<p>If anyone could offer some advice on this issue that would be great...</p>
<p>My daughter, graduating next month, is a Neuroscience major, though not in premed. She was also accepted to UCLA, UCB and a couple of Ivies but has no regrets or second thoughts about having chosen USC, where she has been very happy and has done very well. Advantages at this school include:
The non competitiveness and collaboration amongst students within the science fields, the easy accessibility of TA study groups, professors have always been very willing to help/guide and available, and get to know you personally, lots of opportunities for research throughout the academic year as well as in summer, the accessibility of funds for one’s own research, the ease with which one can have personal guidance, change majors, or double major/minor, and the opportunity for study abroad. Daughter’s friends who are premed have expressed the same satisfactions. Best of luck in your choice…both are great schools.</p>
<p>UCLA may have better reputation for premed, but USC is rising. You will be fine with either school if you do well. The competition for premed at USC can be high since they now have many talent students. It is not easy to get all A’s, depending on your ability and your luck with teachers (professors and TAs). It is true with any school I suppose.</p>
<p>Undergraduate Reseach opportunities are there at USC but you have to seek out for it. It can be hard and can be easy. you need to write to many professors before you can get an answer. Some professors are very nice to work with and helpful.</p>
<p>As a pre-med student here at USC, I can assure you that maintaining a high science g.p.a. takes a lot of hard work and effort. USC has become a very competitive environment for pre-med since about 25 percent of the entering freshman class has declared an interest in medicine. </p>
<pre><code> As a result, there have been many whisperings by my fellow freshman and sophomore peers that the introductory sciences have gotten much more rigorous than in the past in an effort to weed students out. I have many anecdotal examples of students with 5’s on AP chem/bio and A’s in their respective AP classes dropping BISC 220 and Chem 105a/b (freshman biology and chemistry classes). For some reason, people think that the pre med environment at USC is easier than at UCLA, and those same students are weeded out.
However, with that being said. USC is still a better pre-med school because of its tutoring, supplemental instruction, and professors of the highest caliber teaching these freshman level science classes. I know from friends over at UCLA that SI and tutoring services is not available for everyone but spots are limited.
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<p>Hey 10ninja, how is the premed environment for the non-science majors? Is it possible to get A’s in those courses with hard work, or is it almost impossible with the curves?</p>
<p>I want to do FSH but cannot because of the non-science major.</p>
<p>Hey boomboom3! I am glad you asked this question! </p>
<pre><code>The pre-health classes are inundated with students that have taken AP Bio/Chem/Physics so I, at first was extremely intimidated not haven taken any AP or honors science classes. However, after putting in the hours, getting tutoring, attending SI and studying very diligently for chem and bio, I have gotten A-'s and B+'s in these classes so far giving me a very respectable science g.p.a. of a 3.5 so far.
The averages for my bio and chem classes so far have been in the 50-60 % range so there are very nice curves on tests. (I am not too familiar with FSH since I am taking the non honors versions of these classes) I think that the curves are better for FSH honors classes but the tests are much harder (but again, I am not too sure).
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<p>So…YES! Put in the hard work (and I really mean hard work) and you can do it! Take advantage of the free tutoring, free SI sessions, and you will do it! I am a very firm believer in that!</p>
<p>Great! Thanks! I am literally willing to do anything I need, even if it means a very small social life. However, will these classes restrict me from greek life (its fine if they do but I do not want to rush if it means bad GPA) :P</p>
<p>I am not too familiar with how the pledge process works but some of my friends pledged and are now in sororities and fraternities so I know that the process is really stressful and time consuming. Personally, I think the semester you decide to pledge/rush you shouldn’t overload on science classes. Just pick one science class and fill the rest with G.E.'s. Remember, pre-med (or college for that matter) is not a race. Take things slow your freshman year as you learn how to study and manage your time.
You won’t have to give up your social life and still succeed in your classes!–I haven’t and neither of my friends who are all going into their junior years as pre-meds. Just manage your time!</p>
<p>Great! Yeh… basically from what I have researched I am definitely gonna take things slow with just Chemistry first semester, Then chem and physics second, physics bio third, bio ochem, and ochem/psych/sociology for the new MCAT</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter. Both schools are going to be extremely difficult for biochemistry. Go to the school you feel most comfortable at and will be the happiest at.</p>
<p>In the end, all that matters is your GPA, MCAT score, personal statement, volunteer/shadowing and research experience, and how well you articulate yourself in the interviews.</p>
<p>@boom-- you will need to take a full year of bio, full year of chem, full year of physics, full year of ochem. Most pre-meds take both chem and bio together freshman year and Ochem and physics together soph year. You can string it out a bit if you are planning on a single major in STEM. If you are double majoring or have a more extensive major (requiring more classes, like the Neuroscience BS) you will need to make a 4 year plan to make sure you can fit in all pre-med req. necessary to prep for MCAT. </p>
<p>Although the prestige of the school isn’t a major factor in med school admissions, your school choice is still important. You should make sure your school is financially a good choice, it is a good fit for you socially/personally so you will be happy (taking hard pre-med classes might not make you happy all the time, so you need something else to do this), good pre-med advising and support (USC is excellent here), and availability of access to pre-med EC’s (again, USC makes this easy and often provides transportation!).</p>
<p>When S investigated his choices he looked for these items and ended up at USC (over HYPS, UC’s, etc…). He is thriving and feels he made a great choice.</p>
<p>@sportsmomma - not anymore. The New MCAT, as of now, requires all that you said plus Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics. Because of this, Students from my year onward will be unable to do the plan you said and take the MCAT before Junior year. Hence, most people will have to stirng it out and probably cut it close to NOT going to Med School right after Undergrad. Because I am also an Econ Major, not science major, Its going to be extremely difficult, so I dont mind having a year in between.</p>
<p>However, the New Mcat MIGHT do away with the second semester of O-chem and possibly the second semester of Gen-Chem, which would be fabulous.</p>
<p>OH and Biochemistry -____- stupid MCAT.</p>
<p>I didn’t say that was ALL you had to take, lol–just responding to your post where you mentioned taking a semester of certain things and not a year. Wanted to make it clear that as of now, you need the whole year of certain courses. Many med schools also require calc and Keck requires 30 units of humanities. Of course these are changing requirements (especially for students like you who may take the new MCAT)and students should be well advised to check the requirements of each med school.</p>