I recently got accepted to both schools and am having a lot of trouble deciding, mainly because of the cost. UCONN is 8000/year for tuition, room and board, and extra costs (my dad works there so I get free tuition and I got a $26000 scholarship). UCLA is 50k/year for everything but has better academics and would probably have tons more internship opportunities. I’m middle class (about $140k combined income but my parents are separated). Is UCLA worth the debt if I’m going to med school as well? And how do the premed programs compare?
Given how expensive medical school is, it would be a much better idea to save the $168,000 for medical school.
Any college in the country can teach the lower-division science courses required to apply to med school. They have no pixie dust at ucla that makes it easier to learn, nor will they teach anything other than any other college using the same group of undergrad math/science textbooks. As for “premed programs”, you’re joking, right? Sign up for the classes you need to apply and you’re a “premed”. There is no special “premed” program. Most of what they do is make some pamphlets available; if you want a more comprehensive version of what they’ll tell you read thru https://www.rhodes.edu/content/health-professions-advising-hpa on the “PreMed Essentials” link and you know everything they’ll tell you. Each of your colleges will have an advisor available to talk to in person but I don’t see how that rises to the level of a “program”.
That all said, pick ucla. As a CA taxpayer I’m on a mission to raise $1million/year for the UC system and all I need is 20 OOS kids to attend any UC campus. I hope you’ll be one of them! Sure you’ll be taking the same crowded classes and getting no more personal attention than you would at Uconn, but think of the CA kids your dollars will help!
UCONN!!! For premed you don’t want to go into debt at all!!! at alll!!!
You will probably have to take on debt for med school.
Ask your parents if they would put some of the college funds aside for med school if you get in if you go to UCONN.
I doubt that UCLA has better academics. Why do you think that?
What are your parents saying?
There’s nothing good about being an OOS premed at UCLA…only negatives.
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Is UCLA worth the debt if I’m going to med school as well? And how do the premed programs compare?
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Oh wow…missed this.
NO NO NO. And I’m guessing your parents will know better than to cosign those crazy loans.
UCLA does not have a premed program. I doubt UConn does either. Do you know what being premed means?
Premed is just some REGULAR classes that the OTHER STEM students are also taking. Nothing special, not a program.
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probably have tons more internship opportunities. I'm middle class (about $140k combined income but my parents are separated).
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I doubt that UCLA would have “tons more internship opportunities”. Actually, since UCLA has way toooo many premeds, it’s probably much harder to get research opps.
Since your parents are separated, and you get free tuition at UConn, I doubt that they’ll support attending UCLA.
How much will your parents pay for college?
Med schools care about GPA and MCAT scores. Do you have a better chance of having a higher GPA at UCONN? Many state medical schools give preference to instate applicants: https://www.amherst.edu/campuslife/careers/act/gradstudy/health/guide/part2/appendix
I would not go into debt as an undergrad.
There are 4 claims in the original post
- UCLA is 50k/year for everything
- UCLA has better academics
- UCLA would probably have tons more internship opportunities
- how do the premed programs compare?
Every single one of them is wrong or simply a guess.
OP, do your poor folks a favor and go to UConn. A post I read here said that at many colleges 1/4 of entering frosh are “premed” and 4 years later only 1/4 of them actually apply to med school. Talk is cheap; saying “I’m premed” doesn’t cost anything or irretrievably commit to anything, and hey, being a doc sounds like a good thing. Then the kids find out the challenge of the classes, and maybe find out too that the life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Nothing really lost.
But not in your case. You want to commit to a quarter-million dollars in expense on what seems like a whim.
(1) the cost of UCLA according to their website for OOS students is $61K in dorms or $57K in apartments. It comes down to $52K if you live with relatives, but you didn’t say you are going to do that.
(2) how could you possibly be in a position to “know” that the undergrad instruction at UCLA is better?
(3) why is there any reason to believe hospitals and science labs are more welcoming at UCLA than UConn? Likely its a tossup.
(4) there is no such thing as a “premed” program
I understand people’s rationale here that if OP does go pre-med, it’s not worth the debt to go to UCLA over UConn. But doesn’t the possibility that OP changes their mind warrant some consideration? I think a lot of people start out pre-med and finish as something else entirely, and in that scenario I can imagine UCLA being a better choice. All in all I think this is just a question of how much debt OP is willing to take on, which is something that they can be advised on but also ultimately a matter of personal preference.
Debt greater than the federal direct loan limit would require parent loans or parent cosigners, which is generally a bad idea.
Unnecessary undergraduate debt for a fancier name? Makes no sense, even if you change your mind about med school.
We can argue about the difference in academics, but the bottom line is that you can get an excellent education at UConn- and UCLA simply isn’t $200,000 better than UConn. If money wasn’t an issue it would be fine, but it is an issue. Do the math: who is going to pay that debt? Read [url=<a href=“http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/apr/03/student-debt-america-six-figures%5Dthis%5B/url”>http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/apr/03/student-debt-america-six-figures]this[/url] for a little reality check.
Actually the cut-throat competition in UCLA, among pre-meds, could ruin all your chances for medical school, while you are ending up with a $200,000 debt for nothing!
@sam998 No…UCLA would not be worth it, at all, even if the student changed his major.
What major do you think would make UCLA worth $175k+ more than UConn???
UConn.
Premed at a UC is incredibly tough, not because of the classes (keeping a med school worthy GPA in your required classes is tough anywhere, UCLA’s not worse or better on that account) but because of the lack of personal adviser, huge classes which mean general letters of recommendation, no pre-health special advising with interview rehearsals and special opportunities, etc. It’s really like playing the lottery - we’re talking 95% would be premeds never ending up in a CA med school - but if you’re instate, the opportunities, choices in major after you switch, and the cost, make it all worthwhile. As an OOS student, who has to pay 60K? It’s insane. It makes no sense whatsoever, especially since you have a scholarship at UConn.
Do you have other affordable choices, beside UConn?
UConn.
@mom2collegekids I am of generally the same mindset as you, I personally could not afford the difference. Having known a lot of people who have gone to UConn though (I’m from Connecticut), I can see a lot of reasons why people would go out of their way to avoid it and go to UCLA. Some people are less averse to debt than I am and the OP’s financial situation is a lot better than mine so I can vaguely imagine UCLA being worth it for them. Again though, I mostly agree with the general consensus.
Much as I love UCLA, that is way too big a cost difference to overlook. Go to UConn and graduate debt- free!
Well, if not UConn for free, (considering UCLA for premed is insane, you’re better off playing the lottery when you’re OOS), does OP have other choices?