2016-2017 University of Illinois Application Thread

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If you select that you are not currently enrolled in a college/university it asks: "Please state your current activities and/or employment status." 3500 character limit.

1. Describe a situation in which you were really stressed. Tell us how you dealt with it. Please detail your reaction(s), and how it affected you. If this situation, or a similar one, were to happen again, how would you handle it? (250 words limit)

2. Describe a hobby or activity other than something in medicine, in which you have a keen interest. Why? (250 words limit)

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If last cycle's thread is any indication, this one's gonna be a doozy. Apparently there is a three class behavioral sciences requirement--two of those need to be in the same department. I was wondering whether AP credit is accepted for this requirement if it is on my transcript...

Good luck everyone!
 
I took two Gender and Women's studies and psychology...i hope this counts!
 
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I took two Gender and Women's studies and psychology...i hope this counts!
Apparently there is a strict list of majors that work, so be prepared to have to take a class next semester or the summer before matriculation if need be.
 
Apparently there is a strict list of majors that work, so be prepared to have to take a class next semester or the summer before matriculation if need be.
I'm pretty sure the website says two of one class and another, which includes gender studies and psychology. Thanks tho.
 
I only took one psychology class and one sociology class. I also graduated this spring. Do you guys know if I can just take another psychology class at a community college the summer before matriculation?
I majored in microbiology with a minor in spanish, and I didn't know University of Illinois had this social sciences requirement, but I really want to go there!
 
does anyone know if they screen? And if they do, what the minimum is ?
 
Anyone else having trouble logging onto the Online Supplemental App website??
 
Looks like UIC now requires CASPer. I thought I was going to be able to get through this cycle without taking it :(
 
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Looks like UIC now requires CASPer. I thought I was going to be able to get through this cycle without taking it :(
Dang...do we need to take it before they send secondary or after?
 
This CASPer epidemic must stop!

NYMC, now Tulane recommends, and UIC requires !? o_O

Thank goodness I am applying this year, who knows what next cycle brings!
 
Tip for anybody who will have a lot of entries to put down on the "Extracurricular Activities" page:

Fill out the info on an excel sheet first.

I had 10+ activities to list, and it took me a while to calculate hours/week. The login expired by the time I pressed "continue", but luckily I jotted everything down in an excel sheet while I was working on this page!
 
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Would someone who has received a secondary post the essays and associated character limits?
Thanks!
 
Would someone who has received a secondary post the essays and associated character limits?
Thanks!

If you select that you are not currently enrolled in a college/university it asks: "Please state your current activities and/or employment status." I believe it was a 3500 character limit, I submitted something around that length.

The main required essays are both 250 word limits:

1. Describe a situation in which you were really stressed. Tell us how you dealt with it. Please detail your reaction(s), and how it affected you. If this situation, or a similar one, were to happen again, how would you handle it?

2. Describe a hobby or activity other than something in medicine, in which you have a keen interest. Why?
 
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Anyone else having trouble reseting their password? I sweat I'm following the password requirements, but it keeps telling me I don't meet requirements and is now saying too many attempts have failed.
 
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When did you guys receive the secondary? And when did you get verified?
 
To clarify, do our letters need to be received by AMCAS before a secondary will be sent out? My committee letter will take a while to be sent out so will I have to wait until the whole letter packet is ready?
 
Anyone else having trouble reseting their password? I sweat I'm following the password requirements, but it keeps telling me I don't meet requirements and is now saying too many attempts have failed.
Hmm, I would call or email them about the situation. Are you sure your password contains a special character that is not excluded from their list?
 
To clarify, do our letters need to be received by AMCAS before a secondary will be sent out? My committee letter will take a while to be sent out so will I have to wait until the whole letter packet is ready?
Don't think so. Usually schools send secondary automatically or pre-screen, and if they so screen, it wouldn't involve LORs.
 
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When did you guys receive the secondary? And when did you get verified?

Verified 6/7, secondary received today (7/5) but no luck with actually making an account. I'll call after work
 
So I submitted the secondary and when I went back to review the essay section all my special characters (quotations, apostrophes, and dashes) were changed to upside down question marks....should I be concerned?
 
To clarify, do our letters need to be received by AMCAS before a secondary will be sent out? My committee letter will take a while to be sent out so will I have to wait until the whole letter packet is ready?
Last year, my application wasn't complete until they'd received all my letters. I didn't get a secondary until after I was complete.
 
To clarify, do our letters need to be received by AMCAS before a secondary will be sent out? My committee letter will take a while to be sent out so will I have to wait until the whole letter packet is ready?
All my letters were received by AMCAS before I even submitted the primary application but still no secondary, so I don't think it matters
 
Just received my secondary! Going back to Casper: do we wait to take the test before submitting the secondary or can we submit the secondary earlier and they will just wait for our scores before reviewing our application? Only asking because I can finish the secondary app within a few days but my Casper test is July 26...
 
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Looks like UIC now requires CASPer. I thought I was going to be able to get through this cycle without taking it :(

Whaaaat? No! Why are they making everything sooo difficult? This is already a tough process as is. I'm annoyed. Lbvs. I thought I was going to go through the cycle without having to take it as well.

I know nothing about the CASPer process. Guess I'll have to do some research now. Ugh
 
Just received my secondary! Going back to Casper: do we wait to take the test before submitting the secondary or can we submit the secondary earlier and they will just wait for our scores before reviewing our application? Only asking because I can finish the secondary app within a few days but my Casper test is July 26...
I would submit the secondary as early as possible even before the CASPer results. Also try to see if you can test earlier because your application won't be complete without the scores.
 
FYI, there is a Casper test this Sunday 7/10... the next one isn't until 7/26. I will be taking this Sunday to get it out of the way and to ensure it doesn't slow down my app processing!
 
I got the secondary but I can't access it. Somehow I don't have a password.

Any idea on how they screen applicants for the secondary. I had no idea they screened to be honest.
 
For their pre-reqs, does anyone know if "two courses of general biology with laboratory" mean " two courses with two labs" or one lab? Same goes for inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry.
 
I got the secondary but I can't access it. Somehow I don't have a password.

Any idea on how they screen applicants for the secondary. I had no idea they screened to be honest.

No idea, but it seems schools like to combine GPA and MCAT into a composite score, and if you're above a threshold you are invited. You should have received a second email with the option to make a password.
 
On the extra-curricular page, is this to enter extra stuff that isn't on our AMCAS application?
 
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does anyone think the 7/26 casper test date is kind of late?

I was worried about this so I signed up for 7/10... I'm not sure how long scoring takes and am afraid it will really delay my app.
 
Hey guys so in the course requirements section, what does "advanced-level biology" refer to? I would assume it means upper-division biology courses, but what about those of us who are non-science majors?

Also on their course requirements page, if it says "two biology courses with lab," is that taken to mean (1) both biology courses should have their own lab component or be accompanied by two individual lab courses, or (2) two biology courses and 1 accompanied lab course?
 
Hey guys so in the course requirements section, what does "advanced-level biology" refer to? I would assume it means upper-division biology courses, but what about those of us who are non-science majors?

On their website, they explain that they evaluate an upper-level bio course to be 200-level course or above. http://www.medicine.uic.edu/education/m_d_admissions/requirements_and_timeline

HeyAlso on their course requirements page, if it says "two biology courses with lab," is that taken to mean (1) both biology courses should have their own lab component or be accompanied by two individual lab courses, or (2) two biology courses and 1 accompanied lab course?

I'm fairly certain they mean to say the former.
 
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Hello Applicants! I'm a system developer here at the College of medicine (COM). A few things about the application process. We screen at multiple levels. The first screening is based on an algorithm (@Inspector JacquesClouseau was quite close). MCAT and GPA weighted by college weight smoothed over several years of the GPA's of medical school matriculants from the college (or a default weighting if too few matriculants)). The algorithm is much more complex than that, but you get the idea. With over 8000 applications for appoximately 300 seats, we need to be a bit selective. Additionally, if you've indicated that you're going to be taking an upcoming MCAT (or we haven't yet received scores for a recently taken MCAT), your application is held until those scores come in and we can use our algorithm to determine whether we would like you to submit a supplemental. We limit who we request a supplemental from because submitting it costs extra money. However, the cutoff is quite low, and the vast majority are asked to submit a supplemental. Once we receive the supplemental, and payment for it, and your letters of recommendation are all received and given an initial perusal by an admissions officer for application completeness, the applications are reviewed by an individual screener, whose assessment is then reviewed within a screening committee. The funnel narrows precipitously after that point, with offers to come in and interview, so that we can get a feel for you personally, as opposed to just looking at you as represented in documents. From there, offers are made to some at varying points in time over the admissions cycle as we try to build the best class possible.

New for this year is CASPer. Although you are required to take it, we are working out the details of how we will be using it. We don't anticipate at this point that it will affect screening, but we'll certainly need to have received your CASPer results at some undetermined (at this time) point in time. CASPer estimates that scores for a given test will take about a month to get to us.

Additionally, we've implemented a new password setting/recovery system this year...yes, believe me, I'm aware that many are having trouble with it. I, and others, have been emailing back and forth many, many...many times. We're working on resolving the issues. Until then, your patience is appreciated. Now this is developer humor, but I'm going to suggest that your reaction to the password recovery process be made a CASPer question...just kidding! /snark

Anyway, good luck, and I hope to see you here next year! I'll check in from time to time, but we're quite busy now. Hope this helps!
 
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Hello Applicants! I'm a system developer here at the College of medicine (COM). A few things about the application process. We screen at multiple levels. The first screening is based on an algorithm (@Inspector JacquesClouseau was quite close).

New for this year is CASPer. Although you are required to take it, we are working out the details of how we will be using it. We don't anticipate at this point that it will affect screening, but we'll certainly need to have received your CASPer results at some undetermined (at this time) point in time. CASPer estimates that scores for a given test will take about a month to get to us.

Does this mean that taking the later date (July 26) CASPer will unlikely negatively affect our application too much?

Also, haven't gotten a reply from anyone yet but hopefully you can help: on the extra-curricular page of the supplemental, is this to enter extra stuff that isn't on our AMCAS application?
 
Does this mean that taking the later date (July 26) CASPer will unlikely negatively affect our application too much?

Also, haven't gotten a reply from anyone yet but hopefully you can help: on the extra-curricular page of the supplemental, is this to enter extra stuff that isn't on our AMCAS application?

Well first, the applications are open until December 1st. So, taking CASPer on July 26th isn't an issue. Interviews don't start until mid-september at the earliest, and having your CASPer scores in before December 1st will not affect whether your application is considered complete. Having said that, I wouldn't wait till the last minute to take it either, just to keep things moving along.

The Extra Curriculars page, whether it's somewhat duplicative, or not, is looked at by the screeners, so fill it out. It definitely isn't just for new ECs, or ones you didn't already tell AMCAS about. They asked for it to be part of the supplemental process. Put in your most relevant ECs, I'd say. Hope that helps.
 
Well first, the applications are open until December 1st. So, taking CASPer on July 26th isn't an issue. Interviews don't start until mid-september at the earliest, and having your CASPer scores in before December 1st will not affect whether your application is considered complete. Having said that, I wouldn't wait till the last minute to take it either, just to keep things moving along.

The Extra Curriculars page, whether it's somewhat duplicative, or not, is looked at by the screeners, so fill it out. It definitely isn't just for new ECs, or ones you didn't already tell AMCAS about. They asked for it to be part of the supplemental process. Put in your most relevant ECs, I'd say. Hope that helps.

do you think casper results will heavily impact the decision of whether the admissions committee will extend interviews (does the admissions committee already know what to look for)? or do you think it'll be more of a test run this year?
 
I know they're talking about how they're going to use the results. That's up to them, not IT, so I don't know. I do know that some answers can produce "red flags", and if you have any of those "red flag" answers, I'm sure that will not reflect positively on your application, otherwise I'd say no matter what score you get, you'll be fine...but that's just my opinion.
 
So for the extracurriculars section, should we repeat stuff we put on our primary application, or should we only put in other activities?

Edit- whoops I'm dumb I shoulda read previous replies more closely
 
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took the casper today and it wasn't bad at all
 
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