Hi all,
I am currently trying to find more colleges to add to my application list. I want to major in Biology and will be a Pre-Med student. I am also interested in majoring in Public Health, and I love Marine Biology (though probably not a legitimate career choice for me). This is my current list (in no particular order).
1.) Emory
2.) Vanderbilt
3.) WashU
4.) Duke
5.) Johns Hopkins
6.) Harvard
7.) Tulane (maybe)
8.) University of Kentucky (State school)
9.) Case Western
What are some schools that are similar that I may be missing out on? Any comments on any of the schools on my list? I would prefer a school in the Eastern United States. Thanks!
Tufts, Wake Forest and URochester would be schools that fit your current mix. LACs may be academically suitable for you as well, and should be considered.
Do you know anything about the research at Wake Forest? I noticed that it is not a research I school. Also, do you know much about Tulane? Would you suggest dropping any of the schools on my list?
What matters is whether professors involve students in their research. It’s pointless to attend a Research I school where only grad students get to do research…
@NoVADad99 I hope to receive some merit aid (I know not all of these schools offer this though. I am also a dependent of a veteran, so I am eligible for post 9/11 GI bills. This also opens up opportunities for additional outside scholarships. I don’t believe that my parents would pay for more than room and board + other fees.
Do you want to go to grad school for Public Health or major in that undergrad with Bio or…? Are you wanting to do Bio because you love Bio or because you think it best for pre-med/PH and marine?
My D has similar interests and also considered Tulane (tropical disease fascinated her and they have the oldest program in the country as I recall) and Emory (the CDC is right there). For various reasons she chose a different college but they were in the running until near the end.
Re: Marine Bio - if it an interest but not what you plan to major it, you can do a semester at sea (rather than abroad, or at sea abroad) or a summer program/course from most any college.
I’ll add a few questions to help you narrow this down. One is definitely about cost/budget - how much will your parents pay? Have you run some net price calculators to see if that’s about right for these schools? Your parent is a vet, does that mean any guaranteed scholarship or just eligibility to apply for some outside scholarships?
Also you don’t say what your grades and test scores are like so it’s hard to list schools that might be safety/matches for you.
@OHMomof2 I want to double major in Public Health and Biology, and I want to do bio because I love bio! Marine Biology is more of an interest, but I would consider majoring or minoring in it.
I have run some of the net price calculators and some are still really expensive, but I am guaranteed to some and am eligible for other scholarships. I currently have a 4.0 and a 32 on the ACT (I just took it again, so hopefully it will go up). What other schools did your D consider?
@merc81 That is correct. Most on my current list have either a public health major or similar minor (such as Case Western having a bioethics minor), with the exception of Harvard. Harvard was included due to its stellar pre-med program and since it is an academic powerhouse.
She actually applied to Case and Vandy too but they didn’t make the final group.
She chose Amherst College. She’s not pre-med but is still interested in PH, via a different major.
Many schools do not offer undergrad public health majors. That certainly doesn’t mean you can’t go into PH,. you can do a lot right out of college or get an MPH or related degree in epidemiology or (bio)statistics or whatever it is in PH that interests you. If you decide to get an MD/DO you can still work in public health, of course.
You can get a good Bio program at a lot of schools. Pre-med too. Marine bio is less common so maybe look into that a little if you care to have it, and then look at other factors. Cost, location, vibe, etc.
University of Rochester offers four or five public health majors . Plus, it’s easy to double major there. It’s very common, for instance, for students to major in public health AND biology. They have a 3-2 BA/MPH program, as well. OTOH, I’m not sure they have any major (or minor) offerings in marine biology there.
Do you in fact need merit scholarships?
If your parents are willing to cover only r&b plus fees, that leaves $40K-$50K in tuition at the private schools on your list. At very selective private schools that do offer merit grants, average amounts typically are much less than full tuition. Furthermore, merit scholarships from those schools typically offset any need-based aid you’d otherwise get.
If there is a big gap between your Expected Family Contribution and what your parents actually are able and willing to cover, then you need a strategy to close it. That may involve focusing on schools that are less selective or have much lower sticker prices.