Hello everyone 
I am deciding between Columbia University and the Penn State / Jefferson program. I am extremely anxious as I only have 10 days to make a decision. I would really appreciate any insight that could help me make the best decision.
Pros of Columbia: I really do believe that the education at Columbia is amazing. The students (from what I’ve seen) seem very smart and approachable. I would love to study in NYC, and the resources and opportunities from the graduate schools, professors, and other institutions in the city are very attractive to me.
Cons of Columbia: Life as a pre-med can be very stressful. I am not 100% guaranteed into medical school- what if I don’t get in? The core curriculum + pre med requirements does not leave me much flexibility to explore other interests. A lot of the kids at Columbia are VERY dedicaded, and although all the students I met seem chill, I’m honestly still kind of worried that many people are robots. I’m not sure if there is much community life or school spirit at Columbia (not that this is one of my top priorities, but I still want to have fun).
Pros of Penn State / Jefferson: Penn State is a great school, with also many resources. I would not have to worry about medical school, which would make my life much easier. The people in this program are SUPER nice and very friendly. They really sold me on penn state culture and vibe. I know that the Jefferson staff and the students have very good relations. Jefferson also seems like a great medical school.
Cons of Penn State /Jefferson: I really do not like how the major is “pre-medical medical”, and how I would only receive a degree after 1 year of medical school. I am also scared of being stuck in a 7 year program, and then in a couple of years realize that Jefferson is not right for me. It just seems to be happening so fast- can I really pick my graduate school in the last year of high school?
I would definitely pick Penn / State Jefferson if I was 100% sure medicine is the right career for me. But I have begun to have doubts. I don’t really have an alternate career in mind- I’m just really interested in international relations, psychology and law. I don’t want to look back and realize that I wasted an amazing opportunity to enjoy a guaranteed path into medical school though!
Any insight would be much appreciated! I’m also going to post this in the college selection thread.