<p>matty, if you take your own advice, just go to whatever school fits the BEST FOR YOU, the school that is right for you. Notre Dame ranks higher than USC according to at least one source, but what does ranking really tell YOU anyways? </p>
<p>For me, I am leaning toward the school that will HELP ME the most in becoming a medical doctor, and if Cornell's excellent premed preparatory program (whoa, alliteration there, yeah got carried away preping for IB exams:) helps giving me some edge in getting admitted to and getting ready for med school (I heard those kids who survive cornell premed are unbelievably prepared for your average medical school education) , then i lean for Cornell university, even though it may cost me a couple of points on my GPA, a whole lot of percentages in class ranking, and tens of thousands of dollars worth of money.</p>
<p>Sean, I know what you mean as far as premed is concerned.</p>
<p>I am either doing premed or BEE if I go to Cornell. </p>
<p>However, they offered me $16,000 compared to $17,000 at U of Rochester $22,000 at Union or RPI with a free laptop at RPI.</p>
<p>I think the overall academic quality is comparable to the best departments at Rochester, and RPI. </p>
<p>Social life and standard of living seems much higher than any of the schools I looked at, good housing, great food, cool collegetown, beautiful campus.</p>
<p>Prestige and networking is also great, there are so many alumni, and a very cohesive network. . . .every Cornellian in my area seems to know eachother, it's kind of creepy.</p>
<p>So the difference in cost of Cornell for me consists of going into $7000 of debt per year, (less if I can manage more outside scholarships, or make more this summer), a lot of time working on academics, and a few points on my GPA, but I would gain a world-class education. . . . .so it's worth it.</p>
<p>My internal arugument. . . . is it better to splurge on the best undergrad degree you can get or save for grad/professional school?</p>
<p>oh Xtreme, we keep reaching this question. It is one of mine also, btw I'd have to go into more loan than you do, say about twice as much loan from their FA loans and I'd have to do work study for 10, 12 hours a week, man I swear i'm not gonna live long with the sleep deprivation . The prestige, connections/network, hundreds of thousands of alumni (i think the brochure said somethin like over 200,000 living alums, 230k something like that) are nice too, but a first-rate education, so many good things at cornell.
Getting into cornell no doubt can help you some in getting into a good grad/prof. school (not necessarily med school, but cornell should be excellent across the board) with cornell's grad acceptance rates. But getting into a top grad/professional school may been even more debt, way more debt, huge HUGE burden even if we can make lots of money in the future, that could cut my life short too , on top of getting little sleep with these killer schools. </p>
<p>To splurge or not to splurge now??? THat, my friend, is the question, for you and for me.</p>
<p>To splurge or not to splurge , ppl in sim. sits. plz tell us what you think, splurge on undergrad or save for grad. That is the internal struggles Xtreme and I are having. my head really hurst now, and I don't want to waste much more brain power on this, i wnat to save what little i have to get through hs first.</p>