| Jennifer-
Of course the name of the University matters when you apply to Med School. Other things are more important but it still matters. Both schools should be easy compared to high school, so getting A's is a matter of doing what is told. Most teachers are not going to be out there to try to fail you, like some of those witches in high school.
Some reasons why you should be allowed to go to UCSC
-School is ranked higher then Merced.. which is unranked
-Med program taught by teachers with PHD's but it is not too competitive
-Very pretty environment and atmosphere - beach town - (It'll keep u happy)
-The students at UCSC tend to be a step above those at Merced - You will have smarter friends who have similar aspirations as you
-You can be in a 'Study intensive' floor in which the people around you want to study alot and will not 'slack off.' (Crown would be a good college)
Reasons not to go to Merced
-The campus is 10-20 years from being established - this means for the time being, med school will not look at it in the same light as other universities of similar calibur because they do not know about such things as grade inflation
-The town of Merced is very rural and there is not much there. You will need a car to get around (most likely) to go anywhere and that will cost you or your dad more money because of the cost of gas nowadays. At UCSC, you do not need a car nor want one. The public transportation is great, and there are frequent shuttles to get you from class to class. Biking is a good way to get around as well as everything (downtown Santa Cruz, the boardwalk, the beach) is close together.
Whetever you decide, remember that you are 18, or 17, and your not "Daddy's Little Girl" anymore. This is your future. Bring him to both campuses, and maybe he will see what a nice place Santa Cruz is. Hopefully he will let you make your decision, whatever that might be. |