Choosing Auburn

College Search & Selection
1

<p>As someone that has grown up with strong connections to Auburn without even living in the same state, I've reached a difficult situation. I received my acceptance to auburn back in October, along with the promise of a large scholarship bringing the cost down to around instate tuition(with potentially even more to come). I have a strong interest in engineering, and a plan to pursuit medical school, so I know how important my undergraduate years will be in determining my ability to continue on my intended path. I didn't apply ED to any schools, because I wasn't in the right situation to at the time. I have applied to Vanderbilt, Duke, Rice and a few more very selective schools that I believe I have at least some chance of getting into. All of these schools have elite engineering and medical programs, which could influence my ability to get accepted to a strong medical school. </p>

<p>Does anyone have an opinion on going to a school that is not necessarily up to the full academic potential? I am worried about being in a less rigorous and competitive environment, and even the reputation of the school only in comparison to those I previously mentioned. I would love to hear if any one else is currently battling with the same struggles. Auburn will keep me out of debt, and allow me to follow my childhood team, but should that be enough to distract away from superior academics???</p>

2

<p>Wait until you have all your options then weigh the pros and cons of each school. Only you will know what is right for you to do.</p>

3

<p>No issues with choosing the college that makes the most financial sense. As an engineering school, Auburn has one of the best programs in the southeast (where it’s well respected). While the other three do have better pre-med programs, if you do plan on going to med school, you will want to keep your debt to a minimum (save it for med school).</p>

<p>Keep in mind, selecting Engineering (a rigorous major) will make it a bit harder to keep your GPA high (a requirement for med school). Also, while Auburn offers more engineering programs/majors than the other three schools (it’s a much larger engineering program), biomedical engineering is not one of the offered majors (though the other engineering fields, like chemical, are fine for pre-med…tough but fine)… </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

4

<p>“While the other three do have better pre-med programs,”</p>

<p>?? What does that mean? how do they have “better pre-med programs”? What is “better”? Based on what??? lol</p>

<p>Any of those schools are fine for a premed student. However, being an eng’g student at any school can be a GPA buster if you’re not a top, top student at your school and bust your buns in every class.</p>

<p>Do not take on debt for those schools if you want med school. You’re going to have huge debt for med school so that will be enough debt?</p>

5

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<p>It means I just made it up. It sounded good to me. :-$</p>

<p>On the other hand, the other 3 schools are much higher ranked, and do have better programs in chemistry and biology (standards of any pre-med program). It’s really hard to get any solid data on how successful these pre-med programs are (lots of ways to fudge the data), but these schools likely do sent more students on to medical school. (but how much of that is due to being a much more selective schools in the first place…and hence having a “better” pool of students going through the pre-med programs?)</p>

<p>I do agree with m2ck about avoiding as much debt as possible, but that’s something for you and your family to decide.</p>

6

<p>These schools may send more kids to med schools, but they may also have more premeds I suspect. I live in Alabama and usually when people choose Auburn it’s for engineering, the career…not med school. So, the number of students that they send to med school won’t be high. They probably send a decent number to Vet school since they have an excellent Vet school. </p>

<p>However, just because a school isn’t known for producing tons of med students doesn’t mean that the student won’t receive a more than adequate education. Those top name schools aren’t “doing” anything that better prepares kids for med school. They will have a stronger group of students, but that’s not always a good thing when you’re fighting for the A’s in each class. </p>

<p>Very good schools do not “prepare students for med school.” They don’t “prepare students for the MCAT.” They don’t. </p>

<p>I think if anyone is SERIOUS about med school, then they should consider how strong a student they will be at their undergrad. A very good MCAT score will not compensate for a lower GPA. </p>

<p>One benefit of going to Auburn as an OOS student is that USA SOM will give consideration to an OOS student who attends a university that is in the state. With med school acceptances so hard to get (many applicants don’t get ANY acceptances, and about half only get ONE acceptance), the thought of having an edge into one MD program isn’t something to ignore.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for all of the advice. Its coming down to the time where options are laid out, and there seems to be so much pressure to pick the right one. Ill take any help I can get in the decision process. </p>

<p>When you say “USA SOM” what are you referring to? I have not heard that before. </p>

8

<p>I like the plan to use engineering as a pre-med track. First, it is rigorous and med schools know that. Second, it will get you a great job if you decide not to go to med school.</p>

<p>Going to Auburn will save you money now. If you go to med school, debt will start to pile up quickly. If you already have lots of debt (from, say, Duke) then you will have tons of debt.</p>

<p>Unless you want to go to Harvard Medical School, for example, then Auburn will prepare you as well as any place. Actually, you prepare yourself, the school does not. The school only helps. You are the one doing the studying and taking the tests.</p>

<p>By the way, my sister is a doctor (so is her husband). All medical schools are strong. No such thing as a weak medical school (not in America, anyway). Only strong and amazingly strong. Plus, do you know what they call the medical students who graduate at the bottom of their class?.. “Doctor.”</p>

9

<p>University of South Alabama College of Medicine (USA SOM). As a rule, State/public med schools give a preference (consideration) to in-state students. When applying to med schools, you should also apply to your in-state public school.</p>

<p>Good Luck! </p>

10

<p>“University of South Alabama College of Medicine (USA SOM). As a rule, State/public med schools give a preference (consideration) to in-state students. When applying to med schools, you should also apply to your in-state public school.”</p>

<p>Yes, that is the med school.</p>

<p>While as a rule public SOMs give a preference to in-state students, USA extends that preference to students with a tie to the state (attending a univ in the state would be a tie).</p>

<p>Yes, definitely apply to all of your own state schools. </p>

<p>“By the way, my sister is a doctor (so is her husband). All medical schools are strong. No such thing as a weak medical school (not in America, anyway). Only strong and amazingly strong. Plus, do you know what they call the medical students who graduate at the bottom of their class?.. “Doctor.””</p>

<p>Very true. All US MD schools are excellent. The curriculum is flat. </p>

<p>And, there’s no reason why an Auburn grad couldn’t get into Harvard Med. But really, unless you want to get a MD/PhD, attending a med school like H is totally not necessary.</p>

<p>“I like the plan to use engineering as a pre-med track. First, it is rigorous and med schools know that. Second, it will get you a great job if you decide not to go to med school.”</p>

<p>I agree that it always is good to have a Plan B. And, eng’g can be that Plan B. My son is now in med school and he was a Chemical Eng’g major, but it was a risk. Eng’g is a very tough major to have a med-school-worthy GPA. Med schools won’t give you a break on GPA because your major was eng’g.</p>

<p>That said, it’s becoming a rather popular major for pre-meds. :slight_smile: If you’re confident that you’ll work hard to maintain a top GPA, then go for it. </p>

11

<p>NROTCgrad- I feel the same away about engineering being a good pathway to medical school. Its an area of interest for me, and I believe it will be my most enjoyable route. Plus, it is without a doubt a degree I could use should I decide not to go to med school. It’s the best option for me. </p>

<p>Thanks again for all of your insight. I’m the oldest child in my family, so this is a new process for my entire family. Both my parents work in fields completely unrelated to science and engineering, so we are all learning together. I appreciate all you have to say. </p>

12

<p>You should still wait until you have all your financial aid awards in hand. Do not make any decision until you know which schools you can afford. Then only should you decide. Remember, you have until May 1, and you’ll probably know much earlier.</p>

13

<p>So tired of reading on this site how schools like Auburn are somehow an inferior choice, these schools are just different. You can’t compare a state school that has 24,000 + students with a private school with a smaller population. Of course the smaller school is more selective, fewer spots. I understand some schools can be elite in particular areas, but I also know you can get an amazing education at schools like Auburn. I am an Auburn grad, my husband is also an Auburn grad. His degree is in Materials Engineering and mine is from the College of Architecture, neither degree was a cake walk to receive. Please understand that when you make a selection of school to attend. Selecting Auburn doesn’t mean an easier path. Oh, and two of my friends from Auburn are medical doctors today. </p>

14

<p>^I agree that your path won’t necessarily be easier at Auburn.
But most of all, don’t make a decision before you have all financial aid awards in hand. Discuss costs with your parents. There are no wrong choices, except choosing huge loans (you can take on the $5,500 federal loans but you shouldn’t plan on more than that).</p>

15

<p>I agree that Auburn isn’t an inferior school. But like you said, many people seem to think it is. </p>

16

<p>I doubt that anybody really thinks that Auburn, in particular, is an inferior school. Some people simply, and erroneously, believe that state supported schools are inferior to private schools. Such folks would not even admit that, say, U.Michigan, or UNC-Chapel Hill, or UCLA, or Berkeley, or U.Virginia are worthy. They might give the College of William and Mary some respect, because it sounds like it is private (and they might not even know that it is a state school).</p>

<p>Having said that, Auburn ain’t Yale. However, Auburn is a well above average state university which can prepare you for most anything, including graduate or professional school at, say, um… Yale. And, even for out of state students, it will do so at a much lower cost than Vanderbilt or Duke (or Furman or Davidson).</p>