<p>Hey everybody, </p>
<p>I'm in a bit of a sticky situation, trying to figure out whether or not I should transfer to Michigan or Michigan State for Fall Semester 2013. My grades and extracurricular activities are all fairly solid, but my high school GPA was sufficiently terrible that I didn't bother applying to anywhere except my local community college. Now that a few semesters have passed by and I'm approaching 60 credits, I'd like to figure out which school is the more realistic fit for me. </p>
<p>Here's a brief overview of my academic and personal situation: </p>
<ul>
<li>My cumulative GPA is 3.93, and I can't imagine it's going to stoop down any lower than that. </li>
<li>I'll have 59 credits at the end of the semester, plus an additional twelve from AP courses taken in high school. </li>
<li>My ACT composite was decent (28), although I plan on retaking it - I had two subscores of 35, but did particularly poorly on one section that I'm sure I could get over a 30 in now. </li>
<li>By the time I'm done at my current 2-year institution, I'll have taken up to Honors Calculus I; I'd like to major either in physics or neuroscience, with plans to attend medical school. </li>
<li><p>I did have to retake one course at LCC that I got a 2.0 in due to a terrible scheduling conflict, but got a 4.0 upon retaking it (bringing my GPA from a 3.65 to a 3.93). </p></li>
<li><p>I've been constantly employed since graduating high school. I worked for two months at McDonald's, and will have been a delivery driver for a store near Michigan State for a year-and-a-half by the beginning of the coming summer. </p></li>
<li><p>I've served as a non-student adviser on one RSO at Michigan State University, participating in several discussion panels. </p></li>
<li><p>I've participated in several other registered student organizations at MSU, having traveling to Washington, D.C., with one. </p></li>
<li><p>Fenced for four years, wrestled for nine (only up to the 10th grade, though), and performed at a national theater on ice competition. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>My life has been fairly tumultuous. I feel like I've come a long way since I was a kid, recovering from an extended period of poor academic performance and bad moral decisions - I do have two felony adjudications on my juvenile record, though have been told they shouldn't interfere too much with my academic applications. I can, for example, still attend medical schools and work in most any profession, given the difference between juvenile court records and adult criminal convictions. </p>
<p>Oh, and here's something pretty big I forgot to mention earlier: I've also volunteered for three-and-a-half years at a large area hospital! I have great references from that assignment, and was allocated much more responsibility than most anyone else in the program. One of the supervisors would regularly call me in on weekends to help perform or individually perform orientations for new and incoming volunteers from Michigan State and local high schools. </p>
<p>I know I've not yet done anything overtly amazing - my family is really quite poor, and I've not had as much freedom in choosing activities as many of my friends. No excuses for some parts of my past, though. I know my grades are pretty solid, but was wondering if I still have a reasonable chance of getting into Michigan. Is there anything I should improve upon? Are financial aid and scholarship opportunities varied for transfer students? </p>
<p>I'd vastly prefer the University of Michigan over Michigan State, but it would be very difficult for me to justify the extra expenses for room and board when I'll be having to put myself into great debt for medical school, as per my life plan. Would it be possible or realistic to commute from an hour away? </p>
<p>Thanks to all who might help! I also apologize for the length of my post, and hope it doesn't deter potential advice-givers.</p>