<p>Hello, I was admitted to UCI, but my parents aren't very happy about the financial aid. I want to be a biology major and I want to attend medical school later. Is going to a UC better for medical school or is going to a CSU the same thing, but just that it's less expensive?</p>
<p>It does not matter where you go to school for undergrad unless its Harvard or Yale. Work your hardest to get a great GPA and a great MCAT score. That is what matters most. Save your money to attend Med School.</p>
<p>I do think there is some additional respect afforded a UC v CSU, even if it is subconscious. If you attend a CSU be sure to be on top of everything including being the top of the class. You really need to stand out as you could be viewed as being in a weaker pool of students.</p>
<p>Also, CA has a very tough standard for in state medical student applicants, the pool is strong, so do well!</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! </p>
<p>It is not true at all that your undergraduate school has no effect on your application to medical school. Your academic record is evaluated in the context of your school, your classes and grades. Last I looked, there were usually less the 10 CSU graduates per class at UCSF and UCLA. UC graduates were 10X better represented. Much of this is self selection but not all of it. You can get into medical school from the CSU’s but your numbers etc will have to be better than your equivalent UC applicant.</p>
<p>^This is definitely true, the thing is, it’s much easier to get a higher gpa in a csu than a uc, so it evens out.
Just to further drive this point home, I spoke with a Uchicago med school adcom the other day, and he insisted that students from different schools are held to different standards. </p>