UCLA vs UC Davis vs UCSD for Premed

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

Posting in all three forums
Hey everybody! I’m currently torn between these three UCs. I am a bio major at all of the schools and received Regents at SD and Davis.

I am aware that prestige matters little for Med School admissions and that GPA and MCAT scores are very important for admission. Many times, top students in High School under-perform at higher ranking universities during undergrad, preventing many from getting into medical school. As such, I’m having a very hard time choosing between these three schools.

UCLA

  • Viewed as more prestigious
  • Great social scene
  • Availability of research/volunteer experience
  • Harder to get a higher GPA
  • Harder to get classes
  • Most expensive option (27k)

UCSD

  • Slightly easier to get a higher GPA
  • Cheaper option (24k)
  • Availability of research/volunteer experience
  • Easier to get classes thanks to Regents
  • Socially Dead?
  • Party scene seems to be very small compared to LA and Davis

UCD

  • Easier to get a higher GPA
  • Cheapest option (20k)
  • College town experience
  • Easier to get classes thanks to Regents
  • Not as prestigious as the other two
  • Social scene isn’t as great as UCLA
  • Cows (lol just kidding)

*All of the above is based off of anecdotal evidence and the many posts, forums, and articles I’ve read about medical school admissions and these three schools.

2

if social life is important to you then go to UCLA and hope you apply for a lot of scholarships to lower the cost lol.

If not, then go to UCSD. They have good research opportunities, but I don’t think it would be any easier to get a higher GPA.