quit current degree, start a new one?

[Guest oneday]

hi,

i'm thinking of leaving my current uni for another one to start a new degree (still in science though).

 

so, my grades are terrible. i feel badly about them and wish to start completely fresh and know i will do really well.

 

what do you think about me transferring? is it a bad idea? should i finish what i've started (i've got two years left to finish my current degree if i do honours).

 

i really appreciate you reading this and hopefullly sharing your thoughts. this is a huge decision (idea of transferring) and i'd appreciate any help/thoughts/ideas.

 

thank you.

[Guest kosmo14]

I am one who really believes in perseverance. If you don't enjoy what you are taking then by all means switch, but if you are taking what you want to and are only switching because you have bad grades then I would reconsider, because the school isn't going to change things, only you can do that.

 

I see the "I had bad grades in my first one or two years, can I still get into medical school?" question many times on this board. I understand what you feel like because I did horrible in my first year of university, but what changed in the 3 years after that wasn't the university or the program it was me. After my first year I spent a lot of time complaining and making excuses for my grades until one day my dad sat me down and said "you're grades are your's alone, nobody wrote the tests for you, and it was only you who did the half ass assignments, so you can either continue to make excuses and do poorly or accept responsibility for your grades and choose to work to improve it". This is a pretty rough thing to hear from your own dad or anybody but he was right. I truly believe that anyone can get good grades, it just depends on how much you want it, how hard you work, and your attitude. The key is to examine yourself and determine where you went wrong in the past and ensure you don't make the same mistakes over and over. Sometimes this requires some help from a friend, family member or a study skills instructor.

 

The intention of this post is not to put anybody down or criticize anyone. It is to encourage everyone to look to themselves to change and not the course, school or program. You can overcome a few bad years at university and still get into med school as long as you set your mind to it and are willing to work hard to get there. There are many med schools in Canada that use only your best two or three years or put more weight on your better years.

 

Good luck.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there oneday,

 

I agree with what kosmo mentioned above, but can you consider doing another degree at the same university? It might be worth your while as you may be able to gain more credit for some of the courses you took in your previous degree. To wit, I gained entry to a different undergraduate, U. Waterloo degree program this September after completing my B.Sc. at UofT and, to my surprise, was granted about 15 courses' worth of credit (plus or minus a course or two) from my previous degree towards the new degree. If my experience is any indication, this could save you some time and I don't believe those courses (the marks at least) would be counted in your new degree's GPA. Please check that though, before you commit.

 

Sköl and best of luck,

Kirsteen

[Guest cutieyellow]

I think that you should start afresh if you are not interested in your current degree. It is always easier to perform (and a whole lot more enjoyable) in something that you love. Also, putting the past behind, ie. the grades, can definitely do you some good. Do not dwell on something you can't change but work on being the best that you can be in the future. Just my two cents worth Good Luck.

CY

[Guest ADOMNIAPARATUS]

There's a difference between switching programs/schools because you don't like it/not suitable for you vs. switching programs because you want to "start over" - because you can only "start over" so many times.

I also transferred programs during undergrad, and I find that even if you end up being in a program that you like and that it's more "suitable" for you... if you're not willing to change your old ways/study habits, then you'll just end up right where you started.

If you're still unsure, maybe you can have a talk with your faculty advisor and/or an academic counsellor... you're right that transferring to a different program/school is a huge decision so choose wisely!