<p>Hi everyone, I need some help with a tough decision. I have already completed two years at UMBC (Maryland) and I've been accepted as a transfer student at UNC. I'm a premed student, and right now my GPA at UMBC is kind of low (3.4) for that. I want to know if going to UNC would increase my chances in getting into med school; after all it does have a top medical program. Of course I am planning on working really hard and getting a much higher GPA at UNC, but I know med school views both transcripts.
Also, I've heard that UNC med school accepts more instate students, is that true?</p>
<p>So basically my question summed up would be...is it worth it changing schools and paying out of state tuition to go to UNC for premed?</p>
<p>No. Unless you think you’d be that much happier in the environment at UNC to justify it. GPA, MCAT, EC’s>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>School prestige in med school admissions.</p>
<p>OOS acceptances at UNC Med School are even tougher than undergrad and there is no bump for being a UNC grad, in fact it could work against you. Besides that, OOS tuition to UNC Med is ridiculous…on par with many private med schools. It’s a great school but your chances would be better being instate at U of M and the cost would be significantly lower. </p>
<p>If you really like UNC and think you can thrive there academically and socially (which significantly impacts academic success) then by all means accept the transfer. Don’t transfer thinking it on face value alone will improve med school admission chances. Selecting ANY undergrad school based on improved Med/Law school admissions is foolhardy at best. It just doesn’t work that way. Med school admissions are based on MCAT scores, Overall GPA, Science GPA, Medically related ECs, and letters of recommendation…PERIOD!</p>
<p>They really don’t care where you went to school, just how you did when you got there.</p>
<p>Take a look at the pre-med forums on CC there are hundreds if not thousands of posts to support what I am saying.</p>
<p>Going to UNC would not increase your chances of getting into med school. Med school admissions is primarily a matter of GPA and MCAT scores. You say you’re, “planning on working really hard and getting a much higher GPA at UNC”, but you could do the same at UMBC, and you wouldn’t have to pay UNC’s out-of-state tuition. Med school is very expensive, so don’t assume additional undergraduate debt if you don’t have to.</p>
<p>Hopefully this doesn’t cause too much of a stir, but I do believe that a school’s prestige will have a significant impact on your resume. Almost all of the top medical schools are dominated by kids from top undergraduate schools. Within those lists you’ll see the occasional Arizona State student, but they will almost positively bring a 4.0 and 41 MCAT to the table. I hate to say it, but from what I’ve seen - the “lesser” the institute, the better your numbers (and ec’s) need to be.</p>