2014-2015 University of California - San Diego Application Thread

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Long time lurker, first time poster.

Having this II under my belt is really relieving, considering I don't have any others. OOS here and excited to see La Jolla for the first time as an adult!!
 
If we have not received the secondary yet is it safe to assume that are out of the running? the UCSD status page still shows the secondary application as a blank for me
 
it takes a while for them to go through all the applications. Yours might still be coming
 
they jsut opened up a new interview date - Thurs 9/25
 
Does anyone know if San Diego takes updates? I have recently started a new research position in a field that I am very interested in and would like the school to know. I also am finishing my secondary right now too. Should I include this update in my secondary autobiographical essay? Or send the school an update about the research later this fall?
 
english said:
Does anyone know if San Diego takes updates? I have recently started a new research position in a field that I am very interested in and would like the school to know. I also am finishing my secondary right now too. Should I include this update in my secondary autobiographical essay? Or send the school an update about the research later this fall?
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you can include it in the autobiography, but ucsd is not receptive to updates.
 
What is the first day for interviews? 9/16? Or was there one before then?
 
meatie said:
II just now! Can't believe it!

Paid and completed on 7/22

Stats: 3.58 cGPA, 3.60 sGPA, 33 MCAT, IS applicant, Asian-American

Woop!
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Wow! Do you have some pretty stellar ECs? Congrats!
 
Hey everyone! First time poster 🙂

For those that got IIs, firstly CONGRATS:clap:, secondly were any of you MSTP applicants?
 
meatie said:
I honestly was a little puzzled when I saw the e-mail stating that I was invited for an interview. I had very little hope for myself at UCSD because their average stats are so high and I knew I would be competing with some of THE most outstanding students.
My EC's:

2 summers working as a behavioral counselor for kids with ADHD and autism, 50hr/week
2.5 years research, co-lead an IRB pilot study, no publication
1 year hospital volunteering
2 time performer for an annual student run production
Currently shadowing a neurologist
Currently a homeless youth mentor
Currently an ER scribe

I have a hunch my personal statement might have something to do with my interview invite. I have a strong desire to work with disadvantaged youth as demonstrated by my EC's and past middle school and high school community involvements with the homeless and underserved. I have also gone through my own share of personal struggles growing up that I shared with the committee in my autobiographical piece.

Like I said before, I'm still pretty shocked I was invited, but I hope my good fortune can give other readers the encouragement to stay positive during this nerve-wracking process.
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I'd say that you have above average ECs, despite the below average stats (for UCSD). I'm still crossing my fingers, but I didn't submit the secondary until the beginning of August. Congratulations again!
 
english said:
Does anyone know if San Diego takes updates? I have recently started a new research position in a field that I am very interested in and would like the school to know. I also am finishing my secondary right now too. Should I include this update in my secondary autobiographical essay? Or send the school an update about the research later this fall?
Click to expand...
I would try to include any updates, especially if it flows within the context of your essay. With that said, I wouldn't try to brute-force it in there if it doesn't flow.
 
Hey guys, Im submitting my secondary tomorrow which feels... very late. Do you think this will hurt me too much? LizzyM 70
 
Asking for a friend: Does a 3.7/3.7 GPA, Bioengineering: Biotechnology major, UCSD Alum, URM, 31 MCAT (PS 10, B 11, V 10), bread and butter EC's stand a chance and if so what kind of chance? Thank you very much
 
swollcat said:
Asking for a friend: Does a 3.7/3.7 GPA, Bioengineering: Biotechnology major, UCSD Alum, URM, 31 MCAT (PS 10, B 11, V 10), bread and butter EC's stand a chance and if so what kind of chance? Thank you very much
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I'd probably ask that in the WAMC thread, more people in the know pay attention to that sort of stuff. That said, those stats look good if hes truly URM.
 
swollcat said:
Asking for a friend: Does a 3.7/3.7 GPA, Bioengineering: Biotechnology major, UCSD Alum, URM, 31 MCAT (PS 10, B 11, V 10), bread and butter EC's stand a chance and if so what kind of chance? Thank you very much
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probably, depends on what kind of bread and butter and the quality of the LoRs.
 
Finally got my secondary after completing the primary in Early August.
Bit surprised I wasn't screend out because my GPA<3.4 (non-URM), although other things like MCAT and EC are pretty good.
Doubtful that I will be able to move beyond this stage though.
 
Finally got the secondary. It only took nearly two months. Guess I wasn't good enough for the first round! Now I have to re-work the huge essay I wrote for last years secondary =/
 
Submitted monday, got secondary today.

This is going to be crazy to write. I think I can co-opt Duke's essays a bit, but I might just sit down with some scotch this weekend and blast through an entirely new one.

How did you you lot go about this?
 
ridethecliche said:
Submitted monday, got secondary today.

This is going to be crazy to write. I think I can co-opt Duke's essays a bit, but I might just sit down with some scotch this weekend and blast through an entirely new one.

How did you you lot go about this?
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Essentially a new personal statement for me that dug deeper into my pre-college years.
 
SoonToBeDrG said:
Finally got the secondary. It only took nearly two months. Guess I wasn't good enough for the first round! Now I have to re-work the huge essay I wrote for last years secondary =/
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me too. woo, excited to be second rounding though!
 
SoonToBeDrG said:
Finally got the secondary. It only took nearly two months. Guess I wasn't good enough for the first round! Now I have to re-work the huge essay I wrote for last years secondary =/
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This gives me hope! I'm going on a littles less than a month without secondary🙁
 
SoonToBeDrG said:
Finally got the secondary. It only took nearly two months. Guess I wasn't good enough for the first round! Now I have to re-work the huge essay I wrote for last years secondary =/
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did you get an email notifying you of the secondary?
 
pandoodle said:
Hey guys, Im submitting my secondary tomorrow which feels... very late. Do you think this will hurt me too much? LizzyM 70
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When I applied, granted it was 7 years ago, I took about 3 weeks to complete it. I poured my heart and soul into that thing. I think it turned out to be better than my personal statement. And it worked! And I wasn't the only one who took time on this and got an interview. Just make sure it's very polished. Good luck!
 
hoihaie said:
name another med school where you are 5 minutes away from the beach AND has good weather year round (sunny 70-80s anyone?).
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I just can't... excited to interview there and it definitely is one of the schools I am looking forward to and would love to attend... but I'm having difficulties coming up with a personal reason ... even if it is kinda near home and location is unbeatable and top in research...

is there anyone (both ucsd students and those who know much more about the school) that would like to share few opinions? Please message me 🙂
 
Ugh, I really need to write and submit this secondary. I feel like my dawdling is ruining any shot I might have.

Edit: I'm going to change up the secondary I wrote for duke and submit it to UCSD. Similar enough prompt. I'll just add a few things. Need to do this tomorrow. September secondaries are no bueno. Though really, it's like mid-cycle, right? Not quite late yet?
 
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make a list of any significant memories/things that happened from birth till now, then select the experiences that illustrate a specific theme you want your autobiography to have which demonstrates you as a person and your drive for medicine, and then you write your autobio in one go without pausing to polish your essays. Once you're done, it'll be so much easier to trim and perfect it than trying to do so from the start
 
ridethecliche said:
Ugh, I really need to write and submit this secondary. I feel like my dawdling is ruining any shot I might have.
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You'd think writing 6000 characters about myself would be easy, seeing as I'm the one who's been living my life these past couple decades or so...
 
hoihaie said:
make a list of any significant memories/things that happened from birth till now, then select the experiences that illustrate a specific theme you want your autobiography to have which demonstrates you as a person and your drive for medicine, and then you write your autobio in one go without pausing to polish your essays. Once you're done, it'll be so much easier to trim and perfect it than trying to do so from the start
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Yeah, I edited my post earlier. I'm just going to reuse the one I had for duke. I've done over 40 secondaries at this point. I'm feeling the burn out :/

I'll get it in tomorrow or weds. My Duke essay was decent enough. I'll polish it up for this.

Your advice is solid though, so if anyone else needs to start on this, I second what hoihaie said!
 
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