Competition in Biological Sciences?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Irvine
1

<p>I am a senior in high school and I was just recently accepted to UCI in the Biological Sciences. My plan is to be pre-med and a biology major. I am also considering a couple of smaller schools- pepperdine and chapman. i know that the biology program at UCI is very well known and respected. but i have also heard that being the most popular major, the competition there is fierce. Not as much as a berkeley or a ucsd, but still very much that way. i have even heard that clases are so difficult that on some exams earning a 50% is considered a great accomplishment.</p>

<p>I guess my main question is what is the atmosphere like in this area of study? is it super competitive? is there no comorodary among students? do students try to sabotage each other and refuse to share notes to get ahead? lol does any semblance of a life go out the window?</p>

<p>If anyone has any insight on this subject, it would be greatly appreciated. im hoping to find the best place for me to accomplish my goals. coming from a small high school, would a smart student but not rediculously overachieving get eaten alive in this kind of cutthroat environment? if so, maybe it would be better to attend a smaller school get high grades and possibly look more appealing to medical colleges.<br>
any info regarding this would be a great help--thanks</p>

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<p>you will be fine at UCI
the whole competition thing is why i am not giving berkeley a second thought..sure it has a great name
but honestly, its UCI is not as cut throat as the big names like berk and la
you just have to study, and you'll be fine</p>

<p>ill be in bio sci too, so maybe we'll be in a class together!</p>

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<p>yeah actually the bio program in uci is really cutthroat .. you have to be well prepared coming in &yes it is super competitive!
most bio people within the first year switch majors &end up in academic probation ... you may have been really smart at yr highschool but college is completely different.
&about the sabatoging notes part .... i had a best friend steal my notes right before a midterm and it was jst bad ...</p>

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<p>I got into the public health program at UCI, and am also considering premed.
Does anybody know exactly how straight bio and public health differ?</p>

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<p>anyone else with first hand experience on this topic??? it will help me out alot--thanks</p>