For those already interviewed at UCSF! Please!

[MedvacMoney]

hey i am going to the interview soon. Perhaps you could share some helpful hints etc.

ALso how many interviewees were there in one day?

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[swtiepie711]

hey i am going to the interview soon. Perhaps you could share some helpful hints etc.

ALso how many interviewees were there in one day?

On my day, there were about 6-8 interviewees (I forget the exact #). Tips would be hard since we don't know the outcome yet (no one's been accepted yet) so it's hard to say, "Oh, I did X and X worked for me!" - but like all interviews, be relaxed/comfortable/yourself. UCSF does blind interviews, so I think it's more of an attempt to see the person you are rather than to quiz you on details of your app.

Good luck & enjoy your time in SF!

 

[MedvacMoney]

On my day, there were about 6-8 interviewees (I forget the exact #). Tips would be hard since we don't know the outcome yet (no one's been accepted yet) so it's hard to say, "Oh, I did X and X worked for me!" - but like all interviews, be relaxed/comfortable/yourself. UCSF does blind interviews, so I think it's more of an attempt to see the person you are rather than to quiz you on details of your app.

Good luck & enjoy your time in SF!

nice! thx. I was more worried about being in a large interview groups, it makes me more nervous when i cant talk to everyone, and they just stare at me from across the table. 6-8 is perfect, nice and small.

More than tips i meant how is the area, people (nice)?

 

[swtiepie711]

nice! thx. I was more worried about being in a large interview groups, it makes me more nervous when i cant talk to everyone, and they just stare at me from across the table. 6-8 is perfect, nice and small.

More than tips i meant how is the area, people (nice)?

I love SF & the greater Bay Area (so I'm biased)! Such a lively city that is managable (in my opinion, for example, NYC is not managable - it's SUCH a massive city). SF is great because in 30" you can be out in the rolling countryside, you're 3 hours or so from Tahoe (did I mention Tahoe & skiing? Oy! I melt!), couple hours from Napa, coast is at your fingertips (albeit, most NorCaler's don't dare go IN the water, it's mainly pretty to look at & too cold to swim in unless you're hardcore )

By people - do you mean UCSF staff? admissions staff? faculty/students? fellow interviewees? SF-people in general?

I'd say everyone in the above catagories are nice. The only thing was that my fellow interviewees were a little odd (but maybe they were just nervous). I always like to chat with the fellow interviewees (beats staring at each other blankly or reviewing questions in your head & making yourself more nervous) - my group was not to into chatting. But, again, it was probably the nerves.

Go in being yourself, be excited to have made it to the interview stage considering their screening process & try to get a feel for whether you personally could be happy there.....

 

[notdeadyet]

The interview is one professor to one candidate, correct?

 

[nozzie]

I haven't interviewed with UCSF yet, but their interview information states: "Whenever possible, interviewees are granted two interviews. The average interview lasts 40 minutes but varies according to individual interviewers and applicants. Interviews are conducted without prior review of your file. This means that the interviewers are blind to any information about your past performance or activities. At least one interviewer will be a member of our faculty, and the other may or may not be a medical student."

 

[ltrain]

hi guys,
when i interviewed there were about 12 of us there. the dean talked to us for about an hr in the morning, then fin aid, then we went to a class, then tour, lunch w/4th yr, then 2 interviews: one dr and one student.
it was one of the nicest interview days i've been to, so relax and enjoy.
sf is an awesome place!

 

[MedvacMoney]

hi guys,
when i interviewed there were about 12 of us there. the dean talked to us for about an hr in the morning, then fin aid, then we went to a class, then tour, lunch w/4th yr, then 2 interviews: one dr and one student.
it was one of the nicest interview days i've been to, so relax and enjoy.
sf is an awesome place!

Thanks so muxh everyone. KEEP IT COMING!

 

[Max8]

Thanks so muxh everyone. KEEP IT COMING!

My advice would be to remember that both your interviews will be completely blind. So, think ahead of what the important things you would like to focus on are. Go over your application and review your other interviews---are there things that every interviewer has asked about (ie that F in calc or your personal statement's focus on community service or whatever). Those are the things you will need to bring up---both my interviews lasted an hour and both interviewers basically let me guide our conversation with what I felt was important to discuss. SF is awesome---if you're not staying with a student host though you may want to stay within walking distance of the school---having never been to the area before, I found the public transportation system a little bit confusing.

 

[cgscribe]

You'll meet with the dean, or somebody from admissions, for an hour in the morning about the process. Then financial aid meeting. Then you go to a first or second year class to see what it's like. Followed by lunch, then interviews (2). You either have one faculty and one student, or two faculty. I found mine to be very conversational (I had two faculty). Because they are blind, you can really direct where your interview goes. Go in relaxed, UCSF seemed to be genuinely interested in getting to know applicants beyond numbers. Great school.

 

[PDsquash83]

In case you hadn't heard, UCSF accepts 50% of those that they interview.

 

[photo_girl07]

In case you hadn't heard, UCSF accepts 50% of those that they interview.

seriously....wow, that is pretty good odds...

 

[MedvacMoney]

In case you hadn't heard, UCSF accepts 50% of those that they interview.

Really? I hope i am lucky enough to be one of those 1/2. It is my dream school!

 

[ltrain]

yeah, they told us that they accept about 1/4 of those they interview after the review by the admissions committee and accept the other 1/4 from a 'hold' category later on. so 8 wks after your interview you'll find out accept, reject, or hold.

the other thing they told us that might be of interest is that once you get to the interview they don't look at instate/oos status, ie everyone is considered equally.

 

[BucsFan813]

seriously....wow, that is pretty good odds...

I believe Hopkins is the same way...

 

[MedvacMoney]

yeah, they told us that they accept about 1/4 of those they interview after the review by the admissions committee and accept the other 1/4 from a 'hold' category later on. so 8 wks after your interview you'll find out accept, reject, or hold.

the other thing they told us that might be of interest is that once you get to the interview they don't look at instate/oos status, ie everyone is considered equally.

Damn. Since i am instate that is bad news!

 

[MedvacMoney]

bump

 

[Max8]

yeah, they told us that they accept about 1/4 of those they interview after the review by the admissions committee and accept the other 1/4 from a 'hold' category later on. so 8 wks after your interview you'll find out accept, reject, or hold.

the other thing they told us that might be of interest is that once you get to the interview they don't look at instate/oos status, ie everyone is considered equally.

Hmmm, I didn't hear this "hold" category statement---we were just told 1/2 of those interviewed are accepted. Is the hold like a waitlist? Also, it's not always "8 weeks", I interviewed in Septemeber and am still not going to hear until later in December at the very least. Good luck to you all

 

[ltrain]

Hmmm, I didn't hear this "hold" category statement---we were just told 1/2 of those interviewed are accepted. Is the hold like a waitlist? Also, it's not always "8 weeks", I interviewed in Septemeber and am still not going to hear until later in December at the very least. Good luck to you all

so i'm not sure that "hold" was the word he used, but he said that only half of those eventually accepted get accepted right away, the rationale being that they want to review all applications (even those interviewing late) before filling all the spots.

and you're right about the 8 weeks...the first committee meeting for the year is in the beginning of december, after which they'll send out decisions around the 15th of each month. by the time i interviewed in early november, they told us to expect decisions with the january batch, 8 wks after our interview.

 

[MedvacMoney]

so i'm not sure that "hold" was the word he used, but he said that only half of those eventually accepted get accepted right away, the rationale being that they want to review all applications (even those interviewing late) before filling all the spots.

and you're right about the 8 weeks...the first committee meeting for the year is in the beginning of december, after which they'll send out decisions around the 15th of each month. by the time i interviewed in early november, they told us to expect decisions with the january batch, 8 wks after our interview.

YIKES!

 

[KaraKiz]

Out of curiosity.. anyone interviewing at UCSF on Dec 14? (Thursday, the day after tomorrow)? I'll be there (I'm an East Coast gal, never been to the West Coast, although from what Tu-Pac, Dre, and Snoop claim, I am missing out). I got a list of places to check out and will be roaming the city on Wednesday. I'd be down for some company, checking out bars/restaurants in the neighborhood and Haight Ashbury (sp?). It was where the big hippie movement happened in the 60's.. I <3 hippies.. Anyway, there's lots to do, and I wouldn't mind some company. Another SDNer gave me a huge list of places to check out so I wouldn't roam the city aimlessly (bless his heart).

PM me if you'll be in town early and are down for some microbrews and some hippie history!! I know there will only be 8 of us there, but I can't imagine no one else had the same idea as me to get there a day early and check the city out...

 

[MedvacMoney]

Out of curiosity.. anyone interviewing at UCSF on Dec 14? (Thursday, the day after tomorrow)? I'll be there (I'm an East Coast gal, never been to the West Coast, although from what Tu-Pac, Dre, and Snoop claim, I am missing out). I got a list of places to check out and will be roaming the city on Wednesday. I'd be down for some company, checking out bars/restaurants in the neighborhood and Haight Ashbury (sp?). It was where the big hippie movement happened in the 60's.. I <3 hippies.. Anyway, there's lots to do, and I wouldn't mind some company. Another SDNer gave me a huge list of places to check out so I wouldn't roam the city aimlessly (bless his heart).

PM me if you'll be in town early and are down for some microbrews and some hippie history!! I know there will only be 8 of us there, but I can't imagine no one else had the same idea as me to get there a day early and check the city out...

I am gettin there the night before and leaving the night of interview!