2010-2011 University of California - San Francisco Application Thread

[Xinlitik]

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Is there any point in sending a letter of intent to ucsf post-interview? I've heard they discourage it, but the Dean didn't mention it during his discussion of the admissions process. I'm trying to decide whether to send a letter of update or intent. any students who might be able to shed some light?

thanks

 

[sml128]

Finally got a secondary after seven weeks! Yessssss

 

[Coyoacan]

Just got the secondary 10.5 weeks after the initial email! If you're still waiting on a secondary, hang in there!

 

[IlaEm]

Just got the secondary 10.5 weeks after the initial email! If you're still waiting on a secondary, hang in there!

Dang I got all excited and logged back in to my status page.....

Rejection PDF at 11 weeks 5 days. 🙁

Sad. I would have loved to go here. But I am going to tell myself that the reason they kept me hanging on for so long was because it was a really hard decision....... 😀

 

[Acoustic]

Is there any point in sending a letter of intent to ucsf post-interview? I've heard they discourage it, but the Dean didn't mention it during his discussion of the admissions process. I'm trying to decide whether to send a letter of update or intent. any students who might be able to shed some light?

thanks

Personally I'm of the opinion that those letters probably don't help your chances at any school. If anything, I would suggest sending a letter of interest instead. I get the impression that they have no bearing on anything at UCSF though.

 

[BrainBuff]

Just got the secondary 10.5 weeks after the initial email! If you're still waiting on a secondary, hang in there!

Wow, Congrats!! I had forgotten about this school completely...I must be at around 11 weeks now, so I guess there must be an answer soon. Let me take a peak at the status site and see if I have the dreadful PDF rejection...

 

[BrainBuff]

Nothing yet. But i might as well forget about it. Best of luck to all of you guys!!

 

[mashers]

Invitation to complete secondary yesterday.
AMCAS complete 6/18/10.
In-state/3.64 science GPA/3.71 cumulative GPA/32L MCAT/non-trad

👍😀

 

[Jage]

Do you or anyone else who has already interviewed have details about the interview day schedule, including what time it will conclude?

Thanks!

Is there any point in sending a letter of intent to ucsf post-interview? I've heard they discourage it, but the Dean didn't mention it during his discussion of the admissions process. I'm trying to decide whether to send a letter of update or intent. any students who might be able to shed some light?

thanks

 

[rhesuspieces]

Invitation to complete secondary yesterday.
AMCAS complete 6/18/10.
In-state/3.64 science GPA/3.71 cumulative GPA/32L MCAT/non-trad

👍😀

when did you get your "we acknowledge that you exist, now go away for 3 months please" e-mail?

 

[mashers]

when did you get your "we acknowledge that you exist, now go away for 3 months please" e-mail?

7/29

 

[Dianyla]

when did you get your "we acknowledge that you exist, now go away for 3 months please" e-mail?

I LOLd.

 

[RB93]

Does anyone know if UCSF is P/F (preclinical)? It looks like it, but I only found one mention of the grading system. Any current students with input/insight on the curriculum, besides what is on the website?

 

[BaronVonZ]

Ten weeks, one day of crushing silence... Oh UCSF, I know I have no chance of getting in - all I'm asking for is the opportunity to donate $60 before getting rejected 😀

 

[rhesuspieces]

7/29

sweet, that's when they e-mailed me too. Maybe I have a chance after all?

congrats on the secondary. With UCSF that seems as epic as getting an interview invite!

 

[DrPharaoh]

To those who need hope, and to those who need to believe in miracles...

I just got invited to Interview.......I have a 28O MCAT.

I truly wish you all the best of luck!

 

[obgyny]

To those who need hope, and to those who need to believe in miracles...

I just got invited to Interview.......I have a 28O MCAT.

I truly wish you all the best of luck!

Thanks!! That does give me hope 🙂... I have a 28M. Mind sharing your GPA and when your secondary was sent in?

Congrats and good luck!

 

[DrPharaoh]

Thanks!! That does give me hope 🙂... I have a 28M. Mind sharing your GPA and when your secondary was sent in?

Congrats and good luck!

Tos: 3.8o, 3.7s. Secondary submitted august 31.

 

[bigballer27]

Tos: 3.8o, 3.7s. Secondary submitted august 31.

are you URM?

 

[DrPharaoh]

are you URM?

yep 🙂

 

[Tone]

I'm on week 13 and still no answer yet...

 

[Dianyla]

I'm on week 13 and still no answer yet...

Not to make you paranoid but... you have logged in to check right? Because they don't email you to notify you that the little pdf stinkbomb is there waiting for you to find it.

 

[Mark Knopfler]

If I'm out of state and never received the secondary email, then do I still have an id/account that I can use to check to see if I was rejected, or do I just have to wait for snail mail?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tone]

Not to make you paranoid but... you have logged in to check right? Because they don't email you to notify you that the little pdf stinkbomb is there waiting for you to find it.

yeah i check the status page pretty regularly. and it's the same "AMCAS received" status as 13 weeks ago.

 

[obgyny]

To those who need hope, and to those who need to believe in miracles...

I just got invited to Interview.......I have a 28O MCAT.

I truly wish you all the best of luck!

Thanks!! That does give me hope 🙂... I have a 28M.

Nevermind... just got the rejection PDF 🙁.

3.99cGPA / 4.0sGPA / 28M (9-9-10) / CA resident / non-URM (see my MDapp for more details).

Completed secondary: 8/6

Is the appeal process worth it in my case?

 

[chickensandwich]

Does anyone know if UCSF is P/F (preclinical)? It looks like it, but I only found one mention of the grading system. Any current students with input/insight on the curriculum, besides what is on the website?

current student. and yep, sf is completely p/f the preclinical years 🙂

 

[Xinlitik]

Do you or anyone else who has already interviewed have details about the interview day schedule, including what time it will conclude?

Thanks!

Sure. Basically, you meet up at 830 and the dean tells you practically everything about the interview process. You talk about financial aid. Other questions. Check out some classes. Then, you get a super brief tour of the campus--imo a bit of a weak point, haha. You have lunch with students, then get set free for your interviews. Times varied, but I was out by 4:00 because my interviews were at 1:30 and 3:00. I dont think anyone was out later than 5 (really, 4:30)

 

[yayschool]

does anyone know when the earliest interview openings are right now? i just got an invite but will have to wait until monday or tuesday to call and schedule...

PS--I waited over 2 months for the invite, so there's hope for those who have been waiting a while!

 

[chickpea9]

does anyone know when the earliest interview openings are right now? i just got an invite but will have to wait until monday or tuesday to call and schedule...

PS--I waited over 2 months for the invite, so there's hope for those who have been waiting a while!

hooray for an interview! thanks for the update. i submitted around mid september, after which i got the "the next time we contact you will be to notify you about whether you were selected for an interview" email, so your situation gives me hope. mind posting your stats? and are you IS/OOS?

 

[DrPharaoh]

Nevermind... just got the rejection PDF 🙁.

3.99cGPA / 4.0sGPA / 28M (9-9-10) / CA resident / non-URM (see my MDapp for more details).

Completed secondary: 8/6

Is the appeal process worth it in my case?

Never hurts buddy, if you really want ucsf, then go for it...don't let them say no so easily! 🙂 Best of luck to you!

 

[Tone]

hey guys. the rejection pdf is found on the status page of UCSF's website right? It's been over 13 weeks since I was complete, and I still have the same "AMCAS received" status and no rejection pdf...

 

[MPHL]

Never hurts buddy, if you really want ucsf, then go for it...don't let them say no so easily! 🙂 Best of luck to you!

How does someone with that strong of a GPA get under a 30? I mean come on, step it up.

 

[yayschool]

hooray for an interview! thanks for the update. i submitted around mid september, after which i got the "the next time we contact you will be to notify you about whether you were selected for an interview" email, so your situation gives me hope. mind posting your stats? and are you IS/OOS?

i'm OOS, 41, 3.84. I waited a long time for the secondary and a long time for the interview, so don't lose hope!

 

[chickpea9]

i'm OOS, 41, 3.84. I waited a long time for the secondary and a long time for the interview, so don't lose hope!

eh--okay, my stats aren't as great as yours (32, 3.72, OOS) but i'm still hoping!!!

(your screen name made me laugh: with a name like that, you better have a 41, 3.84 😛)

 

[ELarkin1]

i'm OOS, 41, 3.84. I waited a long time for the secondary and a long time for the interview, so don't lose hope!

When did you send in the secondary? We have pretty similar stats (41, 4.0), and I sent my secondary in about 6 weeks ago. Hoping an interview will come around sometime in the next month but it seems pretty tough with UCSF.

 

[DrPharaoh]

How does someone with that strong of a GPA get under a 30? I mean come on, step it up.

hmm...many reasons...maybe the same reason that happened to me, you end up being dead sick on the mcat day and have no way to reschedule or no future available dates...ya, you think med schools will believe that one, well it really happened.
Maybe it's a plethora of other reasons....Like learning the trick of binge and purge studying for finals but not having it turn out as successful for the mcat...

regardless of what it is, your arrogance bothers me...

 

[excalibur86]

No excuses. Play like a champion.

 

[SodaScientist]

hmm...many reasons...maybe the same reason that happened to me, you end up being dead sick on the mcat day and have no way to reschedule or no future available dates...ya, you think med schools will believe that one, well it really happened.
Maybe it's a plethora of other reasons....Like learning the trick of binge and purge studying for finals but not having it turn out as successful for the mcat...

regardless of what it is, your arrogance bothers me...

👍 +1 That was very inappropriate

 

[Acoustic]

hmm...many reasons...maybe the same reason that happened to me, you end up being dead sick on the mcat day and have no way to reschedule or no future available dates...ya, you think med schools will believe that one, well it really happened.
Maybe it's a plethora of other reasons....Like learning the trick of binge and purge studying for finals but not having it turn out as successful for the mcat...

regardless of what it is, your arrogance bothers me...

👍 +1 That was very inappropriate

DrPharaoh thank you for summarizing why numbers aren't always the best way to characterize an applicant, and good luck!

 

[obgyny]

How does someone with that strong of a GPA get under a 30? I mean come on, step it up.

It's complicated, I had family issues at the time and have to always work full-time (40+ hours/week) to support myself. I had also taken some of the classes like Physics and G-Chem 5-6 years ago.

Thanks DrPharaoh and the other posters! The MCAT is one test and things happen...

 

[Dianyla]

9:30pm.... Post-appeal secondary invite!!!

 

[IlaEm]

9:30pm.... Post-appeal secondary invite!!!

Congrats! I've been thinking about appealing as well. Can you give me tips on what you wrote and/or the format? I've never written a letter of appeal.....

Congratulations again!

 

[Dianyla]

Congrats! I've been thinking about appealing as well. Can you give me tips on what you wrote and/or the format? I've never written a letter of appeal.....

Congratulations again!

I'm just thrilled that it actually worked.

I basically wrote a formal letter and snailmailed it. In it, I described why exactly I am interested in UCSF, discussed my local ties, and basically just begged for them to look at my app again. Really, it's not like I have any dignity left anyway.

 

[Chanieish]

Received a secondary invite after 3.5 weeks. Quite shocked actually.

Thank you UCSF for saving me from a dad who asks EVERY 2 SECONDS what would happen if I didn't get an invite.

Good luck all! 😀

 

[IlaEm]

I'm just thrilled that it actually worked.

I basically wrote a formal letter and snailmailed it. In it, I described why exactly I am interested in UCSF, discussed my local ties, and basically just begged for them to look at my app again. Really, it's not like I have any dignity left anyway.

Thanks!!! I have strong local ties to the bay and I would LOVE to go to UCSF. You are inspiring me to give it a shot 🙂

 

[Dianyla]

Thanks!!! I have strong local ties to the bay and I would LOVE to go to UCSF. You are inspiring me to give it a shot 🙂

You're already rejected. You have nothing to lose! Do it!

 

[cfx]

Can someone explain to me the appeal process? What warrants an appeal?

No decision yet on if I get a secondary, but just curious...

 

[Dianyla]

Can someone explain to me the appeal process? What warrants an appeal?

It's described on their website here. Basically, you can appeal any rejection (pre/post secondary) up until you get interviewed. Once you've interviewed they really have given you a full evaluation, so a post-interview rejection is final.

When I've searched SDN and googled, I've found other accounts of people who have appealed, both successfully and unsuccessfully.

 

[cfx]

It's described on their website here. Basically, you can appeal any rejection (pre/post secondary) up until you get interviewed. Once you've interviewed they really have given you a full evaluation, so a post-interview rejection is final.

When I've searched SDN and googled, I've found other accounts of people who have appealed, both successfully and unsuccessfully.

Thanks. So you don't need a "valid" reason (e.g., a nonresident with strong ties to the area) to appeal other than "I really like you so please reconsider me"?

What did you write in the letter, if I may ask? Did you turn it into a "why I want to go to UCSF/why I'm a good fit" essay, or just a short and sweet "I'd like to appeal the decision" with a nit of elaboration?

 

[Dianyla]

Thanks. So you don't need a "valid" reason (e.g., a nonresident with strong ties to the area) to appeal other than "I really like you so please reconsider me"?

Pretty much. The only reason you need to appeal is a rejection. On one hand I'm surprised that they have it published as a standard practice, because it seems to me that they might get flooded with appeals. OTOH, I suppose the effort in doing this is enough to deter the more casual applicant who is also managing dozens of other applications.

What did you write in the letter, if I may ask? Did you turn it into a "why I want to go to UCSF/why I'm a good fit" essay, or just a short and sweet "I'd like to appeal the decision" with a nit of elaboration?

A bit of both. Of course I discussed local ties (my fiance lives there and cannot relocate) but I didn't want to just come off like "I want to go to UCSF because I want to live in SF". So I also went deeper into their educational programs and mission focus, and why I find that particularly meaningful and attractive. Some of it was demonstrating what I know about the school, and I did make sure to show how I think I fit their mission.

I kept it at one page, just a few paragraphs. They're busy people, and I don't want to waste their time.