Question:
Prospective Med Student
by Kevin
(Phoenix Arizona)
I plan to attend Arizona State University for my BS in biology before apply for med school in California. Is premed undergraduate school a factor in UCLA med school admission evaluation? Thanks.
Answer:
Good question Kevin! Your undergraduate school is not a factor in the admissions process. UCLA accepts qualified students from any accredited undergraduate school. The main thing is doing well at your school, getting a good GPA and MCAT score, and preparing yourself in other important areas. For a full discussion on this, click on Get Accepted on the navigation bar on the left. The main thing you will want from ASU is to teach you the things you’ll need to know for the MCAT and for it to be rigorous enough to prepare you for medical school. You can see the classes I suggest on my Med School FAQ page.
According to the UCLA website, not only does your undergraduate school not factor into the selection process, neither does your state of residence. However, if you are a resident of California, you will pay about $12,000 less to go to UCLA. You can become a California resident after one year, however, and pay in-state tuition (that’s what I did). Good luck to you!