2019-2020 UCLA (Geffen)

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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A_Sentient_Ape said:
I'm at a loss for the unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity prompt. My most important volunteering experience could definitely work for it because I coordinated a group of volunteers to regularly teach a healthy cooking class for a community health center. But as I said this is definitely my most important volunteering experience and I do not have anything even vaguely as good to replace it with for the volunteering prompt.

So here is my (terrible) plan of attack...in college I got really into ceramics for a year as a way to cope with stress and a few other unfortunate life events. The prompt asks for "unique" activities, not the most important or most time spent on creative/leadership/entrepreneurial activities....so would this work? I'm no maestro at ceramics, but it is pretty unique...what do people think?
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I would use the most meaningful volunteer experience to talk about every part but the leadership then use the leadership to talk about that
 
A_Sentient_Ape said:
I'm at a loss for the unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity prompt. My most important volunteering experience could definitely work for it because I coordinated a group of volunteers to regularly teach a healthy cooking class for a community health center. But as I said this is definitely my most important volunteering experience and I do not have anything even vaguely as good to replace it with for the volunteering prompt.

So here is my (terrible) plan of attack...in college I got really into ceramics for a year as a way to cope with stress and a few other unfortunate life events. The prompt asks for "unique" activities, not the most important or most time spent on creative/leadership/entrepreneurial activities....so would this work? I'm no maestro at ceramics, but it is pretty unique...what do people think?
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I personally really like your idea of using the ceramics to address "unique creative activity". I think schools like to see new and different information in essays. It should be obvious from your community health center volunteer experience that you had a great leadership role there. Go with ceramics!!! But that's just my two cents... Edit: i'm also a non-maestro ceramics lover/doer lol
 
Do we have 30 days or 15 days to complete the secondary? In the email we received it says, " You have THIRTY days (30) from the date and time of this email, in which to complete your supplemental application." but on their admissions timeline webpage it says "Supplemental application deadline: 15 days after the date of the supplemental application request letter, or October 15th, 2019, whichever is earlier."

Any clarification is much appreciated!
 
A_Sentient_Ape said:
I'm at a loss for the unique leadership, entrepreneurial, or creative activity prompt. My most important volunteering experience could definitely work for it because I coordinated a group of volunteers to regularly teach a healthy cooking class for a community health center. But as I said this is definitely my most important volunteering experience and I do not have anything even vaguely as good to replace it with for the volunteering prompt.

So here is my (terrible) plan of attack...in college I got really into ceramics for a year as a way to cope with stress and a few other unfortunate life events. The prompt asks for "unique" activities, not the most important or most time spent on creative/leadership/entrepreneurial activities....so would this work? I'm no maestro at ceramics, but it is pretty unique...what do people think?
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Ceramics is definitely creative! Just write about in a meaningful way and you’ll be fine.
 
caffeinatedMD8 said:
Do we have 30 days or 15 days to complete the secondary? In the email we received it says, " You have THIRTY days (30) from the date and time of this email, in which to complete your supplemental application." but on their admissions timeline webpage it says "Supplemental application deadline: 15 days after the date of the supplemental application request letter, or October 15th, 2019, whichever is earlier."

Any clarification is much appreciated!
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Would definitely go with the 15 days just in case. The earlier is always better.
 
I’m a little concerned about my answers because in a way a lot of them are repeating the primary. Those are just the best responses to talk about so I don’t know what else to do.
 
respectedmadman said:
I’m a little concerned about my answers because in a way a lot of them are repeating the primary. Those are just the best responses to talk about so I don’t know what else to do.
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Same here! I think a lot of us are in the same boat and I’m sure they expect a lot of it to be similar as well
 
Do you guys feel like they didn't screen this year? Everyone I know got a secondary.
 
unicornbasil said:
Do you guys feel like they didn't screen this year? Everyone I know got a secondary.
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In previous years they didn’t start sending them out so early, so they are doing something differently. But not everyone has received one. Read earlier posts in the thread.
 
From last year’s thread: “Our pre-secondary screening process blinds the reviewers to your numbers in order to make it as holistic a review as possible, but it also means our process takes longer than many other schools who don't blind (or prescreen at all) similarly.”
 
EmbryonalCarcinoma said:
From last year’s thread: “Our pre-secondary screening process blinds the reviewers to your numbers in order to make it as holistic a review as possible, but it also means our process takes longer than many other schools who don't blind (or prescreen at all) similarly.”
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Maybe they just set mine aside because I filled out all 15 activities with the maximum characters and nobody wants to read all that nonsense.
 
Does someone want to exchange secondaries? I would love some feedback before I submit
 
I don't think they're actually screening. I sent them my primary on Tues and got the secondary on Wed. As much as I'd like to think they looked at my app, it isn't very likely (that I skipped ahead of everyone else in the screening process). My numbers aren't super amazing either :/
 
PierreMD said:
I don't think they're actually screening. I sent them my primary on Tues and got the secondary on Wed. As much as I'd like to think they looked at my app, it isn't very likely (that I skipped ahead of everyone else in the screening process). My numbers aren't super amazing either :/
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oh bummer. that's what i thought, but still disappointing 🙁
 
EmbryonalCarcinoma said:
Nobody here knows for sure.
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We will know when I send my "May I speak to your manager" email on Monday

270324
 
PierreMD said:
I don't think they're actually screening. I sent them my primary on Tues and got the secondary on Wed. As much as I'd like to think they looked at my app, it isn't very likely (that I skipped ahead of everyone else in the screening process). My numbers aren't super amazing either :/
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My numbers aren't amazing either, but I got verified on 5/31, and I haven't received a secondary yet 🙁 I've seen a few people here who have gotten the secondary a day after submitting the primary. Sooo I'm wondering if they are doing it alphabetically? My last name is in the middle of the alphabet lol. :/ Who knows
 
alwayseating said:
My numbers aren't amazing either, but I got verified on 5/31, and I haven't received a secondary yet 🙁 I've seen a few people here who have gotten the secondary a day after submitting the primary. Sooo I'm wondering if they are doing it alphabetically? My last name is in the middle of the alphabet lol. :/ Who knows
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Nah, I am an H and haven't received it and I know one of the other folks on this thread is also an H. It literally seems so random.
 
alwayseating said:
My numbers aren't amazing either, but I got verified on 5/31, and I haven't received a secondary yet 🙁 I've seen a few people here who have gotten the secondary a day after submitting the primary. Sooo I'm wondering if they are doing it alphabetically? My last name is in the middle of the alphabet lol. :/ Who knows
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It has been less than a week since primaries were transmitted to schools... Even schools that don't screen at all send them in small batches so they don't overload their system. If you haven't gotten a secondary by the end of this month, then you can start to wonder.
 
alwayseating said:
My numbers aren't amazing either, but I got verified on 5/31, and I haven't received a secondary yet 🙁 I've seen a few people here who have gotten the secondary a day after submitting the primary. Sooo I'm wondering if they are doing it alphabetically? My last name is in the middle of the alphabet lol. :/ Who knows
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My last name starts with T, so reverse alphabetically 🙂
 
MemeLord said:
You can say that because you got it. It is stressful...
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True, but other people have gotten Tulane's, UChicago's, Nortwestern's, Harvard's, and NYU's and I haven't gotten those ones yet. They will come. 🙂
 
MemeLord said:
LOL All of those schools didn't send out the same sheer volume that UCLA did...
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It is just worrying when it seems they are not doing it alphabetically, reverse alphabetically, by stats, by time of verification. It makes one wonder how they are screening
 
PierreMD said:
I don't think they're actually screening. I sent them my primary on Tues and got the secondary on Wed. As much as I'd like to think they looked at my app, it isn't very likely (that I skipped ahead of everyone else in the screening process). My numbers aren't super amazing either :/
Click to expand...
I believe they have a screen based on a mix of stats and EC’s. I remember reading somewhere it might be a screen done through a third party and then gets looked at by real humans. Unsure how accurate this but I know they must screen since many people haven’t received them!
 
I got a secondary the day after I was verified (7/3) and my MCAT is from April 2017.... Their cutoff is June 2017 so I don't think they are screening.
I'm a CA resident
 
What are they doing then!?! I need to see their manager because I haven’t gotten a secondary...patience is a virtue I do not have lol
 
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I wanted to run some ideas by this thread before committing to submitting them:

1) Most important non-academic activity: Would it be ok if I wrote about my responsibilities to my family? Family has been the most important thing to me (I'm sure this is true for many). Since young, I was was the translator of both language and American culture for my family. As I grew up I resolved larger problems. Currently, I still translate and advocate for my family in medical, financial, cultural, situations as well as household matters. I've been supporting my mother in improving her mental health. I am hesitant to write about this because...well it is sort of expected you do this for your family.

2) "...ONE most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity" - I wanted to talk about my undergrad job where I basically came up with ideas, asked for money, and led efforts to make the ideas happen. Should I talk about the overall job, giving bits and pieces of each project, or should I not even talk about the job and just talk about the biggest project I did?

7) Describe a problem in your life - Is this more of a current problem or more of past adversity? Was thinking of writing about being 1st gen and attending underperforming schools. But obviously not if this is a question about more current problems.

10) Where do you see yourself post-graduate education? - would it be ok to use the line "follow in the footsteps of my physician role models" somewhere?

As always, thanks and much appreciated.
 
My best bet for who has and who hasn't received secondaries is probably just that they sent a batch of them to a pre-screen reviewer who was very on top of things and went through their entire batch very quickly, while other reviewers are a bit slower.

I'll note that I did receive my secondary and have already submitted it.
 
Seihai said:
My best bet for who has and who hasn't received secondaries is probably just that they sent a batch of them to a pre-screen reviewer who was very on top of things and went through their entire batch very quickly, while other reviewers are a bit slower.

I'll note that I did receive my secondary and have already submitted it.
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Could also just be that pre/intra/post 4th of July funk lol. Yall are overstressing for nothing. (I haven't heard from Harvard or NYU).
 
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Fruitjuice said:
I wanted to run some ideas by this thread before committing to submitting them:

1) Most important non-academic activity: Would it be ok if I wrote about my responsibilities to my family? Family has been the most important thing to me (I'm sure this is true for many). Since young, I was was the translator of both language and American culture for my family. As I grew up I resolved larger problems. Currently, I still translate and advocate for my family in medical, financial, cultural, situations as well as household matters. I've been supporting my mother in improving her mental health. I am hesitant to write about this because...well it is sort of expected you do this for your family.

2) "...ONE most unique leadership, entrepreneurial or creative activity" - I wanted to talk about my undergrad job where I basically came up with ideas, asked for money, and led efforts to make the ideas happen. Should I talk about the overall job, giving bits and pieces of each project, or should I not even talk about the job and just talk about the biggest project I did?

7) Describe a problem in your life - Is this more of a current problem or more of past adversity? Was thinking of writing about being 1st gen and attending underperforming schools. But obviously not if this is a question about more current problems.

10) Where do you see yourself post-graduate education? - would it be ok to use the line "follow in the footsteps of my physician role models" somewhere?

As always, thanks and much appreciated.
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1) I like that a lot. I went with my relationship with my fiance for that one, so I'm totally on board with your family essay.
2) You don't have much space, so probably need to keep it fairly specific to the one project.
7) Since it is about how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth, I imagine it needs to a problem/adversity situation in your past (or if current, at least something that didn't start recently and you've learned from it).
10) Honestly, that sounds placating. Get as specific as you can, private practice or academic medicine? Interest in particular field of medicine or working with particular patient populations? I think schools know many people will change their minds so don't worry about pigeon-holing yourself.
 
MrsDrDr said:
10) Honestly, that sounds placating. Get as specific as you can, private practice or academic medicine? Interest in particular field of medicine or working with particular patient populations? I think schools know many people will change their minds so don't worry about pigeon-holing yourself.
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Oops, I didn't mean that I was just going to be like "I want to follow in the footsteps of my role models...the end", I was going to talk about how I wanted to work with a specific community and I have two specific role models who I want to follow (who also work with that community but in different capacities, and I want to merge those two capacities). I'm asking because I was worried that the whole "following role models" trope will make their eyeballs roll lol, especially at a school focused on producing "leaders" and not followers.
 
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Anyone has any idea about the strict cut offs? Im not sure if I should send an app here given my GPA is below the presumedly 3.4 minimum.
 
Fruitjuice said:
Oops, I didn't mean that I was just going to be like "I want to follow in the footsteps of my role models...the end", I was going to talk about how I wanted to work with a specific community and I have two specific role models who I want to follow (who also work with that community but in different capacities, and I want to merge those two capacities). I'm asking because I was worried that the whole "following role models" trope will make their eyeballs roll lol, especially at a school focused on producing "leaders" and not followers.
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haha ok that's probably better! Focus on what you want to do though, not what they already do.
 
They're giving MSTP applicants 4000 characters to "describe your role in this research." How... technical should it be, do you guys think?

Also, not quite sure what this means (also 4000 characters):
"Personal Comments (Is there anything that you would like for us to consider when reviewing your MSTP application)"
 
Sarasa Zebra said:
They're giving MSTP applicants 4000 characters to "describe your role in this research." How... technical should it be, do you guys think?
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In this research project that explores the influence of rainbow water on the effect of the quantity of unicorn poop, we have found/learned xxxx. I had a significant contribution in this project by xxx and xxx .....

Sarasa Zebra said:
Also, not quite sure what this means (also 4000 characters):
"Personal Comments (Is there anything that you would like for us to consider when reviewing your MSTP application)"
Click to expand...



Take it literally. Do you have anything you would want the admin to consider when reviewing your MSTP application, that you have NOT ALREADY ADDRESSED somewhere else on your application?
 
Laix said:
In this research project that explores the influence of rainbow water on the effect of the quantity of unicorn poop, we have found/learned xxxx. I had a significant contribution in this project by xxx and xxx .....
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Hmmm, guess it's just been feeling really redundant with the work/activities, the research essay, and now this. Ah, well.

Laix said:
Take it literally. Do you have anything you would want the admin to consider when reviewing your MSTP application, that you have NOT ALREADY ADDRESSED somewhere else on your application?
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Do you think they mean specifically information only relevant to an MSTP application or just generally "any other optional stuff"?
 
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