Application Cycle One: 2005

• Undergraduate college: UC San Diego
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Total MCAT SCORE: 503
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 125, C/P 126, CARS 126   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.73
• Science GPA: 3.72

Summary of Application Experience

August MCATer--I decided to become pre-med last summer and I had too many things to do and I couldn't take the April MCAT. I'm applying to a lot of schools because I'm not sure how this will effect my application process.

7/23 AMCAS application processed--and I got a wave of secondaries from the schools who send secondaries to everyone. Most of them are $75-$100, good thing I worked a lot last quarter.

8/3 It has been a little stressful trying to study for the MCAT and fill out secondaries. I just have to stay focused though. I've completed the easiest ones and I'll spend this weekend writing essays for the longer secondaries. I'm trying my best to stick with the 14 day rule.

10/15 Received my MCAT scores. I was hoping to get a 29 based on my best Kaplan score but I got sick and couldn't study the whole week before the MCAT. Anyway, I'm not disappointed. I think I still have a pretty good chance. though my GPA is a 3.7, I've had a 3.9-4.0 in the last 5 quarters in my upper division classes. I'm just waiting for school to review my application...

I received my first interview invite and it's from my very own alma mater! I thought I wouldn't be getting invites until January, but I guess I'll have to start preparing and finish up my other secondaries quickly.

UCSD Interview scheduled for 11/14. Wish me luck! Maybe I'll see some of you there :)


10/24 Got flooded with secondaries last week. I'm having a hard time finishing the Davis app. I'll try to get it submitted by Monday next week (fingers crossed)

11/8 I reached most of my goals for secondary completions. I finally finished the Davis app! I still have the University of Illinois. God has truly blessed me throughout this process. Now I'm preparing for my first interview which is on Monday.


11/11 Looks like I'm not going to have much of a Christmas break. I'm glad I'll be getting interviews in before the next quarter starts.

11/16 I received my first rejection today, from Stanford. I'm still staying positive because it is a really competitive school (only 86 students get in out of thousands). God's will

11/30 After my rejection from Stanford, I thought the ivy leagues were out of my league! I'm so excited about my interviews! Even if I don't get in, I'm still blessed by the opportunity. Still trying to figure out how to pay for stuff, but God will take care of me :)

12/6 Money is still an issue. I will probably withdraw from the schools I haven't submitted secondaries from except Drew. Can't wait to go to DC next week. I hope to see some of my friends from Howard. Haven't heard from other schools in a while...It'll give me more time to get money if I am invited to an interview.

12/14 I'm going to be a doctor! Due to financial reasons, I will be withdrawing from the schools I haven't received word from.

12/26 I have completed my withdrawals. I hope that others can be offered an interview now. With all of the application stuff, my grades suffered slightly last quarter. For those of you applying in the future, make sure you have a very light load when studying for the MCAT, doing secondaries, and traveling to interviews!

2/17 Just waiting to hear from everyone. I'm really happy with my options so far. God has really blessed me.

3/7 Today I have decided to withdraw from some schools--Johns Hopkins and Baylor (I wasn't interviewed) and Howard and St. Louis. I would like someone else to get accepted as early as possible since I know it will take a lot to make me leave California. Both are wonderful schools with very nice people.


3/20 I received my letters from Harvard and UCSF! UCSF was secretly my top choice and I never expected getting in Harvard! I'm so blessed and I have a lot to think about.

3/28 I was accepted to UCLA today. I didn't think I'd get in...UCLA was my last interview and I wasn't expected them to ask some very personal questions that made me cry while I talked about it. This is a great school and the students were really happy.

My thoughts in choosing---I just want to be happy. I know that my life will be compromised greatly in med school, but I want to be as happy as I can be. I want to see my family occasionally, make friends, feel supported, enjoy learning, enjoy life, travel, and have options when I graduate. A lot of people have been pressuring me about Harvard, but the name alone won't help me make my decision.

On another note, I'm still broke from applications and I'm looking at going into the summer broke...


4/16 So I'm still financially unstable...but I'm pretty sure about where I'm going to school! I was going to go to both Harvard and UCSF revisit weekends, but I prayed and prayed and God answered. I felt weird about Harvard when I visited and it just so happens that none of my professors will excuse me from midterms so that I can go to the revisit weekends. That's not a coincidence---I don't think I'm supposed to go to Harvard. I have a lot of family members that I look out for and being in Boston would mean 1-2 trips home per year. Living in SF would mean home when I can take a break from studying and during the holidays. Furthermore, UCSF is a great school and I know I'll be happy! I will begin to release my other acceptances after UCSF's revisit weekend.

UCSF here I come...


4/28 It's official, I'm going to UCSF! Ive released all of my other acceptances. I hope to see some of you in the Fall and good luck to everyone, It's been fun :)