Pre-med School confusion?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>My major is Molecular Science and Cell Biology. I currently attend a Community College in California. This is my third semester here and will do another two to three semesters until I transfer to a University to start on my pre-med courses.</p>

<p>However, I have a question about transferring. Recently, I have been looking through some threads on this forum and have been looking at related questions to mine but I still am unclear. </p>

<p>My question is: Does it really matter what University in California I transfer to? My major used to be Computer Science and Engineering, so I was working for a high GPA for UC Berkeley, but seeing now I have changed to Cell and Molecular Bio, Berkeley doesn't seem like a great fit for this area. So If I do apply to, just say, UC Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, or Davis, overall it doesn't matter right? Seeing I want to sustain a high GPA, and it wouldn't make sense on going to a UC where the coursework will be drowning me with courses that are just "preparing" me for a transfer to Medical school?</p>

<p>Please clear these things up for me, Thank You. :)</p>

2

<p>yes, a strong gpa from any UC and you’ll be good to go. Engineering is an extremely rigorous major, however, making it difficult to maintain a high gap.</p>

<p>And you don’t “transfer” to med school. As a California resident, you need an outstanding record just to apply to med school.</p>

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<p>Huh? Molec Bio is one of Cal’s more popular majors, particularly for premeds.</p>

3

<p>Okay, thanks. It’s just I have been reading that Berkeley’s pre-med is pretty difficult, but the rest clears it up for me. For now, I am focusing on just these courses need to transfer into a UC, then will start doing research and courses needed for my pre-med, not to mention the MCAT!</p>

4

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<p>ALL premed is difficult. But the issue is that Molec Bio has a rather high mean gpa, at a 3.4. Thus, while the competition may be higher at Cal (than a lower tier UC), Cal gives out a few more A’s. Thus, the comparison is not easy.</p>

5

<p>Why are you doing so many semesters at a CC?</p>

<p>If you qualify for FA, then you could be hurting yourself by attending a CC for too long. Calif limits how long it will give aid.</p>

6

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<p>Molecular and Cell Biology is Berkeley’s most popular undergraduate major, with 526 graduates in 2011.
<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm&lt;/a&gt;
Note that about 8.3% of the career survey respondents (16/192) are off the medical school.</p>

<p>However, note that pre-med can be done with any major, not just biology.</p>