I am going to be an undergraduate majoring in Biology but I couldn’t choose between Simmons University which I have to pay 6k a year and UMass Boston which is full ride. I want a school that can surely get me a job when I graduate, since I heard that it’s hard to find a job in the first year from UMass Boston especially in the bio field. I might be considering switching to another school into Biotech (BU or NEU) or something like that.
Please help!!
What are your actual out-of-pocket costs likely to be? Does the U Mass scholarship cover everything (tuition, fees, meals, housing, books, materials, personal expenses)? Where would the 6K for Simmons come from, and would that amount increase each year? What do you need to do to keep your scholarships in future years?
It is hard to get a job in biology with just a bachelor’s degree, no matter where you graduate from, because there are so many students who graduate with that major and so few jobs specifically for people with only a bachelor’s degree in biology. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a job at all. If you are open to positions that aren’t immediately related to biology, or if you focus your internships and coursework on biotech, there will be other options.
Contact the career centers at each campus and ask them where their bio majors have found work recently.
Where is the difference coming from?
Simmons likely has a more personalized advising system which might help you, but 6k a year could be a big or a small amount…
Could you major in something else? Biology really isn’t the right major if you want a job right after graduation…
In general, Simmons IMHO would provide more individualized teaching and career placement care. It’s a school that’ has both the intellectual rigor and the career-orientation that I believe you’re seeking. If costs are equal ore close to equal (or you can afford it regardless) I would choose Simmons. It’s also part of a consortium and you can take classes at other schools nearby. Simmons is a hidden gem IMHO and you will be pleased with that as your choice.
Thank you all.
The 6k net tuition is just for direct costs (excluding books) which is renewable each year. I could pay 6k but that means that I can’t spend money on other personal things for four years, like travel, eating out. My main concern is finding a job, but I don’t know if I would end up being just a lab technician (which I don’t want to) even if I do attend Simmons, this means that I spent 6k*4=24k to just work the same position that I would have if I graduated paying nothing from UMass Boston.
But would I find the same resources at UMass Boston if I looked and asked professors?
Any thoughts???
Simmons has been on shaky financial ground for several years. Not sure what the pandemic will do to their bottom line.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/19/metro/ratings-agency-warns-simmons-about-debt/
Have you been admitted to the honors program at UMass Boston?
Would you be living on campus at either one?
Are you sure you can’t major in something else, such as biostatistics, bio informatics, statistics&public health… fields that involve biology and have direct job market applicability? Or perhaps specific branches of biology or biochemistry?
(I’m asking this because you want to have a job right after college and biology has the lowest ROI of all majors. You’d be better off majoring in English.)
Can you look at the career center at UMass Boston?
These days going for a full ride is better then having to think about paying 6000 a year. Small colleges in Boston are falling one after the other. (Newbury, Mount Ida, Wheelock and now Pine Manor). Keep in mind your thinking of transferring to BU and NEU they might cost more so saving 6000 would be helpful plus Boston is expensive.
Once again, thank you for your help.
To conclude, and correct me if I’m wrong. Majoring in just plain biology (being no other branch in biology like biotechnology), it is hard to find a job in pharmaceutical and industries.
Also, paying 6k to attend Simmons (means that I would have to be on a really tight budget) is not worth it. And that I would be better off saving 6k every year and attending UMass Boston since they can offer me the same practice opportunities in the major.
Please say something if you have anything to comment on my conclusion of the situation.
Well, not quite. Simmons will offer something different from UMass Boston - smaller classes, more personalized advising, etc.
The problem is that biology is the lowest ROI major, with an oversupply of majors that the market couldn’t absorb even before the recession.
What do you want to do with a biology major?
What’s your efc?
Can you answer questions in #6?
An undergrad degree in Biology or a sub-discipline does not lead to good career prospects. There is a glut of PhD’s in the sciences (take 5 minutes and look it up on the web) and this rolls down to those with lower degrees. Even though Bio is a challenging major, many who pursue employment using their degree find relatively low paying lab work with little prospect of advancement. If you want to work in the sciences then you should be aiming for a PhD and even then it isn’t a walk in the park.
Basically, if you want to find a job after college, we’re advising you to major in something else. Anything else. If you’re passionate about biology, you can easily minor in it.
Simmons has Biostatistics, which is a major that mixes math and biology, chemistry management, Data Science (which, paired with biology, would be very employable especially nowadays), Health informatics, Public Health+Nutrition&Health Promotion.
All would yield better professional results than Biology and all include quite a bit of biology (or could be paired with a biology minor).
At UMass Boston, your choices would be either Biotechnology or Exercise&Health science.
One thing that Simmons has going for it, to echo the above and maybe amplify it, are career-oriented programs, such as those mentioned and nursing.
Does that mean that they’ll find me a job regardless if the major is or isn’t a career-oriented program?
They don’t find you a job.
They offer a context where, if you take advantage of all opportunities, you can build a rich resume with many in-demand skills (especially data analysis or statistics).
If you do a plain Bachelor’s in biology there are basically no jobs even in the best of times, but the career center may be able to figure out what skills you demonstrated by majoring in biology.
Email each university, ask about the % of science majors who have had internships (summer internships? externships during the semester?) Ask whether they organize career preparation sessions for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors; what those workshops entail; whether the career center has had any recognition; what’s the ratio career counselor: students.
You’ve not answered questions in #6, can you do so? It’d help us help you.
Another advantage for Simmons is their BS/MS programs, meaning that you could complete both your BS and MS in either 4 or 5 years total, depending on your major.
Where, exactly, would the 6k each year for Simmons come from? How tight would your budget end up being? I’m a huge fan of Simmons, but if the numbers aren’t going to work for you, they aren’t going to work. Check U Mass more carefully for coursework and job placement after graduation. If that has to be where you go, you can find ways to make the situation good for yourself.
Umass Boston is a full ride?
Including Dorm and board? or is a full tuition and fees scholarship, and you commute.
Normally a Chancellor’s scholarship (full tuition and fees) in Umass Boston, give you a spot in the honors college, and the opportunity of graduating 4+1 with Master (four years free, and Master in half time and half cost.
Good Luck
thanks
Answering #6 I will apply for the honors college if I do enroll at UMass Boston.
I will be commuting at either schools.
I am open to all branches except biochem.
Yes I am waiting for their reply.
Also, I did look for jobs online and some job openings the requirements were a BS in biology with some experience.
Thanks for answering.
Except for your EFC 
= Do you know your EFC?
Where would the 6,000 for Simmons come from? Is that direct cost (ie., to pay tuition/fees) or is that with all costs (ie., that’d pay for tuition, fees, books, transportation, miscellaneous)?
Check your acceptance packet: either you were admitted already and need to reply that if you enroll you’ll take your place, or you need to email.
"If you are a current high school student and you received an invitation to join the Honors College with your UMB acceptance packet, your invitation will include instructions on how to confirm your seat within the Honors College.
If you are a current high school student and you did not receive an invitation to join the Honors College with your UMB acceptance packet, we strongly encourage you to write to us to express your interest: honors.ambassadors@umb.edu An Honors Community Ambassador will respond to you with information on how to apply."