Is UCLA a good school for pre-med?

Yes, UCLA is considered a very strong, albeit challenging, university for pre-med due to its top-tier academics, extensive research (with the UCLA Health System nearby), and abundant opportunities, but it's notoriously competitive, with huge numbers of bright students vying for limited research/clinical spots, making high grades and significant extracurriculars harder to achieve than at less saturated schools. Success hinges on balancing rigorous coursework (quarter system, large classes, curve grading) with gaining valuable experience, often requiring significant dedication and strategy to stand out.

Is UCLA worth it for Premed?

UCSB has strong programs in the sciences, especially in biology and chemistry, which are essential for a pre-med student's education. Some popular majors for pre-med students at UCSB include Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology.

What is the #1 pre-med school in the US?

There's no single "official" #1 pre-med school, but Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University consistently rank at the top due to exceptional advising, research access, clinical opportunities in top hospitals, and high medical school acceptance rates, often exceeding 90% for top applicants. Other perennial contenders include the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Stanford, UPenn, Columbia, and Northwestern, all offering strong science programs and support for aspiring doctors.
 

What percent of UCLA pre-med students get into med school?

UCLA premed acceptance rate and admissions statistics

In 2020, 1,149 UCLA premeds applied to medical school and 53 percent were accepted—10 percentage points higher than the national average. Successful applicants from UCLA had an average MCAT score of 513.6 and an average GPA around 3.7.

Which UC is best for pre-med?

While there's no single "best" UC for pre-med, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego (UCSD) are consistently ranked top feeders due to rigorous academics, strong science programs, and ample research/clinical opportunities, with Berkeley noted for strong advising, UCLA for high applicant volume, and UCSD for biology research; other strong contenders include UC Irvine (UCI) and UC Davis, offering great access to medical centers and community health exposure, respectively. 

Is UCLA Good for Premed?

Is UCLA or UC Berkeley better for pre-med?

Both schools will be competitive for a Pre-Med student. UCLA is the #1 school for the most Medical school applicants and UC Berkeley is #5. Take Medical school out the of decision and instead concentrate on Fit–because happier students= successful students.

What are the top 3 medical schools in California?

The top medical schools in California, consistently ranked highly for research and primary care by sources like U.S. News, are Stanford University, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with UC Davis and UC San Diego (UCSD) also frequently appearing in the top tiers, alongside private institutions like USC's Keck School of Medicine. 

What's the hardest major to get into at UCLA?

The hardest majors to get into at UCLA are often in specialized professional schools like Nursing, Film & Television, and Engineering (especially Computer Science/Engineering), which have extremely low acceptance rates (sometimes <1-4%) due to high demand and rigorous selection, often requiring auditions or high stats, with Computer Science being notoriously tough within the College of Letters & Science as well. 

What are the best pre-med clubs at UCLA?

Discover UCLA's top Pre-med clubs in 2026 - EMRA, SCOPE, Mobile Clinic Project, PULSE, Bruin Beans Health Club, Stroke Team - ranked by Leland for career outcomes, impact, and recruiting success.

What is the easiest premed major at UCLA?

At UCLA, psychobiology is often considered the easiest pre med major by many students. This is because its course requirements align closely with premed prerequisites, and it is perceived as more manageable compared to other science majors like biochemistry or neuroscience​.

What's the hardest pre-med major?

Other challenging pre-med majors include biochemistry, neuroscience, and molecular biology, which are very content-heavy and demand deep understanding of complex systems. These majors often require additional upper-level science courses beyond the standard pre-med requirements, increasing the difficulty.

Which ivy is best for pre-med?

There's no single "best" Ivy for pre-med, as top choices like Harvard, UPenn, and Columbia offer strong resources, research, and hospital access, while Brown is known for its open curriculum and potential PLME program, and Cornell provides solid science programs, but success ultimately depends on individual performance and opportunities, with Princeton being challenging due to grade deflation. 

What is the most useful pre-med degree?

Which major is best for pre-med? A major that is closest aligned to pre-med studies is biological science. Biological science majors will more than likely take the medical school prerequisites as part of their standard coursework.

What are the top 3 UC's?

The top 3 UC campuses consistently ranked highest in recent years by publications like U.S. News & World Report and Forbes are UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, often trading the top spots, with UC Davis and UC Irvine also frequently appearing in the top tier. These rankings consider factors like academics, selectivity, and return on investment, with Berkeley and UCLA often leading as the top public universities in the nation.
 

What are the top 3 hardest majors?

While subjectivity plays a role, Medicine, Engineering (especially Aerospace, Chemical, Biomedical), and Physics/Mathematics consistently rank among the top 3 hardest majors due to intense workloads, complex problem-solving, deep analytical skills, and demanding coursework, often involving advanced concepts in math, science, and critical thinking, with Chemistry and Architecture also frequently cited. 

Is it harder to get into UCLA or UCSB?

It is significantly harder to get into UCLA than UCSB, as UCLA is one of the most selective universities in the US with acceptance rates often below 10%, compared to UCSB's rate of around 30-33%, making UCLA the more competitive UC campus in terms of raw admissions numbers. Both are highly selective, but UCLA's lower rate means you need exceptional qualifications for admission. 

Which University of California is best for pre-med?

The best premed colleges in California

• Stanford University.
• University of California–Berkeley*
• University of California–Los Angeles*
• Pepperdine University.
• University of Southern California.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• Pomona College.
• University of California–Santa Barbara*

What's the easiest major to get into at UCLA?

The "easiest" UCLA majors to get into often fall within the humanities or arts, with Ethnomusicology, Musicology, World Arts and Cultures, and certain humanities/social sciences (like Spanish, American Indian Studies, or English) showing higher admission rates, especially for transfers. However, admission difficulty varies significantly between freshman and transfer applicants, and "easy" is relative at a competitive school like UCLA; focusing on your genuine interest is key, as STEM fields, Engineering, and TFT have much lower admit rates. 

What are the top 3 majors at UCLA?

While popularity shifts, UCLA's consistently top majors by applications and enrollment include Psychology, Computer Science, Economics (Business Economics), Sociology, Political Science, and Biology, often leading in sheer numbers of students, with Computer Science and Business Economics being particularly sought-after and impacted, alongside strong interest in Social Sciences generally. 

Is UCLA or Harvard harder to get into?

While Harvard is generally harder to get into due to its extremely low acceptance rate (around 3-4%), UCLA is also incredibly difficult, often harder for many applicants because of its massive applicant pool and fierce competition, especially for top grades and specific programs, making it a "super reach" public university, sometimes even more selective than Harvard in certain application aspects. Both are extremely selective, but Harvard has a lower overall admit rate, while UCLA's sheer volume of applicants and focus on GPA can make it exceptionally tough. 

Does UCLA give full scholarships?

Yes, UCLA offers full-ride scholarships, though they are highly competitive and often targeted at exceptional academic talent, specific backgrounds, or those demonstrating significant financial need, such as the merit-based Regents Scholarship or programs within the Law School; many students receive significant aid (grants/scholarships) reducing costs to near zero through programs like the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, but true "full rides" covering all expenses are limited. 

Which school is better for pre-med?

Top 10 Best Pre-Med Schools

• Harvard University. Harvard University tops many lists for the best pre-med programs. ...
• Johns Hopkins University. ...
• University of Pennsylvania. ...
• Columbia University. ...
• Stanford University. ...
• Duke University. ...
• Northwestern University. ...
• University of Chicago.

Is UCLA a Tier One medical school?

In the rankings released for 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA as Tier 1 in the U.S. in research and ranked UCLA Medical Center at No.

What is the easiest med school to get into?

The "easiest" medical schools to get into often have higher acceptance rates, favoring in-state applicants and those with strong but not necessarily top-tier GPAs (around 3.7+) and MCATs (around 500+), with examples including University of Mississippi, ECU Brody School of Medicine, University of North Dakota, and Mercer University School of Medicine, but even these are competitive, requiring dedication to building a strong application with experiences and good scores. Osteopathic (DO) schools like William Carey and Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine are also options, often with lower average stats.