The two “best” UC schools are for the most part widely accepted to be UCLA and Berkeley. I have been accepted to the College of Letters and Science (Biology) to both. I would like to go the pre-med route because my dream is to attend medical school. It has also been my dream since my freshman year to attend UCLA, I absolutely love everything about it. It is very hard to turn down Berkeley however. It is closer to my family (I live in NorCal), I got accepted into the EOP program, it has a better overall ranking, a much better Biology ranking, and is directly connected with UCSF. The academic program at Berkeley just seems so much better, but I have always loved UCLA. I am in a bind and I cannot figure out what to do. My heart tells me UCLA but my brain tells me Berkeley and I do not know what to do. Does anyone have any information to weigh in on this situation?
I don’t have much to say other than I’d choose Berkeley if I were you. BUT, UCLA is a great option as well. Honestly, which ever convenes you most personally may be the best choice.
Congrats on your admission btw!
Is there any significant difference in costs?
Would you prefer the semester system (Berkeley) or quarter system (UCLA)?
Are there specific subareas of biology that you are interested in that one or the other has stronger offerings in? (“pre-med” is just a set of frosh/soph level courses that mostly overlap with the frosh/soph level biology major courses)
I would choose Berkeley. Too bad they didn’t accept me…
The Academic Advancement Program is a very strong program at UCLA and may be equal to or better than EOP at Berkeley.
If you are interested in the College of Natural Resources at Berkeley, that may have all of the advantages of the Berkeley LAS Biology department, with a much greater sense of community and individual attention.
If I had to choose, I would choose the College of Natural Resources and look to major in Genetics & Plant Biology or in Molecular Biology. If I wanted to be in LAS, I would follow my heart and enroll in UCLA, also enrolling in AAP.
I am not sure what specific areas in biology I would like, or if I would like the quarter or semester system, because i have not been exposed the differences. All I know is that I have a strong interest in human anatomy and social interaction. I DO NOT have the greatest grades or test scores in the world, but I am a very diverse person. Both schools are both giving me about the same exact financial aid so it comes down to: 1. Where will I enjoy myself the most (UCLA most likely) and 2. Where will I have the best chance of getting into med school at (No idea). I have heard that Berkeley is more prestigious but UCLA gives out higher GPAs and has Reagan hospital as well.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice—they’re both great. You’ll have one set of experiences and opportunities at Berkeley and another set at UCLA. In either place, you’ll probably flourish and have nice options when you graduate. Yes, Berkeley is more prestigious, but not so much more that it would have much of an effect (if any) on where you get into med school. You’ll be working hard in med school, so the next four years may be your last chance to have a little fun, too. My vote is to follow your heart and go to UCLA. Remember, you really can’t go wrong here.
I would choose UCLA. You get the best of both worlds.
Although Berkeley is obviously more prestigious.
Also, having the UCLA medical center right there on campus could be a huge advantage. I’m guessing that would make finding relevant part-time and summer work much easier. UCSF is a major trek from Berkeley, even if you have a car. Yes, there are hospitals in Oakland, but they certainly don’t have the stature of UCLA or UCSF.
Both are great schools that offer all any student can hope for or need to prepare for med school. Offer is a key word here! What is going to make a difference in whether you are a viable candidate for med school is what you do in college. If these schools have a weakness, and they share it equally, its that the burden is going to be on you to make sure you are doing the right things. Although I don’t know about the EOP/AAP program in particular, for the average student at a large public it is up to them to go talk to advisors, to find research positions, to take part in volunteer work in a medical setting, to get to know profs so they get strong recs, etc.
Start by learning more about what becoming a strong med school applicant takes. Read thru the very informative FAQ at http://www.rhodes.edu/hpa/15890.asp They also have a nice writeup in the PreMed Essentials link on the left side of that page.
I always ask kids that say they want to be doctors, why an M.D? Not that I know it is wrong for you, it may be the right fit, but have you actually looked into the medical field and considered the alternatives? From the day you start college it will be 11-15 years before you are a practicing doctor, depending on what field you go into. In other words, think back to 1st grade; all those years since then matches the minimum it will take to become a practicing doc! Its almost a reflex action among HS kids, they think of a career in medicine and its “I’m pre-med!” Doctors are far from the only ones in the health field that help people. Physical therapists, radiology techs, nurses, speech pathologists, to name but just a few. Before you go heavily into debt and commit so many years I suggest you explore the alternatives.
Having never visited or applied to either, medical school wants the highest GPA possible. Have not researched this but have many older relatives who are doctors. When my uncle went, beyond the required courses it did not matter what you majored in. I think he majored in politics or something. He claims it helped him get in on the basis of diversity (he is otherwise the least diverse person you will ever meet). So you can go to whichever program you want. The exception I think is if you want an MD/PHD program. Plus with all the current emphasis on undergraduate reseach I am not sure whether doing lots of research would help you get into medical school but it cannot hurt, so that is something to investigate (whether it helps and if it does which school gets better access for undergraduates.
I think years ago most people would say Berkeley but I think UCLA has become more selective lately but I am not in California. Maybe look through some med school acceptance statistics
@ItsJustSchool do you know how to apply to the AAP program at UCLA? I cannot seem to find anything about that for incoming freshman. Also, does anybody know the difficulty of obtaining undergrad research at UCLA and UCB? Anything would be very appreciated, thank you!
@Bruin4med, I believe typically they (AAP) contact you, based mostly on the checklist of potential scholarships you clicked through on your application, though I am not sure. If you participate in the Freshman/Transfer Summer Program, you may apply through that program. If you are from an under-represented population, you may wish to contact them directly.
If I recall correctly, we first heard about it during the spring “Bruin Day” welcome event.