<p>I really need help! I can't decide between Pitt and University of Georgia. I am originally from Pittsburgh and moved to Georgia last year. My heart accchesss for Pitt and I was accepted back in October. I want to do pre-medicine at Pitt. I want Pitt SO BADLY but I really don't want to pay the OOS tuition. :-/ I can afford it, but my mom says that if I go, she can't help me pay for graduate school (and right now, I am hoping medical school). I really don't think I will be happy at University of Georgia. I hate that they're more famous for their parties, Greek life, and football, than they are for their academics. But, UGA will be significantly less money for me and I will be near my parents in case I ever find myself needing help. In Pittsburgh, my best friends are moving away. I won't have very many people to help me if I need it.</p>
<p>Go to UGA and save money for medical school. Georgia is a big diverse school with many types of students - not just party types. Join organizations with non-party interests, make contact with professors and grad students, etc. Can you get into the honors program? I know someone who got major loans to go to her dream school (Emory) and now regrets she did not go to Georgia.
Pitt has plenty of party types as well - can’t imagine the difference is that big. However I can say that your attitude will color your experience. I think that if you go to UGA with an open mind, you can have lots of fun.</p>
<p>The vast majority of med school students get loans. It is typically way too expensive for parents to pay for it. You are going to save about $15K a year at Georgia, or $60K over four years. That’s about one year of total med school costs. You just have to figure out if that is worth it in the long run if you think you’re really going to be unhappy in Athens. Remember you can always shoot for med school at Pitt.</p>
<p>If you go into biosciences, e.g. go to grad school for a PhD in a research field, you won’t have any tuition so paying for that type of grad school is a non-factor.</p>
<p>You can become a psychologist with a PhD but not a Psychiatrist - for that you need med school. A Psychologist cannot prescribe medications.
Also want to mention, UGA is a flagship school and will have many of the state’s best and brightest. You don’t need to dwell on the party scene. Many would say Athens is the perfect college town.</p>
<p>Can’t you also apply the Hope scholarship to UGA? IIRC that meant that anyone with over a 3.5 got automatic full tuition to a Ga-state school if they are a Ga-resident. Is that still a thing?</p>
<p>A clinical psychologist has a PhD. Depending on the program you do not have to pay for grad school (at Pitt is is guaranteed for four years plus you get a stipend). For tuition to these programs, there are loan repayment programs available through NIH that a lot of clinical psychologists apply for (if they do a research postdoc) after they graduate. However, a clinical psychologist program has different training than a research scientist PhD program.</p>
<p>A psychiatrist is an MD, as mentioned above. It is typically a shorter path out of school and not research oriented like the clinical psychologist might be, not that psychiatrists can’t do research, but their training is different, and obviously, has all the costs of and debt of med school. Psychiatrists are full physicians whereas clinical psychologists are not.</p>
<p>Yes the Hope scholarship still exists. I am upset though, because I worked very hard for 3 years in Pittsburgh for my 4.2 GPA and now that I moved to Georgia, they are not taking my past GPA into account. So basically, it all depends on my senior year GPA and I have really been having difficulty adjusting to the new curriculum, culture, environment, teaching styles, senioritis, etc. etc. so my GPA was barely a 3.5 after the 1st semester. UGHHH!!!</p>
<p>Flagship school? What is that? (stupid question) Why would being a flagship school mean they have the best and brightest students?</p>
<p>How do the students at UGA compare to the students at Emory or GA Tech? Are they pretty similar characteristically?</p>
<p>I just checked and you only need a 3.0 or a 3.2 for the scholarship, so shouldn’t you be ok?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It means it’s THE state school of Georgia (like University of Maryland is for Maryland or University of Virginia is for Virginia). They tend to get a lot of the best kids who are in the same predicament as you— outstanding students who can’t afford OOS schools.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Emory definitely not. For one, it’s private. For two, it’s a liberal arts school (no engineering). G-Tech may be different, but since it’s a tech school, they lean on the side of engineering and sciences as their forte (generally their best students are in these subjects).</p>
<p>Due to the Hope Scholarship (and the economy), UGA has become much more selective in recent years and does attract the best and brightest in the State. Top students have turned down Ivy League schools for the UGA Foundation Fellows Scholarship:</p>
<p>Yeah UGA was actually ranked 4 spots higher than Pitt last year. I checked before I moved.</p>
<p>I’m actually growing fonder of UGA now. I don’t hate it as much as I used to. My brother just got accepted to transfer which will make things a LOT sweeter. Plus, the HOPE and the bomb threats/recent WPIC shootings make me feel like it’s a sign for me not to go because none of that ever happened during my 18 years of living there. It’s probably time for me to move on. Also, my two best friends are moving pretty far away (not for college…like actually moving).</p>
<p>I’ve been here for 4 years and this is a first for me too, but I’m not taking it as a sign that I shouldn’t stay for grad school! This is the wrong reaction to take to these events. The WPIC shooting was an unfortunate one-time event, and these bomb threats, while irritating, do not accurately represent a normal campus atmosphere. I hope people realize this and don’t dismiss Pitt because of the actions of a few incredibly moronic individuals. </p>
<p>With that said, I’m glad that you are warming up to UGA! I really thing it is a smart decision for you.</p>
<p>Awe thanks for your help. To be honest, the people on the Pitt forum are a LOT nicer than the people on the UGA forum haha. I wish I could go to school with you guys but hopefully some rude idiots aren’t representative of the atmosphere at UGA.</p>
My brother just got accepted to transfer which will make things a LOT sweeter. Plus, the HOPE and the bomb threats/recent WPIC shootings make me feel like it’s a sign for me not to go because none of that ever happened during my 18 years of living there. It’s probably time for me to move on. Also, my two best friends are moving pretty far away (not for college…like actually moving).</p>