How important is undergrad school?

[ubermu]

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Hi everybody this is my first post. I'd like to give you some background information on my dilemma as well as introduce myself before I propose the problem I have at hand... if that's alright with you. I recently began my quest for pre-med status earlier this year when I realized the most rewarding and intriguing job was to be some sort of doctor. I have no real idea what lies ahead of me mentally and physically, but I know it will be a rewarding experience to take the challenges head on and test my ability along the way.

Next fall I'm lucky enough to have multiple UCs to transfer from a community college. Although at the time of my application I was interested in genetics I have recently felt more partial towards physiology as my major. So far I have been accepted into UCSB, UCSD and am still pending for UCLA. All this time I have been hoping to get into UCLA but feel now that I may have to make a tough decision amongst the other two options when I get my rejection notice (knock on wood).

I'm currently living at home in San Diego and would rather get out of the house to continue my studies, even if I were to go to UCSD. Normally on an educational standpoint I think it is obvious that I would choose UCSD but I know that the UCSD lifestyle may not be for me. I'm not against the intensely competitive atmosphere but I'd also like to have a socially stimulating environment, which UCSD is not exactly known for. On the other hand UCSB is known, or as I've gathered back from high school, as the party school of the UCs. I've visited there before and had a blast going to a few parties but I always thought the school wasn't challenging academically, perhaps I should have done more research on its credentials. I applied there because my friend told me to and he swears by the school, even over UCLA.

So I'm asking you guys in hopes that you're much more knowledgeable than myself. Although I think I'd feel more comfortable at UCSB I don't want to sacrifice my academic standings come time to apply for medical schools. Not that the social scene would disrupt my focus, but rather that the standing of the university would hold me back from a possible admittance. So what I'm really curious about is, does my undergrad school have a big enough impact on admissions that it would be detrimental not to take the better school?

Thanks in advance, I have a few more concerns over this issue that I'll address later because I don't want this to turn into a questionaire just yet. I really appreciate your help.

 

[Lochmoor]

I feel that if you go to a school that has a lower academic reputation, you need to have a better gpa. IE a 3.5 at Berkley carries more weight than a 3.5 at UCSB. So, in theory, at SB you'll have less "room" to make a mistake and if you do, it will affect your application more. However, if you go to SD, you'll have more competition.

I'm probably going to take some heat for my post, but that's how I feel.

 

[merkon]

i disagree with lochmoor. just go wherever you can be sure that you will have a good gpa (3.6+). school name does not matter at all. it does help if you want to go to a research powerhouse, but in terms of just getting into medical school, not so much.

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

i disagree with lochmoor. just go wherever you can be sure that you will have a good gpa (3.6+). school name does not matter at all. it does help if you want to go to a research powerhouse, but in terms of just getting into medical school, not so much.

This is mostly right. The undergrad school you went to won't really impact your application unless you're aiming for admission at the top 20 or so medical schools in the country. If you're an MSTP applicant, I heard the name of the undergrad as well as the PI in your lab are both factored into the admissions decisions. I would probably head to UCSD if I was in your shoes.

 

[Alexander99]

I feel that if you go to a school that has a lower academic reputation, you need to have a better gpa. IE a 3.5 at Berkley carries more weight than a 3.5 at UCSB. So, in theory, at SB you'll have less "room" to make a mistake and if you do, it will affect your application more. However, if you go to SD, you'll have more competition.

I'm probably going to take some heat for my post, but that's how I feel.

Berkely isn't that great of a school. It's good but not at the level of Harvard/MIT etc where you get any kind of GPA boost for going there.

 

[BaseballFan]

a way to compare the two schools, re: GPA differences:

http://www.architrave.net/college/gradeadj.htm

at least in 1997, Boalt Law saw little difference between the two of them..

 

[CalBeE]

It probably won't matter much, but here's how I look at it: If you goto say UCSD or UCLA, and start volunteering/working in the medical center at the school and get to make some good connection, it'll help to get LOR's from these people.

One of my LOR's was from a big wig guy at UCLA Med Center, and I think that, together with my undergrad ties to the school, helped me got in. (I'm an international student, and UCLA historically accepted 0-3 int'l student/year. If I weren't an undergrad here, I would have been waitlisted/rejected I believe)

 

[menemotxi]

I wouldn't worry about the reputation of your undergrad. Like merkon said, it doesn't make much of a difference as long as you do well. I just graduated from a large state school that's not considered an academic powerhouse. In fact my sophomore year we were named the #1 party school by whoever makes that list. I had a lot of fun in undergrad and still did fine with getting into medical school. I'll be attending a top 20 so don't take what BerkeleyPremed said as fact. Good luck with the whole process and remember to have fun along the way.

 

[seev99]

you should probably go to UCSB cuz it sounds like a fun place and if it's easier, that will only help you...plus i dont think UCLA has that much more of a presigious undergrad name to pull in significantly more weight...anyways as long as you have fun and are happy at ur school, that's what will make the difference, and it will show in your performance as well...auite...holla!

 

[CalBeE]

you should probably go to UCSB cuz it sounds like a fun place and if it's easier, that will only help you...plus i dont think UCLA has that much more of a presigious undergrad name to pull in significantly more weight...anyways as long as you have fun and are happy at ur school, that's what will make the difference, and it will show in your performance as well...auite...holla!

I think within California, the prestige difference among UC schools are very small, but if you go out of California, Berkeley, LA, and San Diego have much more recognition than other schools.

 

[ubermu]

What about the actual education? Even though UCSD or UCLA is held in a higher regard nationally than UCSB, does UCSB have any educational gaps that the others fill? Don't the same major undergrad courses cover the same material and use the same books? Would I be shortchanging myself intellectually by choosing one over the other, without concerning admission preferences down the road?

 

[sacrament]

I went to an utterly average state school with zero name recognition, and got into some so-called "top" programs. Which I declined to attend since the whole U.S. News rankings thing is BS pure and simple. Try to ignore the vast compendium of pre-med "knowledge" regarding undergrad school, choice of major, ECs, med school rankings, match lists, etc.

 

[Asclepius]

undergrad school is very important; you gotta go to an undergrad school. Other than that, it doesn't matter that much.