How good is the premed here? UCB v. UCLA

[JinSoul]

<p>I know that there is no official premed program here at UC Berkeley, but I just love the atmosphere of UCB. I love how one day I could sit and just chat with some homeless person that might turn out to be a retired professor. I love how one day I could join protests on campus to which I agree on. I love how the city is new to me and how unique this place truly is. I love how the people here are so diverse and awesomely weird. (lol)</p>

<p>However, my first priority is to become a doctor. I want to wear that white coat and walk down those halls and become the surgeon I dream of being. I know that UCLA has a great premed program and I can excel over there if I put my all into it. But, how good/average/bad is UCB premed path? is there any programs that can lead me to a future in medicine?</p>

<p>Which should I choose UCLA or UC Berekeley????</p>

<p>Please help me decide! =]</p>

[FellowCCViewer]

<p>UC Berkeley does not have a med school (although UCSF is nearby...and is only a med school)</p>

<p>The premed path at Berkeley is AWESOME but competitive. From your first paragraph, you seem like a great fit for Berkeley. So the environment of the school will be fine for you.</p>

<p>In terms of academics, Berkeley's science majors (pre-med) are top 5 all across the board.</p>

[Edward04]

<p>How good? </p>

<p>|----------------------------|</p>

<p>this good</p>

[bayezid]

<p>I guess I will ask here instead of starting a new post.
I saw in earlier (like , years earlier) that one of the biggest complaints about Berkeley pre-med was the poor advising.
Is this still true? How is the pre-med advising at Berkeley?
When I am trying to keep my GPA afloat and study for MCAT, how much help will/can I get on my application and interviews?</p>

[anon23806243]

<p>Keeping up a good GPA will be hard at both Cal and UCLA.</p>

<p>Not sure about your premed advisor comment.</p>

[bladeknight]

<p>I really wanna go to UC Berkeley, But I also want to study medicine to become a doctor, and I heard that it is really difficult to be a pre-med at berkeley. Is berkeley really a cut-throat place to be a premed student? Is UCLA Better for premed than UC Berkeley. I really wanna go there at Cal but premed seems like its hard at Cal.</p>

[Liquidus]

<p>bladeknight, didn’t you read the previous posts in this topic?</p>

[sunfish]

<p>This is like asking which public highschool, the one in a norcal suburb or the one in a socal suburb, will give you a better chance to get in Harvard.</p>

[xcaliberse]

<p>Very basic answer for you, Cal > UCLA in pretty much every program. In fact Cal has an award for being top 10 in 34/35 programs in the US</p>

[Fasttrack]

<p>The OP asked about pre-med, and frankly UCLA is more known for its pre-med programs. But it is more competitive, therefore, at UCLA for premed than any other schools. And I’m going to quote UCLAri here from another thread:

@UCLAri

My take on it, from another thread:</p>

<p>Between Cal and UCLA, here’s my take on it, being engaged to a med student:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>You will likely not end up “going through” with med school plans. Yes, you. I know, you’ve wanted to be a doctor since you were a zygote. Reality shows that most people hit “weeder hell” and go, “WTH is this?” Or, you may just decide that you really love doing research on (insert field here.) That is not bad. Welcome to the med school process. </p></li>
<li><p>GPA and MCAT are the most important factors. Med school is largely a numbers game. Even with the numbers and the big name, you can end up screwed your first round. Again, welcome to the process. </p></li>
<li><p>Roughly speaking, the difference between UCLA or Cal when it comes to med school apps is going to be negligible enough that you shouldn’t go to one or the other just to make a good impression on an adcom that you’ll probably never meet. Worry more about having a good 4 or 5 years. Being happy will allow you better grades, which allows for a better app, etc. See what I did there? I let you be happy AND do what it takes to get into med school. </p></li>
<li><p>In reality, unless you are really concerned with being a pompous twit all of the time (I occasionally like to be a pompous twit, for the record), nobody in “the REAL world” really cares all that much about UCLA vs. Cal.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I know, I know. CC is REAL, YO. But really, it’s not. I’ve had a few post-school jobs now, and I never got the sense that if ONLY I had gone to BERKELEY I would be a super famous awesome guy. The reality is that I’m super famous and awesome regardless of the letters after my name (I have a lot). So are you. You’re special and unique and awesome like every other person on this forum.</p>

<ol>
<li>Stop worrying about things that are POSSIBLY going to happen 4 or 5 years down the line and worry more about how to be happy for the next 4 or 5 years. If you think Cal or UCLA will both suffice, then visit both campuses. Talk to students. If one campus strikes you as being a “bad fit,” then DON’T GO. Simple enough, right?</li>
</ol>

<p>Finally, consider cost. I know you’re going to be super rich brain surgeon awesome guy, but reality shows us that most MDs end up in fields other than super rich brain surgeon awesome. This is just how it is. This is not a bad thing. However, do not plan your medical education on the notion that you will make UBER MONIES after med school. Even $150K starts being a fairly small amount of money when you have nearly that much in debt.</p>

<p>And you probably will. Welcome to med school. That said, don’t be ashamed of considering the cost of your undergrad education. If you can avoid debt, then DO IT. Besides, referring back to rule #1 tells us that you definitely don’t want lots of debt just for med school, which may not happen at all.</p>

<p>Most importantly, have fun. You have great choices, and any one should be a blast. Even if you don’t become super happy works only three hours a day dermatologist, you have a great four years ahead of you. Take advantage of them.

</p>