So basically I had already decided on going to UW-Madison with a Biochemistry major, but just yesterday I got off the waitlist at UCSB (pre-biopsychology major). The overall number of applicants to medical school from UW-Madison is a lot higher than those from UCSB, but the number of applications to medical school doesn’t necessarily mean the students are being accepted.
I know that both schools will be fun, but for medical school, I’ll need to gain a high GPA. At which school do you think it’s easier to do this? Base this on which place has harder teachers, more tricky tests, harsh grading policies, cutthroat competition, etc.
Do you feel that people are very competitive at either school? I’ve heard that UW-Madison is pretty laid back and that was the main reason why I picked the school, but not sure how laid back UCSB is, especially because it’s a UC and UCs are known to be extremely competitive with hard teachers who don’t care, etc etc etc.
What do you think would be the best college strictly in terms of academics, specifically premed opportunities (research, volunteer, internships, etc) and reasonable academic rigor? Don’t base your answer on the other aspects of the schools because I am pretty sure that both schools will provide a very fun experience for me.
UCSB is pretty tough to pass up! There’s a reason it’s Top 10 for happiest students…super nice students, amazing weather, incredible college town + top notch academics. If there’s a cost difference, then I can see going UW, but otherwise it would be tough to pass up. Congrats on two great choices!
If this student is OOS for UCSB and is serious about med school, then passing up UCSB is an easy choice. Being an OOS premed at a UC just brings more problems than what it’s worth.
@mom2collegekids Totally agree! If this student is OOS then UW makes complete sense. All things being equal, I agree with @PurpleTitan in that both are research powerhouses, and the student has two great choices and I don’t believe one will necessarily open more/less doors for med school. UCSB has a much smaller undergrad enrollment and obviously very different climate…just factors to consider.
I am California resident, but beside the cost difference, which would be best for a premed student as far as difficulty in achieving a good GPA, finding research/internships, getting good letters of Rec, and eventually getting into medical school?
What problems does being OOS bring at UCSB or in other words, what benefits would I gain over UW-Madison?
Is money no object? Then choose whichever one you prefer. You want to experience snow? Go to Uwisconsin. You want to be in the sun all year round? Go to ucsb. There are pros and cons for both, and both will be good for science.
If you need to borrow more than the federal limit (5.5k) to attend either one, choose the other one.
UW is a grand college and Madison is a really great, accessible town but you are at school during the cold months. You get acclimated and they plow everything including the bike paths. But it does get really really cold you will need all the right gear and will only get good weather at the beginning and end of the school year. It will cost your parents about 10k more a year and that is a lot of money. There are not too many people who can directly compare the two schools programs. I think it will be competitive for top grades at either. UW does have a hospital, I don’t know where premeds go at UCSB. LOR are sort of up to you interacting with the profs and seeking out research ops.
What problems does being OOS bring at UCSB or in other words, what benefits would I gain over UW-Madison?
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The problem with being OOS premed at a UC is that the UCs already have WAY TOO MANY premeds and the state of Calif has TOO FEW med school seats. So, why pay OOS rates at a UC when the likelyhood of getting thru the weeding process? And chances of getting into a Calif med school are so tiny.
Getting into a Calif med school is VERY difficult, even for an instate student. It’s extremely hard for an OOS student.
The “benefit” of going to UCSB over UW is cost…and travel for med school interviews.
Unless you’re very affluent, why would you pay OOS at UWisconsin?
What are your parents saying about paying $50k per year at UWisconsin???
My college roommate from UCSB is a urologist. Ironically, she went to med school in Wisconsin, and then back to CA to UCI for her residency. She had some really awesome research opportunities as an undergrad (especially in diabetes), however even though there are ample opportunities, it’s up to the student to proactively seek them out, work with the pre-med advisor, etc. I’m sure this will be the case at UW also, You’ve set yourself up with 2 great options, the rest will be up to your hard work etc once you’re there. UCSB is known for having a really friendly student body, and a very laid back vibe (professors wearing shorts, etc). So, again, I don’t necessarily believe one school is going to be “easier”. You’re comparing two schools that, at least on paper, have more similarities than differences. UW has an affiliated med school, however, UCSB is such a research oriented school that both will offer strong undergrad opportinities for motivated students. Good luck to you!
Thank you bayarearecruiter for that information, it was really helpful. Also, @mom2collegekids UW madison doesn’t cost 50k, it’s 43k total and overall the difference in cost between the two schools is only about 7k (not something to base my decision off of).
My son had to make the same decision a few weeks ago, deciding between, UW Madison, and finally UC Santa Barbara after he got in on appeal. He chose Santa Barbara. The tuition at UW Madison is slated to be going up several thousand dollars a year for the next four years, making it a bigger discrepancy between the two schools than we had originally planned on. Transportation costs will also add to the higher COA at Madison. I also have an older child who graduated UC Berkeley, and we found that the published COA of attendance at Berkeley was quite a bit higher than what we actually ended up paying, especially after she moved out of the dorms and into an apartment. Just thought I’d pass on our experience. He like both schools very much, and they are both terrific schools; we would have paid for UW but SB’s relaxed beachy vibe, equal academic excellence, and lower cost won out in the end. Just thought I’d share this personal anecdote
UW has a work hard/play hard reputation, and there are certainly kids who arrive and spend too much time on the play hard part and not enough on the work hard. My kid is a humanities major there, and has pre-med and engineering friends, and describes it as tough but not killer competitive among students. There are many many students who work hard, and don’t really play that hard (although very social, my kid has stayed in the library and worked through various big campus events because he had deadlines, and had plenty of company). Madison is a great college town, though certainly the weather can’t be confused with Santa Barbara. Madison is a huge foodie town and is the state capital, so lots going on, all the time. Campus is less diverse than some state flagships, as WI is less diverse than CA, and with 60% WI residents enrolled, it is more homogenous that a CA resident might be used to.
For a student who can easily afford the difference in in-state vs. OOS tuition, and wants to experience winter sports (hockey, ice sailing on Lake Mendota etc), UW is a great school and my kid has plenty of CA friends. If the difference is finances are significant (as they would be for many), then staying in state makes perfect sense.