Ucla

[Cal_Irish04]

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Questions for those who have already interviewed at UCLA:

How would you describe the committee interviews compared to any others you have taken?

Also, how many faculty did they have you interview with?

 

[Trashino]

Pretty typical: a laid back discussion of research, followed by a kind of free flowing section about ecs, the school's program, etc. There were two faculty interviews.

A tip: at least during my session, the friday (second day) was all caltech. For people who aren't interested in the ucla-caltech program, you only have one day of interviewing. I mention this because something on the website made it seem like the ucla only program interviews also on friday. Some applicants were stranded in LA for an extra day because of this.

 

[blueberry]

for those who have already interviwed at UCLA:

when will they be making decisions?

 

[Cal_Irish04]

I believe they said first week of March. Accept about 30/100 + 5-10 waitlist.

 

[fuzzylogic]

does anybody know how easy it is to get off the waitlist at ucla?

 

[Habari]

in the past they have gone through a reasonable number of waitlist spots; their yield should be better than it historically has been [at the nadir of their admissions-matric conversion prowess they went through the entire waitlist without filling the class - the situation/program has improved greatly since then].

 

[ImmunoANT]

just came back from ucla. the following is some fast facts for this year.
regarding mstp:
~ 300 applied
~ 100 granted for interview
~ 35 acceptances + waitlist
(took notes during orientation)
acceptances will be sent out some time in March (if my memory serves me right)

regarding interview:
mstp only (eg. no md interview)
typical, 2 informational, 2 mstp commitee

personal comments:
even though i graduated from ucla and came to the interview thinking that i'd known whatever i needed to know about the school, but man, was i wrong. Over the past two years (while i was away), ucla has gone through some drastic changes (both biomed research and its md curriculum): a new research building was just erected solely for neuroscience, which is scheduled to be operational some time by next month, and they are trying to recruit 30+ investigators (my estimate) to the already strong neuroscience department. Two additional buildings are on the way, one of them to accommodate the growing California NanoSystem Institute (BME fans watch out). The MSTP director, Dr. Owen Witte, is personable, super smart (being a Howard Hughes investigator himself), and seems very attentive to students' needs. He was one of my mstp interviewers. I had a GREAT time talking to him and ended up putting ucla back to my list.

hope that helps.

 

[premed]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to know if the rumors that MSTP applicants have extremely high stats is true. I have a decent application minus my extremely low GPA. However, I will be starting a masters this fall and hope to increase it. Some additional info:

3.0 GPA
33Q MCAT
3 abstract publications (1 primary author)
1 journal publication
2 acknowledgements (although I practically did all the experiments on one 😡 )

I am a Staff Research Associate II (basically lab tech) at UCLA. Is MSTP out of the question? Feel free to be harsh.

Thanks

 

[Newquagmire]

Originally posted by premed
Hey guys,

I just wanted to know if the rumors that MSTP applicants have extremely high stats is true. I have a decent application minus my extremely low GPA. However, I will be starting a masters this fall and hope to increase it. Some additional info:

3.0 GPA
33Q MCAT
3 abstract publications (1 primary author)
1 journal publication
2 acknowledgements (although I practically did all the experiments on one 😡 )

I am a Staff Research Associate II (basically lab tech) at UCLA. Is MSTP out of the question? Feel free to be harsh.

Thanks

I think in general it's true that the average MST has "better" stats than the average MD counterpart, but I think what's more important is the quality of your research experience. How well you know your own work is very important.

 

[Neuronix]

Premed, my question for you is how long have you been in the lab? if it's been two or more years, with all that stuff to show for it, that's excellent. However, your GPA will really hurt you alot, so I'm honestly not sure what chances you have. Another question adcoms are going to have is why you would do a master's before doing a MD/PhD, so make sure you have some sort of answer besides "I wanted to raise my GPA." Maybe some sort of post-bacc, even if it's an informal program (just taking upper-level science classes at UCLA), would help.

Otherwise your application is decent. I just honestly don't know how you're going to fare with a borderline MCAT and low GPA. I would say you would probably have a hard time getting into MD programs as well, for the same reasons. For PhD programs you seem like a very good applicant, though you would need to take the GRE. Have you considered PhD then MD? You could apply both MD/PhD and PhD only and see what happens.

Good luck!

 

[Maebea]

That 3.0 is going to be tough to overcome, but it is possible. A 3.0 is more palatable to admissions committees if you were a "late bloomer", i.e., earned progressively better grades after a slow start. Or if you had a single bad semester that is an exception to a generally strong undergrad record. (Of course, you will need to explain why you had the bad semester.) Schools will look at your science GPA (BCMP on the AMCAS) versus the non-science GPA, with a higher science GPA being desirable.

I think that the idea of taking a couple of grad courses might be ok, but you really need to nail them completely or they become a negative factor. A "B+" in a grad course will not impress admissions committees. The most important thing is to really do spectacularly in lab. You'll be up against applicants who have >3.6 GPAs and mid-30 MCATs, the only way to compete is to be better in lab than they are.

I guess that you know the drill about applying widely, applying early, etc.

 

[premed]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your advice. I plan on including a few MSTP programs when I apply again later. I believe medical schools do not charge extra for applying MD/PhD. Also, is it true that if you are not admitted MD/PhD, then you are still considered for regular MD admissions? Will this result in my application being considered for MD only after the MD/PhD rejects me and have the same effect as submitting my application late?

 

[Neuronix]

Indeed, medical schools do not charge extra for applying MD/PhD and some actually provide discounts for MD/PhD applicants (Baylor and CWRU for example). Many help you with travel expenses for interviews as well, some with airfare, most with student housing or hotel, while MD programs often expect you to foot the entire bill.

As for MD consideration after a MD/PhD rejection, it totally depends on the school. Most SAY you will be considered for MD if rejected MD/PhD (except for UChicago), but I'm convinced many do not, if at least not equally (Hopkins, Penn, others). How much applying MD/PhD first hurts you has been debated widely and there's no clear answer as it probably does come down to the school. One thing I can tell you is that you may fare better applying MD/PhD. I wouldn't think that getting into MD is any easier, as my impression is that it's more based on numbers than MD/PhD. At least some MD/PhD programs will overlook GPA and MCAT to a certain extent for research experience. In this case, most MD programs won't even invite you to interview. MD programs may look at ECs like research favorably, but in my experience they only really help your app if you did some extraordinary stuff.

Good luck!

 

[Cal_Irish04]

Final decisions for admission to the program will be made by Friday, March 5, 2004 - from the MSTP site


Good luck to all who interviewed and may God have mercy on our souls...

 

[dabenxiong]

Originally posted by Cal_Irish04
Final decisions for admission to the program will be made by Friday, March 5, 2004 - from the MSTP site


Good luck to all who interviewed and may God have mercy on our souls...

Have you heard anything? I've been waiting all day...🙄

 

[strangeattractor]

oh no, one more thing to worry about! my boyfriend is checking the mail as i type and i live in los angeles so there very well may be a letter!

 

[Cal_Irish04]

All silent it seems

My status page hasn't been updated yet 🙄

The website did say Mar 5...

 

[dabenxiong]

My status page actually says:

"Your online forms are due on: 12/01/2003"

The final decision letter box is still blank. Anyone knows what this means? 😕

 

[blueberry]

Originally posted by dabenxiong
My status page actually says:

"Your online forms are due on: 12/01/2003"

The final decision letter box is still blank. Anyone knows what this means? 😕

Well, my online status says that as well, and I've been complete since novemeber (completed my secondary in October and interviewed in November).
Assuming that you've already completed your secondary and interviewed, you're on the same boat as me. This just means more waiting. I think LA is just slow--we may have to wait till next week before a final decision letter is sent. And I've heard that they won't give decisions over the phone even after they've sent out final decision letters (at least for MD only, not sure about MSTP).

good luck to everyone--am keeping my fingers crossed as well.

 

[strangeattractor]

mine says the same thing.

 

[oasis786]

Acceptances are going out via phone call.

Good luck everyone!

 

[strangeattractor]

an interviewer i had at ucla just called the lab...i wasn't here but he left a message, and i called back and left a message with him, and he wasn't there.

there's no possibility they would call for a rejection is there?

this is really very scary for me as this would be my first acceptance, second time i'm applying, and to top it off, this interviewer was particularly hard on me (i actually went in the bathroom and cried after the interview...kid you not).

 

[oasis786]

That should be an acceptance....

 

[dabenxiong]

I guess I'm rejected then...since I didn't get a phone call....🙁

 

[oasis786]

no no....don't give up hope yet. I didn't mean that *all* acceptances were going out over phone, could just be some.

 

[Cal_Irish04]

Called the office today and they said acceptances are going out in the mail this week...no mention of phone calls


I feel kinda uneasy bout this phone call business...Oasis where did you hear this from?

 

[ImmunoANT]

Originally posted by strangeattractor

this is really very scary for me as this would be my first acceptance, second time i'm applying, and to top it off, this interviewer was particularly hard on me (i actually went in the bathroom and cried after the interview...kid you not).

Who is that interviewer???

 

[strangeattractor]

i am going to be a doctor. and a doctor. a doctor-doctor. yay!

 

[looseygoosey]

Congrats s.a.! UCLA is an awesome program.

And the beautiful weather here in california is hard to beat.

 

[strangeattractor]

i'd prefer not say in public forum, so i am pming you, immunoant

 

[ImmunoANT]

anyone knows when the revisit is for UCLA (if there's one)? can't find it anywhere in my notes...

StrangeAttractor, thanks, am waiting for your pm. 🙂 really curious about who this hard-core interviewer is...

 

[Newquagmire]

Originally posted by strangeattractor
this is really very scary for me as this would be my first acceptance, second time i'm applying, and to top it off, this interviewer was particularly hard on me (i actually went in the bathroom and cried after the interview...kid you not).

congrats! that's a story for the books.

 

[Cal_Irish04]

congrats to all who've heard: you hear too immuno?

to the rest of us in limbo...arrgh

 

[oasis786]

oops sorry Immuno - meant to send that pm to Irish. 🙁

 

[ImmunoANT]

Originally posted by Cal_Irish04
congrats to all who've heard: you hear too immuno?

to the rest of us in limbo...arrgh

it's my understanding that ucla's sending out 35 letters, my friend told me i'm placed at #24. can't really be sure if that means acceptance or waitlist. anyway.... ... ...

 

[ImmunoANT]

And again, who knows when the revisit date is for ucla????

 

[ImmunoANT]

Yup, just received a phone call from ucla. got the acceptance. YES!!!

 

[strangeattractor]

congrats, immunoant! do you plan on attending? if so, we'll be classmates 🙂.

 

[oasis786]

nobody wants to be classmates with me? *feelings hurt* 🙁

 

[ImmunoANT]

Originally posted by oasis786
nobody wants to be classmates with me? *feelings hurt* 🙁

Oasis, are you coming to the UCLA revisit (if there's one). I remember during orientation Dr. Witte did mention that. But when they called and I inquired about it, I didn't get a straight answer. Do you know more about this, and are you going to come?

 

[oasis786]

I don't know anymore than you on this - I'm sure there's a revisit and hopefully the info will be in our letter/packet.

I hope to be there - barring date conflicts of course. Funny thing is, my caller told me that they needed to know my decision within two weeks - a revisit would sure help that decision....

 

[cal_mudphud]

When UCLA called me, they said they weren't having one unified revisit date because the med school already did theirs or something. My caller told me to call them if i wanted to visit UCLA again and that they would pay for the visit.

 

[Habari]

i just visited during my spring break last year. it was ... eventful.

 

[oasis786]

Originally posted by Habari
i just visited during my spring break last year. it was ... eventful.

Oh come on, you can't just leave us hanging with "eventful." 😀

 

[coldchemist]

Sounds like they took you out and got you plastered! Hope they didn't get too many compromising pictures! J/K.😀 😀 😀

 

[kiilcancer]

How bad is it to take the MCAT on Aug and apply to UCLA??
Can anybody clarify the true meaning of the political term preference (or strong preference)?
In the same sense, do I have to speak spanish and have had trainings in computer engineering..etc?

 

[crimson39]

Anyone else visiting April 2nd?

 

[ImmunoANT]

am going on April 9th.

 

[strangeattractor]

wait, hold up the horse and buggy! is there - or isn't there - a revist? i haven't gotten a packet from the office yet but i haven't been checking my mail.

i guess it doesn't really make much difference. this is my sixth year at ucla and i could walk down to the admissions office anytime i want.

and - maybe not for april 2nd, but possibly for a little later (i'm moving on the first and it would be kind of difficult to put everything away in a day)...i might be able to offer a place to stay. as an incentive, i live about 100 meters from the ocean 🙂

 

[fuzzylogic]

Originally posted by ImmunoANT
am going on April 9th.

immunoant, just for curiosity, where do you think you might go, ucla or case?