2020-2021 UC Irvine

[deleted1062149]

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Y’all relax. COVID has delayed the cycle for everyone, including admissions committees. I remember the former dean of UCI SOM came to talk to my research group once and she said that they only have like 5? people including her in their office screening every single application before sending out a secondary to select people. I also read on the AAMC website that there is a record number of applications this year. With the pandemic and a high number of applications, it’s guaranteed that it is going to take awhile for them to look at each app.

We should be thankful that they don’t give secondaries to everyone. It means they only take your money if they believe you have a real chance. In the same vein, manually looking at each app takes time. Let’s be patient haha

Yes, but all the UC schools do this sort of screening, as does Vanderbilt, etc and all of them have sent their secondaries. If students were able to adapt to these changes, admission committees can too. It's a matter of professionalism and time management at this point.

 

[Smareo]

UCSD said they’re not screening this year.
UCR still hasn’t sent theirs out.
UC Davis’ thread shows that a majority of SDNers haven’t gotten a secondary yet.
UCSF only had secondary movement a few days ago.

The only exception is UCLA with now being on II’s but I heard that they didn’t do their usual screen this year.

It’s still relatively early. Also, some people in this thread HAVE gotten a secondary, so it’s not like UCI hasn’t started sending them at all.

Just curious where'd you hear UCSD didn't screen this year?

 

[NavyBlueScrubs]

UCSD said they’re not screening this year.
UCR still hasn’t sent theirs out.
UC Davis’ thread shows that a majority of SDNers haven’t gotten a secondary yet.
UCSF only had secondary movement a few days ago.

The only exception is UCLA with now being on II’s but I heard that they didn’t do their usual screen this year.

It’s still relatively early. Also, some people in this thread HAVE gotten a secondary, so it’s not like UCI hasn’t started sending them at all.

Where did you hear that UCSD doesn’t screen??? I got an email from UCSD SOM indicating my application has been received and additional SCREENING is required before determining if I’ll receive a secondary.

 

[benignradical]

I'm pretty sure UCSD screens lol. If you receive a secondary automatically, you've likely passed their auto-screen (stat check, IS, etc.; Not sure exactly what metrics they use). Have friends who submitted their primary way earlier than I did and only just received a secondary, likely due to manual screening. I received mine 12 hours after adding it to my primary.

Pretty sure all UC's do this type of screening, except for UCSF which has a much harsher, fit-based screen.

EDIT: ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ UCI GIB ME SECONDARY ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

 

[mdhopeful99]

+1 IS Secondary came in at 2am.

Also, anyone know how to handle the activities section?

"Please list those activities that are most important to you, for the most part these include activities listed on your AMCAS application. This information will serve as a summary of your key activities and will be used by the Admissions Committee when screening your application."

But each of the subsections is labeled "Add New Research Activity" or Add New Clinical Activity"

Not sure if I am just repeating my AMCAS 15 experiences and adding anything new or only adding anything new I've done (BTW it only asks for dates and hours, not description)

Anyone have any input on this?

 

[LMXBTS]

Delayed as in they're still screening for secondaries? I still haven't received a secondary or application received email :/ instate

The reply was kind of vague they just said “currently reviewing applications for consideration of the next phase“. And I am in the same boat as many of you, - IS, no secondary from UCI, but already received secondaries from other UCs

 

[PlzLetMeIntoMedSchool363]

+1 IS Secondary came in at 2am.

Also, anyone know how to handle the activities section?

"Please list those activities that are most important to you, for the most part these include activities listed on your AMCAS application. This information will serve as a summary of your key activities and will be used by the Admissions Committee when screening your application."

But each of the subsections is labeled "Add New Research Activity" or Add New Clinical Activity"

Not sure if I am just repeating my AMCAS 15 experiences and adding anything new or only adding anything new I've done (BTW it only asks for dates and hours, not description)

Anyone have any input on this?

Seems like an opportunity to add anything if you didn't include it on your primary, but more so a snapshot overview of all your activities. Good luck!
Can you post the secondary prompts/confirm they are the same as last year if they are

 

[lovepickles]

no secondary yet which makes me really sad bc UCI was one of my top schools 🙁

 

[roasted_oolong]

no secondary yet which makes me really sad bc UCI was one of my top schools 🙁

I think that most ppl haven't received it yet (incl. me and all the other IS applicants I know)

 

[deleted1040408]

is there any why us? on the secondary? I'm OOS so how do I make my case?

 

[mdhopeful99]

Seems like an opportunity to add anything if you didn't include it on your primary, but more so a snapshot overview of all your activities. Good luck!
Can you post the secondary prompts/confirm they are the same as last year if they are

Prompts are exactly the same as last year

*edit* important piece to know that seems pretty unique to UCI is that the 1500 character count DOES NOT include spaces - which gives you an additional sentence or two!

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge or disappointment you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience.

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. If you have just received or will receive your undergraduate degree this year, please discuss your plans for current year.

 

[mdhopeful99]

is there any why us? on the secondary? I'm OOS so how do I make my case?

No why us - but there are unique ways to incorporate. Perhaps if you are taking a gap year you talk about what you are doing and how you feel it aligns with UCI values, maybe cite a community outreach program they offer that fascinates you in the closing sentence of this prompt. There are ways to get unique with it. It may be important to not reach for anything though, if there is something about the school that really excites you go ahead and mention it. But I feel as though adcoms can see right through an applicant that isn't authentic so I wouldn't force it.

That being said, I didn't really have room or the ability to fluidly incorporate a "why us?" response and am willing to bet that given the secondary prompts that most applicants don't. Again, this is just going off my gut instinct and what I've heard from fellow applicants. Do what you feel is most comfortable and, importantly, most authentically you.

Best of luck!

 

[benignradical]

No why us - but there are unique ways to incorporate. Perhaps if you are taking a gap year you talk about what you are doing and how you feel it aligns with UCI values, maybe cite a community outreach program they offer that fascinates you in the closing sentence of this prompt. There are ways to get unique with it. It may be important to not reach for anything though, if there is something about the school that really excites you go ahead and mention it. But I feel as though adcoms can see right through an applicant that isn't authentic so I wouldn't force it.

That being said, I didn't really have room or the ability to fluidly incorporate a "why us?" response and am willing to bet that given the secondary prompts that most applicants don't. Again, this is just going off my gut instinct and what I've heard from fellow applicants. Do what you feel is most comfortable and, importantly, most authentically you.

Best of luck!

Congrats on being the only person ever to receive a UCI secondary lol. Did you apply to any special programs or have anything unique about your application?

 

[PlzLetMeIntoMedSchool363]

thank you sir

Prompts are exactly the same as last year

*edit* important piece to know that seems pretty unique to UCI is that the 1500 character count DOES NOT include spaces - which gives you an additional sentence or two!

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge or disappointment you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience.

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. If you have just received or will receive your undergraduate degree this year, please discuss your plans for current year.

thank you!

 

[lovepickles]

I think that most ppl haven't received it yet (incl. me and all the other IS applicants I know)

that makes me feel better, thank you!!

 

[Morgan1593]

Wow, was literally reading this thread because I was worried since I hadn't received a secondary from here yet, and mins later I received one at exactly 2 am. Never received one my first app cycle so hoping this is good news!

 

[takemercyonme]

Wow, was literally reading this thread because I was worried since I hadn't received a secondary from here yet, and mins later I received one at exactly 2 am. Never received one my first app cycle so hoping this is good news!

+1

 

[wstand]

Just received secondary as well! This marked the end of my secondary invitation 🙂 I just have to stop procrastinating...

 

[7summers]

Secondary Received! Was verified 06/16! Been waiting awhile so there’s hope guys!

 

[mdhopeful99]

Congrats on being the only person ever to receive a UCI secondary lol. Did you apply to any special programs or have anything unique about your application?

I didn't apply to any special program. The only thing "special" about my app I can think of is that one of my letter writers is affiliated with UCI. I doubt thats the reason I got one early, as I see more are trickling in for others it may just have been something simple as me being towards the top of the pile. That's just speculation though.

Stat wise - 518 composite MCAT, 3.7cGPA, 3.85sGPA, 4.0 Masters, non-traditional student so thousands of hours of clinical experience. Again, these aren't things I would consider "special" in terms of why I'd get an early secondary, so I really do feel it's just a chance thing. I mean I still haven't received UCLA secondary and it seems like those have gone out to just about everyone so who really knows what goes on with different school's adcoms

 

[roasted_oolong]

hello friends, for the "activities" section, if I have a clinical research job, would you recommend I put that under "clinical" or "employment"? I was going to do employment until I saw this note under the "clinical" activities portion: "includes scribing, shadowing, hospital volunteering, student clinics, clinical research positions, EMT, medical office staff, etc."

Sorry for the neurotic q haha but any advice would be appreciated. I'm guessing either would be fine?

 

[prototypeblitz]

hello friends, for the "activities" section, if I have a clinical research job, would you recommend I put that under "clinical" or "employment"? I was going to do employment until I saw this note under the "clinical" activities portion: "includes scribing, shadowing, hospital volunteering, student clinics, clinical research positions, EMT, medical office staff, etc."

Sorry for the neurotic q haha but any advice would be appreciated. I'm guessing either would be fine?

They explicitly say to include clinical research as clinical. Id follow the prompt as closely as possible

 

[deleted776417]

Secondary received, IS, V: 8/10 11 am PST, added school on 8/11 to AMCAS

 

[roasted_oolong]

They explicitly say to include clinical research as clinical. Id follow the prompt as closely as possible

yeah you're right, it was a silly Q LMAO but ty!

 

[deleted1064759]

Funny how this school supposedly does a holistic screen and then tells us to regurgitate our primary on the secondary.

 

[lovepickles]

still no secondary 🙁 how did I get UCSF but not UCI, so confused by this process!!!

 

[youngking]

For estimating clinical hours, it says to include clinical research positions. If I worked on a clinical research but didn't really have clinical exposure to the patients while doing so, should I still include it in my estimate?

 

[sassystudent1998]

IS and still no secondary....should I be worried?

 

[lovepickles]

IS and still no secondary....should I be worried?

meeeeee you aren't alone!!!

 

[spottedcory]

still no secondary 🙁 how did I get UCSF but not UCI, so confused by this process!!!

Same but I live like within 30min from UCI like what

 

[Asp1retoInsp1re]

Wow, was literally reading this thread because I was worried since I hadn't received a secondary from here yet, and mins later I received one at exactly 2 am. Never received one my first app cycle so hoping this is good news!

+2

 

[benignradical]

meeeeee you aren't alone!!!

weeeeee aren't alone!!!

 

[bravemonwooper]

No secondary either, IS and verified 6/21

 

[roasted_oolong]

Hi all, for the activities portion, do you know if they want all activities that fall under a certain category or the ones that were actually the most important?

 

[worriedbanana]

Hi all, for the activities portion, do you know if they want all activities that fall under a certain category or the ones that were actually the most important?

following

 

[fishberry]

following

you can only put 4 activities per section so i kept it to most important

 

[c222]

Secondary Received, OOS. Verified 6/24

 

[Smareo]

Secondary received IS verified 6/26

 

[mocha-teas32]

Secondary received, IS

 

[bravemonwooper]

Secondary received, IS verified 6/21

 

[spottedcory]

Secondary received! IS verified 7/8

 

[lala0997]

Does anyone know if they send pre-secondary rejections? This is the only "reach" school I applied to because I'm IS (511/3.6) and I haven't received a secondary yet!

 

[PatricktheSponge]

Is anyone else still waiting for a secondary? 🙁

 

[scimusicgirl]

OOS, received a secondary yesterday

 

[sos-sos]

Sounds like they've started to go through the pile. I wouldn't worry if you haven't gotten one yet as they're probably still sending them out throughout the day - today and tomorrow

 

[lovepickles]

Is anyone else still waiting for a secondary? 🙁

me 🙁

 

[deleted776417]

Does anyone know if they send pre-secondary rejections? This is the only "reach" school I applied to because I'm IS (511/3.6) and I haven't received a secondary yet!

I have stats below yours, and I received a secondary, so don't give up hope!! 🙂

 

[Vikingbear16]

Still waiting IS LM 76!

 

[music&&medicine]

Does anyone know how I should approach this if I only have one research experience, but it was clinical research? I have 4 clinical experiences that I could use to fill up this section, so I was hoping I could put this position under research.

 

[lifelong]

Did anyone NOT receive a "we received your app email"? Also, for the people getting secondaries, did you receive that email or just an email prompting you to submit a secondary?