Brown vs. Rhodes (vs. Cornell)

[RainyDaze]

<p>I am an international student from Germany. I am interested in neuroscience and creative writing, and would like to double major if possible. I do go out, but I'm more the type of person who prefers to chill rather than party. I enjoy intellectually stimulating conversations with friends and classmates, and I do hope to be in an encouraging, laid-back, open environment. I guess at this point I'm looking for a place that will open the most doors for me in the future. I am trying to decide between Brown, Cornell, and Rhodes College at the moment, though mainly between Brown and Rhodes.</p>

<p>I have not had the opportunity to visit either Brown or Cornell, but I have been to Rhodes. I think the campus there is gorgeous, and the people are really friendly. Otherwise, almost everything I know about the schools is not from personal experience.</p>

<p>I was initially leaning towards Brown because of their strong neuroscience department. I have also heard that Brown's literary arts program is really good. I like the idea of being able to structure my own curriculum, and although I have never actually been on the campus, people say that students at Brown are open-minded and friendly. I think I would be very happy at Brown.</p>

<p>Rhodes has offered me a full-ride. Since I am an international student, that means a lot, especially when considering graduate school. I am not sure what I will study after getting my Bachelor's degree, but I am considering going to medical school. This will be difficult for me in the US, especially if I need financial aid. Right now, I have just enough money saved up to afford a school like Brown. Afterwards, though, I am not sure whether I would be able to afford something like med school.</p>

<p>I do think I could be happy at both Brown or Rhodes. My parents think that Brown would be a better fit for me, especially due to my academic interests. I personally would like to make sure that I choose the path that is best for my education as a whole, keeping grad school in mind. I guess matriculating from Brown would give me better prospects, but I cannot anticipate what my financial situation will be at that point.</p>

<p>I would really appreciate your opinions and advice. :) Thank you in advance.</p>

[modestmelody]

<p>It’s hard for me to comment on whether the finance issues make it “worth it” or not, but you sound to me like an ideal student for Brown, so if that’s where you choose to go for whatever reason, I feel confident you’ll be happy here.</p>

[momof3sons]

<p>RainyDaze,
There is a long time poster here named “curmudgeon,” whose daughter had to choose between Yale and Rhodes a few years ago. I believe that she received a similar “full ride” from Rhodes, and chose Rhodes because she planned on medical school following college. If you send a PM to curmudgeon, I’m betting he will respond.</p>

[DunninLA]

<p>Rainy – save your money for med school. These are cautious times for money and savings. If you are impressive enough to gain admission to Brown, Cornell and Rhodes, your performance at Rhodes will position you for the faculty relationships and GPA that will get you into med school (for which you will have savings).</p>

<p>What do you do if you (let me use a California expression) blow your wad on Brown… how will you then pay for med school?</p>

[RainyDaze]

<p>Thank you for your help! My guidance counselor also thinks it’s better to save money right now.</p>

<p>My other option is to get my Bachelor’s degree in the UK, since tuition fees would be much lower for me there. However, since I have not taken my final exams yet (IB), offers from UK are conditional. My first choice in the UK is Cambridge, but their condition is so high that I cannot really “plan” to attend until I know my results for sure. Also, studying outside the US would make it even more difficult to get into an American med school, wouldn’t it? For one, I don’t think I could meet the course requirements (i.e. one year each of biology, physics, organic and inorganic chemistry, etc.) because British programs are usually much more focused on a specific track.</p>

[IBclass06]

<p>momof3sons beat me to it. Cur has posted wonderful things about Rhodes.

@curmudgeon

My D was fortunate enough to be named a Bellingrath Fellow which pays for her college.</p>

<p>Schools she also applied to in the same LAC vein were Centre, Millsaps, Hamilton, Scripps, Hanover. Quite a range of selectivity but all were small and had what she needed, admittedly some more than others. As the deadline approached she began to feel that she needed some more choices that were larger and/or more selective and she added UMiami, Case, Colgate, Yale, Amherst, and Duke.</p>

<p>After the first round of scholarships (and Duke’s waitlist which she refused) she was down to Rhodes, Colgate, Scripps, Hamilton, Yale, and Amherst. Rhodes fired the full-ride shot and then only Yale and Rhodes were standing.</p>

<p>Rhodes has an excellent pre-med advising program and gets great grad and med school results. St. Jude’s and UT Med School partner with Rhodes on significant UG research activities. D felt that if she fully immersed herself in the St. Jude’s internship and the service opportunities at Rhodes she would be well prepared for her life’s work whether that be as an MD or a Phd. or potentially both. She loved the kids she met while on campus and knew that there would be kids competing for Goldwater’s and the like (two Goldwater’s last year) that would push her and that she could push. There would be a critical mass of dedicated and enthused science majors to break bread with in a not overtly or overly competitive environment.</p>

<p>So, St. Jude’s, UG research, the kids, money, beautiful campus, loved the research her prof’s were doing in neuroscience. That’s about it. Oh, and she could play BBall if she wanted to.</p>

<p>I haven’t quizzed her that much but when she has spoken of her decision it appears that the opportunity for St. Jude’s summers plus an academic year working on breaking news type research was the largest factor, other than the cash. She has yet to look back on her decision. Full steam ahead.

@curmudgeon

Obviously my family thinks very highly of Rhodes. The campus is beautiful. The profs have been engaging when we have been on our “stealth visits”. My D felt that there was variety enough in the food choices (actually she knows she’ll be sneaking away to get ribs and tamales at our favorite spot on Beale).</p>

<p>1600 kids. 2 Goldwater’s this year. A Rhodes last year. Excellent post grad office. Research and internship opportunities at St. Jude’s , UT Med School, and Children’s Hospital. An inclusive Greek system that by and large defies the stereotype (with some glaring exceptions). 93% acceptance rate to med school recently, twice the national average usually . Excellent Physics department that churns out future Phds at record pace.</p>

<p>We have visited 4 times together and she has been once on her own. Even prior to her scholarship being raised, Rhodes had moved past several excellent choices on the basis of her weekend there last month . Even though it was more expensive she had already decided that she preferred it to Hendrix, Millsaps, Hanover, Texas Tech Honors, and even Case. The scholarship took out everybody else (including the schools mentioned by mini).</p>

<p>She felt strongly that there existed on campus a critical mass of students with energy and intellect to do great things. As many as Yale? No, and maybe not even as many as Scripps but still enough to push each other, demand from each other, challenge each other to reach higher longer farther. She felt the physical plant and modalities were in place to let them do those great things. (That new library is outrageous.)</p>

<p>That’s what she was looking for and the choice was made.

</p>

[Consolation]

<p>

My other option is to get my Bachelor’s degree in the UK, since tuition fees would be much lower for me there. However, since I have not taken my final exams yet (IB), offers from UK are conditional. My first choice in the UK is Cambridge, but their condition is so high that I cannot really “plan” to attend until I know my results for sure. Also, studying outside the US would make it even more difficult to get into an American med school, wouldn’t it? For one, I don’t think I could meet the course requirements (i.e. one year each of biology, physics, organic and inorganic chemistry, etc.) because British programs are usually much more focused on a specific track.

</p>

<p>I know a student who entered Cambridge in a medical program. (Christ College, I believe.) My understanding is that she will be a doctor by age 26. I can’t imagine why you would want to spend enormous sums of money and take a chance on the American med school application process if you could go to a medical program at Cambridge.</p>

[RainyDaze]

<p>Thanks for the quotes, IBclass06.</p>

<p>It’s not that I don’t want to go to Cambridge. Since the offer from Cambridge is only conditional and I still have to take my IB exams, I am not actually offically in yet. I didn’t apply for medicine at Cambridge; I would be reading Natural Sciences for three years. I don’t know for sure what I will be doing after getting my Bachelor’s degree, no matter where that ends up being. I am asking about American medical schools because I would like to know how to best plan for the future in general.</p>