oncologist

I am currently a senior in high school and an aspiring premed student. I am considering whether to go to a UC or a private liberal arts school next fall. (More specifically, a top-notch UC such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, or UCSD versus a top-notch liberal arts college such as Amherst, Williams, or Swarthmore, which tend to be much smaller in size).

I have spoken to people familiar with the learning environment of the top-notch UC schools. Many have told me that it is in my best interest to attend a small liberal arts school if I want to pursue medicine, both for its cooperative learning environment and for its general greater rate of acceptance to medical school. I have heard that the UCs provide a cutthroat, competitive, and impersonal environment for those who wish to pursue medicine. (I'm not talking about business, economics, history, or engineering, but medicine specifically, with an emphasis on biology and chemistry).

Would anyone please support or refute this? If you have any experience with premed, UCs, or liberal arts colleges, I'd be very grateful if you could share your experiences.

Thanks!

bluebayou

unfortunately, state schools are extremely competitive, and can be cut-throat. Yes, LACs can be much more welcoming and nurturing, but so are many large, private colleges. Thus, it's not a LAC vs. big Uni, but more public vs. private, IMO. Of course, then there are the really small Unis such as Dartmouth and Wake Forest, which are LAC-like.

oncologist

Thanks, bluebayou. I had considered posing my question as Public vs Private rather than UC vs Liberal Arts; however, I felt that the environment of top privates such as Duke, Harvard, other Ivys, etc. also make it particularly difficult for premed students, especially with grade deflation and other harsh policies, not to mention the competitive nature of most of the students. I decided to focus more on liberal arts colleges. I am considering to applying to either a UC or a small liberal arts, rather than a large private.

bluebayou

You are kidding, right? At 3.6 for example, Brown likely has the highest mean gpa of any college. Harvard is known for grade inflation, as is Stanford. A professor at Duke started gradeinflation.com bcos of his concern with their policies.....

OTOH, Swat is not known for grade inflation.

oncologist

Are we talking about grade inflation here, or deflation? Pardon my naivete, but I believe grade deflation refers to the fact that only a certain percentage of students in a class are allowed to receive A's, whereas grade inflation increases the number of students receiving A's because they are more generously given.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

hmom5

Blue is talking about grade inflation at top private colleges--where it's hard to get lower than a gentleman's B and 3.5 plus is the median GPA.

My husband, who attended Berkeley, was perhaps the loudest voice encouraging our kids to attend LAC like schools.

The private schools do not have the "weeding", whereby a significant percentage of those that start as pre meds flunk out. Of course everyone does not make it to med school, but it isn't because the profs were instructed to grade on a tough curve.

There is a significant difference in cost which is a problem for many, but if you can afford them, there's no doubt the top LACs are kinder and gentler places to go to college than the UCs.

drpvv

Doesn't it seem like going to a large university in a busy area like Berkeley, LA and San Deigo rather than a small liberal arts college would provide better research opportunities (which would be better for pre-medicine)?

RML

Here's to make this shorter: if you're the type of student who wants to be pampered or needs constant supervision to thrive in school, the LACs would be a nicer place for you. But if you're the very smart and highly independent type of student, you'll do just fine at Berkeley, UCLA or UCSD and still get into a top med school.

RML

OP, watch this YouTube - Top Graduating Senior an Infectious Disease Detective, 5/08