UCSF post-interview news

[dc123]

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Has anyone heard from UCSF so far this month? (i know it's only been ~1 wk, but they mentioned that waitlist/rejections are sent out "Sometime after Jan 1" however they will "try NOT to send them around the 15th of the month")

Jan 15th is coming up, so i'm wondering if anyone has already received waitlist or rejections decisions. Or have they not been sent out yet?

 

[UCLAstudent]

Has anyone heard from UCSF so far this month? (i know it's only been ~1 wk, but they mentioned that waitlist/rejections are sent out "Sometime after Jan 1" however they will "try NOT to send them around the 15th of the month")

Jan 15th is coming up, so i'm wondering if anyone has already received waitlist or rejections decisions. Or have they not been sent out yet?

I'm wondering the same thing. I don't want to get all excited thinking that I "dodged" something bad on Jan. 1 if UCSF didn't even send anything out.

 

[btowngirl]

ditto

 

[Annierlend]

Anyone know when the next round of decisions will be made? I doubt it's Jan 15 because that's a Satuday. The following Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. day, so that's out. Does anyone know whether they are meeting before or after Jan 15?

 

[Khenon]

I'm waiting on this one too. Sorry not to be able to post any news. I guess that means no one is hearing anything. 🙁

 

[dogbyte]

I called today and they said they have not sent out any waitlists/rejections. For some reason, I didn't ask when they'll be sending them out. I did ask the lady when they'll be sending out acceptances for January and she said sometimes next week.

 

[Annierlend]

Thanks for calling dogbyte. That's exactly what i wanted to know. Just another week of waiting for all of us....

 

[UCLAstudent]

Wow, thanks, dogbyte. I'm gonna go crazy this week! 😉

 

[CaMD]

Well I just got a waitlist letter dated 1/11 so keep your eyes open.

I feel absolutely crushed. I REEALLLYY wanted UCSF. I *KNOW* that a waitlist is not a rejection but it certainly feels like it. They looked at my file and said, "hmm, not good enough for us." I also know that one cannot get one's heart set on a school that happens to be in the top 10 when one is a quite good but not fantastic applicant. I tried so hard to tell myself that they weren't my first choice and I thought I had myself convinced until I got the thin little envelope this morning. Now I'm sitting here at work trying not to cry.

Part of my problem with the waitlist thing is that I am coordinating locations with my fiance, so I can't really sit around waiting for an acceptance letter to come the week before school starts. Basically if I don't get off the list in May or at the latest early June then that's the end of the line. And I'm not sure I can write an LOI until he knows where all his job offers stand so I might not even have that card to play.

I'm so depressed. 🙁 🙁 🙁

 

[UCLAstudent]

I am sorry, CaMD! 🙁 The biggest waitlist movement will be in May, so don't give up hope. I hear that UCSF has great waitlist movement, too! You have a right to feel crushed, though.

 

[fyli260]

Well I just got a waitlist letter dated 1/11 so keep your eyes open.

I feel absolutely crushed. I REEALLLYY wanted UCSF. I *KNOW* that a waitlist is not a rejection but it certainly feels like it. They looked at my file and said, "hmm, not good enough for us." I also know that one cannot get one's heart set on a school that happens to be in the top 10 when one is a quite good but not fantastic applicant. I tried so hard to tell myself that they weren't my first choice and I thought I had myself convinced until I got the thin little envelope this morning. Now I'm sitting here at work trying not to cry.

Part of my problem with the waitlist thing is that I am coordinating locations with my fiance, so I can't really sit around waiting for an acceptance letter to come the week before school starts. Basically if I don't get off the list in May or at the latest early June then that's the end of the line. And I'm not sure I can write an LOI until he knows where all his job offers stand so I might not even have that card to play.

I'm so depressed. 🙁 🙁 🙁

I heard UCSF prioritizes their waitlist, so did they tell you which priority list you're on? If you're on the high priority list, you are VERY likely to get in. Just curious, when was your interview?

 

[CaMD]

I am sorry, CaMD! 🙁 The biggest waitlist movement will be in May, so don't give up hope. I hear that UCSF has great waitlist movement, too! You have a right to feel crushed, though.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. 🙂 You've really heard that the biggest waitlist movement is in May?

 

[CaMD]

I heard UCSF prioritizes their waitlist, so did they tell you which priority list you're on? If you're on the high priority list, you are VERY likely to get in. Just curious, when was your interview?

I am in the "High Priority" category but I don't think that's actually meaningful, I think it's actually a hold list with a more pleasant name.

By May 15 they said they are going to review everyone in the High Priority category and either accept them, place them on the alternate list or reject them.

From what I've gathered from other threads on SDN if you get on the alternate list you're either top half or bottom half, and only top half has a chance.

Oh, and I interviewed mid-October.

 

[dogbyte]

I am in the "High Priority" category but I don't think that's actually meaningful, I think it's actually a hold list with a more pleasant name.

By May 15 they said they are going to review everyone in the High Priority category and either accept them, place them on the alternate list or reject them.

From what I've gathered from other threads on SDN if you get on the alternate list you're either top half or bottom half, and only top half has a chance.

Oh, and I interviewed mid-October.

CaMD,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been waitlisted, but it's not over. There's still a chance.

Yeah, from what I read in previous threads on UCSF the top half of the list has a very good chance of getting in. I believe they place 100 people on the alternate list. Usually 40-50 people get taken of the waitlist, and if you're in the top half, your chances are really good.

 

[hillbilly3000]

CaMD,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been waitlisted, but it's not over. There's still a chance.

Yeah, from what I read in previous threads on UCSF the top half of the list has a very good chance of getting in. I believe they place 100 people on the alternate list. Usually 40-50 people get taken of the waitlist, and if you're in the top half, your chances are really good.

Just to clarify. When you refer to an "alternate list" above, do you mean the category that is created at May 15th or are you refering to the "high priority" hold list that just keeps growing as of Jan. 1? It would be cool if they accepted a bunch May 15th and then 40-50 more over the summer. Does anyone know how large the "high priority" list is?

Thanks

Caroline

 

[dogbyte]

Just to clarify. When you refer to an "alternate list" above, do you mean the category that is created at May 15th or are you refering to the "high priority" hold list that just keeps growing as of Jan. 1? It would be cool if they accepted a bunch May 15th and then 40-50 more over the summer. Does anyone know how large the "high priority" list is?

Thanks

Caroline

Only some of those place on "high priority" hold list end up on the alternate list. I have no idea what the numbers are. They re-review those on the high priority hold list, not sure when, then notify them of their spot on the alternate list or a rejection. I believe there's a 1st tier and and 2nd tier on the alternate list.

 

[Supernova]

Well I just got a waitlist letter dated 1/11 so keep your eyes open.

I heard you, it sucks that you cann't plan ahead for moving and change of job etc. We are all with you.

When did you do your interview by the way?

 

[CaMD]

I've gotten a bunch of PMs asking when I interviewed, I think I already mentioned it above, but it was mid-October.

I also want to thank everyone for the sympathy and positive thinking. I really appreciate knowing I'm not alone in this awful process. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Good luck to us all, we all deserve it.

 

[hillbilly3000]

I've gotten a bunch of PMs asking when I interviewed, I think I already mentioned it above, but it was mid-October.

I also want to thank everyone for the sympathy and positive thinking. I really appreciate knowing I'm not alone in this awful process. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Good luck to us all, we all deserve it.

HELP REQUESTED-I just realized UCSF doesn't get a description of our activities

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Hi guys,

I realize now that I am a *****, but I was focused on UCSF's MD-phD program and never made use of the "Straight-MD" thread. I just hooked into the thread about California school and discovered that UCSF never received any of the descriptive information from my AMCAs application.

I beat the activities description to death on my AMCAs application and felt repeating it would just be annoying so I gave them nothing. I didn't know that we needed to make use of the 2-pages alotted to expand or update them on our previous experiences.

I cannot believe that they have nothing to work with outside of my titles, letters of rec, and what I casually mentioned at interviews.

Do you think they would let me add that information now? Will pointing out my oversite pointlessly draw their attention to my *****ity? Is anyone else in a similar boat or know what they will tell me?

Thanks in advance

(I posted a version of this on the other thread, but I thought this might be a more direct hit)

 

[fyli260]

HELP REQUESTED-I just realized UCSF doesn't get a description of our activities

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Hi guys,

I realize now that I am a *****, but I was focused on UCSF's MD-phD program and never made use of the "Straight-MD" thread. I just hooked into the thread about California school and discovered that UCSF never received any of the descriptive information from my AMCAs application.

I beat the activities description to death on my AMCAs application and felt repeating it would just be annoying so I gave them nothing. I didn't know that we needed to make use of the 2-pages alotted to expand or update them on our previous experiences.

I cannot believe that they have nothing to work with outside of my titles, letters of rec, and what I casually mentioned at interviews.

Do you think they would let me add that information now? Will pointing out my oversite pointlessly draw their attention to my *****ity? Is anyone else in a similar boat or know what they will tell me?

Thanks in advance

(I posted a version of this on the other thread, but I thought this might be a more direct hit)

Were you an MD/PhD applicant? Did you get interviewed for the MD/PhD program as well?

 

[hillbilly3000]

Were you an MD/PhD applicant? Did you get interviewed for the MD/PhD program as well?

Yes, I did, but they don't make their decisions until March. The waitlist keeps me in the running, but I believe the med school makes its decisions entirely seperately from the MD/PhD program.

 

[fyli260]

Yes, I did, but they don't make their decisions until March. The waitlist keeps me in the running, but I believe the med school makes its decisions entirely seperately from the MD/PhD program.

Interesting, I didn't know that the waitlist would keep you in the running. It would seem kind of pointless if the MD/PhD program let you in, but the MD program did not in the end.

In terms of sending more information, I don't think it would hurt to send an update and express your great interest in attending the school. I didn't know they won't get the descriptions either, so I didn't submit anything extra for the MD part either. I've yet to find out whether this has hurt me at all. I don't really understand why they don't have the descriptions. I mean if they choose to, they could get it, right? Maybe they want to purposely avoid reading them, in which case, I don't think sending them those descriptions again would help. That's all the advice I can give you. But remember, I'm no expert since I'm currently going through this process myself. Best of luck to you.

 

[hillbilly3000]

Interesting, I didn't know that the waitlist would keep you in the running. It would seem kind of pointless if the MD/PhD program let you in, but the MD program did not in the end.

In terms of sending more information, I don't think it would hurt to send an update and express your great interest in attending the school. I didn't know they won't get the descriptions either, so I didn't submit anything extra for the MD part either. I've yet to find out whether this has hurt me at all. I don't really understand why they don't have the descriptions. I mean if they choose to, they could get it, right? Maybe they want to purposely avoid reading them, in which case, I don't think sending them those descriptions again would help. That's all the advice I can give you. But remember, I'm no expert since I'm currently going through this process myself. Best of luck to you.

Apparently, the MD-PhD program can pull you from the "high-priority" list if they want you, but that there is no coming back from a rejection.

I think they wouldn't have given us two pages if they weren't interested in the details of our past. I just imagine that they don't want to have to flip through 15 page AMCAs packets and wanted us to consolidate it a bit.

My big concern is that UCSF is pretty clear about not contacting or harrassing. The waitlist letter said a fair number of people will be pulled off the "high-priority" list in May so I don't want to incur a black mark if that is what trying to give them this information will get me. I am hoping somebody out there has tried to correct for a similar error and can let me know how their attempt was received.

 

[the other Dr.]

I think you should send in the descriptions ASAP! You are not harassing them by submitting a part of your application that was inadvertently left out. It could not hurt at this point as it will only give them more information to evaluate your application. I don't think that they will think you are a *****. 🙂 It was the only school that I applied to that had this "optional" part and it was a little unclear. If anything they will think that you are very interested as you have continued to think about their school.

Good Luck

Apparently, the MD-PhD program can pull you from the "high-priority" list if they want you, but that there is no coming back from a rejection.

I think they wouldn't have given us two pages if they weren't interested in the details of our past. I just imagine that they don't want to have to flip through 15 page AMCAs packets and wanted us to consolidate it a bit.

My big concern is that UCSF is pretty clear about not contacting or harrassing. The waitlist letter said a fair number of people will be pulled off the "high-priority" list in May so I don't want to incur a black mark if that is what trying to give them this information will get me. I am hoping somebody out there has tried to correct for a similar error and can let me know how their attempt was received.

 

[chatterbox]

also waitlisted a couple days ago... it sucks but I was expecting it. its okay, plenty of great schools out there we can go to, and its not over til its over, right??

 

[btowngirl]

nothing in my mail today. 🙁
hopefully tomorrow! 🙂

 

[UCLAstudent]

Nothing for me, either.

 

[stlblues]

Hi guys,

I'm a current UCSF student (lets just say that I have some insight into this process). If you got on the waitlist - congrats!!! All I can say is that you may not hear anything until near the end of the spring - but please don't lose hope because we take a lot of students off of the waitlist - primarily because we tend to interview many less students than other schools.

Good luck with this entire process...and if you get into UCSF - come!!! We all absolutely love it here!

 

[jellybean3]

got my acceptance package today. Well not really got it, my brother told me because I'm out of the country.

Such a big relief! whew!

For those who are waiting good luck, it is a great school and more importantly it houses compassionate people.

For those who are curious, I interviewed on November 10th, and have my mailing address in Berkeley.

good luck everybody.

 

[Supernova]

Congratulation !!! Jellybean 🙂

 

[UCLAstudent]

Congratulations, Jellybean3!

 

[arisunomori]

Does anyone think that fewer people will accept at UCSF considering the tuition increases over the past year and that more will probably happen in the future?

Also, we seem to hear that about 50 percent of those people interviewed are accepted... does anyone know if that includes the people who get in off the waitlist or not?

As far as contacting UCSF... I had a great time interviewing and thinking about sending a sort of update letter/thank you letter/interest letter. Wonder if anyone has any opinion on how much that can help or not at this particular school?

 

[Lexian]

Does anyone think that fewer people will accept at UCSF considering the tuition increases over the past year and that more will probably happen in the future?

Also, we seem to hear that about 50 percent of those people interviewed are accepted... does anyone know if that includes the people who get in off the waitlist or not?

As far as contacting UCSF... I had a great time interviewing and thinking about sending a sort of update letter/thank you letter/interest letter. Wonder if anyone has any opinion on how much that can help or not at this particular school?

I don't think tuition will have that much bearing. Financial aid awarded would have a bigger effect, but they have been pretty good about matching tuition increases with bigger FA packages so far, albeit mostly loans (subsidized and unsubsidized)

 

[souljah1]

Also, we seem to hear that about 50 percent of those people interviewed are accepted... does anyone know if that includes the people who get in off the waitlist or not??

Yup

Third year here. UCSF still amazes me.

 

[canttouchthis]

Does anyone know what the final word is on sending a letter of intent or updating(ie sending the additional information that was supposed to be on the secondary) UCSF is? I'm currently on the waitlist and don't want to piss them off by harassing them too much. At the same time tho it seems doubtful that I'd get in in May if I haven't made it known that I'm interested in them since my interview. On the other hand they pretty much know I wanna go there just because they are UCSF. I also don't understand why they didn't make it more clear they wanted descriptions of our AMCAS activities. Thanks

 

[beebs]

I also don't understand why they didn't make it more clear they wanted descriptions of our AMCAS activities. Thanks

Regarding the "descriptions of AMCAS activities": what is this? i lost the informational packet they gave us during the interview, and I know they want to get an update on our coursework and grades. But did they want this also? Was there anything else i missed?

Also, I'm on the high priority waitlist. does anyone have an approx number or percentage on how many they pull out of this list? haha i feel very undeserving to go at this point, after losing that informational packet and all. =P

 

[btowngirl]

I know they want to get an update on our coursework and grades.

Where did they say this? I didnt' do that well last semester and didn't want to send in my grades.

 

[beebs]

Where did they say this? I didnt' do that well last semester and didn't want to send in my grades.

In the packet, they gave us green sheets. I believe (my memory is shady here...and I don't have the packet to refer to) we were supposed to report our grades on those sheets. I didn't have those sheets, so i just sent in my unofficial transcript.

I definitely remember we were supposed to report our grades somehow; I too didn't do that well last quarter, and so i was anxious about sending those grades (I remember thinking i wouldnt get in because of this during the interview). As it turned out... i received the waitlist letter soon after i sent out my quarter grades. coincidence? probably =P hehe I didnt do a lot of things well that quarter...including the ucsf interview. thanks to the stupidly confusing public transport system there--planning the trip from berkeley to sf kept me and my buddy up till 2 am the nite before the interview...and left me yawning and disoriented during my 9 am interview. oh well...

 

[canttouchthis]

I spoke to some med students who have been at UCSF for a while and they said that in their opinion our places on the waitlist is pretty much set and and we do risk annoying them by sending them anything extra. They said that letters of intent are not taken into consideration. I know this is just the opinion of a couple of students so it doesn't mean much...but it is kind of the vibe i got during my interview. That being said my waitlist at UCSF is really cool but agonizing at the same time. I hate being so close to something like this only to have it messed up because I apparently interview worse than a chimpanzee. By the way did anyone hear about the chimp that really messed up it's caretaker in central california? I heard some pretty shocking/sordid details about the attack.

 

[bhp]

anyone who interviewed at the end of Feb heard anything from UCSF?

 

[citygirl]

I've never heard that calling the Admin Office would irritate them. In fact, we were encouraged to call if we hadn't heard anything in a while. But, that was two years ago and things change.

If something important is missing from your application I would send it. It can't hurt.

 

[canttouchthis]

Does anyone have the exact wording of the secondary application for UCSF. I can't figure out exactly what they wanted for the addition information.

 

[bhp]

anyone who interviewed at the end of Feb heard anything from UCSF?

 

[djali]

anyone who interviewed at the end of Feb heard anything from UCSF?

I'm waiting for news too, interviewed 2/14

 

[bhp]

I'm waiting for news too, interviewed 2/14

D you know if they have filled up the class yet? I hope I will hear from then around March 15th. 🙂

Good luck to u too.

 

[lilxsmilez]

D you know if they have filled up the class yet? I hope I will hear from then around March 15th. 🙂

Good luck to u too.

No I'm pretty sure they didn't...I actually interviewed Nov 16th and haven't heard ANYTHING!..but i called and she said theyre still having 2 or maybe 3 batches of acceptances...march 15...april 15.....and MAYBE beginning of april. However, WL and rejections can go out anytime

 

[Tra La La]

No I'm pretty sure they didn't...I actually interviewed Nov 16th and haven't heard ANYTHING!..but i called and she said theyre still having 2 or maybe 3 batches of acceptances...march 15...april 15.....and MAYBE beginning of april. However, WL and rejections can go out anytime

I definitely agree with you.

Methinks the class will really start filling up after the March 15 batch...but there will still some spots for the latter dates. This is all speculation, though.

G'luck!

 

[btowngirl]

based on my conversations with the admissions staff, i think that ucsf has sent out 3 batches (dec 15, jan 15, feb 15) of 40-50 acceptances.

 

[bhp]

That's nice to know... so there are still plenty of chances for the people who are waiting... 🙂 Come on, UCSF.. you can do it. 🙂

 

[lunacake]

I was placed on the "high priority list" after my interview, and they said that decisions will be made as to reject, accept, or wl by 5/15. Do they put everyone on this list or is there an actual separate wl?