UC Berkeley vs UCLA for Pre-med

[midnightcoffee3684]

Hi everyone, as the title indicates I was admitted to both UCB and UCLA for undergrad with a major in Integrative Biology for Berkeley and Biology for UCLA, but I can't decide where to go. Honestly I'd be fine with either living in Berkeley or in Westwood, but I'm wondering which college would better prepare me for and give me the best chances of getting into a more competitive medical school?

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[Toutie]

Hi everyone, as the title indicates I was admitted to both UCB and UCLA for undergrad with a major in Integrative Biology for Berkeley and Biology for UCLA, but I can't decide where to go. Honestly I'd be fine with either living in Berkeley or in Westwood, but I'm wondering which college would better prepare me for and give me the best chances of getting into a more competitive medical school?

Both will prepare you well. If you do well and can put a strong application together, you would have great chance from either school. Keep in mind that both are also known for grade deflation...especially Berkeley.

 

[wwen]

Guy's. I'm in exactly the same position! Can someone give me more info on the grade deflation topic? So like if you get an A you get a B. If so, that sucks.
Also what Pros and Cons would there be for each school for a pre-med major? Which is more fun?

This also leads me to ask Which schools have the best grade inflation policy?

 

[efle]

Both schools suffer deflation and have an absolutely massive number of premeds! Neither should be picked based on being easier/harder - they're going to be similar, with the courses you take deciding the challenge level for the most part.

Do they cost the same? Is one much closer to home? Do you like super liberal hippy vibes? Are you really into football?

 

[sss1219]

Was going through this same decision 5 years ago. Both are very high up and very competitive for premed. I'd say it's more of a lifestyle choice if anything - visit both and see which you fit with. I was from the south so the liberal feeling at Berkeley was pretty shocking and I ended up in LA, and loved all 4 years there.

Besides this, I would recommend strategically planning your major because they are both insanely difficult schools. PM if you have any questions or need recommendations about UCLA.

 

[wwen]

i think i'm gonna start a new thread so delted this msg.

 

[efle]

cost is same. neither is close to home. i'm semi-conservative but i think hippies and libs are funny and don't mind difference of opinion.

sports fan wise not super intense, but I think college sports will be different cuz I think i'll actually care.

i hear girls at UCLA are hotter on avg than Cal? If average at UCLA was like a 7 what would Cal be? Know this may be kinda immature, but just so split between the schools...

Also how does Greek life compare at the two schools?

Also if somehow I were to switch to finace major (unlikely chance) would one school be superior for that?

Hah, hope you mean that. Berkeley is about as liberal as it gets!

I grew up in SoCal, the only place that had more attractive young people on average that I've seen was Scandinavia. But, both schools are 20-30,000 people age 18-22, you aren't going to have any trouble finding your type at either, especially if you're running with the Greek crowd. Both will also have more than enough Greek life. These places are HUGE. Any time you want a party, there will be one.

I believe Berkeley has one of the best regarded undergrad business programs.

If you're after the social scene like big sporting events, beaches, nightlife, awesome weather, go UCLA. If you want the most prestigious name and smartest peers, go Cal. You'll be able to find what you want at either one.

 

[Toutie]

Cal is great if you prefer girls with hairy armpits. 😉 (it's a very long standing UCLA joke about Cal girls) (and one that is not entirely untrue) 😛

 

[wwen]

Hah, hope you mean that. Berkeley is about as liberal as it gets!

I grew up in SoCal, the only place that had more attractive young people on average that I've seen was Scandinavia. But, both schools are 20-30,000 people age 18-22, you aren't going to have any trouble finding your type at either, especially if you're running with the Greek crowd. Both will also have more than enough Greek life. These places are HUGE. Any time you want a party, there will be one.

I believe Berkeley has one of the best regarded undergrad business programs.

If you're after the social scene like big sporting events, beaches, nightlife, awesome weather, go UCLA. If you want the most prestigious name and smartest peers, go Cal. You'll be able to find what you want at either one.

haha kinda want both. does the name matter for med school?

regarding the social scene how much worse is Berkeely than LA? Sorry i like the 1-10 rating for perspective. If UCLA was ~ a 9 in social scene. Then what would Berkeley be?

regarding the lib factor. i'm actually quite conservative. like if ted cruz was a 10. i would be a strong 7 weak 8. but i honestly have no problem with libs...at least so far.

Cal is great if you prefer girls with hairy armpits. 😉 (it's a very long standing UCLA joke about Cal girls) (and one that is not entirely untrue) 😛

damn bro thats a deal breaker. 🙁

 

[efle]

haha kinda want both. does the name matter for med school?

regarding the social scene how much worse is Berkeely than LA? Sorry i like the 1-10 rating for perspective. If UCLA was ~ a 9 in social scene. Then what would Berkeley be?

regarding the lib factor. i'm actually quite conservative. like if ted cruz was a 10. i would be a strong 7 weak 8. but i honestly have no problem with libs...at least so far.

damn bro thats a deal breaker. 🙁

The difference between UCLA and Cal won't matter much for med school. To laypeople though, Berkeley has an instant recognition like Ivy League does, UCLA isn't quite to that level. To some people in highschool that mattered a lot (I knew people making choices like Berkeley or Cornell above cheaper but less known names like Vanderbilt).

Depends what you want to be doing. If you're the type to kick back in a dorm or apartment with friends, there won't be much difference. If you're the type to go out clubbing four nights a week or want to be on a nice beach every weekend, then UCLA is much better. Are you going to have a car?

Oh man if Cruz sounds like anything but a psychopath to you then you'll be getting some major culture shock, even at UCLA. Going to have some good late night political discussions where you're outnumbered!

 

[ZedsDed]

regarding the lib factor. i'm actually quite conservative. like if ted cruz was a 10. i would be a strong 7 weak 8. but i honestly have no problem with libs...at least so far.

They both have strong Young Republicans organizations and apparently manage to attract some pretty prolific speakers (Dennis Prager, Scott Walker, Ben Shapiro, etc.) I think you'll be fine, though possibly less popular with the ladies than you would be otherwise...

 

[WorldIsFlat]

For premed in either school, you have to think ahead of your course load and schedule. I know a friend's kid dropped out of Berkeley due to cutthroat competition, and the main problem was that he had trouble to even register into certain pre-med courses with HUGE number of other pre-med fighting for the seats.

 

[wwen]

The difference between UCLA and Cal won't matter much for med school. To laypeople though, Berkeley has an instant recognition like Ivy League does, UCLA isn't quite to that level. To some people in highschool that mattered a lot (I knew people making choices like Berkeley or Cornell above cheaper but less known names like Vanderbilt).

Depends what you want to be doing. If you're the type to kick back in a dorm or apartment with friends, there won't be much difference. If you're the type to go out clubbing four nights a week or want to be on a nice beach every weekend, then UCLA is much better. Are you going to have a car?

Oh man if Cruz sounds like anything but a psychopath to you then you'll be getting some major culture shock, even at UCLA. Going to have some good late night political discussions where you're outnumbered!

Probably not clubbing four nights a week. damn, i wana graduate . I could get a car, but both schools don't recommend 1st years to get cars so idk. I like the option of the beach.

So is the instant name recognition just for personal pride when it comes to medical school since there isn't that much diference between Cal & UCLA for medical school recognition?

 

[wwen]

They both have strong Young Republicans organizations and apparently manage to attract some pretty prolific speakers (Dennis Prager, Scott Walker, Ben Shapiro, etc.) I think you'll be fine, though possibly less popular with the ladies than you would be otherwise...

i'll keep that in mind. i don't really try to persuade other people to side with me politically so its not rly an issue haha i just keep it to myself.

 

[wwen]

For premed in either school, you have to think ahead of your course load and schedule. I know a friend's kid dropped out of Berkeley due to cutthroat competition, and the main problem was that he had trouble to even register into certain pre-med courses with HUGE number of other pre-med fighting for the seats.

sounds very rough and what I was afraid of from Berkeley. seems there not only lacks pre med courses but also pre med related opportunities like hospital/clinical undergrad opportunities. I talked to the rep/alumni and they say you may have to got to UCSF, Stanford, UC David for med volunteering that kinda sucks.
how about research opportunity availability? I believe Berkeley is one of the top research institutes nationwide.

 

[Toutie]

Probably not clubbing four nights a week. damn, i wana graduate . I could get a car, but both schools don't recommend 1st years to get cars so idk. I like the option of the beach.

So is the instant name recognition just for personal pride when it comes to medical school since there isn't that much diference between Cal & UCLA for medical school recognition?

You really won't need a car at either school. Cal has BART, which is a fantastic transportation system around the Bay Area. UCLA does not have a great mass transit system near by (yet...Metro expansion is still about 15- 20 years away from Westwood). Other parts of LA are served fairly well by Metro though. There are a ton of buses that run down Wilshire Blvd to the beach in Santa Monica...so it's super easy to get to the beach w/o a car. Plus finding parking is huge issue at UCLA...I'm sure it is at Cal too.

Competition will be tough. Both schools have a ton of pre-meds. And both schools have students who successfully navigate their way through pre-med. BUT...both schools also have a good % of students drop pre-med very early along in the game. You will be competing against a ton of very good students for those A's you'll need for med-school. Both schools have grade deflation, Cal more than UCLA. There are certainly some classes at each school that are easier than others...but neither school is easy.

It's really a toss up, neither is a bad choice...go with your gut feeling. (and remember the hairy armpits...rumor has it their legs are hairy too)

 

[wwen]

Trying to get a lil more serious...

for the same effort is it easier to achieve a higher GPA @ UCLA than Berkeley? if Berkeley simply slaughters your GPA it doesn't seem worth it to go as that would be a dealbreaker for med. school. I would say i'm fairly hardworker, but when I find something/a subject I love I feel I have no limits when it comes to dedication. I hope medicine is that. So far I'm fascinated by it but also intrigued by finance/business.

Secondly, from my conversing with others and talking with alumni it seems like UCLA has an advantage with having a medical school and hospital on campus hence more pre-med related opportunities. However, Berkeley is the #1 public university and arguably one of the best research institutions in the nation... hence more opportunities for research. No hospital or med school @ UC Berkeley and I think there is only one hospital in the city of Berkeley ( I could be wrong), but the point is that the pre-med opportunities (except for research) seem more scarce @ UC Berkeley than UCLA. I talked to the UC Berkeley rep and she told me that you may have to go to UCSF, Stanford, hell even UC Davis for pre-med related opportunities (i.e. hospital work). That kinda blows...

Of course maybe I have the above completely wrong? Does anyone who has recently graduated or even currently attend the school have any input?

So my question is which school offers better pre-med opportunities after factoring the prestige/quality of research at Berkeley and the Medical opportunities at UCLA (assuming you try your best to seek out opportunities at both places)?

Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[WorldIsFlat]

If you want to get into medical school, you need to get as HIGH as possible on your GPAs, and a lot of medical related ECs (research, volunteering, etc). So based on these two criteria, UCLA sounds a better choice, IMHO.

 

[MDviaMBB]

Edited since the OP hasn't posted in a while.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

Neither. Go to CC for first year-two years, kill it, then transfer to a lower UC like Merced or Santa Cruz or Santa Barbara and set the curves in your classes and reap the benefits in 3-4 years when you apply. UCLA and Berkeley are majorly competitive.

You were a hotshot in high school. Now you will be surrounded by thousands of other students just like you and even smarter and more hardworking and competitive than you. You are now going to be a guppie in a huge ocean filled with sharks.

This is what will happen if you go to LA or Berkeley. Someone I personally know roomed with somebody who committed suicide at one of these schools. It was withheld from the news for some reason. Someone else I know had her notes and notebook stolen by another kid she was studying in the library with and thrown away in hopes she couldn't set the curve for the exam. That's how serious they take the grading and competition there ...

Go to a CC. Kill it. Transfer. Kill it. Apply. Be accepted. You'll thank me in 3-4 years when all of your buddies that went straight to a UC got their **** handed to them first two years and they tanked their GPA while you kept yours up by going to a CC.

Name doesn't matter. GPA and MCAT do. Everything else in terms of ECs you can get done anywhere.

And for the love of God stay away from all other pretentious pre-med kids who constantly ask you about your GPA or extracurriculars and all that crap. They do not know ****. They only know what they have heard. They haven't gone on med school interviews. They don't know what deans want or what GPA will get you in. No. Don't listen to it. Do your thing, study hard, and play the game the right way.

The 3.8 GPA from a no-name school like Chico State will ALWAYS get an interview over the 3.6 from UCLA if all else is equal.

 

[WorldIsFlat]

^^ It is like a gamble going to CC instead of UCLA or Berkeley, and it is not a NORMAL route for most pre-meds; so I would not recommend it. Also it is not easy for a CC student to get research opportunities in a good research lab. If you can get into these two great UC schools, it means you can take the challenge in either one. Decision should be made in a weighted, balanced and compromised way; and in your case, UCLA looks like the better option. My 2 cents

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

^^ It is like a gamble going to CC instead of UCLA or Berkeley, and it is not a NORMAL route for most pre-meds; so I would not recommend it. Also it is not easy for a CC student to get research opportunities in a good research lab. If you can get into these two great UC schools, it means you can take the challenge in either one. Decision should be made in a weighted, balanced and compromised way; and in your case, UCLA looks like the better option. My 2 cents

Are you a pre-med student? Have you applied to med schools yet?

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

^^ It is like a gamble going to CC instead of UCLA or Berkeley, and it is not a NORMAL route for most pre-meds; so I would not recommend it. Also it is not easy for a CC student to get research opportunities in a good research lab. If you can get into these two great UC schools, it means you can take the challenge in either one. Decision should be made in a weighted, balanced and compromised way; and in your case, UCLA looks like the better option. My 2 cents

Just cause it is not NORMAL... doesn't mean that it is wrong. lol

 

[WorldIsFlat]

^^No. I am just a parent with opinion and kids in medical school or on track. It is not wrong going to CC, just like it is not wrong to stay out of school and invent something in your garage. We are not talking about RIGHT or WRONG here, just what is the best choice of all for OP. For MOST premeds, you need high cGPA, sGPA, competitive MCAT (BTW, 29 MCAT is NOT competitive at all in CA or elsewhere!), strong research and clinical exposure, which either UC school can provide as long as you work hard enough. Out of UCLA and Berkeley, UCLA has a little bit edge in GPA and medical related ECs. Again, it is just my 2 cents

 

[MDviaMBB]

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

Op. Whatever you do... don't end up like most of your UC brethren and alumni and end up at a Caribbean school. That's all. Good luck with your decision.

 

[wwen]

So,
Just came back from Bruin Day really liked UCLA and almost made decision at the end of the day. However my mom just came back from a hematology meeting (she is sickle cell anemia researcher) and talked to a really prestigious student (very young to present at the meeting). He went to Harvard undergrad and Stanford med and now going to UCSD neurosci residency I think. He says medical schools do not seem to care as much about hospital volunteer because all premed students have this as much as they do about research that is unique. He was rly pushing for UCB. Does UCB have better undergraduate pre-Med research opportunities than UCLA or not rly? It seems UCLA has better more easily accessible medical/hospital opportunities?

Disclaimer:
I am not shooting to go to the best medical school in the country. I don't rly have a "favorite" medical school. My plan is to just try my very best and see which schools that gets me in. So maybe the "research"> "med/hosp. Volunteer" is mainly for the ultra elite med schools? I actually really like the option of going to instate med school in TX because it is so cheap but maybe the ultra elite med schools offer more opportunities for residency choice? Idk. So lost and split 🙁

 

[wwen]

Also I'm gonna speak with the guy tomrrow on the phone but wanted to hear some other advice /experiences beforehand.

 

[Toutie]

One other thing to consider is the quarter versus the semester system. Personally, I really liked UCLA's quarter system. You get to take more individual courses this way...leaves you lots of room for exploration. If you don't like a course or a prof, you're only stuck in it for 10 weeks. 🙂

It goes really fast though. You have to stay up on your studying because mid terms and finals come up super quick. On the good side, you only have 10 weeks worth of stuff to learn for the final instead of a whole semester's worth.

Does Cal have better or more unique research opportunities than UCLA? I have no idea...even if they are "slightly" better than UCLA's, it's not exactly like UCLA's are non-existent. It would really be splitting hairs here.

Is Cal having a "Bear Day"? If so, you should go. Have you been up to Cal before? Thoroughly checked out the area, the campus, etc? If not, you need to do so.

Honestly, you can't go wrong...both are great choices. I have several friends from each..most of whom had to make the exact same choice you are making. All were happy with their choice. Go with your gut. Good luck.

 

[Toutie]

And... one last thing to consider. UCLA has Diddy Riese cookies. 🙂

 

[WorldIsFlat]

If you are TX resident, I don't see any reason to go out of state medical schools. BCM and UTSWMC are great medical schools with very good match records. But the main advantage is that they are CHEAP !!

 

[wwen]

One other thing to consider is the quarter versus the semester system. Personally, I really liked UCLA's quarter system. You get to take more individual courses this way...leaves you lots of room for exploration. If you don't like a course or a prof, you're only stuck in it for 10 weeks. 🙂

It goes really fast though. You have to stay up on your studying because mid terms and finals come up super quick. On the good side, you only have 10 weeks worth of stuff to learn for the final instead of a whole semester's worth.

Does Cal have better or more unique research opportunities than UCLA? I have no idea...even if they are "slightly" better than UCLA's, it's not exactly like UCLA's are non-existent. It would really be splitting hairs here.

Is Cal having a "Bear Day"? If so, you should go. Have you been up to Cal before? Thoroughly checked out the area, the campus, etc? If not, you need to do so.

Honestly, you can't go wrong...both are great choices. I have several friends from each..most of whom had to make the exact same choice you are making. All were happy with their choice. Go with your gut. Good luck.

Unfortunately, Cal day was same day as Bruin day. I've visited both but Bruin day at UCLA was a lot more than that. Right now I like the school UCLA more but kind of feel I haven't given Berkeley a genuine chance as I chose Bruin day over Cal day. Probably gonna go with LA if the differences ain't much in terms of research opportunity differences.

 

[wwen]

If you are TX resident, I don't see any reason to go out of state medical schools. BCM and UTSWMC are great medical schools with very good match records. But the main advantage is that they are CHEAP !!

How about UTH?

 

[WorldIsFlat]

Compared to BCM and UTSW, UTH has relatively lower ranking in research, but is quite decent as most other state medical schools. You may want to check UTH 2016 Match day result on their website.