I have a similar situation to consider. I am interviewing at USC next week. USC sounds awesome because of the clinical training at County where it sounds like we would have ample opportunity to do a lot of procedures and work with underserved populations. You have to aknowledge that at a university hospital like UCSF or UCLA (and other UCs), patients go a lot of the time to have specialty procedures performed with excellent specialists, situations that lack a lot of ACTIVE learning opportunities for medical students. Not to say that at UCs we won't be able to learn medicine in environments similar to that of the LA County Hospital, but I don't think it will be nearly as much as if we go to USC.
Also, location, in my mind is a big factor. I mean all of the schools are in a glorious state--go Cali! But, I live in SF and let me tell you, the weather here is nothing like LA ( I went to school at UCLA). I am actually longing for LA weather right now 'cuz I just ran through the rain to get to work today.
I was definately considering going to UC Davis (before I was rejected) because I have been living in big cities for a while now and I thought that it would be a nice break to live somewhere where I wouldn't have to pay tons of money to live in a shoe box. UC Irvine might be also a cheaper place to live. But I know that Westwood (UCLA) and Inner sunset (UCSF) are expensive. San Diego is cheaper, but La Hoya, where the school is, isn't so cheap. I am pretty sure that the cost of living will be a little less expensive in USC territory than UCLA, but really who cares if you will be paying 3x more to go to USC than UCLA.
I guess you could look at UCSF as the best deal for Cali residents (oh please let me get in). It's one of the best schools in the nation and you can go for in state tuition. And SF is such a cool city (other than the weather). At my interview I also learned of a lot of clinical opportunities that are available at SF county hospital, so I guess if it's important to you, you can try to get as much clinical training at a county hospital at UCSF (i am not sure about the other UCS???--anyone care to comment. But I still think that u would have more hands-on training at USC. One more thing about UCSF that I think is important. The fourth year student at our interview, that was currently applying for residencies, said that UCSF made getting interviews a lot easier. He said that his friend who didn't have the best record, was getting calls back within hours of applying to residencies.
Although I am super excited for my USC interview and I know that I would love to go there if I didn't get into a couple of the UCs and it's in LA, which I like but many people don't. BTW, LA grows on you. I went there as a Nor Cal girl and promised to leave the minute I was done with school, but I definatley miss it now. Don't get me wrong, NOR CAL FOR LIFE BABY!!!, but LA is cool. ANd if you are in med school you aren't going to be driving all over the place, so don't not go just 'cuz of the traffic!
In the end, the UC tuition is just too apealing to me to pass up for what great schools they are. But that's just one gal's opinion.
