Cal, the worst choice for pre-med?

<p>As a point of reference, here are the admit rates and average GPA/MCAT scores of Cal premeds to get into various med-schools.</p>

<p><a href="http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/top20.stm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/top20.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Wow, the average MCAT score for 2003 for Stanford is surprisingly low. I wonder if that's just a consequence of the percentiles that year? </p>

<p>Otherwise, keep on trucking Bears, we need you guys as doctors!</p>

<p>It can be done. A huge percentage of UCSF med students this year are from Cal. Go to the school you like the best, and the rest will come.</p>

<p>Any Cal student, if they work hard enough, is in a prime position to get into med school. It's all about personal committment and tons of sacrifice for a good cause.</p>

<p>UCLAri, I think that what happened at Stanford Med in 2003 is just an artifact of small numbers. After all, only 2 reported Cal premeds who got into Stanford Med in 2003, so when you only have 2 data points, you can end up with a weird-looking statistic. </p>

<p>As another example, in 1999, the average GPA for Cal premeds to get into Yale Med was 4.0. That's ridiculously high, right? Well, not really. Since there was only 1 person from Cal who got into Yale Med that year, and that person had a 4.0, that's why the average for that year was a 4.0 </p>

<p>What is more important is the trend of the data points, not just one specific data point.</p>

<p>Bah, that was a dumb oversight on my part. </p>

<p>Y'know, you can do regressions day in and day out, and make a stupid mistake like this...it makes you wonder...</p>

<p>Okay so the right "feeling" is important. But since i'm torn rite now too, i just wish to know if SD's or LA's program for premed is much better than Cal's. I mean ppl say Cal is a science/math school, so regardless of how much i click with the campus, i still won't feel rite if knowing that I had given up a more suitable program for the Cal' campus or prestige. I donno if there are ppl know alot about all three schools, but any one have any suggestions?........I need a good reason to cut the umbilical cord......not to mention all the amenities it offers......i like living in LA, but i was also impressed by Berkeley. And SD, doesn't seem much different from LA.</p>

<p>Well, consider this: Do you think you'll prefer semesters or quarters? Big or small within big (SD), moderately cool (Berkeley) or moderately hot (UCLA) or moderate (SD)?</p>

<p>Which campus looks like you will enjoy life at more?</p>

<p>Which dorms did you like? I for one would consider that heavily.</p>

<p>So in term of program, Cal's premed isn't much worse than SD's?</p>

<p>I don't honestly know how good SD's yield rates are, but I do know that they're well respected in the fields you're interested in (or I assume you're interested in.)</p>

<p>It looks to me Berkeley isn't really a good place to be premed, when compared to other elite schools. I've already thought that's the case when someone told me the admit rate is 60 something %, not much higher than national average. Now Sakky's link reinforces my thought. Those who got in have at least the same or even higher GPA than the average GPA of all admits for the corresponding med schools. It seems to me that neither Berkeley's prestige nor its lack of grade inflation helps or give any break to the applicants from Berk, otherwise we should expect the GPA for admits from Berk to be a bit lower instead of higher.</p>

<p>i under the same predicament, like Cal, but premed seems too hardcore..</p>

<p>is there a site like the one sakky posted
<a href="http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/top20.stm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/top20.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>for UCLA</p>

<p>it seems like u need around 3.75 and 33 MCAT To get into a decent medschool</p>

<p>also does anybody know about pre-pharmacy/psychology @ CAL?</p>

<p>Here's another point of reference.</p>

<p><a href="http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/national.stm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/national.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Looks like 2001 was a rather ugly year, with Berkeley premeds actually doing WORSE than premeds nationwide.</p>

<p>Berkeley's academic rigor and rankings will usually make up for its low GPAs. A 2.8 at Cal is most likely better than a 3.5 at a CSU.</p>

<p>Honestly everyone, I think that your shot of getting into med school at Cal is very good, as long as you maintain a good GPA, high MCAT score, and everything else everyone else does. Cal is a great school, and I've known great doctors who've gone to Cal for undergrad.</p>

<p>nanday0,</p>

<p>The stats seem to contradict your statement. That's what couple others and I have observed from those stats.</p>

<p>uclARi the trouble is maintaing GPa at berkeley.</p>

<p>are there any pre-meds at berkeley that can lend any advice to aspiring pre-meds?</p>

<p>
[quote]
uclARi the trouble is maintaing GPa at berkeley.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Let's be really honest with ourselves here: If you can't keep up a great GPA at Cal, how will you manage at other top schools? I sincerely doubt that any of the top-25 schools is significantly easier, or harder, than Cal. </p>

<p>You go to the school that you believe will offer you the most nurturing environment, not the one that will hand you As.</p>