Common Questions

When should I apply?

The application deadline is November 1, 2024. AMCAS opens the application cycle in early May, and applicants can begin submitting in June, and because we use a rolling admission process, we encourage applicants to apply as early in the cycle as possible.

Can you describe a recent class?

Our class size is 203, with about half the class from the Midwest. Students range in age from 20 to 35. Complete details can be found in our class profile.

What are some of the attributes of a competitive applicant?

We take a holistic approach in evaluating applications, emphasizing medical, humanitarian, research, employment, leadership and other diverse life experiences. Most successful applicants also have cumulative and science GPAs around 3.5 and an MCAT score of at least 510.

Are applicants from outside the U.S. eligible for admissions?

Chicago Medical School applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold a permanent resident visa or be eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application submission.

Do you accept transfer students?

The Chicago Medical School accepts transfer students on a case-by-case basis. Please visit the Transfer Admission Requirements webpage for more information.

Can my admission decision be appealed or reconsidered?

All decisions made by the Student Admissions Committee are final. Unfortunately, appeal for reconsideration are not accepted. Denied applicants are allowed to re-apply for future admissions cycles.

What are the important 2024 - 2025 Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) dates for the Chicago Medical School (CMS)?

June 1, 2025 – All incoming CMS students are required to indicate “plan to enroll” using the AMCAS CYMS tool. Failure to meet this deadline could result in your offer of admission being withdrawn by the Student Admissions Committee.

July 1, 2025 – All incoming CMS students are required to indicate “commit to enroll” using the AMCAS CYMS tool. Failure to meet this deadline could result in your offer of admission being withdrawn by the Student Admissions Committee.

If accepted, does CMS permit deferred matriculation?

An accepted student may request a one-year deferral by emailing the Office of Admissions at cms.admissions@rosalindfranklin.edu. Deferral requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be granted or denied. Deferral requests are only considered in unusual circumstances for unforeseen and serious events. No request that exceeds one year will be considered. No deferral requests will be considered from students accepted from the Alternate List. If a deferral is granted, the student agrees to withdraw all other medical school acceptances and may not apply to other medical schools during the deferral period. Accepted students who wish to consider a deferral should contact the Office of Admissions directly.

Are there opportunities for research in the MD program?

Yes, there is a lot of research at RFUMS, with special strengths in neuroscience, physiology, structural biology, cancer, and regenerative medicine. Research fellowships are available for students during the summer between M1 and M2 years, and there is also an opportunity to continue research during elective time in years 2 and 4. For several students each year, this work leads to graduation with an "MD with a Distinction in Research" degree. For students who wish to pursue a combined MD/PhD degree, two options are available. See the "How do I apply for the MD/PhD program" question and answer below.

How do I apply for the MD/PhD program?

The MD/PhD program operates on two tracks. The first is entry-level admissions, for which you will need to indicate your preference on your AMCAS application as "MD/PhD". Most MD/PhD applicants who are invited to interview have at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA and 515 MCAT or higher.

If you are not selected for Track I admission, your application will still be considered for the MD program. Any student who is admitted and matriculates into the Chicago Medical School may still be eligible to apply to admission into the MD/PhD through Track II admission, as outlined below.

The second track into the MD/PhD program is designed for students who have already matriculated into the MD program and have a successful research experience in the summer after their first year. Such students may choose to apply for the MD/PhD during their M2 year. If accepted, a student would start in the PhD portion of the program after completing their M2 year. For Track II admission, a competitive candidate will have a Rosalind Franklin University (MD program) GPA of 3.5 or above and strong evidence of potential for a career in research.

Application Submission

What is the application deadline for submitting the application?

The AMCAS application must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on November 1, 2024.

What is the deadline for submitting application materials?

All application materials, including the supplemental fee, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on December 1, 2024.

Does everyone receive a supplemental application?

We send a supplemental application to all applicants with a verified AMCAS application and meet our citizenship requirements. When completing and submitting the supplemental application, please make sure you use a compatible browser to prevent supplemental application and supplemental application fee submission errors. After you submit the supplemental application, you will be prompted to pay the supplemental application fee on the very last page of the supplemental application form. Applications will not be considered complete and eligible for review until all application materials, including the supplemental application fee and supplemental application, are received.

How much is the supplemental application fee?

Our supplemental application fee is $125.

Do you grant supplemental application fee waivers?

We offer a supplemental application fee waivers to applicants who have received the AMCAS fee waiver.

What is the word limit for the supplemental application essays?

Please limit your response to each of the supplemental application essays to 150 words.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for a complete application?

Please visit our Application Requirements page for requirements needed to complete your application to the Chicago Medical School.

How important is the MCAT?

When reviewing applications, we look at many factors, and MCAT score is just one of them. Cumulative undergraduate and science GPAs, graduate coursework and earned degrees, academic rigor, letters of recommendation, personal statement, supplemental essays, medical experience, humanitarian and community service, employment history, leadership and other diverse life experiences are also part of the admission committee’s decisions. In addition to a strong profile, most successful applicants also have either a strong science GPA or MCAT score of 510 or above.

I have taken the MCAT more than once; which score will be reviewed?

We see all of your scores, but for evaluation purposes, the Admissions Committee focuses on your highest MCAT score.

When must I take the MCAT?

For the 2024 - 2025 admissions cycle, only scores from January 2022 or more recently will be considered.

Please note: If you submit multiple exams, your most recent score will be considered for admission. Also, if you indicate a future MCAT test date, your application will be reviewed only after receipt of your most recent score.

How many letters of recommendation are required to submit my application?

We offer three options for submitting your letters of recommendation:

• Three individual letters of recommendation
• One committee letter
• One letter packet containing a maximum of three individual letters

If you choose to submit three individual letters, we prefer (but do not require) at least one recommendation to come from a medical professional (not necessarily an MD) with whom you have worked. No more than three individual letters or one committee letter or one letter packet containing a maximum of three individual letters will be considered in evaluating your application. All letters must be included in your AMCAS application.

Who should write my letters of recommendation?

We require either three letters of recommendation, one committee letter, or one letter packet containing no more than three letters. Whichever you choose, we would like to see at least one recommendation letter from a medical professional with whom you have worked.

Can I take prerequisite coursework at a community college?

We can accept coursework taken at any accredited higher education institute, although the rigor of an applicant’s course of study is considered. Transcripts from each institution attended must be submitted to AMCAS.

Is AP credit or CLEP test accepted for the prerequisites?

Yes, both AP and CLEP credit are accepted for prerequisite courses as long as the course credit is listed on your college transcript.

Can online coursework fulfill prerequisite requirements?

Yes, we can accept online coursework recognized and verified by AMCAS. However, some prerequisite courses may require a laboratory component. Transcripts from each institution attended must be submitted to AMCAS.

Will you accept coursework from institutions outside the U.S.?

Yes, we accept international coursework. Transcripts from international schools (with the exception of Canadian schools) are not accepted by AMCAS. These transcripts must first be evaluated by a credentialing service and sent to the Office of Admissions and Enrollment for review. We accept evaluations from World Evaluation Service (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).

Evaluators

Can I submit my AMCAS application before my MCAT score or letters are uploaded?

Yes, you can submit your AMCAS application without the MCAT or letters present. Your file will be reviewed once all components of the application are received. If you indicate that you plan to take a future MCAT exam on your application, we will not review any part of your application until we receive your official future MCAT score through AMCAS.

Can I send in updates to my application?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept any additional information or materials unless it includes Institutional Action, Felony, Misdemeanor or Military Discharge explanations. Any additional information or materials will be discarded.

Visiting Campus and Interviewing

Should I visit the campus?

We encourage prospective students to visit Rosalind Franklin University to learn more about our students, campus, and the opportunities available. We offer small-group bi-weekly information sessions and tours year-round, as well as large-group open houses programs in the fall and spring quarters.

Do you offer individual counseling sessions to discuss my application?

We do not offer one-on-one counseling sessions. As a matter of policy, admissions staff are unable to discuss individual applications, including admissions decisions. We do, however, encourage you to visit campus in either small group or large group setting. If you would like to visit campus, you can find more information about our upcoming events on the Visiting RFU page.

How many applicants do you invite for interview?

We do not have a fixed minimum or maximum number of interview spots. However, over the past several years, approximately 5-10% of our total applicant pool has been invited to interview.

When do you interview candidates?

We begin interviewing in September and conclude our interviews mid-April.

What type of interview should I prepare for?

The Chicago Medical School utilizes a Multiple Mini Interview format and while interviews will be held virtually, they will not be done asynchronously.