I’m currently a sophomore at a university in MO and I live in CA. I recently came to a realization that the premed curriculum is not for me (both by school telling me I’m not really a good student with a good GPA and by my favorite academic field being other than health related fields) and I plan to go back to my state to start my new university life as I chose this current school because of the fabulous but bullshit BS/MD program. Besides, my family moved to CA two months ago so I have no other choice than leaving my school and helping my family out since I’m the only one who speaks English and understands American life.
Anyway, I decided to switch my major into Electrical Engineering and it seems to be really hard to make such a change within my campus due to the aforementioned situation. My university is a horrible in other fields than theology and premed stuffs.
I’d like to ask a question: Would it be better for me to reapply for the college admission for the fresh start? to attend a CC for a year? I know that the latter would be an easier choice instead but as I said I totally want to change my field of study drastically and as far as I know UC engineering very hardly accepts transfers, unless I was formerly majoring engineering.
If you’d ask for how much I have gotten for the test scores and EC, I would say above the average because at the time I was applying for colleges I was accepted into some Ivy schools and UC.
You will have to apply as a transfer because you will have finished two years of college. But, it may make sense for you to spend a year at a CC to get the pre-engineering courses that you need.
If your parents are just now moving to CA, you won’t have in state residence there for at least a year. Even a CC will not be cheap.
If you must go live with your parents in CA, you should plan to take a year off while you wait for your residence status. That will also give you time to find out the best plan for finishing your education.
As to whether or not your family really needs you in CA, that would be another issue. Somehow they got themselves there from MO, so they must not be quite as helpless as you make them out to be. If they don’t truly need you, and there is something that you can finish your degree in where you are in only two years, it might make sense to just stay put.
Thanks for the prompt reply, happymomof1. Well for the family issue, they are “hopeless” in adapting the new life here and there is a bunch of legal document issues and other things that I have to take care of. That one, requires me who knows here well. Financial issues, social issues are none of your business since we are ok and we do have the residency in CA (I’m not talking in a mean way btw) and it has become the situation I must go help them out.
If you know well about the CC TAG system, do you roughly know how competitive it is to get into a UC engineering school from a CC? I’ve taken several science courses already as a former premed so I don’t really worry much about the science credits that I need for now.
Well, since you posted here asking our advice, I’d suggest you put a lid on the attitude.
And you don’t have to tell us anything about your finances, but I’ve yet to meet a family for whom money isn’t a consideration in making college decisions. As for California residency, unless you attended high school in California, you will not be considered a California resident for purposes of attending college there . . . and you’ll be paying full out-of-state tuition with no state assistance.
Also, as I recall, the UC’s accept transfer students in their junior year only, and applications for this coming fall closed last November. If I’m correct, then you’d need to take next year off, and apply in November for the following year.
You need to do some research . . . and I’d suggest you do it NOW.
You’ll have to apply as a transfer and an OOS one at that. Are your grades at your current school too low for you to transfer into engineering? Taking courses at a cc is probably a good idea, esp. if your GPA is low. You won’t get state aid in CA, though, so it’s likely to be expensive. I agree that taking a year off and researching your options is a good idea.
If your parents moved to CA at the beginning of 2015, then you probably won’t be considered an in-state resident for tuition and fees until the beginning of 2016. You need to check the specific policies of the community colleges that you might attend to verify when you will qualify for the local rates.
You could consider transferring to Arizona or Arizona State. Both are strong in engineering and accept transfer students prior to their junior year. Neither is too far from California (certainly closer than MO). While I don’t know about their policy for transfer students, both offer very good merit aid to high stat freshman.
You can spend a year working until your parents have CA residency for tuition purpose (not the same thing as being a permanent resident or as living in CA), perhaps taking a couple pre-reqs to engineering that haven’t been covered by your premed program.
Just this school that I am in is not promising the benefit of getting me into a med school as originally promised as the committee process is so inconsistent. Besides my school is not a good one except for its med scholars program. I find I rather find myself in CA and neither I want to dream for a physician. Thanks.
No school can get you into med school. It all rests on you. Some schools have better support (smaller classes, good advising) but you have to do the work yourself; Be aware that competition for med school in California is worse than in the rest of the country, and you will have to attend a CC to get into UC Riverside (they’re building a new health program and are a good pick in that respect.)
