<p>I am graduating high school a semester early and will be attending college in the Spring. I am not sure if I will apply to all schools or if I will be able to choose one after visiting. I had planned on going to community college and then transferring out after a year to go to UT Dallas to major in Neuroscience as a pre-medical student, but staying at home is not an option due to financial reasons so now I am looking at schools where I could go for a year before transferring out(or finding a school in Texas that I may want to stay at for the duration of my 4 years) Anyhow, theses are the schools I am looking at and my grades/scores.
SAT: 430 Math, 620 CR, 560 Writing
GPA on a 5.0 Scale: 3.98(School doesn't do unweighted)
Class rank top 18%</p>
<p>I am really interested in majoring in either neuroscience or biology and hope to go to medical school or pursue graduate school for biological science. Here are the schools that I am interested in.
University of Houston(Accepted automatically)
This school is close to home, near the medical center, and near a drug rehab center I could see myself volunteering at. No stats are posted as far as pre med statistics for medical school admissions. I have a few friends who go here and love it
Stephen F Austin(Automatically accepted) I liked the small town and campus when I visited but I am not sure going to a small school like this will offer the opportunities that a larger research school will. Sister is pressing me not to go here
Texas Tech- about 9 hours from home. Rigorous biology program affiliated with Medical school, plenty of research opportunities.
UTSA(automatically accepted) Offer both biology and neuroscience, san Antonio is a great town, many close opportunities for volunteering/shadowing, affiliated with medical school. Have not visited yet, I have heard mixed reviews about this school.
UT Arlington(Automatically Accepted): Don't know much about surrounding area, have not visited. More of a back up option for me right now(any input is appreciated)
Baylor: I think my scores are too low but they offer neuroscience and biology. Sticker price is a bit high for me.</p>
<p>Spring admits get the worse aid. You are better off applying for Fall, and working that previous spring.</p>
<p>Frankly, with your stats, your chances of getting the grades and MCAT score needed for med school are very low, so be sure to have other career options in mind when in college. </p>
<p>Apply to them all, include a couple that you know for sure you can afford, compare FA pkgs, and then decide.</p>
<p>If you truly want a chance at medical school, you cant go where all the other premeds are stronger than you. You’ll get weeded out pronto.</p>
<p>Good luck (mother of a med student)</p>
<p>I was going to do what you suggested about working in the spring and attending college that fall but that is no longer an option for me as I will not have a place to live. My stats are low because I worked full time all through high school and made my studies a second priority. I would cram and do a month of work in two weeks. I also did not have the time to study for my SAT so that score is taken from my first try without studying… This post was very discouraging, especially considering the circumstances surrounding my scores. I was just looking for advice on school selection… I know my grades weren’t great I am planning on taking a few remedial math courses to make sure I am prepared for calculus. Thanks for your input. </p>
<p>Do you have a friend or relative that you can live with during the spring after you graduate? </p>
<p>Are you graduating early due to issues in the household? </p>
<p>how will you apply for aid? You will need your family’s info…with they provide this info each year?</p>
<p>If your grades and scores are truly a reflection of working too much in high school, and you wont be working nearly that much in college then continue with your goals. But, please know, even when premed kids with “so called good stats” begin college, most of them get weeded out during the first year or two. Probably only 25% of freshman premed ever go to med school. </p>
<p>Every premed, even those with good stats should have a Plan B. </p>
<p>You will be handicapped by the fact that you dont have a strong high school foundation in the sciences and math. </p>
<p>Be sure to carefully balance your schedule each semester.</p>
<p>I think that if I were you, if I could get full funding, I would choose UH, or UTSA, or TTU…depending on which I liked best. </p>
<p>I am graduating early because my mother is struggling to pay the bills and if I can move out it would be a weight lifted for her. This is why I wanted to go to college right away instead of waiting because she could move in with my grandma and not have to pay rent. I am interested in business management or economics as an alternate in case I do not get into medical school or my interests change along the way, but it just seems easier to major in a science because all of the pre reqs are already included in the degree plan. I would really like to go to community college for a year so I can take college algebra and pre cal before going to a 4 year to get a good math foundation built up before calculus and if I go to a 4 year right away I will not be able to take biology and chemistry my first year and will be behind the curve for graduating on time with all the classes needed for medical school admissions. I will be using my mothers info for financial aid and she is willing to provide the info every year. I am trying to look into a way to help my mom pay the bills if I were to stay at home for another year. Maybe taking out a student loan to help her out with expenses? My situation is far from ideal but I think community college for a year will end up being my best option.</p>
<p>I agree the CC option is probably best at this point.</p>