Dreams vs. Reality.

18thSky · October 1, 2011, 8:05pm

So, my dad and I got into a pretty huge argument over colleges (even though i haven’t applied yet)…the debate is…

Well, I want to go to UCDavis. Why? Fresh start. Good reputation/heard that there were a ton of friendly people and is a chill environment. Get to live with good relatives (after having a tough and isolated life with my dad and stepmother). Autonomy and the ability to chase after goals (my dad doesn’t really let me do ECs bc he’s so overprotective and strict; my school isn’t the most competitive out there - just a normal and good private school, and i don’t have many opportunities or mobility to chase after my ultimate dream John’s Hopkins as a result - my stats would be considered at under-qualified for the lovely school).

But, im out of state; Parents are willing to pay the tuition…w. scholarships (need to start applying); it’s around 35,000.

My dad wanted me to go to UCD, but now, after talking to my guidance counselor, thinks that I should just go to UAB and get into the “early medical school acceptance program” since I wouldn’t have to take the MCATS, and I’d surely get into med school in UAB. It’s one of the nation’s best; it’s in-state.

My dad has been worried that with my pretty below average SAT scores (1760 & 1920), Im just not good at standardized tests, and my dad wants me to become a doctor at any cost. He doesn’t want me to take the MCATs (thinking I’d fail or something) - So, he wants me to go to UAB.

But!..I believe that college should be about tackling your dreams; UAB…is and never will be my dream. UCD is my dream bc, along with a good education, I’d get the family environment that i’ve needed for a while. UCD would be a good stepping stone, and maybe I’d get into JHU for grad if I worked my butt off (which I am blindly willing to do).

It’s just…I’d have to take the MCATs.

I don’t know what to do - advice or insight into both of the colleges would be recommended. What should I do? If it makes it any easier, I haven’t gotten into any of those colleges yet (lol.) but, what if I did?..

Have you ever been torn between your dreams and reality? Which one did you choose? Which one turned out best for you?

Are the MCATs really THAT hard?

entomom · October 1, 2011, 9:45pm

You should start reading some of the threads on the PreMed Topics forum to learn more about applying to med school, MCATs, paying for med school, etc.

parent56 · October 1, 2011, 10:06pm

18th sky… that emsap program is extremely competitive…does your dad know that. the stated act for possible acceptance is 32 i think but actually more like 34 to be considered, and they only take 10 from all the applicants…including oos applicants. I dont think your dad can count on you getting in regardless of your scores. They also want to see things like shadowing etc.

uab for undergrad with an act of 33 or above would be a full ride (tuition and housing). the uab med school (regular admission)DOES give some preference to instate students.

if you want some insight into uab and especially the sci/tech honors program, let me know as my son goes there. Research opportunities are incredible, which would help with med school apps. and uab’s pre-med advising is excellent beginning in your freshman year, with seminars, meetings, courses on mcat, mock interviews, applications, planning for courses etc. That helps for any school you might want to apply to later.

parent56 · October 1, 2011, 10:23pm

just read your post again… you still have to take the mcat if in emsap

[Criteria</a> for Remaining in Good Standing in EMSAP](<a href=“http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=121678]Criteria”>http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=121678)

parent56 · October 1, 2011, 10:41pm

another thing to consider ucd tuition is about 40K per year for undergrad, med school at Johns hopkins is also at least 40K per year so you are talking at least 320K. you might want to keep your undergrad costs down and go instate?

ps if you get any merit from uab you have to live on campus the first year so that would get you away

Chocolate20 · October 1, 2011, 11:06pm

My personal choice for you would be for you to go to UC Davis. If you really have all those opportunities and you’re absolutely sure that all the beneficial things you mentioned will happen there, then choose that. I feel that your 4 year experience and onward with medical school should be enjoyable as well. Both are great schools, and if you try hard in either one, you’re bound to do well.

However, that’s just me. Both UC Davis and UAB have their perks, I suggest you do research on both, check out the UC and UAB forums and ask people what to expect at the university. It might be wise to check out the UC Davis campus and spend some time in california before you make a decision (This is a pretty big decision after all).

parent56 · October 2, 2011, 8:14am

chocolate, unfortunately uab doesnt have a forum…i’ve asked for one though…cc says that they use a formula based on how many unique threads on a school to determine if a forum is needed.

M_s_Mom · October 2, 2011, 10:12am

Why have this argument at all? Apply to the schools he wants you to apply to. And apply to the schools you want to apply to. The time to start the debate is after you’ve been admitted somewhere. Before that, the discussion is pointlessly raising everyone’s blood pressure.

18thSky · October 2, 2011, 10:28am

@entomom: Good idea. :)

@parent56: Haha, thank you for all of your posts! They were very helpful. UAB is a good school, but im not sure if it’s for me. I agree about the instate thing, but besides academics and the tuition, I have to consider my personal preferences - better environment + get to live with a legit family = good influence without a doubt…

@Chocolate20: Thank you for your post! I agree - UCD would be a better choice, and hard work can take anyone anywhere. Im doing more research on both of the schools.

@M’s Mom: Good point. My dad and I were just talking about college; he’s the type to just be like “That’s it. You’re going [insert name of college] and that’s final! No matter if you get into a better college or not” and im the type to have a bunch of options open, with me having some preferences. That’s the reason why the argument occurred. Truth is, if I don’t get into UCD or anything better, then I’ll go to UAB without any hesitation. I just created a thread about this bc, I just wanted to see what others would encourage me to do, and gather info & opinions + personal experiences of others to make my decision.

parent56 · October 2, 2011, 11:31am

perhaps if you show him how unlikely admission to emsap is, and that you still have to take the mcat regardless, he may be more open to ucd

of course my vote would still be for uab :)! but i’m biased

10529231 · October 2, 2011, 11:35am

How do you know you’re not good at standardized tests? How much studying did you do to get those scores? Which sections do you have trouble in? I think you could get a very good score on the MCAT, if you work hard enough.

The first time I took the ACT, I got a 23 (1590 on the SAT), without studying. I studied a little bit and got a 27 (1820) the second time. Studied some more and got 30 (1980). I decided to get serious about studying for the tests when I took the SAT. I spent months studying for it, and took at least 12 practice tests. After a few tries I got a 2210. I could have decided that I’m not a good test-taker when I got a 27 on the ACT, but I kept working at it. I spent a lot of time on my 2210 and I know I earned it. Practice can make a huge difference on these tests.

katliamom · October 2, 2011, 12:45pm

Very good point, and a great post, 10529231. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your experience. All kids on this site should read it.

jessicasdfghj · October 2, 2011, 12:52pm

I’m from Alabama and want to go to a UC too, glad I’m not the only one. I hate this state so much & I can’t wait to leave.

floridadad55 · October 2, 2011, 1:04pm

I am sure you will not like my response.
I agree with your father, ONE MILLION PERCENT.

I am surprised that with your SATs, you would get into the UAB program you mentioned, but let’s assume that is true. Starting off college with a guaranteed admission to med school is something that I think would be crazy to pass up. You could always pursue some sort of educational objective at Johns Hopkins after you finish at UAB. However, given your SAT scores, I think that your dream of Johns Hopkins is just that, a dream.

If you go to UC Davis, that would be incredibly risky, because you might not get med school caliber grades, or med school quality MCAT scores.

I would thank my lucky stars if you got into the UAB program. Once you are a doctor, you will thank your father for making you do the practical thing.

By the way, I think it is totally lame to blame your father for not having stellar academic credentials. It seems like you are doing that.

parent56 · October 2, 2011, 1:19pm

great points floridadad55! sorry to say i dont think emsap is too realistic here either but there is never any harm in trying, nothing ventured nothing gained.

also with the financial instability of california schools…i wouldnt take a risk on that either

SlitheyTove · October 2, 2011, 1:52pm

OP, what other schools are you considering besides JHU, UCD and UAB?

I love Davis, but I think it’s a horrible choice for someone from out of state who is considering med school, unless they come from a wealthy family that can afford $200k+ for undergrad plus another $200k+ for med school. You say that you are applying for scholarships, which is great. Unfortunately, it’s going to be very difficult to earn enough scholarship dollars to bring down the cost of UCD significantly.

You need to cast your net wider, and look for other schools.

If your father is serious about saying you’ll go to medical school at any cost, he should be willing for you to look at other schools that have a good track record with medical school acceptances.

Finally, you mention that med school is your father’s dream for you. Is it your dream for yourself?

18thSky · October 2, 2011, 4:15pm

@parent56: I will mention it to him; my dad likes UCD, but he’s leaning more towards UAB.

@10529231: Well, when I took my first set of SATs, I didn’t study…at all. I slacked off even though I had the test prep books and everything. Second time, the 1920, I studied for 2 months…the ACT I’ve taken only once, and that was a week after I took my first SATs and I got a 26. You’re right, I need to study and focus more. Maybe I’ll be telling my success story, just like you, soon.

@katliamom: I agree!

@jessicasdfghj: Haha. I kinda hate Alabama too. I used to move around a lot (Born in NY, lived in FL for 12 yrs, ATL for 1 year, Philly for a few months, and now Alabama) so out of the places I’ve lived in, Alabama is prolly the most dead. haha.

@floridadad55: I understand what you’re saying - but honestly, my SAT/ACT scores do not reflect my academic ability, at all. They reflect my laziness and efforts afterwards. My GPA reflects my true work ethics and ability. I have, no doubt, that I could get into the UAB program if I worked hard; with my hard work (or anyone’s for that matter), I can get good grades in college and MCAT (I just gotta start prepping and doing my MCAT info research early; for the SATs, I didn’t even know what I was getting into the first time)…And my JHU dream, is not just a dream - well, for undergrad it is, but for grad, I doubt it is.

And Im not blaming my dad for “not having stellar academic credentials”; my dad makes total sense, but why pass up a good opportunity of UCD IF i got in? Anything worth having comes with a ton of hard work. It’s never easy doing anything. My dad obviously knows what he’s talking about, but on the other hand, I’ve had a lot of goals and dreams set up for myself. It makes absolutely no sense to let them go…but then again, it’s not like I got into UCD or anything. This topic was just about what I should do…whether other people chose the “dream” way or the “reality” way…and which worked better for them…nothing about undermining my dad’s words or “academic credibility”.

@parent56: I understand what you’re saying. Nothing’s realistic right now…because nothing has happened. Im just simply listing some hypothetical alternatives.

@SlitheyTove: Im not applying to JHU…Im going into undergrad and Im applying to: University of South Alabama (Safety), University of Alabama - B, University of California - Davis & Irvine, and New York University.

I agree with you about the tuition; it’s just, im looking past that and looking for the other benefits of me going to UCD.

You’re right; I’ll talk to him about other medical schools…after he cools down.

Yupp; medical school is my dream. After spending much time volunteering & shadowing doctors over the summer, i believe that the medical profession is one that i’d be suited for. Thannkyouu so much for your concern and advice :)

parent56 · October 2, 2011, 5:40pm

18thsky… did you know that south has a similar early acceptance program… it has a lower act requirement (28) but again i know selected students are higher

University of South Alabama
College of Medicine Early Acceptance Program (COMEAP)

The College of Medicine Early Acceptance Program offers a selected number of talented high school seniors a position in the University of South Alabama College of Medicine first year class after completion of their USA undergraduate degree and the requirements of the program.

Minimum qualifications for Initial Consideration: 
28 ACT Composite (results of one administration; scores are not mixed from multiple tests), or 1250 SAT score (we do not use SAT Subject Tests), and a 3.5 GPA as computed by USA Admissions.

Selection Process:

The Selection Committee will meet shortly after the December 15 deadline. They will select 40-45 students for consideration, who will all be required to attend a personal interview.
Required Interview Date: TBA, held on USA’s campus.
The most highly ranked of those interviewed will be selected to participate in the program.
Preference is given to applicants from Alabama and our service areas in Florida and Mississippi.

Procedures to Apply for the Early Acceptance Program:
For consideration to this program, all of the following MUST be received in the USA Office of Admissions by December 15 of the student’s high school senior year:

Completed Application for Admission, submitted with the $35 application fee;
Official high school transcript, showing grades through the junior year, mailed from the high school directly to the USA Office of Admissions;
Official ACT or SAT scores; mailed directly from the testing agency to the USA Office of Admissions (Note: USA’s ACT Code: 0059; SAT Code: 1880);
Completed application for the Early Acceptance Program. Click here here to print the application for the Early Acceptance Program.
Resume (one page only; additional pages will not be reviewed);
Personal statement of no more than 300 words on the topic “Why I want to be a doctor”.

NOTE: Letters of recommendation are not required for the COMEAP program and will not be included in the applicant’s profile. However, any letters of recommendations will be sent over to the Honors Program for students who are applying to both areas.

The Program: 
Candidates selected for the program will receive an acceptance from the University of South Alabama and a conditional acceptance to the College of Medicine. The students will enter the Health Pre-Professions Program at the University of South Alabama. Their curriculum will include core requirements for the selected baccalaureate program and prerequisites for matriculation in medical school.

Students in the COMEAP must maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 system, a minimum grade point average of 3.4 in the sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) and mathematics. All prerequisite courses must be taken at the University of South Alabama unless otherwise approved in advance by the Pre-professional Advisor and the Director of Admissions for the College of Medicine.

18thSky · October 2, 2011, 8:16pm

@parent56: Thankkyouu so much for going through much trouble to find information like this for me. I did know about this program, but my dad wants me to aim for the early medical acceptance program in UAB; he thinks that south is a little too “safety” for me. I already have an almost-full scholarship to South…it’s just…once again, I don’t think the school (neither does my dad) would prep me well/including research&opportunities for medicine. Haha, I guess my dad and I are both choosey. But, I read back to your old posts - in the UAB program, one still has to take the MCATs, right? That was my dad’s main point…he didn’t want me to take the MCATs.

Thankkyouu, once again, for contributing to this thread a lot! It was extremely helpful! :)

parent56 · October 2, 2011, 8:46pm

yes according to the link i posted, you have to take it and achieve a certain score. You also have to have a higher act score than you have now to even be considered. you posted a 26… the minimum stat is 30 BUT there was an article about that program that stated they look for at least a 34 [Get</a> Into Med School and Get Undergrad for Free! - The Daily Beast](<a href=“http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/08/11/two-for-the-price-of-one.html]Get”>http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/08/11/two-for-the-price-of-one.html)… and i have always heard 34 for the minimum unofficially

so you need to show your dad that uab emsap requires a higher act and that you take the mcat… flip side is go ahead and apply to uab and ucd… if you dont get emsap then you can discuss ucd vs uab for undergrad

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