Really need Transfer help

Transfer Students
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<p>Slipper, Thank you for accepting my apology. I am not familiar with posting on a forum. I only found this one after doing a google search on Stony Brook Med. When I read of Redwyn's dilemma, I felt compelled to post.</p>

<p>First, Stony Brook was rated number 33 in the world for research by the London Times, and research is what Redwyn wants. 33 in the world for free! Stony Brook was also rated in the top 150 universities in the world by the Institute of Higher Learning in Shanghai. It was also rated 76th in the world by the London Higher Education Supplement, and in top 10 of US public universities. Internationally, Stony Brook is highly respected, and it won't be long until the US gives it the respect that it deserves. </p>

<p>Now, it is common sense why the traditional route is risky. Medical school entrance is more unpredictable than undergrad entrance. One need only take a look at the number of well qualified students rejected or deferred on the Yale board (for example) to realize that it all just doesn't make sense. Suppose Redwyn doesn't get into med school after leaving Stony Brook. No one can say for sure that he will even with top grades.Suppose he gets several engineering courses where noone gets an A and a C is a great grade? It happens all the time at Cornell engineering.(you admitted that you won't find many engineers in law school, the same applies to med school). Here, he can do it all risk free. Engineering,history, and premed.He said he wanted to be a doctor since he was young. What is the sense of leaving a guarentee to only go pre med again. Think of the money, time, aggravation and effort wasted on starting from scratch and gathering up applications, MCATS, recommendations, interviews, pre med comittees, and trying to impress the comittee with volunteer work, research and so on? He won't have time to enjoy the school spirit.</p>

<p>Next, it is true that other MD/PHD programs pay. However, I believe that Stony Brook, by virtue of being on overpriced Long Island, pays quite well. As far as your idea that his loans from Duke will be paid back when he is a practicing doctor, it is wrong. He said after med school he wanted Law School! He needs to save for that. How many loans can he take? What if he gets married? Has kids? It takes an old fogey like me to think such long term, but it only makes sense.</p>

<p>I'd have to agree with you on one issue. If he needs to apply to get it out of his system and just to feel that his options are open and he is not trapped, sure, go ahead. It can't hurt unless he applies on the sly and tries to sneak out. However, he should wait until Sophmore year when most students transfer to apply. Many top tier schools do not like Freshman transfers. By Sophmore year, he may even decide to stay. He gains nothing by being hasty.</p>

<p>Also, as far as coming back to Stony Brook, my daughter tried to transfer there from Browns program, and they do not take transfers into their BS/MD med program. So I believe that once you are gone, you are gone. I also don't think the med school would look kindly on someone who left a guarenteed option only to try to return. Redwyn should take it easy and think carefully. And enjoy his Freshman year without worrying about transferring. Lighten up and have fun. Whats the worst that could happen? You go to a school with less school spirit, but you have a chance to follow your dreams. Guaranteed.</p>

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<p>Beentheredonethat</p>

<p>First, my transfer plans are for Fall '06, so I agree with leaving at the close of sophomore year. Second, I inquired about Stony Brook taking students that leave its program, and it has taken many of them back that keep consistent numbers. Second, Stony Brook is one of the only programs of its type that "locks you in" to its program. In order to get in guaranteed I need to apply single choice. My dreams are towards Duke, not here. I live on Long Island. And remember that getting into Med school is not an end-all for me like it might be for many. I'll be applying to Ph.D and JD programs as well just in case. </p>

<p>I've been involved with Stony Brook taking classes there for nearly three years and am very well versed with the campus environment, both academically and socially. I should actually state that I have almost 40 credits of full Stony Brook Courses (not including AP or CC transfers, the number then approaches 100), and still a 4.00. You keep bringing up school spirit, but I stated academics as another reason to leave. I am not shallow enough to leave because my campus isn't pretty. The rankings you found are for primarily grad school. If you look under us, Baylor School of Med is listed. I agree, Stony Brook is an AMAZING graduate school. I should know, I've done research in it for nearly a half a decade. But I know the u-grad academic level isn't close to an Ivy, like say Columbia. I've visited a friend of mine there on numerous occasions, and gone to classes with another from Cornell (I was given a Presidential Research Scholarship by them and wanted to see for myself what I was getting into) and the level of academics they have won't be even touched by SB for at least another year (and these were Columbia and Cornell’s general classes for Freshmen). </p>

<p>I am very concerned about money, and that is why I stated very clearly that I won't leave without a scholarship (that covers a majority of what I need) from the place to which I am going. I'm actually very insulted that you use the phrase "applying to get it out of his system." Maybe you don't realize it, but I'm a real live person here, who has a life, with hopes and dreams. With the position I was in while I was in HS I was given the golden apple (Ivy League level acceptances) and then I was told I wasn't allowed to keep it, all because a medical school I barely even considered ever going to was offered. I still don't want to go to it, and they've been notified as such. All I'm doing is asking if I'm right in trying to right something that should have been righted a year ago. No one understands how much I owe to Duke, how much that school helped me get out of a slump caused by my Yale deferral (yes, I did apply to Yale and know what it’s like to get dumped for a legacy or athlete). How can I go to one school when another holds my heart. You only live once, why can’t I follow my heart instead of being a could have been?</p>

<p>Everyone here has been commenting on my logic to ditch med school. I all appreciate your remarks on it. But remember, I am not using the guarantee even if I stay, so what’s the use of being at a school when I like another? Being a doctor really hasn’t made #1 on my list anyway (what? Someone actually DOESN’T want to be a doctor?), so I’m not worried about not getting into Med school. Please use this as a basis for continued advice. I look forward to it.</p>

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<p>Just from listening to you, Redwyn, it seems that for you going the Duke (or Penn, Dartmouth, Williams, Yale) route makes sense. Just listening to you I can hear the way you are leaning. I guess I am coming from the point of view that if you work hard and are an achieving individual you shouldnt always focus on plan B, rather plan A. As someone who is still unsure 100% of what they want to do, I think that by being around a lot of other top students you will figure out what you truly want to do. At worst you lose $200 of application fees if financial aid doenst come through strong enough.</p>

<p>My advice is for you to transfer THIS year though. I transferred after my freshman year (from Columbia to Dartmouth) and I noticed that it was much easier to find my fit on campus after just one year somewhere else, both academically and socially. I dont really understand why you couldnt apply this year (deadlines are in march), especially if you get great aid.</p>

<p>Also, I think you should consider applying to multiple schools. Yale for one is an incredibly hard admit for transfers, although you do have the right reasons/ credentials. Duke is great, and Dartmouth is very similar. Also, Dartmouth gives amazing aid. My problem with Cornell has always actually been how tough it is to get a high GPA, and the fact that I dont think schools compensate enough for its grade deflation vs. the other Ivies.</p>

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<p>Slipper,
You don't know Redwyn, so your advice may not apply to him. You will only confuse him more. Also, you fail to realize that the programs you quoted do not have strong engineering programs nor do they allow for double majors. He will also not be able to do pre med.This advice may work for you, but not for him. Also as an aside, there is an honors college at Stony Brook, where the entrance requirement is more stringent than some Ivy League Schools (mean SAT over 1400, mean average over 97%).I'm sure Redwyn is around many smart people who didn't get in by virtue of being a legacy or an athlete.</p>

<p>Anyone who would tell a Freshman to transfer Freshman year is not saavy to the admissions process. You wrote on another post that Duke treats their transfers like garbage and puts them in run down dorms, now you are sending Redwyn there. Like he said in a prior post, he is a real person. Please don't mess with him that way.</p>

<p>As for financial aid , you don't know his parent's income or even if they are eligable. You also don't know if Redwyn has a job. In your case you transferred from Columbia to Dartmouth, so I guess money may not be an option for you. You said you are in business school yet Columbia has a stronger business program than Dartmouth. Your reasoning to transfer appears to be more social. Some people would be shell shocked moving from the most to the least urban Ivy.</p>

<p>Redwyn doesn't sound like he wants help with a decision. He only wants someone to agree with him, so I can't help him there. I don't want to confuse him any further.</p>

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<p>I think the general consensus is that Redwyn should give it a shot and that he has nothing to lose in doing so. How he goes from there can be the subject matter of another thread when more concrete information is at hand, perhaps.</p>

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<p>Beentheredonethat,</p>

<p>I went to Columbia undergrad my freshman year and transferred to Dartmouth. I can honestly say the experience was much better both academically and socially. At Columbia I would take classes and not even meet the Professor, at Dartmouth I got grants to do research internationally, TWO thesis advisors, another Presidential research project I was paid for, etc. I personally know 4-5 Professors well. Not to mention the incredible community I was a part of. I cannot emphasize enough how well I have seen Dartmouth grads do when it comes to grad school admissions. Its funny, I think many people confuse University excellence with College excellence, and the two are not related at all. Forn instance, Dartmouth Engineering may be only ranked in the top 30ish programs (along with Harvard, Yale, etc), but its graduates go on to great grad progams. Beyone this of course there are double majors!! My best friend at Columbia med was engineering/ film! Also, pre-med is only a select group of 8 classes (chem, bio, orgo, physics). So of course people are pre-med, but the best part is they get to major in something they are passionate about. To emphasize my point, I was a history major and two years later I am at a top 5 business school among the youngest in my class.</p>

<p>For business school (MBA), however, I totally understand the importance of great grad programs, that is why I went to Columbia. I wouldnt even consider Dartmouth for grad school (although their business school is a top 10 program).</p>

<p>As for telling a freshman to not transfer? From personal experience, I know that everyone of my friends who tried to transfer got their top choice or close to it. Out of high school I was waitlisted at Brown, Rejected from Duke, waitlisted at Harvard, and rejected at Yale, Princeton. As a freshman transfer I got into every school I applied to including Harvard, Dartmouth, Duke, and Brown. Funny, I thought my 3.3 wasnt good enough to transfer, and my high school guidance counselor even said I should wait another year. Luckily I had a friend push me to do it anyway (she ended up at Duke interestingly), and I got in. I would also say about 70% of the Dartmouth transfer class were first year transfers. Finally I do know a bit about transfer admissions. Second year transfers are obviously better for those who did not do as well in high school or on the SAT, and they allow someone to solidify their academic profile. For Redwyn, who already was outstanding in high school and has done really well so far, transferring a year later will advantage him minimally at best. For Yale it might help, I would say he is pretty much in anywhere else he applies. </p>

<p>I do not know his financial situation, but what I am saying is that applying and seeing what kind of packages he gets cannot hurt. </p>

<p>Finally, I said on the other post that purposely going to Penn then transferring to Duke makes no sense because it is much harder to assimilate with your class. In fact, this was a major reason I chose Dartmouth. On the other hand, Redwyn doesnt have a choice (ie Penn Transfer or Duke Freshman) so he is in a very different situation. But his is also financial, that is why I think he should apply to multiple schools to see where he gets the best aid.</p>

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<p>Slipper, Your story is unique to you. It does not apply to everyone else. You will only confuse Redwyn more.There is no cross registration between Columbia SEAS and Columbia College. Redwyn is very confused and must find his own way. I think the more we try to "help" him, the more we are confusing him. If he really loves Duke so much why didn't he just apply day 1 and see what happens. The fact that he is even questionning whether it is the right decision makes me wonder. I think we best leave Redwyn to his school advisors.</p>

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<p>nice to see a fellow transferee here at sbu. I as well wanted to transfer out, but I will probably apply this spring though.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your input everyone. I haven't decided one way or another yet, but it's a relief to see that others in great schools are in my position. Either way, I have another year to balance my options, and I want to enjoy it. Thank you again, and happy holidays!</p>

<p>Oh, btw, about cross registering between SEAS and CU college, there's a 5 year program that allows a BA/BS. It just takes longer.</p>