Chances for Interview at Davis, Irvine, and UCSF

[Surferboy]

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Hey everyone.
So I've been complete at Davis and Irvine since Mid October and haven't heard anything yet.
I've been complete at UCSF since beginning of January.
After getting no luck from out of state, I'm feeling the UCs are my last hoorah, despite being super competitive.

Stats are 29Q, 3.62

I know that the Davis and Irvine secondaries were given to me immediately cuz i made it past the numbers screen, but the UCSF secondary obviously was read over by the adcom. Having no interviews, the UCSF secondary has been my only real accomplishment/feedback. I just hope that since they hand-read my app and approved a secondary that I might have a good chance for an interview.

Should I start re-studying for the MCAT?

 

[NotAndrew]

Should I start re-studying for the MCAT?

No. You will be able to get in somewhere with the stats you have. You will not be able to get into any of the UC schools with the numbers you have. The thing is with the stats you have all but two of the schools you applied to are reaches. Most of the schools you applied to average around a 3.7 and a 34. Consider applying to these schools next year.

Tulane
West Virginia
Marshall
Howard
Louisville
East Tennessee
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Michigan State
Eastern Virginia
North Dakota
Morehouse
Meharry
Rush
Loyola
Toledo

This is just something I put together quickly there are others that you should also apply to.

 

[KippocalypsE]

To give you a straightforward answer, don't expect an invite from any of those schools. I'm keeping it real. It's futile this late to cling to false expectations so its better to buff up for next cycle's campaign.

Your MCAT is below average and your GPA is average. Since you applied late it'll be hard as well given the amount of apps the UC's get. I have very similar stats to you but applied earlier and I as well got nothing from those places -- asking around the low MCAT score was my biggest problem.

If you are really set on a UC next cycle, then you need at least a 33 (the average). Otherwise if you are okay out of state you can follow what the second poster suggested. Hopefully I am wrong and you do not go through the financial upheavals of another application process.

 

[ucladoc2b]

No. You will be able to get in somewhere with the stats you have. You will not be able to get into any of the UC schools with the numbers you have. The thing is with the stats you have all but two of the schools you applied to are reaches. Most of the schools you applied to average around a 3.7 and a 34. Consider applying to these schools next year.

Tulane
West Virginia
Marshall
Howard
Louisville
East Tennessee
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Michigan State
Eastern Virginia
North Dakota
Morehouse
Meharry
Rush
Loyola
Toledo

This is just something I put together quickly there are others that you should also apply to.

This list seems to be purely stats generated without much thought behind it. Morehouse, Howard, and Meharry I believe are all historically African American, and many of those other schools have LOW OOS acceptance rates.

 

[NotAndrew]

This list seems to be purely stats generated without much thought behind it. Morehouse, Howard, and Meharry I believe are all historically African American, and many of those other schools have LOW OOS acceptance rates.

I guess you didn't see the "This is just something I put together quickly there are others that you should also apply to." What did you want me to do call the guy and interview him to get a feel for what schools he may want to got to before I suggest any? I'm sorry if I missed the fact that dude is from Arizona and might not like to go to a school with a terrible winter.

 

[Surferboy]

Hey I appreciate the list NotAndrew. Wasn't really planning on applying this year becuase I knew I didn't have the strongest app possible...but decided to go for it at the last minute because of family advice and the fact that my best friend was applying too. So not too surprised with the fact that I haven't had much luck this year.

Goal is UCSF. Hoping I get an interview this year, but obviously the odds are not for me. Pretty sure I can improve the 29 mcat because I only had time for 2 practice test because I made a last minute decision to go to Greece for school (totally worth it).

But if I don't improve the mcat, I definitely will take your schools into consideration. Obviously the goal is to get into "a" medschool. It's just my "story" involves UCSF and would love to continue my life there and do great things for the school.

 

[virusgirl]

Being from Cali sucks in terms of going to your state school. You definitely win the prize for "hardest public school system to get into for med school." I think your numbers are fine and you will get in places, but I suspect none of them will be UCs -- those are some very tough nuts to crack, and there are plenty of people here on SDN with truly bang-up grades and scores who don't get in. Certainly go ahead and apply, but don't get your hopes up for UCSF. (although it definitely does help that you have a story, and that it involves that school)

Sorry, I know this wasn't what you wanted to hear... it's good that you have some perspective and ultimately have the goal of going to "a" medical school. I think this is a largely arbitrary process (or at least not logical in a way that is apparent to applicants) and it's unwise to pin your hopes on one place. Whenever anyone asks me what my first choice is, I tell them "the place that accepts me."

 

[ProteinChemist]

Try writing a letter to admissions (esp at UCSF) and let them know how badly you want to go there.

That seems like the only thing you can do at this point.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Hey everyone.
So I've been complete at Davis and Irvine since Mid October and haven't heard anything yet.
I've been complete at UCSF since beginning of January.
After getting no luck from out of state, I'm feeling the UCs are my last hoorah, despite being super competitive.

Stats are 29Q, 3.62

I know that the Davis and Irvine secondaries were given to me immediately cuz i made it past the numbers screen, but the UCSF secondary obviously was read over by the adcom. Having no interviews, the UCSF secondary has been my only real accomplishment/feedback. I just hope that since they hand-read my app and approved a secondary that I might have a good chance for an interview.

Should I start re-studying for the MCAT?

Yes. On your MDapps you make it sound like these are the only schools you could see yourself going to, so a drastic change in your app is necessary. 5 more points on the MCAT would do that.

 

[Surferboy]

Try writing a letter to admissions (esp at UCSF) and let them know how badly you want to go there.

That seems like the only thing you can do at this point.

That sounds like a great idea. Would it be valuable without any real updates? I was hoping my 1st author paper for a medical education journal would be published by now but its taking a little time. Bad timing once again.

I've been complete since October 15th for Davis and Irvine. I know Davis is way behind so I don't even know if they've looked at my app. I would think Irvine has looked at it so I guess it's a good sign I'm not rejected (but of course bad cuz I have no interview). So I think letters would be good to these two schools.

But UCSF...I haven't even been complete for a month yet. Should I wait to send them one? Plus they are involved in my PS so I'm pretty sure they know I want to go there.

 

[batman1983]

Im going to be honest with you: you have no chance at UCSF with your current stats unless you have done some significant research/volunteering. If you are an avg applicant, it is hard to get into any UCs with your stats(or even higher stats for that matter). Thus, I would recommend retaking the MCAT to have a chance at the UCs. Also, since you will most likely have to reapply, make sure to apply to more schools(use my profile as a general list of what schools to and not to apply to) and do research as an EC.

 

[boboca]

Yea, you should be thinking of the next application cycle and how to improve your chances. But, it won't hurt to keep bugging UCSF and sending them update letters. Include reasons why you want to go there. I'd make it into a well written essay and send it in. If it doesn't work, well, you'll have less regret and it doesn't take a whole lot of your time.

 

[Surferboy]

Im going to be honest with you: you have no chance at UCSF with your current stats unless you have done some significant research/volunteering. If you are an avg applicant, it is hard to get into any UCs with your stats(or even higher stats for that matter). Thus, I would recommend retaking the MCAT to have a chance at the UCs. Also, since you will most likely have to reapply, make sure to apply to more schools(use my profile as a general list of what schools to and not to apply to) and do research as an EC.

hey thanks for being honest batman. You are right...there is like a very slim chance of getting an interview at the UCs right now. I feel like the only thing holding me back is my MCAT though. I've put in over 600+ hours in research/volunteering in the anesthesia department. Worked in the OR taking data on cardiac and liver transplant cases. Also my paper is about to get published in a medical education journal on simulation. Been working on it for about a year. I think what grabbed UCSF's attention was the theme of anesthesia interest in my personal statement/ECs. It started when I won a 5 grand award and 1st place for my anesthesia research back in high school at the bay area science fair.

 

[batman1983]

hey thanks for being honest batman. You are right...there is like a very slim chance of getting an interview at the UCs right now. I feel like the only thing holding me back is my MCAT though. I've put in over 600+ hours in research/volunteering in the anesthesia department. Worked in the OR taking data on cardiac and liver transplant cases. Also my paper is about to get published in a medical education journal on simulation. Been working on it for about a year. I think what grabbed UCSF's attention was the theme of anesthesia interest in my personal statement/ECs. It started when I won a 5 grand award and 1st place for my anesthesia research back in high school at the bay area science fair.

Thats really good. Your research is a strong selling point with the UCs. As long as you retake the MCAT and score at least a 31-32, continue with your research, do some shadowing/volunteering(I say this because if you are a reapplicant, most AdComs will not compare your application against the merits of other applicants, but rather against your previous app), and make sure to apply early(trust me on this one, Im speaking from painful experience), I guarantee you that you will at least get invites from the UCs.