<p>I'm having a major dilemna over whether to attend Cornell University or the University of Delaware come next fall. Money has been a big issue for a long time with my family, but I would be attending Cornell's School of Human Ecology (land grant school) and therefore the cost wouldn't be as steep. So, at this point, money isn't that big of a factor. I received the DuPont Scholarship from the University of Delaware Honors Program, meaning I received a full ride (covers tuition, room and board, etc.) and would not be paying a dime for college. Is it better for me to be shining star at Delaware Honors or graduating from that Ivy League? I know I need to stand out and I want research opportunities. I know that Delaware would take a special interest in me, as a DuPont Scholarship winner and that my opportunities would be vast.</p>
<p>I want to have fun in school! So, just as a side note, it would be nice if someone talked about that in their post. Which school is more fun/school spirited/party hard?</p>
<p>Getting into medical school is extremely important to me. At either university I would be going in as a nutritional science major, with a possible minor in English. I eventually would like to become a pediatric endocrinologist and nutritional science seemed like a really interesting major to study as an undergraduate. I'm a little worried about the workload at Cornell University and its reputation implies an inability to maintain that 4.0 average. I really just need to know! At which school would I have better prospects of getting into a great medical school after the next four years? What looks better: graduating from Cornell or a full ride at University of Delaware Honors?</p>
<p>It doesnt matter where you go. Harvard grad school accepts people from different schools...just because you go to an ivy, doesnt mean you'll get ivy acceptance for grad school.</p>
<p>I think a lot of people have similar issues when deciding to come to Cornell. The ivy vs. state school and honors program with full ride (and sometimes perks like new laptop, special dorm, etc.). Looking back now, I and most of my friends would say that the Cornell experience was definitely unbeatable. It made getting internships so much easier, and finding undergrad research positions a breeze (which I think you need for med school). The alumni network is also incredible, and there's just this intellectual feel that you won't get in a state school. </p>
<p>And about the GPA thing: if you got into Cornell, you should be fine doing Cornell work. I've never seen anyone get bad grades just because they didn't cut it from the beginning. It's all a matter of study skills.</p>
<p>It comes down to the atmosphere you want for college. No matter what, private schools and public schools have very different feels. I think you can get into med school from either school, just perhaps it might be a little easier coming from Cornell. You will also change a lot during the next four years. Which school will give you better options in case you decide med school is not for you?</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision, and I hope you are happy where ever you decide to go.</p>
<p>it's always a tough call when choosing a college based on this. but, let me tell you that getting accepted to top 10 med schools are gonna be really hard regardless of where u attend college. these med schools' acceptance rates hover around 4 to 6 %. So, you would need a very solid gpa and great mcat scores if you are shooting for top 20, or even top 30-40 med schools in the country. w/ that being said, i think that getting a great gpa at cornell and applying might give you a bit of an edge over someone w/ similar gpa at a state school. But, bottom line is that you must excel, no matter where you go for college. GL.</p>
<p>Cornell is the slightly more risky choice. But, if you are interested in getting into top med schools, you will need to take risks. Most applicants (even the top ones from state schools) won't even sniff a Top 20 med school. There are simply too many applicants with 3.8+ GPA's for top med schools to take them all. However, if you can get a high GPA at Cornell, you have a decent shot. In fact, 80% of Cornellians with a 3.8+ GPA (not even looking at their MCAT scores) get into a Top 20 med school (as defined by US News). This figure is straight out of the HCEC handbook so I'm not making this up. </p>
<p>Now, you're thinking, what if I get a 3.2? It's possible. However, if you end up with a 3.2 at Cornell, you wouldn't have been a 3.8 student at UDelaware anyway. It's rather amusing to hear marginal students at Cornell whine about how they'd be 4.0 students at their state schools. puhleeeze Their GPA's may be higher by 0.1 or something but not 0.8.</p>
<p>My advice:
If you like UDelaware significantly more than Cornell, then go to Delaware. If you like them both about the same, come to Cornell.</p>
<p>People will say that your undergrad doesn't matter but people who've interviewed at top med schools know that it does. You don't see UDelaware kids interviewing at Penn Med or Harvard Med. You don't even see Berkeley kids. All you see are Cornell, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Duke, WashU, etc. Despite the fact Top 20 colleges only produce 10% of all med school applicants, they often make up a majority of the students top med schools interview.</p>
<p>I know several kids who were faced with the decision of whether to attend a Cornell-caliber school or whether to take a full-ride at a state university honors program.</p>
<p>Some made one choice; some made the other.</p>
<p>In general, the pre-meds tended to go for the state university. The reason is simple: money. You say that money isn't that big an issue, but I think it might be, if you and your parents consider the full cost of your undergraduate education plus medical school.</p>
<p>When you say that money is not a big issue, I'm assuming that you mean that you would not have to take out loans to go to Cornell. That's great. But what happens when the time comes for medical school? Will the amount of money that your parents had budgeted for your education have run out by then if you go to Cornell? Will you have to take out loans to pay for the entire cost of medical school?</p>
<p>You may also want to ask your parents what they are willing to pay, not just what they are able to pay. Not all parents are willing to contribute to the cost of a child's education beyond a bachelor's degree. Views on this issue vary from family to family. You need to know whether, if you go to UDel, your parents would be willing to hang on to the money that they would otherwise have spent on your undergraduate education and let you have it to help pay your medical school bills, or whether they would have other plans for that money.</p>
<p>I love Cornell. It's a great school. But my daughter is not pre-med. The financial situation of students who know that they are headed for medical school (or law school) is different from that of other students because they have more years of college/professional school costs to pay for. Talk with your family, and make sure that the decision you make is financially sound as well as educationally sound.</p>
<p>^This is a good point. Finances always play a role when you're thinking about med school. How much will you have to pay for Cornell? If it's under $50,000 total for the 4 years, I think Cornell is still worth it. If we're talking about $150,000, then that'll be an issue.</p>
<p>You are in an enviable position which offers somewhat of a reasonable compromise. Consider enrolling as a Dupont Scholar at the Univ. of Delaware with the knowledge that if it doesn't work out for you during the first year or two, that transfer to Cornell University may be an option. Cornell offers many students a guaranteed transfer option which is exercised after a freshman year elsewhere at the discretion of the student. Inquire as to whether or not Cornell University will permit you to trade in your acceptance for a guaranteed transfer option. I am recommending this because I think that you may benefit more from the Dupont Scholar status at a flagship state university than from regular undergraduate status at Cornell University. Were your scholarship from a small LAC, then my advice might be different. Hope this helps. Either way, you now have three or four great options to consider. Cornell University, fortunately for you, is accustomed to accepting transfers for both sophomore & junior years.</p>
<p>For the land grant schools, Cornell is about $25,000 total per year (but I think I might get a bit of financial aid). Money is not out of the question and I'm leaning towards Delaware for that reason alone. I'm the kind of kid who will be happy wherever I go. I want to be challenged and I know honors classes or Cornell classes would provide that opportunity. I know that research opportunities are plentiful at Delaware especially for Honors students. I really do want to enjoy my college experience. I know my parents are not able to afford undergrad and med school combined. I want confirmation that I'm not passing up the best opportunity (by going to Cornell) for a program that will put me at a disadvantage for medical school acceptance.</p>
<p>icy9ff8, I doubt that Cornell would allow a trading of an acceptance for a guaranteed transfer option. Guaranteed transfers are given to those who applied for freshman admission and were not accepted, but were given the guaranteed transfer allowing them to transfer after a year or so. Nicole9093, it really boils down to your own preference as to whether you want to go to Cornell or UDelaware. Make a LONG list of pros and cons, and see if that helps. Also, if you have time to, see where you want to go to Medical School, and try to find out what kind of students got on. That might help to know what you would have to work on in your undergraduate education and may help decide which school would better off give an education compatible to what the Medical School wants.</p>
<p>Regarding post #10: I think that I am correct with my suggestion concerning Cornell University's guaranteed transfer option. I am quite familiar with the process. It is up to Cornell's admission's officers at this point. Perhaps the poster in post #10 did not understand my suggestion (actually it is quite clear that that is the case). This needs to be done immediately and prior to May first.</p>
<p>icy9ff8, I understand clearly when you said: "Inquire as to whether or not Cornell University will permit you to trade in your acceptance for a guaranteed transfer option." Again, I don't think you can do that. This was a question in another thread, to which the answer was no. I am very familiar with the guaranteed transfer option because I was given one. It clearly stated that I was not accepted for freshman admission, but can come in my sophomore year, meaning the person has to be rejected first, not accepted from the get-go and ask for a trade.</p>
<p>Anyway, Nicole, I'm glad you made the decision to attend Cornell. I hope to see you soon, as I am a guaranteed transfer for Fall 08! Go Big Red!</p>