<p>My son has narrowed it to these three. The worst thing to say about Davis is that it is only a few miles away. Is it best to stay in the UC system in case you might want to transfer? Would a Bio/Pre-med student do better at UC,(Irvine or Davis) or in the Honors program at CU. He is perhaps looking for the "best" school of those he got in to, rather than the best fit. He has a little merit at CU to bring it to about the same tuition as the two UC's. Quarters vs. Semesters is yet another factor to consider. Any input?</p>
<p>Pre-Med I would have to say Irvine and I think it is the best school of the lot. Although if he wants the “full Big U” experience the CU might be the choice. However, it is not NEARLY as diverse as CA schools and some kids are shocked by the lack of diversity. I think quarters are better for undergrad, but semesters for grad school. </p>
<p>But the “best” school in my opinion for pre-med is UCI.</p>
<p>I did semesters as an undergraduate, quarters as a graduate student. I did not like the quarter system at all. Time goes by too quickly, and you only had one midterm and final to determine one’s grade. I do not agree that semesters are not good for undergraduates.<br>
I really do not think one should pick a school only on the so-called “best school”. The best school might be great, but if it is not a good fit for you, it is not the BEST school… So I think your son should consider other factors, such as other experiences he may be interested in, like where he will be happiest living, what other things he wants to do in college besides academics, opportunities for research, etc. One thing positive for CU is that they guarantee the tuition for four years for out of state students, one thing the UC’s cannot do at all. Also, they also guarantee a student will graduate in four years. We were just at the UCLA School of Engineering Open House, and they finally admitted the average student graduates in four and a half years. I personally think that is a conservative estimate, five years is probably more likely. So if he plans to go to medical school, he will most likely be a year older when he is attending his first year if he goes to a UC.</p>