Claremont McKenna or St. Olaf...HELP!!!!

<p>So I got off of the waitlist at Claremont McKenna, and I need to send my deposit to them by Friday (as in tomorrow) if I decide to go, and therefore it would be greatly appreciated if you all could reply to this as soon as possible!</p>

<p>I am having the most difficult time trying to decide where to go to school - Claremont McKenna or St. Olaf. I have already sent my deposit to St. Olaf.</p>

<p>I am planning on attending medical school after college, and I am a very hardworking student. My parents have saved up some money for college, but if I was to attend CMC then this money would be exhausted before I attended medical school. Also, I hope to attend UW medical school in particular, simply because it would be the cheapest medical school option for me.</p>

<p>I received a scholarship for $26,000 a year from St. Olaf, in merit money, but I didn't receive anything from CMC.</p>

<p>Obviously CMC is ranked higher, and they have a higher medical school acceptance rate. But obviously it would be a lot more expensive to go there. With regard to all other factors, such as how I felt when I visited the campuses and how well I liked the schools in general, the two schools could not be more equal (which I know sounds strange since they are quite different). So although very true, that "just go where you feel best" college advice is not going to be of much help to me.</p>

<p>I just really have no idea what to do right now, but thank you in advance for your help!</p>

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<p>The only “medical school acceptance rate” you need to be concerned about is YOURS! What other students have done is irrelevant. If you put in the right amount of effort - at either school - you’ll get the outcome you want. So, go to whichever school you prefer . . . and, if they’re really equal in your mind, then go to the one that’s cheaper. Congratulate yourself for that acceptance from CMC . . . and then go to St. Olaf and never look back!</p>

<p>If I were in your shoes, if I truly liked both schools equally and had no burning desire to live in California, I would go with the one that gave me a better financial deal. Plenty of doctors who work at the Mayo Clinic or the University of Minnesota medical center went to St. Olaf. Medical school admissions won’t be a problem.</p>

<p>Medical school will cost over 200K. Think of that as you make your decision.</p>

<p>I would go with St Olaf. Both are well represented at Medical schools. If CMC has a higher medical school placement rate, it is because the students at CMC are a little stronger, not because the school is better at placing students into Medical school. If you were pre-law, I would have probably recommended CMC, but for premed, St Olaf makes more sense given your financial situation.</p>

<p>I think this depends on finances. It sounds like you didn’t get need-based money from either school. You need to sit down with your parents and talk about where the money will be coming from to pay for your education, including medical school. If going to CMC will be a big burden to your family, or if it will endanger your ability to pay for medical school, then go to St. Olaf. If the burden isn’t very great, then go to CMC.</p>