Check your e-mails - Interview invitations have been sent

[Guest canstowski]

err.... english equivalency test? wha?

[Guest northernjo]

Yaaaaay! What a long couple of weeks of constantly checking my inbox it's been! I'm so glad to get some good news. Congrats everyone who already has an invite and good luck to those of you who haven't heard yet.

[Guest notamedic]

I just got my interview e-mail...........

 

............hopefully it'll be better than last year!

[Guest QCnut]

Sorry - it was kind of a random question.

 

This is from the UBC website:

 

"Students who have a degree from a Canadian University at the time of application can write an English exemption test."

 

The test is for those applicants who don't have a full year of English. (I'm actually a bit embarrassed - I finished 7 years of undergrad without ever taking 6 credits of English!)

[Guest canstowski]

tell me about it notamedic :\

[Guest Makunouchi]

Seems that the due date is March 15 (in e-mail) rather than the March 01 (on the forms).

 

Once again, congrats, and good luck through the rest of the way!

[Guest walkorbike]

Hi, all,

Congratulations! I got an invite as well, which is great.

Ollie, I do hope you get the good word soon.-walkorbike

[Guest kupo]

hey all,

 

just signed on here...got my interview email today. quite pleased. i am a BC resident (from the Queen Charlottes no less)

 

good luck to everyone

 

kupo

[Guest UBCHOPEFUL]

hi everyone....congrats on ur good news....just wondering if anyone knew whether all of the invites were sent on friday?...i was just wondering if those of us who didn't get any should just stop hoping for one?...thanx for ur help

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

The official word from the Admissions Office last week was that the invitations would be sent this past week as well as the week following. Here's hoping that Monday brings you some splendid news.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest driedcaribou]

Congrats to everyone who got an interview e-mail!

 

I got my e-mail before I read this thread and it's definitely a great way to start the day.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there driedcaribou,

 

Congratulations!

 

Did UBC send you the invitation today, then? (If so, good for them on trying to alleviate some folks' worries.) Are you a BC applicant or one of us folks outside of balmy British Columbia?

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest driedcaribou]

Thanks Kirsteen.

Congrats to you as well.

 

My e-mail header is as such:

From Admissions MD <admissionsmd@medd.med.ubc.ca>

Sent Saturday, February 7, 2004 6:32 am

 

 

I'm in Australia right now so it's hard to answer the 'did I get my e-mail today' question as I read the e-mail on the 9th.

 

I am a BC applicant.

 

Maybe I'll get to go home after all...

 

I just hope they tell me ASAP when it is so I can book a flight home.

[Guest shrimp]

For those of us who received the interview invitation, when will we get the reference letter form?

 

From the email, they only say details come later, right?

 

this will be my third try to UBC med school...hope that this will be my final try! =)

[Guest soapyslicer]

Shrimp,

 

You should have received a second email with the forms as an attachment. The first email was just to confirm they had your correct email before sending number two. If you have not gotten the second, phone them or re-email them. Your refs have until March 15th to send them in. After that your file will be closed if they have not arrived. I get express post and fill in all the details so all they have to do is drop it off. Nice and easy.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Soapy

 

Had all weekend to come back down to earth and still so darn excited........

[Guest iddle]

When I returned the email they sent me all I got was a generic auto reply without any useful information. This was done Friday afternoon. Has everyone else received the link for their reference letters already?

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

I received my "reference forms" e-mail ~4 hours after responding to the original "congratulations" e-mail. If you've sent a reply back to the "congratulations" e-mail then you'll probably receive the "reference forms" e-mail today (perhaps the weekend slowed that end of the process). However, if you see nothing by noon today, I'd call and e-mail UBC. You need those forms!

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest northernjo]

I wouldn't panic about it yet. I responded to them on Friday and just got my reference forms emailed to me today.

[Guest canstowski]

Ironically, they had to re-e-mail the reference forms today cos the last set of forms have March 1st as deadline. :lol

[Guest soapyslicer]

Hi everyone,

 

I hand delivered all my originals to my ref's prior to the second email so I figured I would just leave it as is. The nice thing about the March 1 date is they push to get it done. Most were doing it on the weekend anyways and having done it three years in a row were well versed in what they were going to say.

 

If there are any OOP that need help making accomodation arrangements(not sure where is good to stay) or have any other questions - feel free to ask. I will try to help any way I can.

 

Soapy

[Guest kakashifan]

hi soapyslicer...

i guess you've applied twice before..

so your referee's don't mind writing them over and over again?

(i'm wondering about next year, kinda being pessimistic..)

thanks.

kakashifan

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

Like soapy, I'd already couriered my reference packages out to the writers prior to receiving the edited forms. However, unlike soapy, I'd fessed up and told them the later, March 15th date. (Nice idea, soapy. )

 

As to accommodations, I highly recommend checking a wee resource that I stumbled upon a few months back in a sidebar of a page of National Geographic Traveler: travelaxe.com. It's a program that, when downloaded, allows you to enter your dates and destination, and it will then search ~20 discount travel sites for hotel rates in that city. It will list all rates from all the discount sites and will then highlight the cheapest rate for each hotel. You book through travelaxe.com and as far as I could see, no commissions or other extra fees were charged.

 

I've been testing it for each itinerary that has come up for me over the past five months or so and it's been consistently (although not perfectly) impressive. For example, I had to present at a conference in San Francisco last November. I checked with travelaxe.com and found a really strangely low looking rate at the Westin Union Square--~$400 for the five nights that I planned to be there. I then checked expedia.ca, travelocity and the Starwood sites directly for their rates. Not only were they all sold out for the majority of the five nights, but they were also charging upwards of $300-400US per night at this hotel. I decided to go through with the travelaxe booking to see what would happen. Pleasantly, I ended up paying the ~$400 for the five nights, receiving the e-mailed voucher for my stay, and presenting it to the Westin check-in guy upon arrival. He didn't seem too, too chuffed when I produced the voucher and it seemed moot for him to mention that they were sold out for that weekend, since my reservation was certainly there. Quite an enjoyable stay, right in the heart of San Fran for less than 100 bucks a night. You won't lose anything by giving travelaxe.com a shot.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest Koppertone]

Yes, and my parents swear by hotels.com. It doesn't quite beat the packages that campuses have going with hotels, but since it appears that UBC doesn't HAVE any packages I'd try that.

[Guest MDSMelissa]

Are your referees filling out the forms in the Word document, or by hand?

[Guest canstowski]

I'm asking my referees to fill the forms by hand. I think its easier that way with all the check boxes and stuff. I guess having something physically there on their desk will keep them on their toes in terms of finishing before the deadline