Advice on Choosing College

I am a junior in Ohio looking to join a pre-med program. I should get NMSF based on my scores and have an unweighted 4.0 from a good private school. My local university gives a full ride for NMFs and it has a decent medicine program. My question is, though my parents are willing to pay for my full education, whether it makes a big difference to go to a better university if I get a good MCAT score? Am I aiming too low in doing so? Thanks for the help.

You should go where you can get the foundation, the highest GPA, and the best scores.

I did not post the question properly! My question is: does taking a full ride from a less than average local university jeopardize my chance of getting admission in a good medicine program if I get a good MCAT score as compared to going a better than average school? Is saving on pre-med tuition a wise choice? Thanks

Yes. Save money, med school is expensive.

I think you are jumping the gun just a little bit. From your other post, it looks like you haven’t taken the SAT yet.

First, there aren’t too many public universities in Ohio where stellar science and math grades wouldn’t get you in the door for at least solid consideration at a decent med school. It’s all about good grades, your MCAT score, the experiences you have gone after, your LORs, and putting together a solid med school app. They are looking at the whole package. So choose a school with a good record of sending grads on to med school, and one that has a lot of support for helping students to prepare their med school applications.

Second, once you know better what your junior year grades will turn out to be, and your SAT/ACT scores are, then assess your college possibilities balancing all the different variables. Does your school have to be big? Earlham, just across the state line has a great record of student acceptances at med schools. If you are a NMSF you are bound to get an excellent aid package there. Same with the College of Wooster. Aid is harder to come by at Kenyon, but they have terrific science programs. My point is, keep your options open, do your due diligence, and apply strategically.

Thanks. I guess that I have a lot more options to think about. I was excited about UC giving a full ride for NMF (I got a psat of 223 in Ohio) that I was not even looking at the other good schools nearby. I did take SAT in Oct and got a 2240

Go to any place you wish. There are plenty specifically in OH.
My D. went to Miami (OH). She had a bal there and was very succesful.
Miami (OH) and Case Western are espcially well known for great Merit awards D. received full tuition Merit at Miami and $27k / year at Case. She was NOT NMSF. She also went to rigorous private HS
Save money for Med. School!! Even your parents’ money - negoitiate with them funding your Med. School education instead of UG in appreciation to your wise choice of free UG.

“First, there aren’t too many public universities in Ohio where stellar science and math grades wouldn’t get you in the door for at least solid consideration at a decent med school”

  • I completely disagree with this tatement, on many points of it. It is NOT what my D. and many of her friends have experienced all of who are currently at Med. Schools. Not even close.

Take the full ride. There is nearly no benefit obtained in medical school admissions by applying from a prestigious name college. Go to a solid school that can give you rigorous classes in the basic sciences so your MCAT is good. A research hospital or medical center onsite is a big plus for volunteering and undergraduate research.

Thank you all so much for the advice! I plan to apply to UC, OSU, and CWRU for sure. Do colleges give any preference over similarly qualified if I have alumni family members? My dad went to Case Western and my aunt is an alumni as well as a full professor there but it is so expensive.

^I do not know about alim situation, bau CWRU is definitely very well known for great Merit awards to top caliber kids and they have a great pre-med program. I fyou like Cleveland or not, it is a different story. However, there many very neat places around the Case, LIttle Italy is so cozy, many music festivals, great restaurants…and Case is a smaller place which is plus for some

@MiamiDAP. Maybe we can agreee to disagree. An A in Organic Chemistry is tough, whether it is from OSU, OU, Cincinnati, Wright State or wherever. Stellar grades, a strong MCAT score, great LORs, a compelling personal statement, and some significant research experience will make you a competitive candidate candidate at many med schools, even if you graduated from BGSU, Kent or Toledo. Yes, getting into med school is tough and very competitive. But having the name of an Ohio public university on your diploma is not what is going to keep you out.

“But having the name of an Ohio public university on your diploma is not what is going to keep you out”

  • I agree 100%. And more so as a parent of the 4th year med. student who graduated from Miami (OH), which is an Ohio public university and who has many friends in various Med. Schools who also graduated from Miami, OSU, Cinci, Toledo, Case (I know it is private, but it is still OH), etc.

    Just go to school that you personally feel fits you the best. This will have more positive impact on your success than anything else. Best wishes!

Thanks!

@miamioh‌ I think you misunderstood what @MidwestDad3‌ wrote upthread. I don’t think you disagree with what he wrote. I think you misread what he wrote.

@mom2collegekids My bad, at least partially. I put too many negatives in that sentence (post #4). @MiamiDAP and I are in complete agreement!