What are the chances of getting into a medical school if I go to a cal state?

Question

As of today, I've been rejected to every UC I applied to leaving me the option of either going to a cal state or a community college. I was wondering what my chances are of getting into a medical school and how much harder it would be if I go to a cal state rather than attending a community college and transfering to a UC. Does going to a cal state dramatically reduce my chances of getting into a medical school? My choices for cal states are San Diego State University and California State University Long Beach and if I go to a community college, it will most likely be Pasadena City College.

Answer 1

There are likely only going to be a tiny handful of kids that make it into a medical school from a Cal State. If med school is your goal, I'd definitely go to a community college first and then transfer to a UC.

Check to see if Pasadena City College has any agreements with a particular UC. You're looking for a CC that has an agreement with Berkeley or UCLA. Those are the two UC's you're aiming for. Anything lower, and you've also decreased your chance at a med school by a decent amount (altho not as bad as at a Cal State).

Answer 2

You didn't say how old you are. This is important because sometimes students are rejected because they are just out of high school and don't have the highest GPA of all applicants. If you go to a California State College, make the highest GPA you can, then you should be able to transfer. Take as many of the hardest classes you can, so your transcript will look great. Also, find opportunities to volunteer your time, that's another thing that helps. And finally, look at websites that have application essays from students who have been accepted. You will usually find those at each University's website. Good luck.

Answer 3

Dont go to a Junior College (or as I like to call them "College Junior") if you can avoid it. Coming from a prestigious college does help your chances of getting into Medical school, but the quality of the professors at the JC level are just not the same as 4 year Universities. Junior Colleges are great for people who dont know what they want to do, or people who just plain cant afford to pay for a 4 year school. But for the most part, JC's are places where bad students go to die and the wash out rates are extremely high. You would be much better served going to a CSU and then transfering if you so desire. However, it might not make a huge difference if you go to a CSU with a good science department because collegiate science courses which are considered to be pre-requisites for medical school are all taught against a national standard to prepare pre-med students for the MCAT exams. So, declaring as a pre-med student at a CSU will put you on the correct path to learn everything you need to know to do well on the MCAT anyway, the prestige of the school is just something that looks good on paper and will give you an edge if you are middle of the road on the test scores. If you are seriously considering going to medical school you would be greatly served to start out at a 4 year institution because in my experience JC's just have a way on making you unmotivated and they are not good for preparing you for the real college atmosphere. I recently graduated from a private college but I had to take one more class to finish up my degree so I am taking it at the local College Junior. I am on midterm break right now and so far I have yet to miss a single point in my class and the expectations just are not the same. Go to a CSU, try to get as many summer internships as you can working in hospitals etc, and just be willing and ready to work very hard and you will be ok... Good luck.

Answer 4

Cal state has many places to study and most likely has one tat does prepare you for medical school. Sacrameto used to do this long ago. I do not know now.

Talk to doctors and ask them how they did it and why.

Answer 5

I do not know California, however I have a cousin who went to prestigious faculties, and I went to colleges that haven't any enormous status. We each simply desired to regard sufferers, not anything with a gigantic countrywide or worldwide status, we each scored rather good (best 10%) on our forte forums, and we each wound up practising approximately the equal form of treatment. Don't kill your self with fear. Good success, and God bless.