University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine 2020-21 secondary application essay questions
University of Chicago School of Medicine essay #1
Please write a short essay about why you are applying to the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. We suggest that you limit your essay to about 550 words.
To answer this prompt successfully, an applicant needs to demonstrate awareness of and suitedness for the U of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine’s mission, values, community, opportunity and curriculum. How are you suited to succeed there? How are you right for them, again tied to mission, values, community, opportunity and curriculum. (Not what they can provide you.) This essay takes time. Its length is approximately two pages. You will need to draft your ideas and keep building upon them from there. Write, revise, and build upon your ideas.
University of Chicago School of Medicine essay #2
Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice. We suggest that you limit your essay to about 550 words.
Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional information that you might wish the Committee to know. For example, if you are not currently completing a degree, please share your planned or current activities for this application cycle. You may also wish to include any impact that COVID-19 has had on your educational, research, or extracurricular plans. We suggest that you limit your text to about 300 words.
The main prompt for essay #2 is called the “adversity” question. Everyone faces adversity. Not everyone faces it to the same degree. If you faced adversity due to race, class, exclusion (race, class, gender, or other reasons that cursorily excluded you from participation or opportunity) definitely address this experience here. Pritzker is dedicated to diversity and inclusion. In doing so, they value successful adaptation to a challenge, such that one was able to circumvent a problem beyond their control, or found an alternative opportunity suited to one’s quest and vision. Interestingly, they want to know who you spoke with, who helped you, in figuring out how to turn lemons into lemonade. Seriously, who helped you dismantle bias and soar, with the help of another or others. What was the outcome? What did you learn from that experience?
Then, anything else? Do not feel compelled to pad here. If there is nothing else, that’s fine. Also, do not replicate other information already represented in your application. If you have not addressed how you were affected by COVID-19 elsewhere in the application, do so here – but do so factually according to their categories: education, research and extracurricular plans. Pritzker does not want an elaborate answer. Stay explanatory. Close with what other opportunity came your way because of the pandemic. What did you do to assist those in need, locally or broadly? What did you learn from this experience?
If you would like professional guidance with your University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine application materials, check out Accepted’s Medical School Admissions Consulting and Editing Services, which include advising, editing, and interview coaching for the University of Chicago‘s application materials.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine 2020-21 application timeline
| AMCAS application deadline | November 16 |
| Secondary application deadline | December 1 |
Source: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine website
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***
Dr. Mary Mahoney, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience as an advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. She is a tenured English Professor with an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a PhD in Literature and Writing from the University of Houston. For the last twenty years, Mary has served as a grad school advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. Want Mary to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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