UCI vs UCLA

[rnkle]

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I'm currently a high school student, and deciding between UCI and UCLA for pre-med. Both are great schools and I have until May 1 to decide. I know that getting into medical school requires a high GPA, research programs, and volunteer work, and I was wondering which school would best prepare me for medical school. I applied under both schools as a Biology major, but if I were to attend UCI I would switch to Public Health, and Psychobiology at UCLA. Both have offered me the same amount of financial aid, so money is not a deciding factor. And at either school I'll be working very hard.

 

[MrLogan13]

They're both good schools. If I were in your shoes, I'd pick UCI because traffic in Westwood sucks. It's a huge drain on your soul.

 

[gyngyn]

They're both good schools.

Exactly.
We don't care.
Go where you think you will develop more.

 

[22031 Alum]

You could be in the student section at UCLA basketball games. This is a no-brainer.

Edit: Also, UC Irvine's mascot is an Anteater. Come on.

 

[ortnakas]

I applied under both schools as a Biology major, but if I were to attend UCI I would switch to Public Health, and Psychobiology at UCLA.

Public health and psychobiology are pretty different degrees-- are you more or less interested in one or the other? For med school, either one is fine, so pick your school/major based on what you want as a person, not as a premed.

 

[gyngyn]

UC Irvine's mascot is an Anteater. .

And...?

 

[rnkle]

Thank you all for the input! I'll definitely be considering major choice and personal development at each school.

 

[Tots]

They're both good schools. If I were in your shoes, I'd pick UCI because traffic in Westwood sucks. It's a huge drain on your soul.

Have you been on the 55 between the 5 and 405 anytime between 7 am and 7 pm? Yeah the traffic in Orange County ain't so hot either.

Edit: Also, UC Irvine's mascot is an Anteater. Come on.

I know so awesome right!???? 😀


If I was in your shoes I probably would have chosen UCLA because it was my dream school in high school. I didn't get in to UCLA. I went to UCI. I loved it, had a great college experience and had plenty of awesome resources. I was very successful applying to medical school. How successful you are going to be is going to be less about the school(and your major) and more about you.

 

[velodork]

I'm currently a high school student, and deciding between UCI and UCLA for pre-med. Both are great schools and I have until May 1 to decide. I know that getting into medical school requires a high GPA, research programs, and volunteer work, and I was wondering which school would best prepare me for medical school. I applied under both schools as a Biology major, but if I were to attend UCI I would switch to Public Health, and Psychobiology at UCLA. Both have offered me the same amount of financial aid, so money is not a deciding factor. And at either school I'll be working very hard.

UCI will probably offer a better quality of life... Cleaner area, less traffic, space to breathe, very close to (even nicer) beach areas. UCLA/West LA is fun but not a place I would want to live.

 

[rnkle]

If I was in your shoes I probably would have chosen UCLA because it was my dream school in high school. I didn't get in to UCLA. I went to UCI. I loved it, had a great college experience and had plenty of awesome resources. I was very successful applying to medical school. How successful you are going to be is going to be less about the school(and your major) and more about you.

Go Anteaters! I definitely prefer UCI to UCSD and Davis. How was your pre-med experience at UCI? I've heard plenty (good and bad) about the UCLA pre-med experience.

 

[MrLogan13]

Have you been on the 55 between the 5 and 405 anytime between 7 am and 7 pm? Yeah the traffic in Orange County ain't so hot either.

Yes, and I'd take that over West LA traffic any day of the week.

 

[625233]

UCI for sure. UCLA is a pretty infamous deflationary school.

 

[soccerusa]

I vote UCLA. Because sports (and I'm going to med school there)

 

[JPA178]

UCLA, I loved Westwood/West LA when I lived in the area. Both are great schools but UCLA has a stronger name nationwide.

 

[bruwin2011]

go where you will be happiest. I might be bias for UCLA because I am an alum, but in reality think about what you want most out of your college experience besides the premed stuff.

If you want a strong sense of community, UCLA really fosters that with the traditional college sports (football and basketball), greek life, and a ton of different interest groups and club sports. UCLA is known for grade deflation and while it does suck, you will be very very well prepared for medical school. Just know going in that you are going to have work extremely hard to do well. Also the premed opportunities and the extracurriculars are there, with such a large premed population you can pretty much find a wide variety of activities and unique volunteering at both the hospital and in the community.

I didn't attend UCI, but my friends who did said that they missed that sense of community because there were a lot of people who were commuters and/or students that went home every weekend. Also, UCLA is very well known around the world, has a solid alumni network, and people recognize the strength institution everywhere you go (unless you are in USC territory haha). The traffic thing isn't a huge issues because you won't really be leaving campus and or westwood, most students don't have cars until their junior and senior year.