UC Berkeley, UCLA or UCSB?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
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I realize I have posted about this before but this is an updated version, if that’s allowed.

After some elimination, I’ve narrowed down my college choices to Cal, UCLA and SB. I am an aspiring pre-med student so I realize that GPA, MCAT and volunteering experiences are very important. I am a Biology major at all 3.

The cost to attend for each campus would be the same for all 3, about 21.3k so that is not a differentiator.

I would like to go to a college where I’d get a good education but also feel safe on campus, have time for a social life and hang out with friends. However, academics are important to me, and I would definitely forgo fun for better grades. I just don’t want to be living in a constant state of stress and would like a balanced and happy life if at all possible.

I don’t know much about UCLA, but I do know that it has a medical center on campus which would be good for research. Not sure how I would do with the pace of the quarter system because it’s a tough school. I would guess it’s probably the same or a little less tough than Berkeley? I’ll visit next Saturday. The campus looks nice, it’s in a pretty place and I heard the food is good.

I’m also considering UCSB because I got Regents, which comes with priority registration and housing. Professors also seem to look at Regents kids differently and give them 1 on 1 attention. It’s also the least difficult of the 3 schools, which would help my GPA for med school. However, I’m introverted and am not really into partying or drinking. Worried about fitting in here although the weather and campus is nice. There is no medical center nearby so that could be hard for research and such.

As for UC Berkeley, I visited and liked the campus and the city. I suppose I would have to commute to UCSF regularly. However, I feel like I’d be fighting for housing and classes and everything in general (grades, internships and research) which would add stress and make it hard to find friends. I’m also not extremely intelligent so I’m worried about having a bad GPA (MCB is hard I heard) and having to spend hours upon end in the library, studying all day and still barely making C’s. I have to work for good grades in STEM classes; some stuff comes easily, some stuff does not.

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There is no medical center nearby so that could be hard for research and such.

As for UC Berkeley, I visited and liked the campus and the city. I suppose I would have to commute to UCSF regularly
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You wouldn’t be doing research at a medical center either way. students do research at their univs, not hospitals. You’d be seeking out profs to help them with research.

For UCB you wouldn’t be doing research at UCSF either. Again, you’d be doing it at UCB. Premeds aren’t roaming the halls of med schools.

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Great choices. UCSB is not easier. Cal and UCLA are perhaps more intense in terms of the fury of pre-med competition. Cal has a lot of political stuff that serious students might find distracting. All are great universities that will prepare you well. Go where you will be happy. That’s where you’ll succeed!

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There is no difference in the ‘difficulty’ of the three campuses. The presence of a med. center on campus won’t have anything to do with your undergraduate studies. Given your grad-school goals, your best option would be to go to the campus where you’ll have the best relationships with teachers. You also want a ‘friendly’ and sociable campus where you can be safe while studying. All signs point to UCSB. Happily, that’s also one where they’re offering you the best scholarship. Go to Santa Barbara. No question.