I am a Senior this year and am currently in the process of committing to one school. I have been admitted to UCR and UCSC from the UC system with UCI, UCSB, UCSD, and UCD all in waitlist. I am a California resident. The top schools out of state, I got into are Purdue, UIUC, and UW.
Now I have a few questions:(putting cost aside)
Which of these schools has the best pre-med program(quality of coursework, professors, etc)
I know all pre med routes are very difficult. However in which school would it be easier to get a higher GPA? I have heard that UW has very difficult coursework in comparison to others.
Which one of these Schools will help me the most in getting into med-school?
Which one of these schools will give me the most research and clinical experience?
In high school, I had a 3.9/4.4 gpa. I did go to a relatively more competitive highschool. Not sure if that makes a difference. I also would rather stay in California than out of state. However if an out-of-state school offers opportunities that will allow me to get into more and better med schools, I will take that option.
Please let me know about how I should approach this.
Which of these schools has the best pre-med program(quality of coursework, professors, etc)
you can take the required courses for medical school applicants at all of these colleges. The quality will be fine at all of them.
I know all pre med routes are very difficult. However in which school would it be easier to get a higher GPA? I have heard that UW has very difficult coursework in comparison to others.
you will need to work hard at all of these colleges. It’s not like one school will just give you higher grades
Which one of these Schools will help me the most in getting into med-school?
getting into medical school is on YOU…not the college. You will need to study hard, get great grades, score well on the MCAT, do shadowing, do patient facing work, do volunteer work with disadvantaged populations. The college wont make these things happen.
Which one of these schools will give me the most research and clinical experience?
what kind of “clinical experience” are you expecting? Re: research, it will be up to you to seek out these opportunities.
Think about this a lot. Medical schools will cost $100,000 a year or more by the time you get there…if you do. Who is going to fund that? Medical school is funded with loans, loans and more loans…and the bank of mom and dad. If there is any chance your parents can help with med school costs IF they don’t spend as much on undergrad…consider that.
Given how expensive medical school is, lower undergraduate cost may allow for lower medical school loans if you do go to medical school.
Being nearer to in-state public medical schools may also make travel to in-state public medical school interviews easier and less expensive, although that only comes into play if you apply and pass the initial application readings.
Here is the list for applicants applying for interviews starting fall 2024. No way to predict what things will be like four years from now. But virtual interviews have worked out well.
Getting into med school is on you. Successful med school applicants come all kinds of undergrads–from top brand name universities, state flagships , directional state U campuses and never-heard-of-it LACs.
The Thomas Haider EA programs at UCR is extremely selective (Only 12 chosen out 1249 applicants last year.) The program is for those who wish to serve as physicians in the Inland Empire area of CA: Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. If the student has no ties to the region, selection is extremely unlikely.