2008-2009 UCLA/Drew Secondary Application Thread

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did anyone on this thread or anyone you know, hear anything from UCLA PRIME today. No one on the PRIME thread got anything. I guess they are all coming out next week?
 
Hey guys I just received the letter today from CDU asking for my signature and verification of my willingness to attend. It was post-marked on Jan 29 so it was probably sent Wednesday or Thursday. It also had a letter written by Associate Dean Dr. Calmes.

Anyway here are some details for the curious:

- There will be 4 future letters sent from UCLA with arrival times in about this sequential order:
1) From the UCLA admissions committee with more acceptance information
2) From UCLA Residential services so you can apply for housing
3) From the Geffen financial services offices so you could apply for aid
4) From the Geffen SOM offices with pre-matriculation/orientation information

- Final transcripts must be submitted to the CDU offices prior to matriculation

- There is a mandatory physical exam required prior to matriculation

- The acceptance form must be filled out within 3 days of its receipt

---

There you have it guys.
I'm thinking simply getting admitted will take several months to process so the admissions committee will try to fill the class ASAP (i.e. those waiting will receive notifications soon).

Just to comment on the confirmed interview dates on past posts, it seems that they are accepting 2-3 interviewees from each interview day (based on the estimated # of acceptances already given and the 10 interview days I was told would take place) to fill the 24 spots.

With that said for those yet to interview, it is your goal to separate yourself from the rest of the interviewees for the coveted spots. I know my stats were not the most stellar relative to other people in my interview day so I needed a "killer app" to sell myself. I actually researched body language, speech tonality, persuasion, etc. to prepare for everything and I guess the experiment worked.

For individuals with acceptances look for the letter in your mailbox!
 
well thanks for ruining my day kippcalypse i was still hoping to get in but with your 2-3/day estimate my chances are shot. why do i even check sdn it always makes me feel bad.
 
asakkings said:
well thanks for ruining my day kippcalypse i was still hoping to get in but with your 2-3/day estimate my chances are shot. why do i even check sdn it always makes me feel bad.
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Sorry if I made you feel bad but this is what I am gleaning from the evidence. I could be wrong, they may give higher priority to the initial batch of interviewees like other schools (from what I hear those with the best stats get the first interviews for most schools since they are more desirable). I have no intimate knowledge of their process, I'm only using my deductive reasoning.

Remember, not everyone will accept the admission offer, this has been stated before. I remember reading from one of the past threads that they went through 50 students before 24 accepted the offer so the waitlist is still viable this cycle. Just relax, being anxious will be no benefit especially if you extend it for the several months in waiting -- I'm sure you will get accepted somewhere (from what I can tell those who use SDN are the ones getting accepted).
 
I am sorry man that was more out of frustration from this whole process and the waiting.
 
Ugh, I've been sick for the last 3 days... Boo, stomach flu! Looks like there's been some interesting conversations since I've lasted posted. I understand your feelings well, asakkings, but like I've said before it’s still way too early to count anyone out. I like the way you think kippocalypse, logical with good deductive reasoning. However, I don't think that 2-3 interviewees get accepted from each interview day WITH ALL OTHERS not going to other rounds of adcom meetings. I believe it’s more likely that a few of the most qualified get acceptances, while some may get marked for rejection, and a majority getting put on hold to be REREVIEWED after more interview days at later adcom meetings. In this way it means that most aren't just waiting for the waitlist or getting rejected, they just have to wait to be rereviewed against the context of a larger and larger applicant pool. I know I quote acl3623 a lot, but that's because she's a current MS4 at Drew with lots of adcom experience, so I'd like to put my faith in her word (no offense kippocalypse). I'll paste in one of her previous posts on the matter at the bottom, with the most important info pertaining to us at the end of the 1st paragraph. Now, kippocalypse you had an interesting bit of information in your last post. You said that they went through 50 students before 24 accepted. Is it 50 total, or 50 in addition to the 24 who matriculated? Might you remember where that information was posted, cause I'd love to read it. If that truly is the case, then asakkings you should rejoice because that makes the odds much better. Even if the total number interviewed is indeed 200 and there were 50 total acceptances, then that would mean we’d have a 1 in 4 chance of acceptance. I know that it’s hard to play the numbers game, especially since we are basing it off unconfirmed information, and the fact that it could be very different this year than previous years. All I’m saying is that we should just keep hoping and praying because we can’t count anyone out until rejection letters come out.

acl3623 said:
hey guys
yes interviews go until may..and if you havent heard but interviewed a while ago, dont be discouraged. drew does have a very long turnaround, because we only have 24 spots to give out (i waited over 3 months for my acceptance). i dont know why they sent out an email saying that you should hear within 30 days, since that is only really the case if you interview late in the season or they accept you right away. and more than half of the acceptances have been given out already (over 15), so these last few rounds, they are going to wait a while to give you final decisions because we only have a few spots left. im not sure if you guys are completely aware of the system but once you have interviewed, your file will be reviewed by the admissions committee and only the few top ones that are unanimous will get an acceptance (if there are any in that round), the bottom will get rejected and the middle pile (which is quite large), will either get waitlisted or they will just get thrown in the pile of files to rereview on the next admissions committee. so if you interviewed a while ago but havent heard, you are more than likely in the pile that keeps getting rereviewed.

i just did some interviews yesterday and some screening, which ive been doing for most of this season. and let me tell you that this year the applicants have been fantastic. the numbers are great, almost everyone has had good research experience, and unique ec's. so i know it has been very tough to choose this season compared to last year when i interviewed applicants.

that being said, pllleaaassee dont bombard the ladies in the admissions office with questions regarding your file. let me tell you it will not work to your benefit and they are extremely busy working on admissions, 3rd, and 4th year business. i know you guys are very interested and anxious to hear, but you have to be patient! good luck.
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Good find Kai, i guess as long as we dont get rejected there is hope. if it wasnt for acl3623 we would be lost.
 
I love how were all getting edgy in here. It reminds me of a time when me and 5 of my buddies were stuck in traffic after going to 6flags once. for a reason I cant remember, one of the girls had wet socks and we were all yelling at each other because she didn't want my dry socks 😕. we could have hung each other! Remember guys, were all going to medical school, be it now or in a year or two. keep the positive attitudes as much as possible! were in the home stretch! I am by no means overly calm either....I'm sweating bullets...but remember a ton of seats are still open....
 
kai1581 said:
Ugh, I've been sick for the last 3 days... Boo, stomach flu! Looks like there's been some interesting conversations since I've lasted posted. I understand your feelings well, asakkings, but like I've said before it’s still way too early to count anyone out. I like the way you think kippocalypse, logical with good deductive reasoning. However, I don't think that 2-3 interviewees get accepted from each interview day WITH ALL OTHERS not going to other rounds of adcom meetings. I believe it’s more likely that a few of the most qualified get acceptances, while some may get marked for rejection, and a majority getting put on hold to be REREVIEWED after more interview days at later adcom meetings. In this way it means that most aren't just waiting for the waitlist or getting rejected, they just have to wait to be rereviewed against the context of a larger and larger applicant pool. I know I quote acl3623 a lot, but that's because she's a current MS4 at Drew with lots of adcom experience, so I'd like to put my faith in her word (no offense kippocalypse). I'll paste in one of her previous posts on the matter at the bottom, with the most important info pertaining to us at the end of the 1st paragraph. Now, kippocalypse you had an interesting bit of information in your last post. You said that they went through 50 students before 24 accepted. Is it 50 total, or 50 in addition to the 24 who matriculated? Might you remember where that information was posted, cause I'd love to read it. If that truly is the case, then asakkings you should rejoice because that makes the odds much better. Even if the total number interviewed is indeed 200 and there were 50 total acceptances, then that would mean we’d have a 1 in 4 chance of acceptance. I know that it’s hard to play the numbers game, especially since we are basing it off unconfirmed information, and the fact that it could be very different this year than previous years. All I’m saying is that we should just keep hoping and praying because we can’t count anyone out until rejection letters come out.
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Thanks for the post. When was that posted? It says more than half of the spots have already been filled? 🙁
 
Ehh...I dont think >half of the seats have been taken. Don't worry just yet.
 
Hey guys you have to forgive me if I'm opening up cans of worms when I'm doing my guesswork. Its just my thought processes -- something that's part of my personality that isn't necessarily applicable to reality. You see I've always based my personal decisions on symmetry, averages, and likely yields if you can see where I'm coming from.

Since kai1581 posted acl's info you guys have a more realistic view of things and can judge more accurate outcomes. As far as the 50 students before the class is filled statement I made earlier (by 50 I meant 50 acceptances offered TOTAL), I couldn't find the source but I know it was on SDN. The thread must have been a few years after the turn of the century. I did a search for "DREW" I believe. If I locate it I will bring it to your attention.
 
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I do remember someone saying that Drew strictly does not over accept so I dont know what to believe.
 
Hi CaliforniaGreen, that post by acl3623 was a post from within the last two years, I believe it was posted 03/25/07. So half the seats for this year's class aren't necessarily filled (maybe it could be similarly half filled by the same time??). That being said it would be nice if acl3623 could reconfirm the adcom process if she so happens to drop by. However, I doubt that the process has changed much, as I've perused Drew related posts going back a number of years and it seems to be more or less the same.

Hi kippocalypse, we know that you don't mean any harm by your posts. I find them greatly informative and insightful, and its interesting to see your thought processes. You seem like an interesting fellow. I've also done Drew searches, trying not to go back more than 2-4 years so that the info is relatively up-to-date. I will try searching back to the time frame you suggested.

Hi asakkings, I do remember someone stating that Drew doesn't over-accept and I believe they are correct. I think this is one of the main reasons why the wait for Drew is so unbearably long. Since there are so few seats the adcom really takes its time on who they accept. The ones who are unanimously voted on get the acceptances first, while the majority keeps going back for rounds and rounds of deliberation. I have this strange image of the adcom sitting around a dark table, smoking cigars, playing god with our future. Anyways, I still believe that there are more than 24 acceptances due to the fact that people choose to go to other places. Its just that Drew can't over-accept in anticipation of that.
 
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How quick is the turnaround time between hearing back from drew after sending in their secondary?
 
Hey everyone ... has anyone been called by PRIME for an interview? I am hoping on hearing from them before 5 pm today
 
Tigerlily13 said:
How quick is the turnaround time between hearing back from drew after sending in their secondary?
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Welcome to the Drew thread, Tigerlily13! I received the secondary 10/02, turned in 10/06, and received an invite on 10/30 (for Nov 22). So roughly 3 1/2 weeks.
 
asakkings said:
I do remember someone saying that Drew strictly does not over accept so I dont know what to believe.
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I just want to clarify this:

It's true the program does not over accept. Sandy emphasized to me at any given time only 24 valid acceptances are given out. If for any reason one of those 24 declines the offer, then that leaves an extra available spot for another candidate. Once the adcom gets news of the open position, another acceptance is given out to fill the position -- this once again results in 24 valid acceptances. This goes on until there are 24 candidates who accept admission. This cycle of attrition/replenishment can thus go through more than 24 candidates in total.

I think the decision making takes a while but I know those who get accepted must accept/decline within 3 days of acceptance letter receipt -- which is pretty fast.
 
KippocalypsE said:
I just want to clarify this:

It's true the program does not over accept. Sandy emphasized to me at any given time only 24 valid acceptances are given out. If for any reason one of those 24 declines the offer, then that leaves an extra available spot for another candidate. Once the adcom gets news of the open position, another acceptance is given out to fill the position -- this once again results in 24 valid acceptances. This goes on until there are 24 candidates who accept admission. This cycle of attrition/replenishment can thus go through more than 24 candidates in total.

I think the decision making takes a while but I know those who get accepted must accept/decline within 3 days of acceptance letter receipt -- which is pretty fast.
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Thanks for the clarification kippocalypse! I'll add that even after accepting the offer, that doesn't necessarily mean the person will matriculate. People are allowed to hold multiple acceptances until May 15th, and I've read previous Drew posts that show people do. This is due to any number of reasons, most notably: they are waiting for acceptances/waitlist movement from schools higher on their list or they are waiting for financial aid packages to see which school is offering more (which is a big one). So this results in more than 24 acceptances offered, as those people withdraw after being accepted, but there are never more than 24 acceptances at any one time. In any case, I don't think we are anywhere near having all 24 seats taken up yet. Even when that time comes there's still some hope in the waitlist.
 
so how are you guys hanging in there? It is about 3:00 in the morning...and I am worrying instead of sleeping.....god I want a call at this point...good or bad.....
 
Ah, you can always count on insomnia to keep you company during this horrible waiting period. I feel your pain carlogu, it's happened to me more times than I'd like to count.

As far as the bit about 50 acceptances... I've extended my Drew search to posts from 2001 and I'm currently at 2005 posts. There is indeed talk of the number of acceptances, mainly in 2001-2002, ranging from 50-75 though most posts indicate 50 give or take a few. However, I'm still not convinced of the validity of the statements. I hoped to encounter posts from Drew med students on the admissions committee or someone quoting something they heard from their interview, but I haven't found those types of posts yet. I'll keep everyone posted if I find anything more concrete. I'll say that it seems like the waiting in previous years was a lot worse than it has been the last 2 application cycles.
 
so I just emailed sandy asking about the current #/24 of seats taken........I'll post when I fill in that #.....
 
I'm also waiting to hear good news from Drew *sigh* good luck everyone:luck:
 
I am interviewing in March. Drew is one of my top choices, can someone please give me advice (posted or PMed), I would really appreciate it!
 
HeyThereJude said:
I am interviewing in March. Drew is one of my top choices, can someone please give me advice (posted or PMed), I would really appreciate it!
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Sup HeyThereJude, look at my profile since there is some advice about body-language and voice during interviews. I think the non-verbal is one of the most critical aspects of making the best first impression. I don't know if it applies but I also got a haircut (keep the fade smooth!), pressed my suit, and gorged on breathmints.

On a general note about the program, you MUST emphasize you are in it to help the medically underserved communities in the interview (easy for me since I grew up in one and really want to raise the standards where I'm from). That is the whole purpose of the program so they are looking for the quality above all else. Oh yeah... SMILE!
 
sirius said:
I interviewed on Dec 13. When was yours? Hopefully we hear good news soon.
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nov. 22 I think. Man this is grinding me.........Good news would be welcome! good luck!
 
DenaDoc said:
I find it rather ironic that Jack Bauer advocates patience. 😀

But this wait does suck.
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lol


"Just wait for it guys, the terrorists will give up, we just gotta hang in there..."
 
So I have a basic question about the Drew-UCLA program. When you graduate from the MD program, where is your degree from? Does the degree say Charles Drew University or UCLA SOM? Also, why is Drew not ranked in US world and news report?
 
I believe that the degree will say both UCLA and Charles Drew University. I remember a post by a Drew graduate that described what his degree stated, so I'll try to find the post. As for the whole ranking thing, I'm not sure why it isn't ranked on US News. My guess would be that Drew is accredited through UCLA and may be considered a track of UCLA. So just as the UCR/UCLA (Haider) program, UCLA prime program, and UCLA MSTP program are tracks of UCLA there isn't a separate entry in US News for Drew.
 
medRckr55 said:
So I have a basic question about the Drew-UCLA program. When you graduate from the MD program, where is your degree from? Does the degree say Charles Drew University or UCLA SOM?
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I am pretty sure that it is going to say ucla som with a line about the drew program. both schools will be evident on the diploma.....
 
Has anyone heard anything, lately?!
 
Nothing here... I have a feeling that we might hear something soon. Good luck to everyone!! :xf:
 
I just read posts that some people last year found out 02/21/08. I also thought I read posts about people finding out 02/20/08, but now I can't find them. That was the Wed and Thurs after Presidents Day, so that's why I was thinking some of us might find out soon (today or tomorrow, maybe??). If not this week then I guess it'll be sometime next week.
 
I wonder why they put out a few acceptances before this........like a first batch, but really small and really early.....It just doesn't click in my head...............
 
carlogu said:
so I just emailed sandy asking about the current #/24 of seats taken........I'll post when I fill in that #.....
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Did Sandy reply with how many seats are taken?
 
Haven't heard a peep *cricket chirps*
 
Ok so i spoke with sandy today, She said my file was still at UCLA and since they are really busy doing geffen stuff its taking a long time. Also she said class is less than half full and she said most ppl did accept their invitations.
And she said there isnt an order to how they send files to ucla to be reviewed its usually just a batch at a time and most of the time ucla committee is unable to finish a batch.

So not very helpful but we jsut keep waiting i guess. She is really nice though.
 
asakkings said:
Ok so i spoke with sandy today, She said my file was still at UCLA and since they are really busy doing geffen stuff its taking a long time. Also she said class is less than half full and she said most ppl did accept their invitations.
And she said there isnt an order to how they send files to ucla to be reviewed its usually just a batch at a time and most of the time ucla committee is unable to finish a batch.

So not very helpful but we jsut keep waiting i guess. She is really nice though.
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man this sucks.........I called her last week apparently they cant give out the number of seats that have been taken........and by unable to finish a batch, do they mean the rest get canned or backed up?
lol....I can imagine the adcom saying "take the top ten and the rest go into the recycle bin!"
 
carlogu said:
man this sucks.........I called her last week apparently they cant give out the number of seats that have been taken........and by unable to finish a batch, do they mean the rest get canned or backed up?
lol....I can imagine the adcom saying "take the top ten and the rest go into the recycle bin!"
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I'm thinking that they probably have suggested deadlines that UCLA should complete a particular batch but for whatever reason the UCLA committee doesn't finish in time. Thus the batch is delayed. Since it is done one batch at a time, the next batch is probably then delayed as well until UCLA finishes the prior batch. So I'm guessing it's backed up, not canned -- that would be mean!
 
Yea i really hope its not canned, but you never know. And i am taking everything they say at face value because alot of times schools dont give you a straight answer.
 
It seems like the difficulty in waiting out Drew, as opposed to other programs, is that their selection process is not very clear (e.g. the "batch" system). That, combined with the general feeling that the admissions folks aren't as direct as we would prefer, creates a lot of anxiety.

Hopefully, the Medical Student Affairs Office will address this issue in future application cycles. That said, the only question is: Do you like the program enough to deal with this BS?

For me, I absolutely do. If you feel the same, cool. We'll gut it out until we can't anymore. Simple as that.😳
 
I like the patience advice from the one and only jack bauer.

Edit: Hey jack can you do some of your fancy interrogation techniques on the Drew staff to get us some straight answers.
 
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