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UCSF Nursing Acceptance Rate

Nursing is a noble profession, on all fronts and the roles nurses play in the healthcare space is invaluable. There are a few prestigious institutions equipped with the right facilities for training nurses and UCSF is no exception. Getting into college requires quite a lot and with access to the right information, making a decision on which to apply to would not be so daunting. Learn more about UCSF acceptance rate, UCSF nursing tuition, UCSF nursing application, UCSF nursing faculty, campus, majors and degrees offered, college rankings, and admission rates. UCSF acceptance rate The acceptance rate at this school is very low and getting into it may seem like an uphill task but if you want to study there then you need to prepare yourself for this challenge. The acceptance rate here stands at 16%. UCSF nursing tuition The cost of studying at this university can be quite high as it charges around $30K per year for in-state residents while out-of-state students are required to pay $43K annually. This means that if you’re coming from out of state then expect your tuition fee to be higher than usual because they charge an extra $13K per Right here on Collegelearners, you can rest assured to obtain relevant information on what GPA do you need to get into UCSF, UCSF nursing requirements, UCSF nursing application, UCSF MEPN program, UCSF nursing tuition, how hard is it to get into UCSF nursing school. Endeavour to surf through our catalogue for pertinent information on similar topics.

Does UCSF have a Nursing program

The UCSF School of Nursing is the nursing school of University of California, San Francisco, and is located in San Francisco, California. It consistently ranks among the top nursing schools in the United States by NIH funding. It is recognized as one of the premier graduate nursing schools in the United States. GN | UCSF School of Nursing Program Review Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, more than 40,000 people were relocated to a makeshift tent city in Golden Gate Park and were treated by the faculty of the Affiliated Colleges (now called UCSF). This brought the school, which until then was located on the western outskirts of the city, in contact with significant population and fueled the commitment of the school towards civic responsibility and health care, increasing the momentum towards the construction of health facilities. In April 1907 one of the buildings was renovated for outpatient care with 75 beds. This created the need to train nursing students, and in 1907, the UC Training School for Nurses was established as the fourth Affiliated College of the University of California Medical Department, joining the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. In 1912, a second building was added for training nurses for work at home or abroad; it became known as “The Annex” because it was located just across from City Hall on Polk Street. The Annex had 300 beds and served primarily as an overflow from St. Luke’s Hospital (now UCSF Medical Center) during times when they were over capacity: .

UCSF acceptance rate

Student Application and Enrollment Data, By Program

2021 Entry
Applied Admitted Selectivity Enrolled Yield
MEPN 584 89 15% 75 84%
MS Program 224 88 39% 79 90%
Nursing PhD 24 17 71% 11 65%
Sociology PhD 39 8 21% 4 50%
Doctor of Nursing Practice 20 18 90% 17 94%
2020 Entry
Applied Admitted Selectivity Enrolled Yield
MEPN 554 84 15% 75 89%
MS Program 175 93 53% 78 84%
Nursing PhD 31 14 45% 11 79%
Sociology PhD 35 9 26% 6 67%
Doctor of Nursing Practice 16 12 75% 11 92%
2019 Entry
Applied Admitted Selectivity Enrolled Yield
MEPN (pre-licensure year) 388 88 23% 78 89%
Masters Program 172 111 65% 89 80%
Nursing PhD 17 11 65% 9 82%
Sociology PhD 33 8 24% 4 50%
Doctor of Nursing Practice 16 12 75% 10 83%
Continuing Education | For Health Professionals | UCSF Health

Student Demographics, Across All Programs (November 2020)

Total Number of Students 524
Gender
Female 84%
Male 14%
Other gender or declined to state 2%
Self-Identified Race and Ethnicity*
African American 12%
American Indian/Alaska Native 2%
Asian 22%
Hispanic/Latinx 17%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 1%
White 40%
Multiracial (2 or more ethnic groups selected by applicant) 17%
Underrepresented Ethnic Minority** 40%
First Generation ***
First generation college graduate 58%
Residency
California resident 82%
Non-California U.S. resident 15%
International Students 3%
As selected on UCSF application. Applicants may choose multiple race/ethnic groups. ** Underrepresented minority for graduate nursing education includes: Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, East Indian/Pakistani/South Asian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, Hmong, Other Southeast Asian ethnicity/nationality. Individuals are considered URM if they selected at least one of the above groups. *** Individual who is (or has a sibling who is) the first in the family to graduate from a four-year college.

Graduation Rates (Includes Graduates Through Spring 2020)

Master’s Entry Program in Nursing-Master of Science
Entering Cohort 4-Year Graduation Rate Average Time To Degree
Fall 2014 95% 3.1 Years
Fall 2015 92% 3.1 Years
Fall 2016 95% 3.2 Years
Fall 2017 86% 3.0 Years
Master of Science Program
Entering Cohort 3-Year Graduation Rate Average Time to Degree
Fall 2015 94% 1.8 Years
Fall 2016 96% 1.7 Years
Fall 2017 94% 1.8 Years
Fall 2018 94% 1.8 Years
Nursing PhD
Entering Cohort 10-Year Graduation Rate Average Time to Degree
Fall 2012 75% 5.1 Years
Fall 2013 80% 3.9 Years
Fall 2014 54% 4.4 Years
Fall 2015 43% 4.1 Years
Sociology PhD
Entering Cohort 10-Year Graduation Rate Average Time to Degree
Fall 2012 63% 5.55 Years
Fall 2013 40% 5.38 Years
Fall 2014 33% 4.8 Years
Fall 2015 25% 4.8 Years
*Graduation Rate is calculated as the percent of a cohort that graduated within four years for the MEPN program, three years for MS program and 10 years for PhD program. (Data source: UCSF Registrar Student Academic Affairs Portal) UCSF Nursing Acceptance Rate – CollegeLearners

MEPN Students Passing NCLEX-RN® Licensure Examinations

Year Number of Test Takers Passed First Time Overall Pass Rate
2019 72 96% 97%
2018 65 93% 99%
2017 65 91% 99%

National Certification Examination Results

Year Number of Test Takers Number of First-Time Test Takers Pass Rate Overall Pass Rate for First-Time Test Takers
2019 145 119 92% 92%
2018 166 144 90% 88%
2017 175 149 90% 88%

Employment Data

PhD Nursing, 19 graduates in AY 2018-2019
  • Employed 93%
  • Employed/In Postdoc in California: 100%
Doctor of Nursing Practice, 13 alumni survey respondents, Class of AY 2019-2020
  • Employed 85%
  • Employed/In Postdoc in California: 91%
PhD Sociology, 5 graduates in AY 2019-2020
  • Employed: 80%
  • Employed/In Postdoc in California: 50%
Master of Science Program, Class of AY 2018-2019 graduates (114 alumni survey respondents)
  • Employed: 93%
  • Employed in California: 89%
  • Employed in primary care: 42%
  • Employed in health professions shortage area: 46%
  • Employed in master’s specialty: 77%
UCSF Excels in U.S. News 2019 Best Graduate Schools Rankings | UC San  Francisco

University of California Overview

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine is widely regarded as being one of the best medical schools in the nation. In fact, it’s the only program to consistently rank among the nation’s top five for both research and primary care. In addition, the UCSF acceptance rate sits at only approximately 2%, making it the most selective school any future doctor could apply to. If the odds of admission weren’t daunting enough, the USCF secondary application only gives its applicants the opportunity to answer two eerily straightforward essay prompts, making it potentially tough for an applicant to stand out in this hyper competitive admissions landscape. But as you agonize over how to get into UCSF and begin work on your UCSF Medical School application, we hope you’ll find this guide a useful tool to help you put your best foot forward.

uCSF nursing requirements

Master of Science Admission Requirements

Please read through the admissions requirements carefully, and review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for greater detail.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, or experience and licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) with a (U.S.) regionally accredited bachelor’s degree in another discipline. The degree must be conferred by the application deadline.
  • Minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale verified by official transcripts.
Working at UCSF | UC San Francisco
Applicants are required to upload a transcript — unofficial or official transcript — to the application portal for review purposes. If you are offered admission to a program in the School of Nursing, you will be required to submit an official transcript via electronic transmission from the institution to the School of Nursing at NursingAdmissionsSupport@ucsf.edu or mailed directly from the institution to the School of Nursing in a sealed envelope to: Office of Student Affairs UCSF School of Nursing Box 0604 2 Koret Way, Suite 319X San Francisco, CA 94143-0604 Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, including any programs in which you are currently enrolled, are required. Failure to disclose all institutions attended, including any concurrent enrollments, may result in retraction of admission and/or dismissal from the program. The Office of Student Affairs will contact you if further documentation is needed.

What is an official transcript?

To complete the admission process, newly matriculated students are required to provide proof of a qualifying academic credential. This is done by supplying the School of Nursing with an official transcript from the institution of higher learning that conferred the qualifying degree (typically a BA, BS, or MS, depending on the program). Note that the qualifying degree must reflect a conferral date that is prior to the student’s admission date to UCSF. Official transcripts are issued by a college or university’s Office of the Registrar. They are normally received directly from that office without passing through the student’s hands. Transcripts received directly from students can be accepted, provided they are in a sealed envelope with the institution’s seal and any other security features intact. Electronic transcripts are considered official when received from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution or a vendor that has contracted with the institution. Major vendors include Parchment, Credential Solutions and the National Student Clearinghouse. Records received in any other condition, such as transcripts that arrive in an unsealed envelope, copies printed from a university portal, or documents that are emailed or uploaded by the student, are not considered official transcripts. Non-official transcripts are accepted as part of the application process, but an official transcript, as described above, must be obtained by the university before the end of the first quarter after matriculation. Non-English transcripts: All non-English transcripts must be translated by a certified translator for evaluation. Non-U.S. transcripts must be submitted for evaluation. Applicants may send their transcripts and credentials to any evaluation agency which requires submission of original transcripts and/or certificates directly from the education institution to the evaluation agency. The purpose of the evaluation is to verify that your degree/coursework is the equivalent to that of a U.S. bachelor or master’s degree. Be sure to request an evaluation that provides the following:
  • Lists all subjects/courses completed at the post-secondary level
  • Provides a U.S. term credit and grade equivalent for each course
  • Provides a U.S. grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale, and
  • Designates the level (upper or lower) of each undergraduate course
Matriculants from most foreign institutions must also provide a credential evaluation. The service provider that has been approved by the Graduate Division is World Education Services ((415) 677-9378; (212) 966-6311; https://www.wes.org/). GN | UCSF School of Nursing Program Review Application difficulties: If you are having difficulty completing your online application due to connectivity issues resulting from an emergency disaster such as a wildfire or hurricane, please contact both Recruitment Director Sergio Saenz and nursingadmissionssupport@ucsf.edu. An application extension may be granted in certain circumstances. Prerequisite courses: For prerequisite courses that are in progress at the time of application submission, unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to your application. However, if you are offered admission to the School of Nursing, an official transcript is required no later than Sept. 7, 2022. Applications will not be considered complete until all educational institutions listed have corresponding transcripts uploaded or mailed.
  • Course completion at college-level within five years of UCSF matriculation.
  • For example, for Fall 2022 entry, statistics courses completed prior to Summer 2017 does not meet this requirement. Transcript must reflect statistics course grade and credits earned at an accredited college, university or online institution. See Statistics FAQs for more information.
  • Post-master’s applicants: Please note that those applying to the Post-Master’s Certificate Program do not need to fulfill the statistics requirement.
English proficiency for non-native English speakers as verified by one of the following:
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – minimum total score of 92 with a minimum score of 24 in both the speaking and writing sections. To report your scores, use UCSF institutional code 4840 and department code 43.
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – minimum score of 7 mailed to the Office of Student Affairs.
  • Note: Test scores may take up to six weeks to reach the university.
  • Evidence of licensure as a registered nurse (RN) is required. Applicants must be licensed as a Registered Nurse in California or in home state of residency at the time of application. While studying in California, international students must be recognized as a registered nurse or a nurse in their country of origin, if RN licensure is unavailable
  • Students applying for MS Program specialty tracts to become a Nurse Midwife, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or Nurse Practitioner will perform direct patient care during the course of their study. As a result, students must be licensed by the California BRN as an RN during any portion of the program in which they will provide direct patient care.
  • Non-California applicants should review “Licensure by Endorsement / Reciprocity” rules from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
  • California BRN regulations 2729 and 2732 require licenses for all practicing nurses in the State of California.
  • Information regarding recognition of licensure in other states, or other matters related to licensure may be obtained from the BRN at the following address: California Board of Registered Nursing, P.O. Box 944210, Sacramento, CA 94244-2100.
  • Some specialties may require additional experience:
    • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)—two years of adult acute care nursing experience
    • Adult Gerontology CNS-Oncology and Adult Gerontology CNS-Critical Care/Trauma (AGCNS) — one year or more of relevant clinical experience
    • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) — two years of experience and intention to work as APN in primary care preferred
    • Neonatal Nursing — two years of acute care nursing experience with infants/neonates
    • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care (PNP-AC) — one year acute care pediatric nursing experience
  • The following specialties do not require RN experience:
    • ​​​​​​Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS)
    • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) — not required, although one year is preferred
    • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner-Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (AGPCNP-OEH)
    • Advanced Public Health Nursing (APHN)
    • Certified Nurse-Midwife/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (CNM/WHNP) — not required, although applicants are strongly encouraged to gain exposure to both nurse-midwifery practice and birth prior to applying
    • Health Policy
    • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care (PNP-PC) — not required, although volunteer or work experience with children and families is highly recommended
    • Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) — not required, although one year is preferred
Your goal statement referring specifically to your choice of specialty area, and to your experience is a critical part of your application. This goal statement is used as a source of information and also as an example of your writing ability. Be as specific as possible and focus on your professional goals and how you envision these goals can be achieved through study at UCSF in your designated area of specialization. It should include the following information:
  • Describe your understanding of the nursing profession.
  • Articulate personal and professional goals, motivation for seeking an advanced nursing degree, and reasons you are selecting your chosen specialty.
  • Discuss how your previous academic and life experience will contribute to the nursing profession and our program.
Please be as clear and precise as possible. Your goal statement should be no more than two double-spaced typewritten pages. Place your full legal name and page number at the top of each page.
Four nominated recommendations are required (a maximum of five is permitted) from:
  • Two recommendations provided by the most recent employer(s), preferably nurses;
  • A school of nursing, if you are a graduate within the past five years, and preferably from a professor who can assess your clinical performance and judgment in the area in which you wish to study; and
  • One or two from individuals (not relatives) who are well acquainted with your professional preparation and experience.
Each recommender is asked to address the following areas, as appropriate: [1] relationships with team members such as nurses, physicians, and others; [2] professional nursing ability, including application of theory, independent judgment where appropriate, and quality of patient care; [3] communication skills; [4] leadership skills; and [5] responsibility and initiative. An overall numeric rating is also requested. The applicant will initiate the referral process through their online application, by entering an email address for each recommender. Then, each identified recommender will receive an email with individualized instructions to access the application site. That recommender will have the option of uploading a reference letter or answering a short survey. Within the online system, applicants can verify when each of their recommenders has submitted their reference/recommendation. If necessary, applicants may send reminders to their nominated recommenders through the UCSF application system. Recommenders will have access to submit their reference for applicants even after the applicant ‘locks,’ or submits their application. The UCSF admissions committee will only review complete applications when the minimum four recommendations have been received.
  • A current resume or C/V, including all work and volunteer experiences
  • $105 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $125 for international applicants.
  • U.S. citizens and permanent residents who demonstrate financial need, or who would have significant difficulty in paying application fees, may be eligible for a fee waiver.
  • May be required. Check your specialty webpage for details.
Frequently Asked Questions (MEPN) | UCSF School of Nursing
The School of Nursing requires all applicants who have completed degrees and/or coursework outside of the U.S. to submit their transcripts for validation and evaluation before they may be considered for admission. International applicants should start this process as soon as possible. Please refer to the FAQ page for more details. Prospective international students should also review the following resources:
  • Information for Prospective Students from Other Countries
  • International Students and Scholars Office

uCSF nursing tuition

The tuition, fees, and charges posted here are estimates based on currently approved amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by state funding reductions. Accordingly, final approved levels (and thus a student’s final balance due) may differ from the amounts shown. Please note that some or all instruction for all or part of academic year 2020-21 may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees will be set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event that instruction occurs remotely for any part of the academic year. Also, students agree and acknowledge that the university will be employing virtual tools, remote learning and the like, as well as remote co-curricular, extra-curricular, and social activities.  Students agree and acknowledge that, by enrolling, they will not get reimbursement for tuition or fees on the basis of any remote tools or activities.
Nursing Masters Annual Fall Winter Spring
Student Services Fee $1,128.00 $376.00 $376.00 $376.00
Tuition $11,442.00 $3,814.00 $3,814.00 $3,814.00
Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition* $12,795.00 $4,265.00 $4,265.00 $4,265.00
Community Centers Facility Fee $198.00 $66.00 $66.00 $66.00
Graduate and Professional Student Association $27.00 $9.00 $9.00 $9.00
**Associated Students of School of Nursing $21.00 $7.00 $7.00 $7.00
Student Health Insurance Premium $5,985.00 $1,995.00 $1,995.00 $1,995.00
Student Health and Counseling Supplemental Fee $159.00 $53.00 $53.00 $53.00
California Resident Total $31,755.00 $10,585.00 $10,585.00 $10,585.00
Nonresident Supplemental Tuition $12,245.00 $4,082.00 $4,082.00 $4,081.00
California Nonresident Total $44,000.00 $14,667.00 $14,667.00 $14,666.00
*The professional fee for students who are members of the class in Kashmiri v. Regents of the University of California is $1,800 annually. New students may be assessed a $42 WeID fee for their photo ID card. Admissions | UC San Francisco
Nursing Ph.D. Annual Fall Winter Spring
Student Services Fee $1,128.00 $376.00 $376.00 $376.00
Tuition $11,442.00 $3,814.00 $3,814.00 $3,814.00
Community Centers Facility Fee $198.00 $66.00 $66.00 $66.00
Graduate and Professional Student Association $27.00 $9.00 $9.00 $9.00
Associated Students Graduate Division $36.00 $12.00 $12.00 $12.00
**Associated Students of School of Nursing $21.00 $7.00 $7.00 $7.00
Student Health Insurance Premium $5,985.00 $1,995.00 $1,995.00 $1,995.00
Student Health and Counseling Supplemental Fee $159.00 $53.00 $53.00 $53.00
California Resident Total $18,996.00 $6,332.00 $6,332.00 $6,332.00
Nonresident Supplemental Tuition* $15,102.00 $5,034.00 $5,034.00 $5,034.00
California Nonresident Total $34,098.00 $11,366.00 $11,366.00 $11,366.00
**Students enrolled in Sociology program are charged the annual Associated Students of School of Nursing. *The annual nonresident tuition will be reduced to $0 for a maximum of three calendar years for graduate academic doctoral students advanced to candidacy. Eligibility begins first academic term following advancement to candidacy. Students who continue to be enrolled or who re-enroll after receiving reduced fees for three years will be charged full nonresident tuition; the current rate is $5,034.00 per quarter. New students may be assessed a $42 WeID fee for their photo ID card.
Master Entry Program Nursing (MEPN) Annual Summer Fall Winter Spring
Program Fee* $62,073.00 $15,519.00 $15,518.00 $15,518.00 $15,518.00
Community Centers Facility Fee $198.00 $0.00 $66.00 $66.00 $66.00
Graduate and Professional Student Association $27.00 $0.00 $9.00 $9.00 $9.00
Associated Students of School of Nursing $21.00 $0.00 $7.00 $7.00 $7.00
Student Health Insurance Premium $7,352.00 $1,838.00 $1,838.00 $1,838.00 $1,838.00
Student Health and Counseling Supplemental Fee $209.00 $50.00 $53.00 $53.00 $53.00
Total $69,880.00 $17,407.00 $17,491.00 $17,491.00 $17,491.00
*The program fee includes instruction, library, Graduate Division, and campus student services. New students may be assessed a $42 WeID fee for their photo ID card.
Supplemental Studies in Advance Practice in Nursing Annual Fall Winter Spring Summer
Program Fee* $42,492.00 $10,623.00 $10,623.00 $10,623.00 $10,623.00
Community Centers Facility Fee $198.00 $66.00 $66.00 $66.00 $0.00
Graduate and Professional Student Association $27.00 $9.00 $9.00 $9.00 $0.00
Associated Students of School of Nursing $21.00 $7.00 $7.00 $7.00 $0.00
Student Health Insurance Premium $5,985.00 $1,497.00 $1,496.00 $1,496.00 $1,496.00
Student Health and Counseling Supplemental Fee $212.00 $53.00 $53.00 $53.00 $53.00
Total $48,935.00 $12,255.00 $12,254.00 $12,254.00 $12,172.00
*The program fee includes instruction, library, Graduate Division, and campus student services. New students may be assessed a $42 WeID fee for their photo ID card.
Supplemental Studies in Advance Practice in Nursing – Distance Annual Fall Winter Spring Summer
Program Fee* $41,370.00 $10,343.00 $10,343.00 $10,342.00 $10,342.00
*The program fee includes instruction, library, Graduate Division, and campus student services. New students may be assessed a $42 WeID fee for their photo ID card.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Fall 2020 Winter 2021 Spring 2021 Summer 2021
Program Fee* $9,580.00 $9,580.00 $9,580.00 $9,580.00
*The program fee includes instruction, library, Graduate Division, and campus student services.

UCSF Medical School programs

UCSF MD Programs

USCF offers three tracks of study for its students to achieve their MD:
  • The traditional four-year MD program
  • The MD/PhD – Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
    • Only 12 students each year gain acceptance to this track, and applications must be submitted by December 1.
  • The MS/MD – UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP)
    • A five-year graduate program through which students spend their pre-clerkship years at UC Berkeley, where they simultaneously work toward their MD requirements while also earning their Master’s in Health and Medical Sciences at Berkley’s School of Public Health (MPh), followed by two and a half years at UCSF to finish their MD.
    • 16 students are admitted to this track each year. These students should have a demonstrated aptitude for public health and a passion for research.

UCSF Tuition and Scholarships

UCSF offers in-state tuition for California residents at $41,532 per year, and out-of-state tuition at $53,777 per year. Though UCSF’s tuition costs remain on the lower end of most top-tier programs, it’s important to remember that living San Francisco is far from cheap. The city’s cost of living is the highest in the nation, largely due to scarcity in the rental/housing market, so the overall cost of spending four years as a UCSF medical student might end up being more expensive than other top programs with higher tuition rates. UCSF notes that increasing scholarship support is their highest priority, and that the number of scholarships awarded to its students have gone up by more that 50% in the last decade. If you’re an out-of-state applicant, it’s possible to become a California resident after 366 days of living in the state, so long as you meet the following criteria:
  • Demonstrate intent to permanently reside in California
  • Established a primary domicile in California
  • Relinquished all ties to your past place(s) of residence
To check off these criteria, you’ll need to register to vote in CA, designate CA as your permanent address on all personal records, and pay California income tax. Once these metrics have been in effect for over one year (366 days,) you can be considered “in-state” for UCSF’s tuition purposes.

How hard is it to get into UCSF Medical School

UCSF Acceptance Rate

For the last admissions cycle (i.e., students entering in 2019), UCSF Medical School received over 7,800 applicants, invited around 470 to interview (~6%), and ultimately accepted 15
Master of Science Program | UCSF School of Nursing
5 students, resulting in an acceptance rate of approximately 2% . These stats make UCSF one of the most selective programs in the nation.

UCSF Medical School Requirements

  • Median undergraduate GPA: 3.88
  • Average undergraduate GPA: 3.8
  • Median MCAT score: 518
  • Average MCAT: 516 (94th percentile)

Over 90% of our students get into med school—the first time.

UCSF Excels in U.S. News 2019 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - UC Essay  Coach
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UCSF secondary essays (examples included)

Compared with other top medical schools, UCSF’s secondary application is slim. With only two essays totaling under 1,000 words, it might seem impossible to distinguish yourself from the thousands of other applicants vying for your spot in this elite program. To help you knock these prompts out of the park, we’ve broken down each response into the necessary marks you should aim to hit and advised a structure to allow you to shine even with such limited space allowed. Before we dive into the individual prompts, it’s worth noting that there is no secret formula or special strategy to blow the UCSF admissions committee’s socks off. It’s no accident that this secondary is so light. Much of what UCSF is looking for will be covered in your primary application’s personal statement and activities list, plus your MCATs, GPA, letters of recommendation, etc. The best way to answer a straightforward secondary application prompt is to be straightforward: be clear, get to your point and argue it persuasively and with conviction.

UCSF Secondary essay prompts

After receiving your AMCAS, UCSF typically sends out secondary applications within 3-10 weeks. They’ll consider these applications on a first-come basis. As in the case of all medical school admissions, it’s advisable to submit your AMCAS primary as soon as possible after the system opens! UCSF secondary question 1: If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information below. (Word Count 500) Between your medical school personal statement and your AMCAS Work and Activities section, you may feel as though you’ve already completed this prompt. You’re not wrong; you have. But here they get another chance to see what makes you tick. Though this prompt may seem optional (“if you wish to…”) it’s not. This is your chance to cover a passion that you haven’t yet demonstrated in your primary application. Review your personal statement and activities list and consider what other personal attribute will best round out the application. Remember the qualities medical schools look for when making their admissions decisions and try to isolate which of these (leadership, collaboration, service, cultural competency) you still need to refer to in order to present as the most well rounded applicant you can be. The most important advice we can give on this prompt is to avoid rehashing a resume. This essay provides an opportunity for you to craft an argument about why you, rather than a thousand other hopefuls, will make the best physician in the future and how your particular drives and passions will be best suited for UCSF. Take a look at our advised structure below, followed by a sample essay drawn from composites of our successful students. Thesis: begin your essay with an argument. This argument should be your overarching claim for what you care about as a future doctor. It should argue your passion.
  • For example, if you have demonstrated an extensive commitment to service or volunteer work and want to expand upon that work here, your thesis statement would be the argument that you have a commitment to serving the underserved, and that you’ve demonstrated that commitment through the activities you’ll write about here.
Evidence: use three to five activities from your past that support the argument you make in your thesis.
  • Important note: you shouldn’t think of this as “listing” examples. Instead, structure an argument that builds to your thesis by showing the trajectory that’s led you to the place you are now. Start small and build to your largest commitments, showing how one step led to the next.
Why UCSF?
  • You don’t get the chance to discuss why UCSF is your top-choice program elsewhere in your application, so use this prompt to do so, particularly as it relates to your argument above.
  • Do your research. What opportunities are available to you at UCSF or in San Francisco that relate to your past activities? How will your passion for these activities allow you to contribute to UCSF?
Conclusion: remind the admissions committee about the passion you’re arguing, and how you’ll carry that passion forward into medical school and beyond.
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Sample UCSF secondary essay

Providing equal access to healthcare to otherwise underserved communities is my greatest goal for my future in medicine. I’ve known this since my undergrad days, when my biggest commitment outside my coursework took place outside of the campus’s walls. I remember learning in a sophomore seminar that despite the dozens of top universities in Boston, the city’s public schools in lower-income neighborhoods were short on volunteers to run extracurricular activities such as pre-professional clubs like HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America.) As president of my high school’s HOSA chapter growing up in Texas, I got to meet doctors and nurses who showed me science wasn’t an abstract discipline but a tool to save lives. That knowledge helped me delve deeper into my science education in order to turn those options into a reality. I hoped introducing young high school students to future career possibilities, especially in communities with low graduation rates, might go a long way in inspiring them to complete their education. I first canvassed freshman biology courses at Dorchester High to garner interest in a student-led HOSA chapter. Once I recruited over a dozen students, I worked as their sponsor to help register their club with the national organization and structure their vision for what they wanted to learn and achieve as a group. From there, I drew on my university peers and educational network to organize guest lectures, a CPR course, and other activities the HOSA chapter wanted. My service to these kids was rewarding as was seeing how my service propagated more service work as the HOSA chapter began volunteering at the local hospital, assisting with the Boston Marathon, and even joining the efforts of other HOSA chapters to increase numbers in support of their volunteer projects. Seeing how I could lead by example – how through one service initiative, numerous others came about – I came to understand a core aspect of why medicine as a profession is so important: in providing health and wellbeing to one person through medical care, you’re also able to positively impact all the people that person touches and the community those people serve. Though this network of service, a doctor can have an astounding impact, and this is exactly the kind of work I hope to continue should I be fortunate enough to train at UCSF.  At UCSF, I’ll join the “San Francisco Cares” initiative already underway with the program’s Public Health Club, in which I’ll utilize my background working with underprivileged teens in Boston to provide health education to the city’s homeless youth population. I also hope to volunteer with UCSF’s “Wellness and Community” program to help educate SF’s homeless youth on STD testing, needle exchange programs, and other initiatives to improve their quality of living and empower them lead healthy, happy lives. UCSF’s commitment to community service is just one of the many reasons the program is my top choice.    Why does it work? This applicant uses his essay to demonstrate a passion for service, an ability to take initiative and collaborate, and a savvy for leadership. All medical schools want you to be excited about patient care; top medical schools often expect you to couple that interest in patient care with an understanding of how healthcare fits into society, intersects with inequality, and can have a multiplier effect. This student used his Personal Statement to talk about a family history, which meant that focusing primarily on service here rounded out his application. Note how he ties in how his commitment to service will contribute to UCSF’s culture and how being in San Francisco provides unique opportunities to work toward his long-term goal of increasing access to healthcare for all.

Struggling to write your UCSF secondary essays

Get our free 66-page guide to help you with every step: Get Into Medical School: 6 Practical Lessons to Stand Out and Earn Your White Coat   SEND ME THE GUIDE 100% privacy. No spam. Ever. UCSF secondary question 2: If you are 2018 or earlier college graduate, please use the space below to tell us what you have done since completing your undergraduate degree. (Word Count 400) This is a standard prompt you’ll see across many secondary applications. UCSF wants to know what you’ve been up to between graduation and this application cycle. How have you spent your time out of college to better prepare yourself for a career in medicine? If you’re applying straight out of college, you can of course skip this prompt. Otherwise, use this opportunity to construct an argument about what you care about in the medical field and how you’ve taken steps post-graduation to follow that passion before diving into medical school. It’s a straightforward prompt, but you must still avoid making the most common error applicants make with these kinds of essays: writing something that could just as well be conveyed in bullet points. You still need to construct an argument and/or tell a story about what you’ve been doing and why. Here’s our advised structure: Thesis: what was your goal for your time post-graduation?
  • Did you want to learn more about a specific field of medicine? Did you want to get hands-on experience in the field? Did you have a specific research interest in college that you continued?
  • This goal should directly relate to why you’re applying to medical school to begin with. If you want to be an oncology specialist, how have you used your time since graduating college to deepen this passion and expand your growing expertise?
Evidence: Specific job roles that stand as evidence for how you went about reaching your goal.
  • Include the level of commitment you gave to each role (hours, days per week, etc.) as well as the type of actual, day-to-day work you did in those roles.
  • Avoid listing jobs. Instead, build upon your experience to best argue how you’ve worked toward your goal.
Takeaways: What did you learn from your post-grad experiences that you’ll carry with you into medical school and beyond?
The Value of “Why” Drives the Growth of On-Site Nurse Scientists | UCSF  Science of Caring

UCSF secondary essay example

During college, I worked for three years in Professor Dulac’s lab researching potential genetic determiners to predict colon cancer risk. Through this research, I became well-versed in the ways doctors might one day implement preventative care measures to diagnose and treat colon cancer from its earliest stages. Upon graduation, I realized I had little understanding of the way colon cancer is being treated on a day-to-day basis in the current healthcare environment. Therefore, in the year following graduation, I aimed to deepen my practical knowledge of oncological care, specifically for colon cancer, as it’s an illness that has personally affected members of my own family. To gain practical experience in patient care, I began by shadowing Dr. Kloppenski in Massachusetts General’s oncology wing. Three days a week, during her morning rotations, I got the opportunity to see how she provided care to her colon cancer patients, from the practical components of administering drug therapies to the tougher, more humanistic aspects of her role such as discussing a patient’s prognosis with his family. From her, I learned what I never could have in my genetics lab – that providing care to these patients involves more than scientific expertise. Being faced with a colon cancer diagnosis is likely the most frightening moment of a patient’s life, and the way Dr. Kloppenski was able to relay the patient’s condition to them in honest, straightforward terms while at the same time emboldening them with the assurance that they were in the best possible hands, that she would do everything in her power to fight for their recovery, was one of the most inspiring feats I’ve ever witnessed. Before embarking on my medical school training, I wanted to make sure that the actual practice of medicine, and not just scientific research, appealed, and after this shadowing experience I am more certain than ever that becoming a physician specializing in oncology is the correct path ahead.  In addition to shadowing, which was by far the most rewarding experience of my gap year, I also worked as a part-time receptionist at a family practice office in order to pay rent, and in my remaining time I volunteered at Mass Gen in the geriatrics physical therapy ward three evenings a week to help post-surgery elderly patients regain their mobility. Why does it work? First, this applicant demonstrates passion. It’s clear how much she’s gotten out of her shadowing experiences, which demonstrates that she’s ready for patient care. She also has a very clear thesis that shows us her process of deciding that medicine is right for her. By admitting that she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to go into cancer research or medical practice, she directly addresses the method by which she chose medicine, persuasively conveying that through an influential shadowing experience during her gap year, she’s been inspired to take up the call of caring for and treating patients.
Nursing | UC San Francisco

UCSF Interview

On a rolling basis, UCSF will invite roughly 6 percent of its best applicants to interview on their campus. If you’re among the lucky few to be invited to interview, that means the admissions committee sees immense potential in your application and your ultimate future as a UCSF trained doctor. So, what should you expect from this highly selective interview round? Unlike many medical schools, USCF’s interviews are closed-file, meaning the faculty members (or a combination of one faculty member and a current med student) interviewing you have no previous knowledge of your application narrative, your personal background, your demonstrated passions and activities, or your goals in medicine. This blind interview format allows you to get a totally fresh start at this critical stage of the admissions process. With the understanding that your interviewer won’t know your application, you’ll need to be sure to hit the application highlights within their traditional interview questions. Be prepared to speak about your most illuminating achievements and activities, why you’re interested in studying medicine (in general and at UCSF in particular), and what your goals are as a physician. Review the ways you structured your application essays into arguments using specific examples from your past as evidence and be prepared to convey that argument verbally so that it clicks for the interviewer in the same way it did for your application reader. Many applicants consciously or unconsciously end up quoting their own personal statement in closed-file interviews. While that’s not inherently bad, since you’re not repeating yourself to someone who’s already read your work, we recommend that you don’t memorize your Personal Statement and regurgitate it. Why? We usually do not speak the same way we write, and it’s obvious, in many cases, that you’ve pulled from a written text and are trying to fake it as conversational and colloquial. Each applicant who’s invited to interview will receive two 40-minute sessions with two interviewers per session.

Final Thoughts

UCSF, with its high rankings and small class size, is a “reach” school for nearly every applicant. Though the odds are tough, by following the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be one step closer to getting in. UCSF boasts a fantastic medical education, and every component of your application will need to be outstanding to secure a coveted spot amongst ranks of accepted students.
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