Should I transfer from CSU to UC?

[301589]

Hi!
I'm currently second year student at CSULB right now. When I decided to go to CSULB, I knew I wanted to go into healthcare but I didn't know what exactly, so I went as a pre-nursing major. The main reason I went is because it's one of the best nursing schools and also because I wouldn't have to pay much at all at CSULB After volunteering at the hospital and taking a few basic science courses for my major (particularly anatomy which I loved), I knew I wanted to become a doctor instead. I've been reading stuff online and I've read that CSU students have a disadvantage when it comes to getting into medical school and they don't have as good of a chance as students from a UC. I would like your advice and input on this. Is this stuff true? Is it bad if I stay at CSULB if I plan on going to medical school? Do I have a realistic chance of getting into a medical school if I decided to stay at CSULB, of course assuming that I have a solid GPA and MCAT. I find that most of the answer to these questions usually refer to UC medical schools and I wanted to note that I am open to, and perhaps would prefer, going to out of state schools. I know it'd also depend on my GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars...etc, but should I transfer to a UC so that it'd "look better"? I don't know... Is it smarter to transfer to a UC?

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[themoonman2]

I transferred from a CC to a highly ranked UC, so I cannot speak exactly to your situation, but I can tell you that transferring is quite difficult. Most UCs are on a quarter system, and going from semester to quarters was a big challenge for me at least. Being an upperclassman transfer student makes it harder to meet people- even with joining clubs, it's a challenge. There just aren't as many easily accessible social situations unless you choose to live on campus and the students that didn't transfer often already have a friend group. Course work generally increases for upper division classes (which compounds with the quarter system), so the adjustment can be tough. All that being said, the UCs generally have more resources for pre-medical students and many more opportunities to participate in the activities med schools are looking for. You certainly can succeed in your courses and make some great friends- I did- but it took some time to adjust. I really loved my time at a UC, but I just wanted to make sure you're aware that it may not be a perfect transition.

edit: Something else I wanted to add is that my understanding is that med schools don't really care where you went to school but what you accomplished where you were. I don't think CSULB puts you at a disadvantage because of the schools reputation but you may have a disadvantage of access to resources which the UCs may solve (depending which one you go to).