Early Decision to UCSF, or others...?

[Cough]

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Alrighty... I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the "early decision" process, in general, and especially with UCSF. Assuming one is a good candidate, would early decision demonstrate strong and sincere interest in a school, thus helping you get in? Or is it just shooting yourself in the foot, since if you're deferred you enter the general applicant pool somewhat late. I don't know. 😕 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> 😕

Any advice would be appreciated. Obviously I'm a year behind the rest of you who are awaiting Decisions. I'll be starting AMCAS this spring.

Thanks! 😀

 

[choker]

NEVER EVER EVER apply EDP. i applied EDP to cornell only after my dean had a meeting with the head of admissions there about me. they concluded that i should apply and so i did. everything was set: i had the interview and they already said they'd take me informally. so i go to my interview on SEPT 12!!!

i am freaked out that day. i am a native nyc resident, just hours before i saw the towers crash with my own eyes, all while my sister, mother and father were in the downtown area.

i go to the interview in the weirdest state of my life, and totally blotch it. i was just too nervous_ had WAY too much riding on that one school, and too inexperienced in terms of interviews. out of the two kids that were interviewed, i was deferred, the other accepted. my dean found out that it was because i was too nervous during my interview.

i found out at the very end of sept. and had to scramble to fill out 20 other applications as soon as possible, and i think that really screwed me at some rolling schools that had already accepted a bunch of people. this year, i wasn't as screwed as i would have been, but in other years i would have been destroyed. just to give you an idea of how much timing matters with schools that start early, i was rejected pre-interview at GW, Georgetown, Hopkins, and einstein, and got interviews at schools like harvard, stanford and columbia.

while applying EDP has a great payoff, it's really not worth the risk at all. you can get screwed royally and it's totally not worth it. keep in mind also that your interviewing skills get better exponentially with each interview. if i could turn back the clock and reinterview at some of my first schools.... trust me. also, you'll notice that most applicants change their first choice school after visiting other places. if you want more info, PM me and ill tell you more. but please, for the love of everything good, dont make the same mistake i did.

 

[tBw]

...also not all schools even participate in EDP. You specify UCSF in particular - which I believe is one of the schools that does not have EDP. Which at least should make your decision to not do this pretty easy....

 

[none]

The UCs don't do any sort of EAP or EDP. Nope. Gotta apply like the rest of us! Many (most?) public schools don't participate in such programs. Personally, I think the whole early system is stupid, but if you absolutely MUST go to a certain school and you're willing to pay any amount of money, go right ahead!

 

[UCLA2000]

The problem with EDP is that if you don't get accepted to your early decision school then you're screwed at all the rolling admissions schools because it's so damn late by the time you're able to apply to them.

 

[Dr. Kermit]

My boyfriend is from NYC and currently in law school out in Philly. I waited a year to apply to med school to increase my chances of being near him. I was heavily considering applying EDP to Temple as I was quite interested in its traditional curriculum, excellent clinical exposure, state tution, and obviously its vicinity to my boyfriend. However, I didn't apply EDP and went ahead and just applied to schools in major metropolitan areas on the east coast (NYC, Philly, DC, Boston.) The only exceptions were Penn State and Pitt, my two other "state" schools. ("State" is in quotes as they accept 50-60% of their classes from other states!) Thankfully, I interviewed at Temple early, ironically with 7 EDP applicants, and was accepted, but I'm quite thankful I WASN'T EDP.

As choker commented, I'm really fortunate that I didn't apply EDP. I feel I would have been hurt slightly had I applied EDP and been deferred since my 7 interview offers came before 2002. I haven't heard from my last 5 schools and don't expect to be interviewed, but it does make me think that I could have been hurt. Yes, this year was a little different with the AMCAS fiasco, but I'd only apply EDP if you have a very very compelling reason to go to that school (i.e family, spouse, children.)

It may get expensive to apply to many schools, but you've already invested a lot of time and energy in your pre-med path, the AMCAS and secondaries are only two more hurdles, albeit being financial ones. I'm very greatful for having been able to tour various medical schools and hope to continue seeing other schools. But, having had the opportunity to see schools really has given me a better perspective to what I want in a school (i.e curriculum, location, student body, extracurriculars, etc.)

On a personal note, I'm currently debating b/w Temple and slightly pricer private school. So, while applying EDP to Temple may have gotten me in there earlier, I was accepted on 11/1, letter dated 10/25 which isn't that much later than EDP. Plus, I know have a few more choices and won't feel I settled on a school.

Good luck!

 

[BlackPuma]

I seriously don't understand on how pple can apply early decisioin without visiting other schools! My perception of my first choice changed dramatically which each school that I visited!

also, you shouldn't apply EDP, if your scores and activities are extremely top notch and your sure your going to get in!

 

[Cough]

Thanks for the input. I had a feeling it was a bad option, and I wasn't really seriously considering it, but your stories helped me decide. As for UCSF, I had a feeling they might not participate in EDP. So, I'm going to have to beg for change on my lunch breaks so I can afford to apply everywhere. Such is life.

 

[Rumit]

The health science advisor at my school said that really the EDP programs are for the school's benefit, and in general they do not work in an applicant's favor. So, I definitely wouldn't try, despite it's appeal.

Good luck,

Adam

 

[HairlessHeart]

Maybe a little bit late, but just to throw in my 2 cents...

Early Decision is beneficial only in a very specific set of circumstances. There are several people who are attracted to the idea and its benefits, but there are in reality very few whom the decision is truly appropriate for (hence, the small number of slots).

That being said, I applied EDP and was accepted. Of course... I was happy with my decision. 🙂

 

[Skye04]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by HairlessHeart:
•Early Decision is beneficial only in a very specific set of circumstances. There are several people who are attracted to the idea and its benefits, but there are in reality very few whom the decision is truly appropriate for (hence, the small number of slots).•••••Could you elaborate on these set of circumstances?
Thanks 🙂