What should someone do....

Transfer Students
1

<p>If they applied to over 20 different colleges as a junior transfer, but had a poor GPA ( 2.9, for example), no EC's and nothing that really stands out, a biology major who wants to become a doctor, but even though they love their major, they really don't want to admit that they do not posess an aptitude for it.
Not interested in going to a Trade School or using a A.S degree to make their way into a career.
They are rejected at all of the colleges to which they apply ( CSU Fullerton, CSU San Bernardino, CSU Long Beach, CSLA,SDSU, UCR, UCI, UCLA, Cal Poly, UCSD, CSU Chico, UCD were on their list as well as a few others.) and have 65 UC/CSU transferrable units.
Since she's applied to many colleges with no positive news, I wonder what I can suggest for her to do now that she's finished at a CCC. I was going to suggest for this person to go back to her CCC and give it another try for another degree and then try to apply to those colleges again and perhaps they might accept her the second time around. The same thing happened in HS where she didn't do so well on the SAT's ( earned a 910, I believe.) and bombed her classes. ( 1.85 GPA) She definitely wants to earn a advanced degree,preferably in Biology so she can go to Medical school but I feel that until she puts her all into school, she'll keep coming up on empty.
What do you think that she should do now?</p>

<p>I ask this because of the following:
One of my closest friends is going through the above situation and has been in a deep depression since last summer when she recieved a ream of thin envelopes from the colleges. Since she has already earned her A.S. in Biology, I assumed that she'd try find a career in which she could use her degree. Unfortunately, she hasn't found a job, and sits for hours in her home crying about how her life will be horrible if she can't become a Pediatrician, like her Grandfather. She was always into biology when we were younger and has her heart set on becoming a doctor. I don't know what to do other than what I'm trying to do now by comforting her and giving lots of encouragement.</p>

<p>Please help! I've run out of solutions and I hope that someone on this board might be able to give me some sound advice.</p>

2

<p>Um, first, imposible to do well in school if one is depressed or anywhere in life as a matter of fact. First step should be to address that.</p>

<p>Second is i heard CS, like Northridge (CSUN) accept people w/ 2.4+. Pretty darn sure about about it.</p>

<p>Third, her chances of becoming a doctor are not very good unless she gets nothing but A's from now on. But going a mediocore at best school won't benefit her much.</p>

<p>SO, my advice is to be more realistic and chose a realistic career, it could still be in medicine. Physical Therapy is decent. CSUN has a physical therapy school and there is a shortage of these people in Cali.</p>

3

<p>wow with a 2.9 GPA she was rejected from Fullerton? one of my friends from HS got in with 2.75...weird.</p>

4

<p>In any situation with goals, you must work backwards. By that I mean, if she wants to be a doctor, I mean REALLY wants to be a doctor...she can make it happen. Most of the people on this planet possess the intelligence to become a doctor. However, not every possess the motivation and ability to persevere...they have to truly want it, not just whine about it.</p>

<p>Now, if your friend really is motivated, they will look at what they are doing wrong, and make the necessary changes. Too many parties? Stay home and study. Horrible test take, learn how to be better. The point being, she needs to change some of the things she is doing of course.</p>

<p>Now, her GPA was 1.85 in HS, but at the CCC she has a 2.9? That is a great turnaround. One she should be proud of. Also, I find it hard to believe with such a GPA she was rejected from a CSU. They often except people with lower GPA's. How did you friends app look? Did she take the time to focus on writing good essays?</p>

<p>And with regards to no EC's..why not? What is she doing with her time? Anyone that wants to be a doc, needs to put in the time for at least one EC.</p>

<p>And you are right about her need to put her all into school. If she is unwilling to make that change than the defect is her own. </p>

<p>I volunteer as a coach for a local middle school, and one of the things I continually tell my players: "It's not your aptitude, it's your attitude."</p>

<p>You friends worst enemy right now, is herself. She needs to look at where she wants to be and decide if she has the guts to go for it. If not, her life, and the path she follows will reflect that.</p>

<p>She is fortunate to have a friend like you, but be sure not too waster too much time coddling her. perhaps now is the time to be firm.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

5

<p>I didn't see her CCC GPA, 2.9 is what she told me. I do know her HS GPA because we swapped transcripts once to compare class rank and GPA.
Thank you for the advice, I'll offer a few suggestions to her.
I was also thinking about Physician's Assistant as a possible goal for her to work toward. My CCC has a good PA program.</p>

6

<p>aviva, try nursing, most CC have nursing schools and nurses make $30+ and hour. SHe would be very close to patients and feel involved etc.</p>

7

<p>The nursing and PA/MD models of care are very different. So before she goes down any nursing path she should appreciate that fact.</p>

<p>And also, the only nursing programs CC's have are LVN positions. These are not nurses in the traditional sense. For that she would need to attend a nursing college, CSU or a UC.</p>

<p>PA is a fantastic way to go, but is typically a Masters level program. So she would still need to get her BA/BS and then go to PA school. And often times PA programs want their applicants to have experience in the medical profession -- this is something med schools don't even require.</p>

8

<p>
[quote]

And also, the only nursing programs CC's have are LVN positions. These are not nurses in the traditional sense. For that she would need to attend a nursing college, CSU or a UC

[/quote]
</p>

<p>LOL exillo, buddy old pall, u're wrong here. SMC and bunch of other schools have programs where people can recieve AA degrees in nursing and become an RN (registered nurse) not and not an LVN</p>

<p>Before u start having a heart attack and panic. I already have a link for u.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.smc.edu/transfer/articulation/sheets/nursing.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.smc.edu/transfer/articulation/sheets/nursing.pdf&lt;/a> </p>

<p>U can become an RN with 71 CC units and after passing an exam, my friend's mom did it an now earns 34 dollars an hour from this program w/ out going to Univ.</p>

9

<p>As per usual DA, in your quest to continually prove me wrong, you make yourself appear the fool. The ADN is NOT a traditional RN, which requires a 4-year degree. The ADN is sub-position to the RN degree based on getting a BSN.</p>

<p>While I applaud you for linking to some good information, your interpretation is lacking.</p>

<p>And FYI, the only way you will give me a heart attack is when you learn to post factual and helpful data, not the ranting of a 19 year old counselor.</p>

10

<p>Exillo, ur dead wrong here. This program is for the RN. If u don't understand this, u need reading lessons.</p>

<p>Look at the first line of PDF, it's nursing RN. I know 3 people who graduated from this program and have passed the RN exam. It does not require attending a 4 year school.</p>

<p>If u deny this, not only are u ignorant, but dumb. </p>

<p>From the PDF</p>

<p>The objectives of this program are to prepare students to meet the minimum standards of the California Board of Registered Nursing
and employment in the field. Students must complete all requirements for the Associate in Arts degree in order to graduate from this
program (exception: LVN 30 unit option). Upon completion, graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensing
Examination to become a Registered Nurse.</p>

11

<p>RN means registered nurse. These vary in degrees, Some have BS, MS, PHd, and some have ADN ( Associates Degree in Nursing). </p>

<p>All have passed the board exam and all practice the same thing. BS and MS are preffered for teaching. </p>

<p>I know a lot about this b/c i have a distant relative who does nursing.</p>

12

<p>I would have to ask the same questions as Exilio. Why is she doing poorly? Does she know?</p>

13

<p>I will make a post on the parents board asking them to come read your post and respond. Perhaps they will have more insight on what to do.</p>

14

<p>I just want to clarify the nursing question as that is what I do for a living. Associate degree nursing programs prepare 40% of RNs (ANA, 2000). In the workplace, they work side by side with BSN prepared nurses, not under them, unless the BSN nurse is in a management role. As far as most hospitals are concerned, a staff RN is a staff RN, though there may be a small differential added to the salary of a BSN prepared nurse.</p>

<p>As for your friend Aviva, I would encourage her to get some counselling. It's really hard to get to the point where reality hits and the truth is not everyone is able to be a doctor. She has a lot of options but I think it would be a mistake to rush into something else as a substitution.</p>

15

<p>Agree she has some serious psychological problems. If she is not able to get accepted into any one of those schools, some aren't that selective, how does she think she'll ever get into medical school? Maybe it's a blessing in disguise so she doesn't waste more time hoping for something that will probably never happen.</p>

<p>Also it is my impression that nursing or PT programs and especially PA are no cakewalk either. I've been told our local community college has over a year wait list for its RN program. And more people drop out of PT programs than actually make it through.</p>

<p>Quote (I don't know how to do the block thing) "I tell my players it's not your aptitude, it's your attitude" ...generally I'd agree, but I want my doctor to be high in the aptitude department.</p>

16

<p>Aviva should be encouraged to deal with her psychological problems and to think about her future in broader terms. Medical school is a reach even for students who are better prepared than Aviva. Admission into nursing programs can also be as tough as admission into Ivies. One local community college's nursing program has a 10% admission rate.
There are other careers besides physicians and nurses that make use of the same foundations. One person I know is in now in the field of epidiemology.</p>

17

<p>I agree with the "blessing in disguise" idea. This might be a good opportunity for your friend to rethink her goals. Just because somebody is "into biology" and her grandfather was a doctor doesn't mean that she should be a doctor. In other words, I don't see anything in your post that makes it sound like your friend has a passion specifically for what medical doctors do, rather than trying to follow in somebody's footsteps or having a misguided idea that there is only one single interesting career related to her major. Pre-med and medical school (stress, huge monetary expense, enormous time investment, etc.) are not the way to go if you are ambivalent.</p>

18

<p>Marite:
I'm not the one who wants to go to Medical school.....I started this thread about a friend of mine who does. </p>

<p>Bluealien01:
My friend Sarah studies hard in class and at home, however, when it comes to test and quiz day, she blanks out and bombs her tests and quizzes. She does well enough in the other parts of the class, but because the tests and quizzes are worth so much in the final grade she earns grades that she doesn't desire. I know that she goes to tutoring ( I tutored her in Spanish and English for quite a while, but when I moved to Lake Tahoe to go to school, that ended.) which is why she hasn't had a lot of time to pursue many EC's.....Most of her time is spent studying and going to tutoring.
I think that Sarah might have a learning disability that is preventing her retention of information for tests/quizzes/high stress situations. I'm involved with the Disability Resource Center at my CCC ( just as I was at my last CCC.) so I feel that perhaps I can lead her in that direction for assistance as well as suggesting that she see a therapist.
Sarah and I have planned to meet this weekend, so I'll sit her down then and we can have a chat. </p>

<p>Thank you so much for your assistance.</p>

19

<p>Aviva, u're a great friend, u should be proud of urself.</p>

<p>MomOfour, thanks providing the correct info about RN. .40% come from CC with ADN (associates degree in Nursing), but thats completely irrelevent b.c once they pass the exam, they do the same thing as anyone who would have a BS/MS except maybe teach and do research.</p>

<p>MY cc admits all people into nursing prgram as long as they have completed 16 units of prerequisistes.</p>

<p>Exillo, u never wanna admitt u're wrong. CC do have LVN programs, but they also have RN programs. Kinda sad u're like that.</p>

20

<p>I sometimes have that problem, but not to the extent you are talking about. Heck, today I forgot my textbook in a copy machine room. It's like my memory is pretty much gone. Does she panic the day of the test (even before getting to the class and before the professors even pass the tests out)?? Maybe this is the result of her stress. I don't know. Does this happen in all of her classes? Marite? Anyone else?</p>