<p>As the days get closer and closer to D-Day (Decision Day), I simply can't choose! I plan to major in neuroscience. I have a full ride of OSU, and would only have to pay $6000 at UMich. Someone please help me make my final decision?!</p>
<p>24000 isn’t an insane amount of debt and is manageable.
Just looking briefly online, it also appears Michigan’s program is stronger (24 vs 57)</p>
<p>[Undergraduate</a> Neuroscience Programs](<a href=“http://nsmajor.homeip.net/nsmajor/]Undergraduate”>http://nsmajor.homeip.net/nsmajor/)</p>
<p>That’s the overall ranking, but, yes, I think Michigan has a better program. However, I still want to go to med school, so is it worth passing up the money for a name that’s more well-known/more respected? That’s really what it comes down to. 
I always want to study abroad/research. I have a grant to do so at Ohio, is it easy to get scholarships for those activities at Michigan?</p>
<p>This may be one of the easiest decisions you could ever have to make. Michigan is better at just about everything and in every single category. Academics, sports, student life, location. 6000$ is a steal to go to UofM - there shouldn’t even be a contest.</p>
<p>I say pocket the 24K for medical school. This is the one situation where the better school isn’t always the right choice since you’re premed. GO BUCKEYES!!</p>
<p>Since you are guaranteed research at Ohio, that is definitely the way to go. Save the money for med school.</p>
<p>“This is the one situation where the better school isn’t always the right choice since you’re premed.”</p>
<p>What a shocker! Goldenboy recommends Ohio State, his parents alma mater, over Michigan. Of course that school wasn’t good enough for him to attend, but it’s ok for the OP. Michigan for 6K a year is the right choice here. It’s just the better all around school.</p>
<p>Is $6,000 each year something that you and your family can come up with without taking on any debt at all?</p>
<p>Would paying that amount affect your family’s ability to help pay for med school?</p>
<p>Would paying that amount mean that you can’t have an unpaid lab internship because you need a well-paid summer or school year job?</p>
<p>Would it mean that you can’t afford a semester/year abroad?</p>
<p>What are the exact benefits of that honors program package at Ohio? What would you need to do to be able to replicate them at Michigan?</p>
<p>Are you absolutely dead certain about med school?</p>
<p>You can get into a good medical program or grad program from either if these two institutions. It really is ok to choose the cheaper one if you need to or want to.</p>
<p>If you were one of my children I would advise you to go where you would have no debt. If you go to medical school you’ll have 4 more years of debt and then 3 or more years of residency where you’ll get very little pay. While you will make a lot of money once you finish all your training you’ll be surprise how long those students loans will take to pay off. Pay attention with what congress is going to vote on today concerning the interest rate on Standford loans.</p>
<p>Unless you’re in love with Ann Arbor, I’d go with TOSU. Pre-med dropout rate is far too high to get yourself in debt for what might be the better program.</p>
<p>granted however, if you did change your major, it’s probable that it would still be Michigan > TOSU. Decide what’s more important to you:</p>
<p>stronger program vs lack of debt.</p>
<p>As you can see from the responses split down the middle, you will be fine with whatever you choose. But I can really see you in scarlet and gray…</p>
<p>“granted however, if you did change your major, it’s probable that it would still be Michigan > TOSU. Decide what’s more important to you.”</p>
<p>Exactly the reason why Michigan is the best choice here. Michigan has NO academic weakness. You studied hard to attend a better school, reward yourself and attend Michigan. $6,000.00 more per year is not a strong enough reason to not attend one of the premier academic schools in this country.</p>
<p>“Unless you’re in love with Ann Arbor, I’d go with TOSU.”</p>
<p>So beyphy you would have given up UCLA to attend Ohio State if your alma mater cost 6K more per year than tOSU?</p>
<p>rjdofnovi - Everything depends on just exactly where that 6k per year is going to have to come from. Is this out-of-pocket for the parents, and just means the OP won’t get a new car as a HS graduation present? Is it money he/she is going to have to come up with through work and/or student loans? Or is it money that can only be acquired by taking on debt? We don’t know that.</p>
<p>We also don’t know if there are any GPA requirements for holding on to the aid packages that the OP has been awarded, or for staying in the honors program that is on offer at TOSU. Yes, Michigan has a great reputation, but the OP has multiple factors to consider - as one supposes you did when choosing your own college or university.</p>
<p>If the OP is still around and reading this thread, I’d suggest that he/she run the long version of the FinAid award letter comparison tool. Looking at many of the factors side-by-side can bring clarity: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Advanced Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>TOSU is a pretty strong state flagship too, top 15 at least. If you wish to practice medicine in Ohio, an OSU degree will trump a Michigan degree due to the fierce loyalty that Ohioans have for their universities.</p>
<p>“If you wish to practice medicine in Ohio, an OSU degree will trump a Michigan degree due to the fierce loyalty that Ohioans have for their universities.”</p>
<p>If that is true, it just goes to show you the ridiculous and absurd way many Ohioans are obsessed with the state of Michigan in general and The University of Michigan in particular. Normal people go to the best doctor they can find who attends to their needs. I certainly would go to see a doctor who attended tOSU if they were good and well recommended. I wouldn’t hold it against him/her if she didn’t attend a typically top ten medical school like the one in Ann Arbor. Btw, Michigan does give preference to it’s own graduates when it’s time to go to medical school. Sanjay Gupta, who attended Michigan undergrad, Medicine, and also post residency at the UMHS is a good example. He is the featured speaker at the graduation commencement ceremony in Ann Arbor tomorrow. </p>
<p>[Dr</a>. Sanjay Gupta to speak at graduation - The Michigan Daily](<a href=“http://www.michigandaily.com/news/sanjay-gupta-commencement-speaker]Dr”>Dr. Sanjay Gupta to speak at graduation)</p>
<p>This may refer to the ability join an existing medical practice, be hired by a larger hospital, or receive referrals from other physicians. In any case it would be the medical college attended that would be most likely to matter rather than the undergraduate college or university.</p>
<p>A doctor can make $6,000 in a week. The amount in question is not enough in this case to justify the decision to take the lower cost alternative. The difference between Michigan and Ohio is not a matter of opinion, the distinction is well known and quite obvious. If the OP chooses to go to Ohio, he or she probably belongs there.</p>
<p>I wonder what would the “world renown” Judah Fokman, MD have said in this case? :p</p>
<p>[Judah</a> Folkman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_Folkman]Judah”>Judah Folkman - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Both Michigan and OSU have like 50% medical school acceptance rates so who cares? This isn’t Johns Hopkins we’re talking about here. I would go to the cheapest option, especially if you wish to practice in Ohio.</p>