<p>UCLA has been ranked as one of the top-5 pre-med schools in the country. There are several internship/volunteer/research opportunities for students through the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, which is newly renovated and has been ranked as the #1 hospital on the West Coast, and #3 nationally. So to say that you’ve taken up opportunities through there will look great on a med school app. </p>
<p>The pre-med program is rigorous, but I have tons of friends who are in it, and haven’t heard many complaints. People from other schools talk about cutthroat competition, but I just haven’t seen it at UCLA. People study together in groups for exams, coordinate classes together, etc. The school in general is so laid-back, and people are so genuine, that I think it makes an intense pre-med program well worth it. </p>
<p>I really can’t speak for the program at SC, since I don’t know much about it. I do know UCLA is considered more of a research school, while (as someone said earlier), USC is very renowned for its business programs. UCLA is almost always considered the better school for pre-med, and I know my friends who chose it over the pre-med at SC seem happy with their choice.</p>
<p>USC does offer a certain program where they guarantee you admission into their med school (don’t know the particulars, but I think you have to be invited to it), so if you received that then that might be a point in their favor.</p>
<p>They’re both great schools academically, but as far as pre-med is concerned, there’s really no downside to the program at UCLA, and with it’s current reputation as one of the top 3-5 in the nation for that major, I’d advise you to give it serious consideration.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your admissions!</p>
<p>[Ronald</a> Reagan UCLA Medical Center](<a href=“http://www.uclahealth.org/homepage_med.cfm?id=264]Ronald”>http://www.uclahealth.org/homepage_med.cfm?id=264)</p>