2010-2011 University of California - Los Angeles Application Thread

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how do you guys know that they only accept or waitlist post-interview? from previous years threads?

anyone interviewing 2/2?
 
jyoudan said:
how do you guys know that they only accept or waitlist post-interview? from previous years threads?

anyone interviewing 2/2?
Click to expand...

i interviewed last week and they told us at the interview that they don't reject post-interview. if you're not accepted, you're automatically put on a wait-list and it's possible to get off the wait-list up until a couple days before classes start, but they never send out rejections. good luck at the interview! =)
 
dancerdoc115 said:
i interviewed last week and they told us at the interview that they don't reject post-interview. if you're not accepted, you're automatically put on a wait-list and it's possible to get off the wait-list up until a couple days before classes start, but they never send out rejections. good luck at the interview! =)
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ah ok thanks! what did you think of the interview? ive done an mmi before, but people say the ucla one is formatted differently?

and do you know what time you finished around?
 
rejection letter via snail mail today:/ (letter was dated 1.5.11)
 
Did anyone else just receive a secondary invite? My AMCAS was confirmed back in August, and I had given up hope for this school, but I got the secondary just now, and I have no idea what to think.

Considering it's super late to be doing secondaries, will I even realistically have a chance to be accepted? I'm not sure if it's worthwhile considering I already have an acceptance to a school I'm happy with. On the other hand, UCLA is a great school and LA is my home, so it seems wrong to not take advantage of this opportunity. Why are you toying with me Geffen??
 
tohsimas135 said:
Did anyone else just receive a secondary invite? My AMCAS was confirmed back in August, and I had given up hope for this school, but I got the secondary just now, and I have no idea what to think.

Considering it's super late to be doing secondaries, will I even realistically have a chance to be accepted? I'm not sure if it's worthwhile considering I already have an acceptance to a school I'm happy with. On the other hand, UCLA is a great school and LA is my home, so it seems wrong to not take advantage of this opportunity. Why are you toying with me Geffen??
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I am RIGHT THERE with you actually! AMCAS also verified in August, also figured I would never hear anything from UCLA. I am from Southern CA originally...just got a secondary invite today but was already accepted to a school I love as well! I am also wondering if I should fill it out...
 
Interview invite today. Technically IS (I've lived in CA for the past year-ish) but put OOS on my AMCAS.
 
Fill it out! Nothing to lose. I was rejected yesterday pre-interview.

tohsimas135 said:
Did anyone else just receive a secondary invite? My AMCAS was confirmed back in August, and I had given up hope for this school, but I got the secondary just now, and I have no idea what to think.

Considering it's super late to be doing secondaries, will I even realistically have a chance to be accepted? I'm not sure if it's worthwhile considering I already have an acceptance to a school I'm happy with. On the other hand, UCLA is a great school and LA is my home, so it seems wrong to not take advantage of this opportunity. Why are you toying with me Geffen??
Click to expand...
 
I think this may have been answered already, but does UCLA accept pre interview update letters? If they do, should I send it via snailmail to the admissions office? Thanks guys!
 
Hey guys,

I just recently got an interview, but the interview letter says nothing about the schedule for the day. I know it starts 7:45 am, but does anyone know when it ends? I need to book tickets and would like to fly out the same day.


Thanks
 
AppleandGrape said:
Hey guys,

I just recently got an interview, but the interview letter says nothing about the schedule for the day. I know it starts 7:45 am, but does anyone know when it ends? I need to book tickets and would like to fly out the same day.


Thanks
Click to expand...

If yours starts at 7:45am (there are I think three different groups), you should be done by 1 or 1:30. You should call the office and ask.
 
lemonice said:
I think this may have been answered already, but does UCLA accept pre interview update letters? If they do, should I send it via snailmail to the admissions office? Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

They accepted mine. I emailed it as a pdf attachment and they sent me an acknowledgment a few days later. I don't know if it me did any good yet, but I think it's worth a shot 🙂
 
Wow it's encouraging that some ppl are still getting secondary invites. I'm waiting for an answer still after being verified 8/16. I called them and they said my primary app is still under review.

I'm crossing my fingers now! Please, med school God, if you exist, give me a SIGN!

I only have 1 interview at a school I'm not sure I'm very interested in 🙁

Still waiting on a reply to my primary from UCI too! eeekk
 
DaisyBuchanan said:
They accepted mine. I emailed it as a pdf attachment and they sent me an acknowledgment a few days later. I don't know if it me did any good yet, but I think it's worth a shot 🙂
Click to expand...

I sent an update as a PDF and didn't get an acknowledgement.... What do you think, send it again?
 
dansut324 said:
If yours starts at 7:45am (there are I think three different groups), you should be done by 1 or 1:30. You should call the office and ask.
Click to expand...

Not to ask the specifics for mmi, just a general question: does mmi imply closed file interviews, since it will be too much trouble for an interviewer to read 30 students' application.
 
PartyHouse001 said:
Not to ask the specifics for mmi, just a general question: does mmi imply closed file interviews, since it will be too much trouble for an interviewer to read 30 students' application.
Click to expand...

yup the interviewers don't know you at all.
 
Speaking of interviewers not knowing you at all...

Who are the interviewers? (Am I allowed to ask that?). Mostly MDs? PhDs? Students? All three? I work in the same building as the medical school, so I'm slightly worried about getting someone I know as an interviwer.
 
Bigmack1313 said:
I just got the secondary prompts, same as last year i like 800 characters for each.


Describe involvement in the ONE most important non-academic activity that has been important in your life?

What has been the ONE most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity in which you participated?

What has been the ONE most important volunteer work you have done and why was it meaninful?

What is the ONE most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important?

What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor.

Describe a problem in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth.

List major paid work experience during (or since) college. Give dates, description, approximate hours worked (list the most recent first).

If there is any hardship to which you would like the committee to give special attention in evaluating your application, then check the box labeled 'Hardship' and briefly explain why you are indicating a hardship. Include any geographic, language, economic, academic, physical, or mental factors.


Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What experiences have led you to this goal?


For what its worth, I'm applying for the MSTP

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


You have to answer all these questions for the supplement for UCLA?

Pardon my ignorance. I'm only a high school junior.
 
tr0gd0r said:
Speaking of interviewers not knowing you at all...

Who are the interviewers? (Am I allowed to ask that?). Mostly MDs? PhDs? Students? All three? I work in the same building as the medical school, so I'm slightly worried about getting someone I know as an interviwer.
Click to expand...

Why r u worried? That could be a good thing
 
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Oh, gotcha.

Can someone elaborate on research experience one must do for med schools? The top ones specifically.

I'm not that interested in M.D./Ph.D programs. If anything, plain M.D. or M.D./M.P.H. is all right for me.

I will most likely enroll at Stony Brook University, which is a good state uni for the sciences. I sort of messed up in high school but I really want to make a comeback in college.

For h.s. students doing research:

If someone works on one project with one mentor for 3 years - that obviously looks really impressive.

If one starts summer after soph year or beginning of junior - that also looks good.

Some people don't start till summer before senior year and somehow still manage to get into elite schools.

People who did intense and really good research had several publications and would win awards like Intel, Siemens, etc.

What is the equivalent for a premed?

I really, really want to maintain a 3.9 or 4.0 throughout my years at Stony.

Would I be okay doing research just during summers? Or would I need to do something all 3 years? How can I be certain that I'll get several publications out of the research I do?

I'll also be having a job and will be interested in service trips (those occur mainly during spring break or like 1-2 weeks during summers right), volunteering at hospital/nursing home, and working as an EMT and First Aid Instructor for American Red Cross. Is that enough or too much?


Yes, I'm aiming for Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, Duke, Emory, Cornell, UChic, Northwestern and schools of the like for med school.
 
dancingwater said:
Oh, gotcha.

Can someone elaborate on research experience one must do for med schools? The top ones specifically.

I'm not that interested in M.D./Ph.D programs. If anything, plain M.D. or M.D./M.P.H. is all right for me.

I will most likely enroll at Stony Brook University, which is a good state uni for the sciences. I sort of messed up in high school but I really want to make a comeback in college.

For h.s. students doing research:

If someone works on one project with one mentor for 3 years - that obviously looks really impressive.

If one starts summer after soph year or beginning of junior - that also looks good.

Some people don't start till summer before senior year and somehow still manage to get into elite schools.

People who did intense and really good research had several publications and would win awards like Intel, Siemens, etc.

What is the equivalent for a premed?

I really, really want to maintain a 3.9 or 4.0 throughout my years at Stony.

Would I be okay doing research just during summers? Or would I need to do something all 3 years? How can I be certain that I'll get several publications out of the research I do?

I'll also be having a job and will be interested in service trips (those occur mainly during spring break or like 1-2 weeks during summers right), volunteering at hospital/nursing home, and working as an EMT and First Aid Instructor for American Red Cross. Is that enough or too much?


Yes, I'm aiming for Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, Duke, Emory, Cornell, UChic, Northwestern and schools of the like for med school.
Click to expand...

- Some people start research late in high school and still get into elite colleges because research isn't really what elite colleges want in their applicants. I go to a top-3 college and fewer than 10% of the students have done research in high school. There are other things on your applications that are much much much more important.

- As for medical schools, research is important, especially for the top research medical schools. What is impressive is if you create your own project and give presentations/have publications. Being a lab rat working on someone else's project isn't really too impressive. You can work only in the summers, throughout the year, or not at all. It's your choice and it really depends on the rest of your application. Some people get in without any research because they have other amazing extracurriculars. Other people get in with 5 publications.

- While publications look impressive, you can't be certain whether you'll get publications...it's just the nature of research. Just because you want to find something new and interesting in nature doesn't mean it'll be found. And if you're seriously thinking about research, I advise you to rid yourself of the mindset that you're doing research purely for publications. You'll be miserable and chances are that you won't get any publications with that attitude.

- As for service trips, again...it's your choice. There's no such things as "too much" or "too little." If you want to do it and think you'll be happy, then go for it. If not, then do something else.

Follow your interests and stop trying to force out a good resume. The resume will come if you do what you're genuinely interested in, provided what you're interested in is medicine-related in the first place. And honestly, your grades/MCAT matter much much more.
 
Uh, this is a little overwhelming. First and foremost, and I am being completely serious, ENJOY COLLEGE.

You're in high school, your interests may change. Furthermore, if you enter college so focused on doing X, Y, and Z, you will miss out on a lot of the fun undergrad has to offer, not to mention others areas of study you may overlook.

Finally, do what interests you. Trust me, doing research for the sake of having it on your app is going to show. If you pursue things (research, volunteering, etc) that interest you, that shows when you talk about them.

There is no formula for getting into good med schools. Many applicants follow a 'plan' and never get admitted. Focus on getting good grades in the classes that are required and prep for a strong MCAT. Scores aside, make your time worthwhile. Again, do what interests you so you can look back at college fondly, remembering doing the things you wanted -- and not what you think will help you four or five years down the line.

How you spend your time and prepare for med school will come to you as you experience school and figure things out. Don't rob yourself of fun and exploration because you enter school so focused on a goal that is way off in the future.

That's my take, at least.

dancingwater said:
Oh, gotcha.

Can someone elaborate on research experience one must do for med schools? The top ones specifically.

I'm not that interested in M.D./Ph.D programs. If anything, plain M.D. or M.D./M.P.H. is all right for me.

I will most likely enroll at Stony Brook University, which is a good state uni for the sciences. I sort of messed up in high school but I really want to make a comeback in college.

For h.s. students doing research:

If someone works on one project with one mentor for 3 years - that obviously looks really impressive.

If one starts summer after soph year or beginning of junior - that also looks good.

Some people don't start till summer before senior year and somehow still manage to get into elite schools.

People who did intense and really good research had several publications and would win awards like Intel, Siemens, etc.

What is the equivalent for a premed?

I really, really want to maintain a 3.9 or 4.0 throughout my years at Stony.

Would I be okay doing research just during summers? Or would I need to do something all 3 years? How can I be certain that I'll get several publications out of the research I do?

I'll also be having a job and will be interested in service trips (those occur mainly during spring break or like 1-2 weeks during summers right), volunteering at hospital/nursing home, and working as an EMT and First Aid Instructor for American Red Cross. Is that enough or too much?


Yes, I'm aiming for Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, Duke, Emory, Cornell, UChic, Northwestern and schools of the like for med school.
Click to expand...
 
Also, why are you focusing on certain schools? Med school is MUCH more about personal fit than ranking. If you get into a Top 20 med school and do well (grades, boards, etc) you'll place into any residency you want.

I appreciate wanting to be prepared but your outlook is placing the cart before the proverbial horse.

dancingwater said:
Oh, gotcha.

Can someone elaborate on research experience one must do for med schools? The top ones specifically.

I'm not that interested in M.D./Ph.D programs. If anything, plain M.D. or M.D./M.P.H. is all right for me.

I will most likely enroll at Stony Brook University, which is a good state uni for the sciences. I sort of messed up in high school but I really want to make a comeback in college.

For h.s. students doing research:

If someone works on one project with one mentor for 3 years - that obviously looks really impressive.

If one starts summer after soph year or beginning of junior - that also looks good.

Some people don't start till summer before senior year and somehow still manage to get into elite schools.

People who did intense and really good research had several publications and would win awards like Intel, Siemens, etc.

What is the equivalent for a premed?

I really, really want to maintain a 3.9 or 4.0 throughout my years at Stony.

Would I be okay doing research just during summers? Or would I need to do something all 3 years? How can I be certain that I'll get several publications out of the research I do?

I'll also be having a job and will be interested in service trips (those occur mainly during spring break or like 1-2 weeks during summers right), volunteering at hospital/nursing home, and working as an EMT and First Aid Instructor for American Red Cross. Is that enough or too much?


Yes, I'm aiming for Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, Duke, Emory, Cornell, UChic, Northwestern and schools of the like for med school.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the help!

I am interested in research...specifically cancer research. Too long to explain why here.

Of course college is a time where I want to explore my interests and I know for sure I want to do med.

(I'm Indian..haha I'm sure you've all heard of the stereotype)

My grades/mcat are my main concern but I also want to do other things that will prepare me for becoming a doctor.

skyhype, how does one go about starting their own research project?

I'm really curious because I remember calling UCLA Med and asking them about research and asked if I worked at a Lab during the summers would "suffice" and she basically said "no, I don't think that will cut it." This was when I was interested in MD/PhD.

Also, what do you mean by amazing extracurriculars?
 
I messed up so bad in high school (family, boyfriend [stupid mistake], health, etc.)

I will probably get into Stony. I'm not a dumb kid. I have 2320 SAT and 750+ on my Bio/Chem SAT 2s. I will probably get 750+ on Physics as well. And by the time I graduate I'll probably have 5's on AP BIO/CHEM/PHYSICS (all 3)/Stats/Calc BC/English Lit and a 4 on USH (lol) but I dont think that matters.

I know I won't get into Stony Brook's Honors college. Does it really matter?

I was worried about the fact that going to a not-so-prestigious school will hurt/make it harder for me.

I don't know what to do with my life. I'm actually an idiot.
 
dancingwater said:
Thanks for the help!

I am interested in research...specifically cancer research. Too long to explain why here.

Of course college is a time where I want to explore my interests and I know for sure I want to do med.

(I'm Indian..haha I'm sure you've all heard of the stereotype)

My grades/mcat are my main concern but I also want to do other things that will prepare me for becoming a doctor.

skyhype, how does one go about starting their own research project?

I'm really curious because I remember calling UCLA Med and asking them about research and asked if I worked at a Lab during the summers would "suffice" and she basically said "no, I don't think that will cut it." This was when I was interested in MD/PhD.

Also, what do you mean by amazing extracurriculars?
Click to expand...

- Well, if you're applying MD/PhD, then labs during the summer won't cut it. MD/PhD suggests that you're going to pursue of life of research so it probably makes sense to do research from day 1 of college to show that you can handle that. And substantial research requires lots of time. Earlier I said that you can't be sure if you'll get a publication. Well, let me "fix" that - one way to get a publication is to work on the same project for years. MD/PhD programs look a lot more on research experience and publications.

As for starting your own project, it really depends. I personally was interested in infectious disease research. I read tons of papers for a year and went to one of the professors at my school who was a leader in the field and made my own research proposal/asked if I can join his lab to carry it out. It was a bit forward on my part and my PI could have thought that I was an idiotic premed who didn't know what he was talking about, I guess, but it worked out.

I suppose you can also do stuff with the NIH or something. I don't know how other people do their research since I stayed with one lab for 4 years.

- Amazing extracurriculars? Well someone I met at an interview this year created his own business and is a millionaire already (imagine how much more believable he sounds when he tells schools that he's not doing medicine for money but out pure humanitarian/scientific interest). Some people are state/national champions for certain sports (kind of shows they have a life outside of academics).

But seriously, chill and follow your own interests. Do what you want. You'll look boring if you can look like the stereotypical premed who does a fixed # of hours volunteering, being a lab, etc. etc.

- And as sure as you think you are about medical school, over 500 freshman at my school enter being "sure" that they want to do medicine. Each year, we only have ~150 students applying to medical schools (and many of them became premed after a year or two of college).
 
skyhyp2009 said:
- Well, if you're applying MD/PhD, then labs during the summer won't cut it. MD/PhD suggests that you're going to pursue of life of research so it probably makes sense to do research from day 1 of college to show that you can handle that. And substantial research requires lots of time. Earlier I said that you can't be sure if you'll get a publication. Well, let me "fix" that - one way to get a publication is to work on the same project for years. MD/PhD programs look a lot more on research experience and publications.

As for starting your own project, it really depends. I personally was interested in infectious disease research. I read tons of papers for a year and went to one of the professors at my school who was a leader in the field and made my own research proposal/asked if I can join his lab to carry it out. It was a bit forward on my part and my PI could have thought that I was an idiotic premed who didn't know what he was talking about, I guess, but it worked out.

I suppose you can also do stuff with the NIH or something. I don't know how other people do their research since I stayed with one lab for 4 years.

- Amazing extracurriculars? Well someone I met at an interview this year created his own business and is a millionaire already (imagine how much more believable he sounds when he tells schools that he's not doing medicine for money but out pure humanitarian/scientific interest). Some people are state/national champions for certain sports (kind of shows they have a life outside of academics).

But seriously, chill and follow your own interests. Do what you want. You'll look boring if you can look like the stereotypical premed who does a fixed # of hours volunteering, being a lab, etc. etc.

- And as sure as you think you are about medical school, over 500 freshman at my school enter being "sure" that they want to do medicine. Each year, we only have ~150 students applying to medical schools (and many of them became premed after a year or two of college).
Click to expand...

That is great initiative! Wait so are you a gap year student? You started from day 1? Dayumnn.

Haha I'm not great at anything. One thing non-academic that I could see myself doing and excelling in is speech & debate. I dont even know if colleges have that.

I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 5. I will be a doctor. My life will actually be over if I don't become one. I will be a doctor.

This is how I'm spending my snow day. On SDN. Wow, I'm a loser.
 
I'm also dying to do a study abroad in England during sometime in college. But I'm afraid it will hurt me.

What did you do abroad this past summer?
 
dancingwater said:
I'm also dying to do a study abroad in England during sometime in college. But I'm afraid it will hurt me.

What did you do abroad this past summer?
Click to expand...

Epic thread hijack. :hijacked: Some (if not all) of the info you're looking for is available in hSDN or general Pre-Allo, if you use the Search function.

And yes, pretty please enjoy college.
 
yes, chill dancingwater, enjoy college, do well academically, but be sure to be passionate about what you're doing. I'm sure your college will offer plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with and the mentorship you seek. there is NO formula to get into med school or the correct amount of EC activities to do, as long as you are truly commited, things will go well.

ps. stats arent everything 😉
 
Never! Ahahaha thanks everyone.

I cry about medical school and my future almost everyday.

I feel like I've messed up my life so much already.
 
Last edited:
dancingwater said:
Never! Ahahaha thanks everyone.

I cry about medical school and my future almost everyday.

I feel like I've messed up my life so much already.
Click to expand...

You haven't; you're in high school. But please, please take this conversation to hSDN or the pre-allo forum as recommended. This is a very focused forum, and honestly not the place to get good answers for your completely unrelated questions. Best of luck though.
 
dancingwater said:
Never! Ahahaha thanks everyone.

I cry about medical school and my future almost everyday.

I feel like I've messed up my life so much already.
Click to expand...

Please don't worry, you are young and really have so much ahead of you! I personally know friends who failed classes then got into Harvard, failed at Harvard (as in, C's) then got into the Israeli national soccer team, failed to make the cut for the U.S. Olympic rowing team then became an exceptional engineer with an MIT PhD...

And myself, I flip flopped through a bunch of things and first considered how to become a premed at age 25... and am now headed for med school in the fall.

But these are minor anecdotes. The most important thing is, open your mind and heart by reading good books, caring about what is going on in your community and in the larger world (and really, people have it pretty tough and would love to switch places with you... if you only read the front page of the New York Times on any given day), thinking in terms of a lifetime and not just in chunks of semesters and schools.

Please feel better, you owe it to yourself to be happy 🙂
 
I'll get us back on track.

I remember being told that admissions offers would come around the 15th of this month. Did anyone else hear that or am I crazy? Anyone hear anything different?
 
I heard that as well. However, I interviewed on December 17th and they said our interview group probably wouldn't hear that early.
 
E11 said:
I'll get us back on track.

I remember being told that admissions offers would come around the 15th of this month. Did anyone else hear that or am I crazy? Anyone hear anything different?
Click to expand...

At my interview date (in November), they told us the same too. A friend of mine interviewed a bit later and they told him February 15.
 
I heard Jan. 15th as well, interviewed on November 2. :xf:
 
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