2019-2020 UCLA (Geffen)

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issh4335 said:
So is the consensus for the "most important honor" question that it needs to be a REAL award (not a situation where you felt "honored") and must be in college?

I have some unique awards from high school and some situational honors from college, but I'm struggling to come up with something recent that isn't academic/dry.
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Was gonna do the same thing, i don’t know what else to put ..
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Tilertee said:
Hi all!

I'm a non-trad and received a secondary from UCLA last week - I have a question about the 1 year math 'requirement'. I've seen on a brochure that 1 year is required, but on MSAR just says recommended.

For the scholar question asking about completing '1 year of math' yes or no, I only took a semester of stats freshman year so the answer is 'no'.

Since I received a secondary I assume I passed some filter of sorts, but should I upload an optional document explaining that I used math, stats analysis etc when running a company postgrad or not the right move?

Also, for the most meaningful volunteer experience, are people reusing some aspects from the primary app?

Thanks!
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On their website regarding competencies, I gathered it was all “recommended” as well. I also only have 1 semester of math so this could be something worth asking admissions.

Edit: I just went back to the competencies page and saw at the top it says “Required for admission consideration” so quite possibly these are all required!

As for the volunteer experience I talked about something I had used as most meaningful on my primary but changed a few phrases and added a new perspective.
 
notthrowingawaymyshot said:
On their website regarding competencies, I gathered it was all “recommended” as well. I also only have 1 semester of math so this could be something worth asking admissions.

Edit: I just went back to the competencies page and saw at the top it says “Required for admission consideration” so quite possibly these are all required!

As for the volunteer experience I talked about something I had used as most meaningful on my primary but changed a few phrases and added a new perspective.
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The secondary asks if you've taken a year of Spanish. There isn't a Spanish req on their website though..
 
aayz345 said:
The secondary asks if you've taken a year of Spanish. There isn't a Spanish req on their website though..
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I think the Spanish on the secondary was more because the population UCLA serves is very high in Spanish speakers so it’s helpful if you have some fluency in Spanish although likely not an actual requirement since it’s not included on their competencies page on their website
 
notthrowingawaymyshot said:
I think the Spanish on the secondary was more because the population UCLA serves is very high in Spanish speakers so it’s helpful if you have some fluency in Spanish although likely not an actual requirement since it’s not included on their competencies page on their website
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Ah gotcha. I do have fluency in Spanish but never took a course haha
 
issh4335 said:
So is the consensus for the "most important honor" question that it needs to be a REAL award (not a situation where you felt "honored") and must be in college?

I have some unique awards from high school and some situational honors from college, but I'm struggling to come up with something recent that isn't academic/dry.
Click to expand...

I personally don't think it has to be a real award
 
notthrowingawaymyshot said:
On their website regarding competencies, I gathered it was all “recommended” as well. I also only have 1 semester of math so this could be something worth asking admissions.

Edit: I just went back to the competencies page and saw at the top it says “Required for admission consideration” so quite possibly these are all required!

As for the volunteer experience I talked about something I had used as most meaningful on my primary but changed a few phrases and added a new perspective.
Click to expand...

Ok if you also have 1 semester then maybe it's fine this year! I guess we'll just wait and see. I'm hoping since they screen that they did see we had only a semester and either our scores, ECs etc were good enough to pass us through without the 1 year math.

Also about the volunteer, I'm also using an experience from primary and switched it up like you.

Good luck!
 
Tilertee said:
Ok if you also have 1 semester then maybe it's fine this year! I guess we'll just wait and see. I'm hoping since they screen that they did see we had only a semester and either our scores, ECs etc were good enough to pass us through without the 1 year math.

Also about the volunteer, I'm also using an experience from primary and switched it up like you.

Good luck!
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Yeah I might call and confirm at some point just to be sure! Will update if I do.

Good luck to you too! 🙂 :highfive:
 
MemeLord said:
I too have not yet received the secondary. I am high stats as well. Had a mostly inconsequential IA, but I have been informed that this may flag it for manual review and delay the process a bit?
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+1 for waiting on the secondary with good stats but with inconsequential IA!
 
Do UCs not send secondaries without LORs?

Verified a week ago, high stats, haven't received secondaries from any UCs, wondering if its because my school's committee letter hasn't been sent off yet due to one person stalling
 
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seryner said:
Do UCs not send secondaries without LORs?

Verified a week ago, high stats, haven't received secondaries from any UCs, wondering if its because my school's committee letter hasn't been sent off yet due to one person stalling
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I received a secondary before my LOR was in
 
I'm currently filling out their secondary, and as a music major, 5 out of my 7 essays are about music. Should I try and change some of those that I've already written so that they pertain more to the sciences, or do you think it´s ok that I'm putting so much emphasis on the humanities?
 
So, when do y’all think I should reach out about not having a secondary...? Verified 6/4, LizzyM 74.5 (81 effective), WARS (89)
 
MemeLord said:
So, when do y’all think I should reach out about not having a secondary...? Verified 6/4, LizzyM 74.5 (81 effective), WARS (89)
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Reaching out to them will likely get you a very standard reply about holistic review or the time it takes to review apps. It’s probably best to wait it out, instead of contacting them.
 
nurse2doc2367 said:
Reaching out to them will likely get you a very standard reply about holistic review or the time it takes to review apps. It’s probably best to wait it out, instead of contacting them.
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Yah, you are right. Just being impatient...as a non-California resident from the west, there are only 4 schools out West I could comfortably apply to and I am just very anxious about that lol

Thanks.
 
thatguyoverthere said:
I submitted my UCLA app 2 weeks ago and I marked off that I have taken 1 year of mathematics. I took 1 semester of statistics, and I had AP credit for Calc I and II, so I marked off "yes" because I thought that I had read that UCLA accepted AP credit. However, this link here (https://medschool.ucla.edu/workfiles/Site-System/Documents/DGSOMAdmissionsBrochure.pdf) now says that AP credit will not be accepted, and one year of college math is required that includes calc and statistics. Am I ok in still leaving it as "yes" if I just take 1 semester of intro to calc during my senior year? Or since I haven't taken a full year of it thus far I have to change it to "no"? Really don't want to take calc again as a second semester senior either haha...
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Medical School Application | UCLA Medical School

Students admitted by the School of Medicine must meet all medical school requirements necessary to obtain a medical license.
medschool.ucla.edu medschool.ucla.edu

That brochure is outdated. Always look at school websites. AP os acceptable and they are on a competencies basis now.
 
MemeLord said:

Medical School Application | UCLA Medical School

Students admitted by the School of Medicine must meet all medical school requirements necessary to obtain a medical license.
medschool.ucla.edu medschool.ucla.edu

That brochure is outdated. Always look at school websites. AP os acceptable and they are on a competencies basis now.
Click to expand...

Oh thank goodness, thank you so much for saving me from my mini heart attack haha
 
MemeLord said:

Medical School Application | UCLA Medical School

Students admitted by the School of Medicine must meet all medical school requirements necessary to obtain a medical license.
medschool.ucla.edu medschool.ucla.edu

That brochure is outdated. Always look at school websites. AP os acceptable and they are on a competencies basis now.
Click to expand...
When you're saying "Competencies basis" does that mean they are "Recommended" versus "Required", not in regards to chem etc, but for the year math that used to be required that means it's now recommended?
 
Tilertee said:
When you're saying "Competencies basis" does that mean they are "Recommended" versus "Required", not in regards to chem etc, but for the year math that used to be required that means it's now recommended?
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It is that you can demonstrate proficiency.
 
2 questions for my fellow MSTP hopefuls

1) How are you using the "Personal Comments" section? Prompt: "Is there anything that you would like for us to considered when reviewing your MSTP application" 4000 characters. Is this like a "Anything else you want us to know" question where we can say why we want to go to UCLA?

2) Are you only listing your PI(s) under the LOR section? I am wondering if 2 people who oversaw my research thesis writing would be relevant. These 2 people were to fulfill my 2 science instructor LOR requirement, but do you think they are applicable here?
 
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babykarat said:
2 questions for my fellow MSTP hopefuls

1) How are you using the "Personal Comments" section? Prompt: "Is there anything that you would like for us to considered when reviewing your MSTP application" 4000 characters. Is this like a "Anything else you want us to know" question where we can say why we want to go to UCLA?

2) Are you only listing your PI(s) under the LOR section? I am wondering if 2 people who oversaw my research thesis writing would be relevant. These 2 people were to fulfill my 2 science instructor LOR requirement, but do you think they are applicable here?
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1) The secondary is already very long, and I didn't want them to read even more. Left it blank.

2) I was in the same situation since I have people who are familiar with my work but not supervising it. Ended up just putting in my PIs. My reasoning: they have all of your LoRs already; this is just for them to know which ones to focus on.
 
Hello everyone, I have a few questions about the UCLA secondary. I'm applying MSTP, and I'm wondering if I can just copy and paste my "Why MD/PhD" essay into the MD/PhD question? I will probably add to my answer my specific research interests and what UCLA department and faculty I want to work in/with.

As for "most important non-academic volunteer work" and "most important volunteer work"...I've discussed both extensively in my personal statement AND my most meaningful essays. I really can't think of another way of presenting the two. Any advice?

I put in a lot of effort into my primary application and am very happy with my answers. I'm just wondering if it's a waste of time to wrack my brain to reword answers that I am already satisfied with?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey guys, I'm a high-stat applicant and I still have not received a secondary...my application was verified on the first day that submissions opened, so I feel like I should be worried by this point :/
Should I contact them?
Also: I do have an IA on record, which could delay it? I just feel like submitting a secondary, even if I got one in the next week, would be breaching too late.
 
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What are you guys' feelings towards including hs experience in the "most important/unique whatever" prompts? I feel like it's a little unfair to restrict these answers to college, especially if some of the experiences that ignite our passions for medicine occur much earlier than age 18...
 
cheeselover612 said:
What are you guys' feelings towards including hs experience in the "most important/unique whatever" prompts? I feel like it's a little unfair to restrict these answers to college, especially if some of the experiences that ignite our passions for medicine occur much earlier than age 18...
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cheeselover612 said:
What are you guys' feelings towards including hs experience in the "most important/unique whatever" prompts? I feel like it's a little unfair to restrict these answers to college, especially if some of the experiences that ignite our passions for medicine occur much earlier than age 18...
Click to expand...

If it really was formative, then it probably also shaped who you are today. You could probably work that in to make it more relevant. I think it's fine to include HS experiences so long as you aren't using them for every prompt
 
nickster121 said:
Hey guys, I'm a high-stat applicant and I still have not received a secondary...my application was verified on the first day that submissions opened, so I feel like I should be worried by this point :/
Should I contact them?
Also: I do have an IA on record, which could delay it? I just feel like submitting a secondary, even if I got one in the next week, would be breaching too late.
Click to expand...
Same boat
 
Anyone else applying PRIME-LA? Received my Secondary on 7/1...
 
When am I allowed to get worried about not getting a secondary from UCLA MSTP? I received one from UCSD last week.
 
Tan2597 said:
I’m a first generation too and I haven’t really talked about it because I feel a lot of people are first generation so if you have some other hardship you can talk about or if being a first generation really affected you then tell your story
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I'm also first gen and wondering if I should include it in the "anything else" prompts. I figure we don't really need to include it since it's already in our primary app?
 
Just submitted secondary. Did not notice the 15-day deadline until I saw it on SDN today. Frantically wrote all of them and submitted the application in the last hour on the 15th day after I received the secondary invite. Hope this won't be a problem...nevertheless my chances for an interview invite from UCLA is low :/
 
onedaymore1128 said:
Just submitted secondary. Did not notice the 15-day deadline until I saw it on SDN today. Frantically wrote all of them and submitted the application in the last hour on the 15th day after I received the secondary invite. Hope this won't be a problem...nevertheless my chances for an interview invite from UCLA is low :/
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It is actually a 30 day deadline.
 
cheeselover612 said:
What are you guys' feelings towards including hs experience in the "most important/unique whatever" prompts? I feel like it's a little unfair to restrict these answers to college, especially if some of the experiences that ignite our passions for medicine occur much earlier than age 18...
Click to expand...
I didn’t not take it at all to mean restricted to college. I talked about something I was apart of when I was young that really ingrained some of my greatest qualities today
 
aayz345 said:
I'm also first gen and wondering if I should include it in the "anything else" prompts. I figure we don't really need to include it since it's already in our primary app?
Click to expand...
I personally included it as a hardship.
 
How did you all address the problem prompt? It seems like they are looking for a single personal event.
 
Secondary received just now (IS), my stats are below both of the supposed cutoffs
 
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