Columbia vs UChicago

[ccuc2020]

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[TheInstitute]

columbia def.

 

[efle]

I was admitted EA UChicago and RD at Columbia. I live in Chicago and have affiliations with UChicago. I plan on majoring in biochem and pursuing pre-med. I've already done research at UChicago before, so I'll definitely get research if I decide to attend there. However, I'm not sure I'll get research as easily at Columbia. Which school will better support me when I'm applying to med school? Which school is better for what I want to study? I've visited both campuses and I'm indifferent to them. I just really want to think this through rationally and figure out which school will better help me achieve my goals.

Another thing. I got a likely letter from Columbia back in March for STEM but was never named a scholar (john jay, rabi, SRF, etc), which is something that I've been really unhappy about. I don't really like the idea that Columbia's administration gives more attention to 10% of its undergrads. For example, the scholars get crazy benefits like guaranteed research, paid internships, and they get to meet famous speakers occasionally. I feel as if I'm at a disadvantage by attending Columbia; the admissions committee doesn't want me enough to name me a scholar . At least at UChicago, I'll be at an advantage since I know my way around there and have already developed connections there. However, maybe its better to leave home and develop new connections at columbia (since I can still retain my connections at Uchicago). Any input at all would be greatly appreciated and feel free to add anything you think would help me in making this decision.

You will have no trouble finding research as an undergrad at Columbia, same with finding good paid/stipend summer opportunities. UChicago is notoriously deflated and miserable for premed and in general ("where fun goes to die") as I'm sure you've heard. I would choose Columbia in a heartbeat myself - better, happier quality of life.

 

[TheInstitute]

You will have no trouble finding research as an undergrad at Columbia, same with finding good paid/stipend summer opportunities. UChicago is notoriously deflated and miserable for premed and in general ("where fun goes to die") as I'm sure you've heard. I would choose Columbia in a heartbeat myself - better, happier quality of life.

moreover, only forty percent of uchicago pre meds make it to medical school, and uchicago is a school full of very smart people.

 

[efle]

moreover, only forty percent of uchicago pre meds make it to medical school, and uchicago is a school full of very smart people.

Do you mean 40% of applicants receive an acceptance, or 40% of people that come in as pre-med make it to applying?

 

[ccuc2020]

Ya I thought it was closer to 80% accepted. It could be 40% that intend to do premed actually make it med school?

 

[efle]

It could be 40% that intend to do premed actually make it med school?

That would actually be an insanely high number. At other schools with reputations for rigor (eg Hopkins) it's more like a 2/3 or 3/4 weedout just to get to applying, and then another chunk that apply fail to get in

 

[ccuc2020]

What about the scholar situation? Is it all in my head? I know this sounds silly but I feel like I have an inferiority complex or something. I got a likely letter, and most likely letter recipients receive some kind of scholar designation, but I'm in the minority that didn't and am not happy about that. Will I still be able to compete against the people to whom the administration give so much attention? If I go to UChicago, I know that I'll be at the top of the class, but at Columbia, will I ever be able to outperform the 10% of scholars there?

 

[TheInstitute]

What about the scholar situation? Is it all in my head? I know this sounds silly but I feel like I have an inferiority complex or something. I got a likely letter, and most likely letter recipients receive some kind of scholar designation, but I'm in the minority that didn't and am not happy about that. Will I still be able to compete against the people to whom the administration give so much attention? If I go to UChicago, I know that I'll be at the top of the class, but at Columbia, will I ever be able to outperform the 10% of scholars there?

IF you got a LL, you must have near perfect test scores and GPA as well some sort of extra punch in your application.

 

[ccuc2020]

So I should be fine then I guess since my academics are very strong. The way they choose scholars is really weird, but whatever.

 

[WedgeDawg]

If you want to go to medical school, Columbia is a better bet, but don't count on being at the top of your class at either school.

 

[ccuc2020]

Is college really that hard though? I've exhausted the math curriculum at my high school and am taking the 160's series at UChicago, and I'm at the top of my class even though math is neither my best subject nor what I plan to major in. At Columbia it'll be even easier since it's less rigorous of a school, right?

 

[WedgeDawg]

College is what you make of it. Both are exceptionally rigorous schools, but UChicago has comparatively lower median grades. There is no way to reliably predict whether or not you'll be at or near the top of your class at any given college.

 

[efle]

Hah, you're gonna want more than an intro level maths class to decide if these universities are "really that hard." You can't judge the difficulty of multiple deflated science classes + electives + work/research/clubs/sports/volunteering until you're there, grinding through month after month of it.

That said, there is a chance you'll graduate top of your class. Straight As do happen, just for a minority of students, despite most of them coming in thinking it might be them that's special. The ones who end up being near average are in a tough spot if they want to go to med school with their 3.1 sGPA

 

[justadream]

What about the scholar situation? Is it all in my head? I know this sounds silly but I feel like I have an inferiority complex or something. I got a likely letter, and most likely letter recipients receive some kind of scholar designation, but I'm in the minority that didn't and am not happy about that. Will I still be able to compete against the people to whom the administration give so much attention? If I go to UChicago, I know that I'll be at the top of the class, but at Columbia, will I ever be able to outperform the 10% of scholars there?

You actually think not being a scholar at Columbia is going to make a difference? Basically nobody outside Columbia even knows (or cares) what this scholar stuff is about. Also, once you get to school, literally nobody is going to care about who got a LL and who barely got in off the WL.

You can get paid research at Columbia without being a scholar. Also, scholar or not, Columbia is probably more prestigious than UChicago simply because of its Ivy League brand.

All of this being said, the difference in prestige (and whether you are a scholar at Columbia) is for all intents and purposes negligible. What is more important for premed is that UChicago is reputed to be significantly grade-deflating whereas Columbia is moderately deflating (or average at best).

Thus, I'd go to Columbia.

 

[DrYoda]

You are splitting hairs at this point. both are very well thought of brand name schools. Go to where you like the most be it based on location or culture or whatever. As for the percentage admitted to med school conversation, I really wouldn't worry especially given the caliber of the schools that we are debating. I went to a no-name public school and got into medical school and one of my siblings went to another no-name public school and got into a more difficult to break into career than I did. Not to say school name doesn't matter because to a degree it does (and in your case it is negligible) but performance is the bigger deal.

 

[ccuc2020]

Thanks everyone for the previous responses. It seems that many are saying that pre-med is better at Columbia. Is majoring in biochem not a good idea? I'm genuinely interested in it and chemistry has always been my favorite subject in high school. Plus, there's a ton of biochem on the new MCAT. I've heard some people say that its better to do an easier major or that med schools like non science majors. How much truth is there to this?

 

[justadream]

Thanks everyone for the previous responses. It seems that many are saying that pre-med is better at Columbia. Is majoring in biochem not a good idea? I'm genuinely interested in it and chemistry has always been my favorite subject in high school. Plus, there's a ton of biochem on the new MCAT. I've heard some people say that its better to do an easier major or that med schools like non science majors. How much truth is there to this?

If all you care about is getting into medical school, it's better to do anything to get a higher GPA. So a 4.0 in nutrition is better than a 3.9 in pure math.

But there are other considerations for major that include but are not limited to:
-Your actual interests (duh)
-Backup plan (for example, CS leads to tons of jobs if medicine does not pan out)
-Overlap or lack thereof with premed courses (if you major in biochem, you will have lots of overlap - freeing you to take more electives)

It's probably best to go in with an open mind. Obviously take the premed courses (which will count for biochem anyways) but try taking some courses in other subjects and see what you like. You may find that while you love HS chemistry, you may actually detest more advanced chemistry (i.e., organic, pchem, etc.).

 

[ed*26]

My best advice to give you is: if you treat it like it will be easy, it will always turn out more difficult than you expected. If you treat it like it's the most difficult thing you've ever done, many times it will turn out easier than expected. To give you some perspective, a common tactic at my school is that only the top 5-10% of a class will earn an A. At least 5-10% of the class will have yours or better high school resumes.

Major in something you like and be open to change. Yes, there's biochem on the MCAT, but nothing a solid introductory biochem class doesn't cover. Personally, I'd encourage you to take a chance on some different classes. This will likely be the last time in your life that you are able to explore such a broad range of interests. Having a 3.95 in dance or philosophy with all of your prereqs done is substantially more impressive than a 3.75 in biochem because you didn't find the classes interesting. But if you find biochem to be compelling then by all means stay with it.

 

[randomguy123456]

I was admitted EA UChicago and RD at Columbia. I live in Chicago and have affiliations with UChicago. I plan on majoring in biochem and pursuing pre-med. I've already done research at UChicago before, so I'll definitely get research if I decide to attend there. However, I'm not sure I'll get research as easily at Columbia. Which school will better support me when I'm applying to med school? Which school is better for what I want to study? I've visited both campuses and I'm indifferent to them. I just really want to think this through rationally and figure out which school will better help me achieve my goals.

Another thing. I got a likely letter from Columbia back in March for STEM but was never named a scholar (john jay, rabi, SRF, etc), which is something that I've been really unhappy about. I don't really like the idea that Columbia's administration gives more attention to 10% of its undergrads. For example, the scholars get crazy benefits like guaranteed research, paid internships, and they get to meet famous speakers occasionally. I feel as if I'm at a disadvantage by attending Columbia; the admissions committee doesn't want me enough to name me a scholar . At least at UChicago, I'll be at an advantage since I know my way around there and have already developed connections there. However, maybe its better to leave home and develop new connections at columbia (since I can still retain my connections at Uchicago). Any input at all would be greatly appreciated and feel free to add anything you think would help me in making this decision.

Columbia all the way.