California Medical Schools

[guppy3]

Hi Everyone!

I'm submitting my AMCAS this week and finalizing my list of schools. I really have my heart set on going to a school in California (I'm from the East Coast) for personal reasons and for the amazing research opportunities. As I've been browsing SDN, however, there are lots of posts discouraging out of state applicants from applying to CA schools--especially Stanford. Can someone explain the reason? I'm most curious about Stanford.

I got into Stanford and UCSF's summer research internship programs, but declined for one that fit my interests better. With a 3.9 GPA and 30R MCAT do I still not stand a chance?

I would appreciate any input!

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[LuciusVorenus]

Hi Everyone!

I'm submitting my AMCAS this week and finalizing my list of schools. I really have my heart set on going to a school in California (I'm from the East Coast) for personal reasons and for the amazing research opportunities. As I've been browsing SDN, however, there are lots of posts discouraging out of state applicants from applying to CA schools--especially Stanford. Can someone explain the reason? I'm most curious about Stanford.

I got into Stanford and UCSF's summer research internship programs, but declined for one that fit my interests better. With a 3.9 GPA and 30R MCAT do I still not stand a chance?

I would appreciate any input!

Most of the schools in California are part of the UC system, so they are state schools that give preference to in state students. I know for example UCI takes 1 out of state student every year or so. I have heard, however, that UCLA and UCSF tend to be slightly more lenient. I can't say anything about Stanford, but I know USC tends to be the most out of state friendly.

 

[Tapepsi]

I'd say your MCAT is what will hold you back when applying to CA med schools. If it was a 34+ and you had stellar EC's then I'd give CA a shot.

Remember, even CA residents have a very difficult time getting into their own state's schools just b/c there's so many applying from that state.

 

[rHinO1]

Hi Everyone!

I'm submitting my AMCAS this week and finalizing my list of schools. I really have my heart set on going to a school in California (I'm from the East Coast) for personal reasons and for the amazing research opportunities. As I've been browsing SDN, however, there are lots of posts discouraging out of state applicants from applying to CA schools--especially Stanford. Can someone explain the reason? I'm most curious about Stanford.

I got into Stanford and UCSF's summer research internship programs, but declined for one that fit my interests better. With a 3.9 GPA and 30R MCAT do I still not stand a chance?

I would appreciate any input!

If you are in love with the school, go ahead and apply. Just know, while a 30R is a good score (assuming it is balanced), the oos "friendly" CA schools (Stanford, UCSF, UCSD, & UCLA) turn down applicants with much better stats.

 

[guppy3]

Thank you all for giving me honest answers. I'm really regretting not re-taking the MCAT now as I can't really apply to most of the schools that I would want to go to. I was hoping that my high GPA and research experience (3+ years) would balance out my low MCAT score but it seems that isn't the case. I might apply to Stanford and UCSF as reach schools, and hope for the best without expecting much. This application process is bumming me out, and I haven't even really started!

 

[KPCOFGS]

Most of the schools in California are part of the UC system, so they are state schools that give preference to in state students. I know for example UCI takes 1 out of state student every year or so. I have heard, however, that UCLA and UCSF tend to be slightly more lenient. I can't say anything about Stanford, but I know USC tends to be the most out of state friendly.

It's more than "slightly lenient" for UCLA. They say on the website that they don't consider state residence at all!

"Residence: No preference is given to state of residence. However many applicants come from California. Acceptees from California are more likely to matriculate at UCLA. Out of 145 freshman, 85 percent were from California."

https://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/offices/admiss/admreq.cfm

I know you were going to apply there anyway, but I was surprised by this and wanted to point it out. good luck!

 

[Evergrey]

It's more than "slightly lenient" for UCLA. They say on the website that they don't consider state residence at all!

"Residence: No preference is given to state of residence. However many applicants come from California. Acceptees from California are more likely to matriculate at UCLA. Out of 145 freshman, 85 percent were from California."

https://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/offices/admiss/admreq.cfm

I know you were going to apply there anyway, but I was surprised by this and wanted to point it out. good luck!

I don't believe UCLA when they say that. UCSF *does* give in-state preference, but they have less skewed percentages of CA matriculants than UCLA, despite giving in-state preference (and being required to have something like 75% CA students). It seems likely that UCLA selects for CA applicants despite claiming they don't, maybe in order to increase retention rates? Because there are plenty of great applicants from out of CA that would love to go there, and I'm sure they wouldn't have trouble filling those spots.

 

[ceasefire]

I'd say that if you have a manuscript accepted for publication (not "in the works" or "coming out in a year or two" but accepted), you may have a shot at UCSF or Stanford--my friends that go there say they like flashy applicants. With a 30R, however, it'll be difficult because they're ultra-competitive schools.

My friend at UCSF was a non-trad (did a 2 year master of science program and then taught for another year), and he told me that his OOS peers at that institution are also mostly non-trads...if that helps you decide whether or not to apply?

Good luck!

 

[alwaysaangel]

Might as well go for it. Especially if its only 2 schools.

Just don't plan on it/get your hopes up. Unless there is an aspect of your application that is just super special (you were in the olympics, you cured HIV, you beat Serena Williams in a tennis match, you're a CIA agent, etc) then its pretty likely you will pay them their secondary fee and receive a rejection (or never receive a secondary at all from UCSF).

California residents with your stats would be unlikely to be seriously considered. Every year in California there are 4 times the number of applicants as there are spots. Half of those who apply get into medical somewhere. Only a quarter of those who apply get into a California school. Its a pretty rough market out here. But thats true for everything in Cali, residency spots are harder to get, physician jobs pay less because people are willing to make less for the privilege of living in Cali. Its just the way it is.

 

[macar91]

I'm not sure how true this is, but I heard it from a pre-med student when I was on my visit to UCLA. She said that UCLA tries to accept its own graduates for half of its open seats for med school. So if there were 300 open seats, 150 would go to UCLA grads, and the other 150 would go to other applicants.