UCLA vs UCI

[mzlipton]

*please do not quote*

I’m leaning towards IM or OBGYN at the moment. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

UCLA
+ location
+ higher rank
+ centralized campus
+ class diversity
+ global health opps

- cost

UC Irvine
+ cheaper
+ smaller class

- lower rank
- medical center location
- H/P/F in MS2
- location
- less diverse class?

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[DevinBookerMD]

primary care and academic medicine pays less so the 185k savings might be something to think about.

 

[DrivingDoctor]

Any med school can get you into primary care so you might as well take the cheapest option.

 

[deleted846158]

I’d go with Irvine because of the cost at the moment, but I would definitely stay on the WL at UCSF. They give very generous need based aid and the rumors that UCSF is always prohibitively expensive are untrue. As you mentioned, it wouldn’t hurt to ask UCLA or UCSD to match UCI’s offer as that’s the only thing holding you back from those places. Congrats on the success!!

 

[darth_chonker]

If you’re gonna attend Irvine because of finances, there’s no harm in asking the others to match!

 

[nymedschoolfan]

UCI is a great school especially in California but UCLA's reputation is well known nationally. For academic medicine, UCLA will better serve your needs.

 

[mzlipton]

UCI is a great school especially in California but UCLA's reputation is well known nationally. For academic medicine, UCLA will better serve your needs.

Thanks! So would you still say UCLA is worth it even at the current COA?

 

[nymedschoolfan]

Thanks! So would you still say UCLA is worth it even at the current COA?

UCLA is still pretty cheap cuz in-state tuition. So I would go to it over UCI, but you should try to have UCLA match UCI's offer.

 

[djiboutiman]

Preface: I’m on the UCI WL and would love for you to turn down the offer

This is a tough decision because it seems like UCLA has way more pros on your list than UCI. If you just wanted to do IM in so-cal then UCI forsure since the cost is way lower. If you change your mind and decide to pursue a competitive specialty, or you are trying to match IM/OBGYN at top programs outside so-cal then UCLA would be worth the extra money because of the national reputation. All three schools are amazing so you can’t really go wrong. To me the ranking is:

1. UCSF(with scholarship)
2. UCLA(with scholarship)
3. UCSF(no $)
4. UCLA(no $)=UCI(with scholarship)