should I transfer?

[Jim Henderson]

> 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

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[drhenderson]

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