Stuck between two colleges

[Cemetra]

I have a 3.85 GPA from Arizona State University, but it’s an online degree - I live in Georgia. Originally wanted to be a PA, but decided to go the MD route or I’d forever regret it. Now I’m deciding between which college to go to. Here are my choices:

University of Georgia

PROS: highly respected university in the southeast, tons of research opportunities with publishing opportunities, more rigorous work to better prepare me for med school, amazing culture and lifestyle, great sports teams (huge sports fan), plenty of other superficial things on top of more opportunity in general.

CONS: moving 3 hours away from friends and family (but I’ll be living with my long time girlfriend), UGA is notoriously known to have really hard prerequisites so my GPA might not be AS competitive (I’d assume a 3.5 - 3.6), huge university compared to GSU which could be a pro and a con.

Georgia Southern University

PROS: still not a slacker college by any means but easier to get a high GPA, still have research opportunities but not as many or publishing opportunities, small college so I can get a good relationship with professors for LORs, close to family and friends still

CONS: not a super prestigious college, costs the same as UGA, not as many research/publishing opportunities, I think I’ll always wonder what if like I should’ve taken the UGA opportunity when I could gave (looking back at my life)

UGA is a better lifestyle, more prestige, more opportunity, but I’m sacrificing some GPA. GSU is a better app overall at med school but less opportunity during college years.

People from here would say it’s a no brainer and to go to UGA like it’s an opportunity nobody should pass up. But I’m leaning GSU because I’ll be a better applicant and can land an amazing med school and start to get all the rewards UGA could’ve offered, just at med school instead.

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[FutureOncologist]

What's more important - GPA or opportunities outside of class? I believe you posted earlier this year about being an AA or going MD. I believe you have solid clinical exposure if I remember correctly. So what you should instead focus on now is keeping or establishing a solid c/sGPA. If your girlfriend will follow you to Georgia Southern, then I'd go there instead.

 

[tammyp]

I would say the smaller college or if you really want UGA, pick a major in a smaller college. Big public schools in the south are a lot of fun and I did really enjoy my time at my university, but academics wise I think the more personal attention you get the better, which is probably easier to obtain at a smaller college.

 

[DokterMom]

If you already have a degree (online) and then persue a second BS degree, you will almost certainly be asked why, to which you will reply... (something to the extent of preparing yourself for medical school.) You may then quite reasonably be asked why, coming from a [sorry] not particularly academically-rigorous institution, you thought "preparing yourself" at a second [sorry] not particularly academically-rigorous institution was your best plan.

Guess what I'm saying is that my first impression is of a student who is inclined to "take the easy way out" -- If that's not the case, then walk that walk.

 

[Osminog]

There's no question that you should go to UGA.

Georgia Southern is not a good place for pre-med. It actually has formal partnerships with two Caribbean medical schools. That's... not a good sign, quite frankly.

While going to an undergrad with a lot of pre-meds means more competition in introductory science classes, it also means that there will be stronger advising and more hard-working peers to study and network with.

REFERENCE: Pre-Medicine | Pre-Health Professional Programs | Georgia Southern University (See "Partnership Programs" tab)

 

[Cemetra]

If you already have a degree (online) and then persue a second BS degree, you will almost certainly be asked why, to which you will reply... (something to the extent of preparing yourself for medical school.) You may then quite reasonably be asked why, coming from a [sorry] not particularly academically-rigorous institution, you thought "preparing yourself" at a second [sorry] not particularly academically-rigorous institution was your best plan.

Guess what I'm saying is that my first impression is of a student who is inclined to "take the easy way out" -- If that's not the case, then walk that walk.

I don’t have an online degree, just my first year done online. Enough credits to transfer now. And thank you!!!

 

[Cemetra]

There's no question that you should go to UGA.

Georgia Southern is not a good place for pre-med. It actually has formal partnerships with two Caribbean medical schools. That's... not a good sign, quite frankly.

While going to an undergrad with a lot of pre-meds means more competition in introductory science classes, it also means that there will be stronger advising and more hard-working peers to study and network with.

I had no idea about this... I would love to get into a good med school. Like Duke or NC. But I didn’t know about the Caribbean part. That’s not good