<p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>I am currently a student at SDSU finishing up spring semester and the only thing that's been on my mind is the question of whether or not I should transfer. I got into UCSD for Molecular Biology and UCLA for MIMG. </p>
<p>I'm really stumped at this point because I'm almost certain that my GPA will take a hit - whether it'd be due to being intimidated by a new and more competitive environment, or having to adjust to the rough quarter system - while at SDSU, I can comfortably say that I'd be able to keep my GPA high.</p>
<p>I don't know what to do. Let's say I'm pre-med. Up until now, I've been under the impression that medical schools only care about numbers - a high GPA and a high MCAT score. Recently, however, I read online somewhere that admissions officers at medical schools kind of look down on CSU students and somehow consider the rigor of the undergrad institutions of their applicants when reviewing applications. Is this true? </p>
<p>tl;dr - Would it be a safe idea to stay at SDSU where I can keep a good GPA? Or should I let my GPA take the hit and transfer to a UC so that admissions officers at medical schools won't look down on me (would that even be the case?) Will transferring to a UC regardless of a GPA drop better my chances of getting into med school?</p>
<p>***(Also as a side note, I'm almost certain that I'd have to be at UCLA for 3 years since a lot of my courses don't transfer - I'd have to retake all of Physics, all of Life Sciences, and the last calculus class. UCSD I'd most likely be at for 2 years since I'd only have to retake the Physics series. Which school would you pick under these circumstances?)</p>
<p>ucla if money is no problem</p>
<p>Congrats. Biology may be difficult at UCLA and UCSD, but I think you’ll manage if your study habits are good. There’s plenty of resources available to students to help them succeed in that major in these schools. I know it’ll be somewhat difficult to compete with the other students in your classes, but I believe the upper-division classes are somewhat better than the lower-division classes at these schools because those lower-division classes are supposed to weed potential pre-meds out. It actually seems to favor transfer students over those who got in out of high school.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d transfer to either UCSD or UCLA. Can’t go wrong with either for biology.</p>
<p>I think you will get a lot out of transferring to UCLA; have confidence in your ability! Very few CSU students get admitted to UCLA, if you go and you do well it’ll open a lot of doors for you. Good luck deciding!</p>
<p>I heard somewhere that only like 6 CSU undergrade students go to UCSF. So i would definitely transfer
Anyway you have to be prepared for med school and I think that going to UCSD or UCLA would better prepare you for that instead of SDSU</p>
<p>I suggest you ask on the pre-med forum. Perhaps more seasoned advice there.
This is going to be a problem if this has been the extent of your focus. Not only do they care about these things, but you need to get good recs, write a strong app, have experience in a medical setting thru volunteer work or a paid job. It also helps to have taken part in research. Amherst has an excellent online guide at <a href=“Amherst College Guide for Premedical Students”>http://www3.amherst.edu/~sageorge/guide1.html</a> and for a deeper level of understanding it would be a good idea to read thru a book on med school admissions now so you don’t look back 2-3 years from now and think “if only I had known…”</p>