My son was rejected by UNC Chapel Hill for fall 2019 admission. We were surprised, but his grades could have been better (all A’s and B’s, but more B’s than A’s), so no harm, no foul.
He took two classes class there this summer (A and A-), in part to enhance his transfer application and will attend community college this fall, in addition to pursuing paramedic training (he is already an EMT-B).
I read a comment on another thread than made me concerned that perhaps his rejection was in part because his application stated that he wanted to pursue a premed program. He DOES want to pursue a pre-med program and would he be fantastic. Not because he got a 35 and on ACT and 800 and 770 on the bio and chem SAT subject tests, but because he is a caring and competent individual. He is already an EMT-B and provided unbelievable care to his dying grandmother. He just has a caring instinct and knows how to calm people.
So here is my question, given that he isn’t completely sure he wants to pursue medicine, what proposed major will maximize his changes?
I was just accepted as a transfer student, and although I can’t speak on the premed tracks, I will say that a theme I’ve heard over and over again during Orientation and other events is that your “major does not matter”. Professors and older students have stressed that you do not have to major in Biology to go to med school. They would rather you major in something that you are passionate about. I would tell your son to do well at his community college. I transferred from a community college and the process has been great. Once he has some college credits under his belt and can show that he can do well at it, that will help a lot. Also, encourage him to stay involved and join organizations. Lastly, focus his admissions short answers/essay on what he is passionate about and why.
The major that gives any student the best chance for admissions is one where you have achieved great excellence in your current school and could use broader horizons in it from the prospective transfer school. They eat this up.
As your son is at a community college , this should not be difficult. He’s off to a good start. Great grades in a discipline he can expand upon is best. Research, labs, etc that are not as available at other state schools as they are at Chapel Hill I hesitate to say that the EMT work is not going to make a huge dent— one can pursue that going to any school, even not going to college . If he’s premed, bio or natural sciences bound, seek activities , lab and research work that are the essence of a great university. Do you see what I’m saying?
Yes, premed is a tough admit for freshmen. Grades are very important for med school so they do look at the transcripts hard. But some of the admits will drop due to poor grades freshman year, and then again sophomore year (O-Chem and lab are killers). So if your son takes those courses and does well, he’s going to be a contender.
Premed is not a major, it’s just a track, which means you will need to complete two General chem, two organic chem, two anatomy, one bio chem, two physics, etc at a college level, before you graduate. That said, the intended major at the time of application is not that important, unless you’re looking at direct admit programs. Most students change their major, anyways. That’s pretty much assumed. Most kids who go into UNC aspiring to go in to med school, change their minds. EMT is not a huge qualifier one way or the other- my son actually completed his EMT at Durham Tech during the spring semester of his first year at UNC. He now volunteers one shift a week. Med school is one of his options, though he’s CODAed to BioMedical Engineering, and he finds that very exciting. As a transfer student, your son’s grades at his current school will carry the most weight, so it’s important he keeps them pristine. Make sure he writes really good essays/ personal statements. Good Luck!
As a parent of a UNC student and graduate if he wants to go to Med school do not transfer to UNC. It is a GPA buster. My daughter had a friend transfer out after first semester freshman year to Baylor because his UNC GPA would not get him into Med school. The majority of freshman are Bio premed or BME. She knows one still interested in BME after freshman year and few still premed. I had a BME friend back when there were 5 people in the major. She is brilliant and never got into medical school.