<p>All right, I'm probably going to sound like such a dimwit for this, but here we go...</p>
<p>I started off as a freshman in the CS honors program at UT (Turing Scholars - Turing</a> Scholars Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin). However, I realized about pretty quickly in my first semester that I really didn't want to continue being a CS major. I really wanted to switch into biomedical engineering, but as an out-of-state student, my chances were extremely low because of the rules governing internal transfers into the engineering school (and I got this confirmed by my advisor). </p>
<p>In a nutshell, I ended up deciding to take all the pre-med requisite courses (I had always wanted to be a doctor before being really intrigued by Computer Science) and become a biomedical engineer back in my home state. However, after being back here, where I thought I'd be so happy to be surrounded by my friends and family (which I am), I find that I'm absolutely hating it at the university. I felt like UT set the bar really high as far as a public school is concerned, and that returning back here was such a huge shock to my system (e.g., the professors in a lot of classes here essentially give you test problems ahead of time).</p>
<p>Classes at the university I'm currently at started January 4th, and UT starts January 18th (and tuition is due tomorrow :O - btw, I forgot how it works at UT if you don't pay tuition on time - I know you get dropped from all your classes, but can you re-register and pay tuition again and will there be a late fee charged?)</p>
<p>So, now I'm facing a dilemma: I've talked this over with my parents...and they're letting me go back if I really want to - man, I'd be screwed without my parents.</p>
<p>However, now that I plan to seriously attend medical school, I'm seriously considering the fact that prestige of undergraduate university doesn't matter (and that you need a high GPA), and that I feel like I'd be wasting money at UT if I go back (I'd most likely change to some other major within Natural Sciences). I did get in-state tuition as a scholarship to UT, but I have to reapply every year, and I'm not really guaranteed that I'll get it for my whole undergraduate career. I know GPA is a really big thing too - and with teachers that give you test questions in advance...well I don't need to say much more than that :P). </p>
<p>I did end up with decent grades at UT my first semester though: A, A, A, A-, B- (that one B- was in one helluva CS class). I think that I could up my performance in a more biology/chemistry-oriented major as well...but there's still that "I feel like I'm blowing my parent's money" feeling.</p>
<p>I know the final decision is all on me, but I'd really appreciate any earnest and helpful advice. Sorry for the giant novel I wrote up above as well.</p>