Continue Undergrad at UCSD or Transfer to Cornell?

BU Medical Sciences
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Ceener

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I'm a freshman in UCSD's Eleanor Roosevelt College, meaning lots of humanities/arts/writing GE's.
I've been accepted to Cornell's Biology and Society major at their College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for second year..

Move:
-Better financial aid (yup, I'm in-state, but Cornell still gives me better FA)
-Closer to the single family member I have in the US
-Closer to my buddies in NYC
-Love East Coast, I really truly don't like Cali [edit: I LOVE northeast weather; Toronto native]
-Prestige (I dunno how much this matters to medschool adcoms)
-I hear good things about the health careers committee and their LoR's.. [edit: composite letters]

Stay:
-Doing well in school (All A's in my intro bio and chem classes as well as upperdiv biochem); not sure if I'd do as well at Cornell...
-Offered place in biochem lab; professors seems very interested in me and my future and wants me to stay
-There're like.. 142394 hospitals within walking distance
-leaving my friends will shatter my heart into pieces
-minimal frat life; I'm actually quite intimidated by frat boys and girls
-doesn't it look bad if I move!?

Please add to these lists and help me decide!
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I would go where I would thrive (academics, ECs, quality of life). That being said, I heard Cornell deflates (I've heard the opposite too, so maybe look into that?).
 
Go wherever you think you will do best. If you are getting all A's and about to start research as a freshman that seems like a good argument for UCSD as far as helping you get yourself set up for a successful med school application...
 
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I would stay as well. You'd essentially be starting over next year as a transfer student, and seems like you're pretty happy here =)
Cornell is an Ivy that does very minimal grade-inflation according to some friends that go there.

Good luck though!
 
Cornell's got one of the most beautiful campuses on earth (yes, even compared to UCSD) and a wonderful reputation. And if you don't end up in med school, an Ivy League degree with the added bonus of less debt will get you off to a great start. Cornell also has great career and med advising and a very active alumni network, which are helpful throughout life. I hear you on the frat scene, but it's very welcoming and not at all stuffy, whether you choose to join or not. Also, there are TONS of research opportunities at Cornell with some of the world's leading experts. On the downside, the weather... And not many hospitals to volunteer in.
 
I would say do it.

I transferred to an Ivy in a similar situation as you, and can help you out with this process a bit. Send a personal message my way if you're interested.
 
Ceener said:
-leaving my friends will shatter my heart into pieces
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Are you happy at UCSD? Do you feel like you're carving out a niche for yourself there? In my experience people do best where they are happiest. If transferring is going to make you unhappy, don't transfer.
 
CsHead said:
wut?


Anyway, OP… what made you decide to apply to transfer in the first place?
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Cornell's transfer option program. If you maintain a certain GPA and take some required classes, you're in for sophomore year. So I knew that I might not stay at one undergrad for four years even before I enrolled in UCSD. And Cornell being an Ivy, I thought I was pretty sure about transferring, but after this last quarter at UCSD, I'm 50/50.
 
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hoihaie said:
stay. seems like youve got a good thing going.

transferring will only make you start all over, esp the getting into research part.
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That is something to consider. I don't know how difficult it is to get involved in research at Cornell.. The profs here are very friendly and seem to want to teach up and coming scientists. I don't know if Cornell profs/PI's will have the same attitude toward undergrad research.

It wasn't too hard finding someone who wanted to work with and mentor me here. Not sure if this is true for Cornell.
 
Lamel said:
I would say do it.

I transferred to an Ivy in a similar situation as you, and can help you out with this process a bit. Send a personal message my way if you're interested.
Click to expand...

Well, I've already been accepted. If you have tips, pointers, what-to-watch-out-fors, pros/cons specific to Ivy League schools or transferring let me know!
 
justAstudent said:
If you're doing well and not having any problems at UCSD, why risk making a move that can end up hurting you?
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I've moved schools, countries, continents several times, and part of me tells me I'll be missing out on an adventure. I also really don't want to end up in SD/California long term. Will going to UCSD affect my chances of going to a med/grad school in the East Coast (pref. NYC)? I feel like UCSD isn't very well recognised outside CA.
 
Reckoner said:
Are you happy at UCSD? Do you feel like you're carving out a niche for yourself there? In my experience people do best where they are happiest. If transferring is going to make you unhappy, don't transfer.
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If I knew transferring would definitely make me unhappy, of course I wouldn't do it! For now I want a better prediction of where I will be happier.
 
Ceener said:
I've moved schools, countries, continents several times, and part of me tells me I'll be missing out on an adventure. I also really don't want to end up in SD/California long term. Will going to UCSD affect my chances of going to a med/grad school in the East Coast (pref. NYC)? I feel like UCSD isn't very well recognised outside CA.
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The UC system is a very respectable and well known if I'm correct.
 
Ceener said:
If I knew transferring would definitely make me unhappy, of course I wouldn't do it! For now I want a better prediction of where I will be happier.
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I guess what I was really asking is: why transfer if you're happy and productive where you are right now? I think you're overestimating how important a school's reputation is. (And how reputable UCSD is) I got accepted at several New York schools, despite not attending an "East Coast powerhouse" for undergrad. And my school was not as brand name as UCSD. That is just an anecdote, of course.
 
Ceener said:
I've moved schools, countries, continents several times, and part of me tells me I'll be missing out on an adventure. I also really don't want to end up in SD/California long term. Will going to UCSD affect my chances of going to a med/grad school in the East Coast (pref. NYC)? I feel like UCSD isn't very well recognised outside CA.
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No.
 
Ceener said:
I've moved schools, countries, continents several times, and part of me tells me I'll be missing out on an adventure. I also really don't want to end up in SD/California long term. Will going to UCSD affect my chances of going to a med/grad school in the East Coast (pref. NYC)? I feel like UCSD isn't very well recognised outside CA.
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UCSD is very well recognized, at least in the science community. Can't say the same for arts or music though..
 
It will really come down to which school OP likes more honestly. Objectively Cornell is cheaper, higher ranked, and has plenty of research available. However, OP is also fairly established at USC. Does he want to take that risk? In my opinion, since he is just a freshman, he doesn't have that much to lose. So again, it comes down to his own preference really.
 
PM me if you have questions - i transferred to Cornell as a junior and from what I've seen it is an easier transition coming in as a soph
 
Ceener said:
I've moved schools, countries, continents several times, and part of me tells me I'll be missing out on an adventure. I also really don't want to end up in SD/California long term. Will going to UCSD affect my chances of going to a med/grad school in the East Coast (pref. NYC)? I feel like UCSD isn't very well recognised outside CA.
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No, especially with the grades you have going. I went to an undergrad equivalent or less in reputation than UCSD (and also regional). I didn't have any trouble and neither did anyone I've talked to. Just do well on the MCAT. That is the equalizer, Ivy League school or not
 
trino said:
No, especially with the grades you have going. I went to an undergrad equivalent or less in reputation than UCSD (and also regional). I didn't have any trouble and neither did anyone I've talked to. Just do well on the MCAT. That is the equalizer, Ivy League school or not
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If you end up in medical school, then your undergrad - Ivy or not - will not matter much.
If you don't, the Ivy prestige will help you.

The real question is if you can keep up your excellent GPA if you transfer. If you can, I'd say do it! If you're not sure you can, and are certain that 1) a career in medicine is what you want, and 2) you can get there from UCSD (grade-dependent), then play it safe.

One question you didn't answer -- Do you love it at UCSD? Fit in there? 'Click'?
 
DokterMom said:
If you end up in medical school, then your undergrad - Ivy or not - will not matter much.
If you don't, the Ivy prestige will help you.

The real question is if you can keep up your excellent GPA if you transfer. If you can, I'd say do it! If you're not sure you can, and are certain that 1) a career in medicine is what you want, and 2) you can get there from UCSD (grade-dependent), then play it safe.

One question you didn't answer -- Do you love it at UCSD? Fit in there? 'Click'?
Click to expand...

Whoaa really good points. It's true. If I suddenly decide that I want to study philosophy or music, I'm pretty much screwed at SD. And I guess part, if not most, of the reason I'm struggling so much with this decision is that there are so many unknowns. I really have no idea what my GPA will be like at Cornell. I'm quite certain that I have an interest in the sciences, specifically biomedical sciences, but I'm not sure if I can get my MD and look back at these years and say, "Wow! That was totally worth it!"

If by "click" you mean a positive feeling the instant I arrived on campus, no. In fact, I am a Canadian-American who lived most of her life in Canada. I feel so out of place and separated from the world in CA/SD. Otherwise UCSD is the bomb.
 
Silence in ER said:
Grade deflation= don't do it.
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"Do you even go here?"

Some people say inflation, some people say deflation. How does deflation even happen? Do some schools make a conscious effort to screw their students over?
 
I didn't see any 'grade deflation' -- though I did see a number of very bright students. Then again, I hear there are many more very bright students in the various UCs than back in my day... And yeah, the "What if I decide to major in music" point is critical. Whatever you decide to do, you can be reasonably certain that Cornell has a top-notch program for it -- or will make one for you. Can't say UC has the budget for that...
 
Ceener said:
"Do you even go here?"

Some people say inflation, some people say deflation. How does deflation even happen? Do some schools make a conscious effort to screw their students over?
Click to expand...

They probably curve grades down so that there is only a certain percentage of A's, B's, C's, etc.
 
I had a friend from Cornell who did very well GPA wise and okay on the MCAT (31) who applied this cycle and she had basically bad things to say about the pre health committee and how they did not help her at all with her application process. She said all the information they advised on was stuff you could read anywhere on SDN or the internet in general, did not give much feedback on her application or her personal statement, that whoever her pre health Committee letter writer was basically screwed her over by failing to write her committee letter early and submitting it to schools in late August (making her complete way later than when she submitted originally in early june) and that after that adviser was fired, that was the third pre health adviser they had gone through in the last five years. Additionally, they did not give her any advice on school selection so she made some bad school choices as a result by applying to too many reach schools with no one from the premed committee advising her to do otherwise. (It screwed her cycle over and she was INCREDIBLY lucky to get one acceptance after getting two interviews very late in March). So... That may have been just my friend's bad experience, but maybe ask students and see how reliable the premed committee is at UCSD and how it compares to Cornell.
 
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There is no official deflation at Cornell. Their engineering courses are famed to be tough, and overall it is a tough school, but the difficulty depends on the major.
 
Cornell is a difficult school and is one of the two ivy league schools that doesn't give all their students a free pass. If you think you can excel there, go for it. Ithaca is absolutely beautiful and NYC is just a 4 hour bus ride from the cornell campus (they even give you a free bus 😛). Just remember, this is YOUR life, and if you want the lifetime experience of being a cornelian- go for it.
 
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