UC Berkeley Bioengineering Premed vs. UCSD NanoEngineering Premed

[BioEnanoE]

I was just notified I was admitted to Cal as a CC transfer into their Bioengineering program. Being also admitted to UCSD, I like the idea of transferring into the NanoE department and majoring in NanoEngineering if I attend. This is a very tough decision for me, since I like the reputation that comes with Cal, but I'm not sure if I am ready to move out of San Diego, where I would just commute to UCSD. I'm also very interested in the idea of Nanomedicine/Tissue Engineering, and plan on participating in research and possibly receiving an M.S. degree in Bioengineering or NanoEngineering from either UCSD or Cal through their 4+1 B.S./M.S. programs. I hope to get into an M.D. program (dream is UCSD med) afterwards and gain residency in Hematology or Cardiology, since I am attracted to the idea of a physician/research career. I plan on using my engineering background as motivation for Organ Printing and Tissue Engineering research, especially with Biotech companies such as Organovo. I currently am maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and I finished all of my premed coursework at CSULB and CC (I am well aware that adcoms are turned off by the idea of completing premed coursework at "easier" institutions such as CSU and Community College). I also recognize that my GPA will probably get chipped away at and lowered once I hit the upper-div Engineering classes. I've already visited the department at UCSD and was pretty happy with what I was seeing. However, I am not sure which program would be a better fit for Medical School preparation, knowing that both are very strong in the Biomedical sciences/Engineering, and have decent matriculation rates to Med School. I am visiting Berkeley this friday.

Any advice is much appreciated.

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[Seattle Mariners Fan]

I do not think the relative status of UCB versus UCSD is going to make any substantive difference in admissions odds to medical school. They're both highly regarded.

UCB is just short of Ivies in terms of general regard for it, but UCB is culturally eclectic. Its 30% hardcore Asian nerds, 30% social justice warriors, 20% militant blacks and latinos, some communists, fair number of anarchists, fair number of people who won't shower. If you think there's anything wrong with the video below - besides, of course, the kid imponing to wear his hair as he pleases - don't go to UCB:



UCSD is much more straight laced.

Neither has grade inflation or deflation.

Cultures as extreme as Berkeley's can either make a student feel very comfortable or very uncomfortable, and this is likely to impact performance. Meanwhile I don't think prestige of UCB versus UCSD will have any bearing on med school admissions outcomes.

Go where you'll be happiest.

 

[GreenDuck12]

ADCOMs are turned off by CC classes if 1) you are trying to avoid your home institution by taking classes in the summer/during the year or 2) there is a big drop in your performance after transferring. There really isn't a lot of evidence to suggest ADCOMs will look down on CC classes. Additionally, there is little evidence that ADCOM would look down on CSU as it is an accredited four year university that offers graduate programs. I think you need to check some of the assumptions you are making about ADCOMs and how they will view your school. Unless you are going to a truly elite university, reputation really isn't going to make a difference. There are well over 1000 institutions of higher ed in the United States, many applicants get accepted from colleges that most of us have never even heard of. Pick the place you like the most, you can best afford, and where you will have opportunities that interest you. Cal or UCSD, doesn't matter. Both will offer you the classes you are looking for and both are major research institutions. What does matter is your performance in your classes, your ECs and volunteer work, your prep for the MCAT.

 

[BioEnanoE]

I used to attend CSU Long Beach for Electrical Engineering, but transferred back to CC in San Diego due to personal issues. I also had a change of heart in what I wanted to study, as I was disenfranchised with studying electrical engineering. So my premed completion in CC isn't necessarily due to avoiding a "home institution" weeder course, but it was really because of pre-major completion for the program I wanted to transfer into from CC. Cal required of me to finish 100% of my premajor coursework in order to qualify to transfer, and that just happened to include the Calculus-Differential Equation Series, General Biology Series for majors, General Chemistry Series, and Organic Chemistry series, all of which fall under medical school required coursework. I made an assumption, as a friend of mine told me that someone from the UCSF adcom told him that they typically look down upon CSU applicants. I am not sure how true this is.

 

[BioEnanoE]

ADCOMs are turned off by CC classes if 1) you are trying to avoid your home institution by taking classes in the summer/during the year or 2) there is a big drop in your performance after transferring. There really isn't a lot of evidence to suggest ADCOMs will look down on CC classes. Additionally, there is little evidence that ADCOM would look down on CSU as it is an accredited four year university that offers graduate programs. I think you need to check some of the assumptions you are making about ADCOMs and how they will view your school. Unless you are going to a truly elite university, reputation really isn't going to make a difference. There are well over 1000 institutions of higher ed in the United States, many applicants get accepted from colleges that most of us have never even heard of. Pick the place you like the most, you can best afford, and where you will have opportunities that interest you. Cal or UCSD, doesn't matter. Both will offer you the classes you are looking for and both are major research institutions. What does matter is your performance in your classes, your ECs and volunteer work, your prep for the MCAT.

I used to attend CSU Long Beach for Electrical Engineering, but transferred back to CC in San Diego due to personal issues. I also had a change of heart in what I wanted to study, as I was disenfranchised with studying electrical engineering. So my premed completion in CC isn't necessarily due to avoiding a "home institution" weeder course, but it was really because of pre-major completion for the program I wanted to transfer into from CC. Cal required of me to finish 100% of my premajor coursework in order to qualify to transfer, and that just happened to include the Calculus-Differential Equation Series, General Biology Series for majors, General Chemistry Series, and Organic Chemistry series, all of which fall under medical school required coursework. I made an assumption, as a friend of mine told me that someone from the UCSF adcom told him that they typically look down upon CSU applicants. I am not sure how true this is.

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

Undergrads reliably overestimate the importance of undergrad prestige in pretty much everything.

Businesses don't really care that much - you can do well in business without a degree - medical schools level the playing field with the MCAT, and law schools do the same with the LSAT. Academia does care, but if you publish it won't matter.

 

[BioEnanoE]

Undergrads reliably overestimate the importance of undergrad prestige in pretty much everything.

Businesses don't really care that much - you can do well in business without a degree - medical schools level the playing field with the MCAT, and law schools do the same with the LSAT. Academia does care, but if you publish it won't matter.

I agree. Really it's about playing it safe for me. I got accepted into Engineering at Cal, but not at UCSD. I am only allowed one chance to apply for transfer into the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, and I am competing with a bunch of other undergrads for a spot. It's the second most unpopular major in the school of engineering behind engineering physics, so I feel that I have a shot at transferring into NanoEngineering, especially with a 4.0GPA and all screening courses completed. However, this still isn't guaranteed.

 

[futuremdforme]

Businesses don't really care that much - you can do well in business without a degree - medical schools level the playing field with the MCAT, and law schools do the same with the LSAT. Academia does care, but if you publish it won't matter.

Disagree on the business side - it matters more there when it comes to blind resume submissions. But those are inefficient anyway. If you know how to properly get jobs (referrals!) then it matters less.

UCSD is still a good school and being able to commute sounds positive for the OP so that sounds like a good plan to me! (And usually in the UC Berkeley vs anything threads, I vote UCB.)

 

[Petypet]

Go with the cheaper option.