UCLA or UC Riverside pre-med?

[UrbanYogini]

I'm an underrepresented, non-traditional community college student soon to transfer to a university. I am reinventing (to rise my gpa from long ago) and have been able to make the Honors program at my cc which has a very high placement rate at UCLA. My top choice has been UCLA from the beginning but after some research I have found that UCR Med has a program that favors their own undergrads - the program is called "Thomas Haider Program".

• Should UCR or UCLA be my first choice for pre-med?
• Would my chances for admission to med school be higher if I attend UCR or UCLA?
• If I do not get into the UCR Haider program then would applying wide from UCLA undergrad be better than from UCR undergrad?

The Thomas Haider program sounds amazing, but extremely difficult to get into, and I am not sure how they view non traditional applicants. I would rather be at UCLA undergrad / premed because I live close by and would not need to uproot my family but if I get into the Haider program at UCR (which isn't guaranteed - I would have to apply for it AFTER attending UCR for six consecutive quarters) going to UCR would certainly be worth it.

The premed advisor at my cc said as an underrepresented, nontraditional I should plan to apply wide.... regardless of where I go to undergrad but with the UCR program I can only apply to it that initial year no where else --- so if they do not offer me a spot I loose a year...

I would really appreciate advice, thank you!

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[82Scout]

You should go to whichever school is the best fit for you, as they both offer the classes you need. Your chances for admission depend on you as an applicant and your ability to get the grades and scores to be competitive. As someone with your same background after CC I applied as a transfer student and was accepted to every UC school. I chose a UC that was in an area I liked and had programs/research that interested me. When it came time to apply to med school I applied broadly and had plenty of luck. UCLA is ranked higher on some arbitrary list, sure... but its not gonna make or break your application imo.

As a side note, UCR is very mission oriented for people with strong ties to the Inland Empire however I wouldn't bank on an agreement program as the Haider program only has 24 seats. With that being said UCR also recently got some funding and I believe the plan is to almost double the medical school class size in the coming years.

 

[Skarl]

I would not discount the opportunities that going to a more "highly ranked" school could provide you. Besides the marginal boost to your application (UCLA and UCR vary enough in prestige to warrant more explicit "points" given for attending the former), you also have to consider indirect benefits like research opportunities, student organizations, and the intangible benefits of being around other driven/high-achieving students. Not to say that UCR does not have these, but it is reasonable that UCLA may have more on average due to greater research funding, more matriculating medical students from UCLA historically, and more selective undergraduate admissions. Many UCLA students matriculate to top medical schools every year (Harvard, UCSF, Stanford etc.), partly because there are so many UCLA premeds, but also because of the school's reputation/resources.

With that being said, if you have strong ties to the Inland Empire and would like to target UCR for medical school, going there may be more wise as I have heard that they favor their own undergrads. You should also consider where you see yourself succeeding (competition level, fit with the school, support network, etc.)

 

[efle]

Efle's Most Premedical Universities, 2016-2017 Edition

Hello everyone! A couple years ago, I ran a quick calculation using AAMC Table A-2 for 2014-2015 and US News data to find which universities churn out the highest volume of medical applicants per capita. Since it is quick and easy, I thought I'd do the same now with the brand new dataset...

forums.studentdoctor.net

UCR - 4% apply to med school
UCLA - 14% apply to med school

UCLA will have the better resources for ECs but also be much harder to make A's in any curved classes. If you've already done all your prereqs at CC that's not much of an issue. Especially since you're already nearby to UCLA I'd just go there for the rest of premed.

 

[UrbanYogini]

Efle's Most Premedical Universities, 2016-2017 Edition

Hello everyone! A couple years ago, I ran a quick calculation using AAMC Table A-2 for 2014-2015 and US News data to find which universities churn out the highest volume of medical applicants per capita. Since it is quick and easy, I thought I'd do the same now with the brand new dataset...

forums.studentdoctor.net

UCR - 4% apply to med school
UCLA - 14% apply to med school

UCLA will have the better resources for ECs but also be much harder to make A's in any curved classes. If you've already done all your prereqs at CC that's not much of an issue. Especially since you're already nearby to UCLA I'd just go there for the rest of premed.

Thanks so much. I will have some of the prereqs complete when I transfer..... but others that will still need to be done. I do have a couple follow up questions about prereqs at the cc....

• Once I transfer can I still take prereqs at the cc to finish any sequences (i.e. chem sequence)? In example if I complete 1 semester of Chem or Physics can I finish the other at the cc after transfer? It is not aiming to avoid the grading curve after transfer but the grant for my tuition once I transfer will not cover the prereqs.

• I know they do not want to see all prereqs from a cc, how many of the prereqs should I aim to complete after transfer? Again asking for budgetting purpose because those classes I will have to pay out of pocket as well as timing in terms of course planning.

 

[UrbanYogini]

I would not discount the opportunities that going to a more "highly ranked" school could provide you. Besides the marginal boost to your application (UCLA and UCR vary enough in prestige to warrant more explicit "points" given for attending the former), you also have to consider indirect benefits like research opportunities, student organizations, and the intangible benefits of being around other driven/high-achieving students. Not to say that UCR does not have these, but it is reasonable that UCLA may have more on average due to greater research funding, more matriculating medical students from UCLA historically, and more selective undergraduate admissions. Many UCLA students matriculate to top medical schools every year (Harvard, UCSF, Stanford etc.), partly because there are so many UCLA premeds, but also because of the school's reputation/resources.

With that being said, if you have strong ties to the Inland Empire and would like to target UCR for medical school, going there may be more wise as I have heard that they favor their own undergrads. You should also consider where you see yourself succeeding (competition level, fit with the school, support network, etc.)

I do not live in the Inland Empire but my dad, step mom, two adult siblings one who is married and thus I have a nephew and BIL there.... I have never lived in the IE though and was born and live in LA County..... I did not go to high school in the IE (which I see listed on some of their stats). Not sure how UCR defines "strong ties" to the IE.

Given that I am reinventing after a poor cGPA from years ago, UCR appealed because I would be competing against a smaller applicant pool I thought may give my file more of a chance. I also like the small med class size (approx 70), their commitment to match in California for residency and the options for funding minimizing loans. But I do not love the idea of leaving LA County for Riverside County.... I would only be doing so out of fear due to the low cGPA I am trying to improve.

 

[UrbanYogini]

You should go to whichever school is the best fit for you, as they both offer the classes you need. Your chances for admission depend on you as an applicant and your ability to get the grades and scores to be competitive. As someone with your same background after CC I applied as a transfer student and was accepted to every UC school. I chose a UC that was in an area I liked and had programs/research that interested me. When it came time to apply to med school I applied broadly and had plenty of luck. UCLA is ranked higher on some arbitrary list, sure... but its not gonna make or break your application imo.

As a side note, UCR is very mission oriented for people with strong ties to the Inland Empire however I wouldn't bank on an agreement program as the Haider program only has 24 seats. With that being said UCR also recently got some funding and I believe the plan is to almost double the medical school class size in the coming years.

Yes banking on a program that only has 24 seats seems crazy but it is only open to other UCR undergrads.... not every pre-med applying from any undergrad so I was wondering if that is worth the risk.... plus not losing a year to study for the MCAT and apply to schools.

 

[efle]

Thanks so much. I will have some of the prereqs complete when I transfer..... but others that will still need to be done. I do have a couple follow up questions about prereqs at the cc....

• Once I transfer can I still take prereqs at the cc to finish any sequences (i.e. chem sequence)? In example if I complete 1 semester of Chem or Physics can I finish the other at the cc after transfer? It is not aiming to avoid the grading curve after transfer but the grant for my tuition once I transfer will not cover the prereqs.

• I know they do not want to see all prereqs from a cc, how many of the prereqs should I aim to complete after transfer? Again asking for budgetting purpose because those classes I will have to pay out of pocket as well as timing in terms of course planning.

Should be fine to finish a sequence you already started the the CC. The alternative is daunting because you have no idea whether the CC 101 course will have given you the same material you're expected to already know for the UC 102 course. I'd finish out the ones you're in the middle of, take anything new (like Ochem) fully at the UC, and above all else, do well on the MCAT

 

[efle]

Yes banking on a program that only has 24 seats seems crazy but it is only open to other UCR undergrads.... not every pre-med applying from any undergrad so I was wondering if that is worth the risk.... plus not losing a year to study for the MCAT and apply to schools.

Keep in mind even with only 4% premed, that's 180+ people per year. Most of them would probably love to stay there at UCR and want one of those 24 seats. I would absolutely not move your family or even choose your school based on those odds

 

[premed20172017]

Be cognizant that your future plans may still change. Go to the school where you will be best set up for success - not just for a career in medicine, but for possible alternative careers as well. Good luck!

 

[sophop]

I will second, third, etc., those who say pick the school you feel you fit in best and don't try to game "the system." I have some ties to UCR (see my sig) and think it's highly underrated in general, but I also know that the general MD accept rate for UCR grads who don't get in on Haider is pretty low. Now I highly suspect, in large part, that's because the average MCAT of UCR MD applicants is pretty low, so if you can excel on that and your GPA while going there you'll be fine if you get in there and not UCLA. But again, if you have a choice, pick the one you think will give you your preferred college experience overall.

 

[DNAJB6]

Which one has more grade inflation? Go to that one, work hard to ace the MCAT, and you'll have a solid foundation for an application once you add extracurriculars.

 

[UrbanYogini]

Which one has more grade inflation? Go to that one, work hard to ace the MCAT, and you'll have a solid foundation for an application once you add extracurriculars.

I am not sure which one has more grade inflation? Is there somewhere to check for that? I have heard UCLA grades on a tough curve to "weed out" but I am not sure how true that is, or if it would be different at a smaller UC like UC Riverside.

 

[DNAJB6]

I am not sure which one has more grade inflation? Is there somewhere to check for that? I have heard UCLA grades on a tough curve to "weed out" but I am not sure how true that is, or if it would be different at a smaller UC like UC Riverside.

Talk to pre-med students at each school to see if they will share inside knowledge. Some schools have websites where previous grade distributions are available. This became available for me right after the end of my sophomore year (neither school you mention), and it was very, very helpful. Overall if the class average is kept low, that is a problem. Also remember to account for increased competitiveness at UCLA compared to UC Riverside.