<p>My son is getting ready to submit his apps. We visited UM last Spring and he loved it, and we spent one day at the Rosenstiel School (he volunteers at an aquarium in CT, tags horseshoe crabs, etc.). I thought he was going to want to apply there, with a Marine Science/Chemistry track but now he says he wants to major in Biochemistry and NOT apply to RSMAS.</p>
<p>If he gets into UM and changes his mind, how easy will it be for him to move into the Marine Sciences program?</p>
<p>I know RSMAS is great, but i'm not sure how good the other science programs are at UM.</p>
<p>He is also applying to:
Florida Tech
Stetson
FAU
Eckerd
Georgia Tech
U of Rhode Island
(we live in NY)</p>
<p>He has a 32 ACT but his GPA will only be around 3.3 (he does have a compelling backstory though). His ECs are good.</p>
<p>From everything I’ve read on here and on UM’s site, transferring between departments within the U is quite a simple process - with the possible exception of Frost (music). I think that both Biochem and Marine Science are in the School of Arts & Sciences, so he’d just be taking different courses toward the major - no “school” transfer needed, just moving from one department to another.</p>
<p>I think the 32 ACT score puts him in contention for admission. Hopefully he has an agressive schedule for his senior year. Would apply EA. Need more details to comment on scholarship potentials.</p>
<p>Thanks, Zinc! I think you’ve helped me here before as well.</p>
<p>He’s taking AP Env Sci and AP Psych in Senior year. He has severe ADHD and has REALLY brought his grades up (did great in Junior year). He’s also ‘first generation’ and his dad passed away when my son was 8 years old, so his essay will be compelling as he has overcome a lot in his life. </p>
<p>He plans to apply EA. I don’t think his GPA will be high enough for scholarship but we’ll see.</p>
<p>The joke around campus is that at one point every Cane undergrad is a Marine Sciences major. I think it’s fairly straightforward to transfer into and out of Marine Sciences. As a parent of a Marine Sci/Bio major the main attraction for me was that the dual major was required. If interest in Marine Sciences waned he still had an excellent Biology degree to work with. I think that the science departments at Miami are easily on par with your other options.</p>
<p>I think that the undergrad Marine Sciences program at UM is only going to grow in stature given the new construction that’s underway. My son is a grad of the program and was hired right after graduation to work at RSMAS. He just left after 3 years to take another postion at another university. The program was everything he had hoped for and more.</p>
<p>I thought I remembered your handle mavitale - I think we had a PM or two awhile back. Regarding the scholarship - I think admissions/finaid may be more likely to look at your son’s class rank over GPA.</p>
<p>My son is a 2009 UM grad with a microbio and immunology degree, his fiance, a 2010 UM grad with a bio degree. Both were immediately employed upon graduation and then a year later, accepted into top ranked grad school programs. They both feel that UM gave them great foundations. In fact, son’s fiance (in a med school PA program) feels she was better prepared than many of her classmates. Science programs at UM are very strong. Good luck to your son.</p>