Hi everyone -
I got admitted into UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced.
I am looking to pursue premed program. Please advise on which of these colleges will be a best choice that will help me get to med school.
Some questions are
- Is there any grade inflation/deflation in these colleges - would like to keep up the GPA
- Any advantage (leg up) in getting into home med schools by studying undergrad there
- Is it worth applying for the UCR accelerated or the guaranteed admission early during undergrad or is it better to wait till completion of undergrad to have a broader choice
Thank you in advance!
That is a tough call. Of your choices, competition is probably the hardest at UCSC. UCSC > UCR > UCM, all based on SAT test scores and GPAs to get into the respective schools. UCR has its own medical school and their admissions is probably very familiar with UCR’s curriculum and professors and there are possible research/volunteer opportunities. You might want to research into the numbers and percentage of UCSC, UCR and UCM students getting into medical schools. Lastly, be prepared to have a backup plan, i.e., other health professions if you do not get into medical school.
@UCBUSCalum thank you. I am also visiting the campuses this and next week. Will try to find addl information on the med school admissions. I will post any information I find. Thank you
When you are doing the tour at UCR, ask about the UCR students in the guarantee program for the UCR medical school. I recall the number of UCR students admitted to UCR medical school from the guarantee program was small a couple of years ago and also, if you are an unrepresented minority, the chances are higher.
As a UC Riverside Highlander Alumnus, I’d say UCR it is the best of the 3 for the Pre-Med track. Why? Because it has the Thomas Haider (accelerated 1 year quicker Pre-Med) Program, however it is extremely competitive and BRUTAL! You can also take the slightly less stressful regular Pre-Med route. UCR is the only one of the 3 campuses with a medical school…the first new one in California in 50 years! Know lots of Doctors from UCR (some successfully completing the Thomas Haider Program) and would highly recommend the campus! However, you can do well at any of them if you have a high GPA/MCAT score and put in the required hard work. Take a tour of all 3 and see what is the best fit for you!
@UCBUSCalum thank you. I will check during my visit next week
@Fisherman99 how is the grading system in UCR - does it have the bell curve and is it deflated (I hear that a lot for UCB for example). I will be in the Biological science program. Thanks much in advance. Also is there any information source I could look up to check med school admission stats? Thanks again
Not certain of the grading system compared to UCB as I went there a long time ago when they didn’t have the medical school yet. You could probably find Med School admission stats on the UCR website.
All the UC’s have some sort of bell curve, especially for class to weed out kids. As I sat in an orientation (UW, but UC) a few years ago, the admission director congratulated all the students for getting admitted. Despite the fact that they were A students in high school, he emphasized not be surprised if the student gets B’s , C’s or even lower when they are use to getting A’s in high school. Not everyone can be doctors and therefore they graded on a steep bell curve to weed out kids. Other son was at a UC and generally many classes were on a bell curve.
Given your UC choices and you want to “protect” or get a high college GPA for medical school, you might want to consider your competition for top grades at the UC. Even if you get top grades at one of your 3 choices, you still need a high MCAT score to get into medical school.
A friend of mine’s kid got into UCD medical school a few years ago with a 3.6 GPA from UCB. UCD probably recognized the tough grading at UCB and the kid was admitted. The other CA medical school the person was admitted to was Loma Linda. Then I know of a UCD kid with A’s and A-'s who was only admitted to a school I never heard of in Virginia (not UV). UCD is probably not as competitive as UCD.
they all offer a great education but, are very different when it comes to size, culture and community surrounding the school. I’d pick based on the your gut feel for where you fit. That’s where you will perform best academically.
@UCBUSCalum thanks so much for the detailed inputs. I will have to work harder to keep my grades up.
@Fisherman99 thanks again and @NCalRent thank you also