UNC vs UVA vs Berkeley

I am currently deciding between these 3 schools, have toured all 3, and am still very unsure of which to choose. All are OOS for me, and I am looking to be on a pre-med track and major in neuroscience and minor in a foreign language. Any advice on these 3 schools in general and anything to do specifically with pre med would be greatly appreciated.

What are the costs for all 3 schools? Medical school is expensive.

As far as pre-med, I can speak for UNC. My D is there as an OOS student. She has maintained an outstanding gpa, but she also works consistently and doesn’t fall behind. She is very good at managing her time. She volunteers and is involved in many things both on and off campus, has done/is doing research, and has had two summer research positions. From what I understand, research is not necessary for medical school…but it was an interest of hers. Intro science classes were large, but they will be large at all 3 of your choices. Her classes became progressively smaller ( much smaller) once these intro classes were finished. Professors have always been available and she is very close with several of them.

The school puts caps on OOS acceptances, which means most first year students come from N.C. D has many friends from N.C…but she also has lots of friends from all over the country…and a few from other countries. The student population is economically diverse…much more so than my other child’s state school. D welcomes this diversity and was what she wanted when looking at schools. And of course…you can’t ignore basketball.

If you have any questions…please ask. Congrats on all of your acceptances.

All excellent! Congrats. Assuming cost is close among the three, I would go with fit. Which school thrills you the most? Of course travel is an issue. Do you prefer one coast from the other?

UVA and UNC are pretty similar, but I would say UNC has more of a down to earth vibe while UVA is more preppy and snobby around the edges – Jefferson’s university is a common mantra. (I have found Virginia in general is really into Virginian history and historical figures!) That said – both are great public flagships that draw very talented students of all types so you will find your people.

Charlottesville will be colder b/c of the mountains, but great nearby hiking.

UNC is one of the top 5 NIH (and other) funded medical research centers in the country so there’s lots of research and opportunity available because of that.

Chapel Hill is a distinct college town but with Durham, RTP, and Raleigh next door there’s a much larger metro area compared to Charlottesville, easier access to bigger airport, etc. RDU is a pretty price competitive airport w/ lots of affordable flights up and down the East coast.

Berkeley is the biggest, the most diverse, and I would guess the most expensive of the 3 options. I’ve heard UCs can be pretty competitive/intense to get really good GPAs which is what you need for med school. Northern California is obviously a beautiful place to live and will be the most cosmopolitan of the 3 choices.

The bottom line to me is West coast vs. East coast. If you want east coast I would choose UNC b/c its vibe and location is more appealing to me – but it’s obviously a personal preference.

Congrats on your success and 3 great options and let us know what you decide!

Uva Student here about to graduate- and U.Va is definitely not snobby. The school is a historical site so it just takes pride in its unique history. I also have a cousin that goes to Berkeley, and it’s great for engineering but also extremely stressful academically. When she visited me at U.VA she had a blast, mostly because of the “work hard” “play hard” balance. Do not regret a minute of my four years here.

Berkeley does not have a neuroscience major at the undergrad level. They do have neurobiology.

You have three very excellent choices here, so I’m just writing to address the misconception that UVA is largely populated by pretentious, drunken, frat-guy preppies. And I know of what I speak, having traveled from Nevada/Arizona to attend UVA Law, and now having two First Year sons on Grounds.

Last year, my sons were struggling with the college selection process as well. UVA was appealing to both of them due to the rigorous (but not anxiety-producing) academics, the high level of student involvement on Grounds (clubs, intramurals, outdoor recreation, etc), the excitement and comraderie of Division I sports, and the excellent rankings UVA boasted in their areas of interest.

What held them back, however, was the perception that UVA was over-run with partying, preppy Greeks. My guys don’t drink, weren’t interested in the Greek system, and could not at that time tell you what critter can be found on a Vineyard Vines tee. Eventually, they opted to believe those who advised that, with 14,000 students and 600+ clubs and organizations, they would find their peeps.

Almost precisely one year later, I am happy to report that they’ve found many peeps and had an amazing time. In terms of student involvement, they write for the school paper, perform with an improv group, participate in a club sport, volunteer coach local kids in the club sport, and are involved in clubs that enjoy film and strategy games. Beyond that, they’ve been to more than their fair share of UVA athletic events, played intramurals, attended concerts at JPJ, learned Spikeball, attended speaking events dealing with politics, law, media, comedy, and the arts, had Marvel movie nights, gone apple-picking, attended festivals on the downtown mall, wandered the Corner in search of wings and sushi, taken day trips to amusement parks, and hiked Skyline Drive.

UVA admits and nurtures all kinds of students. I won’t (and can’t) say a single negative thing about UNC or Berkeley. But don’t reject UVA on the basis of outdated stereotypes. (Though, for the record, my sons now own several VV tees — with the grinning whale on the pocket — and do refer to campus as “Grounds.” What can I say? Mr. Jefferson’s University is entitled to some traditions…). Good luck!

Cal Berkeley is extremely competitive for premed. It makes no sense to pay OOS tuition just to join that gauntlet.

Unless you are an international, hopefully, you applied to your instate public bcos that is the best deal for a premed.

I don’t get all these “stressful” and “competitive” comments about Berkeley. Replace Berkeley with a top tiered Ivy League school. Now what would the choice be?

“Now what would the choice be?” Depends on whether you want an unnecessarily stressful college experience. When a law firm is recruiting, they hire bright, personable people from top-tier law schools. No bonus points are given if you come from a school that is known for applying unnecessary rigor, or having students who are anxious and tend to undercut one another. I remember being interviewed by a prominent NY law firm where a half-dozen associates and partners warned me that I would get great training but that everyone hates the experience and I should be prepared to cry. Often. Ummm… Then I interviewed with a top DC firm that extolled collaborative training, an intensely academic environment, a focus on mentorship, and a proven commitment to pro bono. Picked the DC firm. Didn’t cry once, and it remains one of the most highly-regarded firms in the country. Being miserable doesn’t equate to being well-educated.

Cal is the most urban campus of the three; all good; UNC usually is the “kiplinger’s best value” and I think UNC is cheapest OOS. If it were me I would either pick UNC or Cal depending on coastal or urban/suburban preference. UNC has a much larger research operation than UVA for biomedical students looking for laboratory research opportunities. UNC and I think UVA both have hospitals/med schools on campus too.

UNC & UVA are truly peer schools and have more commonalities than differences. You will get stellar academics and school spirit from both. Just speaking from visiting both, I prefer Chapel Hill more than Charlottesville. I just felt a little less in “the middle of nowhere” than Charlottesville. RTP is a cool and growing place to be and is much more populated. I would go where you find a good fit but I vote UNC here. Can’t go wrong academically though, both are as prestigious as flagship state schools get.

Professor, as you know, premeds are gunning for A’s against the competition.

UNC top quartile: 1270 SAT, 26 ACT
Cal top quartile: 1480 SAT, 35 ACT

Cal is the largest of the 3 and would be the least personal for premed. And most competitive. I prefer UVA to UNC but a personal choice. All three excellent schools and anyone would like any of them.

@bluebayou – Um, that UNC data is way off.

UNC top quartile for Class of 2022 was SAT 1470 and ACT 33

(Also, 78% in top 10% of their class and 14% ranked 1 or 2)

https://admissions.unc.edu/apply/class-profile-2/

@bluebayou where do you get your UNC numbers from? It is completely off and makes no sense.

@fancypants2019 looks like @bluebayou mistook the bottom quartile with the top. I don’t think the worst community college would have those figures as their 75th percentile.

They can all be fine choices. Pre-med will be challenging no matter where you go. You will need to do well and have good MCAT scores regardless. Choose the one where you feel you’ll fit in and thrive (assuming the financial situation is the same). Don’t over analyze small details. If you’re indifferent between them, pick and don’t look back.

Actually, a lot of non-flagship state universities have 75th percentile ACT scores of 26 or lower. It is only on these forums where most students are trying for the most selective colleges that 26 ACT is a “bad” score.

@ucbalumnus . . . that’s a great point and thank you for the correction. A 26 is indeed a good score.