So I am committed to Amherst but today I got off the waitlist for BU. BU was my first choice but then I got waitlisted and I have come to really love Amherst but I do not know how to feel/ what to do right now.
Congrats. Both excellent schools but FWIW I think Amherst has a stronger reputation, at least academically!
Congrats on two good choices. Have you visited both? Both are great, but they have very different atmospheres. What is your intended major? Is cost a factor?
I would take Amherst, but why was BU your first choice?
I wouldn’t be quick to answer your question without some more answers.
Do you prefer the energy of an urban campus set up or a beautiful small school in a pretty college town?
Do you want a larger student body or the small class intimacy of an Amherst. Some find one too big and another find the small campus stifling after a while.
Is there a big cost differential ? Did Bu offer you anything special like an honors college or travel abroad.
Are you a d3 athlete or really like a sportier campus life?
What are you going to study ?
@privatebanker I always imagined myself at a big school but when I went to Amherst’s open house weekend, I really loved the small school environment. I like BU because it is closer to home ( I live in the suburbs of the Boston area). The cost of both is low and about the same ~ 4k. I am not a D3 athlete or an athlete or all but I do appreciate sports. I plan on doing something bio-science related (potentially premed) and environmental studies/science.
@PurpleTitan It is close to home and is one of the first schools that I toured and really loved compared to the other six I toured that summer.
@AlwaysLearn I have visited both and I intend to do some bioscience premed and potentially environmental studies/science. Cost is not a factor in either decision as both costs about the same.
Well. Tough decision. Both will be excellent in the sciences you are interested in pursuing.
Amherst is a great little town. Boston you already know has so much to offer as well.
I would give it a go at Amherst. And not because one is better than the other. Only because BU has a much more open transfer policy. If you don’t like Amherst from a fit perspective and do well. I can nearly guarantee that you can transfer in. It’s much harder to be accepted as a freshman. Amherst is nearly impossible the other way.
Amherst’s open curriculum could be advantageous for a pre-med, since it can better allow you to avoid grade-risky courses that may be general education requirements at other schools.
http://www.gradeinflation.com/ indicates that Amherst has generally higher grades than BU, although grade inflation levels may vary from one department to another.
What sort of clinical exposure are you likely to get at Amherst? I know that BU has a highly regarded medical school…
I agree that either would be good for your intended major. I don’t think there is a bad choice. I might give the edge to Amherst, mainly for some of the reasons already mentioned below. It depends on what kind of experience you want to have: big city vs. small town and big school vs. smaller school. Either way, I’m sure you will be successful and have a great experience. Best of luck!
I would go with Amherst and this is from a BU graduate. Grade deflation is an issue at BU… both schools are highly regarded. Amherst will provide small classes and better interaction with professors… campus is another issue as I would have preferred a college setting (both my kids pushed to college campuses)… Boston is expensive and was shocked how housing can drain your savings there… as for BU medical it’s not close to the main campus and I doubt there will be opportunities for undergrad to do research there…
Amherst has an excellent track record in getting students into med school (and law school). I’d choose Amherst.
for same cost and premed I think Amherst is better. suburbs of Boston to Amherst is not a huge distance. FYI - my impression is you will probably still only come home for breaks/vacations anyway. Most of us who have kids within an hour of our homes still only see our kids on breaks/vacations
If you are serious about premed, Amherst applicants tend to be much more successful than BU students in getting into MD schools. HOWEVER… as others have stated many a time on these forums, the most important factor in getting into med school is your personal performance, so you should pick the school environment within which you think you will perform the best (not to mention that only a fraction of students who begin undergrad as premeds actually end up in med school).
Also Amherst allows you to take classes at U Mass, Amherst, walking distance. There are also buses to all
the other small LACs in central Mass. While its rural, its also beautiful, the Connecticut River is a great bike ride!
U Mass Medical school is all the way in Worcester so not close enough to volunteer during the school year
but you can get medical related jobs in the summers at U Mass Medical school I bet.
If you have to ask, I think BU is for you. You said it yourself, “BU was my first choice.” Let the Amherst spot go to a kid that says it’s their first choice.You will likely do well at either, but fit is very important. Something tells me that for you, BU may have an edge. I wish you the best wherever you end up.
@Meddy I ended up going with Amherst. I asked not because BU had the edge but because Amherst captured my heart.
@23stevenyu Congratulations! I’m glad to hear you followed your heart. You never want to have any regrets when it gets tough, because at the top schools it will get hard. Get ready for the best 4 years of your life!