LA College Transfers? Have I Shot Myself in the Foot?

[machupichu]

I am currently attending a college in la and planning to transfer to ucla. I was hoping to go to ucla for medschool as well. I am finishing my GE's at college and taking bio & chem, I was going to save the other sciences and take them at ucla. Have I diminished my chances of getting into medschool? Any hope at the end of this dreary tunnel?

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[MikeS 78]

do well on the mcat and no one really cares where you did your undergrad

 

[BlackPuma]

the irony!

pple who went to ucla, wished that they went to a community college first and then transferred!!!

"Going to a community college diminishes ur chances"

MYTH

The truth is, it is the exact opposite, students go to CCs, boost up their gpas compared to UCLA students and then transfer over with a higher gpa for med schools, and they are still considered UCLA students

i have seen friends from CCS transfter to UCLA, and get accepted to columbia, john hopkins, ucla and ucsd....

u have only increased ur chances!!! all that **** about going to a competitive school is way OVERBLOWN!!

 

[TwoSteveSquared]

If you get A's in your upper division science classes and score high on the MCAT,you have nothing to lose. Actually, you'll be better off cause getting A's in "weeder" courses at UCLA is really hard. I think it was harder than getting A's in upper divisions (except for a couple of killers).

 

[BlackPuma]

my lower division classes were actually a nightmare?

freakin professors out to get u, while upper division professors wanted u to learn!!!

i hated weeders classes and the whole concept of competition is EXTREMELY defeating in a higher "learning" institution where the material u gain should BE FAR MORE IMPortant than trying to weed pple out....

our school reeks of *****ic competitors and their respective anal professors who think they are god's gift to man!!!

if u want ego and competition come to our wonderfuls chool

 

[machupichu]

Thanks for all of the replies! I am so grateful. I am doing well in my lower division classes but I am getting ragged on by my sister in law and her fiance (both went to berkley) and they told me that by going to a cc will hurt me bigtime on my application. i think they are just bitter her fiance didn't get accepted. hihihi. you guys are awesome!

cheers

 

[Thumper]

Hey Babe, don't despair! I am living proof that not only is it a really smart idea to go to a CC, it is pretty much the only way to go if you want to keep some money in your pocket. First of all, going to a CC allows you to get the one-on-one time with the professors and gives you a chance to mature. Secondly, since the classes are longer (semester units) you will not only have more time to study everything, but once you transfer, every CC (semester) unit will equal one & half quarter units. Also, finishing your IGETC will not only give you a good background and prevent you from taking lame classes at UCLA, but it will enable you to get the A's without having to kill yourself. I transfered from Moorpark College to UCLA with a 3.61, and got in as a Biology major. If your GPA is lower, you can always apply as PsychoBio and transfer later! Don't worry about messing up your chances of getting into Med school, because the semester units will give you a nice cushioning and will save you from the overwhelming freshman years at UCLA. Good Luck, and make sure to keep on track.
Ps. Don't trust the counselors. Do research on your own, and make sure the classes you take at a CC really do tranfer over to UCLA and will help you later on.

 

[brhill]

Here, here on that "don't trust the counselors" comment. Definitely get the catalog and get online and see it in writing. I have been misinformed a number of times but luckily I'm paranoid and double checked.
Also, when you do transfer, you might want to go to uclaprofessors.com and read the ratings on the profs. It's all on a curve so if you have a super hard prof it kind of all evens out in the end but it's nice to take ones that are available and concerned about their students, so that if you're having trouble you know you can go and get suggestions and not be ridiculed.
Also, I think that the only way going to a CC would hurt your chances is if your grade trends changed. And actually, your former good grades in cc wouldn't be the problem, it'd be your new mediocre grades at the university. This is all just my opinion of course.

 

[daveshnave]

I agree with all the posts up here. WHATEVER you do, don't trust counselors... I've talked to many who seemed to have their heads lodged up... well you know where. They really mean to help, but you know yourself best. I was given lots of bad info when I started UCSD, and either found out things on my own, or the hard way. Check things out for yourself... I can't emphasize this enough.

Also, I don't think going to a community college will hurt you in the slightest. As others have said, it will only stand to boost your GPA since the level of competition is much less. HOWEVER, I agree with brhill.... you have to be careful when you actually do transfer that you work your tail off. If your grades drop significantly, and it's a recurring trend (ie. past the point of the adjustment time it takes to get used to UCLA), adcoms will wonder whether you have what it takes to hack med school. Don't freak out about this, just work extra hard early on at UCLA when you transfer to ensure you're grades don't slip too much (hopefully not at all). Know what's expected of you... good luck!