USC or UCLA for pre-med track (COST is exactly same due to scholarships)?

[aniani]

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Hi, I am unable to decide which school to pick and would love your feedback on topics like competition, GPA, brand value of the two schools. Most of the responses have been pick a cheaper one and in my case both come out to be exactly the same so that is a moot point? Thank you so much in advance for your feedback and this will really help me update my pro/con list for both schools?

 

[HumanAfterAll]

I'm sure you will end up fine with either school but UCLA has the benefit of having their medical school next to the main campus.

 

[proudofmykids]

What major?
USC will likely enable better access to professors and research opportunities.

 

[HumanAfterAll]

What major?
USC will likely enable better access to professors and research opportunities.

This is a good point... I only have experience with UCLA but if you're one of the bio majors, everyone you meet will be premed. It can be a pretty competitive environment. I think the smaller class size at USC is a really strong plus.

 

[kboomd24]

USC. smaller class size, research opportunities aren't hard to find (u can also get some $$ during the school year and summer) also even though the health sciences campus is not right next to the university park campus there are free shuttles that take you there, there aren't too many gunners imo, u have a good chance of getting into keck if u do well on ur mcat. many other great programs (ex. business, film, music, the academy) that you can also take part in as a minor or just few classes (ex. film class where you get to watch a movie before it's released once a week and they bring in the coolest guests)., u can take some MEDS classes as well (network with physicians).

 

[altblue]

I don't know the grading trends at USC, but UCLA is where premed dreams go to die.

Very strong high school GPA/SAT in the student body but only 33% get a competitive college GPA for med school

 

[deleted1000960]

All else being equal, you will probably have an easier time with academic performance at USC rather than UCLA, since you won't have to deal with grade deflation. You can succeed at both schools with enough hard work.

But that's IF you like both schools equally. If you genuinely prefer one school over the other, then you should choose that school. You're going to be spending 4 years of your life there, after all.

I personally chose Cal over USC, because my impressions of USC was that it was a "upper middle class bubble." But had I been premed when I started college, I cannot say I would've chosen the same.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

USC, higher chance of getting good GPA.

 

[TheGranolaKing]

USC for sure, the private school advantage is real. that being said, it will still be very challenging to come out with a competitive GPA at USC. About 900-1000 students come in premed and only 300-400 end up applying each year. If you end up having a change of heart, it's a lot easier to switch majors and still get a useful degree at USC as well, rather than the impacted majors at UCLA.

 

[enchantments]

I went to SC, and a friend went to UCLA. As others have said, if you're a motivated student, both schools will provide you with the resources to succeed. With that being said, my friend often complained about the hundreds of students in most of his classes as well as a heightened sense of competition. SC also has a lot of motivated students, but I felt that with the generally smaller classes it was a lot easier to talk with the profs, network for research opportunities, etc. I never visited my profs during office hours unless I was required to, but each of the ones I emailed for LOR's during my second gap year remembered me and were happy to write.

Although I have to admit UCLA's location in Westwood is much nicer than SC's in South Central, as I'm sure you know. But the Village has been a nice addition during the past few years.