<p>I know that it is known as a "party school" but what I really want to know is what is life like for a pre-med student there? I was thinking of majoring in biology and are there any research opportunities even if they don't have a med school there? Are there any internships or volunteer opportunities nearby? Do people here get accepted to a good Med School? Also, fellow UC Santa Barbara students, how do you like it? Are people friendly? Please tell me everything or your experiences here. Thank you! Means so much to me!(: (:</p>
<p>bump bump guys! Please help me! (:</p>
<p>Like all big research schools, UCSB can be intimidating because of its size. But the students are just as friendly as on any campus; making friends isn’t any harder or easier at UCSB than anywhere else. Yes, it has a party school reputation - for good reason - but the school does offer a top-notch education to those who want it, and continues to attract some of the top students in California, partiers or not. </p>
<p>As you know, to get into med school it’s all about your GPA, particularly in hard-core sciences, and your MCAT scores - where you do your undergrad is a bit more of a secondary consideration. And while research on your resume certainly looks good, realistically it’s hard for undergrads at the big universities to land meaningful research positions/internships and med school ad coms are very well aware of that. If you don’t get to do research at UCSB as an undergrad, that doesn’t mean you won’t get into med school.</p>
<p>For what’s it’s worth, my niece is a Santa Barbara alum who transfered to UCSB after a 2-year stint in a community college. (A financial necessity.) She’s now at one of the better medical schools in the country – so it can certainly be done, even as a CC transfer. Niece didn’t have any research on her resume, but she did work part time in a doctor’s office throughout college; and while at UCSB she was a member of the biology club. She would have liked to do some volunteering, but between working part-time and studying a great deal, she simply didn’t have the time. What got her into a few of the dozen-or-so med schools she applied to were her excellent grades, her MCATS and yes, her part-time job which showed a long-standing interest in medicine.</p>
<p>All the UCs have very good biology or pre-med program. As long as you know it’s a party school and don’t party too much, you should be ahead of the curve.</p>
<p>UCSB is a wonderful choice for CA students because it has the quality of UC campus coupled with one of the few schools where the people you get to know will live near you. A population dominated by students is going to lead to a “party” reputation, but it isn’t as if they’re going to force a gun to your head to force you to take part continually; if you search the forum you’ll see there are plenty of kids going there like yourself that put academics first and foremost.</p>
<p>As katliamom pointed out, an unofficial requirement for getting into med school is volunteer or work experience in a medical environment. They want to know that you understand what you’re getting into. Research experience helps, too, but you won’t get turned down without it but they do turn down people (and tell them that’s the reason) for not having medical exposure.</p>
<p>You don’t need to major in Bio to qualify for med school; you can major in anything you want as long as you complete the 7 or so prerequisites to apply to med school. There is an excellent online guide at [Amherst</a> College Guide for Premedical Students](<a href=“http://www3.amherst.edu/~sageorge/guide2.html]Amherst”>Amherst College Guide for Premedical Students) that I strongly urge you to read thru.</p>
<p>I’m in the same boat. I’m thinking about UCSB for pre med as well. It’s a party school, but that’s only because nearly everyone that attends UCSB lives in Isla Vista (which I think is a desirable trait in determining which univ to attend. Commuter schools are no fun). So don’t be worried about the party scene. I’m not much of a partier but I know I’ll be able to find my niche wherever I end up. But don’t be afraid to have fun every once in a while. </p>
<p>Some pros for UCSB: a very healthy campus. Everyone is pretty physically fit. It’s in a beautiful setting. Lots of students just hang out outdoors playing frisbee on the beach or whatever. UCSB has a health science honors program (it’s new but sounds very appealing). With it, you can attend exclusive seminars and get mentor support from pre med advisors. </p>
<p>Socially and academically, UCSB is very desirable and prestigious.</p>