<p>I need help sorting this thing out. I was pressured by my heavily conservative family. Back then, I didn't have the balls to say anything and dragged alone with the depression. Here's my story in a nutshell.</p>
<p>High School Stats
3.4 GPA
1580 SAT (Out of 2400...)
Went to safety school for a year.</p>
<p>After 1 Year of college.
Cumm GPA After 1st sem 3.0
Cumm GPA After 2nd sem 2.62</p>
<p>Went to community college in summer
Gen Chem I: A
Gen Chem II: B</p>
<p>THEN I went overseas to do Med school, did ok the first year but barely passed. Now I'm in the second year and I'm regretting every second of my life. I finally have decided to venture up the courage to tell my parents that I won't take this anymore. I've never been really lazy but I'm always been culturally pressured to the point that I was performing negatively throughout school. Ever since 9th grade, I've been pushed so much that it had a negative effect on my academic performance as well as my self esteem. </p>
<p>It's not going to be pretty, I'll have to pay for my own schooling if I go back to the states (Which I'm ready to do because what's worse than waking up everyday and hating what you're doing?) </p>
<p>The biggest issue, however, is that I don't know which route to take. Should I go to community college for a semester, perform well in classes and then try to transfer to a 4 year?</p>
<p>Should I directly apply to a 4 year with a good essay?</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>Should I take a semester to get a job, do lots of EC and then apply to a 4 year?</p>
<p>Either way, I need help with the essay and convincing adcoms because English isn't my primary language. I was born in the states but my use of English was limited to school and part time jobs; everywhere else I spoke my national language.</p>
<p>Until you are 24, or meet the other criteria for qualifying for independent status, your parents’ financial information will be required when you apply for financial aid. If they aren’t going to pay anything, and they aren’t willing to file the FAFSA with you, you are going to have serious problems with getting financial aid. You need to take your questions about financial aid to the Financial Aid Forum. See if you can get kelsmom to help you with this. She is a college financial aid officer.</p>
<p>You will be a transfer applicant because you have college credits from the US and the other country. Be sure to get multiple official copies of your records from that foreign institution before you return to the US. You will need them for every single transfer application. Yes, the credits may not transfer, but you will still need them because they now are part of your personal academic history. If you apply to grad school at some time in the future you will also need them, so get at least 10 copies. You don’t want to have to track them down again six or eight years from now! Make an appointment with the counselors at the closest office of EducationUSA and ask for their advice on how to do this. [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/centers.php]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/centers.php)</p>
<p>Your cheapest way to re-start your education in the US would be to enroll at a community college. If you complete a full associates degree, your transfer options will probably be better than if you try to transfer after only a semester. When you communicate with the community colleges that could work for you, ask about any formal articulation agreements (guaranteed transfer programs) that they have with 4-year schools. There is a lot of good information in the Transfer Forum. Start by reading through the thread titled “Transfer Admissions 101” that is at the top of that forum. [Transfer</a> Students - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/]Transfer”>Transfer Students - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>You may need to work full-time and study part-time in order to achieve your long-term goal. If so, you will be in good company. The simple truth is that many students have to do that. It’s just that those students don’t often post here at College Confidential.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>Well how are my chances though? Would I be better off just finishing off here? I’m unhappy but I’d rather do what’s necessary for long-term success rather than make a hasty decision and ruin my life.</p>
<p>If you finish med school overseas, and you want to practice medicine in the US you will have to take the foreign medical exam and complete residencies in the US before you can be licensed to work here. [ECFMG®</a> | Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates](<a href=“http://www.ecfmg.org/]ECFMG®”>http://www.ecfmg.org/)</p>
<p>If you don’t want to be a physician, or to work in any related fields such as biotech or pharmaceutical research, there is no earthly reason for you to finish a medical degree. If you do want to transition to biomedical research after completing your MD abroad, you will either need to have excellent grades so that you can get into an MS or PhD program that offers you full support, or you will have to have a bunch of money to pay for an MS in a lower-ranked program that doesn’t offer you support.</p>
<p>Right now, your biggest barrier to changing fields of study is raising the money to pay for your coursework. Figure that out, and you will be fine.</p>