College selection for pre-meds

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Hi

My overall goal is to get into a good medical school after an undergrad degree majoring in Neuroscience or Biology.
I have applied for a neuroscience or biology major across various colleges and currently have a few options. While I am waiting for more responses later this month, I wanted to start creating a decision framework for myself.

As I see it, my primary criteria for the choice of an undergrad school are as follows (listed in the order of priority).
Thoughts opinions that will help me create my decision framework would be most welcome.

  1. Creating a strong resume to get into a good US medical school - This means - Managing a 3.8+ GPA, getting enough time to prepare for MCATs, obtaining good LORs from reputed profs, Being able to do research projects as part of the curriculum in affiliation with health sciences depts or a medical college affiliated with the college
  2. Keeping the net cost of education down (undergrad + medical school)
  3. Being part of a talented under-grad community and a safe town

So far I have received acceptances from the following -
a. U C San Diego for Physiology and Neuroscience - (Fin Aid proposal from the college is - Grant + Subsidized Student loan + Parent plus loan - to cover 95% of the total expenses)
b. U Minnesota for Biological Sciences - (no aid information released so far)
c. U Texas Dallas Neuroscience - (Full tuition waiver + stipend - together it overall covers 80% net costs)
d. U Texas Austin Liberal Arts - (no aid information released so far)

I am awaiting more responses over the next few weeks from higher rated private colleges including a few of the Ivys…

Any thoughts?? opinions??

2

Which makes it sound like you are an international student. Understand that acceptance rates for foreign students into US med schools are very low

3

Out of all those, UCSD has the best biology program, although Minnesota and UT Austin have good programs too. UCSD also has a top med school, and I’m sure you’ll have a lot of research opportunities there. UCSD also has the Scripps Institute, one of the world’s top centers for biological research. However, if you can get into a better private university, then thats probably better for you. Most private universities have grade inflation, although there are exceptions like U Chicago, and the ivy leagues have the highest acceptance rates into Medical school. In the UC System I’d recommend UCLA or UCSD, I feel as if UC Berkeley is not the best place to be a premed as classes there are notoriously difficult and the atmosphere is cut throat competitive. UCSD and UCLA are both challenging, yet doable, although UCLA is slightly more difficult I’d say, they also have their own medical school, as well as Medical centers. I’d personally choose UCLA because of its prestige and location, but UCSD is great too, you can’t go wrong with either. They both have talented, studious, and motivated students, they both have some of the most reputed professors in their fields. You mentioned safety, and Westwood and La Jolla are pretty safe.

4

I got accepted into UCSD as well and how did you find out about your financial aid?

5

Thanks all for your inputs.

mikemac- I am a US citizen living abroad so, the hurdles of international students so will not apply. Good point though.

UCLAorUCBTRNSFR - Thanks much for your detailed info on the UCSD, UCLA and UCB -

UCSD is certainly a great school with a great reputation and an excellent medical college associated with it.
However the college grant + FAFSA based aid offered to me is tiny, and given the ‘out of state’ tuition, the rest is expected to be generated from Parent plus loans. At this time, my parents are trying to find out how much of my college fund investment can get transferred for UCSD credits.

In comparison, UT Dallas is offering a great overall package that includes -

  1. The Academic Excellence Scholarship (distinction) which covers almost all of the tuition and expenses for 4 years.
  2. They are closely affiliated with UT Southwestern medical college which figures in the top 20 medical colleges.
  3. As an undergrad in Neuroscience, they are also offering opportunities to work on research projects and an opportunity to present and publish.
  4. I have also heard that it is not terribly competitive - which might be good from the point of view of getting ample time to prepare for MCATs.

dayannaortiz6 - You can check your financial aid info from the admissions portal. What major have you picked? Are you planning to accept?

I am waiting to hear from the rest - most responses would come in by March 30th.