They are indeed backed up. Figure about 2.5-4 weeks before you'll fly. You won't necessarily do a Chicago trip, they will probably deadhead at least some people each way out of ORD to do a trip out of another domicile, anywhere they have a checkairman available. I have heard the wait times are coming down as the training department slows down and is putting fewer students out into the system, but checkairmen are still departing for majors just as fast as they can be trained.

As far as the super-positive comment from rcfd13 about choosing the 175 being a poor decision: It is the future of the fleet, and we will (eventually) be increasing the fleet size, so there is growth on it. However, you will be coming in with 3700 people senior to you, and as seat locks expire (and the quality of the CRJ pairings deteriorate) more CRJ pilots will transition in. The climb off the bottom, into the base of your choice and off of reserve will be potentially painful and arduous. Unless you live in ORD, don't pass up a CRJ class or two waiting for the shiny new underwing engines. My $0.02.