I'm really not the best guy to be answering questions about the financial aid packages, but I'll tell you my perspective on the whole thing. First and foremost, I'm taking the entire budget out in loans each year. That amounts to just over $50,000 per year. It's entirely true that Loyola doesn't have the best financial aid programs in terms of outright scholarships and grants. Most, if not all, are need based.

I made the decision to do this when I also had a free ride to one of my state schools and I haven't regretted it for one second. It's true that the LCME ensures the fundamentals of medical education are basically the same wherever you go, but those things that make Loyola and some other schools unique are really irreplacable in my humble opinion. I guess we'll see what I think when I'm in the middle of my residency and I have to start paying those loans back, but if I have to choose between living a few years longer like a student versus having not come to Loyola at all... I'd choose the former anyday. I highly recommend you call the financial aid office if you have any questions as to your eligability for grants and loans and things.

 

[theunderdog]

Sorry to post so many multiple posts, but I had such a great experience, that I feel compelled to stand up and defend Loyola lol. THe OOS tuition is 33,500ish - which is just about the same as the tuition at most private schools. Where did you get the $58,000 number? I do agree though that in future years, it would be nice if during interview day, a presentation was made from a financial aid rep.

sorry guys, i was actually thinking about U-illinois at chicago. tuition there for OOS is $53,000. sorry for any confusion.

 

[Minion677]

when you guys are sending these letters of interest, are you doing it by snail mail or email? also if you are letting a school know that you are in the area to see if they could offer you an interview for that same time frame, do you do it by email or phone?

 

[ExtraAverage]

when you guys are sending these letters of interest, are you doing it by snail mail or email? also if you are letting a school know that you are in the area to see if they could offer you an interview for that same time frame, do you do it by email or phone?

I sent my LOI (i'm coining a new acronym...maybe) by snail mail. It probably depends on the school as far as being in the area for an interview. With Loyola I would definitely call. The admissions office does not use email.

 

[shaholin]

I sent my LOI (i'm coining a new acronym...maybe) by snail mail. It probably depends on the school as far as being in the area for an interview. With Loyola I would definitely call. The admissions office does not use email.

Hey, my secondary was due a couple weeks ago but I turned it much before the deadline .. how long does it take them to review secondaries and give out interviews?

Also, if I were to call would I just ask to talk to the dean of admissions and tell him/her why I want to attend Loyola? (just say what I would write in a LOI .. i think its much harder to say something like that over the phone than it is to write down on a piece of paper)

This is one of my top choices as it is in chicago and I really like this city (I goto NU) and I also love what everyone says about the school..

Thanks for any feedback,
Neel

 

[USArmyDoc]

I just overnighted my secondary to them today. It will get there on Tuesday because they pick up the mail tomorrow. How long will it take till I am complete? I really want to go there. I am planning on sending a LOI 3 weeks into being complete. I also attached a community program I am implementing in NYC to show them my interest in public health. I hope it works.

P.S. My letters have been there for a while. I just received the secondary last week. Wish me luck!!

 

[medstylee]

I just overnighted my secondary to them today. It will get there on Tuesday because they pick up the mail tomorrow. How long will it take till I am complete? I really want to go there. I am planning on sending a LOI 3 weeks into being complete. I also attached a community program I am implementing in NYC to show them my interest in public health. I hope it works.

P.S. My letters have been there for a while. I just received the secondary last week. Wish me luck!!

i sent my secondary in about a month and a half ago. my deadline was about a month ago, but i sent in the secondary only a day or two after receiving the application in the mail. my letters were there before my application. and, i just received my application complete notice on thursday. so, it seems like they're going slowly at the moment.

 

[ExtraAverage]

Hey, my secondary was due a couple weeks ago but I turned it much before the deadline .. how long does it take them to review secondaries and give out interviews?

Also, if I were to call would I just ask to talk to the dean of admissions and tell him/her why I want to attend Loyola? (just say what I would write in a LOI .. i think its much harder to say something like that over the phone than it is to write down on a piece of paper)

This is one of my top choices as it is in chicago and I really like this city (I goto NU) and I also love what everyone says about the school..

Thanks for any feedback,
Neel

Yeah the time it takes Loyola to respond and offer interviews can be drastically different. Essentially what they do is review your application and then either a.)offer you an interview immediately, b.)put you back in the cycle and give you an interview at a later date, or c.) reject you. I've applied to Loyola twice. The first time I turned in the secondary I got cycled through until March. This last time I turned in my secondary I got an interview in the middle of October. I must admit this way of reviewing applications makes it extremely frustrating, as the wait can be excruciating. If you interview as I did in March (or anytime after January for that matter) you will be interviewing for a waitlist spot (they didn't tell me this before I arrived at the interview). Then they'll put you on the waitlist and you may or may not get in. Obviously, I didn't get in the first time, but a classmate of mine who had interviewed at the same time did. (he got a call for his spot literally 4 days before class started!) So there is reason for hope if you get a later interview.

As far as the LOI and calling, I agree. It's hard to talk about your desire to attend the school with an admissions director. But, you might want to try and call and have a question about the curriculum, admissions criteria, etc. -a question that can't be answered by a book or a website. This would inherently indicate your interest in the school, showing you care enough to study up on them.

Yeah so this is a whole lot more info than you asked for or probably care about.
Good luck!

 

[USArmyDoc]

Yeah the time it takes Loyola to respond and offer interviews can be drastically different. Essentially what they do is review your application and then either a.)offer you an interview immediately, b.)put you back in the cycle and give you an interview at a later date, or c.) reject you. I've applied to Loyola twice. The first time I turned in the secondary I got cycled through until March. This last time I turned in my secondary I got an interview in the middle of October. I must admit this way of reviewing applications makes it extremely frustrating, as the wait can be excruciating. If you interview as I did in March (or anytime after January for that matter) you will be interviewing for a waitlist spot (they didn't tell me this before I arrived at the interview). Then they'll put you on the waitlist and you may or may not get in. Obviously, I didn't get in the first time, but a classmate of mine who had interviewed at the same time did. (he got a call for his spot literally 4 days before class started!) So there is reason for hope if you get a later interview.

As far as the LOI and calling, I agree. It's hard to talk about your desire to attend the school with an admissions director. But, you might want to try and call and have a question about the curriculum, admissions criteria, etc. -a question that can't be answered by a book or a website. This would inherently indicate your interest in the school, showing you care enough to study up on them.

Yeah so this is a whole lot more info than you asked for or probably care about.
Good luck!

How does everyone know that they interview for waitlists post-December 1? Isn't that a little early? I am screwed then because even IF I get an interview it will be for the waitlist.

 

[shaholin]

Yeah the time it takes Loyola to respond and offer interviews can be drastically different. Essentially what they do is review your application and then either a.)offer you an interview immediately, b.)put you back in the cycle and give you an interview at a later date, or c.) reject you. I've applied to Loyola twice. The first time I turned in the secondary I got cycled through until March. This last time I turned in my secondary I got an interview in the middle of October. I must admit this way of reviewing applications makes it extremely frustrating, as the wait can be excruciating. If you interview as I did in March (or anytime after January for that matter) you will be interviewing for a waitlist spot (they didn't tell me this before I arrived at the interview). Then they'll put you on the waitlist and you may or may not get in. Obviously, I didn't get in the first time, but a classmate of mine who had interviewed at the same time did. (he got a call for his spot literally 4 days before class started!) So there is reason for hope if you get a later interview.

As far as the LOI and calling, I agree. It's hard to talk about your desire to attend the school with an admissions director. But, you might want to try and call and have a question about the curriculum, admissions criteria, etc. -a question that can't be answered by a book or a website. This would inherently indicate your interest in the school, showing you care enough to study up on them.

Yeah so this is a whole lot more info than you asked for or probably care about.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it ... yeah I submitted my AMCAS kind of late and then on top of that one of my main recommenders took literally forever to write my rec ...

I think their admissions office is only open on thursday so I'll read up and give them a ring this thursday..

 

[ExtraAverage]

How does everyone know that they interview for waitlists post-December 1? Isn't that a little early? I am screwed then because even IF I get an interview it will be for the waitlist.

First off, I don't know who you heard about waitlist spots being after Dec. 1st. I've talked to LaDonna Norstrom (Admissions Director) on a few occassions and she usually says the waitlisted (they call it an "alternate list") interviews begin DURING January. Secondly, the way Loyola does things is slightly different. What they do is go ahead and interview people until they have enough acceptances to fill the class. Then, as people who have been accepted call in and withdraw they will offer more interviews. These interviews will continue from whenever (assumedly around January) until April. These interviewees will either be rejected or put on the aforementioned "alternate list". In May the admissions committee will then meet and take all the interviewees who had been put on the "alternate list" and rank them. They will then begin calling people until they fill up their class. This calling will continue through the summer as spots open up (until the very day of matriculation). Dean Norstrom said in the past they have gotten approximately 30-40% of their eventual matriculants this way. UNFORTUNATELY, however, the last two years have been lower (she didn't know why) around the 15% range. Dean Norstrom didn't know if this trend would continue or not.
So, if you feel like you are screwed I understand b/c the process feels that way. However, you may not actually be screwed yet. You may have to wait (and then find out that you are screwed as in my case the first time around) OR you may get an interview in the next two months and get in!

 

[USArmyDoc]

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it ... yeah I submitted my AMCAS kind of late and then on top of that one of my main recommenders took literally forever to write my rec ...

I think their admissions office is only open on thursday so I'll read up and give them a ring this thursday..

I am going to do the same. Theoretically, they will have all materials by Tuesday. I don't see why I shouldn't be complete this week. I guess the world really doesn't revolve around me.

 

[USArmyDoc]

First off, I don't know who you heard about waitlist spots being after Dec. 1st. I've talked to LaDonna Norstrom (Admissions Director) on a few occassions and she usually says the waitlisted (they call it an "alternate list") interviews begin DURING January. Secondly, the way Loyola does things is slightly different. What they do is go ahead and interview people until they have enough acceptances to fill the class. Then, as people who have been accepted call in and withdraw they will offer more interviews. These interviews will continue from whenever (assumedly around January) until April. These interviewees will either be rejected or put on the aforementioned "alternate list". In May the admissions committee will then meet and take all the interviewees who had been put on the "alternate list" and rank them. They will then begin calling people until they fill up their class. This calling will continue through the summer as spots open up (until the very day of matriculation). Dean Norstrom said in the past they have gotten approximately 30-40% of their eventual matriculants this way. UNFORTUNATELY, however, the last two years have been lower (she didn't know why) around the 15% range. Dean Norstrom didn't know if this trend would continue or not.
So, if you feel like you are screwed I understand b/c the process feels that way. However, you may not actually be screwed yet. You may have to wait (and then find out that you are screwed as in my case the first time around) OR you may get an interview in the next two months and get in!

That makes me feel a little better. I can't see it taking more than a couple of weeks for me to be complete. Therefore, they will review my application so we will see.

 

[USArmyDoc]

When should I send my LOI, two weeks or so? I don't want to send it to quickly.

 

[ExtraAverage]

When should I send my LOI, two weeks or so? I don't want to send it to quickly.

I sent my LOI approximately one month after I had my secondary application in. Two weeks sounds good too b/c you are later in the semester. good luck!