2017-2018 University of California - Los Angeles (Geffen)

[starlord005]

Secondary Received!, verified early july

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[starlord005]

What is the percentage of applicants that receive secondaries? Is it worth me applying: MCAT 508 GPA 3.93 sGPA 3.89 OOS

definitely should, my stats are lower than yours and I got a secondary

 

[BasketballPhenom]

Secondary received today! what do you guys think is a good turnaround time

 

[jazzmetal]

Secondary received today! what do you guys think is a good turnaround time

Dude, it's been 12 minutes. You haven't turned it in already?
(jk, I'm going to aim for two weeks or less. This pesky day job!)

 

[CrunchyPeanutButter]

Do they need us to send our transcripts? The transcripts tab does not say they are recieved


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[FutbolPremed]

+4!! Finally!

 

[palindromic_sequence2772]

I'm from ucla and the one of the adcom members/vice deans said around 12k people apply and about half get secondaries are screening.

Hey, quick question...

What does UCLA look for after we submit our secondary? Just trying to get a sense of what's considered and how apps are reviewed post-secondary prior to II and also post-II (but that's besides the fact for now lol) I don't have the best stats so I'm very surprised I received a secondary as OOS. Still kinda doubting potential here and thinking this is just a tease lol

 

[medbunny56]

Did everyone get a secondary during this round

 

[California Bear]

Did everyone get a secondary during this round

Your username sounds familiar. Didn't you already get into med school?

edit: also received secondary yesterday after submitting my primary to PRIME this week

 

[CUatthefinishline]

Does the educational and consumer debt question include graduate school? Or is it just "college" (e.g. undergrad)?

 

[DBC03]

Does the educational and consumer debt question include graduate school? Or is it just "college" (e.g. undergrad)?

Also, do they want what we currently owe or how much we owed when we graduated? I paid al $75k off. But that was a long ordeal.


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[FutureMD_1993]

Did everyone get a secondary during this round

Seriously? I have a LM of ~65 LET ME ENJOY THIS

 

[Alejita]

-1 secondary ☹️


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[jazzmetal]

Also, do they want what we currently owe or how much we owed when we graduated? I paid al $75k off. But that was a long ordeal.


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Yeah, it is sort of a weird question, especially for nontrads. I paid off my debt for Grad School Round 1 a long time ago. I have credit card balances right now, but - dare I admit how high they actually are? lol.

Is this question aimed at the Geffen scholarships? Hard to see why they would be asking a question about finances outside of the regular financial aid process. I haven't seen anything similar in other secondaries, not that I have done all that many compared to some of you 40+ champs.

 

[ScreenName23]

Yeah, it is sort of a weird question, especially for nontrads. I paid off my debt for Grad School Round 1 a long time ago. I have credit card balances right now, but - dare I admit how high they actually are? lol.

Is this question aimed at the Geffen scholarships? Hard to see why they would be asking a question about finances outside of the regular financial aid process. I haven't seen anything similar in other secondaries, not that I have done all that many compared to some of you 40+ champs.

Shouldn't have anything to do with Geffen as that is based purely on academics and other achievements without taking into account financial need.

 

[gwapsushi]

Is anyone else having a lot of trouble with these character limits? The prompt for personal challenge asks 3 questions and is 500 characters which is like ~80 words. This seems absurd...

It almost seems unfair that the first batch got to put more down.

 

[DBC03]

Yeah, it is sort of a weird question, especially for nontrads. I paid off my debt for Grad School Round 1 a long time ago. I have credit card balances right now, but - dare I admit how high they actually are? lol.

Is this question aimed at the Geffen scholarships? Hard to see why they would be asking a question about finances outside of the regular financial aid process. I haven't seen anything similar in other secondaries, not that I have done all that many compared to some of you 40+ champs.

I looked at the wording one more time and it seems to be implying AT the time of graduation. I'll add it. Thankfully no consumer debt (well, except for the awful amount i just paid to far too many medical schools that will definitely not be sending me an II. Thank goodness for an interest free credit card this year...).

EDIT: I'll also call to be sure.

 

[California Bear]

Is anyone else having a lot of trouble with these character limits? The prompt for personal challenge asks 3 questions and is 500 characters which is like ~80 words. This seems absurd...

It almost seems unfair that the first batch got to put more down.

Lol, it is what it is..

 

[rnclbndd]

I have a question about the primary. I just got verified and in the part of my course work under the column of AMCAS use is a an equal sign with a slash which apparently means "a type of coursework not meant to be verified". All my coursework has this. What does this mean? Plus, there isn't anything written under AMCAS grade. And it says grades would only appear once the application has been processed. But it has already been processed. Should I be worried?

Edit: or is it because my transcripts are foreign? (international graduate from a country outside US)

 

[anonybear]

I have a question about the primary. I just got verified and in the part of my course work under the column of AMCAS use is a an equal sign with a slash which apparently means "a type of coursework not meant to be verified". All my coursework has this. What does this mean? Plus, there isn't anything written under AMCAS grade. And it says grades would only appear once the application has been processed. But it has already been processed. Should I be worried?

Definitely give AMCAS a call. They were pretty helpful when I had issues pre-verification and they can look through specific parts of your application with you over the phone. You're right that you should have something written under 'AMCAS grade,' that sounds like there was some kind of issue with processing your app.

 

[rnclbndd]

Definitely give AMCAS a call. They were pretty helpful when I had issues pre-verification and they can look through specific parts of your application with you over the phone. You're right that you should have something written under 'AMCAS grade,' that sounds like there was some kind of issue with processing your app.

Thank you. I emailed them. I don't know how I could reach them through the phone since I am in a different country.

 

[DBC03]

Thank you. I emailed them. I don't know how I could reach them through the phone since I am in a different country.

Is your degree from an American school or from a foreign school? Grades from foreign schools are not taken into account, so that might be the issue. I'd also post this on the official amcas questions thread.

 

[ThatGuyFromOutside]

For other disadvantaged applicants: is it letting you input annual income values? It won't let me click into the drop-down boxes and won't let me proceed with putting something in there.

Not sure if you figured it out or not, but for some strange reason, I was having the same issue. Oddly enough, I put my internet browser on full-screen it allowed me to enter in values on the drop-down menu. Hope this works for you too!

 

[CaraS]

+1 secondary. Anyone heard of someone getting into ucla after being interviewed and rejected the year before?

 

[Sa!yan]

Congrats to everyone who got some secondary apps. For those who are working on it or have completed it, how are/did you approach the Major Paid Work Experience section? It feels like I am just regurgitating what was on my primary app.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Not sure if you figured it out or not, but for some strange reason, I was having the same issue. Oddly enough, I put my internet browser on full-screen it allowed me to enter in values on the drop-down menu. Hope this works for you too!

It worked for me when I did it on a PC. Glad you got it figured out!

 

[TheDocWho]

Secondary and Submitted!

 

[Killa_T]

For other disadvantaged applicants: is it letting you input annual income values? It won't let me click into the drop-down boxes and won't let me proceed with putting something in there.

This happened to me on Chrome. Use Safari

 

[jazzmetal]

Congrats to everyone who got some secondary apps. For those who are working on it or have completed it, how are/did you approach the Major Paid Work Experience section? It feels like I am just regurgitating what was on my primary app.

For me, being an "ultra" nontrad, I have far more work experience than what I included in my primary. I would think others might not have listed all of their major work experience either? If it's just a repeat/reformatting, then - easy section for you! lol

 

[mj826]

Super excited to get a secondary yesterday! One question, for the "Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation?" question, if I took 3 years off after undergrad, but am now enrolled in a master's program that will finish next spring, would I still answer "yes" and address the gap years, or would I say "no" because technically there won't be a gap between getting my master's and hopefully starting school in the fall?
All help/thoughts are greatly appreciated

 

[rnclbndd]

Is your degree from an American school or from a foreign school? Grades from foreign schools are not taken into account, so that might be the issue. I'd also post this on the official amcas questions thread.

My degrees are from foreign schools. They've replied to my email and said the same thing. How do I go about this? Thanks for the advice.

Are there any foreign graduates like I am with the same problem?

 

[DBC03]

Super excited to get a secondary yesterday! One question, for the "Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation?" question, if I took 3 years off after undergrad, but am now enrolled in a master's program that will finish next spring, would I still answer "yes" and address the gap years, or would I say "no" because technically there won't be a gap between getting my master's and hopefully starting school in the fall?
All help/thoughts are greatly appreciated

yeah, I'm trying to figure this one out as well. Looks like a second issue I'll have to call about.

 

[rnclbndd]

Just got secondary!
International (non-US).

Is it worth filling out the secondary? LizzyM: 67, lower MCAT but impressive ECs.
Just graduated UG

DO IT! I'm an international applicant as well and just got the secondary.

Good luck to everyone

Hi guys. Seeing as you're both international students like I am, did your coursework in the AMCAS verification also contain the =/ slash sign that means "not meant to be verified"? Are your transcripts from foreign (non US) institutions, too? I'd really appreciate an answer. Thank you!

 

[beachboy12]

FINISHED secondary! last one too

 

[arredand]

FINISHED secondary! last one too

same here. officially done with all my secondaries woot woot.

 

[totafan]

Hi guys. Seeing as you're both international students like I am, did your coursework in the AMCAS verification also contain the =/ slash sign that means "not meant to be verified"? Are your transcripts from foreign (non US) institutions, too? I'd really appreciate an answer. Thank you!

Hey there! None of my coursework had the =/ sign but that's because I did my undergraduate in a US institution. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but there should be posts on sdn with people who applied from foreign institutions (i.e. non-US, non-Canadian). In any case, best of luck this cycle!!!

Edit: Maybe this would be of interest to you? A Guide to Applying US Med School with a Foreign Bachelor Degree

 

[rnclbndd]

Hey there! None of my coursework had the =/ sign but that's because I did my undergraduate in a US institution. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but there should be posts on sdn with people who applied from foreign institutions (i.e. non-US, non-Canadian). In any case, best of luck this cycle!!!

Edit: Maybe this would be of interest to you? A Guide to Applying US Med School with a Foreign Bachelor Degree

Thank you.

 

[jazzmetal]

Super excited to get a secondary yesterday! One question, for the "Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation?" question, if I took 3 years off after undergrad, but am now enrolled in a master's program that will finish next spring, would I still answer "yes" and address the gap years, or would I say "no" because technically there won't be a gap between getting my master's and hopefully starting school in the fall?
All help/thoughts are greatly appreciated

My general attitude is - tell them what I want them to know, i.e., take off my premed hat, where every question is a test that has a right or wrong answer, and put on my sales hats, where every question is a chance to pitch myself.

In this case, I would say use the space to write about the fascinating things you did with your time between undergrad and masters and how they made you even more interesting and prepared for medical school. Add a few words about what motivated you to start your masters program. Take the bull by the horns and make that sale!

 

[hebrewBAMmer]

Super excited to get a secondary yesterday! One question, for the "Has there been or will there be a gap between achieving your last degree (baccalaureate or other degrees post baccalaureate) and the expected time of medical school matriculation?" question, if I took 3 years off after undergrad, but am now enrolled in a master's program that will finish next spring, would I still answer "yes" and address the gap years, or would I say "no" because technically there won't be a gap between getting my master's and hopefully starting school in the fall?
All help/thoughts are greatly appreciated

I'd personally say "no" because I'm the same way. If they wanted to know if you took any gap time inbetween degree programs, they easily could've asked that, but they didn't. They were very specific about writing "your last degree"

 

[Dinoflagellate]

Secondary submitted! Character restrictions were painful

 

[wesleysnipes]

Secondary submitted! Character restrictions were painful

I actually like them. I'm not a very good writer so I can't really give much details on how my experiences impacted me but I do have a ton of strong experiences. The 500 words for the 8 or so miami questions were brutal. Trust me, you don't want that.

 

[bball115]

can you upload documents to the document upload tab after submitting the secondary application?

 

[bae2017]

can you upload documents to the document upload tab after submitting the secondary application?

Yes, and I believe a major function of this tab is to allow us to upload updates throughout the cycle.

 

[ghcvnk123]

I have a question about the primary. I just got verified and in the part of my course work under the column of AMCAS use is a an equal sign with a slash which apparently means "a type of coursework not meant to be verified". All my coursework has this. What does this mean? Plus, there isn't anything written under AMCAS grade. And it says grades would only appear once the application has been processed. But it has already been processed. Should I be worried?

Edit: or is it because my transcripts are foreign? (international graduate from a country outside US)

Only very few courses had a slash beside them, but other than that I think my grades were verified properly. I go to a Canadian institution (essentially treated the same as US)

 

[CloverBale]

Does anyone know how accurate the parent's assets/applicant's assets and my liabilities have to be? Cuss I never made enough to file taxes and never bothered to. Do I have to ask my parents for their tax returns or can I estimate it?

 

[gamd2]

This may have been answered already but does anyone know what they screen for before sending out secondaries? I got my secondary the other day and I'm an OOS MCAT 504 GPA 3.4 sGPA 3.31... I applied last year and didn't get a secondary so I'm pretty excited I got one this year but my numbers are on the lower side...

 

[mj826]

Here goes nothing. Just submitted the secondary today (received 8/29). This would be a DREAM school

 

[JonSnowOG]

.

 

[TakemePRN]

I don't think I'll get II but just submitted my secondary. Low stats as well (LM 64) and OOS.

 

[tryingtobeanasiandoc]

Just submitted secondary, hoping for the best!