UCSD Extension Premed Post Bacc 2019-20

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CiaoEngineering said:
Guys, I haven't taken the lab for O'chem 2. Any idea how critical the labs are for them? Trying to decide if I should take it in the spring or not.
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Hi Ciao,
did you ever find an answer to this?
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sweetydnic51 said:
Hi Ciao,
did you ever find an answer to this?
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Hi, I never asked the program, because I was afraid. But, I’ve got an interview scheduled for next week, so I guess they are fine with my application the way it is.
 
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CiaoEngineering said:
Hi, I never asked the program, because I was afraid. But, I’ve got an interview scheduled for next week, so I guess they are fine with my application the way it is.
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I am taking O Chem 2 and Lab together this semester, thinking that it would help my application because it was a requirement.. dang. Do you mind me asking your stats? I know it's not the end of the world but it does suck knowing I wasn't even waitlisted. Lol.
 
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v4n808 said:
I am taking O Chem 2 and Lab together this semester, thinking that it would help my application because it was a requirement.. dang. Do you mind me asking your stats? I know it's not the end of the world but it does suck knowing I wasn't even waitlisted. Lol.
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I highly doubt missing a couple of labs would be a big deal for them. My Overall science and non-science GPAs are 3.65 and 3.7 respectively. It was enough to get me an interview. So, if I don't get accepted, it would definitely be because of my interview. I could have responded better to the interview questions. If you have good stats and have work experience or extracurricular activities, then probably the reason you were not selected for interview is your personal statement. You should work on your story. I personally believe that is even more important than having a good GPA. Good luck
 
Those who recently had an interview, can you please share what type of interview is it. Questions are more related to your ECs and application or more intense scenario based questions ? Will appreciate any feedback.
 
I had mine last Monday and it was definitely laid back. It was just my "advisor" and me. The questions depend on your advisor since it didn't really seem like she was going off of a template or list. But, it was very obvious that my advisor read my application because she knew details about my essays and had notes written. So, I would advise that you definitely re-read your essays and be prepared to answer any questions related to them. Also be prepared to answer how or what made you decided to pursue medicine and why UCSD extension post-bacc specifically. My advisor asked me if I felt that my application was ready to apply to med schools right now and if not, why? Those are all of the questions I can remember but over all, it was super chill. Really just felt like I was having a conversation with someone, not so much being interviewed by someone that would determine what I'm doing with my life next year. haha Don't worry, just be prepared, be yourself, and kill it!
Also, if anyone has any questions, feel free to DM.
Hope this helps :) Good luck!!
 
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Mine was a bit intimidating with a former dean of UCSD med, asked me about my motivations for med, what about ucsd is ideal for me, etc
 
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hsrag said:
Mine was a bit intimidating with a former dean of UCSD med, asked me about my motivations for med, what about ucsd is ideal for me, etc
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Similar experience.
 
Anyone on the waitlist for interview heard anything yet?
 
Their website says they interview about 80 people each cycle. Does 80 include waitlisted folks?
 
Hi guys, around which week of April does UCSD start sending letters of acceptance or rejection for this program?
 
FutureMDH said:
Hi guys, around which week of April does UCSD start sending letters of acceptance or rejection for this program?
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The email said they’d start notifying applicants in mid to late April. Last year UCSD sent out emails on 3/22, so I’m thinking we’ll start hearing news around that time.
 
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cvmed said:
The email said they’d start notifying applicants in mid to late April. Last year UCSD sent out emails on 3/22, so I’m thinking we’ll start hearing news around that time.
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what e-mail??
 
cvmed said:
The email said they’d start notifying applicants in mid to late April. Last year UCSD sent out emails on 3/22, so I’m thinking we’ll start hearing news around that time.
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You mean 04/22. I’m so anxious, I thought the website said that they would notify by early April, but they modified it to just April. Best of luck to everyone.
 
Oops, I did mean 4/22. Sorry!
And the email with our initial interview invite had that information about being notified mid to late April. Good luck to everyone.
 
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cvmed said:
Oops, I did mean 4/22. Sorry!
And the email with our initial interview invite had that information about being notified mid to late April. Good luck to everyone.
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You're right, I saw the e-mail. Now we wait. Good luck!
 
Just got my acceptance email! Good luck everyone!
 
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Acceptance email too! Good luck everyone!
 
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Accepted!! Congrats all!!! See you this summer!!!! Good luck to everybody else as well!! We all worked hard and I’m sure it was tough for them to make final decisions... that’s why it took so long to hear back!
 
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Accepted but leaning towards UCI. If you are on the waitlist there is hope !!!!
 
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Congratulations to those accepted!!
Guys, I hate to be a party pooper but I don't understand what is so special about this program. I am trying to to compare this program to other Postbac/SMP programs. Maybe those who got accepted and waiting for acceptance have done the research and can help me understand ?
  1. The Postbac has no direct linkage to UCSD. The only linkage it has is to a DO school. There are several other Postbac/SMP programs that have linkage to medical school like the Drexel, Tulane, Cincinnati, and some have a stronger track record of placing students into medical school such as GT SMP. Why did you prefer this program over those programs?
  2. The Postbac only allows students to take undergrad classes which for most students won't impact GPA too much if you already have lot of credits. It is only a certificate so no degree, as opposed to other SMPs where students take graduate level classes and earn a Masters degree. Any one can take not-for credit classes at an undergrad school. So, to me, this seems to be a planned DIY Postbac.
  3. The MCAT preparation incorporated in the program is a contract with Kaplan and it's not as intense as their regular program. Anyone can enroll with Kaplan directly, so why go through them?
  4. You are not taking classes with M1 students and don't have an opportunity to show your ability to handle medical coursework. There are posbacs/SMPs where students are ranked against the medical school students, showing their true potential to the medical schools.
 
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Gill_97 said:
Congratulations to those accepted!!
Guys, I hate to be a party pooper but I don't understand what is so special about this program. I am trying to to compare this program to other Postbac/SMP programs. Maybe those who got accepted and waiting for acceptance have done the research and can help me understand ?
  1. The Postbac has no direct linkage to UCSD. The only linkage it has is to a DO school. There are several other Postbac/SMP programs that have linkage to medical school like the Drexel, Tulane, Cincinnati, and some have a stronger track record of placing students into medical school such as GT SMP. Why did you prefer this program over those programs?
  2. The Postbac only allows students to take undergrad classes which for most students won't impact GPA too much if you already have lot of credits. It is only a certificate so no degree, as opposed to other SMPs where students take graduate level classes and earn a Masters degree. Any one can take not-for credit classes at an undergrad school. So, to me, this seems to be a planned DIY Postbac.
  3. The MCAT preparation incorporated in the program is a contract with Kaplan and it's not as intense as their regular program. Anyone can enroll with Kaplan directly, so why go through them?
  4. You are not taking classes with M1 students and don't have an opportunity to show your ability to handle medical coursework. There are posbacs/SMPs where students are ranked against the medical school students, showing their true potential to the medical schools.
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Here are some of the reasons why this program is so special.
1. UCSD is one of the top medical schools in California, much better than some of the schools you mentioned, so they will not give admissions to someone who can not handle their rigorous program, someone who is not prepared for medical school. This is how they secure their reputation/success rate.
2. This program is special because the advisors are people who sit on the medical school admissions committee, so receiving a letter of recommendation from them is HUGE. You are being recommended by someone on the admissions committee of one of top SOM in California. Also when medical schools look at post-bacc programs they favor programs with a selective admissions process because they can trust students did not take easy classes and have the personality, experience (clinical / research), volunteering needed for medical school. Thus being accepted into a selective and rigorous post-bacc means something, you are a special ( 5% acceptance) !!!
3. Also, when it comes down to how much your GPA is impacted, you have to take into consideration that post-bacc friendly medical schools usually don't average GPA, but look at your undergraduate GPA and post-bacc GPA separately for an upwards trend. This is how people with a 2.7 or a 3.0 in undergrad get into medical school, an upwards trend!
4. The classes are not credit / no credit.
5. The MCAT prep is just supplemental, people don't apply to this program simply because of the MCAT prep. I was told during my interview that students need to study for the MCAT on their own like regular pre-med students and use the MCAT course as a supplement. The benefits of this program go beyond the MCAT prep. ( they have a 94% success rate, you will get into medical school, which is the reason why you do a post bacc to begin with)
6. UCSD has a reputation of accepting 1/3 of their students into their SOM, the rest go onto other medical schools such as UCD ect.... check the site for more information.
7. You are right about not taking classes with medical students, but all medical students had to learn to excel in undergraduate classes to show their readiness for medical school. The advisors help you work on your weaknesses to help you do just that. workshops are provided ect...
8. Why post bacc over SMP, easy - if you mess up in an SMP your chances of getting into medical school are virtually none, if you don't do so well in your post bacc you can always take more classes to convince medical schools to invest in you.
 
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N/A said:
Was anyone offered any scholarships?
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I was offered an $8,500 scholarship. I was told during my interview that the admissions committee recommends some students for a scholarship, but was told they themselves are not the ones who grant the scholarships. I believe the final decision comes from the financial aid office.
 
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prlskale said:
I was offered an $8,500 scholarship. I was told during my interview that the admissions committee recommends some students for a scholarship, but was told they themselves are not the ones who grant the scholarships. I believe the final decision comes from the financial aid office.
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Congrats on your scholarship! Wish I got one!

How does the financial aid office determine merit, though? I didn’t submit any personal financial information... did you?
 
sweetydnic51 said:
Congrats on your scholarship! Wish I got one!

How does the financial aid office determine merit, though? I didn’t submit any personal financial information... did you?
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I had submitted my FAFSA way before applying to UCSD. I was told that doing so allows schools to offer you financial aid early on. You may still get one. It might only be a matter of them not having your Financial Aid application. I would contact them if I were you. Keep us updated.
 
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prlskale said:
Here are some of the reasons why this program is so special.
1. UCSD is one of the top medical schools in California, much better than some of the schools you mentioned, so they will not give admissions to someone who can not handle their rigorous program, someone who is not prepared for medical school. This is how they secure their reputation/success rate.
2. This program is special because the advisors are people who sit on the medical school admissions committee, so receiving a letter of recommendation from them is HUGE. You are being recommended by someone on the admissions committee of one of top SOM in California. Also when medical schools look at post-bacc programs they favor programs with a selective admissions process because they can trust students did not take easy classes and have the personality, experience (clinical / research), volunteering needed for medical school. Thus being accepted into a selective and rigorous post-bacc means something, you are a special ( 5% acceptance) !!!
3. Also, when it comes down to how much your GPA is impacted, you have to take into consideration that post-bacc friendly medical schools usually don't average GPA, but look at your undergraduate GPA and post-bacc GPA separately for an upwards trend. This is how people with a 2.7 or a 3.0 in undergrad get into medical school, an upwards trend!
4. The classes are not credit / no credit.
5. The MCAT prep is just supplemental, people don't apply to this program simply because of the MCAT prep. I was told during my interview that students need to study for the MCAT on their own like regular pre-med students and use the MCAT course as a supplement. The benefits of this program go beyond the MCAT prep. ( they have a 94% success rate, you will get into medical school, which is the reason why you do a post bacc to begin with)
6. UCSD has a reputation of accepting 1/3 of their students into their SOM, the rest go onto other medical schools such as UCD ect.... check the site for more information.
7. You are right about not taking classes with medical students, but all medical students had to learn to excel in undergraduate classes to show their readiness for medical school. The advisors help you work on your weaknesses to help you do just that. workshops are provided ect...
8. Why post bacc over SMP, easy - if you mess up in an SMP your chances of getting into medical school are virtually none, if you don't do so well in your post bacc you can always take more classes to convince medical schools to invest in you.
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From what I found out this is an extension program and not intended to prepare students for UCSD specifically. They don't have any stats or stated anywhere that their students are admitted to UCSD.
Also, how did you come up with 5% acceptance rate and that 1/3 of their students into their SOM ? The only stat i see is that 94% of their students get into some medical school after completion of program which is pretty much standard for most of popular programs.
If you don't do well in this program also you are pretty much done. It's not cheap. After 2 years and $35k+ in debt, do you really think you will still have the motivation ?
The only reason I see this is worth is with scholarship that you got, so congrats!
 
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Gill_97 said:
From what I found out this is an extension program and not intended to prepare students for UCSD specifically. They don't have any stats or stated anywhere that their students are admitted to UCSD.
Also, how did you come up with 5% acceptance rate and that 1/3 of their students into their SOM ? The only stat i see is that 94% of their students get into some medical school after completion of program which is pretty much standard for most of popular programs.
If you don't do well in this program also you are pretty much done. It's not cheap. After 2 years and $35k+ in debt, do you really think you will still have the motivation ?
The only reason I see this is worth is with scholarship that you got, so congrats!
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1. The program was created collaboratively by the UCSD SOM, UCSD undergraduate institution, and UCSD extension. The program itself is not an extension like UC Berkely extension / UCLA extension. It is a structured 1-year program (not two years).
2. My statistics came from the vice president of research at the UCSD SOM (a member of the admissions committee for for both the post-bacc program and the SOM), the program director, informational sessions, and previous medical school admissions records. I would consider looking at those, attending workshops, and actually speaking to staff if you would like more detailed information about the program.
3. You are right nothing guarantees that you will do great in this program, but you actually have a chance to redeem yourself by taking extra classes to increase your GPA / show an upwards trend. The same can not be said about an SMP program.
4. Most structured MCAT prep post-bacc programs with the exception of those targeted for disadvantaged individuals are expensive. Post-bacc programs are not for everyone. Read articles, reach out to medical schools, talk to pre-med advisors to see if one is right for you. If you need extra help with the MCAT, support through the medical school admissions and application process, strong letters of rec, and a chance to boost your academic record, an opportunity to make connections with important people that could potentially increase your chances of getting into medical school then investing in a post-bacc is well worth it.

With that said. I highly recommend people do research that goes beyond forums on programs they are interested/uninterested in. Going to workshops, speaking to program directors, medical schools, and previous alumni will help you make a more informed decision on what approach to take.
 
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This is how I look at it: The average incoming GPA is 3.3 and success rate is 94%. An applicant with 3.3 gpa has almost zero chance of getting accepted to medical school without this post bac. Whatever the reason is, this alone proves how successful their program is. I remember Amie told me 3 years ago when I contacted her the first time that 18 out of 26 students got accepted to UCSD medical school. I am very heart broken now that I am wait listed. That means almost zero chance to get in.
 
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CiaoEngineering said:
This is how I look at it: The average incoming GPA is 3.3 and success rate is 94%. An applicant with 3.3 gpa has almost zero chance of getting accepted to medical school without this post bac. Whatever the reason is, this alone proves how successful their program is. I remember Amie told me 3 years ago when I contacted her the first time that 18 out of 26 students got accepted to UCSD medical school. I am very heart broken now that I am wait listed. That means almost zero chance to get in.
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I would not be heartbroken if I were you. Every year the UC post-bacc consortium accepts people that were also accepted to the UCSD post-bacc program. This means that many students reject their admissions into UCSD because it is more expensive than the other schools (this is because the other schools specifically seek to help people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds). The other schools also have great success rates and are cheaper so there is still hope for you. In last years UC consortium post-bacc forum many people chose to attend UCSF over UCSD. There is still hope don't give up.
 
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For those that are saying they're still on the waitlist, did you guys not get the waitlist email?
 
I got waitlisted as well after my interview, surprised about it as I didn’t know that they waitlisted at this stage. Any insight on how may waitlisters have a potential at getting a spot?

A little about me- I have a 3.4 overall and around 3.0 science- I did very well in my English major (3.8 or so) but ran into some life issues simultaneous to taking on my biology degree and had a bad academic year. Upward trend my senior year in my upper division biology courses.
 
Hi everyone! I was just accepted to the program as well and just committed this weekend. :) I've been living in San Diego for the past 5 years (I'm an SDSU alumni) and if anyone needs help with anything, I'm happy to help! Also a huge foodie so I'm your girl for any recommendations.
 
ilikethebeemovie said:
Accepted, see you all in summer! I'm a SD native and soon to be UCSD alum so if you have any questions about the area or want good tacos hmu lol
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I'm soon to be UCSD alum as well! see you all in the summer! :)
 
::Room share opportunity for fellow admitted FEMALES::

Hi all - I own a one bedroom fully furnished condo here in Pacific Beach (just a few miles south of the UCSD campus) and am considering offering out a room share opportunity to other females for the duration of the program. Quiet, safe neighborhood, close to the beach and close to lots of things to do around here (food, coffee, bars, hiking, gyms, you name it). Since we will both be studying our butts off, I am looking for someone who is quiet and courteous. Sharing my room wasn't my initial intention when I purchased this home... but I also wasn't on planning on being a broke post bacc student either. So anywho, if you're interested, shoot me a pm and tell me a little about yourself. I look forward to hearing from you!
 
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I just released my spot, I hope one of you gets off the waitlist. Good luck to everyone!
 
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