Where to go for undergrad

[smartgirlkb]

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😛 Hi eveyone. I am currently a senior in high school and a very competitive student. I am trying to decide where to go for college. Eventually, I want to become a physician (obviously or I wouldn't be on this website) (possibly a dematologist) There are several programs I am considering, all of which I could be equally happy at. I hoped that someone other than my parents could give me some input on where I should go. Here are my options:

1) a program at NEOUCOM (Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, a not very well known school) where I would complete college and medical school in six years with little debt
2) a state university where I could get a scholarship and go for cheap
3) an ivy leage college
4) an dual admission program with University of Cincinnati College of medicine (I am admitted to college and medical school at the same time, but the program takes 8 years). This is another cheap option.

How important is prestige when choosing a college/medical school? Is it worth the enormous extra cost?

Thanks for any help you can give 😉

 

[DD214_DOC]

With such a pretentious username, I would suggest an ivy league.

 

[fullefect1]

If I had to pick I would go with the 6 year option. But if you want to be more competitive with derm, you might want to go with the IVY. Then you would have a better shot of getting into a top school as long as you mantain a high gpa, high MCAT, and do all the other usuall things. But then again, going with the IVY might be a little more stressfull and it wouldn't be a garuntee like the 6 and 8 year option.

 

[calstudent]

NO debt is key!
and, you won't be going through the torture (and fun 🙂 that all of are going through right now. (i.e. you get to avoid an emotional roller coaster!)

but, that said, none of us can tell you where to go--go where you will be happiest, apply a lot of places, talk to lots of people at those schools, make sure your goals 100% include medicine.

good luck

 

[Doc.Holliday]

its up to you of course, and im not sure what makes you think you have ivy league admit in the bag. BUT, i would choose the ivy. the possibilities are much greater. if you do well you may end up at a top med school etc. which isnt possible with either 1 or 4. 2 is just a silly choice. if you happened to not do so well at the ivy, id bet that with the grade inflation etc at ivies that you could probably still get an admit at a med school at least at the same level as those 6 and 8 yr programs.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

With such a pretentious username, I would suggest an ivy league.

I must agree... I vote ivy league.

 

[drakkan2001]

are you a risky type 2 person or a safe type 1 person?

If it were me, I'd take the 8 year program just to be on the safe side 🙂

 

[dhoonlee]

.

 

[Shorty43]

Don't pick Ivy for the name... pick an ivy <not all ivy schools, but certain ones> that are filled with amazing people. I mean I always told prefrosh at my school that half of what I learned was in the classroom and the other half was from my fellow classmates outside the classroom.

Although I'm sure other schools have amazingly smart people, I don't think they could speak to the passion I saw at my school (granted I'm not generalizing all Ivys). The cool thing about passion is its addictive nature. I learned so much and had such a great time being in that environment. Maintaining a high GPA is easy anywhere... but getting what I did from my student body is rare.

Then again, my school isn't for everyone... so I encourage you to visit some schools if possible, talk to students, figure out what FEELS right and go with that. Sounds like you have the drive and ability to be a good doc... so quite frankly I think you'll be ok where ever you go. Remember everyone on here is only speculating on how med school ad coms think.. no one KNOWS for sure.

Best of luck with everything.

PS On a personal note.. don't pick the 6 year program... no need to rush through life, you'll never get these years back to be a college kid, so enjoy your time. You have your whole life to be a doc.

 

[hnbui]

😛 Hi eveyone. I am currently a senior in high school and a very competitive student. I am trying to decide where to go for college. Eventually, I want to become a physician (obviously or I wouldn't be on this website) (possibly a dematologist) There are several programs I am considering, all of which I could be equally happy at. I hoped that someone other than my parents could give me some input on where I should go. Here are my options:

1) a program at NEOUCOM (Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, a not very well known school) where I would complete college and medical school in six years with little debt
2) a state university where I could get a scholarship and go for cheap
3) an ivy leage college
4) an dual admission program with University of Cincinnati College of medicine (I am admitted to college and medical school at the same time, but the program takes 8 years). This is another cheap option.

How important is prestige when choosing a college/medical school? Is it worth the enormous extra cost?

Thanks for any help you can give 😉

wait let me get this staight. You are a high school "senior" I say that with hesistation since most highschools in america have not even started yet. First how do you know whether you will be accepted into any of these schools you have listed if you have yet to start the application process. Early action and decision is not due until nov 1. for most colleges and regular decision is not due until january 1. for most colleges.

having stated that, if you do find out later that you will get accepted to an ivy league school i would choose the ivy league. 😀

 

[uclabruin2003]

i would choose option 1 or 4.

why does everyone on this board care about ivy league? but if you really care about going to columbia, yale or harvard, etc....then go.

but if you really want to be a doctor....1 or 4 is the surefire way it seems....well as surefire as it can be anyways.

 

[CheerChickMD69]

Go to the Ivy school. I go to an Ivy and I like it a lot 🙂 .

 

[principessa]

smartgirl -

Are you certain that you would be equally happy at any of these programs? You may feel that way now, but really look into them before you decide. Going into college admissions, there were some schools I thought I could be happy at, but after I visited I was pretty sure they wouldn't make me happy.

Option 2 (state school for cheap) worked well for me. I had to work my butt off for a chance at the top med schools, but I really enjoyed my college experience and I graduated with no debt. There are things about UK that I would have missed if I had attended another school - my favorite professors, my major, my friends, etc. This would certainly not be a "silly" choice, if you felt you could be happy at the school. People get into med schools from state schools all the time.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Sounds like someone's counting their eggs.

 

[Jason110]

smartgirlkb, I PMed you with my spiel. Check the "private message" thing at the top right after logging in.

I was an OH resident, and I had all four options available to me since I was accepted at all of the four.


Jason

 

[ambrosia]

Bottom line, go wherever you think you'll be happiest. Don't do it for your parents or anyone else, do it for you!

 

[hnbui]

Sounds like someone's counting their eggs.

haha that's my exact thoughts.

The op is too naive and arrogant. First off the admission processes for incoming [high school] seniors hasn't even started yet. To "imply" that she will get into those schools is quite arrogant. I have just been through the admission process myself and what i have learn is to never be to sure of yourself.

Basically that's like me saying...

so you guys i have a few options and i need you guys to help me pick which one is best.
1. Yale Med Full scholarship MD
2. Johns Hopkins MD
3. Havard MD/PHD
4. University of Washington [Even though i'm not a resident]

Please help me choose.

 

[rockstar2525]

I agree with the above, why don't you wait and see where you get in, then make the decision? I think you may be in for a rude awakening. My high school had several students who won state AAA awards (for excellence in academics, arts and athletics) had 4.0 gpa, 1550 sat and didn't get into any Ivys. Ivy league isn't just grades, it's who you know, etc.

To answer your question, is it worth the money? I say YES. I went to a top ten liberal arts college, accumulated lots of debt, and often wondered if it was worth it. Then I did my post-bac at a second teir private university and realized how lucky I was to have had such an amazing undergrad. The advice people are giving is true, the motivation and passion of the student body makes a huge difference. Plus I got so much more personalized attention from professors, and research opportunities. Being involved in politcal activities, developing critical thinking (not just being spit out of some pre-med machine) was a huge part of UG and I would NOT recommmend skipping that in one of those 6 year deals. My expensive UG =absolutely worth every penny.

 

[WalterSobchakk]

With such a pretentious username, I would suggest an ivy league.

I agree. Aside from that though, I'd avoid 6 year combined programs because you miss out on all the fun of undergrad. Why are so many people in such a hurry to work? In your situation, you could go to a state school for free, come in with a million credits and take classes you're really interested on the side of your premed stuff. Or, you could pay a lot more at an ivy school so you have better chances later (if you are still able to keep up your GPA). However, do you want to have a lot of debt before you go into 100K+ more for med school? You really have to think about what it is that you want out of your undergrad experience. The cinci thing sounds like a good deal if you like the area. 8 years can be a long time if you don't like the location though.

 

[Darko]

If you go into a BA/MD program, make sure you can walk away with a degree. You don't want to get screwed if you decide when you're 20 you'd rather have a family and full life than a medical degree.

If you have rich parents and Ivy league debt isn't a problem, go for it. Otherwise Ohio State is an excellent school and it won't penalize you.