RYANBIS! Please help! SMG QUESTION from a Current CAS FRESHMAN!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston University
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<p>Hi Ryanbis–
I’ve been on College Confidential for a while now (since beginning of senior year in HS). I’ve noticed that you’ve been posting on the BU thread a lot–regarding SMG.
I am currently a freshman in CAS doing PreMed. I took WR 100/MA 123/CH 101/PS 101 first semester and now taking CH 102/WR 150/MA 122 (same calc II, except for social sciences, easier…)/ IR 271.</p>

<p>While I’ve done <em>okay</em>, my gpa is not spectacular. Certainly not what I’ve gotten in HS (cliche…). While my gpa is above a 3.0, I am getting concerned about my future. We register next week for SOPHOMORE classes and I feel kinda lost in CAS. Pre-Med in general. I’ve done so much to prepare for PreMed all throughout high school, but now I am getting second thoughts. While I would love to attend medical school, it seems out of reach and only the best of the best get in. I’m not one of the best of the best…Above average at best.</p>

<p>I’ve been thinking for a while about taking SM 299 and switching to SMG–because it is practical. I’ve never grown up saying I wanted to be a businesswoman. But the fact is, SMG is the strongest school within BU and the job placements are incredible–especially because of the school’s location…</p>

<p>What can you tell me about SMG in general? What are the job prospects like? What is the competition like within SMG? Is it cutthroat? I know SMG classes are very team oriented and take a lot of time investment. But I see it different from, say, premed courses, in that you have to put a lot of time and effort into it but not as difficult as a biochemistry course.
What do you think I should do?
I’ve already talked to the premed advisors, and they said it was “Too early to tell.” but i certainly don’t want to lose any time, and I don’t want to end up in my parent’s house after graduation after failing the MCATs and failing life X(</p>

<p>Sorry for the bombarding you with questions. If you’re out there, please respond. Or whoever else who feels they can help me!
Thanks in advance…</p>

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<p>Well, I can tell you that you're not the only one to have second thoughts about premed. There are lots of people who go through what you're going through.</p>

<p>SMG can be cutthroat, but it depends a bit on who is in your class. I've had classes where all of the teams were very cooperative, but there's usually at least one or two people who like to ask questions during other teams' presentations to try and trip them up. Everything is on a curve, so that makes it a little more competitive.</p>

<p>I didn't picture myself as a businessperson, either--in high school, I was really quiet, I liked poetry and I wanted to be a psychologist--but I certainly came out thinking like one. SMG does a great job preparing you for your future.</p>

<p>As for how hard it is compared to biochem (or any science)--I wouldn't say it's necessarily easier or harder, but rather different. Both courses require a completely different skill set. Orgo and Gross Anatomy and the like are hard due to the volume of complex material. The actual material and reading in SMG isn't always as complex (though it certainly often is), but the projects require all kinds of different skills--team, communication, organization, writing--in order to accomplish the assigned tasks in addition to being able to apply what you're learning.</p>

<p>If you really just want to be a doctor, I wouldn't do anything--just focus on getting better. If you transfer simply because SMG has good job placement statistics, you'll find that you probably won't enjoy what you're doing and won't perform very well. SMG grads get some good jobs in consulting and public accounting and such (and the top of the class get great jobs in IBanking and the like), but the lower end tend to have a hard time. SMG really does require a large time commitment and if you're not really into it, it's just going to drag you down.</p>

<p>Let me know if I can help with anything else.</p>