Transferring from one undergrad to another undergrad

[Edivocke]

hey Members,

I entered college two years ago into a public University. Even though I got accepted at better schools like Johns Hopkins, University of Rochester, and Boston University, I went to my instate public university because they gave me a full ride (Full tuition + room & board).

Over these last two years, I've found out that my university wasn't all it was cracked up to be by "US NEWS AND world report" and my scholarship advisors. During these last two years, I've maintained a 3.25 GPA in Biochemical engineering with 3 C's in Intro to Biology, Inorganic Chemistry 2, and Inorganic Chemistry 2 Lab....all PREMED courses.

Just recently, I was accepted to transfer into a better ranked private university in New York. I do plan on attending the private university. The Private university has accepted all my transfer credit including the 3 C's on my application.

I heard that when the med school science GPA is calculated...they take all grades into account...even the C's from my previous institution.

So here's my question --> Should I retake those classes at my transfer university or should I move on into higher classes in biology/chemistry?

I know for a fact that I'm very capable in Inorganic Chemistry & biology. The reasoning that came from those C's was because my classes weren't fair....the averages in those classes were in the 40 percentile!! (if more than half the class is failing the exams in an intro course, its a problem with the professor....even my school advisor agreed with me that the university is taking heat because the graduation rate is 50% in 6 years!).

My original assumption was that I would just retake those courses at my transfer institution so I could prove to the med schools that I could achieve a higher grade...but if they are calculating my old courses from the institution im leaving along with my coursework from my transfer institution...what's the point of retaking them?

Thanks,

me

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[masterMood]

if you have the mentality that the average is the sole truth for a grade, especially if its at some okay state school, you have to realize that most kids at these state schools are not gonna be as smart or as hardworking than at the "better" school. If anything, it's gonna be harder at the more prestigious undergrad you are thinking of transferring to (NYU?). you can always study hard enough to be well above the average. It's only undergrad, the kids are not going to be studying as hard as in med. school, so you have a big advantage here. You're clearly well above the average at your current school, so you shouldn't let the idea of "bad" professors and other kids comments be a factor in how well you do. Chances are that if your college gave you a full scholarship to their place, they were betting on that you would do very well at their school. Transferring to a better (translated harder) undergrad might just make thigns worse especially if the competition is harder. But that's just my 2 cents.

 

[chandelantern]

If the school is not the right fit for you, that's one thing, however if you're tranferring solely because you think your grades will improve (of which the logic is a little skewed) I would think a little harder. I agree with the previous poster that your new "better" school may definitely be more difficult, and if it was just a couple classes that you didn't do so hot in you might be able to pass it off on the professors at your state school, however based on your gpa it looks like there were more than a couple. You will likely have poor professors at your new institution as well, and you just have to deal and do the best you can.

Anyway, to answer your question, I would check with your new institution to see if they would even allow you to retake those C's (my school doesn't, if you pass, you cannot retake...other schools won't give you credit if you do retake, so make sure it will still show up on your transcript or it means nothing.) If you can retake them, I probably would because it will make the transition to your new school easier and assure you have mastered the material before trying to tackle more difficult (upper div) classes that you may not be prepared for.

 

[eram]

I know for a fact that I'm very capable in Inorganic Chemistry & biology. The reasoning that came from those C's was because my classes weren't fair....the averages in those classes were in the 40 percentile!! (if more than half the class is failing the exams in an intro course, its a problem with the professor....even my school advisor agreed with me that the university is taking heat because the graduation rate is 50% in 6 years!).

Yeaaah, as an NYU alum, don't bank on the "fairness factor" being an excuse if you're headed there... Its all fair if you learn the material. My junior year in PChem only 9 people got above a C in a class of about 35? 6 seniors were kept from graduating. The averages for my real analysis class were below 20%...

So to answer your question, if you're transferring out to get into easier / "more fair" classes, save your energy. Also, I believe the C's will be caculated into your AMCAS GPA even if you retake them. However, if you score better it will bring up your numbers if you get an A, as any class would. So I'd say just get an A in the higher level courses and tell them thats their proof that you could have done better in the intro courses, regardless of the reason (I don't think ADCOMs will like the "it wasn't fair..." excuse)

 

[silas2642]

I agree with the previous posters... your logic is skewed. If you're not doing that well in your state school, which is FREE, then it certainly doesn't make any sense whatsoever to transfer to a private university that you have to pay for where the environment will be at least as competitive if not more so. The "class isn't fair" excuse just doesn't work at this level, and it certainly won't work with adcoms. Your gpa after your first two years is not beyond repair, just get straight A's your third year and nail the mcat, and your stats should be just fine.

The other thing I should mention is that your undergraduate institution isn't all that important in the admissions process-- I am graduating from my third tiered state school, and I got in. Prior graduates from my school have gotten into Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, Case, Cornell, and other prestigious med schools... so although the name on your diploma can help a little bit, it does not determine your fate nearly as much as you seem to think it does.

 

[masterMood]

i say stick with the state university.

use a combination of ratemyprofessors, upperclassmen, friends, etc to get the info on the best professors to take classes with, get old tests,etc.

 

[Shrami]

i say stick with the state university.

use a combination of ratemyprofessors, upperclassmen, friends, etc to get the info on the best professors to take classes with, get old tests,etc.

I agree. This is how I have survived also. Your state school is similar to mine. Sometimes it's best to take one or two classes at a better state school (if there is one) during the summer to avoid some professors .

 

[Flopotomist]

If you have a full ride - stick with the state school. Why go into crazy debt just for a silly name on a peice of paper? I went to a relatively no-name state school and did fine on the application trail. If anything, being from a unique school may be an advantage - I mean, ask the kids from Cal how being from that school hurts them - the perception is that the adcoms just sorta glaze over and say "ugh, another Cal kid, isn't there ANYBODY in this pile from a different school?"

 

[tikiman]

i am kinda going through the same thing...except if i transfer, i will do so by going to worse state school (academically) but i also have to a full ride to the college that i am going to right now..n on top of that, i also am struggling right now cuz of a really bad teacher (F in calculus) and my class average is an F... man, y do these teachers have to make our lives miserable

 

[relentless11]

I'd stick with the free money. I have found courses between schools to be similar, and the academic performance to be relatively equal. "Fairness" has nothing to do with getting a low grade. We will at one time or another encounter an "unfair" test, but the fact is we must deal, and overcome the test. In all honesty, the "fairness" argument is more of an excuse.

I have found courses at community colleges to be up to par with courses at UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal. Difference is, a lot of brighter people at these universities, and thus the mean can actually go up! Especially if you're in an impacted program like engineering at Cal.

Prestiege factor means jack if you do poorly. In fact doing poorly at a school with "less prestiege" might look worse if this factor is taken into account. A person with a 4.0 from Long Beach State will look better than someone with a 3.5 from Stanford University assuming they are the same majors. Being a Biochemical Engineering, you will face insanely harder classes as you move up the academic ladder. "Unfairness" will be a common word if you don't get over it, and start to learn to deal with challenging classes and professors. I recall my friend who took Physical Chemistry at UCLA. The course mean was like 44%. Assuming you get into med school, you should know that the means are a lot higher. My med school general pathology course had a mean of 86%. In med statistics, it jumped to 94% once on a midterm. It only gets harder.

As stated, i recommend the OP to stay at their original school since it is free tuition, and to resolve issues revolving around their study skills.

 

[americanpierg]

so everyone here is saying its a bad idea to transfer from michigan state university to university of michigan just show the adcoms that im from a competetive school

 

[Edivocke]

Hahah,

Well I knew adding in the reasoning would prompt a lot of people saying what I knew you would of said anyway...i.e. "deal with it, life isn't fair"

That statement is totally understandable.

All and all, its a lot of factors that are playing into my decision. My state school just feels like i'm going to a community college, and it doesn't offer a lot of services that the more expensive private school does. Basically, I want to have more life experiences, even if its going to cost me more money in the end.

I'm not simply trying to inflate my grades. I wanted to know though about people's opinions on the matter, and whether anyone has been through it before (and what they did).

Of course the private institution may have bad professors as well...but entering it will be like a second chance...I've already experienced college life, and I know better now where and what i should set my heart on.

"Prior graduates from my school have gotten into Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, Case, Cornell, and other prestigious med schools... so although the name on your diploma can help a little bit, it does not determine your fate nearly as much as you seem to think it does."

LOL...I gotta laugh at that...sorry! My school says that load of **** as well...and I actually did some research into it at my school...I found out that in the last 15 years, one student was accepted at HMS...so its not like that they're pumping out students every year that have been accepted at HMS.

I'll be transferring into Biochemistry into the private school. The biochemistry program is ranked pretty high (much better than my state school), and some of my friends from high school have told me that its pretty great.

Thanks for the advice though. I will go into higher level courses when I start at the private school. AND if my GPA isn't high enough by the time i finish school, I'll look into graduate schools in Immunology, etc...

Thanks.

 

[Rafa]

Stick with your school, but double major if you feel like you need to stand out academically. You'll look twice as smart as the average applicant. And you won't have to enter multiple schools in on the AMCAS, or get multiple transcripts sent in.

 

[blazinfury]

Sorry to jack this thread, but I have a similar issue. I have been offered a transfer to Cornell. I currently attend a state university (Stony Brook), but I am unsure of what I should do. Honestly, I am not a big fan of my current school, but I fear that by transferring, I will be even more depressed because I will put in a lot of effort and probably walk out with B avgs. I currently have a 3.9 GPA and am doing research. I know that Cornell will look better, but I fear failure, even though it offers so many more opportunities and the environment is so much better. My mentor is very cool about it and is in full support if I choose to leave and told me that she will always hold a spot for me in her lab-- so I do not lose anything in that respect. I am not sure about what I should do? I want to do an MD/PhD degree, for which GPA is a big factor. Ultimatley the question is: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a medium fish in a big pond in terms of admissions. Please comment. Thanks.

 

[kami333]

Don't do it. Stay at your state school. Med schools care more about what your GPA is than where you got it from. Both my gf and I sort of regret going to competitive private schools now that we are taking postbacc classes at a state university and get As without changing our study habits (and without going to class, we've become those people who just show up to take the exams).

 

[blazinfury]

But do you regret going to a competitive private school-- by that I mean would you have been happier in a state school because it is easier. But ultimately, you probably got a better education. I see what you mean, but would I be at a disadvantage going to med school from a state school, knowing that most of my classmates probably came from competitive private schools. Will I be at a great disadvantgae or it is not a big deal b/c everyone is nearly in the same boat of suffering and being at a disadvantage? I mean I was thinking about being a biochem major, but I decided against it because biochem would sap up my time and enjoyment of doing research. Plus, I do not think that my major will matter as much considering that I will attain more experience and understanding from my research than just taking an extra class-- even though i still intend to take biochem. Do you think I have a good attitude of making the best of what I got and doing my best to stand out above my peers by hopefully getting publications, good LORs, good GPA, and hopefully good MCATs.