Transfer - junior standing - 18 years old so may stay a bit longer
Cost of attendance (equal): 36k UCLA (housing and all included), 36k Emory (housing and all included)
UCLA pros
Prestige, usnews t20, number #1 public research university, globally ranked much much higher than emory.
Love the social atmosphere, school spirit, tons of things going on at UCLA. I heard Emory is a bit more clicky and I’m very outgoing and love to hang out with a bunch of different people and go do stuff lol.
I pretty much love UCLA but I’m scared I won’t thrive. I’m scared ill be just a number- huge enrollment and class sizes. I’m worried I’ll be too overwhelmed and stressed and drown. I’m usually very independent but I feel like it might be better for me to be a bit more coddled at Emory. I heard the classes at Emory are definitely not easier for Neuro but for some reason, I feel more secure about the rigor over there with the smaller class sizes and less distractions? I was born and raised in LA and I would be fine leaving and fine staying. They both have great research, beautiful campus, and I really like both schools honestly. I can’t seem to make a decision. They are vastly different experiences and I just can’t figure out which is right for me. It’s important to note that if Emory was more prestigious worldwide, I think I would go with Emory, but I can’t pass up on UCLA!! I’m split both ways here.
For me, the most important factors are my growth, learning, GPA/MCAT. I want to be able to handle the coursework, have relationships with professors, AND be involved in research and activities and things outside of that!
If you are going to 1) live in the US and/or 2) go to medical school in the US why does it matter how “prestigious” emory is in other parts of the world? Do you have family in other parts of the world who will think less of you when you are Dr.SunnyPassion b/c they haven’t heard of you UG university?
thank you for putting that back in perspective. i guess it isn’t that important to me. I was thinking if I end up not going to medical school but there is no point on thinking like that because I have a clear goal.
Let’s say you do change your mind though- the question is the same: do you intend (and have the right) to live in another country? If not, there is no path in the US that you can’t get take from either of those schools. Go for the one where you think that you will shine the brightest- that will make more of a difference than any difference in prestige in your opportunities.
I completely agree. I do however think that there is a great chance I might end up in another country… if i don’t go to medical school that is, bc i would rather be a doctor in the us than in france for obvious reasons
If you are asking to choose between the two I’m going with UCLA!
If you are solely focused on wanting to be a name amongst your professors, getting personalized attention and in-depth preparation for medschool, I’d have to introduce you to The STEM-based premedtrack based small private school of Xavier University of Louisiana. Their students don’t just get into medical school, but many of their students actually got med school scholarships and full rides! Can you imagine a full ride to medical school! Wowzers!
From a biomedical honors corps to all kinds of preparation, or a Bachelors in Neuroscience, check out www.XULA.edu. Best bang for your buck. I met two people who actually transferred into XULA from Ivy League/Ivy League adjacent schools (Both schools were in Massachusetts if you need a hint) because of the intimate attention and rigorous XULA curriculum.
thanks! it might be too late for XULA as im already transferring this fall but why do you say UCLA over Emory? im slightly leaning towards emory currently
I would imagine that with Emory’s association with the CDC, Emory should be pretty well known to physicians and administrators around the world.
The schools are so different that you should just choose according to fit, since they will cost the same.
Generally speaking, international rankings favor research universities that spend a lot on research and whose faculty win awards and publish texts. International rankings don’t really tend to care about average class sizes or student/prof interaction. The former would favor UCLA; the latter, Emory.
@MedicalSLP writes: I’d have to introduce you to The STEM-based premedtrack based small private school of Xavier University of Louisiana. Their students don’t just get into medical school, but many of their students actually got med school scholarships and full rides!
Looking at the list of med schools where students were accepted I don’t see Stanford, Duke, Columbia, UCSF, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, JHU, etc.
@mikemac, it’s a non-issue: the OP is deciding between 2 schools from which s/he has an offer- @MedicalSLP’s suggestion was moot as the OP did not apply to & does not have an offer from Xavier.
Although, I don’t think fear should hold you back, I’d go with Emory for fit and to live in a different place. Also, Emory is still pretty prestigious, not that it matters for med school. Thriving does matter and you seem to feel that is more likely at Emory.
I am speaking from pure networking experience as I have met alumni from the school I was referring to and not only did they get* accepted to those medical schools, but they also got scholarships. I know of a student at Duke Medical right now and alumni from XULA I’ve personally known from all of the schools you mentioned including my dentist and lawyer who are both Harvard grad AND XULA alumni.
My suggestion between the two the OP originally suggested was UCLA. Do not attack my extra option offering to a great student. Thank you. I’m here for the students not for unsolicited rudeness.
I selected UCLA based on my physician (also a XULA grad) who had the opportunity to choose between the two and he chose UCLA and loved the holistic aspect they have at naturally helping people with cancers, specifically the colon cancer. Based on my networking experience with many physicians, I found the ones from UCLA vs. Emory had more experience with certain conditions that I saw in my own patients as a medical-based speech language pathologist and I found them awesome to collaborate with. So that’s why I went with UCLA. Based on my networking experiences with physicians whom I’ve worked very closely with for over 15 years.
Well… I am a parent of a student who got accepted to UCLA and Emory. My daughter decide to go to Emory even though we live near UCLA. Currently she is a second semester freshmen student at Emory campus. She loves it at Emory for its class sizes and close relationship with the professors. As a premed student, getting her desired classes were breeze and already developed a strong relationship with her professors. She was able to join 3 important med -related clubs as a freshmen officer. She is also doing work-study as a lab research assistant focusing on the cancer research at Emory Medical Facility which is within the campus. Her Chemistry professor recommended her to become a TA for the chemistry class from her sophomore year. She is getting plenty of attention and taking advantage of what Emory offers. We believe her studies and activities at Emory would help her future focus in the medical field.
The campus is super safe and CDC / Emory hospitals are within 15 min walk. She loves the weather in Atlanta so far. But she really misses food in Los Angeles which has the greatest food of all cultures. Other than that she loves it over at Emory. When my wife and I visited Emory, we as USC and UC Berkeley grads were surprised how quiet the campus was. So if big D-1 Sports school is what you are looking for Emory is not the right one. In contrast Georgia Tech which is few miles away had a similar feel to USC or UCLA.
Hope this helps for new students applying in current and future years.