Posting again, advice would be great: UT Honors or Emory?

[kopfkino]

I'd be majoring in neuroscience at both. I got a merit scholarship at Emory so the cost is the same--actually Emory would be around 3k cheaper, although if I get a local scholarship, UT will be marrrginally cheaper (about 80% chance.) I love both schools, but there are aspects of both schools that I like, and dislike, and I'm unsure of how heavily to weigh each of them. Please, any advice would be very helpful.

I've listed these aspects below, just the ones I'm having trouble weighing in importance.

UT HONORS (health science scholars) PROS:
- 100% certain I'd have Texas residency, which means it will be easier (relatively speaking, of course, premed is always hard) to get into medical school + cheaper cost
- collaborative, doesn't ever feel cutthroat

UT HONORS CONS:
- don't really get individualized attention
- professors are great at research, but don't really care about teaching. Will take lots of effort to get good LORs
- not much science study abroad

EMORY PROS:
- there are professors who actually care about how they teach, and while it's more difficult, if I survive, I have the advantage of getting taught by really caring professors who will write great LORs
- plenty of science study abroad
- IF I get a high GPA I have a better chance of going to a T20 med school, which means better residency positions

EMORY CONS:
- like 100% of the school is premed
- hard hard hard hard. not sure if I can pull a 3.2 gpa from the beginning to keep my merit scholarship
- my dad has been looking for jobs for a while, and if he moves, no more texas residency

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[Stuck on CCL2]

I would say go to the school where you know you'll perform the best. In the end, a solid GPA and MCAT (along with all the other stuff you can get anywhere else) will get you into a T20 medical school.

 

[kopfkino]

I would say go to the school where you know you'll perform the best. In the end, a solid GPA and MCAT (along with all the other stuff you can get anywhere else) will get you into a T20 medical school.

Thank you so much for replying!! I take it that you prefer UT since it seems more manageable?

 

[Stuck on CCL2]

Thank you so much for replying!! I take it that you prefer UT since it seems more manageable?

Yeah, sounds like you're worried about pulling over a 3.2 at emory. I know med school will consider grade deflation at harder universities known for it but why chance it if you can get a 3.8 (or better) at UT?

 

[kopfkino]

Yeah, sounds like you're worried about pulling over a 3.2 at emory. I know med school will consider grade deflation at harder universities known for it but why chance it if you can get a 3.8 (or better) at UT?

Yeah that's true--I guess UT is the school for me then? Idk why but I still really like Emory haha. I guess I just need time to love UT 100%

 

[kopfkino]

I've just talked to someone at UT about the professors, and he agrees that many of them aren't into teaching=harder to prepare for the MCAT (which I also understand is largely based on my own effort, but still, grounded teaching would be beneficial). I'm not sure what to make of it. Could anyone offer their opinions?

 

[892002]

You're going to be spending 4 years of your life at the college you choose. It sounds like you don't really like UT at all. Don't ever go to a school you don't like period. Work hard at Emory and you'll be fine!

 

[OddNath]

So, about state residency- going to college in Texas is not necessarily enough to be a TX resident, if your parents aren’t working full time in Texas (or property owners) and claim you on their taxes. For example, when I was at Rice, the out of state students did not automatically become TX residents due to going to undergrad in TX. Some of them bought condos just to get TX residency. Or worked full time for at least a year afterwards.

So, look into the residency rules before you decide.

 

[2010houston]

I think you’re selling yourself short and overthinking how hard Emory may be— not saying it’s going to be a cakewalk, but if you got into UT honors and got a scholarship at Emory, I would bet you’re going to do well!! Really. If that’s your main reason for not choosing Emory, I would rethink it. You can do it