I have been accepted into both schools for biochemistry / biological science majors and i’m kinda stuck.
I want to do med school after undergrad but I am worried about the debt I will go in.
Cal Poly is only 20k/year for me while Georgetown is costing me around 65k/year.
Is it worth going to Georgetown for their amazing pre med curriculum even though It will cost me WAY more?
Or should I go to Cal Poly where I could leave with less debt.
I know that private schools like Georgetown have more resources for their students but is it really worth it? It would probably be easier to get a higher GPA at Cal Poly but am I missing out on that prestige from Georgetown and their abundance of opportunities? I also know that med school is based mainly on GPA and MCAT but at high end med schools everyone has almost perfect scores so then it would resort to extra curricular and volunteer work right? Wouldn’t a school like Georgetown better prepare me for this?
If someone could shine some input on this, Thanks!
How can you be already accepted into Cal Poly SLO since applications are not due till November 30th and decisions do not come out until Spring 2017?
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want to do med school after undergrad but I am worried about the debt I will go in.
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Avoid debt!!! Besides you’re not allowed to borrow much. Your parents would have to borrow/co-sign and it would be many many years before you could make payments. Crazy
You have over-blown what you anticipate G’town to be like as a premed.
SLO is a “hands on” school. You’ll have very good experiences there.
Are you a transfer student? How could you know that you’re accepted now???
I got in through athletics and passed their admissions criteria.
So essentially, you’re saying it’s better to look at it in terms of financial aspects correct? I know the speculation says “under grad doesn’t matter” is that really true?
Do very well at UG where you are able to go with the low costs. There are many things considered in getting into medical school - there are GPA and MCAT scores as part of that consideration. The GPA at Cal Poly will not take you out of consideration because of being from Cal Poly, just like a GPA from Georgetown will not necessarily get you in to med school.
Students and parents need to look at getting the student through UG with as little debt as possible. Pace oneself for the long race ahead - getting through all of education and for ‘financial peace’ through life. Hard enough to pay off med school/professional school debt w/o adding additional debt from UG - and the interest for the student debt starts accruing once the loans are taken out - so you do want to have an emergency fund and take out the debt as late as you can. During UG can work to earn money (unless athletics involvement during the school year makes that not possible); during med school/professional school all your time/energy is with school. Later for residency/specialty, yes you make some money - so do look at making the important decision now to keep UG education fiscally feasible.
“amazing premed curriculum”
Premed curriculum are mostly LD courses, a couple UD (eg orgo, biochem), offered at pretty much every college to anyone who wants to take them and has satisfied any course prereqs. There’s nothing special about them. For example these courses may be titled bio 1, not bio 1 for premed. Although the material in these courses may form background material for MCAT, they do not prep you for MCAT. Again these courses may be titled bio 1, not bio 1 for MCAT prep. Getting into med school is more on you than school you attend. As med school is very expensive and almost certainly will require enormous borrowing on your part, consider attending the school where you can graduate with as little debt as possible. Good luck
Are no schools offering you athletic scholarship $$ ?
Agree ^^^ since you said you were already accepted for Athletics.
@jangman If there is no deadline to commit at this point, just wait and see what other options you will get and decide later. As every one has said, avoid debt and reduce the UG COA as much as possible. The next door UC Santa Barabara also gives decent aid. Or any UC (assume you are CA resident) will not cost you that much like Georgetown.