How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
No responses
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
No responses
How did you prepare for the interview?
Read the UCLA website thoroughly.
What impressed you positively?
The campus was nice. UCLA has a good reputation. I live 10 min from UCLA so I love the city. The administration was friendly.
What impressed you negatively?
The day was very disorganized. The "tour" was a walk up the street, a stop at a cafe that is too expensive for medical students normally, a stop at the student lounge a bit further up, and a staring contest with the pretty new hospital from across the street. The tour guide was very friendly and enthusiastic but nonetheless an uninteresting, average-joe type. The administration, while friendly, was somewhat useless with regards to my needs. Providing directions is apparently beyond them (although i don't have the best sense of direciton in the world =] ). To be fair, though, the campus is a bit of a maze.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Had I known that some people receive student interviews while others don't, I would have strongly requested the second interview; I think more people arguing for you, especially a peer, is invaluable.
What are your general comments?
The interview was what really ruined the experience for me. The interviewer's name was Dr. Ravagendra/Ragavendra. He stared at his paper and pen while asking questions, refusing to make eye contact with me. Some of his questions required lengthy answers, but usually as I was beginning the second sentence to my response he would interrupt me, believing the answer to be either finished or simply not to his liking, querying a completely new topic. It seemed that he was simply trying to decide whether he liked me rather than getting to know me. For instance he asked whether I thought we should nationalize or privatize the healthcare system. I said I think we should privatize because... and evidently he didn't want to hear my reason. He interrupted me and moved onto the next topic. He asked early on whether I had ANY problems as a child, and being the honest guy I am mentioned that I wasn't very motivated in highschool, though obviously my high college GPA etc proves that's no longer the case. Nonetheless, he repeatedly referenced that answer during the interview as though I was still unmotivated, and I had to be especially careful in letting him know that it was very obviously no longer the case. He also seemed especially self-righteous. He commented that the volunteer activities, including EMT certification so i could work on my campus emergency response team, were more selfish (because the certification provides me with a job as an EMT =/ ) than benevolent. He also allowed no questions on my behalf. When it was over he said, "alright that's it. Here's my card if you..." and he didn't finish that sentence for whatever reason, nor did he hesitate in heading for the door before I could ask anything. He was also quite demeaning of my passions, scoffing as he reiterated a simplified, incomplete list of them and how they seemed unrelated to medicine. I was disappointed and believed he wanted only to determine whether or not he liked me and/or agreed with my opinions/goals. I didn't receive a student interview, which is ashame.
Anyway, luck is necessary in this process, and i was unlucky. I've heard only good things from other interviewees I spoke with about their interviewers so don't concern yourself too much. Looking back, I think I was a bit too friendly with him; a disrespectful person does not deserve respect. However, during an interview that's difficult to determine. In my thankyou note I told him that the interview "was as enlightening as it was enjoyable," neither of which I qualified. So at least i could damn with faint praise 8D.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
