Advice for a young seedling...

[Dr. Pepper]

Hey all!

Glad I finally took the plunge and created a username.

Anyway, I'm at the very beginning of my academic career, but I would still like some advice.

I'm currently applying to undergraduate schools.

If I don't get into any BA/MD programs or any ivies, I'll probably go to a local UC school...

If I do, I've narrowed it down to UC Berkeley and UC San Diego.

Now, here's the question: Which one would YOU choose?

Though Berkeley is closer and has more recognition than San Diego, I've heard that people get crushed at Berkeley and their GPA, along with their chances of med school, disintegrate. Therefore, even though I am fairly certain (I've learned my lesson...I will never say I am positive about anything!) I can get into either UC, I thought UCSD would be a good alternative. UCSD is by no means a regular school. It's a great school and I would be glad to be there. However, I admit that perhaps it appeals to me because the competition would not be as fierce as in Berkeley.

So, to put it simply: Would it be better for me to go to UC Berkeley and get a potentially lower GPA or go to UC San Diego and (hopefully) get a higher GPA?

I have a similar situation with Johns Hopkins University, so if possible, please comment on that as well.

Any advice is much appreciated, and I hope to create a symbiotic relationship (I have lame jokes ) with all of you.

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[FictionalGirl]

Seeing as though applying for undergrad only really requires the SAT's and/or the ACT's and an application essay, I don't think theres really anything to choose from until you apply and see where you're accepted. Apply to those schools, and you may be surprised to find out that you don't get into all of them, or , if you do, then deal with the issue. But apply to all the schools you want and all your backups and then see. Otherwise its just making decisions based on something you really have no control over. So just apply and then go. Also, don't knock the "regular" schools too much. You don't have to go to Harvard just to get a good education. Look for a school that matches the major your want and the kind of things you want from an education. If you hear you should go to Hopkins and yet you hate baltimore, what's the point? If you go to UCSD but they don't have your exact major, then why bother? There is always a chance you won't get into med school, and it'd be nice then to have studied something you like. Of course, you can always apply again, but keep in mind that some factors just aren't in your control. Sometimes race comes into play more than undergraduate institute, but you can't change your skin color. So the most important thing is to pick a school you WANT to go to, and you'll work hard to do well. You really don't know what your GPA at Berkeley will be like. I've found that heresy is dangerous. I got a 100% in a genetics class final that rumors make people so scared to take, they go to a different college up north in the summers just to avoid the teacher! and i though the class was great. So keep all your options open, apply everywhere, and THEN see what you're looking at. Fill your time with something else, get a hobby, don't obsess yet. You'll have plenty of time for that in four or five years when you're paralyzed by your mailbox and calling adcoms for updates every ten seconds. RELAX!!!!!!! It's the advice i wish i'd gotten before going ape crazy and doing dual biochem/english degrees (at a state university, by the way, and still getting med school interviews) Also, make sure to get some clinical experience. There's always the chance medicine isn't appealing to your practically. I was going to be a biochemist, but it turns out i'm allergic to organic solvents. One never knows. Make sure you don't get nauseaus at the sigh of a boil. just kidding! good luck

 

[FictionalGirl]

GET OFF SDN AND GET A LIFE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!! RUN!!! RUN AWAY!!! FLEE!! GO! SAVE YOURSELF! STELLAAAA! hehe

Seeing as though applying for undergrad only really requires the SAT's and/or the ACT's and an application essay, I don't think theres really anything to choose from until you apply and see where you're accepted. Apply to those schools, and you may be surprised to find out that you don't get into all of them, or , if you do, then deal with the issue. But apply to all the schools you want and all your backups and then see. Otherwise its just making decisions based on something you really have no control over. So just apply and then go. Also, don't knock the "regular" schools too much. You don't have to go to Harvard just to get a good education. Look for a school that matches the major your want and the kind of things you want from an education. If you hear you should go to Hopkins and yet you hate baltimore, what's the point? If you go to UCSD but they don't have your exact major, then why bother? There is always a chance you won't get into med school, and it'd be nice then to have studied something you like. Of course, you can always apply again, but keep in mind that some factors just aren't in your control. Sometimes race comes into play more than undergraduate institute, but you can't change your skin color. So the most important thing is to pick a school you WANT to go to, and you'll work hard to do well. You really don't know what your GPA at Berkeley will be like. I've found that heresy is dangerous. I got a 100% in a genetics class final that rumors make people so scared to take, they go to a different college up north in the summers just to avoid the teacher! and i though the class was great. So keep all your options open, apply everywhere, and THEN see what you're looking at. Fill your time with something else, get a hobby, don't obsess yet. You'll have plenty of time for that in four or five years when you're paralyzed by your mailbox and calling adcoms for updates every ten seconds. RELAX!!!!!!! It's the advice i wish i'd gotten before going ape crazy and doing dual biochem/english degrees (at a state university, by the way, and still getting med school interviews) Also, make sure to get some clinical experience. There's always the chance medicine isn't appealing to your practically. I was going to be a biochemist, but it turns out i'm allergic to organic solvents. One never knows. Make sure you don't get nauseaus at the sigh of a boil. just kidding! good luck

 

[Dr. Pepper]

GET OFF SDN AND GET A LIFE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!! RUN!!! RUN AWAY!!! FLEE!! GO! SAVE YOURSELF! STELLAAAA! hehe

Hehe, I understand where you're coming from Fictionalgirl.

Though it might be hard to understand, I actually am not obsessing that much about med school. However, I will admit I have been thinking about it and all.

A lot of people say its early to even think about med school, but I think its ok to THINK about it, not necesarily to take much action.

But I understand your concern girl.

I'm applying to all of them anyway. The question isn't whether or not I should or should not apply to a certain school. I'm planning ahead to march/april really, and I'm about to turn in the UC app, so I guess that's why I'm curious.

I have some very tough choices to make in March and April, so I'm anticipating a bit.

Anyway, thanks for your input, and any more advice about these schools would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[silas2642]

First of all, stop obsessing. I am going to open a can of worms on sdn, climb out on a limb, and say that it doesn't really matter where you go to undergrad if you're applying to medical school. The key is to do well whatever school picks you. By the way, I would also suggest that unless your parents are super rich, that you go to your state school or whatever school offers you the most financial aid. Medical school is not cheap. One of the best decisions I ever could have made was to choose my state school as my undergrad-- it saves me about 100 grand.

Second, spend some time (I would suggest at least six months) trying to talk yourself out of this career. Read some of the threads that residents and medical students have written on this subject. Being pre-med is hard, there are a lot of sacrifices, applying is expensive, mcats are a pain in the ass, you obsess about not getting into medical school, you wonder if you're smart enough to be accepted, and if accepted if you can cut it with the rest of your brilliant class, etc. And then it only gets worse. You really want to make sure that this is the path for you before you really commit yourself to it. Volunteer at a hospital, shadow some doctors, get some clinical experience. Nothing is worse than being extremely in debt, working your ass off in medical school, and then finding out you hate your career and you don't like being around sick people. This is not a glorious profession, and at the end of the day if you don't like helping people, you are going to be one miserable puppy.