For Pre-meds in General.

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

<p>the Berk med school admissions rate was over 70% last year...and keep in mind that Berkeley doesn't have a pre-med committee like most schools do (most schools only allow high-achieving premeds to even apply to med school, thus giving an artificially high medschool admissions rate, while Berkeley lets anyone apply....even though they may have a 2.0 GPA and very low MCAT scores). Case in point: Whittier College in CA (has a commitee) boasts a higher med school admissions rate than CalTech (doesn't have a commitee)...at least a couple years back when i checked. </p>

<p>Berkeley sends more kids to med school every year than any other school with the exception of Michigan (which is a hell of a lot bigger in student population than berkeley). </p>

<p>Also, a lot of people have this idea that UCLA is "the" Pre-med UC because UCLA has a med school and Berkeley doesn't. WRONG, UCSF used to be part of Berkeley and still has very close connections with Berkeley. Last year, close to 30 of the entering 1st year med students at UCSF medical school were Berkeley graduates....that's around 20% of the entering class. Berkeley was represented at UCSF more than any other school by a long shot, needless to say. If you're a premed, and you got into Berkeley and UCLA, don't choose UCLA solely because UCLA has a med school and Berkeley doesn't. Go to UCLA because you like the school and feel like you'd get the most of your college days at UCLA. Good luck!</p>

2

<p>Thank you for typing this up! As someone who chose Berkeley over LA and is hoping to get in UCSF for med school in the future, you've made me feel a lot better. It's nice to read something like this considering the flood of negativity surrounding MCB/pre-med at Berkeley that I've heard recently and in general.</p>

3

<p>just curious, do u have any idea what percentage got in frm UCLA last year?</p>

4

<p>i'm sorry i don't. The information I got was from a representative from UCSF Med admissions during a Q&A with Berkeley pre-meds.</p>

5

<p>thank you for your insight abcd. Is there any way you can find a site with this statstics? Thanks for ur effort</p>

6

<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>Can't really tell anything form that though, could have a few geniuses taking half the acceptances.</p>

7

<p>Well keep in mind this data set is for applicants who released their aamc data to Cal AND this data set includes graduating Berkeley seniors only (many premeds-----including a little less than half my premed friends----- take a year off after they graduate to apply).</p>

8

<p>Can you get some exposures to medical field or research opportunities under pre-med program at Cal? It might be harder comparing with other schools because Cal doesn't have medical school.</p>

9

<p>Wrong. Here are SOME suggestions for volunteer work and research. The list is taken from places i've volunteered/researched at and places my friends have volunteered/researched at...</p>

<p>Volunteer:
1. Oakland Children's Hospital
2. Alta Bates Summit Medical Centers (2 locations in Berkeley, 1 in Oakland)
3. UCSF (this is a pretty common place to volunteer at)
4. Napa State Mental Hospital
5. Alzheimer's Services of East Bay
6. Tang Health Center in Berkeley
7. Countless other health-related volunteer work + endless volunteer opportunities with children through YWCA/YMCA/Schools</p>

<p>Research:
1. On campus at Cal (through URAP and through asking profs/grad students/friends)
2. UCSF (esp. during summer)
3. Oakland Children's Hospital
4. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
5. Summer research opportunities at other locations w/stipends.</p>