Where should I go for undergrad - UWash or UCLA?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I am a high school senior in Washington state and I'm currently debating between UW and UCLA.</p>

<p>I am planning to go to med school, so I was wondering what you think is the best choice?</p>

<p>Arguments for UW:</p>

<p>Get to stay close to home. Lots of my friends are going to UW as well. In-state tuition is about 4 times less than out-of-state tuition for CA.</p>

<p>I also did a program in high school that allowed me to earn college credit for UW, so I could enter as a junior essentially. This would be nice because since I am going to med school and planning to do residency, I can shave 2 years from undergrad, but do med schools see this as a negative?</p>

<p>Arguments for UCLA:</p>

<p>I personally think California is a ton of fun. The campus is located in one of the most happening cities in the world. There will always be something to do. I'll get to get away from home where I can become independent and grow on my own. I already am accepted into their Biochemistry department, but will plan to transfer to Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, which is more suited for students who plan on going to med school.</p>

<p>Biggest downsides are out-of-state tuition but that isn't much of a problem, and I have to do 4 years of undergrad as opposed to 2 years at UW, but I'm sure once I get to college I won't want to leave.</p>

<p>My dad thinks I should stay home at UW because if I do medicine, I can go to UW for undergrad and have a better shot at UW med school, is this true? But then again, if I got to UCLA, I can have a better shot at UCSF's med school, or any of the other strong ones in CA.</p>

<p>Also, do top med schools on the east coast care about which undergrad I go to, or do they just care about GPA and MCAT?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>At least at private schools, you don't get much of an advantage for continuation (i.e. Duke students don't get an advantage at Duke med). However, at UCSF med, there is definitely an advantage for in-state residents. You probably cannot become one over the course of your college career.</p>

3

<p>What if I have relatives living in CA?</p>

4

<p>I don't know the specific CA residency requirements, since it's never been a question for me, but in the two states I've considered transferring my residency into (Texas, North Carolina) you are required to pay taxes for at least one year in your own name before you are permitted to become a resident. In NC, you have to work full-time for a year.</p>

5

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I just got the paperwork regarding how to establish a California residency. (It happens not to be an issue in my case, but I have the paperwork anyway.)</p>

<p>"You must be a financially independent, adult resident of California for more than one year immediately prior to the residence determination date, or a minor whose parents are California residents...</p>

<p>If you are in California solely for educational purposes, you will not be considered to have established a residence."</p>

<p>There's much more - it is a legal document after all - but it sounds to me like you cannot establish residence over the course of a college career.</p>

6

<p>One other option you may wish to consider--go to UW & get your undergrad degree. Move to CA & work there for a year & THEN apply to CA for med school. Med schools like folks who have some real world experience & perhaps you can get a job at a doc's office or research lab, which will help you in your med school recs as well. I see no good reason to rack up debt for two additional years of out-of-state tuition at UCLA, tho it is a neat place. It's a huge school & there are lots of commuters so it can be lonely for folks, especially out-of-state.</p>

7

<p>The WWAMI has a huge advantage for students of WA,WI,AK,MT and ID. They have a certain number of spots they are reserved for these residents. But even if you go to school out of state you can keep your residency and apply with the same benefits of a state resident. My advice would be go to the one you feel is the better fit for you.</p>

8

<p>Pick whichever school goes deeper in the NCAA tournament. =)</p>

9

<p>UCLA should be easier, which means you can maintain a high gpa. Good luck on your decision</p>

10

<p>


</p>

<p>That would be UCLA ;)</p>

11

<p>Seriously! What a run by both teams! I've often argued that the Pac-10 was overrated and the ACC this year was underrated - just goes to show how well I know college basketball...</p>

12

<p>The ACC is NEVER underrrated, not while Dick Vitale is still alive.</p>

13

<p>Two weeks ago, I would have said: "Please. We only got four teams into the NCAA pool. That's clearly underappreciating the nation's second-best conference this year. We clearly should have gotten more teams than four."</p>

<p>Of course, I'd have been wrong. But that is what I would have said.</p>