<p>Hello, I'm a senior this year and I was considering three in-state colleges for my undergrad: UGA, GA Tech, and Emory. I plan to major in Biology, Chemistry, or Pre-med (really a major that's in the science area) and go to medical school afterwards.
I really like Georgia Tech because the campus is amazing, tuition is basically free because of Hope, and that it's a very good school. However, it's an engineering school...if I go to GA Tech with the intention of going to med school afterwards, would this affect my application for med school in any way? Will both UGA and GA Tech prepare me well for med school or is one better than the other? (I know Emory is also very good but the tuition is way too much for me)</p>
<p>Yes, but I believe Tech is better . Some from other schools will say it’s too hard, but if you major in natural sciences it isn’t overly tough from what I’ve seen. I’ve seen much worse here for example. Although natural sciences here are challenging, Tech engineering, say BME, of course still takes it for a nice little ride, however pre-meds need not major in that lol. However, most of the pre-med core courses here end up being exceptionally intense here and curves/exam difficult are set to yield 2.7 course gpa b/c of all the pre-meds (the most similar course we have to Tech pre-med core rigor is general chemistry. The other courses like biochem, organic chem, and gen. biology are approached much differently here. However, physics and math is comparatively easy, so you get a free pass here unless you start at calc. 3, Diff. Eq, or something in which case it’s about the same. I suppose it balances out). Pre-meds usually have to seek fluff classes to buffer their GPA whether it be an easier going science course or a humanity. Social sciences don’t tend to help most pre-meds/science oriented here (they tend to get the Bs or lower). </p>
<p>Tech will be challenging, but if you work hard, you’ll get the same grades as you would get at UGA or here and you’ll have plenty of research opps. Also, being in Atlanta is advantageous b/c of all of the major hospitals to volunteer at or do work. Like Emory midtown hospital is “around the corner” from Tech. And if you wanted to work over here instead (like at Wesley Woods), there is a shuttle running here or you can come over from midtown hospital (bus runs from campus to midtown hospital and back). Also, the CDC is here. I don’t know, Atlanta is just a great place to do pre-med. I’m personally not pre-med (just bio and chem BS), but my friends have benefited greatly from the tons of resources and opps. in the Atlanta area. And if you are interested in courses not offered at Tech, we partner cross-enrollment w/them so you can come on over and take neuroscience based courses or some of the more liberal arts intensive courses (like via the anthro. dept or some of the neuroscience based courses in psyche) so you need not miss out. You can also show up to the “med school visits” (when deans of w/e med. schools show up) that occur very frequently throughout the year, or any research symposiums. Tech and Emory have a good relationship, so you can interact w/both w/o having to pay all the money (I am on fin. aid and scholarship, that’s the only reason I can attend). Being successful at UGA takes lots of focus and ability to avoid distraction (okay, this is every school, but UGA has more distractions than the others or at least those distractions tend to be more heavily indulged there).</p>
<p>Tech has a slight advantage because it is smaller. They will have some very large classes (175+) but they will still be significantly smaller than UGA’s and when you are taking intro. science courses, this can make a world of difference. Even if Tech is tougher content wise, you can do better b/c of the smaller environment. Also, Tech seems to be much better at learning resources like tutoring outlets and SI (supplemental instruction, or they call it their PLUS sessions). I checked UGA’s website for this and it seems they only have more traditional tutoring (which may not be as easily accessed w/the high pop. there), especially for intro. You don’t get SI or PLUS sessions (as figured, my friend was struggling in gen. chem there and said there were no such outlets. He was essentially screwed) and many students need additional help, yet it can be hard to get (outside of contacting the TA). Also, their classes are huge and I think that they still don’t have recitation sections. This has proven to be very helpful at other schools w/large courses and at Tech. So while UGA appears much easier for a pre-med and does have an awesome campus, I don’t think it’s easier. Being pre-med there seems similar to Tech engineering, very “sink or swim”, and the easier content doesn’t save it from being that way. </p>
<p>Also, note that Tech gets about as much as Emory into medical school (or a few percentiles less, but I wouldn’t scoff at it), so both are good (actually Emory has way too many applying, it’s possible that pre-health students at Tech are easier to advise/manage b/c they are less % wise). </p>
<p>Unless you are high income, I wouldn’t count out Emory yet. We still provide pretty solid financial aid, and maybe if you are really good, you can try for Emory scholars. Cross your fingers and hope for a nomination. Anyone of the scholarships or Emory Advantage can pave a way.</p>