I'm currently a junior in high school, and I recently (about last week) received a form from USC asking me to come to their college a year early under a program called the Resident Honors Program. The good thing about this program is that not only do I graduate from high school a year early and have a really good chance of a scholarship (an automatic scholarship of a quarter's tuition will be rewarded to me every year just for being in the program), but a window called a BS/MD program is open to all incoming freshman. This would mean that I would enter the Keck School of Medicine as soon as my undergraduate studies are done, and I would be done with medical school and my residency, everything- by the time most people are getting ready to go into medical school. However, there are a few concerns I have:
1) I'm not turning 16 for another month or so, and I might have trouble adjusting to independent life where everyone is older than me.
2) My dream has always been to go college on the east coast... if I went to USC, I would be giving up those dreams.
3) Being guaranteed a spot in medical school would be very awesome, though.
4) Although I have the freedom to turn down the acceptance (if I do get accepted), if I do turn it down, it would mean that USC would never take me back. And seeing as how there are very few schools in the United States that offer the BS/ MD program...
What do I do? Should I go? Should I not go? HELP!
Arandis Elearean
I'm a liberal Independent. So flame me.
Look around and see if you really DO want to go to this school. See if you can get a tour of the campus, talk to other students, and even try looking at other collages to find what YOU want to do. Whaterver you do, don't let yourself be pressured into anything you aren't sure about-belive me when I tell you that it can only lead to misery (I've been pressured into doing something I wasn't sure about before, and got compleatly screwed up for a while after).
The hardest thing about riding horses is the ground
[CENTER][IMG]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/xenahorse/Photoshop%20Fun/Ed_Ein_...
[=1]Made by moi^:D[/
ok so one question: is going into the medical field really what you want to do? if so you should take this opportunity and not look back but if your not quite sure about it you shouldn't take it becasue then i would end p being a waste of time and mind. If you really want to go you shouldnt hesitate in your desicion. it should just come naturally
**~BIANCA~**
First I'd like to say congrats on the acomplishment! It's not every student who is offered that chance.
But this is a very complicated question to answer. Ultimately, the decision comes down to you and you alone. It is critical that you understand that no one can make this choice but you.
I think I can help to guide you though. First, I would like to agree with xenahorse. You have to go see what it's like and see if it's really what you want. Second, like binocker07 said, you have to think...REALLY THINK...about how sure you are about the medical field. Next, about USC never taking you back, I don't think that's true. They'll probably understand that there may be other issues keeping you from entering college. Some people just aren't ready for college after their junior year.
And lastly, age is a very important issue. Although, it's not so much age as maturity. Some people can handle going to college at an early age. Heck, my mom went when she was 15 and she was fine. But I know that I won't be ready until I graduate high school in the fall. Although one year difference of age (although, I think it may be two for you...I'm 17-18 for my senior year) doesn't really cause much of a stir until you're 21. You just have to give real consideration of are you ready to handle college. I'm only there half time this year and it's starting to sink in about the amount of responsibility.
There are no counsellors to give you the forms you need and tell you what you need to do when, it's up to you to find most of that out when you need something. And there is no one to remind you of those deadlines. In class too, the professors most likely won't care if you're there or not, or whether you do your work. It's all up to you to keep up in class and know when projects are due. And the work load is a big change too, unless you have five or six AP classes. Many people don't realize how much it takes to make it in college, but you have to be prepared for the responsibility and effort that it takes. I'm not trying to scare you away from it, I'm just trying to show you what your decision could mean.
Like I said, it's your decision to make, so take some time to think about it and give it some real, long consideration.
[=RoyalBlue][=Comic Sans MS]
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It
Can u even live alone at the age of 16?!?!
"To many people spend money on things they don't need, to impress people they don't like, with money they don't have."
"When all else fails read the directions."
You know, I never thought about that before....I'm not entirely sure.
[=RoyalBlue][=Comic Sans MS]
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It
Going to this school would mean:
Being on your own in a new world when you can't even set-up your own bank accont
Being away from your friends and family- making "friends" with 18-20 somthing year olds that are probably jealous of your smarts
Having to deal with collage work with out finishing high school yet
No SENIOR YEAR
Growing up to fast, how many times have you wished you were still a kid, or heard other people say it?
There are pluses which you mention, but you can get all of that in a couple of years, and maybe even a East coast school. You will stil be able to get scholarships if you are that good, and I am sure many schools will want you too. Don't rush life, have fun, and wiat for what you really want. You should also go see RENT it is going to be an awesome movie-"Forget regret, or life is yours to miss" "No day but today" I love RENT and couldn't help putting that in.
1st of all, it's USC, that's nothing to sneeze at.
2. You may be young, but seriously, getting accepted as a Junior, you'd only be starting a year early (assuming that you would start next year), and the age difference is not really TERRIBLE.
3. This is an oppurtunity you can't pass up. Go for it.
4 USC is just as good as any East Coast school (except maybe Yale, but it does rival others locally and East-coast wise IE Pepperdine, Stanford for local and Duke, Cornell and NYU for East Coast)
I understand where you're coming from with the age difference. I myself am a year younger than the rest of my class and will be 17 for the majority of my freshman year at college. I've got to admit...that fact alone has been freaking me out quite a bit even though a year doesnt seem like quite that much. So you have to basically examine yourself. Think of, not only, which decision you can most easily see yourself happy with down the road, but what decision you can most easily see yourself happy with NOW.