UCSF Interview! Please advise

[isa]

I've been offered an interview! I'm so happy, even though I know that I still have a ways to go.

My question is, would it make a lot of difference if I interview at UCSF next week or 3 weeks from now? I would like to do it as soon as possible, but I have 2 interviews the week after next and I thought I'd get those out of the way so I can get more practice and even more comfortable with the process. I really want to do well with UCSF.

Thanks to anyone who responds!

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[Scooby Doo]

Congrats..how did they notify you?

I would say a couple weeks shouldn't matter in the long run. Don't worry about it...just wait a few weeks...not too long though. I would say do it within a month

 

[mdhopeful]

my advice is to do it sooner rather than later. although a few weeks wait might not hurt, i think the general rule is that the earlier the better. if you are worried that you might be too nervous, see if you can get a friend or someone to do a mock interview. although it is not the real thing, it helps you articulate your thoughts. best of luck. ucsf is awesome.

 

[isa]

Scooby, I got notified by e-mail

 

[coop]

MD or MD/PHD?

 

[Vader]

Originally posted by isa:
•I've been offered an interview! I'm so happy, even though I know that I still have a ways to go.

My question is, would it make a lot of difference if I interview at UCSF next week or 3 weeks from now? I would like to do it as soon as possible, but I have 2 interviews the week after next and I thought I'd get those out of the way so I can get more practice and even more comfortable with the process. I really want to do well with UCSF.

Thanks to anyone who responds!•

I would do it when you feel the most comfortable. If you think waiting will give you some additional practice, then that probably would be the best route. The first admissions that go out are around December 15th, so depending on how late you interview, your application may or may not be considered by the committee in time to notify you by that date. Note that they admit relatively few people the first time around. I interviewed at around the end of November, which was too late for the December notification, but I ended up getting the letter in January. Hope this info helps. Good luck and hope to see you around during your interview at UCSF.

 

[isa]

MD or MD/PHD?

MD.

 

[BeckyG]

Hi Isa,

I agree with Vader - 2 weeks won't make much of a difference. UCSF sends the letters out on the 15th of each month (starting in Dec) and it takes them easily 8 weeks (and sometimes up to 12 weeks) to send any kind of notification. UCSF is very methodical about the admissions process (its based primarily on numbers, but the subcommittee "executive" committee can "override" the numbers if they want to) and your interview score is a BIG portion of your total score (I think 1/3 if I remember correctly from last year). So, if you need another two weeks or so - take it. Just remember that may delay a decision by a month (but it may not if the "cut-off" for the Dec 15th letters has already occurred; I don't know). Bottom line is you'll be fine. Also, keep in mind that UCSF does not have EDP and in a typical year, 500 are interviewed and approx. 250 are ultimately granted an acceptance. Good luck and feel free to email if you have any questions about UCSF (Vader and I are both MS-1's).

-- Becky

 

[isa]

Wow, thanks for the inside info and your offer to answer my questions, BeckyG. (Just a warning, there will be many! )

Off topic...

To everyone else in SDN, I've been here a while--mostly just reading everyone's posts and getting a lot of useful info. I have to say that it's been great observing the support and humor everyone gives each other. And now I've received them too! Thanks!