<p>I’m currently deciding which college to attend. I’ve been looking at admission statistics for some medical schools that I like and I’ve noticed that UCSF Medical School’s class is 85 percent people from California. Does this represent heavy in-state preference (signs point to no, since UCLA Med School mentions that it does not have any state preference, so if there is preference, it certainly should be that much to make up the 85%, should it?), likelihood to enroll, or amount of applications from California. </p>
<p>I’ve gotten into UCLA and a top LAC. I’m wondering if I become an Honors student at UCLA, will I have a better chance at getting into UCSF med school than I would at the LAC that does a great job at sending students to medical school in general?</p>
<p>As the husband of a medical student, my advice to you is to stop thinking about getting into a specific medical school. The odds that you will attend any specific medical school are astronomically low, even for superstars. It’s just not worth it to plan your entire undergraduate career this way.</p>
<p>Instead, consider which school you feel will prepare you best and support you the most in your journey toward medicine. Don’t worry about UCSF-- if you’re good, you’ll apply and you’ll have a chance. That’s all there is to it.</p>
<p>^ That doesn’t answer the question. I am interested in the matter also, and if we wanted to live like overstressed students attempting to perfect everything to get into medical school - like the same we did for high school - then so be it.</p>
<p>I think that asking about a specific school like that will provide some insight as to how strongly you can use a college to prepare for medicine. It would also add a perspective to the college. But I do understand, and rest assured that I am not thinking about colleges like that and that this is just one question that will aid me in understanding the bigger pic.
Nonetheless…</p>
<p>It doesn’t make a difference where you go. You’ve probably heard this a million times, but everywhere pre-meds are ferociously competitive; doesn’t matter where you are. In the end, med schools look at what the person has, what YOU have in YOU to get into med school. They really don’t care what school you’re from; of course it does help being from a recognized school, but it does come down to your GPA, MCAT, passion, bla, bla. You know what I’m saying. HOWEVER, I feel UCLA would be a better choice as it has an on-campus hospital which will provide as a ground for a lot of opportunities [research, internships, etc.] and that might give you edge over the LAC you might attend.</p>
<p>The question itself is based on a mistaken premise, however. </p>
<p>That said, in-state will help with state med schools, if only a little.</p>
<p>However, if the OP’s goal is to attend at top flight med school (or any med school in general), then this is just an unrealistic way of looking at it.</p>
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<p>But this attitude alone won’t get you into med school.</p>
<p>You may, of course, disregard my advice, but I can assure you that my wife knows a lot more about how to get into, and succeed in med school than most people on this board. Ignore her advice at your own peril.</p>
<p>My sister got her medical degree at UCSF, and the way they handled it then was that if you came from a state that does not have its own medical (or dental) school, they considered admitting you, otherwise, they preferred California students.</p>