Thinking about taking the transfer path, few questions.

<p>So I'm thinking about attending SMC and transferring to UCLA after that as a possible option (mostly due to money problems in the family), but as I was reading about all the possible options I ran into some questions and areas I'm hazy on.</p>

<p>At my current HS I have taken and passed the following AP classes/exams:
World History
Biology
U.S. History
English Language and Composition</p>

<p>I'm also taking these AP classes (I'm sure I'll pass all of them):
Environmental Science
English Literature
European History
Calculus</p>

<p>I was looking at the IGETC requirements and if I did my calculations correctly I am only missing the following requirements: 1B, 3A, and 4A.</p>

<p>Since my final destination would be a good science major in UCLA and a Medical School, exactly what would be the classes load at Santa Monica College?
I've also read here that one year transfers are possible, but have yet to read that this is a viable path for someone trying to attain a spot at a Medical School.
If a one year transfer is out of the question, would I be able to do it in solid 2 years?
Are there any specific things I need to be made aware of before deciding on a community college -> UCLA path?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance,
Tamaziuk</p>

<p>Go to assist.org and look at the requirements for your major. Then find the IGETC requirements and match them with your AP scores. You might be able to make it in one year, but life sciences transfers must take a lot of classes before applying. You’re looking at taking the entire physics sequence, calculus classes, organic chemistry, etc. before transferring.</p>

<p>Save your money and finish all your pre-reqs before transferring. Its not worth transferring in one year. Dont rush and take your time.</p>

<p>Be aware that you need near perfect grades for LA, so don’t rush.</p>

<p>What’s your major?</p>

<p>@mermaker: my aim is Neuroscience which I am aware is very competitive. The only reason I’m thinking about taking this path is, because of the money problem and the fact that I don’t think the colleges I got into would really put me in a good light with the Medical Schools.</p>

<p>Schools I got into are:
UCR
UCSC
University of San Francisco
Umass Amherst
Uni. of the Pacific
Merced</p>

<p>Take this with a grain of salt because I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it has been repeatedly posted on college confidential. There are a ton of post about going from CC to med school so if you want to know more, search it. The two things that seem to come up quite often are

  1. Med schools do not like when applicants take their med school prerequisites at community colleges(bio, chem, etc) and
  2. Med school don’t care where you do your undergrad as long as you have a high GPA and a high MCAT score.</p>

<p>If it was me, I would go to UCSC, major in Bio and make sure I get a high GPA with a high MCAT score. But like I said, take this with a grain of salt. I would do a lot of research at what med schools really look in an applicant.</p>

<p>It’ll probably be hard to transfer in one year. I planned on doing the same thing as I had a similar amount of ap credits as you would have and other college credit from dual enrollment which should have cleared up most of IGETC. In the end I’m still at cc (second year) because of all the prereqs required for my major (bio switched to chemistry) and I’ll probably be transferring with a couple missing because I couldn’t get a lot of the classes I wanted the first couple of semesters.</p>

<p>There is nothing wrong with UCR and UCSC, many of their grads go on to medical school.</p>

<p>@novalord2 my main concern is how med schools will view me attending one of the lower ranked UCs instead of transferring into one of the top UCs. :/</p>

<p>The importance is to study what you enjoy while completing the “pre-med” courses. The majority of folks “planning” on going to med-school will major in Biology, but make sure that’s what you REALLY want to study… med-school doesn’t care what your degree is (as long as it’s not underwater basket weaving) as long as you did extremely well in it (along with the pre-med courses). They will focus on your GPA, MCATs, and ECs.</p>

<p>So… attending a “low” UC will not affect your med-school chances.</p>

<p>Thanks SFS Rules. As a followup, which one would you prefer/recommend UCR or UCSC? From everything I’ve read they’re both equally good and bad and can’t find any aspect that would sell me to one of them.</p>

<p>Did you get the PM I sent you about the Thomas Haider program?</p>

<p>@Novalord2 yes, but I was unable to reply since I am not given the right to PM until I have certain number of posts.</p>

<p>My reply to what you sent me though is this:
I did read that they opened it up which meant that the partnership with UCLA was finished.
My main problem with that is the fact that it’s a NEWLY opened up Med school. Going through their med school, would it be worth anything in the real world? They have no prestige or anything when compared to other med schools. Or am I wrong to assume that?</p>

<p>The “lower” UCs are better than a lot of colleges out there. UCR and UCSC are both great schools.</p>

<p>@tama</p>

<p>UCR and UCSC are both great school… if I were to choose between the two, I’d choose SC because I like prefer the campus location: there is vegetation every where and relatively less traffic to deal with. </p>

<p>Both locations will provide excellent ECs opportunities since they’re both close to BIG cities for internships and volunteer work. </p>

<p>That’s not much info to help you out, but ask yourself where do you think you’ll have a better college experience outside of the classroom.</p>

<p>@SFS Thanks! Although I know many look forward to college from that “college experience,” I don’t much care for it. When I look at them to try to decide where I am going to go next year I try to look specifically at the education level of the institution to see where I could reap the most benefits for the future.</p>