UC Davis!

Veterinary School Application Advising Ad
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
hoodle

hoodle

UC-Davis DVM/PhD
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
556
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
Since the interview database site is down, and since people should start hearing from Davis for interviews soon... I figured we should start a thread!

I'm flying out to interview for the VSTP program. I remember hearing that Sacramento is the easiest airport to fly into. Do you guys have any suggestions about hotels close to the vet school and transportation options - should I rent a car, or would relying on cabs be OK?

I'm interviewing on the 12th, but will fly out so on the 10th so that I can spend the 11th meeting research faculty. Anyone else with a similar schedule?

Any other thoughts on Davis as a school, a place to live, etc? 😛
 
Congratulations on your interview! I'm still waiting to hear...

The Davis wiki site, daviswiki.org, is a great place to find lots of info on the city, including places to stay and transportation options. Here is a link to a list of some hotels in the area: http://daviswiki.org/Hotels. There is a pretty good bus system in town, as well as some cab companies, so you probably don't need to rent a car unless you wanted to explore some of the surrounding communities. The (double-decker!) bus website is http://unitrans.ucdavis.edu/index.cfm The Sac airport is only about 15 minutes from Davis, although it may be little less expensive to fly into San Francisco and then take the train to Davis if $$ is a concern.

Feel free to PM if you'd like any more info!
 
I moved here at the beginning of September and I really like it here so far. I've not been here for the hot part of the year, but I did move here from Orlando, FL so I'm not too concerned about it, so if you're from an area where it doesn't get too hot that might be something you don't enjoy much. Fall and winter so far have been cool, with the rain starting in the last couple of weeks. It rains a lot in winter.

daviswiki is good, but take the comments with a grain of salt as people really like to complain about everything there.

There are bike paths and trails and lanes everywhere. I have converted to commuting to my job on the UCD campus by bicycle because I save on parking and it's nice to get outside anyway. It sort of does suck during this rainy time, but have good fenders and a jacket that you don't mind getting a little dirty and it's fine.

You can also PM me if you have any specific questions about living here or moving here, as I've very recently gone through this ordeal.

Good luck with your interview!
 
I'm new to this thread, waiting on more interviews or a real acceptance also🙂 but I went to UC Davis for undergrad. You can call the Davis shuttle it runs from the airport -$40 (sacramento) to the campus or even take the bus (I don't know the schedule these days). There are some hotels in south davis that are a few miles from campus but you might even find a student who would let you stay. There is a classifieds section onlie called Davis411 classifieds that might help as well. It is a great school with a tremendous amount of resources and the area isn't bad. It's definately a college town and bike friendly. Sac and San Fran aren't far so you can get away when you want to. Summers are hot but not humid so it's bearable. Best of luck 😛

-Nicole
 
hoodle said:
Since the interview database site is down, and since people should start hearing from Davis for interviews soon... I figured we should start a thread!

I'm flying out to interview for the VSTP program. I remember hearing that Sacramento is the easiest airport to fly into. Do you guys have any suggestions about hotels close to the vet school and transportation options - should I rent a car, or would relying on cabs be OK?

I'm interviewing on the 12th, but will fly out so on the 10th so that I can spend the 11th meeting research faculty. Anyone else with a similar schedule?

Any other thoughts on Davis as a school, a place to live, etc? 😛
Click to expand...

congrats on your interview 🙂 I interviewed there last year and I flew into Sacramento and took the above mentioned shuttle from the airport (I also somehow found a coupon for them online... I actually think someone might have posted the link for it last year on SDN). I stayed at Hallmark Inn. It was nice enough, free breakfast, within walking distance, and overall pretty cheap. The morning of my interview I did take a taxi to the interview as to not get all sweaty in my suit 🙂

Davis overall was a pretty nice town... the school's facilities were pretty impressive. I, however, was not impressed by my interview. I flew 3000 miles for a 20 min interview and that was it!!! I was able to go on a tour... but it was definitely NOT one aimed at vet students... it was the general public tour which was a tad disppointing... and I was the only interviewee on it...

Oh yeah... my interview did not go so hot either... first question was to explain the physiological pathway for emphysema. I just sort of stared for a minute and then managed to mumble something 🙂 Also had a disagreement with one of the interviewers who was trying to tell me that Stephen King lives in Massachusetts when I am positive its Maine. (long story how that came up!!)

Oh yeah... then I got my rejection email a few weeks later, only to be followed by another email a little later on saying that all of the applicants' personal info was hacked into and to watch our credit reports for the rest of our lives... not that i am bitter or anything 🙂

Anyhoo... definitely do not want to rain on your parade! Davis was definitely a cool town and if you are into research, definitely a fantastic place to be!!! And had I not been rejected, it would have been a tough decision between there and CSU!!

Good luck!! :luck:


I found the link and a coupon for the shuttle I used:
http://www.supershuttle.com/
and enter code: UYR59

That takes $3 off each way... so I think the total one way is around $19... so roundtrip should be around $38... and that was from that Sacramento airport directly to my hotel...
 
soxbox said:
Oh yeah... my interview did not go so hot either... first question was to explain the physiological pathway for emphysema. I just sort of stared for a minute and then managed to mumble something 🙂
Click to expand...

Did you have prior experience that would lead them to believe that you'd know this or what? That seems like a pretty random interview question, and scary! 😱

I mean, I worked with polyamines for my undergrad honors thesis and if they asked me a question about that it wouldn't seem off-base, but asking anyone else about it probably would be. As an example...
 
I was wondering the same thing!
 
I would agree with soxbox about taking the Davis Airporter. Davis is a total college town (I transferred to finish up undergrad before I started vet school). Everyone is super friendly, and you can have random conversations with anyone you meet in public/downtown and not feel weird about it. I loved being an undergrad here...although I certainly don't spend as much time now enjoying the Davis scene.

Yeah, it's rainy right now. It doesn't matter that much because you'll be spending a lot of time in class anyway. We just had our new buildings open, including a new 5-story building mostly devoted to offices and research labs (but also our totally awesome anatomy lab).

Sorry to hear about your interview experience, soxbox; the orientation day with all the tours and speakers is separate from your actual interview, so it's harder for OOS applicants to get the whole experience if they just fly out for the interview.

Good luck on your interview, Hoodle!
 
mtrl1 said:
Sorry to hear about your interview experience, soxbox; the orientation day with all the tours and speakers is separate from your actual interview, so it's harder for OOS applicants to get the whole experience if they just fly out for the interview.
Click to expand...

When is the orientation day? Is that after one has already been accepted?
 
No, it's before interviews. I think it's Feb 23rd this year, but I can't find the email about it; there's an interview panel in the morning that has previously been open to everyone (undergrads + interviewees), but the rest of the day is usually restricted to those who were invited to interview. If you can't make it, they usually put a video of the interview panel online so you can watch it, because the advice is usually pretty helpful.
 
mtrl1 said:
No, it's before interviews. I think it's Feb 23rd this year, but I can't find the email about it; there's an interview panel in the morning that has previously been open to everyone (undergrads + interviewees), but the rest of the day is usually restricted to those who were invited to interview. If you can't make it, they usually put a video of the interview panel online so you can watch it, because the advice is usually pretty helpful.
Click to expand...

So that means that they'll send out interview invites to people prior to Feb 23 or whatever date it is. Then interviewees can come to that, then their interviews are some days/weeks later? What else goes on during the day aside from the interview panel? Tours? Are any of the activities from that day available to people on the day of their interview?

Thanks for all the info! (No idea if I'll get an interview, but I want to be prepared with knowledge, just in case! 🙂)
 
Does anyone know when Davis is sending out interview notifications? All I've been able to find is "February" with the actual interviews being in late February into March. It's my IS and I've heard from all of my other schools and just want to know where I'll be next year! The crazy ice storm we got last night here in PA reminded me why I was so set on going back out West for vet school 🙂
 
Last year invites went out around Valentine's Day, the workshop was Feb. 24 and interviews started Feb. 26 & went through mid-March.

The email I got a few months ago said invites would go out early Feb. and that interviews would start mid-Feb.

Which one is right? Who knows. I'm trying not to obsess, but it isn't working. 😱

VAGirl, the interview workshop last year started with a panel of first-years answering questions in the morning plus presentations from admissions and faculty. After that, lunch with booths from the different student organizations, and then tours in the afternoon. I found the panel to be the most useful part and they posted it online later, so don't worry if you can't make it to that day.
 
mtrl1 said:
No, it's before interviews. I think it's Feb 23rd this year, but I can't find the email about it; there's an interview panel in the morning that has previously been open to everyone (undergrads + interviewees), but the rest of the day is usually restricted to those who were invited to interview. If you can't make it, they usually put a video of the interview panel online so you can watch it, because the advice is usually pretty helpful.
Click to expand...

Can you provide a link to the information on this? I've been searching on the site and can't find it. Does the day have a specific name? Thanks!
 
What are the thoughts on Davis. If we haven't heard anything so far, is that good? Or doesn't necessarily mean anything? (Probably the second, but I felt like asking 🙂) I've seen some indication of people getting rejections and hoodle has a DVM/PhD interview, but nothing else. Any thoughts?
 
my thoughts on davis are that I... REALLY WANT TO GO THERE!!!!!

(not very helpful 😀)

last year, they sent out interview notices all at once via email on Valentines' day. I expect this year will be similar. If I hadn't heard from the VSTP - and I wasn't expecting to - I would be thinking if I hadn't been rejected yet, then that's a great start!!
 
Do students at Davis ever commute from SF or is that just complete and utter insanity? Anyone know?
 
Karazy said:
Do students at Davis ever commute from SF or is that just complete and utter insanity? Anyone know?
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound like a fun idea to me, especially since you will be on campus a lot for vet school. My next door neighbor here actually works in the Bay Area while living in Davis (so the reverse) and I know it is very taxing on her to have to do that.
 
I called Davis on Monday, thinking email would start this week. The guy that answered the phone said they will start on Monday the 11th and will go out for the whole week in no particular order. Everyone can relax for 5 more days. Yeah right...relax.
 
Thanks for the update sbpettech! That's great info. Good luck everyone!
 
sbpettech said:
The guy that answered the phone said they will start on Monday the 11th and will go out for the whole week in no particular order. Everyone can relax for 5 more days. Yeah right...relax.
Click to expand...

😱...:scared:
 
sbpettech said:
I called Davis on Monday, thinking email would start this week. The guy that answered the phone said they will start on Monday the 11th and will go out for the whole week in no particular order. Everyone can relax for 5 more days. Yeah right...relax.
Click to expand...

😱

So I guess as with last year for Davis, if you don't get an interview invite next week you're probably rejected? Since they don't bother to tell you for a long time if you are...
 
make sure to check your spam folder... that is where my interview email ended up last year!!
 
mtrl1 said:
No, it's before interviews. I think it's Feb 23rd this year, but I can't find the email about it; there's an interview panel in the morning that has previously been open to everyone (undergrads + interviewees), but the rest of the day is usually restricted to those who were invited to interview. If you can't make it, they usually put a video of the interview panel online so you can watch it, because the advice is usually pretty helpful.
Click to expand...

I just found this link today: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/studentprograms/Interviews.html

The workshop seems to have been on Feb 24th Saturday last year maybe it'll be the 23rd Saturday this year?🙂 Thanks for all the helpful feedback on Davis. Helps to know I can kinda relax for a few days waiting on the reply.
 
Thanks gimchi - looks like they updated that page already and the workshop is indeed on the 23rd. They also now have links to last year's panel discussion.

Ok, getting more nervous now ... I'm gonna be a wreck the next two weeks between waiting to hear from Davis, waiting to hear from Penn, and preparing for the IL interview 😱😱
 
FYI

Davis sends out their letters for interviews Feb 11 - so add in mail delivery time to your area and there ya go! Interviews are late feb through march....hopefully not late march but yes, till march.
 
somemeatgupta said:
FYI

Davis sends out their letters for interviews Feb 11 - so add in mail delivery time to your area and there ya go! Interviews are late feb through march....hopefully not late march but yes, till march.
Click to expand...

They're sending them snail mail this year? Last year it was via e-mail.
 
i was told they would be sent via snail mail starting feb. 11th.
 
They told me emails starting Monday. Where did you hear snail mail?
 
i called them and the person on the phone said it, i had to ask for clarification b/c i was so surprised it wouldnt be sent through email
 
"Thank you for applying to the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Your application for admission to our DVM program is now complete.

If an interview is granted, you will be notified via email by early February. Interviews will be conducted in person at the School of Veterinary Medicine in mid-February through late March. All applicants will be informed of final admission decisions no later than April 1, 2008."

I really hope they're not doing snail mail since that will only prolong the agony and force us to rely on the USPS.

Maybe someone should call again on Monday and ask. I'm too chicken to do it again.
 
If you havent received a rejection letter (obviously its better than having received one but) is that a good sign? In other words are they still considering your application or have they just not gotten around to thrashing your dreams?
 
kinkajou said:
If you havent received a rejection letter (obviously its better than having received one but) is that a good sign? In other words are they still considering your application or have they just not gotten around to thrashing your dreams?
Click to expand...

Not sure if you're IS or OOS, but it seems like they've already sent out the first round of rejections to OOS (a month or two ago), but I don't think any IS people have heard yet. We should be hearing sometime this week about interviews (or rejections, I'd assume). Ahhh, I'm sooo anxious to just know SOMETHING! So, yes, if you haven't heard anything, it's good news, but hopefully we'll know in the next few days just how good of news! Good luck!
 
pupsforseeing said:
We should be hearing sometime this week about interviews (or rejections, I'd assume).
Click to expand...

I don't think they send out the IS rejection letters until after they finalize the class in late March or whatever. But if you don't get an interview you know you're rejected. At least, that's how it was in previous years.
 
nyanko said:
I don't think they send out the IS rejection letters until after they finalize the class in late March or whatever. But if you don't get an interview you know you're rejected. At least, that's how it was in previous years.
Click to expand...

Do you know if they send out the OOS rejection letters earlier than that?
 
If you don't get an email this week call next Monday. Last year emails still "trickled" out for two weeks or more. Yes, it was very frustrating.
 
VAgirl said:
Do you know if they send out the OOS rejection letters earlier than that?
Click to expand...

Well, I know they sent out SOME already because people here got them. Maybe they send out the OOS rejection letters for the people they considered for interviews but didn't get one at the same time as the IS ones, I don't know.
 
I know of one IS applicant that got their rejection email last week... just FYI...
 
adOggy07 said:
I know of one IS applicant that got their rejection email last week... just FYI...
Click to expand...

Hm. Rejection email seems a little harsh. But maybe that's just me. Sorry to hear that!
 
actually VAGirl, I'm not sure if it was via email or mail.... I could definitely be wrong about the email thing.. I'll have to ask him again as it seems my memory has left me for the moment!
 
New to thread...hello 🙂

I called the deans office and they said that interview invites will be going out as of tomorrow (Feb.11-15th). They didn't say by mail or e-mail though. And interviews will be Feb.25-March 18 this year.

Maybe that will help stlle or FRY your nerves depending on how you look at it!!! This whole thing really tests your patience😀
 
One more thing, I was a Davis undergrad and applied once to vet school about 3 years ago. Rejections were paper- snail mail at that time 🙁
 
last year I received my rejection email about 3 weeks (on March 27th) after my interview... here was a brief snipit:

Thank you for applying and interviewing with the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, and allowing us to consider you for admission.

I regret to inform you that you have not been selected for admission to the class beginning Fall 2007. Please be assured that your application received a fair and careful evaluation in comparing your qualifications with other applicants.


not sure if they are staying with the non-paper route or not this year... but I have to say I thought it was a tad impersonal... I would much rather have received a piece of paper I could at least hang on the fridge 🙂
 
...are by email and at least some have gone out! I'm gonna interview at UC Davis!!!! 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
 
Congratulations, VAGirl! :hardy:
 
Thanks! I still don't really believe it. I keep re-reading the email to be sure it has my name on it. 😀
 
Does anyone know how many OOSers were interviewed last year? I know from looking at admission statistics that 15 OOSers were accepted last year and 9 matriculated. But they don't say how many they interviewed. If anyone knows, I would much appreciate the information. Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

supershorty
UC Davis 2025-2026 (c/o 2030 hopefuls)
Replies
0
Views
724
supershorty
supershorty
lis1127
Shadowing at UC Davis
Replies
4
Views
1K
lis1127
lis1127
D
tOSU (IS) vs UC Davis (OOS)
Replies
5
Views
771
pp9
pp9
supershorty
UC Davis 2024-2025 (c/o 2029 hopefuls)
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
335
Views
43K
ChihuahuaWarrior
C
eleanor713
UC Davis C/O 2028
Replies
2
Views
2K
eleanor713
eleanor713
Top