UCLA vs. USC for Pre-Med

WayOutWestMom
Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:01:46 +0000

Take pre-med out of the equation–now which school you prefer?

Most freshmen pre-meds (60-75%) never actually apply to med school because they find other interests/passions along the way.

Choose the school the offers the best combination of

Fit–because happier students do better academically/ (And there is empiracle evidence to back that up!) Also because undergrad is 4 years of your life, you should enjoy it.
Opportunity – these include getting involved on campus activities (because adcomms want well rounded individuals who have interests besides science/medicine); getting to know your professors (who will write your LORs for med or grad schools); getting involved in research experiences (expected pre-med EC); finding places to volunteer in both a clinical and a non-clinical capacity (expected pre med ECs); exploring other interests and career options (not only do most pre med not apply to med school, but 60% of those who do apply don’t get accepted)
Cost– med school is hideous expensive so pre med are strongly advised to minimize undergrad debt