2017-2018 University of Illinois

[gyngyn]

1. (if not enrolled in school) Please state your current activities and/or employment status (limited to 3500 characters in length)


2. Describe a stressful situation that you have experienced. Please detail your reaction, how you managed the situation, and what you learned that will help you handle a similar circumstance in the future.




3. In addition to training as a competent physician please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply.


A) Simulation

B) Research in healthcare delivery

C) Basic science research

D) Interdisciplinary collaboration

E) Healthcare disparities

F) Academic medicine

G) Global Health

H) Community Health (urban/rural)

Provide a short, 300-500 words, statement on your interest and how you see it influencing your learning.

Please begin your statement with the letter(s) representing the area(s) of interest enclosed in parentheses as a programmatic cue. Separate multiple areas of interest with a comma.

For example, your essay would begin as follows, if you chose Simulation and Research in healthcare delivery: (A,B) ...

If you choose just one additional area of interest: (A) ...



4. Describe any advantages and/or complications you encountered during your progression in education. Please include any noteworthy achievements and/or obstacles. (Examples: Acute or chronic illnesses, employment, financial difficulty, managerial role in household, etc.) (Don't exceed 150 words)

If you did not experience an advantage and/or complication during your education please indicate 'Not Applicable'

For the second essay prompt there is another option (I) Innovation.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[Good Source Of Protein]

How many letters of recommendation are we allowed to attach to this school? On MSAR it says minimum 3 - Maximum 6, but on the school website, all they say is 3 letters no indication of whether that is minimum or maximum. Is the maximum 6 or 3?

 

[stu403270]

Dream school right here! Best of luck to everyone

 

[ljhall2]

How many letters of recommendation are we allowed to attach to this school? On MSAR it says minimum 3 - Maximum 6, but on the school website, all they say is 3 letters no indication of whether that is minimum or maximum. Is the maximum 6 or 3?

I called their admissions office and they told me they would accept up to 6 letters! However they do not "guarantee they will read all 6 letters".

 

[SuperChocolateBear]

Does anyone know if Illinois considers II invites before they receive CASPer results? I'm just generally confused on how CASPer fits into the whole application timeline. Do schools that require CASPer need the results to consider a secondary complete?

 

[Good Source Of Protein]

I called their admissions office and they told me they would accept up to 6 letters! However they do not "guarantee they will read all 6 letters".

Ahhh thanks for the info. I already submitted my primary app though XD. But still I really do appreciate it!

 

[avengers_assemble]

Applying here and just wanted to post this in case others had a similar question. I called the admissions and they said that CASPer is used as a part of their secondary screening process. The person I talked to very clearly told me that applications will be on hold until MCAT scores and CASper scores are received, and only then will the app be sent to the screeners who will then review it and send secondaries to people who pass the screen. So obviously, this means no II's before CASPer scores are received. So she said that for optimal results, we should aim to take CASper before/right when we submit our primaries since it takes about a month for scores to be processed and sent.

Edit: Admissions can be hectic and staff might not know every detail, so if someone does get a secondary before having CASPer sent, let me know.

 

[ljhall2]

Applying here and just wanted to post this in case others had a similar question. I called the admissions and they said that CASPer is used as a part of their secondary screening process. The person I talked to very clearly told me that applications will be on hold until MCAT scores and CASper scores are received, and only then will the app be sent to the screeners who will then review it and send secondaries to people who pass the screen. So obviously, this means no II's before CASPer scores are received. So she said that for optimal results, we should aim to take CASper before/right when we submit our primaries since it takes about a month for scores to be processed and sent.

Edit: Admissions can be hectic and staff might not know every detail, so if someone does get a secondary before having CASPer sent, let me know.

As far as anyone knows, this is a personality test so there is no preparation involved, correct? Sorry if this is a silly question but I'd rather ask now then find out when I'm taking the test.

 

[stu403270]

As far as anyone knows, this is a personality test so there is no preparation involved, correct? Sorry if this is a silly question but I'd rather ask now then find out when I'm taking the test.

You're correct. Don't stress over it and just go into it!

 

[TFredrick]

Just received the secondary, taking the CASPER 7/9

 

[Alge311]

Prompts?

 

[TFredrick]

Prompts?

Been working all day, will post them once I get home and can access my application

 

[stu403270]

Just received the secondary, taking the CASPER 7/9

Daamn jealous I love this school! Hopefully I get it soon!

 

[TFredrick]

1. (if not enrolled in school) Please state your current activities and/or employment status (limited to 3500 characters in length)


2. Describe a stressful situation that you have experienced. Please detail your reaction, how you managed the situation, and what you learned that will help you handle a similar circumstance in the future.




3. In addition to training as a competent physician please select up to two additional areas of interest from the items below that you may want to pursue during your medical studies. Your responses will have no bearing on applications to joint degrees or special programs to which you might also apply.


A) Simulation

B) Research in healthcare delivery

C) Basic science research

D) Interdisciplinary collaboration

E) Healthcare disparities

F) Academic medicine

G) Global Health

H) Community Health (urban/rural)

Provide a short, 300-500 words, statement on your interest and how you see it influencing your learning.

Please begin your statement with the letter(s) representing the area(s) of interest enclosed in parentheses as a programmatic cue. Separate multiple areas of interest with a comma.

For example, your essay would begin as follows, if you chose Simulation and Research in healthcare delivery: (A,B) ...

If you choose just one additional area of interest: (A) ...



4. Describe any advantages and/or complications you encountered during your progression in education. Please include any noteworthy achievements and/or obstacles. (Examples: Acute or chronic illnesses, employment, financial difficulty, managerial role in household, etc.) (Don't exceed 150 words)

If you did not experience an advantage and/or complication during your education please indicate 'Not Applicable'

@gyngyn

 

[Alge311]

Thanks man!

 

[stu403270]

Wait how can you already have the secondary? I thought in the comments above it was determined that nobody would get a secondary until MCAT and CASPer scores were received? Also, does anyone know what their cutoffs are?

Just received the secondary, taking the CASPER 7/9

 

[avengers_assemble]

Wait how can you already have the secondary? I thought in the comments above it was determined that nobody would get a secondary until MCAT and CASPer scores were received? Also, does anyone know what their cutoffs are?

Apparently, the person I talked to was misinformed. I also just received a secondary today without having taken CASPer.

 

[halamadrid17]

Apparently, the person I talked to was misinformed. I also just received a secondary today without having taken CASPer.

+1

 

[I_only_lurk]

Apparently, the person I talked to was misinformed. I also just received a secondary today without having taken CASPer.

Last year, the CASPer test was used as part of the secondary itself, not the screening process. I.e., it needed to be completed in order to have your secondary marked complete, not to receive it. Looks like they didn't change this policy.

 

[stu403270]

Secondary Received

 

[tiramisucheese]

Got the secondary early this morning. Found it in my spam filter

 

[bengirlxD]

Got the secondary early this morning. Found it in my spam filter

+1

 

[stu403270]

Has anyone taken a look at this secondary? For the coursework section, if we have science courses that are combined courses/labs, do we select 'same' under the lab section or just leave it blank?

Yes that's what you select

 

[tiramisucheese]

Does anyone know if there's an advantage (or even disadvantage) if we are currently employed in the Illinois system? I haven't seen any other school ask for that info.

 

[neurotictenner]

I submitted the secondary and everything else, but the only CASPer date I could get is July 26th. Is that too late for this cycle, considering everything else from my app is in?

 

[Smoak]

First time posting on SDN:
For the 12 "extracurricular activities" do you just pick your top 12 from AMCAS?

 

[stu403270]

First time posting on SDN:
For the 12 "extracurricular activities" do you just pick your top 12 from AMCAS?

Yep that's what I did!

 

[djtallahassee]

@gyngyn. For the second essay prompt there is another option (I) Innovation.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Smoak]

Yep that's what I did!

Thank you! I think that's what I'm going to do too

 

[avengers_assemble]

For the question asking about areas of interest and how it will influence our learning, are you guys discussing anything about the special programs such as UMED, RMED, GMED, etc.? For instance, I am taking about community health and health care disparities, and I have dug deep into their website but could not find many community engagement opportunities at all other than the stuff through UMED. The problem is that I have to get accepted int UMED first, so writing about that would seem too presumptuous. Or do they want more generic stuff as in "I will approach my clinical experiences in the curriculum from an angle of community health..."? I'm kind of stumped.

 

[btuck]

Does Illinois calculate the sGPA differently from AMCAS by using what we put in from the course requirements? In other words, is it smart to list courses from the dropdown list that we received better grades in, or does it not matter as long as they fulfill the requirements?

 

[djtallahassee]

For the question asking about areas of interest and how it will influence our learning, are you guys discussing anything about the special programs such as UMED, RMED, GMED, etc.? For instance, I am taking about community health and health care disparities, and I have dug deep into their website but could not find many community engagement opportunities at all other than the stuff through UMED. The problem is that I have to get accepted int UMED first, so writing about that would seem too presumptuous. Or do they want more generic stuff as in "I will approach my clinical experiences in the curriculum from an angle of community health..."? I'm kind of stumped.

I mentioned RMED in mine and saying I could see myself joining. That's about all though, the rest is actually what I want to do with rural.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[I_only_lurk]

Has anyone else received a secondary since Monday?

 

[CrunchyPeanutButter]

Is the University of Illinois receptive to ties email? I live in NW Indiana, and my fiancee lives in Chicago and has for her whole life.

 

[ILL.]

Has anyone else received a secondary since Monday?

Also wondering about this. I was verified 6/6 and received a secondary from them last year... Can't image I'd be screened out this time with same metrics and additional experiences--not sure about the delay though. Anyone have insight into this?

 

[btuck]

Does anyone know which Illinois values more: Research or Volunteer. I have a few experiences that could be classified as both and was wondering which one Illinois would look more favorably upon.

 

[midwest-is-best]

Has anyone else had delays in their letters of recommendation being uploaded into their application? I only recently submitted my secondary but it says they still don't have my letters despite getting the secondary a couple weeks ago.

 

[I_only_lurk]

Also wondering about this. I was verified 6/6 and received a secondary from them last year... Can't image I'd be screened out this time with same metrics and additional experiences--not sure about the delay though. Anyone have insight into this?

Still waiting on supplemental invite... Anyone else with LizzyM >67?

 

[Poloman4]

Has anyone else had delays in their letters of recommendation being uploaded into their application? I only recently submitted my secondary but it says they still don't have my letters despite getting the secondary a couple weeks ago.

Yes, it takes a few days sometimes for your letters of rec to show as received even though they were uploaded already on AMCAS.

 

[psuboye]

Yes, it takes a few days sometimes for your letters of rec to show as received even though they were uploaded already on AMCAS.

Where does it show whether our rec letters have been received? I can't seem to find the status on our application

 

[Poloman4]

Where does it show whether our rec letters have been received? I can't seem to find the status on our application

you go here and it will let you know
https://services.com.uic.edu/appstat/

 

[djtallahassee]

Did anyone else submit and the spaces between paragraphs appear to have been deleted? Hopefully the formatting is still OK when they print out and look at it. I would be very disappointed my essays looked bad because the line breaks got deleted.

 

[csuporman]

Did anyone else submit and the spaces between paragraphs appear to have been deleted? Hopefully the formatting is still OK when they print out and look at it. I would be very disappointed my essays looked bad because the line breaks got deleted.

I noticed this as well. Admissions confirmed that the line breaks were not omitted in their view of the application; should be good to go.

 

[djtallahassee]

I noticed this as well. Admissions confirmed that the line breaks were not omitted in their view of the application; should be good to go.

You are the hero we needed and deserved @csuporman

 

[csuporman]

Has anyone else had delays in their letters of recommendation being uploaded into their application? I only recently submitted my secondary but it says they still don't have my letters despite getting the secondary a couple weeks ago.

There was initially an issue with my letters not having been uploaded to their system as well. They had technically been received, but for some reason they weren't being automatically added to my file. The front office was able to remedy this in about one minute when I called admissions to inquire about it.

TLDR; call admissions, ask them if your letters have been received/uploaded to your file.

 

[section218]

For the employment history tab, should I put the amount of hrs/week I plan on working during Senior year, even though I'm not a senior yet? Also how did anyone include summer hours if you had a full time job?

 

[btuck]

For the employment history tab, should I put the amount of hrs/week I plan on working during Senior year, even though I'm not a senior yet? Also how did anyone include summer hours if you had a full time job?

I'm not including summer hours. I think the purpose of that section is to let them know if you had other commitments that interfered with your studies.

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

Has anyone else had delays in their letters of recommendation being uploaded into their application? I only recently submitted my secondary but it says they still don't have my letters despite getting the secondary a couple weeks ago.

Yes, I submitted mine a week ago and it still says the letters arent received and the application is not complete !

 

[midwest-is-best]

Yes, I submitted mine a week ago and it still says the letters arent received and the application is not complete !

I followed the advice given to me (to just call and inquire) and they said, "sorry we are super backlogged due to the amount of applications we receive, but let me check and update it anyway for you." So I would recommend calling them- I honestly wish I called sooner!

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

I followed the advice given to me (to just call and inquire) and they said, "sorry we are super backlogged due to the amount of applications we receive, but let me check and update it anyway for you." So I would recommend calling them- I honestly wish I called sooner!

okay thanks for your reply!! my status now says that my letters are undergoing manual review to make sure they meet the requirements. Do you still think I should call or is that a good sign?