post-bacc interview @ UC Davis
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I don't know anything specifically about UCDavis, but I would advise that you approach it with common sense. The best way to prepare is to objectively review and know your application. I don't mean to spit out your personal statement like the Pledge of Allegiance. Ask yourself the very important questions that begin with "If I were interviewer this person, what would give me pause? What would I frown upon in this application? What would I want explained to me? Likewise, ask yourself what do YOU want the interviewer to know? It might sound silly, but practice this in front of the mirror. I think you should mention any negatives (dropped classes, tough semester) without dwelling and work an explanation of how/why it would be different in the conversation. But I would also turn the conversation back around to something positive, why you're doing this, what is the impetus behind it, etc.
kevans said:
I interviewed today...don't feel too good but their questions are very standard...look over the questions they asked on their application and you'll be well. interview consists of two interviewers and will take about 40 mins.
good luck.
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What did you answer for the ethical question. I have a friend in the post-bacc program right now, that said that the response is one of the ways that they weed people out.
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No ethical question? Really? HMMMMM......maybe they use another criteria now. What was your vibe from Ed? BTW what did they say the success rate is of the program?
macaddict78 said:
success rate about 85%...Ed stressed that you will have to work hard and there is no guarantee.
I wish I had good vibes from Ed...it was hard to tell and maybe that's not a good sign but I know that they specifically look for very specific traits in their accepted applicants.
the best advice i got was to treat it in the tone of a conversation. Your honest self will come out more.
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Well, I am actually in the Post-bacc program at Davis right now. Off to Iowa next year. Just to let you know that the success rate of 85% is not during the year that you are at Davis and apply, but the following year after the post-bacc at Davis. If you have any questions let me know. So what are your stats?
macaddict78 said:
thanks for the support...i've been out of school for 6 years working at the county hospital in san jose. my experience, awards, and research exp are all very good.
i have a 24O mcat and 3.08 gpa (2.95 science). Finished strong in my sciences and have honors in Literature. Juggled family issues and school my first two years in college. hoping for a chance to prove myself academically in a reputable program. What do you think macaddict78, or anyone else, of my strategy/direction?
i have an interview at ucsf next week. I would appreciate any advice and guidance Thanks.
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huy408 said:
Good luck with the UCSF program, that is considered to be a very reputable program. I believe the post-bacc classes take place at San Francisco State, so they may be less demanding thatn that at Davis, but the name recognition of UCSF will work to your benefit. As for Davis, the amount of people that get in from year to year varies. This year there were 11 people, 5 people have had interviews at medical schools (or other conditional admit programs). So far 3 of us have gotten in at U. of Minn., UC Davis and Iowa, all of which are really good schools. The only problem with the post-bacc at Davis (an probably the other UCs) is that most schools want to see that you have a year of coursework to show that you can succeed in medical school. Since you apply before you actually take any classes at Davis, this puts ayou at a disadvantage. And I want to stress that UC Davis is not a conditional admit program into there medical school. But if you don't have your hopes up on getting in next year and get a 3.7 or above in the post-bacc, I really don't see why you shouldn't get in somewhere the following year. Another big thing is the MCAT. I cannot stress enough that the MCAt is a great equalizer for bad grades. I had a sub 3.0 from undergrad, but a very good MCAT score and got in this year. If you do decide to do the Davis program, I would suggest that you start studying for the MCAt before teh summer starts so things are less stressful and so that you can have some more time to work on other important things like your personal statement.
macaddict78 said:
thank you for the advice. i will study harder and smarter for the mcat this time around. Just finished reading through the mcat 30+ thread.
i was confused after the ucdavis interview. not sure what Ed was looking for and how they base their selection. What are your thoughts? One-two weeks of waiting is tough. thank you again.
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huy408 said:
Hi there,
I completed the UCSF Post-Bac program in 2004. The interviews for UCSF will probably be similar to the one you had at Davis. They'll basically ask you a lot about your background, how you've contributed to your community, your future goals and what you think you need from a Post-Bac program (why the UCSF one?).
Classes are taken at SFstate as someone mentioned. Frankly, the classes I took there (Immunology, Medical Molecular bio, Genetics, Parasitology) were much easier (less demanding) than the upper division courses I took in undergrad (SCU). But I was a bio major so maybe that's why.
If you have questions about the UCSF program, feel free to PM me. 🙂 Good luck with your interview!
Hey this maybe too late and sorry i just checked today for any posts on the Davis Post-bac. I had my interview last saturday and received my reply monday which was great. Regarding the interview for anyone that hasn't been through it already, it's pretty easy-going. Intimidating at first but then you relax because the two interviewers are very nice and make it a real good atmosphere. I guess the only words of advice is to be yourself. they don't treat it like a medical school interview, it's more of a get to know you and see if you're really motivated to get into med school. No ethical questions, just tell me about yourself questions. I think they are really looking for answers that don't sound made up, more thinking on the spot and not sounding like you're reading it off the the back of your hand type thing. Hope this helps.
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- Pre-Medical
Having my interview tomorrow, some things that I am prepping for currently are:
Knowing my application, and having a bank of examples to pull from.
Knowing my resume, and tying in work and volunteering experience to my personal "why"
I also watched a mock med school interview on youtube and took broad notes for what I would answer if given that question.
Hopefully we can start this thread back up, as I would love to share my experiences along the way for future applicants as well as take words of advice from those who have been through the process.
Knowing my application, and having a bank of examples to pull from.
Knowing my resume, and tying in work and volunteering experience to my personal "why"
I also watched a mock med school interview on youtube and took broad notes for what I would answer if given that question.
Hopefully we can start this thread back up, as I would love to share my experiences along the way for future applicants as well as take words of advice from those who have been through the process.
