Hey, I was wondering which school has a better pre med program. Also, there is a financial difference in which case western I have to pay 50k and at Vanderbilt, I have to pay 77K. Based on this which school do you think I should choose.
Is Vanderbilt worth it?
Neither one. If you have to take out that much debt, you can’t afford it. If you plan to do medicine, prestige makes zero impact. It’s going to be your grades and MCAT scores that do all the talking. Plus, medical school is expensive. You need to keep the undergraduate debt to a minimum. Your best chance of medical school is going to be your home state. State schools give preference to state residents.
Here’s the reality of medicine. Half the smart kids coming our of high school want to be doctors. Almost none of them actually do it. That’s because as you mature, you find out hidden passions. That’s why you NEVER choose a school on “premed prestige.” If you choose another career path (and chances are, you will) you can’t afford high levels of crushing debt.
The OP mentioned nothing about debt.
To clarify, I have to pay Case Western 50k per year and for Vanderbilt and 77k per year.
Will you be taking on debt for UG? I ask b/c medical school is extremely expensive, and you’ll want to limit UG debt.
Both schools have sterling academic reputations, and both schools will have many intelligent, motivated, goal directed pre-meds.
The best school for you is the one with the best “fit” as students do better where they are most comfortable-and that decision will probably include non-academic factors-sports, campus location, etc etc.
Attend the school you think best fits you.
I do find it interesting that when this question comes up, which it does often, the first 2 things any OP is told are:
- Prestiege doesn't matter if you are pre-med; and
- Most HS kids who start out as pre-meds don't even apply to med-school.
Which leads to contradictory advice. School name doesn’t matter if things go as planned. But if they don’t, and they probably won’t, then it might. I think if you have a backup career in mind, maybe choosing a school that is good for that career makes more sense, with the caveat that you need to be able to get good grades there. If that isn’t the case, then medicine is definitely off the table.
BTW I don’t have any specific advice about these 2 schools but am following the thread because I am interested.
Your best choice could depend on your intended major, @Hopharv. If, for example, you would like to study biology, this would connect with one of CWRU’s core strengths. Based on academics combined with cost considerations, then, your decision could become clear to you in such a scenario.
I got off the waitlist at Case Western and I received a 25K scholarship. I plan to study biology and later on go to medical school and then become a psychiatrist. If I go in-state to the University of Arizona, I will be paying about 15K for housing. But, if I go to Case Western, I will be paying about 53K a year to go. What’s the best decision for a pre-med student?
Silverfalls31: medical school is incredibly expensive; go to ASU, study hard, and save your money for medical school.