Venting: UC Schools' Interview Decisions

[Dodge This]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I don't mean to sound pretentious to I apologize ahead of time if I come off that way.

What has been bugging me sooooo much is how I got rejections w/o interview from UC Davis and UCSD, and yet got an interview at UCLA. (I got rejected at UCSF also, but that I can understand a little better.) Even my premed advisor is confused about this. Everything was turned in at approximately the same time, so that can't be much of a factor. I hate how random this entire process is.

 

[docuw]

Well it doesnt seem that random to me. While it is true that they are all "UC" schools, they are not the same program. They simply get money from the sate and then choose who they like and who they dont. Each school is different, whether they are a UC school or any other school. Sorry that you didnt get all the interviews you were looking for, but as we have all found out, this medschool application process sucks!!! Anyhow, good luck on those schools that you are waiting to hear from!

Laterz

 

[Dodge This]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I guess what I was getting at was interview invites in the context of relative reputation of the UCs. So I guess what was bugging me is that it's generally accepted that UCLA is a "better" school than UCD for example...so why wouldn't someone who get the LA interview also get the Davis interview? I know, I know, they're different programs completely, but sometimes you have to wonder if they do communicate with each other.

But the more I type this out, the more I realize there's not much merit in my thoughts...

 

[lizard]

I understand your frustration. I got interviews from UCSF, UCDavis, UCI, but rejected w/o interview (post-secondary) from UCLA and UCSD. Plus, I have been invited for interviews from "better schools" on the east coast. Go figure. You'd think that Cali schools would give more love...

 

[drpepper]

I understand your frustration. I too was rejected by certain UC schools and invited to interview at others. I haven't heard of any one being interviewed at all or more than three of the five UC schools. Do you think they communicate w/ each other to give more Californians a chance? Also, do you think Drew is involved in this?

 

[red fox]

I interviewed at all five UC's. Accepted to UCSF and UCSD, on hold at UCI, still waiting to hear from UCD and UCLA. Having been to all of them, I can attest to the fact that they are all very different programs looking for different types of people. I can't explain why I got interviews at all of them, but I can definitely say that I fit in much better at some programs than at others. Based on my experiences at these schools I can say that IN GENERAL: UCD and UCI tend to look for people who are more non-traditional, not too research focused, primary care driven, lots of life experience to bring to the table (lots of married people in these programs); UCSD tends to look for people who are very science and research driven, and people who are (for lack of a better word) tough - they have to be able to survive the rigorous program; UCLA and UCSF look for the whole package - extremely well-rounded, very unique life experiences and volunteer work, research focused, academically strong, etc. Like I said, these are just based on my experiences with the schools, but they may perhaps shed some light on why you might have interviewed at some schools and not at others. Hope this helps!

 

[Ryu]

UCI does not have a lot of married couple in last year's class. I think only 3 out of 92. Also, by definition all UC are very into research. Hope nobody will get a wrong idea about UCD or UCI that you don't need much research to get in. Having said that, unless you have much stellar gpa and MCAT, I think you can get by without doing some research. Also, by the "requirement of government", medical schools in general ought to produce about half of its graduate into primary care. So go figure for yourself.

[This message has been edited by Ryu (edited 03-07-2001).]

 

[Dodge This]

red fox-Great reply. This helps me a lot to understand the UC system. What I don't get is how certain UCs have no love for their own undergrads. It's awkward when you can get a rejection letter via intercampus mail.

Does anyone have the statistics of % in-state vs. out-of-state acceptances for the UCs? Like a lot of people know, it's tough being a Cali resident and applying to med school. Sometimes I wish the UCs would just close their doors to non-residents, like many other state schools do, but of course this is never going to happen.

 

[caffeinegirl]

Dodge this

Based on the 2001-2001 MSAR on 1998-1999
first year class: (all ratio's are instate/out of state)

UCDavis applied: 3645/635
UCDavis new entrants: 93/0

UCIrvine applied: 3545/386
UCIrvine interview: 399/8
UCIrvine new entrants: 92/0

UCLA applied: 3471/1773
UCLA interviewed: 492/138
UCLA new entrants: 99/22

UCSD applied: 3386/1241
UCSD interviewed: 557/61
UCSD new entrants: 119/3

UCSF applied: 2673/2544
UCSF new entrants: 114/27


Hope this helps. As an out-of-stater who has been accepted into UCSF, I feel that your comments about out-of-staters, though justified coming from your position, stung a little bit

**geez this took a while to format!!**

[This message has been edited by caffeinegirl (edited 03-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by caffeinegirl (edited 03-07-2001).]