Does anyone know much about UBC? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 06:02 PM

Hey, I am currently going to be attending the U of C for the first time this fall as I am enrolled in Biological Sciences. However, I never really wanted to limit myself to Calgary as I have wanted to go away for post-secondary to one of the best universities in North America (especially Canada). Due to running out of time to apply and some finanical obstacles I had to register into U of C. For the record, I am pretty excited for Calgary and think it is a really good university.

Even though university hasn't started up yet, I have started researching some of the best universities in Canada for Science and UBC is supposedly the second best in Canada (behind U of T).

The question that I have is if anyone has gone through a transferring process before and how it works. It is my first year at U of C (I am not even 18 yet lol) so I know very little on how this works. As of now, I am sold on this university and just wan't some advice on how about I should go with this and if someone knows what type of marks would I need? Also, is there a difference between UBC Okanagon and UBC Vancouver and is one easier to get in than the other?

I am also not sure if I should ask the U of C counsellors as they will probably try to convince me to stay in Calgary (they need to make money

) Has anyone on this board gone through a process of transferring through post-secondaries and can help me on how I should go about this? The reason why I am asking at this time is because when the time comes, I really don't want to miss out on the opportunity because I missed a small course or something that was a necessity.

Thanks for the help in advance!

PS: I am ready to enjoy U of C aswell as I have already joined in a couple of clubs and am really looking to get involved and have fun.

ricoFlame · 09-05-2009, 06:09 PM

transferring is a cinch, just apply as a transfer student and be sure that your transcripts are sent from the U of C to UBC upon final grade. not a big deal.

Temporary_User · 09-05-2009, 06:13 PM

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1919637

wooohooo · 09-05-2009, 06:31 PM

Generally across the board, your undergrad wherever you go doesn't matter so much. You all learn about the same things (especially bio sci). Where picking schools become important is your graduate studies. So if you're looking to become a Doctor, or a researcher or anything like that, look more into that than the undergraduate aspect.

flylock shox · 09-05-2009, 06:42 PM

Don't forget to take into account the fact that, if you're 17 now, you won't be able to legally drink at UofC during your first year.

And if you transfer to UBC, you'll be 18, and won't be able to legally drink there during your second year.

Whatever you do, make sure that you take your drinking into account. It's more important than your undergraduate degree.

Also, I don't know much about UofC, but UBC is lame.

vicphoenix13 · 09-05-2009, 07:12 PM

All I know about UBC is that it has one of the best medical schools in Canada and it is located in a rich area of Vancouver. The other thing about UBC is that it is half an hour west of downtown Vancouver.

Winsor_Pilates · 09-05-2009, 07:14 PM

UBC Okanagan is in Kelowna and is very different from UBC. It's a completely different place, and will offer far less of everything that UBC offers.

I live near UBC in Van and can only imagine how awesome it would have been to go there. Nothing wrong with UofC, but I wish I had gone to UBC. The campus is great, the student culture seems to be really good and the girls are great.

As far as transferring, should be pretty easy with sciences. Just keep in mind that schools will only allow so many credits to transfer. So if you stay at UofC for 3 years and try to transfer to UBC for your 4th, you'll likely have to repeat stuff and they won't count everything. Sooner, the better in general for switching Uni's.

Winsor_Pilates · 09-05-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicphoenix13

All I know about UBC is that it has one of the best medical schools in Canada and it is located in a rich area of Vancouver. The other thing about UBC is that it is half an hour west of downtown Vancouver.

half hour walk??
It's about a 10 min drive, 15 tops.

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:32 PM

Is it also true that there are like 400 different tests that you have to pass before they let you transfer? Stuff like English profiency tests and other mathematics test etc..

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

UBC Okanagan is in Kelowna and is very different from UBC. It's a completely different place, and will offer far less of everything that UBC offers.

I live near UBC in Van and can only imagine how awesome it would have been to go there. Nothing wrong with UofC, but I wish I had gone to UBC. The campus is great, the student culture seems to be really good and the girls are great.

As far as transferring, should be pretty easy with sciences. Just keep in mind that schools will only allow so many credits to transfer. So if you stay at UofC for 3 years and try to transfer to UBC for your 4th, you'll likely have to repeat stuff and they won't count everything. Sooner, the better in general for switching Uni's.

Yeah I am really considering doing it after the first year.

wooohooo · 09-05-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keenan87

Is it also true that there are like 400 different tests that you have to pass before they let you transfer? Stuff like English profiency tests and other mathematics test etc..

Unless you're from some other unrecognized country, no. If you took your high school here and passed English you will be fine. At least, my friends never had to.

wooohooo · 09-05-2009, 07:36 PM

Do you know what you want to be after your under grad? Generally (not always) it is easier to get into graduate studies where you took your under grad.

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Unless you're from some other unrecognized country, no. If you took your high school here and passed English you will be fine. At least, my friends never had to.

haha thanks.. This actually doesn't seem that bad at all!

I was thinking I will need to send many letters, do tests, get like a 4.0 GPA lol

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Do you know what you want to be after your under grad? Generally (not always) it is easier to get into graduate studies where you took your under grad.

Well I want to go into med-school and as someone has already pointed out.. UBC has the best med-schools in Canada.

NuclearFart · 09-05-2009, 07:37 PM

Undergrad bio sciences isn't that variable across the country. At big universities, all of them are going to be taught in big auditoriums, by mostly foreign professors who were hired because of their research, not their ability to teach.

If you're doing Biosciences with the hope of getting into medicine, Med schools give priority to their own "in province students first", so your odds of getting into a particular medical school are very strongly influenced by the province (notice - not the university) where you did your undergrad. And since UBC med opened up Victoria and UNBC satelites, I've seen alot of poorly trained students come through so I wouldnt consider it one of the best.

fatso · 09-05-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

half hour walk??
It's about a 10 min drive, 15 tops.

Not to be a dick, but doesn't that amount to at least a half-hour walk? From the entry to the University from W. 16th or W. 10th at Blanca St. alone would be a minimum 20 min. walk to any significant building.

Anyway, I went to both. UBC Vancouver was fine, though I have fonder memories of UofC as I grew up in Calgary. It does seem to me that UBC was more user-friendly in terms of student administration. I'll concur that the ladies were much more friendly at UBC. Don't personally know about BioSci, though I have friends that went to UBC Med (after doing UBC Bio) and had a great time.

wooohooo · 09-05-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keenan87

Well I want to go into med-school and as someone has already pointed out.. UBC has the best med-schools in Canada.

You can't go wrong with any of the medical schools in Canada.Depending on the school they all have different ways of teaching so take that into account. And for Med School, the important part is where you do your residency/get accepted.

And not to be a debbie downer, but pretty much everyone going to Bio Sci have aims of going to medical school. So get ahead by doing some volunteer work and do research for a prof in the summer. A 4.0 is only a small part of the equation and having high MCAT scores.

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatso

Not to be a dick, but doesn't that amount to at least a half-hour walk? From the entry to the University from W. 16th or W. 10th at Blanca St. alone would be a minimum 20 min. walk to any significant building.

Anyway, I went to both. UBC Vancouver was fine, though I have fonder memories of UofC as I grew up in Calgary. It does seem to me that UBC was more user-friendly in terms of student administration. I'll concur that the ladies were much more friendly at UBC.

That's what I have read a lot during my research. It seems like a very good advantage

Also it seems like the campus is on a pretty good location in Vancouver which is really cool. (Okanagan is 2 thousand dollars cheaper though) haha

vicphoenix13 · 09-05-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

half hour walk??
It's about a 10 min drive, 15 tops.

Well, it seems alot further out. I know for sure the bus takes close to a half hour from downtown Vancouver.

keenan87 · 09-05-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wooohooo

And not to be a debbie downer, but pretty much everyone going to Bio Sci have aims of going to medical school. So get ahead by doing some volunteer work and do research for a prof in the summer. A 4.0 is only a small part of the equation and having high MCAT scores.

Yeah that is definitely my plan as I could tell from the show of hands during the U of C orientation the other day. (approx 150 people had their hands up and on average only 14-15 people are going to make it to med-school). However, I really don't want to think about that as I have full confidence that I can get in. As for volunteering, I have already signed up for different volunteering services at U of C and part of the reason why I want to transfer next year is due to the fact that I want to have a good 3 years to do a lot of volunteering over at UBC as well.