Community College Pre-Med Deciding Between Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UC Davis

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hey folks</p>

<p>I am a third-year community college premed student transferring for the Fall 2014 term and I was fortunate enough to get accepted to Berkeley, UCLA, SD and Davis. I applied as a Biochem major for all four colleges. As a sidenote (not that it matters much) but I got rejected from Cornell, and am waiting for Pomona College and Stanford. But Stanford takes around 40 people every cycle and I am not banking too much on getting in if I got rejected from Cornell (although it would be AWESOME if i do)</p>

<p>I am having a tough time deciding because I currently live in the bay area. Here are the pros and cons I have so far:</p>

<p>Berkeley Pros:
1. (in Oakland, which is literally next to Berkeley) and the net yearly cost I have to pay for UC Berkeley is the cheapest amongst all other UC's (22k cost of attendance - 12k gift aid = 10k net - 10k loans = $0).
2. In addition to the proximity of Berkeley from my home and low net cost of attendance,
3. it is also, obviously, the most prestigious school.
4. Research opportunities
5. Urban environment (which I like)</p>

<p>Berkeley Cons:
1. Grade deflation, which is painful for premed
2. Limited premed opportunities
3. Cutthroat</p>

<p>UCLA Pros:
1. 3 hospitals, including the Ronald Reagan Medical Center, where I may be able to volunteer/work/research
2. Med school available
3. I may be able to have a social life
4. Urban setting</p>

<p>UCLA Cons:
1. Cutthroat
2. More costly than Cal (29k COA - 15k gift aid = 14k - 10k loans = 4k out of pocket cost)</p>

<p>UC Davis Pros:
1. Not as cutthroat as above UC's; GPA friendly
2. Numerous premed opportunities
3. UC Davis medical center available for research/volunteering/work
4. In Bay area, closer to home</p>

<p>UC Davis Cons:
1. Price same as UCLA
2. Small college town/cowtown (I am not a big fan of rural areas)</p>

<p>UCSD Pros:
1. Top undergrad bio program
2. Numerous hospitals
3. Medical center available
4. Tech environment? I don't mind that, similar to where I live now</p>

<p>UCSD Cons:
1. Somewhat cutthroat
2. Very far from home
3. Expensive (Net COA same as UC Davis, UCLA, but environment is very expensive)</p>

<p>What I am really trying to get out of the rest of my undergrad experience is a place with a stimulating academic environment, opportunities for research, volunteering, and work to get some money. I currently do research at Stanford but so I think I can battle it out in getting more research opportunities in some UC's hopefully. I hope some of you can help me out. Thanks for reading!</p>

2

<p>If you like them all the same, choose the cheapest / free one. Full tuition Merit award / full ride is the best option for pre-med. Opportunities are everywhere, I cannot believe that some colleges do not have them. Every lowest ranked unknown college among our state publics has opportunities for pre-meds. Rank of the program is NOT a factor, rank of the UG is NOT a factor either as well as grade deflation / inflation. Your goal is to get college GPA=3.6, the higher the better and it is entirely UP tp YOU. Even some in engineering majors achieve the goal of 4.0, although it is the hardest one and I would not recommend it if considering Med. School. </p>

3

<p>Thanks MiamiDAP! I think you have a great point. Would having a 3.6 at least be a favorable GPA? I hope 2 years in Cal won’t kill me haha</p>

4

<p>mrfields209</p>

<p>Medical schools take grad delfation into account while evaluating applications from certain schools that are notorious for it, such as Berkeley. Also, although I go to Berkeley, I can tell you that, if you took the same student, who put the same amount of effort into all their classes, they would get very similar results in terms of GPA at Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD. It is not a good idea to think that a person who does average at Cal would be at the top of their class at UCSD, for example. Just telling you this as you might not have your expectations met if you pick UCSD over cal because its “less cutthroat”</p>

5

<p>Thanks Jweinst1. I see. My friend from UCSD told me the stories about UCLA and UCSD, but is it possible to get high grades in UC Berkeley as a premed? I plan to be MCB Neurobio btw</p>

6

<p>Berkeley, top school and the lowest cost.</p>

<p>What is wrong with Oakland? I live near Berkeley and know the city pretty well. The Oakland part that close to UCB is very good. The areas that between the Hway 80 and few blocks from Shattock are pretty sketchy that is including Berkeley and Oakland. Students should avoid venture into those areas alone at night.</p>

7

<p>artloversplus</p>

<p>Yes you are right, there are a few sketchy areas in Berkeley, but violent crime is relatively rare.</p>

<p>I think that attaining a 3.6 GPA in berkeley is hard, but it would be just as hard as UCLA and UCSD. Stanford with their grade inflation would make it easier to get a 3.6, but it’s harder to get into Stanford than a UC for undergrad. But overall, I have never had a class where the effort I put in didn’t much the grade I received. I do not think you will come across a class where you study CORRECTLY and put in a ton of effort for a class and get a grade this is less than you deserve.</p>

<p>But having said that, DO NOT come to Cal if you don’t love working hard. It just won’t work well with the rigor of the MCB department in general.</p>

8

<p>artloverplus, yes Berkeley is a very family-friendly school. I can live with my mom which will save me on food and generally the total price, and it also has great prospects. I just came from a transfer student gala at Berkeley and I loved the atmosphere, I might end up going there.</p>

<p>Jweinst my community college really challenged us in our science classes, which isn’t to say that I am ready for Cal, but I am willing to put in the hard work. The fact that the material is doable, regardless of the difficulty or level of “cut-throat”-ness of the school should be irrespective to the strength of the school’s program and more directly my choice for upper-division university education. Berkeley is a great school but I just want to visit UCLA just so I can finalize my thoughts. Plus I have a few more schools to hear back from.</p>

<p>Thanks folks!</p>

9

<p>I have kids who went to Cal & to a mid level UC, there was no substantive difference in the grades between schools & difficulty of classes. I would pick Cal or UCLA, best reputation, probably Cal if it is cheapest!</p>

10

<p>If you already did your lower division pre-reqs, you have a much better chance of a good mark as well as getting to know your professor (LORs) in upper division science classes.</p>

11

<p>Thank you so much everyone! I eventually chose Cal and I am excited to be a Golden bear. Excited to transfer!</p>