2015-2016 University of California - Irvine Application Thread

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Courtesy of Ms. Nutella:

Stats
  • As per interview day, roughly half of interviewees will ultimately be offered acceptance (includes acceptances off of the waitlist)
  • ~100 matriculated

Secondary Application (there is a pre-screen)
Secondary application and status page
Prompts for secondary application 2014-2015 cycle (may be different this year):
  1. What personal accomplishment are you most proud of and why? (1,500 characters).
  2. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. (1,500 characters).
  3. This essay is only for applicants that have already received their baccalaureate degree. Please clarify for the Admissions Committee your activities (school, work and/or volunteer, travel, etc.) since receiving your undergraduate degree. You may list them in chronological order or you may incorporate them into an essay, stating why you chose particular activities. (1,500 characters).

Important dates (2014-2015)
First secondary: July 14th, 2014
First interview invite: July 17th, 2014
First acceptance: October 25th, 2014 via phone call
Waitlists and rejections are issued via portal update.

Curriculum
2-year preclinical; P/F year one, H/P/F year two.

Interview
1 faculty interview, 1 student interview, 1 “structured interview” (8 min, like a single MMI station). Interviews are open-file.

Update letter policy
UCI does not accept post-interview updates. Waitlisted candidates may update Dr. Peterson come May.

IMG_9494.jpg
 
Is there a large IS bias here?
 
From the website:
Does the School of Medicine give preference to California residents?
No. The Admissions Committee uses the same criteria to evaluate applicants whether they are in-state or out-of-state residents. Preference is given to applicants who are US citizens, Permanent Residents with a Green Card, or approved under DACA with anEmployment Authorization Document (EAD).

However, I'm pretty sure most applicants and matriculants are California residents.
 
Cyberdyne 101 said:
From the website:
Does the School of Medicine give preference to California residents?
No. The Admissions Committee uses the same criteria to evaluate applicants whether they are in-state or out-of-state residents. Preference is given to applicants who are US citizens, Permanent Residents with a Green Card, or approved under DACA with anEmployment Authorization Document (EAD).

However, I'm pretty sure most applicants and matriculants are California residents.
Click to expand...

See this is seen as a positive for a lot of people. But as a Californian, my heart cries every time they remind me of this. We deserve to have in-state bias too! Like WTF the other day I noticed a school in Nevada (the only one I think) that interviews 200/230 of the in-state applicants. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Many of them were probably accepted but 60 matriculated there. I wish I could be from a state where I get this same bias.
 
NathanB said:
See this is seen as a positive for a lot of people. But as a Californian, my heart cries every time they remind me of this. We deserve to have in-state bias too! Like WTF the other day I noticed a school in Nevada (the only one I think) that interviews 200/230 of the in-state applicants. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Many of them were probably accepted but 60 matriculated there. I wish I could be from a state where I get this same bias.
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There's in-state preference at Davis and UCR. And even if the other UCs had an in-state bias, you'd be competing against a pool of competitive California applicants anyway (most of the matriculants at these schools are indeed from Cali). I realize it sucks... Like other Californians, you'll just have to apply strategically and hope for the best.
 
Best of luck to all applying..pls keep in mind that there was minimal alternate movement in my cycle overall. Personally, I think there were larger acceptances to the groups that interviewed later in the cycle. UCI had more interviews slated in the 2014-2015 batch and they went on till 4/27..than in the previous cycles.
 
Thinking about pre-writing this secondary... Got a question though:

  1. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. (1,500 characters).

^this is asking for a specific incident right? It's not a diversity question... right? I've seen some secondaries say something like "describe a challege you had to overcome and explain how it makes you uniqu/ contributes to diversity of our class"
 
RudyRude said:
Thinking about pre-writing this secondary... Got a question though:

  1. Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience. (1,500 characters).

^this is asking for a specific incident right? It's not a diversity question... right? I've seen some secondaries say something like "describe a challege you had to overcome and explain how it makes you uniqu/ contributes to diversity of our class"
Click to expand...
I plan to talk about a diversity issue (granted, it was something that I only came to terms with within the last year.)
 
phuynh94 said:
I plan to talk about a diversity issue (granted, it was something that I only came to terms with within the last year.)
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Ah I see. I was thinking of doing a diversity one as it would be better than any specific challenge I could think of, but I'd say with diversity it's something I came to terms with in high school. So I'm not sure it would be appropriate...


Edit: jeez, your mdapps made me very jealous! good luck on this cycle 🙂 (not that you need it)
 
RudyRude said:
Ah I see. I was thinking of doing a diversity one as it would be better than any specific challenge I could think of, but I'd say with diversity it's something I came to terms with in high school. So I'm not sure it would be appropriate...


Edit: jeez, your mdapps made me very jealous! good luck on this cycle 🙂 (not that you need it)
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Haha thank you very much! It means a lot to me. Best of luck to you as well, and hopefully you come up with something to write about!
 
Just received an email with my application receipt, but no secondary.
 
Just got an email saying my application is confirmed and that my status has been updated, and it says "secondary awarded." According to their first email, I'll get another one with a link to the secondary? Anyone apply here in the past/currently in the process and already got their secondary?

OOS if that matters.

EDIT: Just got access to the application. They ask about school activities. Do they mean clubs? What if I didn't include clubs on my primary?
 
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Just got secondary!
 
+1! Happy about the CA love going on today!
 
Secondary received! So many secondaries to write... 🙁
 
Just got secondaryyy

musicalfeet said:
Secondary! 2nd UC secondary so far... Looks like NorCal isnt showing me any love, but SoCal is!
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Hahahah same here! Application twinsies ^_^
 
Secondary received and submitted! Good luck everyone!
 
Got the secondary! All this waiting to hear back from Davis and Irvine and they respond on the same day within a few hours of each other...haha
 
Also any MSTP applicants know if there are MSTP-specific secondary questions? From the looks of the application portal, there are none?
 
Secondary received, IS. Boy do I have a lot of writing to do...
 
MaxPlancker said:
Anyone know how significant the screen is?
Click to expand...

Don't know this information, but I would also love to find this out! I was so excited to receive a secondary, but I don't know if everyone gets them or if it actually means something. 🙂

I received the initial "we are reviewing your application email," and then 10 minutes later, I received the secondary. Good luck to everyone applying!!
 
starfun21 said:
Don't know this information, but I would also love to find this out! I was so excited to receive a secondary, but I don't know if everyone gets them or if it actually means something. 🙂

I received the initial "we are reviewing your application email," and then 10 minutes later, I received the secondary. Good luck to everyone applying!!
Click to expand...

I believe all the California schools screen applicants for secondaries but to what degree they screen them i'm not really sure
 
Sorry, I should have specified! I know there is some kind of screening involved, but not sure if it's a very low screen that almost everyone passes, or if it's a pretty tough screen. Doesn't matter to me, I suppose -- happy either way!
 
For those of you who got secondaries in this round, are the questions the same as last year? Thanks so much!!
 
From speaking with admissions from UCI, I know they screen by minimum MCAT/GPA, let's say 28/3.5. If you don't make those numbers, they will review your application and look for any unique circumstances, if they see something that stands out like an upward trend, postbacc, etc., they will still forward you a secondary.
 
UCIpremed4 said:
From speaking with admissions from UCI, I know they screen by minimum MCAT/GPA, let's say 28/3.5. If you don't make those numbers, they will review your application and look for any unique circumstances, if they see something that stands out like an upward trend, postbacc, etc., they will still forward you a secondary.
Click to expand...

Interesting! Thanks for the information. 🙂
 
Lost in Translation said:
I'm gunna quote myself so it doesn't get buried, also just in case anyone else has the same question.
Click to expand...
They say even if the activity is is on your primary to write it again... so I'm guessing even if it is not on your primary, you are perfectly fine putting it down 🙂
 
starfun21 said:
Don't know this information, but I would also love to find this out! I was so excited to receive a secondary, but I don't know if everyone gets them or if it actually means something. 🙂

I received the initial "we are reviewing your application email," and then 10 minutes later, I received the secondary. Good luck to everyone applying!!
Click to expand...

Based on their website, it looks that around 3,500 applicants get secondaries (out of around 6,000 applicants)

https://www.meded.uci.edu/admissions/faqs.asp
 
Are you guys assuming the character limit is a desired maximum?
 
monkeygirl92 said:
They say even if the activity is is on your primary to write it again... so I'm guessing even if it is not on your primary, you are perfectly fine putting it down 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks!

UCLABruwins said:
Are you guys assuming the character limit is a desired maximum?
Click to expand...

That's what I'm doing. The second essay would have put me at 1800, I slimmed it down to <1500.
 
UCIpremed4 said:
From speaking with admissions from UCI, I know they screen by minimum MCAT/GPA, let's say 28/3.5. If you don't make those numbers, they will review your application and look for any unique circumstances, if they see something that stands out like an upward trend, postbacc, etc., they will still forward you a secondary.
Click to expand...


Sighhh, again no cali love. I do meet the screen, but I'm a reapplicant. Could that be why? Also, I was verified 7/7
 
Meep just submitted. Fingers crossed! It'd be nice to go to another UC for med school =u=
 
Damn I need to submit this one ASAP.
 
Anyone mind giving criticism and feedback on my secondary?🙂
 
Submitted!

@phuynh94 Mind sharing a few of the dates you were offered? Also congratulations, you have a killer app!
 
.
 
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