Multiple transfer/Long academic history?

[phrenology]

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I'm relatively new and have never posted anything before, so I apologize if I make any critical newbie-errors in this thread.

That being said, I need some advice about transferring schools more than once, especially factoring in my tricky academic history. Here's an outline of my situation:

-Started at a good state school at 17 years old, was really immature and school was not my highest priority. Was also an advertising major.

-Senior year, dealt with a pretty serious health issue that caused me to drop my classes halfway through both semesters. Have a long list of W's on my record. Never completed the advertising program.

-After said health issue, I moved back home and went to the local community college. I realized that science is what I should have been doing all along and started taking bio pre-reqs. Got 4.0's both semesters. Took interest in medicine, started shadowing and volunteering, really love the field and want to go to med school.

-Tried to transfer to another good state school but was rejected due to poor GPA from first 3 years. Now attending one of the least selective state schools-- tiny campus, programs being cut left and right, crappy teachers, etc. I'm doing very well in my classes, though.

NOW... I have about 2.5 years left until I will (finally) graduate with a B.S. in microbiology. The question is since I have so much time left until I finish, should I transfer again to a better state school now that my GPA has improved? Keep in mind that I will be an 8th year senior and my overall GPA will probably only get as high as a 3.5 if I ace everything from here on out. Does the not-so-prestigious reputation of my current school really matter that much? And does transferring so many times look really bad to adcoms? I know I will have a lot of explaining to do, but will this just push me over the edge into the "no way" category? Any other advice is welcome 🙂

 

[Stratego]

Stay where you are and get straight As. Don't risk getting a lower GPA. The proof that you "got it" will be a competitive MCAT score (for you, about a 32+). I came from a tiny, little known college in a corn field, yet I still got into med school.

 

[MexicanDr]

Stay where you are and get straight As.

Agree..

 

[ragstoMD]

I totally understand where you come from except I had a 2.7 as a junior and pushed hard to get above a 3.0 the past two years.

I myself went from a good state school, texas a&m, to lowest tier school, University of North Texas back to an okay school at University of Texas at Dallas.

However, I was asked by a couple of interview people and admissions deans why I switched schools *(since all Universities are the same to them.)

Personally though, I would stay at your university. As long as it is a university, it is fine. Why? it's because due to the less competition of each class you will have more chances of making mostly ALL A's. AT UNT, I had to make an 85 avg to get an A in the class cause everyone else would fail the tests!

Here is the biggest problem I see though. You are in California and they have the most competitive state applicants out there. So much so that good applicants from cali go to NY medical college as a safe school.

At your school, I think you should develop 2 years of great gpa with taking 16-17 semester hours each semester and take all summers until you develop at least 60 but ideally 70+ hours of good trend. (even if it's more than your degree plan requiresS) If you are weak in physics, take physics(or ochem) during the summer that you study the MCAT. ( That's what I did)

a 3.5 and a 32 may not even guarantee you an interview the first time around.
You need to score a 30+ mcat but most importantly TALK TO admission deans the next two years. Keep up with them, update them.. keep talking to them. each semester. If they are close, visit, if they are far send communication via email and visit them too! ESPECIALLY in the off season when they aren't interviewing.

Get more experience in medical field. This is KEY. What'll make you stand out more than a 3.7, 31 mcat guy would be that you have 300+ hours of hospital /doctor shadowing in the next 2.5 years. That means each semester, do at least 75 hours or about 6 hours a week of shadowing. Forget the research stuff. Go shadow, volunteer, work as a medical assistant etc.
Good luck : ) 2.5 years and you can do it.

 

[phrenology]

Stay where you are and get straight As. Don't risk getting a lower GPA. The proof that you "got it" will be a competitive MCAT score (for you, about a 32+). I came from a tiny, little known college in a corn field, yet I still got into med school.

I totally understand where you come from except I had a 2.7 as a junior and pushed hard to get above a 3.0 the past two years.

I myself went from a good state school, texas a&m, to lowest tier school, University of North Texas back to an okay school at University of Texas at Dallas.

However, I was asked by a couple of interview people and admissions deans why I switched schools *(since all Universities are the same to them.)

Personally though, I would stay at your university. As long as it is a university, it is fine. Why? it's because due to the less competition of each class you will have more chances of making mostly ALL A's. AT UNT, I had to make an 85 avg to get an A in the class cause everyone else would fail the tests!

Here is the biggest problem I see though. You are in California and they have the most competitive state applicants out there. So much so that good applicants from cali go to NY medical college as a safe school.

At your school, I think you should develop 2 years of great gpa with taking 16-17 semester hours each semester and take all summers until you develop at least 60 but ideally 70+ hours of good trend. (even if it's more than your degree plan requiresS) If you are weak in physics, take physics(or ochem) during the summer that you study the MCAT. ( That's what I did)

a 3.5 and a 32 may not even guarantee you an interview the first time around.
You need to score a 30+ mcat but most importantly TALK TO admission deans the next two years. Keep up with them, update them.. keep talking to them. each semester. If they are close, visit, if they are far send communication via email and visit them too! ESPECIALLY in the off season when they aren't interviewing.

Get more experience in medical field. This is KEY. What'll make you stand out more than a 3.7, 31 mcat guy would be that you have 300+ hours of hospital /doctor shadowing in the next 2.5 years. That means each semester, do at least 75 hours or about 6 hours a week of shadowing. Forget the research stuff. Go shadow, volunteer, work as a medical assistant etc.
Good luck : ) 2.5 years and you can do it.

Thank you both so much for your insight. I definitely see the value now in staying at my little university, especially since there is way less competition here. Switching might appear "wishy-washy" and I'll have less time to get to know my professors if I go elsewhere.

RagstoMD-- I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one in this position. Excellent point about taking as many credit hours as possible. My original strategy was to take about 12-15 units per semester so that I can get an A++ in all my classes, but taking more could hopefully boost my GPA to >3.5 if I try hard enough. And it is so true about being a student in CA-- I don't think I will even bother applying to CA schools. But we'll see when that time comes.

Thanks again! 🙂