2008-2009 University of Central Florida (UCF) Secondary Application Thread

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Is anyone else having trouble writing this essay on a new and refreshing topic? It seems with my AMCAS, and all the other questions UCF asks you before the essay that there isn't really much left. Should I hold back a little bit more on the preliminary questions and add these things into my essay? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
They are sending out interview requests today, maybe they started earlier but I just got an invite now.
 
Congrats!! How did you get the invite? Phone? I wasn't complete until last week so I don't expect to be in the first batch but I'm still curious.
 
They called me up, yea I was complete on 9/2 so it is still possible that they will call you sometime in the near future.
 
I personally wouldn't answer the question. I would just write them a nice essay explaining what else you had going on in your life and leave it at that. I know I am not going to take the time to explain every grade below a B-.

I didn't even see this thread as I haven't been active on preallo in a long time. However, I did ask REL this question on the mentor forum because I know he is really active with that thread.

The way he said to address it would be somewhat along the lines of what you said. He said that if you had a lot of bad grades or semesters with below B- grades you shuld just generally give a feel for what was going on at that time that might have caused you to do so horribly.

My thoughts on what he means by this:
i.e. if you werent so hot GPA wise but you matured via a postbac I'd say discuss what might have been causing you to do so poorly i.e. anxiety, biting into too much to handle, poor execution of time management and then I'd just try to show how you've matured and what you've learned in your better trends.

If it is just a few grades, then I'm sure a short description of what was going on might do.
 
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I also got an interview call. Rel seems like a nice guy, very relaxed. I was complete on 8/7.
 
any idea how many ucf plans to interview? i know for fiu its 300-400.
 
any idea how many ucf plans to interview? i know for fiu its 300-400.

In the email they sent when you were complete it says they plan to interview 225 for the 40 spots. Not too many!
 
uhhh! they are still waiting for one of my character letters!!

Good luck to those who got an interview!
 
COME ON UCF!!! SHOW SOME OOS LOVE!>!>!>!....

Since I was complete beginning of august, i think im either in the possibly interview or interview pile.
 
COME ON UCF!!! SHOW SOME OOS LOVE!>!>!>!....

Since I was complete beginning of august, i think im either in the possibly interview or interview pile.

Me too, I've been complete since early August. But since people that were complete two weeks ago are getting interviews, I'm afraid I'm in the possibly interview pile, and not the interview pile.🙁
I've got my fingers crossed for an interview though!
 
Me too, I've been complete since early August. But since people that were complete two weeks ago are getting interviews, I'm afraid I'm in the possibly interview pile, and not the interview pile.🙁
I've got my fingers crossed for an interview though!
Yeah, I'm a bit concerned as well, my application was completed on 8/13...and I'm still in limbo.
 
So I was checking the UCF website and they posted very surprising stats about the number of applications they are receiving. According to them, UCF COM will be "more selective" than top notch med schools like harvard, yale, etc. I'm assuming this because everyone wants a shot at the free tuition + living expenses (who can blame them)?

But the question is, will top notch applicants with sick GPAs and MCAT scores be willing to attend a non-accredited school? The school is not allowed to be accredited until AFTER the first graduating class. Is UCF aiming a bit too high, only to realize that all the acceptances that they sent out are pointless or will the best applicants actually be willing to go to a nonaccredited school?
 
So I was checking the UCF website and they posted very surprising stats about the number of applications they are receiving. According to them, UCF COM will be "more selective" than top notch med schools like harvard, yale, etc. I'm assuming this because everyone wants a shot at the free tuition + living expenses (who can blame them)?

But the question is, will top notch applicants with sick GPAs and MCAT scores be willing to attend a non-accredited school? The school is not allowed to be accredited until AFTER the first graduating class. Is UCF aiming a bit too high, only to realize that all the acceptances that they sent out are pointless or will the best applicants actually be willing to go to a nonaccredited school?

There will always be a few who would turn down a full scholarship for the namebrand school. However, UCF's clinical facilities are already very hihgly established teaching hospitals because of previous affiliations with other academic institutions. Much can also be said about the research institutions that are going to be affiliated with it. MD Anderson will have an Orlando branch as will Burnham institute. UF is also somewhat backing UCF by partnering up with them in terms of certain research opportunities so that will bring name to UCF. Furthermore, people will see that UCF has collected more money then some other schools that are more heavily dependent on state funds. So I highly doubt there will be issues with accreditation. I think a lot of students will realize this and go there if given the opportunity for a free tuition. I know I would if I was one of them unless I got a similar offer from a more established school. That's the only scenario in which I wouldn't do such.

However, what is a more prevalent question is, is whether UCF will continue to see only the best and brightest from around the nation when the financial incentive isn't there to go to UCF vs. another school, but we shall see. They do have a strong program and potential to surpass a lot of schools in the next 5-10 years with the way things are looking as of now.
 
There is no doubt, within my mind, that UCF will be a very prestigious medical school...especially in the state of Florida. But the affiliations and institutions that you were referred to, including the Burnham insitute, VA hospital, Burnett building, and Nemour's children hospital are still being built, all surrounding the medical school at Lake Nona. How much access of the resources the charter class will get to use will most likely be minimal at best.
 
Most selective ever!?

well I guess that leaves me out, tears
 
There is no doubt, within my mind, that UCF will be a very prestigious medical school...especially in the state of Florida. But the affiliations and institutions that you were referred to, including the Burnham insitute, VA hospital, Burnett building, and Nemour's children hospital are still being built, all surrounding the medical school at Lake Nona. How much access of the resources the charter class will get to use will most likely be minimal at best.

My thoughts are that at the very least Nemour's and ORMC and Fl. hospital system already exist in the meanwhile elsewhere until the move to Lake Nona. Also, most of these buildings will prob. be built by the time of 3rd year rotations so I'm sure by then most students will have access to this stuff. MD Anderson Orlando is already around to so they can drive over there for research if they want after first year.

But perhaps REL can come out of the woodworks and comment on this. I'm curious to hear his thoughts on this issue and also on construction progress
 
I do believe it is still a state school, so preference would naturally be given to local state residents. Without support of the community, how would the scholarships have been raised in the first place?

I'm curious to see what the statistics are for UCF's first class of students. I'm betting they will have exceptional diversity, I mean this is Florida after all. I'm also wondering what the in-state out-of-state ratio will be.
 
I do believe it is still a state school, so preference would naturally be given to local state residents. Without support of the community, how would the scholarships have been raised in the first place?

I'm curious to see what the statistics are for UCF's first class of students. I'm betting they will have exceptional diversity, I mean this is Florida after all. I'm also wondering what the in-state out-of-state ratio will be.

Keep in mind that there might also be quite a few in staters that go to schools OOS i.e. Cornell, Hopkins, etc.

But I too am curious. I am sure it won't be too much different then a lot of other schools and it definitely won't be more OOS to IS people. I'm sure they'd probably be 50:50 IS:OOS or more IS:OOS. But I highly doubt there will be less IS people when they will not only have applicants of Fl. state residency from Fl. schools but also from top universities out of state.
 
I do believe it is still a state school, so preference would naturally be given to local state residents. Without support of the community, how would the scholarships have been raised in the first place?

I'm curious to see what the statistics are for UCF's first class of students. I'm betting they will have exceptional diversity, I mean this is Florida after all. I'm also wondering what the in-state out-of-state ratio will be.

And btw I agree that ther ewill be exceptional diversity there is no doubt about that. That is ow all the Fl. schools are if you lok at their class make up. Diversity in all matters. I mean just looking around at USF Health I see that even within the caucasian profiled people you have people from Europe, people from the middle east, people from latin america, etc. Amongst the Indians you will have people from South, North, West, etc. That's just an example. But what I mean is all the fl. schools are like that so there is no doubt that FIU and UCF will be as well. I agree completely with you on that one.
 
I just had my interview at UCF, I was very impressed. It seems like they will take a majority of in-staters but will take a higher percentage of OOS than schools like USF or FIU. Im guessing like a 30:10 split. They are definitely going to be selective with who they accept, they are looking for unique individuals because they want their charter class to stand out. The hospitals they are affiliated with are just huge and there are several hospitals being built or almost complete. In terms of the accreditation, i don't think thats going to deter anyone from picking UCF, they have met and far surpassed all the preliminary requirements and are much better prepared than FIU. Everyone in admissions is very on-top of things and there is great community support. Students that they accept are most likely also going to be accepted by top medical schools like Stanford, Harvard, and John Hopkins. I guess each individual is going to weigh the importance of going to a top-rated medical school versus getting the free tuition. I think in the long-run all that tuition money will mean nothing since its being paid off over such a long time and in the end you need to go the medical school that gives you the best chance to get in to a top residency. That being said, I believe that UCF will eventually be a top medical school and are on track to surpass UF in the next couple years. And after having my interview, UCF is definitely my top choice and no other school is even close.
 
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^Thank you for posting! I've been very curious about UCF. Sounds like a good interview day and a good forecast for the future. 👍
 
So 2 kids were accepted off the EDP list for UCF!! Saw it in a newsletter I am subscribed to by them.
 
down to 38 spots, this is gona be slow and painful lol
 
Any news from this school? I have been complete almost a month...not rejected, I guess thats a good thing? lol
 
Any new acceptances?
 
they are not accepting till oct 30th
 
So UCF is one of my top two choices and I thought my application was complete months ago, but it turns out one of my rec letters got lost in transit and now my application official turn it date was delayed!!! I know lots of people have had their apps in for months. Does anyone know if UCF is accepting on a rolling basis? I think I may have just lost my shot at a med school that fit me to the ground! 😱

And good luck to everyone waiting for news! Hang in there!
 
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So UCF is one of my top two choices and I thought my application was complete months ago, but it turns out one of my rec letters got lost in transit and now my application official turn it date was delayed!!! I know lots of people have had their apps in for months. Does anyone know if UCF is accepting on a rolling basis? I think I may have just lost my shot at a med school that fit me to the ground! 😱

And good luck to everyone waiting for news! Hang in there!

You and everyone else who wants a free eduation feels this way. so don't think you are unique in thinking you are the only one that has found a school that "fits you to the ground".

That said, get yourrec letter resent out. if it is on interfolio, you can send it via internet. If it is with the school then contact them and do what needs to be done. all the Fl. schools are rolling admissions. i'm sure you still have time to get things in again. But remember that even if you were complete by now, it is not a guarantee to getting into your top choice when there are already 2000-3000 applications and they are hoping for 4000 or so.
 
It is rolling. I think they said that they are going over candidates in 3 week intervals.
 
so..if im oos should i just go ahead and w/draw? It doesnt seem like many OOser are getting any love.
 
so..if im oos should i just go ahead and w/draw? It doesnt seem like many OOser are getting any love.

Around 10-15 people in the first year class are projected to be OOS if I remember correctly (I believe this is what REL said on interview day). I'm fairly sure at least 10 will be OOS and there were OOSers there when I interviewed.

You might consider withdrawing if you think you wouldn't go to the school if accepted...and then there would be space for me 😉😀.
 
Thanks all! I already resent my rec via interfolio, and can just hope and keep working hard at things I can control! Good luck to all of you with interviews, I hope you get in...but save a spot for me!
 
errr...heck yes I would go...scholarship=amazing.

Keep your app. there. You never know what may happen later in the cycle.

If you withdraw now, you might regret it later. at least this way you know that you left no stone unturned and if you don't get in, you'll know at least you tried.
 
is anyone that interviewed getting nervous about the end of this week, REL is supposed to call on the 30th or 31st to give us the decision
 
i got the email saying 10 days about 8 days ago. have they been pretty good about getting back to students within that 10 days? anyone know if they only contact you for interview/rejection (ie not if youre in that hold batch?)?
 
i got the email saying 10 days about 8 days ago. have they been pretty good about getting back to students within that 10 days? anyone know if they only contact you for interview/rejection (ie not if youre in that hold batch?)?

10 days till what?
 
10 days? Mine has been longer than a month, still have not heard anything.
 
10 days? Mine has been longer than a month, still have not heard anything.


are u guys talking about since being complete or since interviewing? because acceptances/rejections/waitlist are supposed to be handed out at the end of this week for anyone that interviewed early to mid October
 
after completion (they say they will notify you in 10 days)
 
is anyone that interviewed getting nervous about the end of this week, REL is supposed to call on the 30th or 31st to give us the decision

Yeah. I want this to be a happy Halloween 😳. I would prefer a treat. Not a trick.
 
I got an email a long long long time ago saying that they'd notify me as soon as I'm out of contention or whatever. It has been dead since then. I get the sense I'm on the equivalent of an interview waitlist and they just don't want to launch me off yet.
 
Yeah. I want this to be a happy Halloween 😳. I would prefer a treat. Not a trick.

I just emailed them to find out when they would be notifying ppl.
 
I just emailed them to find out when they would be notifying ppl.

😀 If I'm not mistaken, I believe REL said it would be on Halloween. Scary, huh? 😉 But do let me know if I'm wrong about that.

Yeah, I absolutely refuse to get my hopes up in any way, shape, or form because they're supposedly going to be the most selective school in the country this season (based on the # of received apps and the expected class size).
 
😀 If I'm not mistaken, I believe REL said it would be on Halloween. Scary, huh? 😉 But do let me know if I'm wrong about that.

Yeah, I absolutely refuse to get my hopes up in any way, shape, or form because they're supposedly going to be the most selective school in the country this season (based on the # of received apps and the expected class size).

Yeah ill let you know when they reply. Its scary when you consider the caliber of applicants that got interviews. At this point im just happy I got the interview and ill be happy if I can get on the waitlist.
 
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