How do UCs screen?

[waterlily]

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Does UC screen with only looking at a number cutoff, or do they actually read your PS and go through your ECs also and decide that way?

 

[Mateodaspy]

Does UC screen with only looking at a number cutoff, or do they actually read your PS and go through your ECs also and decide that way?

perhaps it depends on which UC... but i know that ucsf looks at everything. (with higher standards, of course, for out-of-staters)

 

[Crete]

Does UC screen with only looking at a number cutoff, or do they actually read your PS and go through your ECs also and decide that way?

My understanding is that other than UCSF, if you are non-URM there is a cutoff for GPA and MCAT, if you are above it you get a secondary and if below, you get rejected. If you check any of the disadvantaged boxes on the app, your app goes to another committee specifically for disadvantaged at which point your whole application is reviewed. At UCSF, your PS and GPA/MCAT are looked at to determine whether or not you will get a secondary. NEVER leave a secondary blank. There is an optional 2 page section on the secondary that TRUST ME, you do not want to ignore!

 

[UCLAstudent]

Crete, are you talking about UCSF? I believe they just want a $60 check. I don't recall there being an optional essay last year. UCSD, on the other hand, wanted a two-page "autobiographical sketch" (lol).

 

[sdnstud]

It's true. UCSF doesn't explicitly tell you about the "optional essay," but you are allowed to submit 2 pages of whatever along with your secondary essay. I did research for UCSF for years and I wrote about it in my 2 pager. Still, I wasn't granted an interview. 👎

Crete, are you talking about UCSF? I believe they just want a $60 check. I don't recall there being an optional essay last year. UCSD, on the other hand, wanted a two-page "autobiographical sketch" (lol).

 

[UCdannyLA]

a UCLASOM adcom member told me that if you are Either 30+ MCAT or 3.5+ cum. GPA, you'll make the cut.

 

[UCLAstudent]

It's true. UCSF doesn't explicitly tell you about the "optional essay," but you are allowed to submit 2 pages of whatever along with your secondary essay. I did research for UCSF for years and I wrote about it in my 2 pager. Still, I wasn't granted an interview. 👎

Conversely, I didn't even know about the optional essay and got an interview ... not that I was able to capitalize on that.

 

[diosa428]

Is the 30+ MCAT/3.5+ GPA cutoff the same for out of state students?

 

[jjmack]

Is the 30+ MCAT/3.5+ GPA cutoff the same for out of state students?

nope i think much harder cut offs.

 

[Centinel]

nope i think much harder cut offs.

Any informed guesses as to what those may be?

 

[grendel]

a UCLASOM adcom member told me that if you are Either 30+ MCAT or 3.5+ cum. GPA, you'll make the cut.

Just to clarify, do you mean that you can have a 30+ MCAT and below a 3.5 GPA or conversely a 3.5 GPA and below a 30 MCAT and make the cut, or you need BOTH 30+ and 3.5+, together, to make the cut? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

 

[UCdannyLA]

Just to clarify, do you mean that you can have a 30+ MCAT and below a 3.5 GPA or conversely a 3.5 GPA and below a 30 MCAT and make the cut, or you need BOTH 30+ and 3.5+, together, to make the cut? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Either 30+ OR 3.5+, so...as long as you have one of those, you should make the first cut.

 

[UCdannyLA]

Just to clarify, do you mean that you can have a 30+ MCAT and below a 3.5 GPA or conversely a 3.5 GPA and below a 30 MCAT and make the cut, or you need BOTH 30+ and 3.5+, together, to make the cut? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Either 30+ OR 3.5+, so...as long as you have one of those, you should make the first cut--assuming that you are a california resident.

 

[grendel]

Either 30+ OR 3.5+, so...as long as you have one of those, you should make the first cut--assuming that you are a california resident.

Thanks!

 

[nockamura]

This must be for UCLA only because I was rejected pre-secondary from Davis with a 30 and 3.6. My understanding is they read tea leaves and chicken guts to decide who gets an interview.

 

[pagemmapants]

This must be for UCLA only because I was rejected pre-secondary from Davis with a 30 and 3.6. My understanding is they read tea leaves and chicken guts to decide who gets an interview.

It's like how they calculate MCAT scores via a secret formula derived from the motion of spacedust particles moments after a supernova when analyzed through the infrared vision of an underpants gnome.

Ew. Chicken guts.

 

[Brainsucker]

At UCSF, your PS and GPA/MCAT are looked at to determine whether or not you will get a secondary.

I'm sure that's true, but I know for a fact that they look at one's ECs. I appealed (one can do that with UCSF, but I doubt it does much good) their rejection, but I was told that I was turned down for a secondary because I didn't show in-depth involvement in my activities.

 

[Crete]

Crete, are you talking about UCSF? I believe they just want a $60 check. I don't recall there being an optional essay last year. UCSD, on the other hand, wanted a two-page "autobiographical sketch" (lol).

Yeah they put it in font 10 at the very bottom of one random page in the secondary. Kind, no? Quite honestly UCLAstudent, do you really think UCSF will afford you more oppurtunity than UCLA? Congratulations!

Brainsucker maybe they do look at ecs, but do you think your PS could have showed a lack of involvement, or maybe the URM/disadv committee reviewed your file? They may very well look at ecs but the person who told me about their process seemed knowledgable.

 

[boathouse34]

UCSF's website says they only receive EC titles/contact names/dates, not descriptions. I guess they choose this from AMCAS. So I guess a lack of involvement might be determined from dates, but seems strange. Maybe this is a new policy this year..who knows....

 

[Brainsucker]

Brainsucker maybe they do look at ecs, but do you think your PS could have showed a lack of involvement, or maybe the URM/disadv committee reviewed your file? They may very well look at ecs but the person who told me about their process seemed knowledgable.

No disadvantaged/URM status. I'm very sure about the ECs because I wrote a letter of appeal and the response cited EC involvement. I guess it's possible that the PS didn't show anything, but I heard nothing but good things about my PS from interviewers, so I don't think that was a problem. Besides, in only 5300 characters, a PS isn't supposed to be a recapitulation of all one's ECs. I think the fact that UCSF only gets heading info about ECs probably hurt me because I tend to do things on my own--I've never been a fan of organized activities--so it's difficult to quantify the things I've done.

 

[NorCalGirl]

UCSF's website says they only receive EC titles/contact names/dates, not descriptions. I guess they choose this from AMCAS. So I guess a lack of involvement might be determined from dates, but seems strange. Maybe this is a new policy this year..who knows....

This has been the case for the past few years, as far as I know. UCSF will look at the title of your ECs, but they don't read the descriptions.

As for the other UCs, I think UCSD may have a higher cutoff because when I applied in 2003, I had a 3.5+ GPA but a <30 MCAT score and got rejected pre-secondary. This past year, I had both 3.5+ GPA and 30+ MCAT and got a secondary, but was eventually put on hold.

As far as UCLA's cutoff goes, my in-state friend had a <30 MCAT and <3.5 GPA and got an interview.

So in conclusion, who the heck knows what is going on with the UCs!

 

[nockamura]

I got a secondary for UCSD so it's a random cut off too. I think they put a lot of stock into EC's and your PS.

 

[barcelona-bound]

So in conclusion, who the heck knows what is going on with the UCs!

agreed!

last year, i applied late october with a <25 and +3.6 GPA...received secondaries at UCLA and UCSD as a NON-resident...on-hold for interview at UCSD, rejected in late April from both.

re-applying this year (verified 7.15) -- with new MCAT scores...lol

good luck everyone!

 

[tank you]

Either 30+ OR 3.5+, so...as long as you have one of those, you should make the first cut--assuming that you are a california resident.

really? where did you hear that from, i hope you are right.

 

[shuzee]

i dont have a 30+ nor a 3.5+ GPA. and i havnt even submitted my AMCAS yet, so im thinking it is awefully late for UCs. I have had unusual life situations but i dont have the stats. though i am a CA resident, should i even bother applying to the UCs?? im thinking about my pocket so please give an honest answer. thanks!

 

[MrTee]

i dont have a 30+ nor a 3.5+ GPA. and i havnt even submitted my AMCAS yet, so im thinking it is awefully late for UCs. I have had unusual life situations but i dont have the stats. though i am a CA resident, should i even bother applying to the UCs?? im thinking about my pocket so please give an honest answer. thanks!

I'm told that UCLA loves applicants who have overcome hardships. Of course, whether you apply or not depends on how far you are from the 3.5 and 30. If you're like a 3.4/29, I'd go for it for sure for the uc's.

 

[barcelona-bound]

i dont have a 30+ nor a 3.5+ GPA. and i havnt even submitted my AMCAS yet, so im thinking it is awefully late for UCs. I have had unusual life situations but i dont have the stats. though i am a CA resident, should i even bother applying to the UCs?? im thinking about my pocket so please give an honest answer. thanks!

GO FOR IT! make sure your PS stands out...i know irvine PREFERS apps submitted to amcas BY august 1....other UCs similar??? good luck!

 

[barcelona-bound]

FYI: received AMCAS receipt notification (aka, not secondary) from UC Davis...they explicitly said that they won't make any decision on my app until after my august mcat scores arrive.....in mid october....scores must be important 😛 lalalalalala

 

[truckibear]

I think the cutoff is lower for UCI. Although I may have old information. Whatever the case, the UCs automatically send everyone who meets their cutoff a secondary and for those who don't, they will go over the application and determine whether an applicant should be sent a secondary based on extenuating circumstances, etc. Also, again not sure about the other UCs, but I know UCI tends to be very gracious towards its own students.

 

[tank you]

I think the cutoff is lower for UCI. Although I may have old information. Whatever the case, the UCs automatically send everyone who meets their cutoff a secondary and for those who don't, they will go over the application and determine whether an applicant should be sent a secondary based on extenuating circumstances, etc. Also, again not sure about the other UCs, but I know UCI tends to be very gracious towards its own students.

wow, really?
where do you guys get this information from? did you actually talk to the adcoms of the UC's?

 

[truckibear]

wow, really?
where do you guys get this information from? did you actually talk to the adcoms of the UC's?

Well I know what UCI does with their applications and what their cutoff is because of an article printed in the Orange County register a few years ago about admissions to their medical school. In that article it specifically stated that the GPA cutoff for a secondary was 3.0. I don't know if that's changed since and I don't remember the MCAT cutoff. Furthermore, I applied last year and received a secondary from UCI with <3.5 GPA and <30 MCAT. So don't worry if you have lower numbers, you may still receive a secondary. 🙂