Premed Undergrad - UW or Brown?

[dvl]

Hi guys!

I'm a senior in high school, and after a lot of consideration, I've narrowed down my top choices for colleges to the University of Washington and Brown University.

I'm hoping for an environment that is competitive, but not too cutthroat, and I've heard that the curves in STEM classes at UW create a really toxic environment and almost certainly would result in a lower GPA. However, Brown is known for grade inflation, so would a high GPA at Brown still be worth the same as a lower GPA at UW? Are colleges aware of the disparity in grading systems?

Regardless of this, is the prestige of Brown really worth the cost? Going to Brown would cost $46k more per year than UW, but would the reputation of the school give me a leg up when applying to medical schools later on?

Do any current premed students at UW or Brown have any input?

Thank you in advance for your help!


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[efle]

So just to be clear, you haven't applied to colleges yet? You're just asking about which should be your favorite but are planning to apply to both?

1) Med schools do not adjust your GPA based on inflation. A 3.8 at Brown vs 3.7 at UW, the first one wins, even if the second was harder to get.
2) Very few people have to pay sticker price for their top 20 admits. These schools have all pledged to meet full demonstrated need and regularly award 30-40k+ aid packages.

 

[dvl]

Thank you for your help - sorry if I was unclear! I actually have applied to both and have been accepted to both, I am just trying to decide which I want to attend next year. And unfortunately I did not receive any financial aid from Brown - I am in the process of appealing but it is very possible that that price difference still stands. Is it still worth it?


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[Toutie]

Thank you for your help - sorry if I was unclear! I actually have applied to both and have been accepted to both, I am just trying to decide which I want to attend next year. And unfortunately I did not receive any financial aid from Brown - I am in the process of appealing but it is very possible that that price difference still stands. Is it still worth it?


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If it is going to cost you almost $200K MORE to go to Brown...then NO, it is NOT worth it.

 

[efle]

Thank you for your help - sorry if I was unclear! I actually have applied to both and have been accepted to both, I am just trying to decide which I want to attend next year. And unfortunately I did not receive any financial aid from Brown - I am in the process of appealing but it is very possible that that price difference still stands. Is it still worth it?


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You got no aid from Brown? Their average aid package is $45,000!

Frankly, most people that get no aid are coming from families where the cost of attendance is tiny compared to their income/assets/wealth. Is 180k burdensome for your family?

 

[dvl]

Honestly, I was shocked to get no aid. The amount that Brown expects me to pay is $12k higher than the EFC calculated by FAFSA? We would probably end up having to take out ~100k in loans, and although it would be easier to get into med school from Brown, that would be a ton of debt to be in before even going to med school. I guess I'm leaning more towards UW then :/


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[efle]

Are you a Washington resident?

 

[Levo]

You got no aid from Brown? Their average aid package is $45,000!

Frankly, most people that get no aid are coming from families where the cost of attendance is tiny compared to their income/assets/wealth. Is 180k burdensome for your family?

That was definitely not my experience with Brown when I applied (and was accepted) 8 years ago. I also got no financial aid despite being from a decidedly middle-class background. I ended up going to my local state university because it was what my parents could afford, and got into medical school just fine, as did many of my classmates. If you're ok with being responsible, staying on top of your business, and being your own best advocate, going to an affordable state university is definitely the way to go. You'll already be saddled with enough debt by your medical school.

 

[efle]

That was definitely not my experience with Brown when I applied (and was accepted) 8 years ago. I also got no financial aid despite being from a decidedly middle-class background.

It's data from last year taken from US News, it's def accurate. Maybe y'all parents have a lot more in assets than you realize, otherwise something is amiss in the financial analysis you guys got.