should I transfer?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Jim Henderson

Full Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
> Hello Dr. Henderson! I just want to tell you how
> appreciative I am of you
> for putting up this wonderful site for aspiring
> premed students. I really
> want to become a doctor, but I'm in sort of a really
> sour pickle. Let me
> explain....
>
> I am a junior right now at a no-name state
> university. I really like
> the school and think
> it's great, but I don't know how admissions officers
> will see it. That is
> why I applied as a transfer student to Washington
> Univ. St Louis. I don't
> want to give you the impression that I applied there
> just for the
> prestige(I think I already did). I really like the
> school and think that
> they have a lot more to offer than my present
> school. I'll be transferring
> to Wash. as a senior, but major-wise, I'm only a
> junior because I changed
> my major from CS to Biochem in my sophmore year. Do
> you think I should
> transfer? I'm afraid that when I get there, I won't
> have as good
> student-faculty relationship as I presently have
> here. On the plus side,
> there is so much more research opportunity at Wash.
> This is only one of
> the problems I have to deal with. The other is of a
> more serious nature.
>
> My cum. gpa is around a 3.4 (will be around a
> 3.55~3.60 if I pull all A's
> next year. I'm very afraid of my record. I don't
> know how admissions
> officers will view my record in light at what has
> happened to me during my
> freshman and sophmore years. My grandma, who was as
> close as to me as my
> mother, passed away during the first semester of my
> freshman year. Even
> though I don't want to blame the death of my
> grandmother to my bad
> grades, I don't deny that it had a direct impact on
> it. I recovered (I
> think) my second semester by pulling all A's even
> though I had only 13
> credits. I took a light load, on advice from my
> parents. Everything was
> going smoothly during my sophmore year when one day,
> my dad called me from
> Taiwan. He informed me that he was diagnosed with
> lung cancer. I couldn't
> believe it. I completely bombed on my finals
> the following week. Ever since I was little, my dad
> was like superman to
> me... and knowing that my dad was diagnosed with
> cancer, I just couldn't
> believe it. After that, I just didn't care
> aboutanything. Classes
> at that point was the least of my concerns. After
> having numerous talks
> with my parents, I began to accept my dad's
> shortcomings and as a result
> my grades improved slightly. Second semester of my
> sophmore year, I had a 3.2 All B's and 1 A. Next
> year I pulled all A's
> and 1 B. This is the juncture I am at right now. I
> have 1 F, 2 Ds, 1 W,
> and countless B's. I did take retake the four
> courses, in which I received
> 2 A's and 2 B's. Whether you believe me or not, I
> really am a good
> student. I honestly think I can continue to do well,
> either at Wash. or
> here. I just don't know if admission officers will
> be so forthcoming. If
> I do well on my MCATs, do I have any chance
> whatsoever?? How do you think
> the admissions committee will see me?
>
> I understand you're are a very busy doctor, so just
> take your time with
> your reply.
>
> Thanks
 
Thanks for your letter. It is not entirely important
to transfer. If you will be set back a year, I'd
probably recommend that you don't transfer. If you
have developed good working relationships with your
faculty in Alaska, you probably have a good chance of
geting good letters.
Your grades, MCAT scores, letters of recommendation,
volunteer experience, research experience, and other
extra-curricular activities will be more important
than anything. If you do well on your MCATs, pull off
those As, and have good supporting credentials I'm
sure you will be a strong candidate for med school
admission!
Best of luck,

Jim Henderson, MD