help me decide my future. any help GREATLY appreciated

College Search & Selection
1

<p><strong><em>Posted in multiple places, just looking for advice</em></strong></p>

<p>as the time nears for making college decisions...i remain in a pickle.</p>

<p>i plan on studying medicine, becoming a doctor (hopefully at a prestigious institution) and having a good time in school at the same time.</p>

<p>at the undergraduate level, i hope to study bioengineering or BME. herein lies a big issue. i declared biochemistry as my major at UCLA but am considering changing to BME. i do this because, while my primary interest and skills are in the sciences, i hope to have that sort of "twist" on a med school app, getting away from your normal bio applicant towards a more applied, "useful" degree. at the same time, BME provides more research opportunities. still, i can consider that there is tons more work and hte major hit towards the all-important GPA.</p>

<p>here are my college stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted, all honors/ap/ib classes available, all A's
4.97 on our scale but that cant really be translated well
senior year courses (straight A’s first semester) :
spanish lang AP
TOK IB
chemistry AP
Statistics AP
history of the americas IB
psychology AP
english lit AP/english IB HL</p>

<p>SAT I : 700M, 790W, 760CR
SAT II: 770 Biology, 800 math 2, chemistry in dec (lookin at 800)</p>

<p>ELC student (i made the top 4% thing and have guarantees to the lower ones)</p>

<p>AP IB tests:</p>

<p>biology 5
us history 4
eng lang 5</p>

<p>math studies SL 6
physics SL 3 </p>

<p>more about me:
national merit scholar semifinalist (prospective finalist)
ROP hospital occupations program for 2 years (360 hours total, 120 in hospital, internship in OR/Radiology)
dental office job shadowing
science olympiad VP
STEP (Society To End Poverty) Founder/Project Manager (top pos)
Interact VP
12 year piano player (most advanced student)
basketball 2 years (MVP)
NHS, CSF member (seal bearer-with distinction)
IB Diploma candidate</p>

<p>school does not rank.
most challenging coursework available</p>

<p>End Stats</p>

<p>This is the list of colleges and stuff I got into:</p>

<p>Accepted
Northwestern (rejected HPME) - biomedical engineering
Union/albany-8 year bs/mba/md prog
UC Berkeley - molecular biology
UCLA - biochemistry (gunna try to change to BME) honors, REGENTS!
USC - biomedical engineering (biochemical), premed with presidential scholarship.
UCSD - bioengineering, premed with regents (nothing from med program, #1 choice)
UCD - biomedical engineering, premed with regents
UCI - biomedical engineering, premed
UCR - bioengineering, premed with regents
UOP (university of the pacific, NOT upenn haha) dental prog, 5-year, w/presidential scholarship</p>

<p>waitlisted
Johns hopkins - biomedical engineering</p>

<p>REJECTED
CalTech - biology and med program
Stanford - biology
Princeton - biology
Harvard – biology</p>

<p>so, as you can see I got a tough decision to make. I’ve been accepted into a medical program. I also have the opportunity to study BME at UCSD as a designated pre-med (though its not ABET certified, it does have less rigor because its designated for premeds.
At the same time, ive been accepted to cal and northwestern (though I was rejected from the HPME program, after an interview).</p>

<p>But right now, im leaning towards UCLA w/regents cuz I like it there and I think regents is a great opportunity.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I know mi turning down some big opportuntieis in the med program, dental program, northwestern, and cal.</p>

<p>Also, if I do get the UCSD medical program (which is almost NO chance), I will 100% go. Lets just assume I don’t? :)</p>

<p>thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>bump^^^^^^</p>

3

<p>dude, you got into med school. go!</p>

4

<p>I would go to UCLA because you got Regents and seem like you would be happier there. Key to med school is top grades, MCAT scores and recs...you'll do better if you're happier. Plus, saving money is always a plus. If I were you, I'd choose UCLA and not look back.</p>

<p>IF your dream is becoming a dentist, I would choose the UoP program...sounds like a good deal.</p>

<p>Good luck on the UCSD medical program.</p>

<p>EDIT: Oops...Just saw the Union/Albany med program...If you want to be a doctor, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...go there if cost is not exhorbinant.</p>

5

<p>albany medical college doesnt have a very good ranking..</p>

<p>nor does union college for undergrad..</p>

6

<p>^ If prestige matters then I'd choose UCLA. But realize there is a tradeoff...guaranteed acceptance into a lower-tier med school now vs. the potential for a more prestigious medical school later on.</p>

<p>Honestly, I'd go to UCLA...it has a much better environment and your plans could significantly change over the course of four years.</p>

<p>Congrats on your acceptances.</p>

7

<p>thanks. do u think regents will help?</p>

<p>also, should i do BME at UCLA? considering the fact that it could hurt my GPA?</p>

8

<p>^ Sure.</p>

<p>From my perspective, I don't quite get BME. I understand why it would be interesting and such...but it just seems so limiting, not to mention tons of kids are doing it.</p>

<p>If you want med school, I'd stay away from the BME route.</p>

9

<p>If you're sure it will hurt your GPA and your grades are very important to you, then no. If BME is something you love and really wish to do, more so than say biology, then yes.</p>

10

<p>Take the Gmed and run (if you really want to be a doctor!)</p>

11

<p>well im not sure if it will hurt my GPA or not.</p>

<p>i want to be a doctor, but i dont think that i have to make such a sacrifice (going to a school that isnt my #1 choice) this early. i think i can do better :)</p>

12

<p>Applying to medical school is worse than applying to college! If it's at all affordable, the Union/Albany program sounds like the most secure option. Have you visited Union and Albany? If you think you could be happy there, the combined program seems pretty hard to turn down, imo. </p>

<p>It's tough to make such a far-reaching decision at this stage of your life, but chances are your grades and rank would be fairly high at Union. If you decide later that you really don't want to go to Albany for med school, you could always switch to the regular program at Union and apply to medical schools from there.</p>

<p>Difficult choices -- good luck! (And congratulations!)</p>

13

<p>the thing is, i wont be happy there..</p>

<p>its too cold, theres nothing to do, and i only know one person, a student in the first year of the program.</p>