<p>I would say that if your parents want a less rigorous environment for your pre-med, UCSD would be a pretty good option that is also pretty well respected.</p>
<p>For challenging and prestigious, Dartmouth and Hopkins, with Hopkins edging out Dartmouth in terms of opportunities and pre-med prestige. </p>
<p>Give your parents these three choices because all three of them are very very good for Pre-Med in varying levels. However, UCR is really…not…that…good…</p>
<p>They couldn’t care less about a less rigorous environment or prestige. They want me to stay at home. They think UCR is sufficient to become a doctor.</p>
<p>Well, if you want to make your parents happy, then go ahead and attend UCR.
If not, just give them the straight facts about UCR’s low med school success rate, academics etc. and tell them that if they really want you to be successful, they would be fine with allowing you to pursue your own future in a school that is better equipped to realize your full potential.</p>
<p>^That’s what I’ve been trying to do. But they think 33% is great. They truly think I can be successful going to UCR.</p>
<p>^ did you TRY telling them that the national average is 50%??? Including really really really crappy schools?</p>
<p>^No, I’ll try that. But I did tell them every other school I’m looking at has much higher rates. And they don’t understand “crappy school.” To them a med school is a med school. And they either overestimate me or underestimate the competition because they seem POSITIVE that I can stay in the top 33% at UCR (and if I can’t even manage that I really shouldn’t be going for such a hard career). But thanks, I’ll try it.</p>
<p>Maybe UCSD or UCLA should be your game plan. I mean, it’s closer than a lot of the other schools you are looking at and both of them are stronger at Pre-Med than Claremont McKenna, which is better for politics and law.</p>
<p>McKenna is significantly closer and I was surprised to learn it has an 85% rate whereas UCLA has 50%. Also the small size might open up more opportunities.
But they seem set on my living at home (not just staying in the region) and the “best” school close enough to commute to is UCR.</p>
<p>Hmm. Had no idea about McKenna.</p>
<p>However, why are your parents so set on you commuting? If it’s absolutely necessary, then I will understand, but if it’s simply because they don’t want to lose their child yet, I would say that it will have to happen to them eventually.</p>
<p>as a current student at hopkins taking pre med courses, i gotta admit, it’s not that hard to get A- or As in premed science courses at hopkins. As long as you go to the lecture and pay attention and go over the notes and do some problems, you shouldn’t have any problem getting As in premed courses at hopkins. Just as a point of reference when it comes to rankings, 25% of the class usually makes it to the dean’s list and you need to have 3.5 or higher to make it, which means top 25% of class has gpa of 3.5 or higher.
Another point you need to consider is that there is always a good chance that you can change your mind. Even if you think you know that you want to be a doctor for sure right now, you could change your mind. I have seen plenty of ppl who were dead set on being a doctor now going to law schools or those who came in as humanities/social science majors changed to pre med in the middle and heading to medical schools right now. If you go to hopkins and you later choose to not to be a doctor anymore, you’ll have a backup option, you’ll get great jobs or have good opportunities to go to law school or grad school. If you go to UCR just to get a easy gpa, and you end up changing your mind, you will be screwed in that case.</p>
<p>rice, it’s kind of complicated and I don’t fully understand myself but it is definitely not “absolutely necessary.”</p>
<p>There are a lot of cultural elements to it and no one they know has ever really moved for college. They went to school in Canada where most universities are similar in quality and moving is rarely necessary. They are also appealing to my own reservations (which I had just forced myself to get over for the sake of education) about moving (living in a dorm, communal bathrooms, petty stuff but everyday things that are worse than living in a comfortable house at home).</p>
<p>Whatshouldido:</p>
<p>If the excessive drinking culture is a problem for your parents, you should remind them that they should trust that they raised you well enough as their son/daughter(?) to be responsible when making those choices. I can also assure you that at Johns Hopkins, you will not run into any peer pressure of any sort to drink or party excessively (though this might be a different story at UCLA and Dartmouth (aka Keggy)…lol). </p>
<p>You will eventually have to move out and experience a new environment regardless. That is one of the best parts about an education in the United States in that for college, students are truly exploring maturity and independence along with academic excellence. You will eventually have to grow up and face life as it will be.
And either way, not EVERYTHING is communal bathrooms and regular dorm life. I know that at Hopkins, as a freshman, you can choose to live in a suite-style dorm with a bathroom that you share with 2-3 other suitemates. It’s very comfortable and you will be living with people who will eventually be life long friends, which will be all the more inviting.</p>
<p>You are truly missing out on A LOT if you choose to be a commuting student at any university. I can guarantee you that much.</p>
<p>They think I’m not ready for independence and all that yet. I am apprehensive and I was considering UCR myself for that reason but I’ve convinced myself that now is as good a time as any to try to develop more independence.
But they think 4 years from now, for grad school, is a better time and age for me to leave.
They are the type of people who live with their parents during university and maybe a bit of grad school, then get married and live with their spouse. So this is all very new to them.</p>
<p>Well, tell them to give you the benefit of the doubt. Tell them to let you at least try one year at a better school and if it seems like you’re growing reckless, immature, wild, etc that you will transfer back to UCR. </p>
<p>Honestly, you might be 100% set on Med School right now, but a year or even two months from now, it could be a whole different story, especially after getting a taste of all the other options at some of these top schools. If you do eventually change career paths, you will really regret UCR because it is simply not that strong for many career choices. On the other hand, CMckenna, Hopkins, Dartmouth, UCLA, UCSD, etc would be stronger than UCR by far for other programs and overall. </p>
<p>Convince them that you are ready for independence. Show them how adult you can be, and let them know that at the very least, they should give you a chance to prove how mature of a son/daughter they have raised.</p>
<p>I think the bottom line is the OP does not want this enough to truly tackle his parent’s cultural issues. If he did he would have tackled this long before mid April. This is a common problem faced by children of immigrants. Those that make it out fight the fight earlier.</p>
<p>I kinda agree with you here hmom5.</p>
<p>Whatshouldido, if you truly wanted to move away, I don’t think you would’ve saved it for the last minute. Maybe a part of you does want to stay at home?</p>
<p>OP</p>
<p>Here is your problem: Parents don’t want you to leave.</p>
<p>It isn’t that they think UCR will give you the same education as John Hopkins. Let’s clear that myth up right now, so you can focus on the actual problem. It is very selfish of them to ‘force’ you to stay near them. If they really could not handle you going as far as John Hopkins, surely UCLA or UCSD would be ‘okay.’ You are within several hours of a drive (or so I assume), which is as close as any parents need to be.</p>
<p>Although, I tend to disagree with those on the forum saying you will get nowhere once you get to UCR and it is a cakewalk at John Hopkins. First of all, it isn’t a cakewalk ANYWHERE. Second, UCR is one of the UC’s which is definitely prestigious, just not on the same level as John Hopkins. Regardless, the OP can certainly accomplish all of his life goals with a degree from UCR.</p>
<p>The reason I “saved it for the last minute” is I didn’t realize they would object to Los Angeles or San Diego and therefore never thought to ask before now.</p>
<p>Cali I’m not sure how selfish they’re being. They recently said they’re willing to get a house in Claremont or LA and move there (or anywhere close enough to keep their jobs) if I really think I can’t get successful through UCR. I think that’s a very ridiculous and extreme step to take JUST so I can “live at home.” But I think if they’re willing to move away from everything they’ve grown used to for years now, it’s not just selfishness.</p>
<p>But if they could commute from Claremont to work, I could commute from home to Claremont. But all the current students I mentioned this to advise strongly against it. It’s not just for the social experience, which I don’t care that much about, but because there’s all kinds of meetings, lectures, review sessions, etc. at night and to commute would mean coming home around midnight only to sleep and go back the next morning. This would just suck and UCR would be way more convenient and stress-free then. Kind of silly and I doubt my parents would even let me come home at midnight. My parents scoffed when I mentioned how there are club meetings at night but then I said pre-med advisement meetings as well so I don’t know what they think now.</p>
<p>I’m not sure you’re understanding how selfishness applies here. Selfish is not letting your child go away to school without following them, letting them grow up and have an independent life making use of their own values even when thy are different from yours. It’s not letting them assimilate into the culture they are living in. </p>
<p>There was a recent thread on the parent’s board on this subject, perhaps yo should have your parent’s read it:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/665449-relocating-d-east-coast-does-make-sense.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/665449-relocating-d-east-coast-does-make-sense.html</a></p>
<p>Whatshouldido:</p>
<p>if your parents were “selfless” as you seem to be suggesting, they should let YOU make the best choice for YOU. College is entirely about your experience. You are NOT going to college FOR your parents, but for yourself and that should be clear to them.</p>
<p>And maybe UCR is NOT a bad school, but STILL, don’t you think YOU should be allowed a choice instead of being FORCED into something?</p>