2011-2012 University of California - San Francisco Application Thread

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melisedalien said:
Talked to someone this morning, and his best guess was that the earliest that MOST people will hear back from the alternate list is late may. Regarding hpl, he also said typically they use the same approach to admissions every year, though until I hear about someone getting put on hpl I will be skeptical. It's a bummer alternate listers have to wait so long. I assume by then we'll be emotionally invested else where. Regardless, good luck!
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Who is your source that told you this info?
 
TheChronic said:
I called about this, they said "sometime next month" for January decisions, that was back in late January.
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Lol, at this rate, they might as well wait until after the Feb adcom meeting and do it together. Feb is, after all, a short month. :laugh:
 
mdhopeful65 said:
Who is your source that told you this info?
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Late May bc May 15 is the deadline...

From Harvard Med website...policy should apply to all allopathic schools. Correct me if I'm wrong. 🙂

"In fairness to other applicants, when an applicant has made a decision, prior to May 15, not to attend a medical school that has made an offer of acceptance, the applicant promptly withdraw his or her application from that (those) other school(s) by written correspondence delivered by regular or electronic methods.
By May 15 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is on or before July 30), each applicant who has received an offer of acceptance from more than one school choose the specific school at which the applicant prefers to enroll and withdraw his or her application, by written correspondence delivered by regular or electronic methods, from all other schools from which acceptance offers have been received."
 
Alternate. Happened in the last few hours. Interviewed Nov 1.

EDIT: Just got a status update email.
 
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Holy wow, me AND my husband are accepted! Got the emails at 5:15. This is a dream come true for us, I am so ecstatic and thankful.
 
Accepted by email too!

EDIT: Also got the email at 5:15.
 
High fives to all you guys who got some good news today!!! 👍👍👍
 
Withdrawing my acceptance. I hope this provides a space to someone on the WL. This school is going to be more expensive for me to attend than Stanford. Bummer.
 
EyeLuvRcadeFyre said:
Withdrawing my acceptance. I hope this provides a space to someone on the WL. This school is going to be more expensive for me to attend than Stanford. Bummer.
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Were you OOS? Was that the primary reason why it was going to be more expensive for you? I am hoping that they do not cut a lot of the scholarships due to California's budget problems. I am also relying on that extra help to cover expenses.

Good luck at Stanford! It is also a great school!
 
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Anybody know when the February adcom meeting is? I interviewed the day after the January meeting, but I don't remember if they said when the Feb meeting would be...
 
I haven't really heard much about UCSF's reputation for need-based aid. Does anyone here have any idea if it's reputation is strong, average, below average? Thanks!
 
gloeotrichia said:
Anybody know when the February adcom meeting is? I interviewed the day after the January meeting, but I don't remember if they said when the Feb meeting would be...
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Meetings are usually the 3rd Monday of each month, in which case the meeting should have occured yesterday, Feb. 20.

However, I'm not sure if January interviewees will actually hear something this month.They only just finished sending out acceptances to November interviewees and have yet to get to December. At my interview in December, they told us we would hear the week after the January adcom meeting- which apparently didn't happen.
 
tikvah2012 said:
Meetings are usually the 3rd Monday of each month, in which case the meeting should have occured yesterday, Feb. 20.

However, I'm not sure if January interviewees will actually hear something this month.They only just finished sending out acceptances to November interviewees and have yet to get to December. At my interview in December, they told us we would hear the week after the January adcom meeting- which apparently didn't happen.
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Ah, that is sad news. The waiting is painful! Thank you for the info, though!
 
percy said:
I believe strong overall, but jury's still out on how out-of-staters fare (though we can apply for CA residency from Year 2, if I understand correctly). UCSF has the fourteenth lowest average indebtedness.

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankings...ools/top-medical-schools/debt-rankings/page+5
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I ran through my numbers over the phone with the financial aid office, and after having done so, I'm at a loss as to how UCSF's average indebtedness is so low. The fin aid office told me that most students receive loans only, and when grants are given, it's generally only $5K per year. Some students, but not many, receive $10K per year. My family is pretty middle class (my mom is a public employee, my dad is employed only part-time), and I was told that I would only receive loans, no grants.

UCSF is my top choice and I'm thrilled to have been accepted, but I'm starting to feel really nervous about financial aid, especially since I already have student loans. I'm hoping that I'll be pleasantly surprised when I receive my actual package vs what I was told over the phone. If the package is loans only, the only explanation that I can think of for the average indebtedness is that many UCSF students must just be able to pay for it outright. Students with zero debt would bring down the average debt very quickly.

If you think any of this is incorrect, please post - I'd be happy to be wrong!

EDIT: I'm in state
 
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Fawn Leibowitz said:
I ran through my numbers over the phone with the financial aid office, and after having done so, I'm at a loss as to how UCSF's average indebtedness is so low. The fin aid office told me that most students receive loans only, and when grants are given, it's generally only $5K per year. Some students, but not many, receive $10K per year. My family is pretty middle class (my mom is a public employee, my dad is employed only part-time), and I was told that I would only receive loans, no grants.

UCSF is my top choice and I'm thrilled to have been accepted, but I'm starting to feel really nervous about financial aid, especially since I already have student loans. I'm hoping that I'll be pleasantly surprised when I receive my actual package vs what I was told over the phone. If the package is loans only, the only explanation that I can think of for the average indebtedness is that many UCSF students must just be able to pay for it outright. Students with zero debt would bring down the average debt very quickly.

If you think any of this is incorrect, please post - I'd be happy to be wrong!
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That's very interesting. I've been wondering what UCSF's need-based policy looks like. I just submitted my financial aid documents recently, so hopefully we'll know pretty soon! :laugh:
(in-state)
 
Fawn Leibowitz said:
I ran through my numbers over the phone with the financial aid office, and after having done so, I'm at a loss as to how UCSF's average indebtedness is so low. The fin aid office told me that most students receive loans only, and when grants are given, it's generally only $5K per year. Some students, but not many, receive $10K per year. My family is pretty middle class (my mom is a public employee, my dad is employed only part-time), and I was told that I would only receive loans, no grants.

UCSF is my top choice and I'm thrilled to have been accepted, but I'm starting to feel really nervous about financial aid, especially since I already have student loans. I'm hoping that I'll be pleasantly surprised when I receive my actual package vs what I was told over the phone. If the package is loans only, the only explanation that I can think of for the average indebtedness is that many UCSF students must just be able to pay for it outright. Students with zero debt would bring down the average debt very quickly.

If you think any of this is incorrect, please post - I'd be happy to be wrong!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I'm still working on my financial aid forms, so I can't comment on specifics. Also, I'm out-of-state, which might skew any insight I can provide.

At Stanford, however, I remember their financial aid seemed pretty dismal, and yet they are fourth lowest in the country (bested only by a state school, a military academy, and Mayo, which awards scholarships to everyone). My friends there explained that Stanford makes up for its financial aid policy with a wealth of overpaid research, TA, and other similar opportunities. Perhaps UCSF has something similar?

Part of me is deathly afraid of opening my financial aid packages. Part of me is a little relieved, too; it's hard enough to choose between schools like UCSF, and it's nice to know that there are financial aid officers hard at work making my decision for me. 🙂
 
percy said:
Part of me is deathly afraid of opening my financial aid packages. Part of me is a little relieved, too; it's hard enough to choose between schools like UCSF, and it's nice to know that there are financial aid officers hard at work making my decision for me. 🙂
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haha. I know what you mean. still not a bad position to be in, though! I guess we just have to file for aid first and see where the numbers fall and go from there.
 
Person X said:
Were you OOS? Was that the primary reason why it was going to be more expensive for you? I am hoping that they do not cut a lot of the scholarships due to California's budget problems. I am also relying on that extra help to cover expenses.

Good luck at Stanford! It is also a great school!
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Thanks. In hindsight, my post made me sound like a little b***h. I'm in-state, but the Stanford system of overpaying their students for TA'ing, research, and whatnot makes it a better financial option for me as someone who has all but signed onto a position in someone's lab for developing molecular diagnostics. That being said, having grown up in Palo Alto, I know how much it sucks. As for how the average debt is still only about 100k...I have no clue. Also...am I the only one who saw that graph of UCSF Med tuition over the years and was like "WTF"? I mean c'mon Wolfsy...you can talk about cutting all the fancy white coat ceremony things that you want, but stretching pennies ain't going to help you with tuition hikes. I'm just hoping that Desmond-Hellman gets more aggressive on this, because UCSF is a great school.
 
Does anyone know whether there is a High Priority Waitlist this year, or whether there is only an Alternate List?

Thanks! Good luck!
 
EyeLuvRcadeFyre said:
Thanks. In hindsight, my post made me sound like a little b***h. I'm in-state, but the Stanford system of overpaying their students for TA'ing, research, and whatnot makes it a better financial option for me as someone who has all but signed onto a position in someone's lab for developing molecular diagnostics. That being said, having grown up in Palo Alto, I know how much it sucks. As for how the average debt is still only about 100k...I have no clue. Also...am I the only one who saw that graph of UCSF Med tuition over the years and was like "WTF"? I mean c'mon Wolfsy...you can talk about cutting all the fancy white coat ceremony things that you want, but stretching pennies ain't going to help you with tuition hikes. I'm just hoping that Desmond-Hellman gets more aggressive on this, because UCSF is a great school.
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I know that some students were upset over UCSF cutting pennies on the white coat ceremony, and from what I've heard they definitely made it known to the administration. I'm hoping they don't cut corners from that next year. My family will be so sad if they do! Cutting corners from a ceremony that means so much to families, friends and newly minted med students is a tragic way to symbolically show the school's being frugal.
 
Interviewed in mid-October... still haven't heard anything... I was wondering if anyone else is in the same boat?
 
Also has anyone appealed post-secondary/pre II and heard anything back?
I appealed 5.5 weeks ago and haven't heard a thing.
 
zamzee said:
I know that some students were upset over UCSF cutting pennies on the white coat ceremony, and from what I've heard they definitely made it known to the administration. I'm hoping they don't cut corners from that next year. My family will be so sad if they do! Cutting corners from a ceremony that means so much to families, friends and newly minted med students is a tragic way to symbolically show the school's being frugal.
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I couldn't care less about the white coat ceremony, but I do appreciate that it means a lot to some people, and I agree that cutting costs there is stupid. I think it's more idiotic, however, that their budgetary plan is so myopic. I hope that those who are so gung-ho about UCSF (or any one particular institution) temper their enthusiasm by researching how the school handles its finances. I've started to realize (through collaborations) that UCSF is generally managed by sub-par individuals who were recruited either before or just on the cusp of its emergence as a prominent institution in the 80's as a key player in elucidating the AIDS epidemic.

Rant over.

If you love UCSF regardless of its management issues, then definitely go. The most important thing is that you're happy with your decision.
 
EyeLuvRcadeFyre said:
I couldn't care less about the white coat ceremony, but I do appreciate that it means a lot to some people, and I agree that cutting costs there is stupid. I think it's more idiotic, however, that their budgetary plan is so myopic. I hope that those who are so gung-ho about UCSF (or any one particular institution) temper their enthusiasm by researching how the school handles its finances. I've started to realize (through collaborations) that UCSF is generally managed by sub-par individuals who were recruited either before or just on the cusp of its emergence as a prominent institution in the 80's as a key player in elucidating the AIDS epidemic.

Rant over.

If you love UCSF regardless of its management issues, then definitely go. The most important thing is that you're happy with your decision.
Click to expand...

Not everyone is as pessimistic as you are about the financial climate of UCSF. If anything, I have been impressed by how Chancellor Desmond-Hellmann is managing UCSF despite the economic turmoil plaguing California. UCSF is even changing its relationship with the other UC campuses in order to ultimately save millions of dollars per year. http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2012/01/11...es-new-approach-secure-ucsfs-financial-future AND http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/20/MNF11MR2KE.DTL

Furthermore, I seriously doubt "sub-par" individuals are managing the institution. This statement screams subjectivity and bias. Funding for UC institutions has severely decreased over the years. This is a fact. Personally, I think its remarkable that UCSF has maintained its elite status despite the financial hardships, and is capable of sponsoring the largest biomedical construction project in the world (Mission Bay Campus).

*Disclaimer: I am gung-ho about UCSF.
 
Fawn Leibowitz said:
I ran through my numbers over the phone with the financial aid office, and after having done so, I'm at a loss as to how UCSF's average indebtedness is so low. The fin aid office told me that most students receive loans only, and when grants are given, it's generally only $5K per year. Some students, but not many, receive $10K per year. My family is pretty middle class (my mom is a public employee, my dad is employed only part-time), and I was told that I would only receive loans, no grants.

UCSF is my top choice and I'm thrilled to have been accepted, but I'm starting to feel really nervous about financial aid, especially since I already have student loans. I'm hoping that I'll be pleasantly surprised when I receive my actual package vs what I was told over the phone. If the package is loans only, the only explanation that I can think of for the average indebtedness is that many UCSF students must just be able to pay for it outright. Students with zero debt would bring down the average debt very quickly.

If you think any of this is incorrect, please post - I'd be happy to be wrong!

EDIT: I'm in state
Click to expand...

This is something that has worried me a bit not just about UCSF but all the schools I've been looking at. I wish they would publish stats for median indebtedness and not just average, so we could have a better idea of what the numbers look like when you disregard those people with zero debt.
 
FACS444 said:
Not everyone is as pessimistic as you are about the financial climate of UCSF. If anything, I have been impressed by how Chancellor Desmond-Hellmann is managing UCSF despite the economic turmoil plaguing California. UCSF is even changing its relationship with the other UC campuses in order to ultimately save millions of dollars per year. http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2012/01/11...es-new-approach-secure-ucsfs-financial-future AND http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/20/MNF11MR2KE.DTL

Furthermore, I seriously doubt "sub-par" individuals are managing the institution. This statement screams subjectivity and bias. Funding for UC institutions has severely decreased over the years. This is a fact. Personally, I think its remarkable that UCSF has maintained its elite status despite the financial hardships, and is capable of sponsoring the largest biomedical construction project in the world (Mission Bay Campus).

*Disclaimer: I am gung-ho about UCSF.
Click to expand...

Not my intention to start a flame war. You should go where you feel most comfortable. As a financial analyst for biotech/pharma, my last point is this: UCSF receives over 90% of its funding from private sources; however it has been disbursing funds (as can be seen by anyone looking at their publicly filed financials) to projects that will not contribute to its long-term financial health. The SDH committee is exploratory, and she has a number of enemies in the regents. I think she's awesome, and that she was the first competent outside hire they've had in a while, but the decisions by many of her predecessors were pretty stupid. I stand by my original claim about UCSF's management. I'm also gung-ho about UCSF, which is why I've taken it upon myself to look at it through a microscope.
 
I actually really appreciate the different perspectives on UCSF, especially as an east coaster.
 
EyeLuvRcadeFyre said:
Not my intention to start a flame war. You should go where you feel most comfortable. As a financial analyst for biotech/pharma, my last point is this: UCSF receives over 90% of its funding from private sources; however it has been disbursing funds (as can be seen by anyone looking at their publicly filed financials) to projects that will not contribute to its long-term financial health. The SDH committee is exploratory, and she has a number of enemies in the regents. I think she's awesome, and that she was the first competent outside hire they've had in a while, but the decisions by many of her predecessors were pretty stupid. I stand by my original claim about UCSF's management. I'm also gung-ho about UCSF, which is why I've taken it upon myself to look at it through a microscope.
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I'm interested in hearing all perspectives on UCSF, however, the most useful perspectives rely on specific facts and not on value judgments/ad hominem attacks. To me, calling others "sub-par" and generalizing non-specified decisions as simply "pretty stupid" suggests black/white thinking rather than nuanced judgment. It makes the speaker seem arrogant and biased. If you want to write about specific decisions that believe will undermine UCSF's strength as an institution, I would love to hear your thoughts -- but please rely on facts, rather than on dismissive generalizations.

Also, for what it's worth, I've heard lots of criticism of Stanford vs. UCSF. I work at a Stanford-affiliated institution, with physicians who have taught at both schools. One physician/professor told me that the classes at UCSF were much more organized than the Stanford classes and that the students seemed happier at UCSF. Several physicians and lab employees have told me that they are not impressed with Stanford students' lab skills, critical thinking, and clinical notes, when compared with students at other schools. At least three people have told me that Stanford likes applicants who have a "story" (overcame major life challenges, etc) and values that over academic/clinical/research abilities.

I share this not to bash Stanford or its students (I only know a couple myself), but simply to balance the discussion when comparing schools. .There will always be people who are down on one school or another, for whatever reason. But the fact that both Stanford and UCSF are generally highly regarded and sought after probably means that you can’t go wrong with either one, it just comes down to individual choice and fit (e.g., urban vs. suburban, larger vs. smaller, etc)..
 
Fawn Leibowitz said:
I'm interested in hearing all perspectives on UCSF, however, the most useful perspectives rely on specific facts and not on value judgments/ad hominem attacks. To me, calling others "sub-par" and generalizing non-specified decisions as simply "pretty stupid" suggests black/white thinking rather than nuanced judgment. It makes the speaker seem arrogant and biased. If you want to write about specific decisions that believe will undermine UCSF's strength as an institution, I would love to hear your thoughts -- but please rely on facts, rather than on dismissive generalizations.

Also, for what it's worth, I've heard lots of criticism of Stanford vs. UCSF. I work at a Stanford-affiliated institution, with physicians who have taught at both schools. One physician/professor told me that the classes at UCSF were much more organized than the Stanford classes and that the students seemed happier at UCSF. Several physicians and lab employees have told me that they are not impressed with Stanford students' lab skills, critical thinking, and clinical notes, when compared with students at other schools. At least three people have told me that Stanford likes applicants who have a "story" (overcame major life challenges, etc) and values that over academic/clinical/research abilities.

I share this not to bash Stanford or its students (I only know a couple myself), but simply to balance the discussion when comparing schools. .There will always be people who are down on one school or another, for whatever reason. But the fact that both Stanford and UCSF are generally highly regarded and sought after probably means that you can't go wrong with either one, it just comes down to individual choice and fit (e.g., urban vs. suburban, larger vs. smaller, etc)..
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I've heard the same thing about UCSF students, but really, these are all just like you said, "dismissive generalizations" and just one person's opinion. I truthfully don't think you could ever go wrong with either school, I mean, let be real, they're both fantastic and all of us would be lucky to attend either one.

Also, half the time when these doctors are sharing their ideas about either school, they're based on the way the schools were run 5, 10 or even 15 years ago, or on one bad experience they had with a graduate, so how valid are they really.
 
What is the avg step 1 score at UCSF? Also it seems as though most ppl from UCSF don't end up going to surgical residencies, unlike Stanford or Harvard (if that is something ur interested in)
 
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