University Admissions test???

I honestly don’t know how to label this question that has been gnawing at me for some time now.


I recently moved to the Houston area and I am loving it. Working at the med center downtown and continuing my pre-reqs at the local community college.


I somehow got this strange idea that if I transfer to Rice (I definitely have enough credits and my GPA is high enough) and finish my science classes it would look EPIC on my transcript to apply to a med school.


I have my Bios, Gen Chems, and a ton of nursing sciences under my belt. In all honesty I never had the “luxury” to go to a cool four year university like normal kids when I graduated HS. I feel that I can really learn from a place like Rice now that I am more mature and obsessively focused on getting in to med school. I already have my BSN from Grand Canyon University (Arizona)


Question:


According to Rice, all transfers need to have SAT/ACT scores in order to be considered for admission. Honest and frank opinions please; should I take these tests in order to get in to Rice and finish up my pre-reqs or should I just transfer up to the University of Houston and finish up there???


I’ve never taken such tests in HS because, frankly I didn’t care to do anything after high school Of course, now I’m paying the piper to atone for my sins, lol!!


Regardless, I’m sure that this rings true with someone else out there. I can’t be the only human being that has had that proverbial light come on in his or her head post high school and is now focused and driven in order to succeed at a higher level.


Any and all opinions are greatly welcomed. Don’t worry I have tough skin…



First off this is just my opinion so I would wait for others to chime in.


I don’t know that having a transcript from rice or from uh is going to make that much of a difference, the grades on the transcript will be whats important. So if you have to take the ACT/SAT to get into rice but not UH, I would just do UH. If you have to take the ACT regardless then I say go for Rice, but also consider the cost of Rice vs. UH in the scheme of things.


Hope that helps.

I would speak with an admissions counselor at Rice first. Standards my be different with post-bac students.

  • Julio Cesar Said:
I somehow got this strange idea that if I transfer to Rice (I definitely have enough credits and my GPA is high enough) and finish my science classes it would look EPIC on my transcript to apply to a med school.



I do think this is a strange idea, and I empathize because I got all sorts of ideas like this gearing up for application season. But why jump through *another* hoop in the process that would require you to prepare and study just to go to a different school?

Maybe I'm not L33t enough to recognize the name, but I doubt most adcoms are going to be impressed by the word "Rice" either.

What I'm trying to say is - if you're already doing pre-reqs at a university keep working on it. You'll be more impressive doing something different (in your ECs, at work, somewhere other than academics) than having a different school name on your transcript.

Good luck!

I can see the rationale of what you’re trying to say Bailey and all in all. I can save more money, jump through less hoops, and potentially get better grades with less stress by going through a state university. I guess I somehow got the impression that my transition from a cc to a prestigious university would make a difference with adcoms.


non_trad; I spoke with admissions at Rice and it was related to me that there is a “visiting post bacc student status” that I can apply for…of course as such a student one gets last picks for science classes and has to pay some where in the ballpark of $3500…per credit hour. Yea! That’s not going to happen, LoL!!


Pixie; I really don’t want to jump through anymore hoops and if completing science pre-reqs at UH is just as good as Rice then I really should focus on EC, clubs, and saving a small village of lepers…


Thanks for the advice guys. I really helped.


Gracias!!!

Julio Cesar,


I’ll echo the sentiments of the above posters, but add that some medical schools request SAT/ACT scores to be submitted as part of their secondary applications. I’m not sure how many do this. I know Virginia Commonwealth University is one example. So depending on which medical schools you apply to, you may still have to take the SAT/ACT (on top of the MCAT). Just something to think about.

…lovely!

Regarding schools that ask for SAT/ACT on their apps, both the ones that I had that experience with had either an “N/A” or a “no score” and a text box to explain in.


They don’t seem to care too much.

GPA and MCAT are much more important by at least an an order of magnitude then the “prestige” factor of any school. Also when going to a more prestigious school you typically have a more competitive and even cut throat student body thus making it harder to get competitive GPA. I would even go so far to say in my opinion; that 3.9 at a middle of the road state school is lot better than a 3.5 at a more “prestigious” school


My rule for nontrads is to go to the best school that you can do well in.


Stick to UH, do not waste time on an SAT or ACT, do not waste energy on wondering if a better name will help you. Do spend time on doing well where you are.

While I agree with the considerations that everyone here is making, I think you could stand to add some data to the thought process. Go out and buy the official SAT book (http://tinyurl.com/452379l), and spend a few hours taking a sample test. See how well you do. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if someone has the stuff to be successful in medical school, then they’ll possess the innate potential to do well on the SAT (even if it requires a degree of preparation to actually do so).


General Ranges


Bad: <1000


Good: 1000-1190


Really Good: 1200-1390


Spectacular: 1400+


If you take it and get a 1400 or better, no question, take the actual test. Even if you don’t need it to get into an undergrad program, it’ll help (and you could also get scholarships). If you get a 1200 or better, still take it- but spend some more time prepping than you would if your sample score was 1400+. If you get under 1200, then revisit the debate over how important it is. But if with minimal effort and expense you can take it and do well, then I can think of no good reason not to.


Trust me on the “go through the book” part. I used to work for an extremely expensive prep service- an hour of time alone with me would set you back $150 (I left because only a pittance of that found its way to my pocket). What I did with students was an extremely glorified version of going through that book and the Barron’s book- I regularly brought students up 200-400 points. That book has just about all the material you need.

  • gonnif Said:
Stick to UH, do waste time on an SAT or ACT, do waste energy on wondering if a better name will help you.



I may be misreading this- did you mean to type don't and don't?


  • Fedaykin Said:
  • gonnif Said:
Stick to UH, do waste time on an SAT or ACT, do waste energy on wondering if a better name will help you.



I may be misreading this- did you mean to type don't and don't?



It was meant to be ironic..or mistyped..or tired..or too much tequila. Who remembers?

Don't waste time on SAT

Don't waste time on thinking a more prestigious school will help

Do spend time on doing well where you are