Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 27% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the candidate's motivations for pursuing medicine, their interest in the specific institution, experiences in research and clinical work, future career aspirations, challenges they expect to face in medical school, and their ability to balance personal and professional responsibilities. Responses also indicate a significant focus on personal narratives, ethical dilemmas, community involvement, and the candidate's understanding of healthcare issues. Some respondents mentioned participating in an MMI format interview that may have included questions under a nondisclosure agreement.
Tell me about yourself. Why medicine. Why UCI? Biggest strengths/weaknesses.
Student interviewer just flipped through my file and asked about particular experiences. The faculty interviewer started off asking me "How did you decide medicine was the right career for you?"
My student interview was very conversational and relaxed (we walked, sat at an outside table, and ate while we talked; we didn't really talk about my application, just about uci/my life in general.
My faculty interviewer focused on my amcas application and clinical/research activities that I have done:
What kinds of volunteer activities have you done outside of medicine/in the community?
Student interviewer mostly just asked about my different activities and encouraged me to ask him questions. Very conversational. Faculty interviewer asked me 3 questions then said the rest of the time was for me to ask him questions.
Faculty Interviewer: Asked in detail about what I was doing currently, my life experiences, my research experience, my clinical experience, as well as various other activities listed on AMCAS. Would you consider continuing research? Is there anything that you want me to tell the Admissions Committee that stands out about you? Do you have any other questions for me?
Student Interviewer: Tell me about yourself. What is your research on? Why do you want to pursue medicine? What clinical exposure do you have? What other experiences have you had? Why did you decide to take time off? Do you have any questions for me?
So I see here you did research.............................(I was waiting for a question, which didn't come, so I just launched into talking about it). Do you like research? Is it valuable? Will it help you be a better doctor? That's interesting that you're not to into research, as in your PS, you said you thought it had value (oops, trapped myself).
You claim to be a California boy, why did you go to school somewhere out of state? (I have good reasons).
Rough interview all around, and I overall didn't do as well as I would have like. I let my guard down, and I got spanked all over the place.
Med school is stressful, what do you do to let loose?
followed by appropriate jokes about me skipping 6th period in high school (not like other med student interviewers who make jokes when they're really not kidding).
Sometimes, with all the hard work you do it's easy to loose track of why you want to go into Medicine. (What I'd like to call preceptive questioning: insightful comment that you should respond to; came after me questioning on the hardships of monday tests). so basically, asking ''what makes you think you won't loose track of your aspirations and reasons for medicine; or why do you think you won't become jaded''
What do you want to specialize in? (When I answered that I had many interest and named a few the interviewer lectured me on how I should really decide before I arrive which i found negative considering how could I possibly decide a speciality when there is so much I haven't been exposed to)
Faculty: What speciality are you interested in? Tell me about your family. Why do you want to be a doctor? How will you deal with the frustrations of medicine?
If the people in Vietnam get sick and cannot pay for the hosptital fee, what then? would they just die? In regard to the discussion about my volunteer work in Vietnam.
Student interviewer just asked me about hobbies mainly. It's clear that the student interviewers just wanted to see if you're a fun person to be with, since you are going to be part of their community.
The faculty interviewer just asked me a couple questions about X Y and Z experiences. This is my 4th interview, and not one person has asked me about health care or any ethical questions at all.
Faculty interviewer: Tell me about yourself--you can begin at any point in your life. What kinds of classes did you take for your second major? How did you prepare for going abroad? How do you envision your practice in the future? What kinds of patients will you treat? In what kind of setting will you practice? What is the greatest problem facing healthcare today, and how would you solve it? What can I tell you about UCI? Where else did you apply? Why UCI?
Student interviewer: What is your best quality as individual? Weakest? What do you wish you could change? Why medicine? Did you family push you to become a doctor? How do they feel about your ambitions?
Why do you want to go to UCI specifically since you probably have offers from other really qualified schools? How do you feel about treating the underserved community?
Specific question about my AMCAS. Make sure you know all the activities you participated in, why you did them and what you learned from them. I was asked specifics about my research project-down to western blot results!
Students said most interesting question asked at University of California Irvine School of Medicine discussed various topics such as patient interactions, support systems, challenges in EMR, cultural values in medicine, and future career goals. The interviews were conversational with some faculty interviewers asking standard questions, while others delved into personal experiences and motivations for pursuing medicine.
What two patient interactions have you had that stand out to you?
What do you think is one of the biggest challenges with EMR physicians face? What do you think the younger, tech-savvy generation will do to change this?
I work an in an anesthesiology lab and my interviewer was an anesthesiologist. So we had a lot to talk about. She asked a lot of questions about my lab.
A lot of her questions made me think about "why" I did the activities that I did. I learned a lot about my motivations/reasons for doing certain activities..
What sports do you play? Is that really a sport? (seriously?)
We dont have access to your GPA and MCAT, but, we will soon. How did you do on those? What do you think your prob of getting into medical school is? No, like a percentage? What about 79%? Do you really see yourself going to Irvine?
Basically, I think he recognized that I wasn't too into the school, and didn't want to waste an acceptance on me (with good cause. I'll be writing the admissions committee and taking my name out of consideration. I regret wasting everyone's time).
The student told me she swore she would ask the person she interviewed the same question she was asked, because she hated it. It was: ''Teach me how to do something, like right now.''
Go through your life 10 years from down (every little detail...from description of my life, what my husband does, how many kids, what car I drive, where I work, etc.)
The interview was interesting. He told me in the beginning that he was going to ask me a couple of questions, but then half of the interview would be asking him questions to see if UCI would be a good fit for me.
detailed questions about my activities or AMCAS essay. the interview was semi-open file, which means they have your activities but not your scores. I was impressed by how carefully my interviewers had looked at my file. they really seemed to care about making me feel comfortable and getting to know me. i thought this was really nice because my student interviewer had just finished an exam and had 4 hours of class following the interview, but they still seemed really excited to meet applicants.
Run through an average day of your life 10 years from now, starting with when you wake up in the morning. What type of neighborhood are you living in? What kind of car do you drive?
My faculty interviewer basically listed off my activities from the AMCAS application and wanted a brief blurb about each one--It was so difficult trying to have a conversation with her. The student interviewer asked non-academic and very non-confrontational questions about what I planned to do in life, why I chose medicine, etc.
She told me about a recent case where a medical student switched two new born babies, which caused a new law to be passed where medical students can't be the ones to give newborns to their mothers. She asked what I thought of this.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of California Irvine School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including personal challenges as a physician, future trends in healthcare, and decisions between schools. Several responses mentioned an MMI format and possible nondisclosure agreements, while questions about career choices, research, and ethical dilemmas were common themes among the interview questions.
NA. Everything was very chill, casual, and a normal conversation! No curveballs
My faculty interview more as less said that he didn't particularly like his job and it was a paycheck more than anything else. He asked me why I would want to pursue a profession that he doesn't particularly like....uhhh, because we're different people?
Most importantly, tell me what you have been doing your year off? (Faculty) Hard because I did not feel like what i am currently doing is very impressive. I tried to seem as enthusiastic as possible.
First Question, after I sat down and made a comment on the nice weather.
"So why are you here?" I stammered something about my reasons for medicine and UCI, but it really caught me off guard.
What would i do if a racist anti-immigrant patient came in to see me in the clininc with a serious medical condition??? (if you consider this difficult)
What are we going to do about all these uninsured people? How are we going to cover them? (This really isn't that bad of a question, they just want to know that you've thought about it a little.)
Where do you see yourself in 15 years? What type of practice will you be in, what type of patient population will you be treating, and where will you be?
my interviewer talked a lot more than I did (in fact I learned a lot more about him than he learned about me) so the biggest challenge was to listen attentively and to insert bits about myself when given a slight opportunity.
1st md interview ???: how many schools did you apply to?? what will you do if you don't get in? what if you don't get in again after applying a couple of times??
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reading resources such as SDN, the school's website, and interview feedback, practicing with mock interviews, reviewing their application materials, and getting a good night's sleep. Many emphasized the importance of reflecting on personal experiences, staying relaxed, and being familiar with common interview questions and healthcare issues.
Read interview feedback, reviewed UCI website, etc. (READ THESE QUESTIONS: some students got asked a lot of the same questions by their student interviewers).
School website, lots of previous interviews, reading a book by adcoms on what they thought of diff candidates, thinking through mock questions on SDN, grilling my student host
SDN, Researched UCI website, not really a whole lot of prep though...for each school I just come up with a decent why X school answer and thats about the extent of my prep
Look over these things on SDN (although they didn't help too much, cause in the end its all about knowing yourself and spitting the words out.) Looked over primary/secondary/research for 2 hours the night before. Mock interviews.
SDN, Website (which sucks. broken links all over the place. I e-mailed the admin office to get information I couldn't access through the site, and I never got a response), talking with host student about the school
SDN, SDN, SDN!!!! 3 mock interviews, read over primary application, read up on US health care system (Google: Physicians for a National Health Care Program!)
I did two mock interviews with friends, taped myself. I also wrote up 6 main experiences and all the main points I wanted to cover in my interview. I reviewed it and made sure I cover those points. Read SDN, and the UCI website
This website. Not much else. The interviewers don't have access to your secondary applications, so there's no need to review your answers to those (unless they change things).
Read AMCAS and secondary applications. went over the 140+ list of interview questions posted on SDN, and had an answer for each and every question. Learned about lots of issues for which I was unfamiliar - difference between HMO and PPO, capitation, HIPPA, biopsychosocial model of medicine, others. Watched lots of Discovery Health Channel to keep current on recent medical issues, stories, advances. Tried to find as much as I could about the downsides of being a physician.
Read over my personal statement, secondary essays, this website, researched on UCI's website, and generally thought about the usual questions (i.e. why do you want to become a doctor? Why UCI? Why you?)
read this site, looked up info. on the school
DIDN'T prepare anything this time in terms of questions, I decided to go in with a new more relaxed motto.
SDN, NYT Health, mock interviewers with doctors, practiced answers to common questions, brused up on the details of my research,... This was my first interview, so I did a lot of preparing that really wasn't necessary.
SDN website, read Time magazines to catch up with current events, re-read my personal statement & application to Irvine, and went over some basic questions in my head like why go to medicine, why Irvine, etc.
looked at online resources about school, reread my application, pulled out my list of questions I ask at every medical school interview and made a few questions specifically for UCI
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and warmth of the staff and students at the school, as well as the relaxed and supportive atmosphere. The positive interactions with faculty, the beautiful campus, the high-quality facilities, the emphasis on student well-being, the sense of community among students, and the opportunities for hands-on learning were also commonly highlighted as positive aspects of the school.
I loved how chill the whole process was. From doing casual ice breakers in the morning, sitting through some presentations, then finishing with interviews. Everyone that I had interacted with were so friendly and welcoming. Absolutely loved both my interviewers and felt like this would be the right school for me!
The students all seemed to get along very well and they were very very laid back. I felt like I would fit in well there. Cool simulation center. Orange County is amazing.
I loved that the Dean was kind enough to take time out of her schedule to talk with us. Most schools' deans don't do that. Also loved the student Q&A panel. Overall, the admissions staff went out of their way to make our day as relaxed as possible; it was a great experience.
Everything. UCI is marvelously well organized, and has fantastic resources for the students. Their new medical education facilities are fabulous and provide ample space and top-rate technology for learning clinical skills (amazing simulation center!). Every student I met was intelligent, focused, supportive and happy. The professor who interviewed me was very interested in getting to know my character beyond the numbers in my application (which is probably contributes to UCI's ability to select such a great group of students). Curriculum is P/F first two years, and more than 50% of class time is "active/hands-on learning". The new UCI Med Center is huge and well-respected. More perks: free iPads are given to first years, bucolic campus near the beach, but not at all isolated.
The teaching facilities are brand-new, beautiful, and expansive. Their simulation center is the best I've seen; it's like a full hospital wing with an OR, and several different sim patients (including an infant and a pregnant woman). There are portable ultrasounds in the student lounges available for use at any time. The new hospital building at the medical center in Orange is impressive (thoughtful design, level I trauma center, comprehensive cancer center, etc.). The students I met were composed, well-spoken, kind, and happy. Profs seem very dedicated to teaching, and to involving students in curricular decisions.
new med ed facilities; faculty constantly trying to improve curriculum; faculty interviewer really took the time to know me and answer my questions about the school;
The students enjoy being there/supportive environment, p/f curriculum first two years, the opportunities for working with the Latino community, small class size, beautiful area
The family-like nature of each class and how they take care of one another; the fact that our class would have brand new facilities; the medical center; the way it seemed like they were trying to impress us with the school rather than having us trying to impress them.
Both of the interviews were very comfortable. My faculty interviewer was familiar with my file and asked questions that made me think she was trying to get to know me, not that I was being questioned or tested. The entire day was laid back and low-stress.
The students were amazing! Everyone was really nice and willing to help. The day felt relaxed and fun.
The medical school itself is making improvements including a new student center and a stem cell research lab.
My interview day pretty much smashed any reservations that I had concerning UCI. Everyone is super relaxed and genuinely happy to be at this school. Also, they are building a new student center that will open just in time for class of 2014!!! (think..new student lounge equipped with a flat screen tv, kitchen, ping pong tables..etc. and 18 new simulation/clinical rooms for med students)
Almost everything at this school impressed me positively. The strong bond that each class has is AMAZING. They are all one family. I spent some time with the diversity coalition, and they made me feel at home, and truly put UCI as a top choice for me.C/o 2014 will all have brand new facilities to learn and work in.
The interview day was well organized and they seemed really interested in making sure that the interviewees walked away with a positive impression. The school makes an effort to pair interviewers/interviewees, which results in a more interesting conversation and better interview experience. Nice weather.
Location of school, and friendliness of everyone. Laid back attitude of students, and comradery. Intramural sports is big, and students kick back and have fun A LOT.
Went out of their way to make us comfortable and make the day stress-free (which it was). Nearly all of my co-interviewees were great (minus one or two folks who rubbed me the wrong way).
The staff is welcoming and friendly, probably the most friendly I've meet. That is really important because it is representative of how the university will take care of you once you matriculate. The weather is nice. The students are nice, I can see myself going to school with them. Some other reports suggest that nobody studies here, but I didn't get that impression. Students do study and want to do well.
Student solidarity and their ability to transgress stressful monday tests; value they had for their education, especially their notoriously hard anatomy courses; receptive faculty that allow more opportunities; the fact that the admissions office personnel had to literally tell my faculty interviewer to stop and let me go (the conversation we had was THAT good I'd like to think)
I was positively impressed by the students and the medical center. Although the med center is located away from the school it still seems very nice and updated with a new addition opening soon.
Students seemed to be happy. The location is very good. Honestly, if you transplanted UCI to Missouri, it would lose half of its attractiveness. The lunch was good.
UCI was my favorite interview of all the schools. Gayle was the sweetest person ever and they all made us feel comfortable. I thought I wouldn't enjoy the fact that 40 other students would be interviewing the same day but it ended up being really fun to meet everyone and go through the process together. Faculty and students are genuinely happy and excited to be there.
The students were genuinely happy to be there and when the current MSTP students took all us MSTP interviewees out to dinner the night before the interview, they were very receptive and eager to answer questions . The faculty were very relaxed and really cared about their students. Not to mention that UCI MSTP students have a pretty good stipend...
The place is so warm and inviting. It has the Southern California chillness and personal warmth. The people were super nice! The facilities are very new. The student and faculty have great relationships. The Faculty was willing to delay exams so students can go to Sacramento to talk the Governor about his health plan. The research and clinical possibilities made me feel like if I go there the only limiting factor of my potential is myself. This is a important criteria I look at. The student body is really tight. At dinner I could tell the students really like each other.
I was impressed with the sense of community, not something I was expecting to find at a UC. Everyone, students and faculty alike, seemed genuinely happy at UCI.
The students were so amazingly nice. My host took me to dinner with other interviewees and hosts the night before. The interview day was also very well planned, breakfast and lunch were excellent.
I really felt that the students there were happier and more united than in other schools. I really felt that the students there were happier and more united than in other schools.
The school is strong in departments I am interested in.
I was actually pleasantly surprised by the school. They have an amazing neurology dept, and a great neuroscience research dept as well. All of the students seemed really happy. I ran into a friend from high school who is now a first year med student at irvine, and she told me that she had gotten into far more prestigious schools when applying, but had gone to Irvine because the quality of life seemed better, and that if I got in, I should go there.
The students seemed very happy at Irvine. The anatomy course seems well put together and students actually do the dissection (I learned that at some schools they do not). I really liked how frank everyone was with me.
Absolutely beautiful campus, the collegiality of the students, the genuine concern of the faculty and staff for the students, the new hospital being built (to be completed in 2009 - in time for at least one year for me to in it!), the noncompetitive atmosphere, the way the anatomy course is run, the location (Irvine is awesome - see elsewhere in this feedback for explanation). The fact that UCI students score very well on the boards. The Match List for last year's graduates were VERY impressive. The MD/MBA program.
how the students all really like the school and how happy they appeared. The faculty are more than willing to help the students succeed. Also excellent clinical training.
how the students have a close relationship to one another, student-run clinic in Santa Ana, the weather, the awesome neurosci. program, available student housing, residency matching
The students are happy, they have a good relationship with the admin, they have the opportunity for year round outdoors activities to blow off steam, they are very easy to talk to.
the students have incredible comraderie. everthing's pass/fail, so there's no competition. the other students interviewees i met were chill and easy to joke around with.
everyone is so happy and so friendly. the students are normal and I can see them being my classmates. they were so great! and i got a tour of the UCI Med Center and it was great!
My faculty interviewer - his patients are lucky to have him. I was also impressed by how much the administration seemed to care about interviewees and their experience. Very friendly place.
Students were very enthusiastic and seemed to be very happy with their medical school lifes, socially and academically. They emphasized that UCI admin. is very open to suggestions and change if the students express concerns with the program.
communal learning, location, resident prices, accessible staff, the side programs, Spanish speaking emphasis, the happiness and niceness of the student body and faculty
The students are extremely relaxed and seem really happy. The atmosphere was excellent and very friendly. Even students walking by wished me luck when I was walking to my interviewer's office.
Everyone is really lax and helpful. The area is awesome, but I knew this because I went to undergrad there. Students are competitive with themselves but not with their class, as there is a lot of note sharing and so forth. Students have the highest board scores of any UC (I didn't know that, it certainly surprised me).
Most relaxed students and schedule yet. Had a great opportunity to attend an interest group meeting the night before and was pleasantly surprised by the 3 upper classmen talking about their experiences.
The MSTP students were nice and gave an honest opinion of their experience at UCI. The MSTP staff do a good job of coordinating the day (as well as the night before). I didn't really get too much of a tour of the research facilities, but they seemed nice. The faculty seem solid, and UCI's MSTP seminar series has some pretty outstanding speakers on the bill.
the students were awesome, great weather, very comfortable atmosphere, the staff is supportive, many opportunities (and time, it seems) for public service, extracurriculars, and using Spanish
All of the people I met were very nice and happy. The administrative staff were very helpful. The dean was very friendly and had a good sense of humor. Students were enthusiatic about the school and the environment.
Students are friendly and very laid-back. Interview staff was also very friendly. A lot of schools claim to have no-stress interviews, but rest assured Irvine's interview really is stress-free.
everything about the school... the laid back students who care about staying connected to society, the distinguished faculty, the spacious new campus, their involvement in creating the clinical skills portion of the usmle, the friendly admissions staff, the fact that they have a climbing wall
My interviewers had read everything provided to them. They were interested in me and seemed to be matched to me and my interests. I felt like UC Irvine was interested in me as a person. All of the people were fantastic.
Cheap tuition for cal residents, EVERY student appeared very happy with their choice (and I talked to several of them)... students I talked to there turned down some very "prestigious" schools to go to UCI (and I could see why)... nice weather, MD/MBA program, excellent board scores, very close-knit small class with huge support from the faculty... I got the impression that the school focuses on providing plenty of guidance to its students as opposed to having an environment where you "fend for yourself" (something that could be good or bad depending on how you learn things)... there are opportunities to work with patients from different backgrounds too.
The students seemed very relaxed and happy. Gayle, (the admissions director, is THE NICEST person I've met through the admissions process. She is very down-to-earth and extremely helpful.
WOW what a great school. I was interested in UCI prior to going there for my interview but afterwards this school is by far my top choice. The students were super friendly and genuinely happy at the school. While we toured the facilities random students came up with you to tell you why they loved UCI so much and many people told us goodluck! This is the type of environment I'd want to learn at. The curriculum is great, I love the patient doctor classes in the first two years...the area is also gorgeous and the weather is wonderful! I am incredibly impressed that my interviewers really read my file before interviewing me.
The phenomenal information about the Patient-Doctor Program! The facility in which many of the mock interviews and history-taking of standardized patients is done is quite nice and high tech. It also seemed that UCI's students have a very tight connection with each other, being such a small class. Also, the faculty (namely Gayle and Mrs. Peterson) were absolutely delightful.
Gayle (who is amazing), Associate Dean Ellena Peterson (who is equally amazing), the friendliness of the students, the way UCI goes out of its way to make sure you feel great, the low average student debt, the tremencous housing opportunities, the beauty of the school, and everything I may have left out.
You're definitely going to feel the love at UCI. I don't know if it's an act or not, but all the current students go on and on about how close-knit they all are, how they work closely together, etc, etc. Although one current student said this "closeness" got to the point of being cliquish, like high school, and everyone knew everyone else's business, and there was a ton of gossip being talked about fellow med students.
I felt so loved, supported, and wanted by everyone. It was such a HAPPY place to be. They really shed light on the ability of a UC to be a small-knit family. All of the students like each other and are friends. 90 out of 92 med students in the class participate in the interview process - that's got to say something!!
EVERYONE I met there absolutely loves it!! The students were very happy and the entire class is very closeknit. The new CPX exam was piloted at UCI, so obviously the students will be very well prepared when it is time for them to take the exam. Also, it was obvious that the students there were all very qualified, but most importantly very well-rounded---many had even turned down "higher ranked" schools for Irvine.
I really was amazed by UCI. I did not expect to like it too much and now it is my top choice. The students were all so happy and laid-back and the faculty and administration seem to be very attentive to their suggestions. The campus was much nicer than I had thought it would be. It seems like there is a lot to get involved with there outside of classes.
The students and staff were really positive about the school and the 1st year class seems really tight knit and active in the surrounding community. Also, students seem to be given good opportunity to voice concerns and/or ideas to faculty and staff.
Everyone (both students and faculty) seemed really happy at UCI, the friendliness of my interviewers and the admissions staff, it's close to the beach, it's a UC so it's a great education,...
I was surprised at how high their pass rate is on the Step 1. Also, their students have a pretty high percentage of placing into the top 3 choices of residencies. The environment of the school is very friendly and not competitive at all. The students I talked to all said that they help each other study and that there is a huge data base for past tests to help them also. Now, UCI would probably be a top choice for me if I am accepted.
The campus is beautiful and the staff is really nice. Students seem really happy there. The class size is small so people get alot of attention. The facilities are new and really nice.
The friendliness of students, and Gayle was great. Dean Peterson gave a warm welcome. I interviewed for the PRIME-LC and felt that I had a much better experience than fellow interviewees including a tour of the medical center and dinner after the interview. I also thought the plans for the new hospital are amazing.
the low stress level of the students, the weather, the campus, my student host was GREAT, the talks in the beginning of the day were very good - basically everything about the school was good
EVERYTHING. I loved the school - the students seemed very happy and charismatic to be there, atmosphere seemed centered around student quality of life, and considerable effort was taken by hosts to to alleviate interview stress.
Just about everything. Despite other comments on this site, I think the campus tour is worth it, since you will be spending four years of your life at a school, and it is nice to know what your surroundings will be like. I liked the fact that up to 5 months of electives can be spend at other institutions your 4th year. The PRIME-LC program is an excellent idea, and demonstrates UCI's committment to the local Hispanic community.
My student host was great - I recommend doing that. You get to meet students and possibly other applicants. My host picked me up from the airport and got me to the tour on time in the morning. The student interview was very chill - it was just conversational and lasted an hour.
how much support the faculty and staff provide their students and the class size. Also PRIME-LC (a new MD/MS program in Latino community health) sounds amazing. I wish I had learned about it earlier. It makes me respect UCI even more.
The atmosphere seems very relaxed even though the students frequently take tests. The students weren't screaming they're happy, but they looked far from tortured. Irvine's located in a nice area.
It is a very nice campus.. cool weather but sunny.. close to the beach. The students seemed so happy there and were all noncompetitive with each other.. they were like one big group! The faculty really try to help you out, so even if you are struggling, you will noy get kicked out.
How relaxed the atmosphere was. Everyone seemed very chill and the students were very happy. Also, the center where they film medical students doing mock exams on patients was impressive.
The students. VERY friendly and loved the school. They all seemed like they would make wonderful doctors and they were really happy to be there. UCI has a very small school feel for a UC, which was surprising. Also the beach is very close!
I was most impressed with how happy and friendly all of the students were. Unfortunately, because BOTH of my interviewers rescheduled, I didn't get to go on a tour of the campus at all, or even listen to any of the presentations. So all I had to go on was the enthusiasm of the students I met - and they really impressed me.
The friendliness and helpfulness of EVERYONE. People seemed happy to be there. Everyone was outgoing, positive and intelligent. Also, awesome teaching facilities and hands-on extracurriculars.
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions of the distance between the medical center and the school, the outdated facilities, the lack of early clinical exposure, the suburban location, and the disconnect between students in different years. Suggestions include improving facilities, integrating pre-clinical and clinical experiences, enhancing early clinical exposure, and fostering a more cohesive student community.
My faculty interviewer was quite difficult to read and kept glancing at his phone and email during the interview. I thought it went badly, but--accepted!
Mandatory lecture is a pretty big drawback for me, as is H/P/F grading during 2nd year. What was particularly shocking was that this changed from optional lecture and P/F for both years right before classes got started about a year ago. I'd be pretty pissed if the curriculum I was sold on changed right before I started and my tuition was paid. Makes you think about what they would change in the future...Also, the hospitals aren't particularly close, so I'd be commuting quite a bit in the clinical years.
Students mentioned that tests happened just about every Monday. Take this into consideration when choosing schools; most schools do block exams at the end of several weeks.
Hospital is a 20 minute drive (no traffic, 45 min in traffic). This majorly sucks I think. The surrounding area is nice to live in, but not for everyone. It's more of a place you'd want to live when you're older
exams almost every Monday for MS1s; geographical divide between MS1s/MS2s versus MS3s and MS4s; felt like some students only chose UCI because they were turned down by other UCs like UCLA or UCSD
Not a whole lot to offer. Main selling point was the people, and while that's a good thing, it's not enough. Very little student involvement in research, no patient contact until 3rd year, rundown facilities 1st and 2nd year. Hospital is nice but far, and there is a schism between MS1 & 2s and 3s/4s. Most students seemed like they were only there because it's in CA. This school is ranked fairly high, but it doesn't show at it's rank (if that makes sense).
Nothing, really. It would have been nice to see some pictures or information about the new building. :) My student interviewer was a little distracted and didn't seem very familiar with my file, but we still had a nice conversation.
Not diverse student body, overall did not really seem to have a lot of opportunities for the students. Still though i enjoyed the day and UCi is a good school. The good certainly outweighed the bad
I just don't think the OC is the right place for me right now, I'm just not much for the beach. Buildings on campus are kinda run-down. Class doesn't seem very diverse.
The questions about the other schools I was applying to. I just don't think that it's kosher to be asking that. That the 3rd and 4th years rarely interact with 1st and 2nd years. The ultra-rich neighboring communities.
The interviews were awful. My student interviewer is not involved in the school or community at all. If the students said that the school was "chill" one more time I was going to leave... what else does it offer? The students seem to be there because they got in. The hospital is 30 minutes away with bad traffic. Irvine is really dull. At lunch some students came up to talk to us but it seemed almost staged it was very bizarre
The separation of first and second year students from third and fourth year students. The large interviewing group. The tour wasn't that great. Not too much clinical exposure is available early on.
I was extremely unimpressed with UCI. As a little context, I knew I was already accepted to Case Western prior to the interview, so I went to it with a critical eye, hoping to find something that would jump out and grab me. There are some major problems with the school.
1. The hospital is a 15-30 min drive away from the school. Essentially, all 3rd and 4th year students never have any reason to be in contact with 1-2 years. Major negative. Additionally, all the research that is going on, is completely separate from the hospital. Not only is this less effecient, but the research faculty and clinical faculty aren't able to work together as much
2. Orange County. It feels like the school just bought up 120 acres of coastal land, and plopped a very spread out school on top of it. Then surrounded it by rich people's houses. If you like going to school in the suburbs, then you and I differ, I prefer to be in the thick of the action.
3. First year students have a test EVERY Monday! Wow, thanks for not only allowing me to have zero fact retention, but also wasting all my weekends.
4. Apparently the international programs are weak and underfunded (host insight)
5. I talked to very few students that really wanted to be there for any reason besides it being the only school they got accepted into. There are much better schools in CA that most of the students also apply to, Irvine is not filled by students that also get into those schools.
most students could not give a good reason for why they chose UCI other than that they wanted to live by the beach or that it was the only California school they got into, location is too suburban for me, Orange is not near to the Irvine campus, one interviewer gave me a really hard time for not wanting to go into research--Irvine didn't seem very enthusiastic about clinical medicine in general
Irvine is kind of in the middle of nowhere, at least I thought it would be more urban or even suburban. But when you get there it is surrounded by undeveloped, dead land. I expected it to be more dense. You definitely need a car to go to school there unless you live in the on campus housing (which is a good deal if you can get it!) I liked the student body but was not overly impressed with them. But then again, I've only been impressed by one or two school's student bodies. The facilities are kind of boring and plain. And the hospital is not where you take all of your classes. Minimal patient contact in the first and second years (if that is important to you.)
How far away the hospital is away from the med school (It's like a 20-30 min drive by freeway). For a school that's not very old, the facilities look kind of old and run-down. They have an interesting way of doing anatomy lab, which I'm not sure if I'd like it.
Older facilities, lack of professionalism/polish to interview day, UCI Med Center is 20 minutes from UCI med/undergrad campus, a lot of the students seem to view medical school as just an extension of undergrad
Facilities are rather run down and the school's curriculum is not even slightly innovative. My interviewers didn't ask any questions and my faculty interviewer wrapped things up in about 25 minutes. Oh, and he mentioned that UCI isn't so great if you want to be a leader in your field. WTF?
I did not like the fact that students had to drive to go from campus to hospital but then again, many other med schools do rotations at various hospitals during 3rd and 4th year so can't complain too much. There is also a shuttle so not too bad really.
Irvine is tract housing land. Scary. Irvine is FULL of strip malls. Irvine is not beautiful, but it's not ugly. The hospital you work at and the place you go for medical school lectures are 20 min apart!
Housing is not guaranteed. You do need a car because everything is spread out. The medical center is away from the campus. I actually don't mind this so much because by default you always need a car in the LA/Orange county area. So once you have the car, the hospital and the beach don't seem far away at all. The school is still developing, not like LA or SF where it seem matured. The free student clinic is a bit young(they look to Davis and SD for examples of where to develop to), international program needs more established sites. These things are not a big deal to me because I feel like I can contribute to the growth as long as I have good faculty support and peer support(which UCI has an abundance of).
The medical center isn't on the same campus as the medical school, and you need a car to go back and forth. Also, it isn't in the most exciting area. The interview day didn't have the greatest organization (the schedule kept switching around), but it wasn't a huge deal, and they made sure everyone got to their interviews on time.
I don't know so much about negative, but something that wasn't so great was that most of the curriculum is lecture based. However, they are working on changing the curriculum, but I don't think it will be in time for my class.
Lecture-based learning. Not a problem, but not very progressive. Don't get me wrong, I think that abandoning traditional lecture courses entirely for a problem-based learning format is absurd. Schools that do it are buying into the flavor-of-the-day in education. Anything new and different in education makes the feds all hot and bothered (i.e. they reeeeaaally like it). I think a combination of the two approaches is the best (I was an educator, so yes, my opinion is qualified). Also, the university-affiliated hospital is what can be a lengthy commute from the university, but hey, when you are in your third and fourth years, you aren't going to be going back and forth between the two locations often, anyway. UCI SOM has addressed this spatial issue by establishing a mock clinic on site for the first and second year students.
The facilities for the med students could use some paint and a technology upgrade. Compared to all the other schools I have been to their facilites are a bit ragged. I would suggest a better IT solution with smart boards instead of dry earase boards, notes given as electronic files across the board so students do not have to rescan them, online textbook access, and maybe moving from paper exams and quizes to computer based exams.
my faculty interviewer was horrible. he kept asking me about my motivations to be a doctor, cut me off when answering, and only lasted 30 minutes when it took me 45 minutes to drive there from campus
My student interviewer didnt really try to get to know me too much, she talked most of the time. The buildings and facilities on campus are pretty old.
Appears they have a lot of class and the program is pretty lecture based. Medical center is pretty far away in an area with bad traffic. Only a handful of students get to see the Med center because of interview located there, the others don't get an opportunity.
Some of the facilities seem pretty old and closed in. Sometimes it looks like a shadow of the undergrad facilities (the library is really nice). The kicker - a student talking to the group and saying the only reason she decided on UCI was because it was the only one she got into (didn't make me feel good about going there). But, in her defense she says she loves it there.
Housing is difficult to get, but I think I would want to live in Newport Beach anyways. Also, lots of lecture hours, but it dosen't seem like many students go to class anyways.
Living in the other bigger UC's shadow. Quite evident in students attitudes.
Also, Med center way off site. Mucho commuting if you go. That is SoCal for ya'
The atmosphere there wasn't very upbeat. Students and some faculty seemed rather down. I don't know if this is due to the city of Irvine being rather dead (reportedly, fun can only be had in "neighboring" beach towns) or if I just caught them all on a stressful day. The main negative in my opinion is that the hospital is 15 minutes away (by car) from the medical school; a geographic nuissance to their hope of integrating clinical and pre-clinical experiences.
Our tour guide wasn't able to show us any classrooms or the cadaver lab. We were only able to see the biomedical library from a distance due to time limitations.
some of the facilities feel a little old. the hospital is a bit of a drive from campus. i grew up near irvine, and there ain't a lot of social life on or near the campus.
The school does have a variety of great research opportunities; however, I got the impression that it wasn't quite the place to go if you really wanted to focus on research... I think there are other schools out there with more resources. Cost of living is very high unless you get on-campus housing. Traffic in So Cal is generally nasty but if you stay off of the freeways it shouldn't be a problem. No tour of med center either.
I have to say I was put off by the repeated mention of the "work hard, play hard" attitude by students (this isn't high school last I checked...). Also, facilities are limited and older. The anatomy rotation schedule sounded sketchy.
Most of the facilities are quite old (probably from the 1960s), as is the anatomy lab (which fortunately will be renovated this summer!). Also, the hospital is in Orange, and although this is only 20 min away from campus, the heavy traffic on that freeway (22) can be horrendous.
A HUGE 30% increase in tuition for University of California med schools starting this year, having to take a shuttle to the med center at Orange for the faculty interview, the school being in a sleepy, quiet part of Irvine where not much happens, no food places near the med school other than the very lame MedCafe (their food sucks), 18 MONTH wait list for housing, the new hospital very unlikely to be completed before I would graduate
The medical center is not on campus, and since LA traffic is horrendous, this could be very annoying. I was really not impressed with the small anatomy lab in the basement of one their buildings. The look of the school in general is pretty blah.
Students only complaint was the drive between the campus and clinical rotations at the med center, and in Long Beach. The cost of living is quite high in Irvine and the area itself seems pretty boring, aside from the beach. Other parts of L.A. with more stuff to do, like Hollywood, downtown, Westwood, can be a long trip if traffic is bad.
I didn't like that most students are older/married/non-trad. Not an exciting environment for a youngin like me coming straight from undergrad. The interview had 40 people and made me realize perhaps I wasn't so special. I also wish I had known the med center was about 15min by car from the med school in a completely different city. I didn't like that they kept on pushing their "laid-back" feel as I personally prefer a more prestigous and formal environment.
They forgot to give us the presentation on student housing, which most of us wanted to hear about, but Gayle did her best to fill us in once she realized it had been left out. Unfortunately, we were left with not very much time to eat before our student interviews. Also, I wish we would have had a tour of the medical center. We only go to see the campus, where you do your first two years of class, and didn't get to visit the hospital.
The day was super long. My first interview was at 1pm, after getting there at 8am for the tour. I was so tired by the time I had my faculty interview (4pm) that I had a hard time concentrating. Bring some energy food and skip the tour!
I have to drive a car to attend school here. The students were nice but I wouldn't normally go way out of my way to get to know any of them either. A lot of the people have never even really left California, I think it would be a small culture shock for me.
The fact that the night before the interview Gayle Pierce called me to tell me that my interview was rescheduled and I would have to go to Orange by myself for it, thus missing all of the planned activities for the other interviewers. When I finally made it back to the UCI campus, I got to hear a few minutes of the housing presentation before my student interviewer interrupted to pull me out becuase he had to go somewhere soon, and wanted to get the interview over with. I wish the office would schedule the interviews better, or have more communication with the interviewers so time conflicts won't create these kind of problems. It really prevented me from getting a chance to learn as much about the school as I would have liked. If I end up getting accepted I'll probably have to go visit it again.
Applicants commonly expressed that they wished they had known ahead of time how relaxed and low-stress the interview day at UC Irvine would be. They recommended attending pre-interview events to calm nerves, being prepared for informal student interviews, and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere to make the most of the experience.
RELAX!!! You will do amazing!!! If possible, go to the pre-interview mixer with the current students the night before. They really set the stage for how chill and casual this interview will be, and it truly helped me calm my nerves
I highly recommend going to the pre-interview dinner at Gina's Pizza the night before! Great chance to meet your fellow interviewees and ask questions to MSI and IIs.
Admissions office provides transportation to John Wayne airport after the interview day is over. Also, they provide dinner the night before the interview, and a full breakfast and lunch on the day of the interview (and it's all great food). They took care of so many details that I should not have worried about.
It's easy to have questions along the interview, but when asked "do you have any more questions" over and over at the end of the interview, you tend to forget your questions and it feels like you dont have enough questions
that a short interview isn't necessarily a bad thing. i left thinking i had blew it but got accepted without a waitlist (my interviewer had had a 15 minute interview at UCI also)
housing not a guarantee. The place is so close to nice beaches. The dean told us while selecting applicants for interviews, they only spent 7 minutes on each app, probably true for a lot of med schools. After interview they will have a 5 member committee(of MD, PhD, staff) and spend a lot more time your app for a final decision. They will tell us 5 weeks from the interview date. Never give up hope on waitlists. Only e-mail the dean ONCE if you are waitlisted with your interests in the school. She said she had a bad impression of people who e-mailed her once a week for months.
If you're driving from LA, make sure you allow OVER two hours. I left at 6am and still missed the 8am tour. The whole day is very relaxed, so there's no need to stress out.
Ahead of time? Nothing. But while there, I learned a lot about the school and program that I hadn't known before. Things (see above) that elevated my impression of the school and made it my first choice!
they have pretty nice subsidized housing. the rates are really cheap for So Cal, and a lot of the units have pools or garages for cars. one apartment complex even has a private movie theater.
oh, and they provide breakfast so you don't have to eat beforehand
My hotel (red roof inn) altough cheap was located under flight path of JW airport and next to the 55 freeway. Check the maps before booking. Enter the campus at Bison entrance, its right next to med school.
50% of the interviewees are accepted, and the first few interview groups have substantially higher percents (with the last few groups having the lowest percents). So pretty much, if you have an early interview, you have a GREAT chance of being accepted. Also, they have you fill out a housing request form, which is a bit awkward because I never thought about where I wanted to live. Wish I had known that one...
The interview was how I expected it would be for the most part. However, I guess I had expected the student interview to be more conversational (he actually was pressing me on a lot of science, though not in a rude way).
to not take UCI's interviews too seriously. Having read previous comments posted here about the interviews, I already didn't expect anything too bad, but UCI's relaxed attitude towards the interviews seemed a little too relaxed to me. Their attitude was "well, we just want to talk with you to make sure you're all normal, that there's nothing weird about you." Well that's good, but how are you going to select a class of 98 from 500 students if you don't bother asking them at least a FEW challenging questions? All I did mostly was repeat bits of information from my application.
Getting to see the medical center is not definite if your interviews are all on campus. I wish I had planned my trip better to have had time to drive over and see it.
The traffic going south on the 55 is still horrible in the morning. It took me almost an hour to get there from my house when it should only take 25 minutes. Of course, that is partially my fault since I left right in the middle of rush hour. (7:00am-8:00am)
That the med center is so far away. That the student interview was going to be during lunch (I was completely taken by surprise when they came to get me as I was biting into my sandwich). That the day would be so long.
that many people are done by 3:00, so I didn't need to get such a late flight (a lot of us went stand-by on earlier flights), and that the Statement of Legal Residence isn't really needed that day (but it's better if you have it ready)
The med student that interviewed me was a little hard to read. I think she thought she had to be serious, because every time she seemd to start to enjoy herself, she realized she was smiling and quickly went back to having a straight face and asking tough questions. That is the only reason the stress level of this interview went up. She was about a 3, but the faculty interviewer was totally laid-back and couldn't have been any nicer. He was very enthusiastic and spent a lot of time telling me about the school and encouraging me to go there. We talked a lot about my volunteer experiences and my travels abroad.
The tour was fine! I read some postings that the tour isn't worth it, but I think it's good to see where I might be spending the next 4 years. The day isn't any longer than any other interview day - 8 to 3.
That the tour isn't worth going on, especially if you aren't a morning person (although students have class everyday at 8am!) Many of the interviews aren't at the medical campus but rather in Orange at the huge Medical Center there. You will need to take the shuttle. You can have the shuttle driver drop you off at John Wayne Airport after the interview so bring all your stuff with you. Also, at lunch they served these cookies that made people's mouths black. Stay away from those. I also wish I knew more about PRIME-LC beforehand. I think it's possible to apply even after you interview.
That it would rain that day. I wish I brought an umbrella. Friendly advice: keep an umbrella in your car. Also leave very early-the traffic on the 405 is awful in the morning.
that the interview is semi-open file...i said honestly how many schools i applied to but i could have lied b/c he didn't have the list of the schools that i applied to.
Housing not guaranteed. School is actually close to the beach, not in the inland valley area. Tour is in the morning. Parking is not in Lot 81 as in the instructions!
Applicants generally found the interview day at UCI SOM to be relaxed and enjoyable, with positive interactions with staff, students, and faculty members. Many appreciated the conversational and low-stress nature of the interviews, the friendly atmosphere, and the emphasis on getting to know the applicants as individuals. Some mentioned concerns about facilities, curriculum changes, or certain interview experiences, but overall, UCI was praised for its location, student body, and the welcoming environment.
UCI SOM's interview day was very relaxed and everyone was very nice.
Impressed with the school, the student body seems really wonderful, but concerned I may have gotten the wrong impression regarding how the school handled the pandemic, also was told iPads were given to each student but that is not true.
UCI is a very solid institution!
The 1-on-1 interviews were as expected, but this year they started adding in an 8-min station called the "structured interview." It was actually really fun and tried to evaluate how well you could communicate with others. Non-stressful questions. :)
I wouldn't mind going here, just because of its location. Other than that, its a decent school but I think one of its strongest selling points is the location. There are a few things that bother me, like the distance to the hospital. Also, the first year, currently P/F, is going to be H/P/F starting next year, which isn't ideal. Class size of 104 is nice.
NOTE: Not every interviewee had as easy of a time as I did, but a lot of them seemed to. So keep in mind its the luck of the draw when it comes to who you get.
very chill. interviews can be as short as 30 minutes or over an hour, depending on how things go. very conversational. no specific questions they had to get through. just wanted to know more about me.
Stay with a host!! Mine was wonderful and I really enjoyed learning more about the school from a student perspective. The dinner the night before was totally awesome. Be prepared for a laid-back, low stress interview day.
UCI is a great school with even greater students. The students seemed like a diverse, friendly, and close group. The new facilities and research opportunities will definitely raise UCI's rankings. I truly hoped I get accepted here.
I'm really hoping I get an acceptance here; this school has become one of my TOP choices! Stay with a student host - it's definitely more fun and worth it; they give a realistic glimpse into life as a uci medical student.
I dont want to give the impression UCI is bad, its just that other UC schools such as davis really impressed me more. UCI is a good school which i would attend it just didnt really wow me on any level. I could certianly see myself being happy there for 4 years though. I guess i left not overly impressed but also not with negative feelings.
The day started with an introduction and a discussion with first year students. There was also a discussion with admissions and an icebreaker. We had a break and had a housing presentation. After lunch, we had a student interview followed by a faculty interview. Both were really conversational. I found that I really enjoyed my interview more than I anticipated.
I think that UCI needs to sell itself and its experiences better. It's a great school and I just don't think that was conveyed as well as it could have been! But overall, the interview day was relaxed and positive and I came away from it feeling really enthusiastic about the school!
Never been to Irvine before, but it is like the rest of southern california. Kobe Bryant's name mustve came up 100 times throughout the day because he sometimes uses the Irvine rec center. The campus is clean, modern, and located in a very suburban locale near the beach. Having a car sounded like a necessity. The most emphasized point was that the learning environment is collegial and the students get along with each other, which seemed true for 1st/2nd year students. All students we met kept telling us that it was the most relaxed interview that they went to during the application process. The student interview lived up to that claim and my faculty interview was only slightly more intense. Interviewers had no access to test scores/gpa. Brand new facilities will be complete by next year
I am very disappointed in this school. There really isn't any early clinical exposure. The students never go to lecture, there really aren't any interesting programs. My interviews made such a negative impression that even if I did like the school I would have been totally turned off.
The interview was open file in the sense that they had all of our application materials except for grades and MCAT scores. The school was exactly what I expected it to be: a completely chill place where students seem to have fun! They do a good job of matching you up with your interviewers, so you'll have plenty to talk about.
I'd advise staying with a student host, because you can learn so much about the school to talk about in your interview the next day. Plus all the student hosts are extremely friendly.
My interviewer challenged me greatly based on the way he asked his questions. After almost everything I said, he would either try to pick it apart, or ask me some tangential question based off my answer.
I'm not a big fan of the (on average) more materialistic culture of Southern California, hence my low cultural rating. It seems that too many people care too much about things that dont matter at all. And it's hard for me to deal with the speaking style down here.
This interview was by far my hardest, and I honestly didn't do too well. I was completely honest in the interview, and I didn't really try to sell myself too well, which I dont think helped me too much. All in all, it was a great learning exp, but not a great school.
It's important to note that my views of the school are not related to my success during the interview. I will not be attending this school either way.
I was so impressed by UC Irvine, that by the end of the day, it became my top choice of all of the schools that I have applied to. Why? It's simple -- Everything seemed to be very transparent. The faculty shows genuine care, advocacy and concern for the students' interests and progress. The students are very, very, very happy and it all neutralizes any sense of hostility. My faculty interview was only supposed to be 30-45 minutes long, but we ended up talking for well over 1.5 hours... simply due to the fact that everything about the school (even the interview) was so natural. I am thoroughly, thoroughly impressed.
Chill out, it doesn't get more relaxed than this. If you've got some time between interviews, ask a current student to let you into the student lounge - you can play pingpong between interviews...
I got their at 8 am for the optional tour. We had 1st years come talk to us a bit about their experiences at 9 am. The Dean then came in and we had an ice breaker. Then financial aid and housing spoke to us. It was very comprehensive. We had a delicious lunch starting around 11:30 am. Then my student interviewer came by at 12 pm. I was done with that interview by around 12:30 pm. Then hung around until my faculty interviewer started. The day was over by about 2 pm. Loved it!!!!
Arrive at 8am, tour til 9am, intros and lectures on admissions, financial aid, housing, student life, etc. til 11:30am, eat til noon, interview outside (friggin awesome!) with a student for an hour, take the 15-min shuttle over to the medical center, interview with a physician for an hour, shuttle 15-min back to campus, done by 4pm
It was a well-organized day but it was LONG. you get there around 8:00 AM and are not done until 3:30. And there is not a lot of down time. My first student interview went well, but they always go well. My second interview with a faculty member went so well that I was not asked one question. We simply talked about medicine, technology, people, problems in the workplace that people have, medical advances, and other odds and ends. It was great just to have a conversation. I think it's a good school and it's close to the beach and it will compete with all acceptances I am fortunate to earn from the non top-20 schools.
Large crowd of interviewees ~25. Started with 8AM tour with students. Nothing special. Just a typical med school. From 9AM-11:30AM, we had a bunch of people talk to us about housing, curriculum, joint degree programs, and the admissions process. 11:30-noon = lunch. Noon-1PM = student interview. 1-2 = get to UCI medical center (only some of us had to go there for our faculty interview). 2-3 faculty interview.
It was so laid back, the staff interview was at the hospital (near the Block) so driving was kind of bothersome but there was plenty of parking and we had plenty of time to get there. (A shuttle is available for those without cars.) They seem to pair you up with people who have similar backgrounds-- my faculty interviewer went to Berkeley undergrad and came back down South, which was my experience as well.
Student interviewer was very nice, receptive to my viewpoints, and ungodly brilliant especially after getting a few hours of sleep and fighting off a cold. It goes to show how dedicated students are @ UCI SOM (unlike other places where they tell you off the bat that you're interviewing for a waitlist spot). I felt like I was having lunch with an old friend that I hadn't see for ages, and we were just catching up.
Faculty interview off the bat was on time, read my file IN-DEPTH, and had a very approachable aspect to him. We engaged in a LONG discussion of our life, family, and interests/concerns in today's medicine. He shared a great deal and did everything he could to make me feel at ease. Funny funny guy. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard when I was in a full suit and tie. Talking to him makes me not only want to learn under him and go into his field, but also go to UCI even more.
Only con to the day was that I couldn't continue talking to my student and faculty interviewer.
I went to this interview expecting not to like the school very much but was amazed at how much fun I had. The students had lives outside of medical school and the hospital facility was really nice. My student interviewer was a little strange and when we got our interviewer assignments even all the other students said ''Oh you got So-and-so'' with little enthusiasm. Faculty though was very considerate and nice. Most importantly I really enjoyed all of the other applicants that I interviewed with. I would really enjoy all of them as future classmates
It was great! It was a big group-40 people! The tour in the morning was very helpful and it was nice to be able to ask questions. Then you had talks about housing, financial aid, etc. Then you had a chance to eat lunch briefly and then your interview with the med student was at noon for everybody. He was very nice and asked me about various aspects of my application (tell me about experience X). Then I had a faculty interviewer and he was very nice too. He asked a lot of questions about my future (what I wanted to specialize in, what my life would be like, etc.)
Very laidback faculty interview. I was the first one so I could get it out of the way. The student interview was little more than a conversation over lunch... literally. Great experience!!!
Decent medschool interviewer with a rather lousy faculty interviewer who belittled the school and informed me that he wouldn't go into medicine if he had to do it all over again. Gayle is very nice though, and so is the lunch. Overall, I am no longer interested in attending this university.
Best interview experience ever. Both student and faculty interviewers just wanted to get to know me and tell me more about the school. They were more human and normal than interviewers I met at the other schools. The whole atmosphere of the school was friendly and non-competitive which I really liked. Some students were unhappy about the general location of the school but I liked the relaxed environment of the area. Most of all, Gayle was just about the nicest person I have ever met.
My interiew expereince was awesome!!!! This was my first medical school interview so my nervousness level was though the roof!!!! Im glad that my interview was scheduled for the afternoon (most people have this itnerary) b/c it allowed me to cool down. When you get there in the monrning, you get a folder with your interiewers names! During lunch i went to Berk Hall computer lab on the second floor to look up info about my interviewers! VERY HELPFUL TO DO THIS! The whole interview day is geared toward making you feel relaxed. During lunch, the 1st and 2nd year medical students had a hot dog eating contest! Its was so funny to see them all out there! LoL! THEY REALLY ARE A TIGHT CLICK! Many of them sat down to have lunch with us. They all seem VERY happy. Anyhow, when i got to my actual interiews, they were soooooooooooooo laid back! My mock interviews where WAY more stressful than my actual one! Its was about 10hour long, but felt more like 5 min! You have a faculty interviewer, a student, and if you were applying to the PRIME-LC Program a spanish interiew for 30min. YOU DONT NOT HAVE TO BE FLUENT IN SPANISH TO APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM! Anyhow, my faulty interview was chill. She was a lecturer in the dept. of family medicine and was working to integrate the humanities into medical education at UC Irvine. She was amazing! (Dr. Joanna Shapirio, google her name!) My student interview was outside on a bench! The day was beautiful (80 degrees). That interiew just like the fauclty one was SUPER chill! It truly was a laid back conversation about me, my passinos, my interests, & how they tie in to medicine. For those applying to the PRIME-LC Program make sure you seriously demomstrate your passion for working with the Latino community. They are VERY good about reading into who really wants to be in this prorgam and those that just want to use it for selfish reasons! If you desire to work with the latino commmunity APPLY to PRIME-LC! You dont have to be Latino! Just have a passion for sering this growing underserved community. Anyhow, the day finished off with a dinner for PRIME-LC applicants and a RADICAL lecture by Dr. Micheal Montoya about Lainto health issues. He really fires you up! If your reading this, please dont stress out! Irvine is a wonderful shcool! Its my first choice! Suerte!
I was not too interested in UCI's MSTP at first, but after going to their interview, if accepted, they would definitely be one of my first choices. Although other schools might be more prestigeous, the flexibility and the atmosphere of their program would contribute more to one's happiness than anything else (especially since you're going to be there for 7-8 years...)
I loved UCI!
The day started at 8am with an optional tour, which was great. Most of the morning was intro talks by the dean, who asked all 40 of us(UCI only interviews twice a month)to introduce ourselves and say one thing interesting about us. We had presentations on housing and a MS3 talk to us about his impression of UCI(with no faculty in the room). Lunch with med student/interview. Break then interview with Faculty at 2pm. Done by 3pm. It seems like the med school really cared about us and wanted to know us as individuals.
Everyone was very nice and welcoming. Both interviews were very conversational and relaxed. I was really impressed. I'm still wondering about the curriculum, because I think there are some changes underway. Overall the environment was very warm and comfortable.
It was very pleasant. The student interviews were outside on benches and very informal. The faculty interviewer was very nice, and basically started out by going down the list of activities on my AMCAS application and asking about each one. Then he asked a few more difficult questions about health care. All in all, he had some very interesting questions and interesting insights into medicine as a whole.
UCI was my first interview, so I was really nervous. The faculty and student interviews were very informal and relaxed. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at UCI.
The interview day is very casual. They only interview once every two weeks, so the group is large. But, most of the applicants are very relaxed and fun. The student interview is usually first, and is right after/during lunch. Very conversational and friendly. The faculty interview was more interogative, but not too bad either. I couldn't help but be under-impressed with the school itself: the facilities appear very dated and in need of renovation, or maybe a lot of new construction. Still, the students are very happy and close-knit, and the location is great. Irvine is a good school.
The day was fabulous. The faculty interview was run the way I envision all interviews--as a conversation where he was really trying to get to know me rather than stress me out and make me nervous. I really enjoyed talking with my interviewer and that in part sold me the school. I was skeptical at first because I heard about how so many students don't go to class and that seemed negative. However, after talking with a few students I found that the reason isn't because the lectures are bad, in fact they are generally good, it is that those students learn better from the text and therefore studying rather than going to lecture is more efficient. I am certainly sold on the school now and really like Irvine.
Pleasant, laid back interview day. No difficult questions, very informative day. See elsewhere in this feedback for more. Some other posters say that they don't like the location, that Irvine is too isolated. It's not. No place to hang out? What about Fashion Island? And the beach communities are VERY close! What do they want - inner city? UCI is on the edge of the city, so you have a get-away-from-it-all comfy feeling, but are not really isolated. Good for the med student soul.
Very impressed by the student body, especially how well they balance school and social live. Most of them are very active in sport and activities other than school stuffs. They also allegedly do very well on the board exams and residency placement.
My interviews were very relaxed. My student interviewer was super friendly and made me feel comfortable. We had lunch outside on the steps. She also took me to the standardized patient area where i got a private tour of the "fake" clinic. My faculty interviewer made me feel at ease and just asked me questions about my experiences.
Fantasic Day!!! The longer I was there, the more I felt like this was the place for me even with the older facilities and the fact that the medical center is 15-30 minutes away by car.
everything was great except my faculty interviewer really turned me off to the school. i asked what the strength was of the school and he said "well.. it's not a top tier school, third tier in my opinion, is not the best and never will be"... he should not be interviewing anymore
Overall very positive and laid back. It was my first interview, and they did their best to put me at ease. The student interviewer seemed more nervous than me!
i was lucky enough to miss the little session where everyone stands up and talks about themselves because i had an early interview. luch wasn't bad but nothing extraordinary. the student interview was just to "see if i could have a normal conversation" so i hope i passed, geez, i guess it's good they aren't educating doctors incapable of that. it's as easy and everyone says - easier even.
Overall, very pleasant. Everyone was nice and seemed to focus on selling the school, rather than interrogating me. Students seem to be happy, and lower on stress.
we had a pretty brief tour, then had a presentation about the school's programs, housing and financial aid. we had student interviews on the lawn outside the 1st year lecture hall building and then dispersed for afternoon interviews. it was very friendly and well organized.
We went on a tour in the morning and there wasn't really much to see. Then the dean came in and we all introduced ourselves. We had a housing talk, financial aid wasn't there but it wasn't too bad. Then we had lunch and had the student interviews first. we sat outside under the trees, really laid back!
Then I had my second interview with an MD at the UCI Med Center. He was great and gave me a tour of the whole hospital! It was awesome! he took me everywhere and i had so much fun! then the shuttle took us back on campus and that was it!
The interview day was definitely long. We started out with a tour (8AM) and then Q&A session with a few students. Continued with financial aid talk, housing info session and lunch. Then two interviews. Everyone I met seemed quite happy at UCI I'm just not sure it's the place for me. Both of my interviews were very conversational which put me at ease.
Each interview lasted an hour for me, so it was pretty tiring by the end. The student interview was really engaging, but the faculty member basically grilled me about a few of the activities I had done and about my motivation to become a doctor.
The interview was so relaxed. My student interviewer was wearing a chargers football jersey and was so chill. We chatted for about an hour under a tree. The low stress student interview loosens you up a little if you were nervous. My faculty interview was a little bizarre, he opened with "...So uhh do you have questions for me" After a few questions he complained about the state of health care and the low wages of doctors. He tried to talk me out of any thoughts I had of entering MSTP then he got paged so he took me with him to see patients for basically 75% of the interview. It was bizarre but also pretty chill.
Super informal, they were basically trying to sell the school to us. Making sure that we had a genine interest in coming to the school. Great day in general, very well planned.
Showed up at 8 to take the tour from a guy who didn't seem to care that he was in med school and empasized how much people don't go to class (that wasn't very impressive), came back at 9 for b-fast then had two 2nd years talk about how no one goes to class (sensing a pattern?). They did talk about programs that UCI has and those seemed impressive. A faculty member came in and did a summary of the day and did a "pep talk." Student interview - you sit outside and talk on the grass. That is a very relaxed conversation. Faculty interview at the med center (20 minute shuttle ride arranged by the school) - weird, but I think it was ok. And that was it.
The student interviews are SO lax. Everyone interviews outside on the benches, which is a microcosm of how lax the school is. The faculty interview was great too, no pressure at all. They really treat you well, and emphasize that they would love for you to attend the school. This is definitely the least pressured interview, and my other interviews weren't pressured at all. I might has well have been sitting on the beach, it was THAT chill.
A low-key MSTP dinner was held in the medical student lounge the night before the interview, and was a good way to talk to some of the students informally. Overall, they seemed satisfied with the program, but not outright enthusiastic about it. The hotel was very comfortable and convenient. The next morning, there were 30-40 applicants (MD+MSTP) present at the orientation session, which was a downpoint in the experience. The orientation paradoxically seemed rushed although it took FOREVER. With the exception of a relatively short student-led tour of the campus (which was quite good), we were in the same room for 4 hours straight! All the interviews were held in the afternoon, starting with the student interviewer, who seemed sleepy/worn out/depressed. The next three interviews (1 MD, 2 MD/PhD) were straightforward and not too stressful (though not as conversational as I thought they would be). In all, the experience at UCI left me with the same feelings I had about the school.
This was the very first interview for me and UCI COM is my first choice. Fortunately, the interviews were very relaxed, so there is no need for stress. My interviewers were very nice, especially the student.
I loved UCI, but it's definitely not an atmosphere for everyone. It is an extremely laid-back and relaxed atmosphere. Along with that, a lot of the students did appear to have "slacker" attitudes. So if that's something that would bug you, this isn't the school for you...but if you just want to learn about medicine in the most relaxed, supportive environment possible..you'll love UCI
it was a great day! i met some great people. the interview was really relaxed. my student interviewer asked very few doctor questions and focused more on my personal interests. i had a really great conversation with my faculty interviewer about the state of health care. overall, the school really impressed me in every way. more than some other top notch schools, in fact. so go, have a good time, and relax and you'll all do great. =)
Overall, this place was pretty sweet. Students were happy and really pampered by the staff. Lots of research in the summer available and lot's of help from faculty if you are struggling. Non-competitive atmosphere with great weather.
The entire experience was very positive. I felt like they were trying to get to know me better. It was fun and relaxed. All the people I met were really friendly, down-to-earth, people. I got the sense that the students felt supported. I left UC Irvine COM feeling much more interested in the school because of the great overall experience.
the interviews could not be less confrontational. the student interview was just like a conversation with a friend and the faculty interviewer was very candid about the process and the environment. i thought they both gave me great information to go home with.
This was a great experience, it was very laid-back and it really seemed that everyone wanted to get a good idea of the person you were outside of your interview suit. They didn't want to stress you out at all.
Didn't need to get there till around 11:30. Met with gayle pierce and everyone else in her office. She went over admin stuff (like housing, financial, etc). Lunch was okay...sandwiches and fruits. Interview with student was over lunch. Then if there was time, tour with your student.....sinch i knew what was over at the med school, he just showed me the anatomy lab. faculty interview was very laid back, although she threw me off by asking me a questions about my research right off the bat. Interview was standard questions. Overall, interview day was from 11:30 till 3:00. Can't complain about Southern Cali weather!! Only problem is that not much to do in Irvine itself but everyone drives so you can always drive up to LA or something.
As everyone else says: relaxed. Faculty interviewer just wanted to get an idea of the "person behind the application" Had the student interview over lunch. She really knew the array of opportunities available at the school.
The interviews were very relaxed. There is one interview with a student interviewer and then a faculty interviewer. Most of the interviewees seemed to agree that the interviewers were very relaxed. We meet Dean Peterson in the morning, and she starts off the day asking people to introduce themselves and add a comment about themselves that doesn't pertain to their AMCAS application. It definitely eased up the tension in the room and made people feel more comfortable. The day isn't too long, the campus is beautiful. There was a large group there though, maybe 20-30 people who were interviewing all on the same day.
The interview experience was overall quite positive. I would recommend to everyone to show up at 8am for the medical campus tour... even I learned something here (although being quite familiar with the campus). Plus the med students discuss the curriculum, the life, etc., and it is a great chance to ask questions about anything. After the student tour, breakfast was served and most of the morning is taken up by various presentations, regarding financial aid, hoursing, and a very fun introduction of every student present for interviews (we each had to talk a little about ourselves). Then lunch was served (and it was quite the spread!), followed by student interviews. I had a 1 1/2 hour break between my student and faculty interview, scheduled at 2:30 in Santa Ana (which is quite unusual). The faculty interview was 1 hour and 20 minutes, but only so because I think I had many things in common with the interviewer. By 4pm I was done.
The day wasa pretty relaxed. The only reason is was stressful at all for me is because I want to go there so much. I love the school; it is definitely an amazing medical school. One interview is with a student and one is with faculty.
My interview experience was definitely unique. The day started with a tour of the campus at 8:00a.m. in which a 4th year student took us around thje facitities. We had financial aid, housing, and various program talks after the tour. Associat Dean Ellena Peterson then came in and we went around introducing ourselves and telling her one interesting thing about us. She outlined the process for the evaluation of our applications so there were no mysteries when we got home. Next came lunch (which was great!!), followed by the student interview and then a faculty interview. The day was well-planned so that we would feel absolutely at home.
For those not familiar with the UCI campus, I would recommend the student-led tour in the morning. When you get to the anatomy lab, ask your tour guide to at least open the door to let you take a peek inside, since you're not allowed to go in. Gayle Pierce seems very nice -- but I didn't like the part where the blond lady (forget her name) has every student go around the room and talk about themselves. Food is somewhat decent - but beware of your student interviewer starting your interview while you're having lunch. So try to avoid getting chicken pieces stuck in your teeth while eating! Faculty interview follows the student one. Also for any MSTP applicants, they seem to have something like 4, 5 interviews during the day instead of the 2 we got.
The tour in the morning is worth it only because there is no other chance to see the campus unless you know someone or if you go back on your own later. I LOVED my student host! She was so kind and even took me out to a Tuesday night taco hangout. I met a lot of other current students, and everyone was very nice and encouraging. They had just come back from a group camping trip, and it was obvious how close everyone was. My student interviewer was also very nice, and we had a lot in common. She was friendly most of the time, but I could tell she felt like she needed to ask some pretty serious questions too. My faculty interviewer was great as well. He told me he hadn't read any of my file on purpose because he wanted to get to know me without any biases. He said he'd read my essays later. We talked for a very very long time, and it was so comfortable that I felt like we could have talked longer. I felt very good after the interview, but then got nervous that I didn't have enough concrete answers for my faculty interviewer since he mostly asked my opinions on tough issues, and he really wanted me to talk about my future a lot. But since it has been quite a while since my interview, I already know that I've been accepted :) so I know that it is best to be honest but yet always confident. O and the only reason my stress level is a 3 is because it was a UC, and I felt extra pressure because it was my only UC interview at the time. The interviews themselves we not bad at all.
Overall, a very laid-back, fun day. Everyone is really friendly there and will go out of their way to help you. If you aren't from the area stay with a student. I did and it was great. There are no specific questions they use so the interview is like a conversation.
The day starts at 8 am with an (optional) tour of campus. There is an informational session from 9 till lunch with students and staff. After lunch, is the student interview, followed by the faculty interview.
I didn't know what to expect from Irvine since I'd never been there before and didn't know anyone who went there. But I was very impressed with school, the people, and the campus. This was my first interview, so I was really nervous going in. I soon realized though that there was no reason to be nervous. Both of my interviewers were friendly and enthusiastic about the school, and they seemed to have a genuine interest in getting to know me. My student interview was very informal - it was over lunch and it felt like I was just talking to one of my friends.
I had an awesome time, especially since it was my first interview. I was really nervous coming down, but I had the opportunity to go to a underrepresented minority gathering at Chili's the night before. I highly recommend this to anyone who is invited because the med students really put my mind at ease about the ensuing interview day. I entered the next day with composure and confidence that nothing was going to surprise me.
I think the best advice I heard was from Gayle who reminded all of us in the morning that the day is just as much about the school trying to impress you as it is about you impressing them. If you are offered an interview, then that means they want you to come to their school. They are trying to get you to like them as well as trying to get to know you a little better.
Finally, UCI COM is a great place and my overall impression was changed by my interview experience. I highly recommend the school and hope to some day be a part of it. Good luck everybody!
UC Irvine impressed me alot. The interview day was long, but well run and there was alot of food available. I went on the tour in the morning and then there was breakfast and some information sessions afterwards. On-campus housing is affordable but there is an 18-month waitlist - we get on the waitlist on the day of the interview though. Also, if you do the summer program before classes start, you have priority on the list and will probably get on-campus housing. Both of my interviews were laid back - both of them talked ALOT - I barely said anything. I almost felt like I was interviewing them. I heard though that some of the other interviewees were asked alot of tough ethical questions. They accept about 1/2 of the interviewees and they encourage you to submit extra letters of recommendations to support your application in the month following your interview. UC Irvine is now one of my top choices.
I think that overall, it was a welcoming and fun place. Irvine maybe isn't that fun, but the beach is nearby. The student admitted to me his reservations about picking UCI and I think that his honesty impressed me. The faculty think UCI has great potential and take great pride in their students.
Tour was decent, given by enthusiastic student. Admissions director walks in and says "take off your jackets." It was very comfortable and low-stress. Student interview takes place on campus, then most interviewees are shuttled to UCI Med Ctr in Orange (15 min drive).
Overall, my experience was really good. There are two interviews, one with a second-year student and one with a faculty. Both were really chill, and neither person asked me any questions that had anything to do with medicine or medical school. They both only asked me questions on my application - clarification, elaboration, etc. So there wasn't a question that I couldn't answer.
Fantastic experience overall. I was really sold on the school and would happily attend. Seems like interviewers ask fairly consistent questions, according to other posts.
Irvine was great! I went into the interview not really thinking seriously about going there, and came out of it with UCI as my #1 choice. Even though I have already been accepted to two of my other top schools, I would definitely go to Irvine instead if I get accepted there. This was the largest interview group that I have had, with nearly 30 students, but it was interesting to hear everyone's different backgrounds.
The environment there is very "sterile", as people describe. It feels like walking through a business park. But the students all seem to be really happy and laidback.
Overall, everything was completely stress free until my faculty interview. My interviewer asked me a lot of tough questions and I had to say "I don't know" a lot. In the end, I think he was mainly trying to see how well I could communicate, and we talked a lot about random issues - Boy Scouts, Karate, etc. However, he did try to probe how much I knew about my research, how much I remembered about my biochem classes. It was a good mix of easy going conversation and tough questions. As long as you maintain your composure and don't flip out, you will be ok.
They talked at us for hours in the morning about housing, financial aid, etc etc. It was a little long. Then we had lunch, an interview with a student, and a faculty interview in the afternoon. It's a long day, but everyone is really nice and there's no stress at all.
Shocking, both of my interviews were very unconventional. My student interviewer asked me if I would have depression during medical school, and my faculty interviewer let me see the recommendation form he would turn in for me and asked me for advice on filling it out. During my faculty interview, my interviewers pager went off four times, he made four phone calls, and his residents made three presentations. I don't think we talked for more than ten out of the total thirty minutes we were together.
I thought that the school was a very nice school- newly built and everything. It is close to everything! bars, movies, the beach! The only thing was that I got stuck on a couple of questions asked by my faculty interviewer, but my student interview went great!
The day was nice. The only thing that bothered me was how they kept mentioning how great the price and location were, which was obvious. I was hoping they would emphasize other great things about the school. Kind of a letdown...felt like the school was a lot of hype...but hey, I'll go if invited.
The interview was laid back. I was fortunate enough to interview with an ER Doc that knew a mentor of mine (just by chance). The tour and presentations where at the School Campus. The interview for most of the 40 people there was at the medical center about 20 minutes away. We all went by shuttle. You are also interviewed by a second year student.
Everyone was really friendly and nice, especially Gayle Pierce. When I walked into the building (where the interview orientation was taking place) all wet (since I didn't have an umbrella) and a little late, she told me that I didn't miss anything important and to go to the bathroom first and freshen up before I walk in. How nice!
It was a great interview experience. They really don't conduct stress interviews. Everyone was incredibly nice and willing to help you out and answer any questions you may have.
The early morning optional tour was led by a first year student who didn't really provide that much information about the school. They provided coffee, juice and muffins when we got back which was nice. There were about 40 applicants there...a large group. We all met in a lecture room where we remained through lunch time for information sessions and questions with second-year students. Lunch was provided and then the student interviewers met each of us for about an hour long interview. It was very relaxed...we met outside (the weather was gorgeous). Next some of us met a shuttle to go to the UCI Medical Center in Orange for our faculty interview (about 15 minutes away). The faculty interview lasted about 30 minutes. Overall, the day seemed really long.
overall it was pretty laid back. i really liked my student interviewer and we really hit it off...more like a conversation. the md interviewer was unorganized and totally unprepared to see me...he knew nothing about me and the interview ended really quick he was not at all interested it seemed. that kind of bummed me out.
Semi-open file interview. They have the 1st page of the UC app + your personal statement. Student interviews on campus, some faculty interviews at the medical center. Tour is in the morning, no other tour after that. I did not go on the tour so I don't know much. Curriculum is standard. Not much in the way of unique things, but students claim they get along (I didn't have much student exposure so it was impossible to tell), and the location is better than I expected. The campus itself is nice, but I did not see facilities.
The inteview was very relaxed. The morning was spent going over financial aid and housing and general information. Then we had the first interview with a student, which I spent over lunch. He made me feel very comfortable and just asked questions like "tell me about yourself". That lasted 35 minutes. Then I had my interview with a faculty member, which lasted 30 minutes. She was very chill and just asked about my activities and why I chose medicine. She hadn't really looked at my file, so I made sure to repeat all the activities I thought were important. When I left, I had a good feeling and felt very happy with the whole thing.
I had 3 faculty interviews and one student, because it's for the mstp program. the student was brutal with his questions, seemed to not be satisfied with my answers, so I have no idea how his interview would be... but the faculties were ultra nice, only wanted to learn about me a my research, I hope I don't have to interview with a student ever again.... since I went to uci for undergrad, uci is my top choice, just a pitch for the school, the campus in very nice with the a beautifal park in the center (that's the undergrad campus), the library is six-stories and claims to be the biggest in the west, the student are happy, irvine is safer that most other cities, the class size is small, .... anyways, hope that you will pick uci if you are accepted.
Overall very positive. The administration staff, students and facaulty members were all friendly. Students seemed genuine, intelligent, and happy to be at UCI.
Both of my interviewers were really friendly guys, and the whole experience was very relaxed. Both interviews were pretty much just describing various extracurriculars I had been involved in. There weren't really any difficult questions, and the interviewers tried to keep it as low key as possible. In fact, my student inteview was pretty much just a typical conversation over lunch. It turned out we both went to the same undergrad and lived in the same apartment complex and we spent most of the interview just chewing the fat like that. From the people I talked to, it seems as most interviewees had similar, relaxed experiences.
My best interview experience so far. Both interviewers had thoroughly read my file and had specific questions for me. They were both easy going, welcoming, and made my experience a pleasant and easy one. In fact, my interviews there were fun!
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Overall, applicants suggested that the admissions office should improve communication by sending interview invites via email and providing important information directly rather than relying on the applicant website. Additionally, there were recommendations to consider the organization of interview days to ensure smaller groups and a more polished experience for applicants.
Send e-mail interview invites to all applicants chosen to interview. There was a mix at my interview day. When you apply to a lot of schools it becomes a chore to have to check your status all the time. It was painful to get answers from financial aid and the woman I spoke with wasn't the friendliest person in the world.
Do not put all the important information on the applicant website, as its often down for technical difficulties. Email out the address, time, etc... in the interview email
They were amazing about almost everything. They did accidentally not send me an email about a pizza party dinner the night before however, so I missed a great opportunity to meet students.