c.lake Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Hello! I'm new to the forums and I'm currently in grade 11. I was originally planning to go to UBC for my undergrad, but after all the advices from my friends and teachers I've decided to go to a smaller school to avoid being a disgruntled med reject. So, here are my questions: 1.I want to go to UVic, but should I go to an even smaller community school first in order to get a higher GPA? 2.If I do this will this affect my chances of getting into UBC med school? 3.Does it matter which major I choose? (I like biochem) 4.Is UVic a good place to be studying at and does it have all the pre requisite courses? 5.What determines whether or not you get in to a med school? Also, if you have any information on the Island Medical Program, I would appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rock33y Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Hi, A good resource to read is the FAQ; http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47062 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Biochem is tough. Choose any progrtam, just obtain a competitive GPA and have a Plan B in case you dont make it. A small university will not adversely affect your chances for med school. In addition to a competitive GPA, you need to be a well rounded active citizen. Lady luck helps b/c the no. of competitive applicants always exceeds the seats available. In the last couple of weeks, I responded to more than one h.s. student in my posts, finding them will prove useful to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 1. No matter how well or poorly you are doing in high school, it gives absolkutely no indiciation of your success in undergrad. The most important carry over from h.s. to UG is a strong wortk ethic, if it now exists. This will be of tremendous help. I did not have one. 2. Do not listen to family/friends/parents and go for U/T, the most prestigious university. This is generally speaking a recipe for disaster. Let's say you are presently a top student. Hurray for you! So, you will competing with other so-caled top students, 50% of whom for the first time in their lives will be in the bottom half of the cass. What's the point. All of these students were previously in the top 5% of their class. 3. My best advice is to find a so-called "no name" small university that the so-called brighter kids turn their nose down upon. There, you will have small classes, get to know your profs, do very well indeed. Remember, GPA is King!! Youngish physician parents know all this and their kids go this route. 4. The transition to UG is brutal. Therefore, do not take on any ECs/volunteering the first semester until you cracked the code of your inner self during the transition and do well in your finals. No distractions either, if you have a significant other who is needy or a serious distration, then dukp his person as you will be taken down and become missing in action. You may not like all your required courses, so what, this is no excuse to do poorly. You need to focus, have discipline, prioritize, curtail social life and treat your studies professionally, i.e., don't just cram, stay up-to-date for studies/assignments. 5. Pursue a course of study about which you are interested/passionate as I did. This will motivate you to work hard and do well. You will need to learn self-sacrifice to accomplish your goals. I became a straight A student despite the fact that I am not the brightest lightbullb in the class. What I lack in intelligence, I have made up for in serious work ethic, prioritizing and keeping my eye on the ball. GPA stays with you forever. You will screw up somewhere, not to worry, this will be a learning experience for you. U/T and U/O have their weighted GPA, others take last 2 years or best 2 years, so it is not over, just lick your wounds and carry on. Once you do well, then spread out in ECs/volunteering - only do what you enjoy. There is no cookie cutter recipe. Even unorganized activities are fine, like helping a disabled or old neighbour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.lake Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 Biochem is tough. Choose any progrtam, just obtain a competitive GPA and have a Plan B in case you dont make it. A small university will not adversely affect your chances for med school. In addition to a competitive GPA, you need to be a well rounded active citizen. Lady luck helps b/c the no. of competitive applicants always exceeds the seats available. In the last couple of weeks, I responded to more than one h.s. student in my posts, finding them will prove useful to you. Biochem is tough? I heard many things about how the biochem at Uvic is so easy that people go to UBC just to take biochem 300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 Then, all the more power to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylamonkey Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 Biochem is tough? I heard many things about how the biochem at Uvic is so easy that people go to UBC just to take biochem 300 I was a UVic student, and I took BIOC at UBC in the summer. The UVic BIOC300 was harder than UBC's version, because they used to have a prereq that UBC did not have. I think that may have changed. I got a far better grade at UBC's BIOC 300 than I would have had I taken it at UVic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.lake Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 I got a far better grade at UBC's BIOC 300 than I would have had I taken it at UVic! Thanks kylamonkey, future_doc, and rock33y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwh333 Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 to each their own of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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