2009-2010 University of California - San Diego (UCSD) Application Thread

[woodwkr2]

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Has anyone seen (or can someone post) a copy of the 2010 Match list for UCSD?

Cheers!

 

[violincuty]

Oh and about the ISP, they let you decide when to complete it/how you want to complete it/what lab/area of study to go into, so the ball is literally in your court with that. Most people do it the summer after their first year when they're not studying for boards/starting rotations. Other people I know have done it their 4th year when they know what specialty they want to go in. You'll learn more about it, and if you still have questions, ask your interviewers, dean kelly, or all the other deans.

Here's a site for more info about it: http://meded.ucsd.edu/ugme/isp_handbook/

Thanks again for the help! I had a phenomenal interview experience at UCSD!!! I am amazed at how honest/open they are about their program and their admissions process. It'll be really hard to choose between UCSD and Hopkins if it comes to that...I am kind of secretly hoping the choice is made for me 😉

I must say, though, that the student culture at UCSD was wonderful. I went to a St. Patty's Day party while I was there and I got to see the students interact informally. It was definitely a "work hard, play hard mentality", which is awesome. They were all so diverse with many interests outside of school. Also, the student run clinic was AMAZING!!! I haven't seen a clinic like that at any school I have been to. I spent 3 hours there on the night before my interview. I guess I have been fortunate to have such inspiring interview experiences...I can't say I really had a bad one on this trail.

I also changed my application to include PRIME-Heq (which anyone can do, btw, they don't decide on this until the end of April). I had no idea that you can do the MPH at any institution across the country- talk about interdisciplinary/inter-institutional collaboration!! I definitely felt that UCSD offers a unique program, and I am glad I took the time to interview there. I guess I'll find out my fate in 2 weeks!

 

[ballin]

Hey guys,
I was just placed in the acceptable pool. My interview was on March 4th. I thought I had 2 really solid interviews. Gluck to everyone else interviewing still.

 

[ballinchic21]

Thanks again for the help! I had a phenomenal interview experience at UCSD!!! I am amazed at how honest/open they are about their program and their admissions process. It'll be really hard to choose between UCSD and Hopkins if it comes to that...I am kind of secretly hoping the choice is made for me 😉

I must say, though, that the student culture at UCSD was wonderful. I went to a St. Patty's Day party while I was there and I got to see the students interact informally. It was definitely a "work hard, play hard mentality", which is awesome. They were all so diverse with many interests outside of school. Also, the student run clinic was AMAZING!!! I haven't seen a clinic like that at any school I have been to. I spent 3 hours there on the night before my interview. I guess I have been fortunate to have such inspiring interview experiences...I can't say I really had a bad one on this trail.

I also changed my application to include PRIME-Heq (which anyone can do, btw, they don't decide on this until the end of April). I had no idea that you can do the MPH at any institution across the country- talk about interdisciplinary/inter-institutional collaboration!! I definitely felt that UCSD offers a unique program, and I am glad I took the time to interview there. I guess I'll find out my fate in 2 weeks!

awesome! glad to hear your interview went well! I totally agree, the clinic tour is amazing and the level of student involvement totally impressed me. hope all goes well and congrats on your application cycle!

 

[vballninnie]

Hey guys,
I was just placed in the acceptable pool. My interview was on March 4th. I thought I had 2 really solid interviews. Gluck to everyone else interviewing still.

+1

I called Brian this morning and received the same news. I also asked him if the admissions committee will make cuts to the acceptable pool and said they will start making cuts mid April.

 

[qwerty12]

So if we didnt get a phone call yesterday at 4pm we are automatically in the acceptable pool?

 

[violincuty]

So if we didnt get a phone call yesterday at 4pm we are automatically in the acceptable pool?

I would call Brian and ask...during my interview day, he freely shared his contact info and seemed eager to speak to students who felt that they were in the dark about the admissions process at UCSD. I found them to be amazingly supportive!! I think it's silly to make assumptions when they are so receptive to calls/emails.

Best of luck!!

Also...to those of you on the waitlist...I was excited to see that most of the people I met while I was there got in off the waitlist (not just one or two...nearly a dozen students or more!) Evidently their list does see a lot of movement, so keep the hope alive!!! 🙂

 

[mysteryrunner]

So if we didnt get a phone call yesterday at 4pm we are automatically in the acceptable pool?

sorry this reply is so late. This is not necessarily true. I called Brian today, and he told me that my file was not reviewed at the last meeting. ahh...have to wait until next Monday for a decision....more waiting!

 

[MCsoundt]

when was the last day for interviews?

 

[oze]

when was the last day for interviews?

more like when is the last day - I interview next week.

 

[315486]

April 15th is the last day for interviews.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

This is what I was told about the acceptable pool.

There are roughly 400 people on the list, and sometime in April the Dean will send an email asking all people on the list if they are still interested.

Typically 100 or so say they are not interested.

From the remaining 300, 40-60 people are given an acceptance between May-August.

There is nothing you can do to improve your file, "updates will not be looked at, but we wont throw them away" is what I was told because, "we expect the people we interview to continue doing the things they do that made them such good applicants."

Goodluck to you all, UCSD is my #1 and I'm really really really holding out for it.

Does this mean updates or letters of interest are just not taken into consideration at all?

+1

I called Brian this morning and received the same news. I also asked him if the admissions committee will make cuts to the acceptable pool and said they will start making cuts mid April.

Do cuts refer to people withdrawing or them actually rejecting some of them?

 

[shuythuyshuy]

When I talked to brian, he told me that the letters will not be forwarded to the admissions committee and thus will not be taken into consideration. you can still send it and they will add it to your file, but it will not be sent to the committee when they re-review your file.

Looking at last year's thread, they will actually reject/remove people from the list and its not from people withdrawing.

 

[MCsoundt]

April 15th is the last day for interviews.

So I guess they won't be pulling from the waitlist until then?

 

[FluffyRabbit]

When I talked to brian, he told me that the letters will not be forwarded to the admissions committee and thus will not be taken into consideration. you can still send it and they will add it to your file, but it will not be sent to the committee when they re-review your file.

Looking at last year's thread, they will actually reject/remove people from the list and its not from people withdrawing.

Do you know roughly what proportion this is?

 

[shuythuyshuy]

Do you know roughly what proportion this is?

Last year someone posted that 100 people got rejection letters from the acceptable pool during April

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Last year someone posted that 100 people got rejection letters from the acceptable pool during April

Thanks!

On a slightly unrelated note, I do remember UCSD was switching to P/F, but does anyone know if they plan to keep internal rankings?

 

[lord_jeebus]

Thanks!

On a slightly unrelated note, I do remember UCSD was switching to P/F, but does anyone know if they plan to keep internal rankings?

UCSD has never had internal rankings, but like every other medical school in the country it does use a "magic adjective" in the MSPE that conveys your rough standing in the class (eg. "outstanding" = top 15%, "excellent" = next 15%, etc. I'm making up those percentages because I don't remember the real ones).

 

[FluffyRabbit]

UCSD has never had internal rankings, but like every other medical school in the country it does use a "magic adjective" in the MSPE that conveys your rough standing in the class (eg. "outstanding" = top 15%, "excellent" = next 15%, etc. I'm making up those percentages because I don't remember the real ones).

Ah... is this only based on clinical grades, or are scores from preclinical recorded and counted in this as well?

 

[lord_jeebus]

Ah... is this only based on clinical grades, or are scores from preclinical recorded and counted in this as well?

I think it's based mostly on clinical grades. I only got H's in 2 preclinical courses and still got an "excellent," so they can't weight the M1/M2 too heavily.

The way they explained it to us, they look at all your grades and evaluations (ie. this is the process of compiling the MSPE) and make a gestalt evaluation of which category (outstanding, excellent, very good, etc.) you fall into. There's no strict quota for how many get which adjective, nor any sort of calculation.

 

[FutureScaresMe]

So, decisions on Tuesday, ya? Who will be the impatient ones that will call Brian in the morning? I think I just might...

 

[mysteryrunner]

So, decisions on Tuesday, ya? Who will be the impatient ones that will call Brian in the morning? I think I just might...

definitely calling...was supposed to hear back about 2 weeks ago, so hopefully the extra wait is worth it...good luck!

 

[violincuty]

So, decisions on Tuesday, ya? Who will be the impatient ones that will call Brian in the morning? I think I just might...

Me!! I called Friday, and he said I am definitely being discussed. He said that he would have a decision for me after 9am. I am SO excited to hear!!! Good luck all

 

[yasminc]

Me!! I called Friday, and he said I am definitely being discussed. He said that he would have a decision for me after 9am. I am SO excited to hear!!! Good luck all

good luck! 🙂

 

[goldenbear09]

Me!! I called Friday, and he said I am definitely being discussed. He said that he would have a decision for me after 9am. I am SO excited to hear!!! Good luck all

anyone have the number to call to find out if we are being discussed today?

 

[violincuty]

good luck! 🙂

Thanks!! Are you going to UCSD for sure? Any idea when the revisit is? I fell in love with the school on interview- I am really hoping for good news!!! 😀

anyone have the number to call to find out if we are being discussed today?

I PMed it to you...I am not sure if you can call today, though, because the meeting is today. I guess it's worth a try! He told our group to call on the Friday before. Hope it works out

 

[yasminc]

yep, i am definitely going!! the revisit weekend is april 24-25. sadly, i can't go, but i've heard it's a lot of fun! i hope you hear good news and that we can be classmates next year 🙂 fingers crossed for you!

 

[violincuty]

yep, i am definitely going!! the revisit weekend is april 24-25. sadly, i can't go, but i've heard it's a lot of fun! i hope you hear good news and that we can be classmates next year 🙂 fingers crossed for you!

Awww, you're so sweet! Thanks! It sucks that you can't make it to second look. If I go, I will tell you what you missed. I blocked off that time on my calendar just in case.

I am hoping too I loved the student-run clinic and the overall student culture when I was there- it seemed like a fun/happy place. The students were serious about their work, but they also had balanced lifestyles, which made me happy. I have been dying to join a scuba-diving club and/or a sailing club in my limited spare time, so I hope that works out 🙂 Any idea which housing option you are going to choose? I was trying to figure out how long the waiting list is for a Coast apartment. I couldn't believe how cheap it is!! How are you going about finding a roommate?

Ahh, I am so excited!!! We'll see what happens tomorrow. I have many positive vibes!!

 

[yasminc]

Awww, you're so sweet! Thanks! It sucks that you can't make it to second look. If I go, I will tell you what you missed. I blocked off that time on my calendar just in case.

I am hoping too I loved the student-run clinic and the overall student culture when I was there- it seemed like a fun/happy place. The students were serious about their work, but they also had balanced lifestyles, which made me happy. I have been dying to join a scuba-diving club and/or a sailing club in my limited spare time, so I hope that works out 🙂 Any idea which housing option you are going to choose? I was trying to figure out how long the waiting list is for a Coast apartment. I couldn't believe how cheap it is!! How are you going about finding a roommate?

Ahh, I am so excited!!! We'll see what happens tomorrow. I have many positive vibes!!

thanks for the offer to tell me what goes on at second look 🙂 i haven't figured the housing stuff out yet at all!! i actually called housing to ask some questions last week, and they told me that the wait list for coast is 2-3 years!! so...i actually need to adjust my housing application, haha. the lady also told me that we may not find out where we get assigned until a couple of weeks before our move-in date...which was really confusing to me, and i was wondering if maybe i was misinformed, or that i misinterpreted? i started asking around about housing options outside of graduate housing, but i probably should call back and get things completely cleared up. sorry if that wasn't helpful at all, haha!!

 

[chickensandwich]

does anyone know around what time acceptable pool emails come? morning, afternoon? or does it vary greatly?

thanks 🙂

 

[Esq2MD]

does anyone know around what time acceptable pool emails come? morning, afternoon? or does it vary greatly?

thanks 🙂

Sadly, I do know. At least for my group, the email came at about 10 am Tuesday.

 

[violincuty]

does anyone know around what time acceptable pool emails come? morning, afternoon? or does it vary greatly?

thanks 🙂

Brian told our group between 10-11am PST on Tues (tomorrow), which is evidently congruent with Esq2MD's experience as well. I can't wait to wake up and call Brian to ask what the verdict is (he said to call after 9am)...you can do that too if you don't want to wait all day for a phone call/email. PM me if you need his number 🙂

Hope that helps! Good luck!!!!

 

[chickensandwich]

thank you both for the info! now we wait! to us all 🙂

 

[violincuty]

thank you both for the info! now we wait! to us all 🙂

Eh, if I wait any longer, I might explode!!! I am going to call in a few minutes. He didn't actually say to call after 9- he said call any time but he might not have the answer at 8. I am going to take a shower and then call 🙂

Let me know what happens!!

So....I just called. Brian said that there are some formalities that they have to go through before they have the decision. He told me to call back at 10am. Geez, I know I sound impatient, but I just don't know what to do with myself any more!! I spent 4 hours cooking last night to try to get my mind off of it, and I couldn't sleep to save my life. Only 1.5 hours left I guess. I am so excited! 🙂

 

[violincuty]

I GOT IN!!!! 😍
(Of course, they might rescind my offer after screaming into the phone like a crazy person 😉 )


I am sooooo excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! 🙂 Good news for anyone else???

 

[yasminc]

I GOT IN!!!! 😍
(Of course, they might rescind my offer after screaming into the phone like a crazy person 😉 )


I am sooooo excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! 🙂 Good news for anyone else???

congrats!!!! so are you for sure coming?!

 

[yasminc]

I GOT IN!!!! 😍
(Of course, they might rescind my offer after screaming into the phone like a crazy person 😉 )


I am sooooo excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! 🙂 Good news for anyone else???

also, here's the facebook group!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?i...aa61088316b6140b#!/group.php?gid=451590140626

 

[violincuty]

congrats!!!! so are you for sure coming?!

also, here's the facebook group!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=3407694&aid=2470254&s=80&hash=6c95b24958c12a02aa61088316b6140b#!/group.php?gid=451590140626

I am 99% sure I am going!!! I am definitely going to second look, and I am going to try to make an educated decision once I calm down. I can't imagine not taking the offer, though!!! 😍

I joined the group, thanks! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FutureScaresMe]

I am 99% sure I am going!!! I am definitely going to second look, and I am going to try to make an educated decision once I calm down. I can't imagine not taking the offer, though!!! 😍

I joined the group, thanks! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats violincuty! MSTP? Wish I heard back today too. Sigh, two more weeks.

 

[violincuty]

Congrats violincuty! MSTP? Wish I heard back today too. Sigh, two more weeks.

Oh no! The waiting is the hardest part 🙄 I hope you get in!! I read a few posts back and saw when you got the invite. I am excited for you!! Things sure happen when you least expect it.

This offer was not MD-PhD, but I am okay with that. It is kind of surreal to have an offer to both programs (MD-PhD at Dartmouth and MD at UCSD) and the ability to make the decision between the two. I am waiting to see what happens with PRIME at UCSD still because I have an interest in third-world infectious disease. However, this interview trail has helped me discover my passion for clinical work; thus the MD makes the most sense for me. It's not about money for me....it's about finding the best fit- a career and location that I will be happiest in. I am going to go to both revisits with an open mind and consider both options thoroughly before making a final decision, though. I feel sooooo fortunate to be here!!! WOW! I hope to see you at revisit in a few weeks 🙂

 

[missmuffin]

I was wondering.. can somebody give me Brian's (director of admissions) email address? thanks.

 

[AspiringPsychDC]

Anyone get a merit scholarship from the school yet (the 5k / 10k ones)? Or any type of scholarship for that matter?

Anyone from last year have info about when they were awarded / roughly how many scholarships are distributed overall?

Thanks!

 

[violincuty]

For all of those considering UCSD for med school- did you see the new medical center that they just got funding for on April 1? It's gorgeous!!! I am so excited!

http://www.ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/04-01hospital.asp

 

[Esq2MD]

I cannot seem to locate any information on next year's expected tuition, either for UCSD or the other UCs. Anyone have any links or info? Thanks.

 

[oze]

For all of those considering UCSD for med school- did you see the new medical center that they just got funding for on April 1? It's gorgeous!!! I am so excited!

http://www.ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/04-01hospital.asp

Read the Union Trib's article about this (signonsandiego.com). The main critique of the new med center is that it might shifts beds away from Hillcrest (remember, used to be old county hospital for the uninsured before UCSD bought it out in the 80s) toward La Jolla (rich, white, insurance carrying cancer and cardiac patients). So that would represent a shift in the mission of UCSD. But I poked around for opinions on this during my interview, and it seems that they are only expanding, and leaving Hillcrest alone for the time being, which made me happy.

 

[violincuty]

Read the Union Trib's article about this (signonsandiego.com). The main critique of the new med center is that it might shifts beds away from Hillcrest (remember, used to be old county hospital for the uninsured before UCSD bought it out in the 80s) toward La Jolla (rich, white, insurance carrying cancer and cardiac patients). So that would represent a shift in the mission of UCSD. But I poked around for opinions on this during my interview, and it seems that they are only expanding, and leaving Hillcrest alone for the time being, which made me happy.

Glad to hear they are leaving Hillcrest alone...I have to admit that I did not even think about the shift in patient populations with the new med center. Thanks for sharing!

 

[violincuty]

A current first year sent me this email this morning. I assume it went to all newly admitted students. (I posted it exactly as it was sent to me, but I did take out student's names/email addresses to respect their privacy.) Wow, I am so excited to be going here!! 😍


Congratulations on your acceptance to the UCSD School of Medicine! My name is _____, and I am the Incoming Student Representative for the first year class. I know you've worked extremely hard to be where you are now. This marks the beginning of a very exciting year!

Now that you have been accepted, choosing a medical school can a daunting task. I truly love it here at UCSD for many, many reasons, and I could not be happier with my decision to come here. My job is to answer any questions about UCSD, living in La Jolla, adjusting to medical school etc, so that you can make the decision that's best for you.

Please feel free to ask me about anything you would like. If I do not know the answer to your question, I will pass it on to someone who can better answer it. I want to make sure you're aware of all the pros (of which there are many) and cons (of which there are few) of UCSD so that you can find that perfect fit.

Here's a table of contents of what's in this letter. There will be a lot of content (there's a whole lot to say!), but I hope this will be a good reference for you as you make your decision.

1. The curriculum
2. Incredible academic support!
3. Electives, extracurriculars, and research
4. The indescribable awesomeness of our classmates
5. The super supportive administration
6. Life in gorgeous, interesting San Diego
7. Housing

Okay, here goes!

----- 1. The curriculum -----
a. LECTURE: As you've heard, your curriculum will NOT be lecture-based as ours was. It's understandable that you may be apprehensive about the new curriculum, but remember that medical schools have to teach the same information no matter what – what we're doing is more of a reorganization. You'll likely have many of the same lecturers that we did, and they will provide lecture slides or even a written "syllabus", which is like a mini-textbook on their topic. And hey – you don't even have to go because 1) all slides are posted online, 2) most lectures are podcasted, and, best of all, 3) a classmate is assigned (and paid!) to take notes in each lecture, so you won't miss the tasty tidbits that the prof says. People actually submit their notes after the first day of the class' lecture and the best one is chosen, so you know you're getting high quality study materials. Some people go to all lectures, some people go to none, and most people are somewhere in between. We love this because you can balance your schedule the way that makes you happiest and healthiest. You can skip lecture to sleep in, study for something else, or to go surfing! Without this flexibility and academic support, the student body wouldn't be as happy and balanced as we are.

b. SMALL GROUPS: The new curriculum will be amplifying a portion of the old curriculum by increasing small-group time. Problem-based learning (PBL) has always been a part of our curriculum. Currently, nearly every class has some small-group component. We've had small group sessions discussing respiratory function of patients at high altitude for Organ Physiology, calculating proper drug doses for Pharmacology, and patient interviewing for our doctoring class, just to name a few. For me, small groups have been SUPER helpful to reinforce the information we get in lecture. As physicians, we will always be working in "small groups", teaching our colleagues and learning from one another. The new curriculum will be a great way to foster this type of environment.

c. GRADING: Starting next year, your class will be completely pass/fail for the first two years, and there are honors possible during your clinical rotations. As far as I know, ever school has honors during the clinical rotations, as these are important for distinguishing candidates in the residency application process. And don't worry about demonstrating your excellence to residency directors in the absence of preclinical honors; according to our professors, residents, and the AAMC, clinical honors (NOT preclinical honors) are very important for residency placement.


----- 2. Incredible academic support! -----
The academic support at UCSD is incredible! UCSD is the only med school in the country with a dedicated professional tutorial office called OESS (Office for Educational Support and Services). There are several tutors with advanced science degrees whose job it is to know our lecture material, hold office hours and review sessions, and provide study materials. They are truly an amazing resource! The nice thing about medical school at UCSD is that unlike your undergraduate experience, you are no longer proving yourself here. We already know you are smart! Those that go to the OESS are not thought of as any less bright than those that don't go. On the contrary, those that go to OESS are the students who end up rocking the test!
Additionally, professors and fellow classmates are great resources. When I came to UCSD, I was truly amazing by how collaborative the students are. The mentality is that we want to succeed as a class. Because of the way our grading system is set up, no one has to fail. If the whole class scores above a 70%, then we all passed! I spend very little time studying by myself, and am often in the library's group study rooms going over lectures or doing practice problems with classmates. We also have a forum where students post questions on lecture material, and other students, professors or OESS respond. It is an amazing resource! One of my classmates wrote over one hundred practice problems for a recent test, and posted it online for others to use. People also post charts, mnemonics, outside resources, etc. The tutorial office, in addition to the podcasting and note taking services, shows us that the school truly wants us to succeed.

There is a myth that circulated during MY application cycle that UCSD is full of competitive, unhappy gunners. This is absolutely untrue, for the reasons I have described above. I WILL say that this sentiment used to be true; however, our new administration (Dean Kelly et. al.) has done a spectacular job of choosing great students and creating specific programs and a general atmosphere that is very warm and welcoming. We work together to understand the challenging material. The collaborative environment is one of the things I love most about UCSD SOM.



----- 3. Electives, extracurriculars, and research -----
a. ELECTIVES: UCSD offers a broad range of interesting electives every quarter. I am currently taking Medical Spanish, and learning how to teach a diabetic patient to how to measure blood sugar completely in Spanish. I am also taking the free clinic class. This brings me to another amazing thing about UCSD, the Student Run Free Clinics! There are three clinic sites, Pacific Beach, Downtown, and Baker. Each clinic serves a unique patient population with particular challenges. In addition to providing primary care, there are also specialty clinics for Cardiology, Neurology, Dermatology, Orthopedics, Women's Health and many more! In addition, we also offer acupuncture and dental care. These clinics are a great way to practice the skills of interviewing and physical examination that you learn in class. For me, it has been a great way to remind myself each week of why I am in medical school! Other electives include preceptorships in various specialties, International Health, Politics of Medicine, Nutrition, and more… There's another neat one in which you get assigned to a pregnant woman, go to all her appointments, and get to see the birth. This is an awesome way to tailor your curriculum to YOU!

b. EXTRACURRICULARS: The medical students are active in extracurricular activities on and off campus! There are many student interest groups that you can be can interact with formally or informally. For example, the various interest groups invite physicians in the field to speak about their experiences, usually during our lunch breaks (lunch provided!). Many students are involved in sports activities. For example, a group of students meets every Friday to play pick-up soccer. Many students also play Intramural sports such as basketball. There are also awesome classes offered through the UCSD Recreation Department. I have always wanted to learn to surf, so this fall I posted on our student forum about taking a surf class. A bunch of my class mates signed up as well, so all of Fall quarter I learned to surf with 12 of my classmates (that's 10% of the class!!) Some of my classmates have taken dance classes, tennis classes etc. Pretty much if there is something you want to be involved in, you will find it here at UCSD. And if not, you can start your own club or interest group! It is important to

c. RESEARCH: Research at UCSD is amazingly easy to get involved in, and extremely well-supported. So many grants are available from the NIH that most people able to get one. When (x student), the second year Incoming Student Representative was searching for a lab last year, the first doctor she emailed replied eagerly, offered her a first-authorship, and told her not to worry about funding! You should feel free to email her to find out more about her research experience (email address was inserted here). Now, you don't have to do research by any means – you may have heard about our required Independent Study Project (to be completed by graduation), but this doesn't have to be basic science research. It could be creating a healthy eating curriculum for local kids, writing poetry about medicine, or doing a clinical study on diabetic patients. It's whatever you make it out to be, and it can be a great asset for residency applications. We even get time off in fourth year to finish the project.

----- 4. The indescribable awesomeness of my classmates -----
In my opinion, this is the MOST important reason to choose to come to UCSD. My classmates (yes, both the first and second years) are so friendly, supportive, interesting, inclusive, and intelligent. They are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Although I am not friends with every single person in the class, I can honestly say that I can pick out something awesome about every single one of my peers. The vast majority of social activities are open to everyone: happy hour, birthday parties, camping trips etc. Just this past weekend, people posted on the forum about going to restaurant week (great time to try new restaurants!), beach camping, IM basketball, and a movie night. When I came to interview at UCSD, I realized that I really liked the people that I had the chance to interact with. I encourage you to take this into consideration when choosing a medical school. You will be spending an extraordinary amount of time with your classmates, and hopefully they are people who you not only get along with, but can learn from and enjoy spending time with.

----- 5. The super supportive administration -----
The administration truly listens to what we want and does what it can to take action. They've worked to accommodate our requests and concerns regarding testing dates and lecture organization. They also emphasize that their doors are open to all of us, and I would honestly feel comfortable going to any of them if I had a major problem. By the way, they actually know your name! I was amazed at the beginning of the year when Dean Kelly or Ramon Aldecoa, the Director of Student Life, said hello to me by name and struck up a conversation. We can't express how wonderful it is to be in such a supportive environment!


----- 6. Life in gorgeous, interesting San Diego -----
There are so many things to do, regardless of what you like. Location is SO important during medical school because it's stressful and you NEED to have a way to escape and relax. San Diego is perfect for me –it might not be perfect for you, so I hope to give you a picture of what life is like here so that you can decide if it's right for you too.

I love that there are a variety of districts with different places to explore. You can find everything from great comedy clubs to fun bars to fancy restaurants to the zoo to public parks to beaches (GORGEOUS!!!) to cheap Mexican food. It's great that San Diego has downtown areas but still maintains a relaxed, suburban feel –it's not as crazy and fast-paced as New York. In fact, a nationwide survey recently came out that ranked San Diego as the #2 most desirable place to live in the United States! (Apparently, Denver is marginally cooler&#8230😉

And finally – don't underestimate the importance of weather! Medical school is hard enough, and anything you can do to make it easier (such as not having to shovel snow or take the Metro to school) will definitely help you out in the long run! It makes a big difference when we get stressed or tired. Whether or not this beautiful climate is right for you, I do think you should consider all these location-related factors when you choose your medical school.

----- 7. Housing -----
On-campus housing is one option – apartments are decent (but dormish in appearance, not so stylish) and pretty cheap, maybe $400-700/month. There's a new housing complex being built (you might have seen the construction during your visit) that'll provide more options for health sciences students as well. I currently live in One Miramar, which is one of the newest grad student housing complexes. I love it because I can walk to campus (about a 15 minute walk), or I can take the FREE UCSD shuttle if it is late or raining. Additionally, there are many off-campus housing options to choose from! There is a huge area of apartments that house undergrad and grad students within a couple miles of campus, and you can expect to pay $700-800/month for these nicer places. Some students, particularly in 3rd and 4th year, choose to move closer to the downtown hospitals; the Hillcrest area is a little cheaper and more "hip" (lots of cool restaurants and all that good stuff).


You have made it to the end of what has been a very long novel about why UCSD is awesome… I commend you. There are a lot of wonderful things to discover, and I hope I've shown you a good taste of that.

I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your interviews. Please let me know if you have any other questions about UCSD! I am looking forward to an awesome incoming class!

 

[violincuty]

I cannot seem to locate any information on next year's expected tuition, either for UCSD or the other UCs. Anyone have any links or info? Thanks.

I had trouble with this as well and I do not have any links for you unfortunately. However, I received my financial aid package and they projected the total 1st year budget for me, an OOS applicant, at ~51k. I am not sure how much is tuition and how much is for living expenses, though. I hope that helps at least a little bit! I will let you know when I receive a breakdown.

 

[RunningDiva]

I had trouble with this as well and I do not have any links for you unfortunately. However, I received my financial aid package and they projected the total 1st year budget for me, an OOS applicant, at ~51k. I am not sure how much is tuition and how much is for living expenses, though. I hope that helps at least a little bit! I will let you know when I receive a breakdown.

I'm not sure why the secrecy w/ the tuition. That being said, 51k for OOS is ah-mazing. The IS budget at UC Davis, for example, is 53k. UCSD does a great job of giving aid and has, if I am not mistaken, the second lowest indebtness average (according to 2010 MSAR) of all UCs. Only UCSF does better, I think.

Oh UCSD, May 15th is so far away... **whispers w/ hand motions: Dean Kelly, call me**

EDIT: thnx for the email violincuty!!

 

[RedPeony]

Hi guys!! I am very interested in UCSD right now, just trying to make my decision before May 15th. Do you happen to know at all what the projected tuition for next year will be? I called and no one seems to know! Is there a possibility that it will go WAY up, like 10K or more b/c of the budget crisis? That is the main thing driving my decision now, as I'm deciding between UCSD and private schools. Thanks *so* much!!