FIU or UCF MED Schools

[pianola]

Interesting --

--I think the thing that worries me the very MOST about both of these medical schools is what it means to be "accredited" by the LCME and are they likely to lose accreditation any time soon?

I know FSU was unaccredited for (at least?) one year -- but what does that mean for the students of FSU? Can UCF/FIU students still take the licensing exam if the school for some strange reason doesn't pass all the accreditation steps???

Lots of questions.

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[gplex86]

Interesting --

--I think the thing that worries me the very MOST about both of these medical schools is what it means to be "accredited" by the LCME and are they likely to lose accreditation any time soon?

I know FSU was unaccredited for (at least?) one year -- but what does that mean for the students of FSU? Can UCF/FIU students still take the licensing exam if the school for some strange reason doesn't pass all the accreditation steps???

Lots of questions.

Aren't they provisionally accredited?

 

[chemolupusMD]

Aren't they provisionally accredited?

yeah, that means that in 2 years they will check on them again and if everything is good they will be accredited at least that is what i heard, not 100% sure

 

[pianola]

ooh...OK, good to know.

 

[thegold91]

When i went to Miami earlier last weekend to find an apartment, I definitely noticed the huge spanish population. The only person who didn't understand any english that i ran into was the valet. As far as doing rotations at the hospital, jackson has a very large amount of translators available. When doing clinical stuff within the community (called DOCS), I am not sure if there are translators. Being in such an environment could be a great opportunity to learn spanish and more about hispanic cultures.

 

[pianola]

Yeah, even in Gainesville, I've definitely missed out on certain patient visits because I don't speak Spanish. The doctor I shadow is Hispanic and ~every other day, we'll get a patient whose first language is Spanish.

I think Spanish is definitely going on my list of priorities after this whole applying-to-medical business is done.

 

[REL]

yeah, that means that in 2 years they will check on them again and if everything is good they will be accredited at least that is what i heard, not 100% sure

You are welcome to review the LCME accreditation process and status of MD programs at www.LCME.org. For new medical schools there are 3 stages of accreditation where they can interact with applicants and students.

Preliminary Accreditation: UCF, FIU, and U TX at El Paso
This means that each of these programs have met at least the minimum requirements and have been blessed by the LCME to admit applicants into the initial 2 years of med school. In this phase programs have proven that they have the necessary capital, training facilities, has clinical agreements, community support, a viable curriculum, basic science faculty, leadership, and a program for supporting students. Each of these programs will be visited again in the second year of their program to review for the next phase.

Provisional Accreditation:
This means that the LCME has again visited the program, but in this one is more geared toward the clinical years 3 and 4. They review the same things as for Preliminary, review student input and whether they are progressing satisfactorily, and then look in a major way into the clinical training curricular plan, faculty, clinical training facilities, leadership, community support, student support, etc. Roughly two years later they are visited for a final time.

Full Accreditation:
The LCME again visits during the initial portion of the 4th year of the initial class. This is again a review of all past, looking at student progress, etc. If all is well, they are granted full accreditation and are blessed to graduate students and will be visited again in about 7 years on the regular schedule.

While I cannot speak for the other two programs that I mentioned above, I have NO doubt that UCF will progress through these phases without hindrance. I feel strongly that FIU will be likewise, and I dont know too much about UT-El Paso. I have met some of their administration and the seem like they too will be fine. The LCME is there more to help and ensure and each of these programs have the leadership, location, and clinical faculty and facilities available to where they will surely be accredited on schedule.

One mentioned that FSU's accreditation was delayed. True, but that was at the Preliminary stage and it had to do mainly with fiscal and clinical concerns. Those concerns were addressed and they sailed through the process. Of note, they were the first "new" program in over 20 years and they also have an entirely different training model.

Accreditation of UCF, FIU, and probably UT-El Paso is not a concern. Trust me.

 

[REL]

Interesting REL, what about smaller OOS schools? My school might only have about 20 medical school applicants in any one year.

Incidentally, is there any way for ME to find out what information AMCAS provides colleges? I know my school doesn't report school ranks or GPAs to anyone including outside sources (or at least, that's what they claim).

PM your school and I will tell you what the AAMC has provided re: applicants/matriculant GPA's/MCAT's.

 

[REL]

Agreed. Not the right thread. But do keep in mind that Florida colleges are very exclusive of OOS students. Same for med school - check the MSAR.

I brought it up because unless you're a Florida resident, I wouldn't get your hopes up for getting into any of their med schools except for UMiami, which is private.

About 5 years ago the Florida legislature lifted the ban on state MD programs admitting non-Florida residents. The MSAR shows that the entering classes of all MD programs in Florida, including UM were still heavily Florida residents. Florida residents: UM - ~60%, USF - ~ 90%, UF - ~3%, FSU - 0%. I know that the state programs have "admitted" more than they "matriculated" but many OOS'ers chose other programs due to the cost. Yes the Legislature allowed MD programs to matriculate OOS'ers, but they didnt relieve the cost - ~$50K in tuition/fees alone, throw in another $20k to live....most OOS'ers decline. One final thought, when the Legislature lifted their ban, the inferred that state schools should not matriculate more than ~10% OOS'ers.

UCF plans to admit the "best" 40 from what we believe will be a large pool. I would imagine that pool to be a majority of Florida residents, so I imagine that it is logical that a majority of our charter class will be Florida residents. Let's see how this hand plays out. I wish you all well in the process.

 

[Flamen04]

Not to be biased, but a lot of the competitive applicants to the UCF charter class will be from UF

 

[pianola]

Not to be biased, but a lot of the competitive applicants to the UCF charter class will be from UF

That wouldn't be so bad. Here's to hoping you're right . To be fair, though, I suspect UCF will draw from schools all over the country, including people who might otherwise have considered going out of state.

 

[REL]

Not to be biased, but a lot of the competitive applicants to the UCF charter class will be from UF

Game ON!! AMCAS released data to med schools today. UCF had just under 800 applicants from all over the US. Most schools in Florida were represented as well as: Harvard, Hopkins, Yale, Stanford, Brown, most UC's, SUNY's, Wake, Penn St, U PA, U MD, BC, St Johns, UNC, Dartmouth, U AZ, AZ St, Mich, Ohio St, Mich St, NW, Wash U, Rutgers, Tufts, Louisville, Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Pitt, U Chicago, Emory, Vandy, Brandeis, Syracuse, U Rochester, UCLA, GA Tech, Idaho, Utah, on and on.......good luck to all!!

 

[Yoyomama88]

hey gplex86...i looked at your md applicants...how did you interview at yale?!?! especially when you applied so late.

 

[gplex86]

hey gplex86...i looked at your md applicants...how did you interview at yale?!?! especially when you applied so late.

Good question! Yale granted me an extension on the primary app. So I submitted AMCAS on Dec 1, and FedEx'd the secondary within a week, as the "hard deadline" for any consideration was Dec 15. They offered me the interview on Jan 4, which I attended at the end of the month. Quite a whirlwind, eh?

Basically I'm a damn miracle.

 

[Yoyomama88]

im confused...is sdn alot more misleading than I think it is. Im not trying to put you down, but arent your stats well below Yale's standards.

 

[p30doc]

im confused...is sdn alot more misleading than I think it is. Im not trying to put you down, but arent your stats well below Yale's standards.

Contrary to SDN belief the average scores of accepted students to a particular school does not mean that you need at least those numbers or above to be considered by a school. And who are you to say what "yale standards" are. Each school is looking for a mix of qualitative and quantitative qualities that we can only begin to guess at.

 

[Flamen04]

For those applying to UCF Early Decision, UCF is considering 3.8+ GPA and 32+ MCAT to be competitive

 

[gplex86]

im confused...is sdn alot more misleading than I think it is. Im not trying to put you down, but arent your stats well below Yale's standards.

It's not a put-down - you're uninformed. My stats were adequate, especially in the last two years of college.

At the risk of sounding pompous: I doubt the medical schools ever saw a student quite like me, nor are they likely to run into another any time soon. I think I did a reasonable job describing my background in the MDApps profile.

Keep in mind, I got 6 interviews and 3 accepts with a December application. Nearly impossible odds, but I made it. I have no doubt that I would have had a remarkable application season had I waited for the next round. But, life throws curveballs and it was time to swing. Again, it's in the MDapps profile.

Premeds rely on "stats" as a comfort measure. It's the only part of the application process that many of you feel is under your direct control. It's a simple way to gauge competitiveness but it's also horribly inaccurate. But I'm not a premed. I'm an English student, a biopsych student, a science student, a writer and columnist, a researcher, an EMT, and oh yeah - I want to be a doctor.

And I'm going to rock the boat.

 

[umean2tellme]

Would making fun of FIU's football team at an interview be a bad idea?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Game ON!! AMCAS released data to med schools today. UCF had just under 800 applicants from all over the US. Most schools in Florida were represented as well as: Harvard, Hopkins, Yale, Stanford, Brown, most UC's, SUNY's, Wake, Penn St, U PA, U MD, BC, St Johns, UNC, Dartmouth, U AZ, AZ St, Mich, Ohio St, Mich St, NW, Wash U, Rutgers, Tufts, Louisville, Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Pitt, U Chicago, Emory, Vandy, Brandeis, Syracuse, U Rochester, UCLA, GA Tech, Idaho, Utah, on and on.......good luck to all!!

add my school to that list.

 

[gatorguy]

So UCF's secondary application includes about 10 "optional" 300 word essay questions. Does it look bad to the admissions committee if the majority of those are left blank? Or should I really try and fill out all of the questions? An example: 2) Please provide information about community service not included in your AMCAS application. (This area may be left blank)

Any input is appreciated!

 

[REL]

So UCF's secondary application includes about 10 "optional" 300 word essay questions. Does it look bad to the admissions committee if the majority of those are left blank? Or should I really try and fill out all of the questions? An example: 2) Please provide information about community service not included in your AMCAS application. (This area may be left blank)

Any input is appreciated!

Take it how it is stated. If it's all in AMCAS, and it usually is, leave it blank! Now for those who may have submitted AMCAS in July and did their supplemental in October, they MAY or MAY NOT have something to add, it truly is simply an optional area.....please dont make this too hard.

 

[gatorguy]

Thanks for the response REL, I know i'm probably just being an overly worried applicant. But your clarification is appreciated

 

[MedStudentWanna]

At the risk of sounding pompous: I doubt the medical schools ever saw a student quite like me, nor are they likely to run into another any time soon. I think I did a reasonable job describing my background in the MDApps profile.

Keep in mind, I got 6 interviews and 3 accepts with a December application. Nearly impossible odds, but I made it. I have no doubt that I would have had a remarkable application season had I waited for the next round. But, life throws curveballs and it was time to swing. Again, it's in the MDapps profile.

Premeds rely on "stats" as a comfort measure. It's the only part of the application process that many of you feel is under your direct control. It's a simple way to gauge competitiveness but it's also horribly inaccurate. But I'm not a premed. I'm an English student, a biopsych student, a science student, a writer and columnist, a researcher, an EMT, and oh yeah - I want to be a doctor.

And he's humble too! Dude, humility's not that rare a thing. Look it up and then buy yourself some.

 

[Antimony]

For those applying to UCF Early Decision, UCF is considering 3.8+ GPA and 32+ MCAT to be competitive

Actually its 3.8+ and 34 MCAT, unless you have a MS degree, or have multiple publications.

 

[umean2tellme]

Well my 3.25/28 isn't near those numbers HAHAHA

 

[dog0]

Actually its 3.8+ and 34 MCAT, unless you have a MS degree, or have multiple publications.

RIDICULOUS.

I guess UCF is heading towards the same superficial route as UF :\

 

[Moxess]

fdfdfdfdfd

 

[gplex86]

What exactly is bad about Florida's education system?

It's terribly underfunded and overcrowded. Old people don't like to pay taxes. Hence - NO income tax. The state surrvives on sales tax, tourism, and the citrus crop.

 

[RSAgator]

Funny thing, I'm a Florida resident and got 5 MD interviews and 2 DO.... all out of state. Not a single Florida school interviewed me. But if anyone has been following my posts then you know I didn't want to go back to FL anyway. Much prefer New York.

But, yes, you are correct. Usually your chances are better at in-state schools. Usually.

You applied late with subpar stats...what makes the lack of florida interviews in any way out of the ordinary? I don't care how "unique" an applicant you claim to be in your other post (the one that read: i don't mean to sound pompous...but i'm going to sound pompous), but while it certainly is not all a numbers game having poor numbers AND applying just before the deadline doesn't exactly make you the average applicant.

It also seems like there's a lot of conjecture and hearsay getting tossed around in this thread...perhaps keep the rumors on the down low until they're actually fact, I don't want to see threads next week saying that fluent spanish is now a requirement for FIU med school admissions =P

 

[pianola]

Kind of curious:

How are these "competitive" numbers being posted -- are they from the UCF website? Do they refer to in-state competitive or out-of-state competitive? Or is the whole 3.8+/32 or 34 business just someone's imagination?

Also, do you think UCF will give preference to in-staters?

Bottom line for me: Will UCF automatically screen out applicants with less than a 3.8?

 

[gplex86]

You applied late with subpar stats...what makes the lack of florida interviews in any way out of the ordinary? I don't care how "unique" an applicant you claim to be in your other post (the one that read: i don't mean to sound pompous...but i'm going to sound pompous), but while it certainly is not all a numbers game having poor numbers AND applying just before the deadline doesn't exactly make you the average applicant.

It also seems like there's a lot of conjecture and hearsay getting tossed around in this thread...perhaps keep the rumors on the down low until they're actually fact, I don't want to see threads next week saying that fluent spanish is now a requirement for FIU med school admissions =P

Cohen, I was surprised to not get any in-state interviews considering that out-of-state interviews are usually HARDER to get. Especially ones like, I don't know - Yale?

Regarding the "pompous" post you mentioned - I was trying to give a complete explanation as to WHY I probably did well this application season, given the improbability. My goal is to provide encouragement for other applicants with lower numbers, or who for whatever reason end up with a late application.

As for "subpar" stats - no disrespect but you're not one to judge. I have already proven my merit multiple times to the people whose opinions actually matter - the admissions committees. So - no disrespect - but please consider the relevance (or lack thereof) of your opinion.

 

[gatorsforchrist]

Actually its 3.8+ and 34 MCAT, unless you have a MS degree, or have multiple publications.

http://www.med.ucf.edu/admissions/admissions/early_decision.asp

Minimum 3.8 GPA and 32 MCAT.

 

[RSAgator]

Cohen, I was surprised to not get any in-state interviews considering that out-of-state interviews are usually HARDER to get. Especially ones like, I don't know - Yale?

Regarding the "pompous" post you mentioned - I was trying to give a complete explanation as to WHY I probably did well this application season, given the improbability. My goal is to provide encouragement for other applicants with lower numbers, or who for whatever reason end up with a late application.

As for "subpar" stats - no disrespect but you're not one to judge. I have already proven my merit multiple times to the people whose opinions actually matter - the admissions committees. So - no disrespect - but please consider the relevance (or lack thereof) of your opinion.

My point was simply that it's not surprising that you didn't get interviews in Florida, you applied late. It's not surprising that you got interviews, you applied to a wide range of less competitive schools. You got an interview at Yale which is proof that it's not all a numbers game, but you spout out the fact you got an interview more as a pat on your back and a validation of your application than as genuine words of encouragement. What you've said in this thread makes you seem very bitter towards Florida schools, and while we're on the topic of the relevance of my opinion I fail to see the relevance of your presence in this thread given your apparent disdain for all things Florida and your lack of knowledge regarding both FIU and UCF med school.

Sorry to derail the thread a bit, most of the other information in here was very interesting =)

 

[MedStudentWanna]

My goal is to provide encouragement for other applicants with lower numbers, or who for whatever reason end up with a late application.

What a load of bull. If your goal was to provide encouragement, you wouldn't have had the gall to say "med schools haven't seen an applicant like me before nor will they anytime soon." The sheer balls it takes to say that astounds me. If you really wanted to spout encouragement, your message would have been, flaunt what you have and don't be driven by numbers. Instead your message was "I'm the greatest, there's no one like me, and there never will be".

Get some humility, dude. You look like a jackass.

P.S. There are a lot of students who "aren't like you" who managed to get into Yale so you interviewing there doesn't make you a superhero.

 

[pianola]

http://www.med.ucf.edu/admissions/admissions/early_decision.asp

Minimum 3.8 GPA and 32 MCAT.

Thanks for the link, GFC.

 

[Antimony]

http://www.med.ucf.edu/admissions/admissions/early_decision.asp

Minimum 3.8 GPA and 32 MCAT.

Someone mentioned competitive stats, and I would not call those stats listed above competitive enough for the 40 spots. Keep in mind there have been over 800 applicants already, many from ivy league schools. I would not worry too much about not being a student at a Florida university.

In case some of you have not seen this video, its worth checking out.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgEVGJPupAc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Antimony]

One more piece of information. If you would like to check out the area you can go to www.lakenona.com . Dr. German has impressed me greatly since she has been here at UCF, if any of you get a chance for an interview I assure you it will be a great experience. Another link that you all may appreciate is located here http://www.ucf.edu/comupdate/

Go Knights! Conference USA Champions!

 

[dog0]

My point was simply that it's not surprising that you didn't get interviews in Florida, you applied late. It's not surprising that you got interviews, you applied to a wide range of less competitive schools. You got an interview at Yale which is proof that it's not all a numbers game, but you spout out the fact you got an interview more as a pat on your back and a validation of your application than as genuine words of encouragement. What you've said in this thread makes you seem very bitter towards Florida schools, and while we're on the topic of the relevance of my opinion I fail to see the relevance of your presence in this thread given your apparent disdain for all things Florida and your lack of knowledge regarding both FIU and UCF med school.

Sorry to derail the thread a bit, most of the other information in here was very interesting =)

Ehhhhhhh, last time I checked, Yale is in the top 10, and Florida has been struggling to make it out of the high 40s for a while now.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Ehhhhhhh, last time I checked, Yale is in the top 10, and Florida has been struggling to make it out of the high 40s for a while now.

Yale also doesn't have rolling admissions. Florida schools do.

 

[dog0]

Yale also doesn't have rolling admissions. Florida schools do.

Well, well, well, I do not mean to bash on UF, considering I went there for undergraduate and love the Gators more than anything, but let's be real; regardless of the admission process, Florida will forever remain where it stands. Bernie Machen has desperately been trying to make Florida Top 10 public institution. Furthermore, not even Ivy-Leagues can fathom the level of pride and arroganced bolstered by Florida. It seems like Florida schools are so hard-headed on prestige that they only focus on numbers. It's ridiculous how many UF Undergraduates are initially wait-listed at UF. Conversely, I met many Harvard and Ivy-League Undergraduates while interviewing at other schools who were accepted in the first cycle. I am not making any judgements and I assure you their credentials were stellar, but some of these dudes were extremely socially inept and boring. It's all about the numbers at UF; it's quite ridiculous how a school that is ranked ~49 asks for a 3.8+ GPA and a 32+ MCAT. In the end, a majority of applicants who were initially waitlisted are eventually accepted. Now for UCF to be uber selective and ask for similar credentials, forces me to believe that the admission process will be very similar. If you look at past incoming classes at some of the top schools, with the exception of Harvard, and etc., they are not overly crowded with students from top undergrad schools. Schools like Michigan and UPitt for example, have such an eclectic population pool that they can filter interviewees based on personality. It seems like UF tends to do the opposite; they initially select based on credentials, and when the majority of these acceptances are eventually turned down, they resort to "normal" individuals.

I hope I didn't offend anyone; I am just stating my opinion about the UCF requirements and comparing it to my experience at UF. FSU doesn't have such steep requirements, and I genuinely enjoyed my interview there. They might not accept what many consider to be the 'brightest Undergrads,' but I believe their education system is headed in the right direction. Also, if not mistaken, I believe an FSU student received a highly recognizable award a couple years ago for academic excellence during M1 & M2.

Also comparing Yale to Florida is quite foolish. I side with the Gators all day but let's be real...

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Since you so clearly missed the point, let me spell it out. The comparison between Yale and Florida schools began because gplex is disturbed that he got an interview at Yale, but not at Florida schools. Yale is, after all, a much better school. However, what gplex fails to understand is that he applied in December. Yale doesn't have rolling admissions and so he's much more likely to get an interview at a non-rolling admission school than at a rolling admission school applying that late into the cycle. Had he applied over the summer, he probably would have snagged some Florida interviews. But he didn't and the case remains, he can't blame Florida schools for not bowing to his Greatness, since he is a one-of-a-kind student med schools are unlikely to meet again, but rather blame his own tardiness for applying so late to rolling admission programs.

 

[dog0]

Sorry then :\ Still think UCF's requirements are ridiculous

 

[RSAgator]

I think the high requirements are a result of the 40 fully funded students. I would fully expect it to be highly competitive this cycle and the "requirements" are probably more a realistic expectation than anything else. I don't think it's an obsession with numbers, I think it's an obsession with attracting the most competitive applicants that they can because at the end of the day those first 40 students are going to be the first 40 getting into residencies and as a result will be what sets the tone for the school in years to come. When FSU started they had a very different mission, and as such it was obviously a different level of competition for students there. UCF seems like it's really trying to be a top ranked school and I think they're going about it the right way, even if it does mean it's unlikely for you to be one of those 40 full rides.

As for Florida's obsession with numbers, having not gone through the interview process yet I can't really comment too much, but I don't think you can fault a school for wanting to attract the top candidates they can. Also it's difficult to talk about how eclectic a student population is without considering that those schools do accept a more significant number of OOS students. Obviously by having a state school with over 90% in state students your somewhat limiting the possible diversity of the student body.

 

[pianola]

Sorry then :\ Still think UCF's requirements are ridiculous

In my very humble opinion, I have to think drawing the cutoff at a 3.8 is just begging for applicants from schools with grade inflation and/or applicants who have only ever taken the easiest classes they could find. I graduated with something like 200 credit hours (~160 of which were taken for letter grades) and a billion ECs from a rather selective college; lab courses didn't even count as an extra credit!

I really hope that my 3.7 doesn't render me unworthy of consideration because I really have been curious about learning more about UCF - programs, faculty, etc.

I would think that personal attributes like initiative, perseverence, and responsibility should be far more important in a program that's just starting...the first class UCF accepts is really going to have to be a very independent group of students. A new program simply can't afford otherwise brilliant students who remain "passive learners", people who expect to be spoonfed. UCF needs a group of individuals with the ability to create their own opportunities, network with other medical programs, and recruit and attract talent for future classes. UCF needs a group of students who have a clear vision about what they expect from their medical school education -- students who are not afraid to go after what they want. UCF needs students who are willing to collaborate with each other and with faculty to build a really great program with a great future.

Coming from a small college myself, I've seen programs both thrive and fail -- and believe me, it takes far more than numbers to build a real community and a viable education program.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Flamen04]

dog0, I see what you are saying, and I agree that numbers are not everything. UCF's requirements will most likely change as the school grows, however, for it's charter class, they do have to be uber-selective and only recruit the best of the best. It's not everyday that you see a medical school fully funding all four years of medical education, including living expenses. They are not going to give the spot to just some joe-schmoe that has a great personality. Believe it or not, but with over 800 applicants so far (in the first two months of the application cycle), I have no doubt that they will be able to find many individual with jaw dropping achievements and great personalities..

 

[RSAgator]

In my very humble opinion, I have to think drawing the cutoff at a 3.8 is just begging for applicants from schools with grade inflation and/or applicants who have only ever taken the easiest classes they could find. I graduated with something like 200 credit hours (~160 of which were taken for letter grades) and a billion ECs from a rather selective college; lab courses didn't even count as an extra credit!

I really hope that my 3.7 doesn't render me unworthy of consideration because I really have been curious about learning more about UCF - programs, faculty, etc.

I would think that personal attributes like initiative, perseverence, and responsibility should be far more important in a program that's just starting...the first class UCF accepts is really going to have to be a very independent group of students. A new program simply can't afford otherwise brilliant students who remain "passive learners", people who expect to be spoonfed. UCF needs a group of individuals with the ability to create their own opportunities, network with other medical programs, and recruit and attract talent for future classes. UCF needs a group of students who have a clear vision about what they expect from their medical school education -- students who are not afraid to go after what they want. UCF needs students who are willing to collaborate with each other and with faculty to build a really great program with a great future.

Coming from a small college myself, I've seen programs both thrive and fail -- and believe me, it takes far more than numbers to build a real community and a viable education program.

Just my $0.02.

believe it or not there are brilliant people in this world =). They're gonna get tons of applicants and have tons of people meeting those cutoffs that fit their criteria. I think the issue of grade inflation is blown way out of proportion, and believe it or not there are people who do well at difficult schools and aren't completely socially inept. Obviously everyone would love to be one of those 40 to have a full ride, but at the same time you need to realize that not just anyone is going to get an acceptance this year and even if those are hard cutoffs I can guarantee you UCF will be able to fill those 40 spots with absolutely exceptional applicants.

 

[dog0]

I guess yall do have a very good point. Although, I do hope they cut back on the requirements in the near future.

 

[REL]

Sorry then :\ Still think UCF's requirements are ridiculous

Um, help me out here. The link that was noted for UCF was for the Early Decision Program group. Early Decision Programs are for those who really want to be in a place and are "at least average" numerically in the academics. Please note that the averages for the entering classes for ALL Florida MD Programs ranged from 30-33 MCAT and 3.6-3.8 GPA's. Isnt a 32 MCAT slightly above the average of the starting classes in Florida? Isnt the 3.8 at or above the same level? Finally, please note that UCF will take a MAXIMUM of 4 applicants (?but maybe none?) via the ED process. All of these applicants must be strong in people skills and med motivation, etc.

Now for the other 36-?40? seats. UCF has the lowest published minimum criteria for application which is a 24+ MCAT and 3.00 BPCM and overall GPA. Will people be admitted with these numbers? Who knows, but I will say that they did at my last institution which also led the state in percentage of medical and comm svc volunteerism and had the lowest class MCAT average.
Short answer: the EC's mattered there, and the EC's will matter at UCF.

UCF does anticipate enrolling some out-of-staters as do the other programs in the state. UCF will have a large initial pool of applicants because of the scholarship incentive. Wouldnt you expect that the new MD programs would also be able to achieve the entering class averages of all of the schools in the state? I would have to guess that they would also an entering class average 3.6-3.8 and 30-33 like everyone else.

 

[Just Joshin]

Point taken, REL. But MSAR says FSU's average MCAT was 27 last year.