Does anyone know much about UBC?

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by keenan87

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).

Don't worry about this; between each year of undergrad about 50% of those people give up and move on to non-medicine objectives. And for some people, getting into medical school is more a function of time spent, rather than innate talent.

[Rathji]

My opinion is that if it is cheaper to go to school here (ie living @ home) then stay here. As many posters have said, undergrad is pretty much the same anywhere in Canada for any normal degree. The only notable exceptions would be programs that are not offered universally.

UofC does have the graduate in 4 years guarantee, if you are planning on taking a full course load for 4 year it might be good.

[Clever_Iggy]

I only attended UBC for an exchange semester. I found it to be a concrete campus. The surrounding endowment lands, beaches and ocean are amazing, but the campus itself is subpar. The redeeming part are the massive trees on campus.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by Rathji

My opinion is that if it is cheaper to go to school here (ie living @ home) then stay here.

This is the most important thing to keep in mind and something I'm surprised hasn't been emphasized before. If you have the opportunity to continue living at home, stay at home for as long as you possibly can.

Nothing sucks worse than having to work to pay the bills while trying to maintain a 3.5 or better GPA, trust me. Once you've been accepted to grad school and you no longer have to worry about grades so much, then it's time to move out.

[troutman]

Ubc!

Rain! Salmon bbq! David suzuki! Weed! Wreck beach!

Vegetarians! The asian reading room! No parking!

Women that don't bathe or shave so much!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Ren

, stay at home for as long as you possibly can.

Fixed

[Ren]

Originally Posted by troutman

Fixed

Take it from somebody who knows, having to work full time just to live and having to study to maintain the kind of grades that will get you into medical school at the same time sucks a whole lot worse than having to admit to people that you still live with your folks.

But hey, if you think you've got something to prove by moving out, by all means do so.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Ren

This is the most important thing to keep in mind and something I'm surprised hasn't been emphasized before. If you have the opportunity to continue living at home, stay at home for as long as you possibly can.

Originally Posted by Ren

...and still lived with my parents and had to go straight home after class or I would start getting phone calls asking where I was, when I would be home, etc. I also had to live like a monk for those 8 months a year otherwise my dad would start getting on my case about not taking school seriously.

Sounds like a blast.

Worst advice since Tower was handing out "legal advice" in the 9/11 thread. There's more to university than GPA and reporting home. Move out, grow up and experience the best 4 (if you work really hard, make it 5) years of your life.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Ren

Take it from somebody who knows, having to work full time just to live and having to study to maintain the kind of grades that will get you into medical school at the same time sucks a whole lot worse than having to admit to people that you still live with your folks.

But hey, if you think you've got something to prove by moving out, by all means do so.

I worked at a paint store on weekends, and some nights went to bed without any supper. Best days of my life.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by troutman

I worked at a paint store on weekends, and some nights went to bed without any supper. Best days of my life.

Effin' eh.

Worked at a liquor store and maxed out my earning potential during the summers. Went into some debt, but wouldn't change anything.

[d_phaneuf]

UBC and UBCo are completely different

UBCo may be cheaper but the student life is going to be so much different

As others have said Transferring in to UBC is very easy, just make sure your transcripts get sent and if you are applying for next September you should have an answer by April/May

You might want to get in touch with the UBC counselors if you don't want to go through the Calgary ones, they will help you in anything you need and when I have talked to them they were always very friendly and helpful

If you are worried about courses transferring check this site http://www.bctransferguide.ca/

I have a few friends who went to UofC because they wanted to branch out and get away from home but half of them transferred to UBC after a year and haven't regretted it, its a great school

[Ren]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Sounds like a blast.

Worst advice since Tower was handing out "legal advice" in the 9/11 thread. There's more to university than GPA and reporting home. Move out, grow up and experience the best 4 (if you work really hard, make it 5) years of your life.

Wanna know something? Despite all the pressure and crap I had to put up with I'm glad I stayed home for my undergrad because everyone I know who thought they could work and get stellar grades in a demanding program at the same time has fallen flat on their face... Not to mention all the extracurricular stuff you have to do for medical school.

4 years without a social life is a small price to pay for a lifetime of not having to settle because you burned bridges by trying to be Superman when you didn't have to.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Ren

Wanna know something? Despite all the pressure and crap I had to put up with I'm glad I stayed home for my undergrad because everyone I know who thought they could work and get stellar grades in a demanding program at the same time has fallen flat on their face... Not to mention all the extracurricular stuff you have to do for medical school.

4 years without a social life is a small price to pay for a lifetime of having to settle because you burned bridges by trying to be Superman when you didn't have to.

Some people can't handle the balance. Others can (I guess that's Superman-like). It's good you acknowledged that and didn't dive in over your head. I guess the best advice keenan87 can take is to figure out whether he's able to find balance in his life or not. If he can't, live at home; if he can, find it and have a great 4-5 years.

[keenan87]

Wow... Many things to consider .... Does anyone know how easy it is to go on an exchange year to ubc and come back to u of c(good way to see if I wanna stay at ubc aswell)

thanks for the advice btw (I don't know I just want to be able to say I went to a top notch univesity along with experiencing a whole new lifestyle. If I work fulltime during the 4 month break , that can pay for half my tuition....I just think it would be so much fun with responsiblties and maturing.

[wooohooo]

I agree with you Clever_Iggy. Some people just aren't able to find balance. But hey, that's what University is, finding balance. If you can't figure that out, I don't think you will in Medical School.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Wow... Many things to consider .... Does anyone know how easy it is to go on an exchange year to ubc and come back to u of c(good way to see if I wanna stay at ubc aswell)

thanks for the advice btw (I don't know I just want to be able to say I went to a top notch univesity along with experiencing a whole new lifestyle. If I work fulltime during the 4 month break , that can pay for half my tuition....I just think it would be so much fun with responsiblties and maturing.

When/If you ever get interviews for medical school, I'm almost certain saying you went to UofC vs UBC would make any difference. They tend to ask questions along your morals, how you are as a person etc. Don't move out because of that reason, but do it for what you said about maturing and responsibilities. School here is not like the States where they will judge you by the University you attended. That said, be prepared for a life of huge financial debt... if mommy and daddy don't support you.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Some people can't handle the balance. Others can (I guess that's Superman-like). It's good you acknowledged that and didn't dive in over your head. I guess the best advice keenan87 can take is to figure out whether he's able to find balance in his life or not. If he can't, live at home; if he can, find it and have a great 4-5 years.

I don't know how many people in this thread are actually aware how demanding the requirements for medical school actually are. It's one thing to say some people can handle it and some people can't when it's something like a business degree or a fine arts program where you don't necessarily need to be the best student in the world to continue. Bio sciences is a totally different monster, and that's not me being an elitist prick, that's the reality of life. I don't care to look up the numbers right now but there are a *lot* of people who apply to medical programs every year and only a very small amount of them actually get accepted. I'm willing to bet money that the ones who don't get accepted are the same ones who take this cavalier attitude towards school and spend half their time partying and working because they rushed out of home the second they graduated from high school.

Listen, I appreciate the fact that you and some others are saying that there's more to life than school, and there is... But there's absolutely no sense in moving out and turning down an opportunity to have everything provided for you when you don't have to. The extracurriculars required for most medical schools to even look at you are enough to constitute a full-time job... What do you think happens when you have to work at the same time just to pay rent?

If it was easy to become a doctor, everyone would do it. Why put extra pressure on yourself for no reason?

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Wow... Many things to consider .... Does anyone know how easy it is to go on an exchange year to ubc and come back to u of c(good way to see if I wanna stay at ubc aswell)

thanks for the advice btw (I don't know I just want to be able to say I went to a top notch univesity along with experiencing a whole new lifestyle. If I work fulltime during the 4 month break , that can pay for half my tuition....I just think it would be so much fun with responsiblties and maturing.

I wish could help with the exchange but I did it through law school and that's separate than undergrad studies or offices. Talk to UBC and UofC and be persistent. If the first person says no, talk to someone else.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Ren

I don't know how many people in this thread are actually aware how demanding the requirements for medical school actually are. It's one thing to say some people can handle it and some people can't when it's something like a business degree or a fine arts program where you don't necessarily need to be the best student in the world to continue. Bio sciences is a totally different monster, and that's not me being an elitist prick, that's the reality of life. I don't care to look up the numbers right now but there are a *lot* of people who apply to medical programs every year and only a very small amount of them actually get accepted. I'm willing to bet money that the ones who don't get accepted are the same ones who take this cavalier attitude towards school and spend half their time partying and working because they rushed out of home the second they graduated from high school.

Listen, I appreciate the fact that you and some others are saying that there's more to life than school, and there is... But there's absolutely no sense in moving out and turning down an opportunity to have everything provided for you when you don't have to. The extracurriculars required for most medical schools to even look at you are enough to constitute a full-time job... What do you think happens when you have to work at the same time just to pay rent?

I know this wasn't geared at me, but that sounded pretty condescending. Lighten up, everyone will have different ideals about this.

I'm a firm believer of moving away from University. Having moved away for 4 years and talking back to friends at home, it's completely different. I'm struggling to work a job, cook and clean for myself and go to school, while all they do is go to school. Experiences such as these are extremely time consuming but they also make you a better person. I was able to see how much money it takes to financially support myself, and that in itself was good motivation for me to study hard and get good grades. True, some people go away just to party, but not everyone.

I worked a full time and part time job during the summer which more than paid for school and rent. That left me with a part time job to pay for food. Just be wise with your money and you'll be fine.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Ren

I don't know how many people in this thread are actually aware how demanding the requirements for medical school actually are. It's one thing to say some people can handle it and some people can't when it's something like a business degree or a fine arts program where you don't necessarily need to be the best student in the world to continue. Bio sciences is a totally different monster, and that's not me being an elitist prick, that's the reality of life. I don't care to look up the numbers right now but there are a *lot* of people who apply to medical programs every year and only a very small amount of them actually get accepted. I'm willing to bet money that the ones who don't get accepted are the same ones who take this cavalier attitude towards school and spend half their time partying and working because they rushed out of home the second they graduated from high school.

Listen, I appreciate the fact that you and some others are saying that there's more to life than school, and there is... But there's absolutely no sense in moving out and turning down an opportunity to have everything provided for you when you don't have to. The extracurriculars required for most medical schools to even look at you are enough to constitute a full-time job... What do you think happens when you have to work at the same time just to pay rent?

If it was easy to become a doctor, everyone would do it. Why put extra pressure on yourself for no reason?

If it was easy to balance work and play, everyone would do it. It's hard but doable.

Besides, if you have sciences in the bag, become a dentist: less hours, no need to be on call, no residency, basically owning a money printing operation.

Med school admission is tough. Congrats. I'm just making sure keenan87 knows that there are other options and he doesn't have to become a square to achieve his goals.