getting into cali. schools when you aren't a cali. resident

[LauraMac]

---

Members do not see this ad.

i'm sure people are sick of talking about this, but what does it take to get into the cali. schools if you are not a resident? i've heard that at some it doesn't matter where you are from, but that at others it does. and they are all super competitive, at least that's what i heard. i have a decent gpa, will probably end up with a good mcat, have decent volunteer and research experience, but i don't think there's anything outstanding about me in terms of a med school application. do you think i would have a chance in any cali. schools? which are the easiest and which are the hardest to get into?

thanks for any advice and sorry for asking about something that i'm sure everyone has asked about before.

 

[jlee9531]

there is no easy california school to get into. california residents themselves have a hard enough time as it is to try and get accepted.

if you have a connection with california in someway that helps. if your parents are residents here then thats good cause i still think that makes you a legal resident here as well since your parents pay taxes im assuming.

but anyways...if you are actually a non-cali resident then it is very tough to get in california. usc and stanford are private institutions that are probably open to applicants outside of ca.

ive seen stanford accept 60% out of state...

ucdavis and irvine only accepts like a miniscule amount or none at all out of state...

ucla is kinda receptive to out of staters...ive seen them accept bout 25% out of state...

ucsd less than 10% of their acceptances come from out of state...

ucsf 30%

usc 15%

all numbers thanks to brettp11's post of the applied interviewed accepted thread...

 

[ms. a]

I have to disagree with the cali connection being helpful. I was born and raised in California - was a resident for 23 years. My parents still live in the same house in Sacramento. The year I had to switch to TX residency (I moved here for a job after graduation), I applied to the CA state schools, and even though my numbers were the same, if not better than them, I didn't get so much as a secondary. On the other hand, Yale, Penn, Baylor and Stanford were much more interested, so it's not as if I were chopped liver.

So, no, unless you are definitely considered a resident, you don't have a very good chance. And even when you are, as many people have said, it's not that much easier.

 

[Jalby]

If you want to go to USC as an out of stater, you need at least a 3.45 and a 32 to be considered for an interview (rough numbers from the number's I have). I'd say you need a 3.6+ and about a 34 to be gaurunteed an interview.

 

[CalBeE]

Connection may matters at at least one UC--UCLA. I'm an international applicant and the UC's are well-known for not being receptive to people like myself.

However, I'm an undergrad at UCLA, and I do believe that helps land me an early interview there (November). Now I may not get in, but I think the connection helped for non-Cali residents.

 

[exmike]

dude, cali RESIDENTS are asking the same question as you.

 

[LauraMac]

thanks for your thoughts everyone. i don't think i have a chance, but i'm sure i'll still apply. how nice it would be to live in warm weather year round!

good luck to everyone who wants to be in california for med school!

 

[missbonnie]

Originally posted by Jalby
If you want to go to USC as an out of stater, you need at least a 3.45 and a 32 to be considered for an interview (rough numbers from the number's I have). I'd say you need a 3.6+ and about a 34 to be gaurunteed an interview.

Hmm, didn't know that USC gave some pref. to cali residents? Although from recent admissions stats, it looks like that some pref. is given.

Is this because USC thinks that out of staters are less likely to make the big move to cali?

 

[hoping2004]

lauramac - definitely give cali a try. i was told by most that i was dreaming ot apply to to cali, but i still did and somehow got in. how, i don't know. keep up the grades, score high on the MCAT (although, mine was only average...so maybe not so important?), and continue on with your volunteer interests and research. good luck!!

 

[loomis]

i'm from ny and have been lucky enough to have been accepted to several CA schools. my numbers were slightly above average but i think what helped me out was that my reasearch interests made for a good fit at those 2 particular institutions. it's definitely worth a shot!!!! best of luck!!