UCR v UCLA Pre-Med (Seeking advice)

Chance Me / Match Me!
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1

Hello! I am a high school junior and will be graduating in 2021. With application season coming up this fall I am unsure of what schools to apply to. I am a rising pre-med student and intend to major in biological sciences. I am from the SoCal region and plan on commuting to whichever school I get into. I am indecisive between UCR and UCLA. I plan on applying to extremely competitive Med Schools like Yale, UCLA, and Kaiser Permanente.

High School Info:
GPA UW: 4.0
GPA W: 4.5
Strong extracurriculars (more than 10, medical related, state awards and national competitor, many leadership roles)

I am also enrolled in local community college classes so by the time I graduate I will be entering college as a sophomore most likely. I fear it’ll take away from my med school app since I will have one year less of experiences in clubs, research, etc but I want to try to get into Kaiser’s Med School for class of 2024 (free tuition and nearby home = dream school.) I will also be working as an EMT throughout college (I am in a high school emt program.)

Which is best for getting into top med schools?

UCR:
The school is about an hour 15 minutes away and the traffic isn’t bad. I have family I can stay with in the SB area if need be for the night.
Student population isn’t as big as other schools so that’s a plus & it is less competitive
I heard that they focus heavily on research and that’s a must for me since I will be applying to med school & I am interested in researching
The gym is absolutely amazing
I am interested in applying to clubs and starting clubs up, I heard that it isn’t as competitive so that’s a plus to earning leadership positions
School is diverse, low income, and hispanic area which I relate to
Not to sure about the social life there
I don’t mind the area, it is similar to where I live just bigger and I live in the desert area already
It doesn’t have the prestige compared to other schools but they are making their way up there
More job oppurtunities on campus
Easier to build bonds with professors = stronger reccomendation letters

UCLA:
The school is 58 minutes away but with LA traffic who knows
Student population is very large compared to UCR which is intimidating
Seen the campus and walking hills from class to class seems dreadful
Parking situation seems expensive
Heard research spots are competitive and I am not surprised considering they have the most pre med students
Worried that I won’t be able to get strong recommendation letters since lectures are so large and I won’t be able to build a strong relationship w professors
Over 1000 clubs which is amazing but since it is competitive I worry I won’t be able to get leadership or board opportunities
Social life seems great and the sporting games + school spirit is exciting but I fear it’ll be a distraction from school and my personal social life with family and relationships
I don’t mind the area, there is always something to do in LA
I can always drive up to LA regardless I am less than an hour away anyway

UCLA is the dream, but UCR seems more realistic and flexible
I fear if I go to UCR my chances will not be as high when applying to T10 med schools
I do believe it’s all about what you make of it and how much time/effort you put into things regardless where you go but I may be wrong

ANY ADVICE FROM PRE MEDS CURRENTLY AT THE SCHOOLS???

2

If you are interested in practicing medicine in inland southern California, you may be interested in this program at UCR:
https://somsa.ucr.edu/thomas-haider-early-assurance-program

Basically, you can apply to UCR a year earlier than you would ordinarily apply to medical school. If admitted, you can skip the expensive and stressful normal pre-med application process.

KP free medical school is only for students entering fall 2024 or before. You are currently a high school student who would enter college fall 2021. You may want to see if medical schools are interested in three year college graduates to begin with. All medical schools should be considered reaches (pre-meds commonly apply to dozens, but only about 40% get into any, and those who do get in usually get only one admission), but free ones like KP until 2024 or NYU will be the reachiest of reaches.

UCR medical school at about $236k-$295k ( https://somsa.ucr.edu/general-information-financial-aid ) total is not cheap, but less than about $400k that it would be for most medical schools outside of in-state UCs. UCLA medical school is similar in cost to UCR ( https://medschool.ucla.edu/current-student-budget ).

An hour or more commute seems annoying, especially if you have to drive and cannot overlay anything productive onto it (i.e. it takes two or more hours out of your day that you cannot use for academic time, pre-med extracurriculars, or the EMT job you want to get).

Also, no specific major is required for pre-med, although biology is convenient in coinciding with pre-med course requirements. But biology does not have the best job and career options at the BA/BS level if you do not get into medical school or choose not to go. If your alternate career options would require or prefer a different major, take that into consideration.

3

Be aware that college courses taken while in high school and their grades will be included in your medical school application and college GPA recalculation. If you earn all A (or A+) grades in them, that can help you preload your college GPA.

4

I would avoid UCLA. Too many other premeds to compete against. Have you thought about any small LACs in the area? They would offer a more personalized experience. And better pre-med committee letter.

75 min commute each way sounds dreadful. Doing that 5-6 days a week gets old very quickly. Med school admissions committees are always looking for the underdog. Have you thought about potentially working as an EMT full time while taking college classes part time? Although this route would be longer, it would put you in the category of a nontraditional med school applicant. And would certainly help you stand out.

Also check out the forums at student doctor. The posters there have good advce.