2017-2018 University of Florida

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Munty said:
Hey everyone,

I'm a rising second year, and I help with the admissions welcoming committee on interview days at UF. If you have any questions about the school please don't hesitate to message me! I really love being here and want to make sure everyone is informed about the school and application process.

Good luck in applying to med school, its a very long but potentially very rewarding adventure.
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Hi!
In the secondary application, is the "additional info" space (250-500 words) mainly for applicants to explain any academic difficulties/adversities experienced? Thank you in advance for your help!
 
Madrilena13 said:
Hi!
In the secondary application, is the "additional info" space (250-500 words) mainly for applicants to explain any academic difficulties/adversities experienced? Thank you in advance for your help!
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If those topics haven't been covered anywhere else in your application and you feel like you need to address them, go ahead and write it. Just dont repeat a bunch of info they already know. If you have nothing important to your application to add, just leave it out.
 
Munty said:
If those topics haven't been covered anywhere else in your application and you feel like you need to address them, go ahead and write it. Just dont repeat a bunch of info they already know. If you have nothing important to your application to add, just leave it out.
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Thank you!
 
WatchHowISoar said:
Hi everyone,
I'm about to start at UF in just a few weeks as an M1! I'm beyond excited to be a Florida Gator and I hope many of you will join us next fall.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions about the essays, interview, UF's program, etc.
FYI: I'm IS for Florida. My LizzyM was 72 and I came from a top 15 undergrad. I completed the UF secondary 7/22, received my II 12/23, interviewed 1/20, and was accepted 1/31.


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One more question unless you've already started - did you add anything in the additional info spot on the application when you applied last year? Everything is ready to go in my app except for that. The application seems a little generic - like there's no way for any of us to stand out. I thought about a brief explanation of my freshman year grades and then maybe something about how I think. Or is that unnecessary?
 
DBC03 said:
One more question unless you've already started - did you add anything in the additional info spot on the application when you applied last year? Everything is ready to go in my app except for that. The application seems a little generic - like there's no way for any of us to stand out. I thought about a brief explanation of my freshman year grades and then maybe something about how I think. Or is that unnecessary?
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If you and your pre-med advisor feel that your Freshman grades need to be explained, then include that. If not, I wouldn't put anything. "How you think" sounds like it would be an essay they didn't ask for, and doesn't really address their request for additional info. More appropriate responses there would be stuff like: explanations for grades, other deficiencies, app inconsistencies; explaining that a disability/condition you may have mentioned in the application will be "fully-functioning" for medical school; any extraordinary circumstances that got you where you are


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WatchHowISoar said:
If you and your pre-med advisor feel that your Freshman grades need to be explained, then include that. If not, I wouldn't put anything. "How you think" sounds like it would be an essay they didn't ask for, and doesn't really address their request for additional info. More appropriate responses there would be stuff like: explanations for grades, other deficiencies, app inconsistencies; explaining that a disability/condition you may have mentioned in the application will be "fully-functioning" for medical school; any extraordinary circumstances that got you where you are


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Thanks! I feel the same as what you stated - yet it seems like everyone thinks you have to fill out an extra essay whenever it is asked. I can't figure out if that would help or possibly hurt my chances. I will explain grades as there were extenuating circumstances, but won't go into other details.


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how much favor does UF place on IS/OOS. I am OOS but I am doing my undergrad in Florida and hoping this constitutes ties to the state.
 
amg_la said:
how much favor does UF place on IS/OOS. I am OOS but I am doing my undergrad in Florida and hoping this constitutes ties to the state.
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According to the most recent data on US News
OOS:
Applied: 2151
Interviewed:85..........OOS interview rate: 3.9%
Accepted: 56.............OOS II=>A rate: 65.9%

Compared to
IS:
Applied: 2466
Interviewed:304.........OOS interview rate: 12.3%
Accepted: 175 ...........OOS II=>A rate: 57.6%

The OOS interview rates are actually really bad for Florida compared to most places, but if you get the interview then you have a really great shot at getting in. I'm sure that doing your undergrad in Florida could only help. I'm betting that most of the OOS IIs have some sort of "Florida Connection".
I'm OOS with an OOS undergrad, but UF would probably be my first choice so I decided to play the odds anyway. Can't hurt right?
 
Last edited:
Last year 13 people were accepted off WL.
This year ZERO people were accepted off WL.
UF doesn't interview much, if you get one, you have a good chance of straight acceptance.
(This post will be helpful in six months lol)
 
II tonight !!!!! Via email (idk why they didn't call since others got phone calls 🙁 oh well, at least their ears weren't punctured by squeals of joy) I'm over the moon since this is my first II and *definitely* top choice in-state! If it helps: I had been complete since mid-late July, but just last night I added an update about my gap year employment and ECs. Could've been the extra push to get the II. Who knows.

Best of luck to all of you! The silence was killing me. Hopefully all goes well this interview season and we could end up being future MS1s together 🙂
 
Congrats to those interviewing and good luck! Would anyone mind sharing their stats through here or in a message? 🙂
 
ThisIsFine. said:
II tonight !!!!! Via email (idk why they didn't call since others got phone calls 🙁 oh well, at least their ears weren't punctured by squeals of joy) I'm over the moon since this is my first II and *definitely* top choice in-state! If it helps: I had been complete since mid-late July, but just last night I added an update about my gap year employment and ECs. Could've been the extra push to get the II. Who knows.

Best of luck to all of you! The silence was killing me. Hopefully all goes well this interview season and we could end up being future MS1s together 🙂
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Did you update through the portal? I have my one grade back from my summer class, have started volunteering, and have my final course list for this semester. Would it be worth adding something about that to the portal as it is mostly the same as what I said I *would* be doing? (ie I am actually doing what I said I would be doing - only now it's official. Is it worth updating to confirm that I'm actually doing it?)
 
DBC03 said:
Did you update through the portal? I have my one grade back from my summer class, have started volunteering, and have my final course list for this semester. Would it be worth adding something about that to the portal as it is mostly the same as what I said I *would* be doing? (ie I am actually doing what I said I would be doing - only now it's official. Is it worth updating to confirm that I'm actually doing it?)
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Hiya! I'm not sure-- I actually didn't know exactly what I would be doing this academic year when I had submitted my secondary. Thus, my employment was an update that was completely new and for which I had no specifics at the time of initial submission. If you're doing what you said in the secondary, it's up to you if it's worth reiterating in an update. I don't know your situation; I only know mine! But yes, I did update through the portal.
 
ThisIsFine. said:
Hiya! I'm not sure-- I actually didn't know exactly what I would be doing this academic year when I had submitted my secondary. Thus, my employment was an update that was completely new and for which I had no specifics at the time of initial submission. If you're doing what you said in the secondary, it's up to you if it's worth reiterating in an update. I don't know your situation; I only know mine! But yes, I did update through the portal.
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Thanks! That's helpful!


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loveminuszero said:
Hi! I interviewed here very recently and LOVED it. On interview day, someone briefly mentioned that UF is now giving out merit aid. I'm wondering if any of the current students here can comment on that. How generous are these merit scholarships? Who is eligible? When are they given out? Thank you!
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Hey! I'm glad to hear your interview day experience at UF was a positive one. Faculty/staff/students certainly work hard to make it so! I can only speak to my own experience, but I was labelled as "SES disadvantaged" on my app and was a pretty competitive applicant (very early interview offer and acceptance), and I only received about $8,000 for the year (out of ~58k annual cost of attendance). Both of the scholarships I received were merit-based, but one took financial need into consideration. That said, while merit-based scholarships do exist, they typically do still look at "need", and there are not a whole lot of them (which UF admits and is striving to improve upon). More scholarships do become available in later years, but many are based on your interest in a particular speciality (and other oddly specific criteria).
 
sparkle_jumprope_queen said:
Any questions, guys?? We just finished Genetics block this past Friday and I'm feeling chatty.
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Can you tell us what they are looking for in applicants? Do they ever accept low GPA applicants with high MCATs and a really good GPA trend? I'm sure I'll have more questions later!


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sparkle_jumprope_queen said:
Any questions, guys?? We just finished Genetics block this past Friday and I'm feeling chatty.
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Do you mind telling us about your interview experience? Did you find that the two one-on-one interviews were relaxed and mostly conversational? Just looking for your thoughts in general.
 
Hi everyone, I am a current student here. I see a few others have been answering questions, feel free to reach out to any of us regarding the school and interview process. I'm more than happy to give some input and hopefully be of help in the decision-making process. Best wishes.
 
ThisIsFine. said:
Do you mind telling us about your interview experience? Did you find that the two one-on-one interviews were relaxed and mostly conversational? Just looking for your thoughts in general.
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If I recall correctly, we had a couple of presentations in the morning followed by a demo in the simulation center, interviews and a tour after lunch, and financial aid at the end of the day. You also have your picture taken with Albert the Gator. My first interviewer was absolutely awesome (many shared interests, we ended up talking about those) and he's a specialist in a field I'd like to pursue. My second interviewer was very chill although he had to take a patient-related call in the middle so I awkwardly sat there twiddling my thumbs. Overall a low-stress, positive experience and I left thoroughly impressed by the school.
 
DBC03 said:
Can you tell us what they are looking for in applicants? Do they ever accept low GPA applicants with high MCATs and a really good GPA trend? I'm sure I'll have more questions later!


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I don't believe there's a GPA cutoff. The admissions committee looks at the whole application and aims to build a well-rounded class with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Most students are in-state but in recent years the proportion of out-of-staters has gone up. Half of our class is older than 24, half is below, and during orientation we were told some of the super impressive accomplishments of our classmates. Lots of community service - "humanistic medicine" and "patient-centered" are themes and the essay prompts reflect this. Definitely not all about numbers, if you have a compelling story to tell you'll get a look. That doesn't apply to just here but at a lot of other places too.
 
Welshman said:
How's the social scene in Med school?
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Like they say, it is what you make of it. Being a college town with 50,000+ students (although the med school is kind of separate from the main campus), there's plenty to get involved in and lots going on. Within the med school there are many interest group meetings (free food provided, hint hint), and during orientation there were several mixers to meet everyone else. Some people go out most weekends/host events (e.g. GoT, board games) or parties at their place/go on trips outside Gainesville, you can certainly make time for it if you stay on track and are disciplined with the material. There's no pressure though, others prefer a night in (e.g. Netflix, catching up with stuff) so you have the complete spectrum. You should definitely take an hour everyday to destress and do something fun for the sake of your sanity and also reward yourself after a long week, within reason of course since we have weekend quizzes. The beach (wouldn't recommend at this particular moment in time) and Jacksonville are about an hour away and Orlando/Tampa 2 hours if you're craving a bigger city. Sports are also a big deal here with IM, attending tailgates/football games, and playing pickup games. Overall I would say there's no shortage of things to do outside class especially given the sunny weather most of the year, the tough part is picking and choosing what to go to since you can't attend everything, and striking an appropriate balance between academics and social activities.
 
ThisIsFine. said:
Do you mind telling us about your interview experience? Did you find that the two one-on-one interviews were relaxed and mostly conversational? Just looking for your thoughts in general.
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Hi, sorry for the delayed response time-- I mostly check this right after an exam! I don't think I would use the word "relaxed" per se seeing as medical school interviews are just inherently stressful. I will say that, based on my own interview experience and those of others, that some interviewers will go by the "list" of questions that's been provided for them and others will just fly by the seat of their pants. Depending on your preference, you may prefer the former or the latter-- I had one of each on interview day. That said, I don't think interview prep [in the traditional sense] would be very beneficial for a UF interview day just because the possible topics are so broad and variable between interviewers.

Your best "prep" would be practicing talking to others about your accomplishments and how you think they will translate into skills as a future physician, about current topics in health care and health policy, and practice having conversations with people who "intimidate" you. That is, don't just practice these topics with friends and family-- sit down with a professor or boss and try to have a meaningful, intellectual conversation. I personally get VERY nervous during interviews, so meeting with my boss and two former professors the week before interview day was an excellent way for me to practice sounding knowledgable and confident. I know this sounds crazy, but confidence is actually much more important than the actual content of your responses during the interview [provided you don't say something really outlandish]. You can be the most knowledgable physician in the world, but if you don't convey that knowledge with confidence, the patient will not take you seriously...this is why I think that confidence is valued so highly during the interview. Plus, so many people are visibly nervous on interview day that being confident (Note: NOT over-the-top cocky) will really make you stand out.

So #1 pro-tip = confidence. #2 pro-tip is show that you are likable and someone that other people would want to be around. Make an effort to strike up conversation with fellow interviewees, 2nd year students, etc; While these interactions aren't part of the "formal" interview, I can almost guarantee that they will be noted. (Plus-- it just makes for a better interview day for everyone!)

pro-tip #3 = stamina. I can't speak for others but interview days really knocked the wind out of me. By 3pm, I had blisters on my feet and I was biting my lip to stay awake. Just make sure as tired as you are by the end of the day that you stay engaged because similar to #2, this is something that will be noticed. Med school itself consists of many long, hard days on your feet and interview day is just the first of many.

I know this was a random conglomeration of advice but hopefully I somewhat answered your question but let me know if there are any other specifics you'd like me to address.
 
Any IIs recently? I feel like this thread is rather quiet in terms of IIs, do they maybe only send them out once a month or something?
 
The Unburnt said:
Any IIs recently? I feel like this thread is rather quiet in terms of IIs, do they maybe only send them out once a month or something?
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I feel like most FL schools have had quiet threads when it comes to II lately, hopefully that means the silence will break soon.
 
DBC03 said:
I was thinking the same thing. I would be thrilled if I got an II here, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
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april5115 said:
I feel like most FL schools have had quiet threads when it comes to II lately, hopefully that means the silence will break soon.
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Yeah same here! I know they don't send out many interview invites to begin with so hopefully the silence means they've only sent out a small percentage of that small number.
 
DBC03 said:
Oh my gosh. Those are so close to my stats. I graduated forever ago, though (well before 2012), so I'm still nervous I'm too old.
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The Unburnt said:
Any IIs recently? I feel like this thread is rather quiet in terms of IIs, do they maybe only send them out once a month or something?
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I got the II call 9/19, scheduled II for 10/20. IS 520, 3.99, complete around 8/11
 
This is making me nervous since I was complete 08/04 (admittedly just before the weekend). It looks like they are past my date at this point, but I'm hoping they are getting caught up post-hurricane...
 
DBC03 said:
This is making me nervous since I was complete 08/04 (admittedly just before the weekend). It looks like they are past my date at this point, but I'm hoping they are getting caught up post-hurricane...[/QUOTE
DBC03 said:
This is making me nervous since I was complete 08/04 (admittedly just before the weekend). It looks like they are past my date at this point, but I'm hoping they are getting caught up post-hurricane...
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I honestly wouldn’t worry because there’s a good chance they don’t go in submission order like a lot of schools!
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DBC03 said:
This is making me nervous since I was complete 08/04 (admittedly just before the weekend). It looks like they are past my date at this point, but I'm hoping they are getting caught up post-hurricane...
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Yeah, I sincerely doubt that they go in order, because I've had all my secondaries done since July and only one II thus far, and I think my app is decently competitive.

Schools have different priorities, and will sort applicants based on those.
 
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