<p>Hey guys:
I got into UC Berkley, UCLA, and Wesleyan. However I cannot choose which school to attend. I plan on doing cellular biology on a pre-med route. I want to attend medical schools on the west coast afterward, such as UCLA medical center, Stanford hospital, or UCSF. So good grades and good test scores are mandatory. I was first wondering if I should change my major to biomedical engineering as there are more career options. I am interested in health policy and hospital administration too.</p>
<p>If I chose UC Berkeley, I would receive support from my family easily since they would only have a few hours of traveling to get there. All my family members want me to go there and they said I could transfer to UCLA if I don't like it. What I am worried most is the competition and stress there. It would be hard to get good grades and there is a grading curve. Are there intelligent competitive "snobbish" people there? I am worried about internships and resources as well. UC Berkeley does not have a hospital so would that be a bad thing for medical school? I could travel to SF and other cities for a hospital and to have fun. The social aspect is okay and I would love the weather most here. I would also be a part of EOP here. Are there tutoring services? The prestige here would also be a good thing.</p>
<p>If I chose UCLA, I would love the social scene and food, but I want to focus on academics the most. The pro is that there is a nearby hospital. Some friends are going here so I would be okay. But I feel as if this school would be most in my comfort zone, as I would be more confident. I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing, since people say stepping out of your comfort zone is the best. The school goes by a quarter system which is a little stressful and pre-meds are weeded put as well. </p>
<p>If I chose Wesleyan, I would be part of the questbridge chapter here. I like the idea of getting a master's degree in the sciences in only one year with free tuition (would that make me stand out to medical schools?). I like the open curriculum, making it easier to double major. Private schools want everyone to pass so it would be a little less stressful even though the courseload would still be a lot. I could count on resources and having better access to professors (better recommendations). There is a small hospital off campus. However, I am not sure if I would be able to adapt and be fully happy, as I would have to travel across the country to attend. I have never experienced really hot or cold weather, as I have always lived in mild weather. Wesleyan is located in a small town, which is also I thing I am a little worried about. I have heard that there is a lot of wealthy white people, making it harder to adapt. The advice you do best where you are happy is true and I don't wanna risk my academic and social life because of this. Wesleyan would be the biggest step put of my comfort zone and I'm not sure if I am ready. Also, I know it's not about prestige but not that many people have heard of Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Sorry for this long post. But I need help and opinions, especially from pre-meds attending these schools. Why did you guys choose these schools. I want to take a risk but not on something that will affect my future. I have been thinking about this on my mind for ever. It is stressing me out. Please help.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t recommend biomedical engineering unless you plan to go on to grad school in that field. The BS is honestly just a poor man’s electrical engineering degree with a few anatomy and bio electives, so any job that could go to a biomedical engineer can just as easily go to someone with an EE degree after a little on the job training. Not to mention any engineering program would be rough on your GPA, which would hurt if you decide on med school afterwards.</p>
<p>Well, one thing to be said about those cold winter northeastern nights: they’re conducive to studying. Of the top fifty colleges with the highest graduating rates, only two are California colleges (Pomona and Claremont-McKenna) and Stanford barely makes it into the top 100: </p>
<p>In fact, if you include border states like Virginia and North Carolina, I count only seven or eight colleges in the top fifty that <em>aren’t</em> on the east coast.</p>
<p>S chose Wesleyan over Berkeley and UCLA so I thought I should chime in. S is into sciences, and honestly it just seemed like a madhouse at Berkeley with huge classes, high science dropout rates (we attended a special program addressing that) and what seemed like an awfully competitive road to research. UCLA was likely not as bad, but we’d heard stories about it’s bureaucracy. Ironically, he’s doing research at Berkeley this summer… But Wesleyan just seemed, and is, all around more supportive for students wanting to delve into research.</p>
<p>That said, it has been hard being so far away, but as for winter, I think he thinks of it as a new experience. And there are a sizable number of Asians at Wesleyan, so you wouldn’t stand out. Grading in premed classes can be tough at Wesleyan too. The curve is likely not as bad as Berkeley, but the students seem to be uniformly smart (and in Bio, Chem Physics, and Calc a good percentage have taken the class in high school).</p>
All your family members are mistaken about transferring. At UC schools, you can only transfer your junior year. Point number one. So if you don’t like Cal, you’re stuck there for 2 years. Second, xfer priority goes by UC rules to CC students. It is possible to xfer between UC schools, but realize they give preference to those who need to get in to complete a 4 year degree, over those who could continue at their home campus.</p>
<p>Remember that medical school is expensive, so minimizing debt and saving money so that you have the lowest debt after completing medical school is a factor to consider.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley and UCLA are around the same price and Wesleyan is cheaper by around two or three thousand. So should I not consider UC Berkeley as a pre-med?</p>
<p>$8,000 to $12,000 over four years is not a huge amount, so many students may reasonably have some other factors that can override the difference. But that is something you need to consider yourself.</p>
<p>Does anyone have specific details or experiences of the sciences at Wesleyan or UC Berkeley? I feel that I would go to UCLA if I wanted to be really comfortable but there are so many factors to decide from.</p>
<p>The typical biology and chemistry courses that pre-meds take will be among the most heavily enrolled at any selective school, since both majoring in biology and doing pre-med tend to be popular at such a school.</p>
<p>If you are concerned about class offerings, check the catalogs and schedules on the web sites. The schedules may also indicate how large the classes are.</p>
Hardly any larger publics, or large privates for that matter, offer the committee letter. Nor would I be particularly concerned about looking for colleges that provide such letters. If one is offered by your school then med schools require you to submit it. This turns out to be a useful tool for colleges that want to boast about an amazing med school placement rate. When you read of some college off the radar that has incredible success (we’re talking 80%, 90%, or even more) getting their kids into med school, odds are quite high that you’ve just found a school that screens their applicants and makes no bones about giving a “not recommended” letter to all but the strongest. </p>
<p>As for advising, point well taken. No matter what you’re intended goal, at a UC the burden is on you to figure out things on your own or find the people that can help you with advice.</p>
<p>So should I not be frantic about good grades as much? I would go to UC Berkeley if I was not as worried. I plan to do a variety of extracurriculars as well as a job/ internship. I’m not so worried about a social life but do want a break from time to time. Thanks so much for the tips!</p>
Reading thru the thread I don’t see anyone telling you that grades don’t matter much, or that good grades don’t take serious effort. You should put good grades on the top of the list. Without good grades you are not a competitive candidate for med schools. Once you have the good grades, then all the other stuff comes into play (MCAT, recs, essays, research experience, etc). A rule of thumb in a math or science class is that you’ll spend 6-9 hours per class each week studying and doing the homework.</p>