NEU does not get your foot in any door. Your GPA, MCAT (which will be remarkably similar to your SAT or ACT, which you never told us or the colleges), clinical work, med volunteering, and research are all they will look at. Your family is about to make a 200k mistake, IF NEU swallows the story that you have to be in Boston for medical reasons. THINK. Why did NEU not admit you to Boston, but to a campus they only just opened, 3000 miles away? Why did all the highly rejective schools not take you? You didnt fit their criteria. Umass took you with honors, Biotap, etc. They have absolutely everything u need. You probably will have a better chance at med school from umass with all they can give u, than from NEU, if they allow you to start in boston.
I just have to say that I totally disagree with your dad that you will have a foot in the door by going to NEU over UMass. What gives you a foot in the door is what you do with your time in undergrad, not the college name on your diploma.
From where I’m sitting, Bio-TAP will give you more opportunities straight out of the gate than NEU because of the small community and access to mentors and professors (which opens the door to research and stronger connections for letters of reference). And I’m not sure the value of the co-op program for a pre-med over more traditional ways to get clinical exposure, research, etc… If you were going into engineering or CS I’d have a different perspective.
In the end, you have an amazing option with UMass in your back pocket, no matter what happens with NEU, so you have it made! You know you have an excellent acceptance in a location that will work. You did it! I’m proud of you and I hope you will continue to check in as you work your way through college, no matter where you land! It’s always a joy when students pop back in with updates.
/warmly, supportively, and sending lots of hugs and good wishes!
There are no feet and there is no door.
What gets you in to med school these days (in addition to what every other poster has noted) is tenacity, plain and simple. Anyone who assumes that the institution opens doors, gives you a leg up, etc. does not understand what the admissions committees are looking for and how they separate all those fantastic applicants into “accept” and “reject”.
Good luck to you navigating this last inning…
OP – If you go to Northeastern, are you intending to continue your research at the Broad Institute? If so, I could see how that might be a factor in your decision, but otherwise, I think that UMass is likely to give you more opportunities for research and honors and other things that will help you excel and stand out than Northeastern seems likely to.
And…I am also concerned that you are a few months from going to college but aren’t allowed to take a bus ride to one of the top contenders when it is only a few hours away. If you do go to UMass Amherst, will you be allowed to take the bus home for Thanksgiving, etc? Do you drive? Will you have a car there?
This sounds like a fundamental misunderstanding. What specific opportunities would you get at Northeastern that will be hard at UMass Honors+BioTap?
Actually, I would think that being in honors and BioTap means you won’t have to claw your way up at UMass – but you might at Northeastern! Unless your parents mean the co-op program will get you a foot in the door? But I don’t think that’s true for pre-med.
Families are each unique and it’s hard to fully grasp the dynamics from the outside. Add in major health considerations and it gets even more complicated.
People have been perplexed by our family’s decisions and choices for years. We are never predictable. What we choose rarely makes sense to others.
We just do the best we can each day and I rarely feel confidence that it’s enough or always the right thing. For us there will never be that much clarity.
I know that quite a few posters here are frustrated with op’s parents. But we should remember that a child’s ability to control their parent’s thinking is quite limited.
You should have put the change in finances in the CSS profile for Northeastern (assuming it had happened by the time you filled it out.) Also you had to have talked to the financial aid office about the changed circumstances as soon as you knew.
Right now, you are 10 days away from commitment deadline with a transfer request and aid issues.
Well, that’s definitely true!
OP, I hope you don’t feel that everyone is jumping on you. These decisions are complicated and are almost certainly made more complex by your unique family and medical situation. I think everyone here just wants to make sure that you (and your parents/family) have a realistic set of information to help guide the decision-making process. /thoughful, concerned, and hopeful for you
I think that they can submit their change of financial information now and perhaps ask for an extension to commit from both schools based on a pending financial aid review. @kelsmom , is that true?
OP - I am going to reinforce the many responses you’ve received along the lines of NEU not being worth the financial strain. I think your parents are doing you a disservice and its a common trap that parents fall into however well-intended. NEU is not that much more “prestigious” in any way although they’ve done a great job in artifically lowering admit rates. I feel like your entire family is in for a shock should you go with NEU, under these circumstances.
Honestly and don’t take this the wrong way and maybe it’s because i’m from an older environment - but I don’t see NEU as being thought of as a highly prestigious school.
I know admission is difficult - but I don’t think it’s translating to society at large.
Even it’s athletic conference - Stony Brook, Charleston, Drexel, Elon, (yes W&M is the halo), UNCW, etc. - all fine schools - but not at any level of prestige.
I get it - you have to be really really top notch to get in.
But I think the prestige ends there - at the school and student body.
Just my take.
We came to the same conclusion several years ago. With the choice of “NEU full price versus New England public university with merit”, we chose the public university with merit.
Hi everyone! I am back, after a busy portion of the day. I will say that it seems like everyone all has one resounding understanding that UMass is the obvious and better choice, which I understand and agree with. /warmly, tired
I will continue to speak with my folks on NEU v UMass, per se, but I do think that if NEU does grant the transfer, I will end up going. That’s my thought for now, but anything can happen. /thoughtful
Honestly, I’m just wanting this process to be over so some of the stress can be off my shoulders of wondering where I’m going. /honest
That being said, I appreciate everyone being so warm and kind and giving advice and their opinions. It’s wonderful to see everyone chiming in! I’ll keep everyone posted, on what happens over the next couple days. /warmly, happily
Yes, they can make the request. However, no school is required to grant an extension.
Dude I don’t know why, but waking up at 7am over break has got to be the exact opposite of break. /random me thoughts because I don’t want to talk about the NEU update that happened yet
(I will give an update once we hear back from them, we sent a response after a slightly jarring email. I’m just tired, so give me and them a few days. I’ll keep everyone in the loop. /warmly)
Also Eid Mubarak! /happily
Eid Mubarak to you as well! Some of my daughter’s best friends are Muslim and their families are celebrating today! 
Hope you and your family have a great day!
Eid Mubarak! Enjoy your feast and time with loved ones.
Take your time updating us. There is no rush. Allow yourself and your family time to process and react to the new information. Most importantly, enjoy this day!
/sending happy thoughts
You can be sure there’ll be a feast. Nihari, biryani, rasmalai, jalebi… the works. /grinning