Stay at community college then transfer to UVA or go to Virginia Tech this upcoming fall?

[Rebecca-Lynn96]

It seems as if I have two options: I can stay at CC and finish out my associates and enter UVA under their agreement with my community college, or go to VT this fall. I know that academically UVA is superior, but I'm concerned about having to pack in all of my research as well as my upper-level classes into a short 4-semester period (UVA is very strict about having an allotted number of semesters to finish a bachelors). Is UVA worth the wait and the headache or will VT provide me with a comparable pre-med track? Thanks in advance!

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[DrOMG]

No, it's not worth the headache. Your undergraduate institution hardly matters at all so go to VT and shine vs. going to UVA and trying to shine there. Focus on your GPA. Plus VT has awesome research opportunities too so you are not missing out on anything. Go to VT.

 

[Feelgood Inc]

^ agreed. and besides VT is a respectable school.

 

[Styrene]

I would choose the most affordable option.

 

[optimistic3]

I would also say go the cheaper route. If there's one big thing I could redo about undergrad, it'd be to do it as cheap as possible, meaning 2 years of CC then 2 years of university while living at home and commuting. Of course you also want to protect your GPA so if you don't think UVA will help then that may not be a good option. What if you do 2 years at CC and then transfer to VT? I admittedly know nothing about either school other than UVA is a great school so you'll have to fill in the gaps.

 

[Rebecca-Lynn96]

Staying at community college will save me roughly 10k overall, but if going to tech this year vs. UVA next year will increase my competitiveness then I think it's worth it.

 

[DrOMG]

FWIW -- I did 2 years at NVCC, transferred to GMU for two years, and got 9 II. Nobody questioned my community college. Honestly it's not as big of a deal as people on SDN make it out to be.

 

[Styrene]

I did two years at community college and then transferred to a state university, commuting to both and will finish undergrad with no debt. I found that everything except bio 101 was more rigorous at CC. The best part of CC is that if you are strong academically, you really shine--and when class size is 25, the relationships you build with professors are excellent.

Community college also prepared me VERY well for the MCAT.

Just some thoughts to OP if any of this factors in to the decision.

 

[beachside]

Screw community college, dude. Go to VT.

 

[ICUrunning]

Virginia Tech is the #1 academic research institution in Virginia and 38th overall.. Lots of professors with ample research opportunities. Copious amounts of research facilities dot the campus. Great school overall (27th best public school) extremely respectable and well known throughout the U.S. Obviously a STEM inclined school so you can bet your bottom dollar you are well-prepared for the health field.

Every year ~40 VT students matriculate into med schools. Another ~40 into DO schools and ~25-30 into dental. Lots more go into Vet, Pharm, PA, etc. The numbers here are conservative and are reported from the pre-health office. Some students apply independently w/o going through the pre-health office or don't report where they are accepted. Numbers could be higher. But clearly, students do well and are motivated.

Virginia Tech also has a new med school in Roanoke and a DO school close to campus.

VT isn't also for everyone. Middle of nowhere, fanatical fanbase, not everyone cares about football, etc. Some people transfer out so keep that in mind while you picture yourself at whatever school you pick. Have you thought about VCU or GMU?

UVA IS the more the prestigious school you should be well-prepared there due to their rigorous curriculum. Really doesn't matter about the school. High grades, high MCAT, and ECs are a must have regardless of alma mater.

 

[Rebecca-Lynn96]

DrOMG and styrene, was trying to fit in research difficult?

ICUrunning, thanks for the facts, VT certainly is a good school, I just didn't know if going to a more prestigious university would make that much of a difference. I am considering VCU and will likely put in an application, but they cost a good bit more than VT and VT is more well known. On a less important note I'm not a huge fan of Richmond, but I need to visit VCU to get a feel for it. I love the atmosphere of UVA and I grew up in 4-H so I'm familiar with Tech.

 

[DrOMG]

DrOMG and styrene, was trying to fit in research difficult?

ICUrunning, thanks for the facts, VT certainly is a good school, I just didn't know if going to a more prestigious university would make that much of a difference. I am considering VCU and will likely put in an application, but they cost a good bit more than VT and VT is more well known. On a less important note I'm not a huge fan of Richmond, but I need to visit VCU to get a feel for it. I love the atmosphere of UVA and I grew up in 4-H so I'm familiar with Tech.

You need to get out of this "I have to go to a prestigious school" mentality. Honestly no-one cares where you did your undergraduate so I would stop using it as a deciding factor. It just makes it harder for you to stand out and shine. The biggest con to staying in CC is that there is no to little research opportunities. But you know what, when you transfer to your 4 year uni after going through the guaranteed admission, there is so much room for research. I say this as a GMU graduate mind you. My advice would be to finish CC and go to where you would be happy since that is what is going to motivate you most. Stay focused on your GPA, volunteer both clinical and nonclinical, shadow doctors, network with teachers, maybe fit in some research. Research isn't really that high up on the list of important things that adcoms look for; it's just a nice addition if it is something valuable - i.e. not washing glassware.

 

[ICUrunning]

DrOMG and styrene, was trying to fit in research difficult?

ICUrunning, thanks for the facts, VT certainly is a good school, I just didn't know if going to a more prestigious university would make that much of a difference. I am considering VCU and will likely put in an application, but they cost a good bit more than VT and VT is more well known. On a less important note I'm not a huge fan of Richmond, but I need to visit VCU to get a feel for it. I love the atmosphere of UVA and I grew up in 4-H so I'm familiar with Tech.

Again, going to a more prestigious school won't matter if you cannot back it up with a stellar application. I agree with the above poster about this. Going to an Ivy League school, for example, isn't going to help if you're barely passing. UVA is highly, HIGHLY rigorous. I know quite a few intelligent students there who were barely scrapping by. That being said, Virginia Tech isn't a cakewalk either especially in the higher level science courses like biochem or immunology.

 

[ShepherdBarnabas]

It seems as if I have two options: I can stay at CC and finish out my associates and enter UVA under their agreement with my community college, or go to VT this fall. I know that academically UVA is superior, but I'm concerned about having to pack in all of my research as well as my upper-level classes into a short 4-semester period (UVA is very strict about having an allotted number of semesters to finish a bachelors). Is UVA worth the wait and the headache or will VT provide me with a comparable pre-med track? Thanks in advance!

IMO, do VT. I know maaaany Pre-meds that went to UVA, demolished their GPA, and are now in Dental School. It's not where they want to be, but it was the only option a lot of them had. Did so well on their DAT, because they are great students, but because of the harsh curves and general competitiveness at UVA, didn't do well enough.

Funny, but as a VA resident, a lot of GMU students make it! Primarily b/c of the easier classes (still tough, but easier). I attend a school near GMU, and I always wish I'd gone there.

 

[ICUrunning]

IMO, do VT. I know maaaany Pre-meds that went to UVA, demolished their GPA, and are now in Dental School. It's not where they want to be, but it was the only option a lot of them had. Did so well on their DAT, because they are great students, but because of the harsh curves and general competitiveness at UVA, didn't do well enough.

Pre-meds using dentistry as a backup enrages me to no end. Same with people applying to both med and dent schools at the same time. I wish ADCOMs had the ability to see if applicants were applying to both. Pick a career and stick with it. Entering D-school is ultra-competitive and the field getting saturated as it is. Sorry man, just ranting.

Ditto on the GMU thought.

 

[Shams al Deen]

IMO, do VT. I know maaaany Pre-meds that went to UVA, demolished their GPA, and are now in Dental School. It's not where they want to be, but it was the only option a lot of them had. Did so well on their DAT, because they are great students, but because of the harsh curves and general competitiveness at UVA, didn't do well enough.

Funny, but as a VA resident, a lot of GMU students make it! Primarily b/c of the easier classes (still tough, but easier). I attend a school near GMU, and I always wish I'd gone there.

Lol dental school isn't really a failed premed career. Bad gpa, high MCAT? There's always DO. Are you sure you're not just writing that narrative for your UVA friends.

 

[ShepherdBarnabas]

Lol dental school isn't really a failed premed career. Bad gpa, high MCAT? There's always DO. Are you sure you're not just writing that narrative for your UVA friends.

Yo, I'm not trying to knock Dentistry but I'm just telling it like I see it. When I heard about my friends, acquaintances doing this, I was shocked, because I thought they were more bright students than I.

And let's be real, the type of person that goes to UVA becomes a wahowaa, and cannot deal with the no-prestige title of "DO." Or, at least a lot of them have issues with it.

 

[Rebecca-Lynn96]

How harsh is VT when it comes to grading? I knew UVa was tough, but not that bad.
FYI I'm not asking simply because I want an easy ride, I just want to go somewhere where if I put in the effort, I can succeed.

 

[Rebecca-Lynn96]

IMO, do VT. I know maaaany Pre-meds that went to UVA, demolished their GPA, and are now in Dental School. It's not where they want to be, but it was the only option a lot of them had. Did so well on their DAT, because they are great students, but because of the harsh curves and general competitiveness at UVA, didn't do well enough.

Funny, but as a VA resident, a lot of GMU students make it! Primarily b/c of the easier classes (still tough, but easier). I attend a school near GMU, and I always wish I'd gone there.

Do you know what they majored in?

 

[ShopgirlNY152]

You need to get out of this "I have to go to a prestigious school" mentality. Honestly no-one cares where you did your undergraduate so I would stop using it as a deciding factor. It just makes it harder for you to stand out and shine. The biggest con to staying in CC is that there is no to little research opportunities. But you know what, when you transfer to your 4 year uni after going through the guaranteed admission, there is so much room for research. I say this as a GMU graduate mind you. My advice would be to finish CC and go to where you would be happy since that is what is going to motivate you most. Stay focused on your GPA, volunteer both clinical and nonclinical, shadow doctors, network with teachers, maybe fit in some research. Research isn't really that high up on the list of important things that adcoms look for; it's just a nice addition if it is something valuable - i.e. not washing glassware.

High five GMU Grad!

 

[qkhb]

Edit: I just realized the poster above me necro-bumped this so I guess it doesn't matter anymore to OP. Oh well, hope it helps someone else in a similar position!

I don't know much about VT. That said, UVA, while more prestigious, has a couple of glaring issues:

• Despite the huge volume of premed students, it has a very poorly-oiled premed machine. Pre-health advising is basically useless (also, no committee). All volunteering (clinical or community service) has to go through a specific office, and they make it very difficult to get into hospital volunteering
• Pretty unforgiving curves in all the prereqs
• Awful course selection for upper-level bios, along with a flood of professors who would rather not teach
• Tough on premeds who come in from CCs as third-years. The academic rigor (esp. if you have to take some of the prereqs) precludes a lot of people from getting really involved in other activities

We don't put out a lot of students into top medical schools. I don't really know why, since the school is well-ranked and the incoming classes have great GPAs and SATs. The big plus is the availability of research, and also Charlottesville is a great town if you are into that kind of place. Also, UVA Med admissions are very fond of its undergrads.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

Edit: I just realized the poster above me necro-bumped this so I guess it doesn't matter anymore to OP. .

Same here...But still..Go to VT

 

[taco.cat]

I graduated from VT last year. Seriously, go there. UVA definitely has a lot going for it but I am so happy I made the decision to go there over UVA. You'll find a lot of people at Tech who declined a UVA acceptance because VT is such an amazing school despite not being ranked as highly. On the other hand, UVA is a prestigious school in a cool area so I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Not only will you receive an amazing education but there are so many opportunities for personal development. Our university motto is Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) and the majority of the student body really takes it to heart. Almost everyone I knew was involved in a unique organization or community service.

Okay, mushiness aside:
It's not easy but if you put in the work you will be able to get a good GPA. The class sizes are pretty large so there is a lot of competition, especially for med school pre-reqs. I was a bio and psych major and I only encountered 2 truly ****ty professors. Research opportunities are stellar. There are a great variety of upper level science classes.
Bonus: the campus food is so good I missed it when I went home for breaks


Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

 

[MaybeDr]

I had a similar decision as you did. I ultimately picked the school that had a easier academics and better social/activity life. Personally for me it's more important to go somewhere that more easily facilitates academic success. Prestige is great and all but it has many cons that go with it i.e. competitiveness and course difficulty skyrockets.

The path of least resistance allows you to maximize your free time to do meaningful things and maintain a stellar GPA.

In the end school prestige doesn't really matter in your acceptance to medical schools. It's not like there is that large of a gap between the two schools to begin with. If I was in your position I'd pick VT.