<p>Being a parent of a child who has gone or is going or has visited one of these schools, what are your takes on any of these schools? Pros or Cons? Likes and dislikes?</p>
<p>DePaul
Loyola University Chicago
University of Illinois (any location)
Northwestern</p>
<p>Or any well-known Pre-med programs that you know of that arn't Ivy league</p>
<p>I'm going to be a junior in the fall and was just trying to get an insight into different colleges.</p>
<p>Thanks!
-PacaMed-</p>
<p>S will be attending NU as a freshman this fall, so it’s too early to tell about likes/dislikes. NU is strong on integrated, interdisiplinary programs and he was accepted into one of these, the honors Integrated Science Program. It’s our understanding that some of the students in the ISP are pre-med and ISP degree holders have gone on to medical school.</p>
<p>There is some speciality undergrad program at NU in medical education but we don’t know anything about it, as this wasn’t an interest voiced by S. We were able to vet the ISP pretty well, as my H (a math prof at USC) happens to know a math professor at NU who was one of the founding members of ISP. ISP is pretty special, if a student can handle the rigor. It’s been described at CalTech like, with the beauty of being on a campus that isn’t otherwise dominated by STEM (like a CalTech, MIT, etc.)</p>
<p>Any good school can prepare you for med school. </p>
<p>Can you afford to go wherever you want?</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>Thanks FindAPlace! Can you explain the ISP program at NU?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids: I would like a good school, but somewhat affordable. (tuition under 30,000 which is still alot); perferably in the midwest; GPA: 3.8-3.9 havent taken the ACT yet but hope to score around a 27</p>
<p>There is a fairly clear pecking order among the four based upon the academics. I’m guessing all of these are easy for you to visit and hang around at. All are reputable schools.
While Depaul is very slightly below Loyola in academic prestige, its students are reputed to be particularly happy.
Champaign-Urbana would be second to Northwestern on your list, UIC fifth.</p>
<p>ISP at NU: [Integrated</a> Science Department](<a href=“http://www.isp.northwestern.edu/]Integrated”>http://www.isp.northwestern.edu/)</p>
<p>I looked into it last year while I was applying to college. Unfortunately I didn’t satisfy the SATII requirements, having found out about it too late, so I ended up not applying as a result.</p>
<p>University of Pittsburgh has an awesome Freshman Guarantee to Med School program, but I think a 27 on the ACT is slightly too low. The school is great for pre-med and gives out very generous scholarships based on SAT scores (though admittedly it’s not in the midwest).</p>
<p>xrCalico23 provided you with the link to ISP. </p>
<p>I will add that the ISP is a bit flexible with their SAT II requirements. S was going to be shy one SAT II (Chemistry) and would have been taking it around January or so, after having only one semester of AP Chemistry under his belt. He was bringing, however, a course completion in linear algebra and multivariable calculus in progress his senior year. ISP decided, in his case, to waive the last SAT II requirement, provided his first semester grade in AP Chemistry was good. Given that incentive of not to sit for yet another test, he got an A that semester.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link. Probably wouldn’t be my first choice of a program considering I hope to go to med school. The link did offer a good amount of information though, and sounds like a great program for anyone interested in science/engineering.</p>
<p>*I would like a good school, but somewhat affordable. (tuition under 30,000 which is still alot); perferably in the midwest; GPA: 3.8-3.9 havent taken the ACT yet but hope to score around a 27 *</p>
<p>OK…do you mean that you can spend $30k for tuition plus another $15k for room, board, books (so about $45k per year)? </p>
<p>Or do you mean that you can only spend $30k per year total? If you can only spend $30k per year, be careful not to state it as “tuition”. Instead that would be $30k per year for Cost of Attendance. :)</p>
<p>When you say it that way, it sounds like a lot of money. Honestly I’m just looking around at colleges. I’m going to be a junior next year. Hopefully, I can build up the scholarships and financial aid. </p>
<p>But pertaining to your question: Right now, money isn’t a factor. Seeing as I am just looking, researching for a lack of a better word. If I had to throw money in the mix, I guess 30-35k would be better per year (everything included). Hope that helps. </p>
<p>I’m looking into colleges in the midwest area. Researching. :)</p>
<p>Check out this forum too, much more helpful for the topic you’re asking about :).</p>
<p>[College</a> Search & Selection - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/]College”>College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Work on ACT prep. If you can score significantly above 27 you will have more choices w/r to acceptances and merit aid.</p>
<p>*I’m going to be a junior next year. Hopefully, I can build up the scholarships and financial aid.</p>
<p>But pertaining to your question: Right now, money isn’t a factor. Seeing as I am just looking, researching for a lack of a better word. If I had to throw money in the mix, I guess 30-35k would be better per year (everything included).*</p>
<p>For good scholarships, you need to get your scores up a bit. That’s ok…you’re only a rising junior so you have time to do that. :)</p>
<p>Are you leaning towards Catholic schools? If so, then possibly UDayton, SLU, St. Josephs, etc.</p>
<p>But, no matter where you end up, keep in mind that you still have med school to pay for. :)</p>
<p>Actually, Pittsburgh is sooooo close to Ohio that you could consider it almost midwest.</p>
<p>@Mafool: I haven’t taken the ACT yet; I am hoping for a 27. Hopefully, I exceed above that.</p>
<p>@Mom2collegekids: Like I mentioned to Mafool, I hope to score higher than a 27, but I will be taking my ACT in the spring. Also, I would like a Catholic school; I would be nice to go to, but my main concern right now is a good college with a good pre med-program (and/or science major). Do you know of any other colleges in illinois perhaps? I will check out the ones you have mentioned.
Ah, yes, med school, that right there=debt.
How are your kids doing in college?</p>
<p>If you are an IL resident, you can apply for UIC’s GPPA program.</p>
<p>UIC’s GPPA is hard to get into, but worth a look. It’s a very urban school; you have to love the city. Lots of commuting students. Be sure to take the PSAT in September - you may be surprised by your options. Also check out Marquette, Beloit, St. Louis U, Case Western, Kalamazoo, Illinois Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Loyola Chicago has a medical school and they offer some early admittance (as early as college junior). </p>
<p>If your ACT is above 29 and your GPA is good you can get merit aid at Loyola.</p>
<p>Keep your grades up, take the PSAT in october of your junior year, prepare for it and the National Merit program will help quite a bit, some schools offer full tuition based on that.</p>
<p>Your budget seems a bit low, 40 to 45k per year for tuition, room and board, and books is more realistic</p>
<p>Thanks to the overwhemling amount of parents/other teens that have applied. I appreciate it.</p>
<p>@Nova10 and Midwesterner: Can you explain UIC’s GPPA program? I was looking into the college as a possiblity.</p>
<p>@mapon or whomever this applies too: everyone is mentioning the PSAT(the practice SAT), should I be taking the SAT as well as the ACT? Would it benefit me? or not? Also, Loyola seems like a very good school, what are your thoughts on it?</p>
<p>Did you read the information at
[GPPA</a> Home| Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions](<a href=“Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) | University of Illinois Chicago”>Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) | University of Illinois Chicago) ?</p>
<p>A significant element to the UIC program is the exposure to a lot of medical fields. You have your heart set on being a doctor, but that could change for many reasons. There are dozens of professions connected with the medical field that could be your eventual career. The GPPA does seem like a good fit; the kids I know who have enrolled are mostly interested in medicine or pharmacy.</p>