Does this sound strange?

[Miliwen]

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Afternoon all,

Yesterday I had a meeting with the dean of admissions at UConn's SOM. I told him of my crappy past and what I plan todo to correct it. He told me to ignore it (which I agree with, I need to focus on doing good now, not worrying about 4-6 years ago). Then he said to retake my SAT's and apply as a freshmen to a 4-year. Currently I am taking 9 credits at a CC and I'm doing good. It just struck me as very strange that he told me to apply as a freshmen as oppose to applying as a transfer. What does everyone think about this? A little strange? Should I take his advice (This school is my number one choice)?

 

[njbmd]

Afternoon all,

Yesterday I had a meeting with the dean of admissions at UConn's SOM. I told him of my crappy past and what I plan todo to correct it. He told me to ignore it (which I agree with, I need to focus on doing good now, not worrying about 4-6 years ago). Then he said to retake my SAT's and apply as a freshmen to a 4-year. Currently I am taking 9 credits at a CC and I'm doing good. It just struck me as very strange that he told me to apply as a freshmen as oppose to applying as a transfer. What does everyone think about this? A little strange? Should I take his advice (This school is my number one choice)?

If you did very poorly many of your credits will not transfer anyway. The Dean's suggestion is a good one as there is nothing that you can do about courses/classes that were done 4-6 years ago so put your emphasis on the present and preparing for the future.

If you have community college credits that are good enough for transfer, nine credits would still put you at the freshman level. You have an opportunity to make a fresh start and do well right out of the gates so take that chance and go with it. If you did not take SAT, you will need it for a four-year college or university unless the college or university does not require SAT. I also believe that the Dean is telling you that UConn prefers pre-med coursework from a 4-year college or university so heed that advice too.

The Deans advice seems reasonable in light of the fact that this is the Dean of Admissions from UConn School of Medicine, a medical school that generally attracts applicants from Connecticut and the Northeast (areas that are saturated with good colleges and universities of high calibre).

 

[spicedmanna]

Afternoon all,

Yesterday I had a meeting with the dean of admissions at UConn's SOM. I told him of my crappy past and what I plan todo to correct it. He told me to ignore it (which I agree with, I need to focus on doing good now, not worrying about 4-6 years ago). Then he said to retake my SAT's and apply as a freshmen to a 4-year. Currently I am taking 9 credits at a CC and I'm doing good. It just struck me as very strange that he told me to apply as a freshmen as oppose to applying as a transfer. What does everyone think about this? A little strange? Should I take his advice (This school is my number one choice)?

It does strike me as a little odd, but then again, the person with whom you have had a correspondence might be privvy to some past history that I am not. For instance, I do not know if you have previously attended college, just graduated high school, or what? Did you take the SAT previously?

In general, however, attending a 4-year institution, and taking your premedical requirements there as opposed to a community college will most likely be viewed more favorably in terms of the medical school application process.

 

[Law2Doc]

For instance, I do not know if you have previously attended college, just graduated high school, or what? Did you take the SAT previously?

Agree. We do not have sufficient info to decide if this sounds strange.
At any rate, if you (OP) want to go to UConn, you should follow the Dean's advice to the letter, do well, and try to touch base with him annually and keep him periodically updated, continually asking him if there is anything else you should be doing.

 

[Miliwen]

Ok, currently I am enrolled at a CC. I have 3 credits from before and 9 credits I am taking now. The prior 3 credits were 3.0ish (do not know the exact number). The classes I am taking right now I am going to get A's. I have taken the SAT's at got a little over 1100 on it (prior to the new scoring).

So my question is, how would applying as a new student(not transfer) help me as oppose to transfering? They will see my grades either way in the long run. And I am not taking any pre-reqs at the CC. Gen Psych, Eng. Comp and pre-calc are the classes I am taking right now.

Law2Doc:

I will do that.

 

[spicedmanna]

Ok, currently I am enrolled at a CC. I have 3 credits from before and 9 credits I am taking now. The prior 3 credits were 3.0ish (do not know the exact number). The classes I am taking right now I am going to get A's. I have taken the SAT's at got a little over 1100 on it (prior to the new scoring).

So my question is, how would applying as a new student(not transfer) help me as oppose to transfering? They will see my grades either way in the long run. And I am not taking any pre-reqs at the CC. Gen Psych, Eng. Comp and pre-calc are the classes I am taking right now.

Law2Doc:

I will do that.

I think it is best that you re-confer with the Dean at UConn and ask him that question directly. I'm sure he has a reason for making that suggestion to you. Either that, or there is a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up. Perhaps he is saying that his medical school prefers to see you directly matriculate into a 4-year institution, rather than transfer.

I don't know much about tranferring. However, off hand, I think he might be trying to save you some time and energy. Some schools are generous with transfer credits, others are not (often to an extreme). You might end up retaking a bunch of classes. Also, it seems that you are not taking full semesters. Medical schools like to see you taking a full load. If you can matriculate directly into a 4-year, then you should, rather than grinding your wheels (and potentially wasting your money) at a community college and then transferring. If this means performing a little bit better in your SAT, then that is a minimal price to pay. But I would think that your SAT score is acceptable to most state 4-year institutions; it was at mine, but that was 15 years ago, and things might have changed.

Bottom line is you should go to a 4-year if you can, as soon as you can. And if you want to go to UConn follow the Dean's advice, after you reconfirm it with him or her, of course.

 

[Miliwen]

I think it is best that you re-confer with the Dean at UConn and ask him that question directly. I'm sure he has a reason for making that suggestion to you. Either that, or there is a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up. Perhaps he is saying that his medical school prefers to see you directly matriculate into a 4-year institution, rather than transfer.

I don't know much about tranferring. However, off hand, I think he might be trying to save you some time and energy. Some schools are generous with transfer credits, others are not (often to an extreme). You might end up retaking a bunch of classes. Also, it seems that you are not taking full semesters. Medical schools like to see you taking a full load. If you can matriculate directly into a 4-year, then you should, rather than grinding your wheels (and potentially wasting your money) at a community college and then transferring. If this means performing a little bit better in your SAT, then that is a minimal price to pay. But I would think that your SAT score is acceptable to most state 4-year institutions; it was at mine, but that was 15 years ago, and things might have changed.

Bottom line is you should go to a 4-year if you can, as soon as you can. And if you want to go to UConn follow the Dean's advice, after you reconfirm it with him or her, of course.

Thats a good idea. I will email him tomorrow just to have a clear understanding. I don't think its the transfer credits. Perhaps he is not aware, but CC in CT transfer to just about all the state schools (UConn, CCSU, and others). Well, let me say that again, most classes transfer. The ones I am taking, I know for a fact they transfer.

But tomorrow I will find out for sure. Thank you all for reaplying 🙂