UCSF Vs. UCLA PRIME/DREW

[Letmeinplz499]

Hey everyone! I have a great problem on my hands, I got into my two top programs! I don’t have financial aid info yet so its kind of tricky to break the tie in my head. I think the big issue I’m having is UCSF is lit but my serious SO is going to UCLA for a PhD program + I really like the idea of getting a master's degree via the UCLA PRIME program. I don't know what I want to specialize in, but I hope to keep my options open for competitive specialties if I decide to go that way. I have an emphasis on working with underserved populations. Haven't been a huge fan of wet lab research so academic medicine in that regard might not be my thing but I think I might be interested in public health/population health research. Any advice you might have would be great, maybe I’m forgetting something off my evaluation of the schools, feel free to point that out.

UCSF Pros:

Bridges curriculum sounds incredible

I’m from the bay and want to practice/do residency here

Familiarity, I’ve worked here before

Nearby family

Dream school

People seem great

Diversity

Prestige

UCSF Cons:

Separate from SO

Likely more expensive housing

Don’t really like SF (huge Oakland fan though)

Campus separate from undergad campus (I’m big into mentorship)

UCLA PRIME/DREW Pros:

Small Cohort (1st gen med student so a little extra attention might go a long way)

Have access to lots of resources through UCLA, PRIME, and Drew

Can live with SO (Mental health + Cheaper housing)

Free Master’s

Campus is gorgeous

Get to try out a new city

UCLA PRIME/DREW Cons:

UCLA is starting a new curriculum and it's concerning (1 year preclinical). Not sure I want to be part of the guinea pig group

Worried about how Drew is perceived relative to standard UCLA and in turn to UCSF

Update: With fin aid Using CoA UCSF will be ~100K cheaper

Update Update: UCLA matched!

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[Letmeinplz499]

Final update, UCLA came through with a last minute Geffen Scholarship! Easy choice, thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[Letmeinplz499]

I think the biggest thing holding me back from UCLA/Drew PRIME is prestige tbh. I think in the case of UCLA (Geffen) vs UCSF, ucsf is def slightly more prestigious, which is no big deal, i don’t think i’d regret picking the school i’d be happier at. That being said, I’m not sure if UCLA Drew carries the same weight as standard Geffen, and if the drop off is big, I don’t think I can make that choice. Can anyone speak to this?

 

[Banco]

You have a serious SO going to UCLA, and you don’t like San Francisco.

Barring any major financial aid packages, that’s a pretty easy decision.

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

Seems like you want to go to UCLA and want the assurance that choosing that over UCSF is okay. It's more than okay, you should prioritize happiness when both of the schools are this good.

 

[Letmeinplz499]

Seems like you want to go to UCLA and want the assurance that choosing that over UCSF is okay. It's more than okay, you should prioritize happiness when both of the schools are this good.

I think you're right, I'm having a hard time getting over UCSF because it was my dream school for like ever. I got a scholarship from UCSF today, I'm going to reach out to UCLA and see if they can match.

 

[Letmeinplz499]

You have a serious SO going to UCLA, and you don’t like San Francisco.

Barring any major financial aid packages, that’s a pretty easy decision.

Fair enough, I got a solid scholarship from UCSF today ~80K (you jinxed it in a good way lol), I'm going to reach out to UCLA and see what they can do

 

[RNARNARNA]

It looks like you clearly prefer UCLA

 

[Letmeinplz499]

Is the UCSF scholarship merit-based or needs-based?

Merit

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Don’t think there’s real difference in prestige. If UCSF is your dream school, I think you would always think what if, if you choose UCLA. Go with what your heart desires. You only attend med school once in your life.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

You can go to UCLA and come back to UCSF for residency.

 

[DermResidentYear3]

UCSF and it's not even close

 

[Letmeinplz499]

UCSF and it's not even close

Can you elaborate on this one?

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

Can you elaborate on this one?

Don't worry about that person. They seem to not even read the posts and just go with the school they like. Refer to Mayo Clinic (MN) Vs. Johns Hopkins

 

[geekypremed]

I think the biggest thing holding me back from UCLA/Drew PRIME is prestige tbh. I think in the case of UCLA (Geffen) vs UCSF, ucsf is def slightly more prestigious, which is no big deal, i don’t think i’d regret picking the school i’d be happier at. That being said, I’m not sure if UCLA Drew carries the same weight as standard Geffen, and if the drop off is big, I don’t think I can make that choice. Can anyone speak to this?

This might help. Looks like they're the same.

 

[7summers]

I think a lot of people here responded before realizing the COA difference between LA and SF. Since your update I would say SF. UCLA has a lot more opportunity to make education affordable (i think?) so it's weird that SF is offering more. Did you try to negotiate?

They're both great schools and will similarly get you to where you want to go. I think SF has the potential to be a lot more chill/less stress (established curriculum P/F preclinical and clinicals...). So that might be something to consider.

 

[Letmeinplz499]

I think a lot of people here responded before realizing the COA difference between LA and SF. Since your update I would say SF. UCLA has a lot more opportunity to make education affordable (i think?) so it's weird that SF is offering more. Did you try to negotiate?

They're both great schools and will similarly get you to where you want to go. I think SF has the potential to be a lot more chill/less stress (established curriculum P/F preclinical and clinicals...). So that might be something to consider.

I think the final decision will come down to fin aid, I reached out to UCLA/Drew right after getting the $ from UCSF and they were really receptive but said I'd have to wait until right about the deadline before they got back to me. If the aid is substantial I think it'll strongly pull me to go there.

 

[7summers]

I think the final decision will come down to fin aid, I reached out to UCLA/Drew right after getting the $ from UCSF and they were really receptive but said I'd have to wait until right about the deadline before they got back to me. If the aid is substantial I think it'll strongly pull me to go there.

Im sure the aid will come through from LA and its a great choice. GL on your journey!

 

[Letmeinplz499]

I think a lot of people here responded before realizing the COA difference between LA and SF. Since your update I would say SF. UCLA has a lot more opportunity to make education affordable (i think?) so it's weird that SF is offering more. Did you try to negotiate?

They're both great schools and will similarly get you to where you want to go. I think SF has the potential to be a lot more chill/less stress (established curriculum P/F preclinical and clinicals...). So that might be something to consider.

UCLA was willing to pretty much match!

 

[7summers]

UCLA was willing to pretty much match!

Congrats! Have fun in that So cal weather!

 

[wondervisions]

There is no difference in prestige between UCSF and UCLA.