Decisions decisions!

[700003]

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[BABSstudent]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to know what your thoughts are on transferring as a pre-med? I am considering transferring from a SLU, a higher ranked private institution with a top 20 pre-med program and a med school to GMU, a lower ranked state school that is brilliant in economics (although I want to major in Neuroscience) and has no med school...this is in order to be closer to family.

SLU is more medically oriented and offers shadowing and clinical programs, such as participation in Emergency Research. It is also Jesuit so it has a lot of service opportunities, and it is a much smaller school than GMU. At GMU, I would have to search for outside shadowing, research and volunteer opportunities for medical school. It would be probably be more easier to get grades at GMU though.

Also, SLU, being private, is more expensive than GMU. But would the extra money be worth it for SLU, considering the advantages I have mentioned? Another thing is, although my credits are transferring, half of them do no necessarily count towards the degree and, as the advisor at the lower ranked school told me, were just taken for no reason. Out of 42 credits, only 14-17 of them really help me in completion of my degree at GMU...

Should I still transfer?? Would it hurt my chances for admission to med school? Which school would you choose?!

Please please reply as soon as you can!!!

You never said why you want to transfer...

 

[baltimoreman]

this is in order to be closer to family.

Reason

 

[700003]

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[700003]

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[kmp0410]

Do what you feel is best.

The extra stuff won't matter as much as you being happy and making the best grades.

While research and shadowing opportunities are nice, you can likely find them anywhere but you might have to put in more effort.

In short, I wouldn't consider the EC's and ranking in your decision. Go where you want to be, and where you will be most happy.

 

[linebacker57]

Transferring will not hurt your chances at med school admissions. I transferred for a much less legit reason than family...to keep playing football...and I turned out just fine. Was my GPA lower the semester after I transferred while I was getting adjusted? Yes. But med schools expect this, because it's like your second freshman year.

 

[Lucky Louie]

Hummm. Do you really want anonymous strangers actually make this kind od decision for you?

Some things to weigh: does transferring set you back from graduating on time? What about your ECs: research, volunteering< shadowing opportunities? It will be harder to establish your self somewhere new in a very sgort time frame. Do you think your actual transcript, as verified by AMCAS, would list your courses favorably? (i.e., will they acknowledge those 14-17 credits? How does it change your sGPA?) Of all the schools near home, why are you choosing this one, especially if they're not giving you merit?

What year are you? When do you expect to apply? What is your current sGPA/cGPA?

For sure you will need to answer - "Why did you transfer" - during the interview period. One disadvantage to transferring from a national school vs a regional one is that you are trying to game the system and have an easier time getting top grades. Is that one motivation?

Now go back to WOWM on that other thread and reread it. I think she also had good advice.

 

[700003]

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[plumhill]

I don't think it'll be an issue. You can just explain why you transferred and no one will care beyond that. Regarding prep for med school, even though GMU (I'm assuming you mean George Mason, correct me if I'm wrong) doesn't have a med school, you're (almost) in freakin' DC. There'll be plenty of hospitals for you to volunteer with, the NIH if you want to do research and can get in, as well as a number of other research-related facilities that can provide you with good experiences. So I wouldn't worry about this decision from a med school prep perspective.

 

[fourhumours]

there are some statistics out there that people who attend (transfer?) multiple universities in undergrad are lass likely to get interviews and acceptances....however I have a feeling that data is skewed because of people who either failed/dropped out, transferred from a CC to a 4-year institution and other such circumstances. I transferred between institutions and was fine. as long as you are transferring to a reasonable university/college (not Jeremiah K.E.L. Bumridge State College in East japeepee Nevada) there really is nothing wrong as long as you keep your grades up and get a good MCAT score. transferring will be hard ony our social life for a month or two (it sucked for me my first semester) but shouldn't affect your application chances.

one thing to take note of though is the pre-med committee at your new college and its rules regarding sending out a committee letter. at the university I transferred to the committee would only send out a letter if you took the majority of your pre-rec medical school course load at the university (they felt that they couldn't verify the quality of education at other universities....really I just think they want to dissuade as many people from applying as possible so that they dont hurt their numbers).