Any UCSF Mepn Applicants?

Asherah, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2007

I don't want to waste $600 saying yes to Yale and then backing out for the program I'd rather attend, but I also don't want to announce to UC that I'm applying elsewhere as well...any thoughts?

I'm not in the UCSF pool of candidates, but I've been following the thread and sending positive thoughts towards you all.

In terms of letting them know you applied elsewhere, I just can't believe they'd imagine that all of their applicants ONLY applied to their program. I'm not in your boat, but if you candidly noted to them that they are indeed your first choice, but you do realistically need to plan for the Fall that might convince them to let you in on their admissions decision. I wonder if they realize that a few other schools have early acceptance deadlines. Just another obstacle to sorting it all out I guess. Good luck to you! :)

tbk · Feb 23, 2007

I am in the same boat! I was forewarned in my interviews that this might happen, (acceptance from somewhere before UCSF was prepared to let me know)--but not given any great suggestions as to what I might do when/if it actually did. I did tell my interviewers that I had applied elsewhere (I was asked the question directly), and was told this sort of thing happens each year with many other candidates, i.e. overlapping deadlines, etc. I suppose if the letter from UCSF doesn't arrive by March 1st, I'll call and ask for information over the phone, as that WAS the deadline they "guaranteed" mailing notifications, it IS my first choice, and I don't have an extra $600 floating around. Perhaps I won't get any more information by then, but the decision has to have been made by then, and it is at least worth a try--especially if I save $. Plus, the lady on the phone might have just been blathering to get people to stop calling--one can only hope.

tbk · Feb 23, 2007

sorry for the double post, server issues

diddle · Feb 24, 2007

It is definately worth calling UCSF and explaining to them your situation. Who knows if they will just tell you over the phone whether you have been admitted or not but it is worth at least a call. I really don't think that they will hold it against you that you applied to other programs, I think that they expect that. Good luck! Hoppefully the letters will still come by March 1st, despite what that woman said.

jaxnaud · Feb 26, 2007

diddle and the rest of us going crazy during this waiting period-

if you called on Friday, and she said "end of next week" then March 1 sounds like it is still their plan. I would guess that they're not too crazy about calls (they're probably getting a ton) and since it was the end of the week- she was just a little short. I think they'll stick with it. If you live in SF, that probably means you'll get it March 2.

When they were sending out the interview letters I called (so I was in your same boat!) and they said that they'd sent them down to their internal mail center the evening before which meant that they either got picked up by the USPS the evening before or that morning. When I got home that day- my interview letter was there. So, they'll probably send them out March 1 and us local folks will have them by the 2nd.

That's my best guess.

Karen

Nat3433 · Feb 26, 2007

I actually work for UCSF right now, nothing to do with the School of Nursing sadly. One of our consultants is on the admissions panel for Psych NPs and I spoke to her this morning to see where we are in the process. She told me that the decisions have all been made, and that we're just waiting for mail services etc...

So March 1st could still be our date.

Bizzles · Feb 27, 2007

Hi All,

I decided to go ahead and call UCSF to plead my case (accepted at Yale, and I need to let them know by March 2). I spoke with someone in the office who put me into someone else's voicemail. Left a message yesterday asking whether I could maybe come by the school and pick up the decision on March 1 since I need to know, or if there was anything else I could do.

That was yesterday. No response as of this afternoon. I don't think it's worth calling...

ChickenLLBird · Feb 28, 2007

Sorry for any repetition, operator errors galore today. Thanks to NurseinTraining76 for the Micro advice. As far as calling and pleading your case, at our interview session (Januart 26th) Dr. Ziehm specifically said not to call in the case that you've been accepted somewhere else and need to know sooner. He said that they wouldn't be getting the notices out until March 1st so to go ahead and do what you need to do for yourself, but don't call the school. I'm just hoping that the other schools will have a day or two grace period on their letters and things. They must go through this every year, so they've got to expect some late responses at Yale and other schools. I'm still hoping that March 1st will be the day. Everybody take care and let's all keep taking those deep breaths - ChickenLL

krismiz · Feb 28, 2007

Hi Guys,

This is my first post even though I've been lurking for awhile. So after reading all of these emails about when we might possibily get our decision letters I broke down and begged my co-worker to call the nursing office. I couldn't bear to do it myself! She just called at 9:20 am on Weds, 2/28 PST....and they told her that they are in the process of sending them out TODAY. So that means it'll go through the UCSF mail system first, and then the USPS. Maybe us locals in SF will get our letters on Friday 2/2.

I wish I had a Yale acceptance letter in my pocket but I dont. I got accepted to USF's MSN program but that is my backup and not thrilled about going there as it is ridiculously expensive and I'd only come out an RN. Have you guys been replaying every moment of your interview in your minds for like, the last month!?!? My interviewer was extremely nice, but gave me absolutely no indication whether I'd get in or not. So I keep replaying the interview in my mind, looking for hints but swing back and forth as to whether she "liked" me or didnt. Ugh, this is driving me crazy and it sounds like you guys are in the same boat!

Just out of curiousity, since so many of you applied and got accepted to Yale...isn't that a great program? It seems like more people prefer UCSF even though Yale is an Ivy League school. Since I know nothing about Yale's program (but maybe I should) why is UCSF better than Yale in terms of the nursing program?

Good luck to everyone....I dont think I can wait another year and re-apply. This was such a long, hard path and I just want to get into school already. I might go to USF if I dont get into SFSU or UCSF.

: ) Kris

(ANP-HIV focus, 1/26 interview day)

jaxnaud · Feb 28, 2007

Hey Kris,

Thanks for the update! Finally some news.

I replayed my interview in my head over and over again for the first few weeks. I'm not sure why- but I've stopped obsessing over it. Maybe cause there is nothing I can do at this point?

I am not sure if it was this thread that I posted this on or not, but... I wanted to let you know that my second interviewer told me that they are sent instructions on how to interview. Most importantly, they are instructed to ask the questions verbatum and not give any indication of their feelings about your answers, so as not to be leading. Essentially, this opens it up for you to lead the entire conversation, which, can end up feeling like a lot of blabbering on your part if you're not careful. Which of course, leads you to second guess all of the stuff you said :-) At least this is what I went through. All in all, I think I got my main points across and I just have to hope for the best. If I don't get in and decide to reapply next year, then I will obsess about my first interview and what I "should" have said.

Anyway- thanks a ton for the update on the mail out. Like I mentioned before, when they were mailing out interview letters I was told they were sent down to their internal mail system that afternoon- and I got my letter at home the next day.

I don't know why- but I'm not as anxious anymore. Maybe because a yes would mean a major upheaval of my life and a reality check of the intensity of what I'm about to throw myself into (plus leaving my current career, etc.) and a no would mean extreme disappointment and having to go through the whole planning/application process again. So, I feel like I can wait a bit :-)

krismiz · Feb 28, 2007

Hi Jaxnaud,

Thanks for your post. Well you are much calmer than I am at this moment. I'd really like to go over to the school of nursing and beg them to let me know this instant. But, I wont.

Anyway, that makes sense that the interviewers are eliciting our responses from us rather than completely running the show. But I wish they would've given us some inkling as to which way they were leaning.

Best of luck to everyone. I hope we all get in.

BTW, how many of you guys are re-applicants? If so, were you on the waiting list last year? How did that work?

: ) Kris

ChickenLLBird · Feb 28, 2007

Thanks for sharing the information on the mail out. That helps. Kris, I remember you from the Interview Day, I am sure you will get in! You have a unique specialty and definitely distinguished yourself in a good way. (We were at the same MEPN lunch).

One of the differences with Yale is that they do not have a CNS track. They also have slightly fewer specialty choices. When I interviewed at Yale last year, they asked me why I wasn't applying to UCSF. My interviewer was involved in a lot of collaborative research and just thought the world of UCSF. This is just my impression, but I felt that Yale was much further behind on the recruitment of a diverse student body. The vast majority of interviewees were young white women. They also had a relatively new initiative on health disparities - I felt that UCSF had a much more diverse group of applicants (although there's still a lot of room of improvement) and a stronger emphasis on health care to underserved communities. There are a ton of student groups at UCSF that I didn't see at Yale. Plus, I felt that Yale (and I heard this from GEPN students) SON was a little bit of a stepchild of Yale Graduate Schools. Whereas, UCSF is all health sciences and the SON seems relatively on par with other schools. Ok, that's why UCSF is better. Yale is great because people have a genuine confidence in the Yale name. I think people in healthcare know that UCSF is amazing, but your average patient is definitely impressed by Yale. I can't tell you the number of people that thought I needed a psych evaluation for turning Yale down. (I still might need a psych evaluation, but I thought there were a ton of reasons to hold out for UCSF). Also, Yale only requires statistics. A&P is not required. You can also take one course per semester (or something like that) at other schools at Yale. So that's pretty awesome. New Haven is pretty inexpensive to live in, versus SF. It is a beautiful and amazing campus. The Yale New Haven Medical Center is a great hospital, too.