<p>One problem that I'm facing now that I'm accepted at a couple of colleges around the United States is whether I should pick a college that is close or far away from my home. I do not hate, or dislike the area I come from, however I feel I should be exposed to more. I come from a small town outside of Scranton Pennsylvania, which means that right in my "backyard" is the University of Scranton. This is obviously a great thing to have at one's fingertips. Not only that, but my family owns a small house that no one lives in that we renovating right now. This seems like the perfect opertunity for me. On the other hand, all my friends keep telling me I'm going to be missing out on that " college experience ". To tell ya the truth however, my main reason is to learn and do the best I can so I have an easy time getting into med school after college. So what should I do? Stay close by and have it exceptionally easier, or go away?</p>
<p>Hmm...this is a tough question for someone to answer. It really depends on what you are looking to get out of the so-called "college experience." I personally think the experience is overrated. You could always try one of the options and if you don't like it you can transfer. Nothing is set in stone.</p>
<p>I'd say go away. The experience of being on my own, doing things I've never done, meeting all of these people and having the challenges of independence all weigh heavily against familiarity. </p>
<p>P.S. College is what you make of it. So, if you do decide to stay, make it the best possible experience ever. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Totally depends on you, but for the record, I do think that there's a lot of real world value in the "college experience."</p>
<p>If you do stay close to home, think hard about living alone and off-campus as a freshman. My sister is doing that right now and she's not a fan. She has an amazing apartment in an incredible area and she knows people around her, but she misses out on dorm life, campus life, and a lot of social stuff. It's not that she needs to party and distract herself, but she's felt lonely and isolated, and getting to know people has been a real energy-drain (and she's about as social as they come). Maybe it's right for some people, but I think that on-campus living is a valuable experience, however undesirable it can sound (roommates, dining halls, shared showers, and such).</p>
<p>I think that it's good to see something else, especially at a time like this when you know you're not bound to anything. If you decide that PA is your favorite place in the world, then you can come back to it at the end of 4 very short years. I went to school far enough away that I couldn't go home whenever I felt homesick or grumpy, but close enough that I could fly home cheaply and easily for important events (little sister in the school play, sudden funeral, etc.). For me, this was the perfect compromise. I loved my home, but I also knew that I needed to get beyond it for a little while. It's worth noting that I say this now as a graduate who was terrified of leaving home (and is now typing this from halfway across the world)!</p>
<p>Since you mention your friends, is that it can be very difficult to be the one "left at home" if a lot of your friends have gone away. Be sure you're okay with that if you decide to stick around.</p>
<p>I'd encourage you to apply to a few schools nearby as well as away from home. My original interests were all on the east coast, but when it came down to it, I ended up applying to almost all "local" (in state) schools (9/11). Another of my friends only applied to one in-state school, at her guidance counselor's suggestion, but decided after acceptances came out that she really wanted to stay in California. She wound up at her school totally by default (luckily it worked out for the best). If you're unsure, make sure to give yourself a little bit of flexibility come decision time.</p>
<p>Totally your call, but the opportunity to go away for a few years, if it's one that your family can afford and will allow, shouldn't be tossed away too quickly. </p>
<p>Good luck, either way :)</p>
<p>I guess the right thing to do is to stay close if you see that no harm is coming in your way, but if you see harm. Please go away.</p>
<p>Three hours is a great distance to live away for college. It's too long to go home every weekend or every other weekend or whatever, but when its time for breaks its not that bad of a drive.</p>
<p>there are so many colleges in that area that are like 1-2 hours or less away from scranton...visit some and see if you like them</p>
<p>For me, anything within a 5 hour driving distance is much too close. I think being far away from your parents is really a great lesson. My friends at home who live 2 hours away at UGA either go home every other weekend or their parents go out to visit them. That, in my opinion, is no way to start your adult life. I'd rather jump right out there than be completely overwhelmed when I have my first full time job and am paying my own way.</p>
<p>But everyone responds differently. For some, starting college and being away is just too much. It's really all on you- no one can get inside your brain and know what you're thinking in regards to staying at home or going away.</p>
<p>going away can be tough and Im not sure yet whether or not it was a good choice. plus, it have all that much to do with distance, but rather the lifestyle and environment.</p>
<p>well, I went from new york city to rural/suburban vermont and although its only a 5 hr drive, it was a huge change for me. I was homesick to the point where it was depressing and distracting during my first month. now that ive sort of settled in, it been better, but it was hell when I first got started.</p>
<p>I thought that experiencing change would help me learn to adapt and build on my personal qualities. whether or not it actuallly builds character I can't be sure of, but I sure a hell hope it does.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses and replies, I read through all of them. However, I still really can't decide what to do, but i guess that's part of moving on past high school. Thanks again, I plan on doing a lot of studying abroad so I figure, if I stay around home I'll make it easier on myself. Not only to get better grades and to focus better since all of my friends will be gone, but even when I do study abroad I will have some place relaxing to come home to. This is hardest decision I've ever made by far.</p>
<p>My school's only about an hour away, and I ended up visiting home about once a month, usually more because my parents wanted me to than I really wanted to. I certainly went home more than my friends who were from other states, but I feel I got just as much of the "college experience" as they did.</p>
<p>My school is 2.5-3 hours away from home, and the only time I go home is fall break / spring break / winter break. Should it be necessary, I could get home quikcly if needed, but as far as I'm concerned, if it's necessary, I could get home within 24 hours from anywhere in the country. It is close enough that my parents can come see some of my concerts too, but that didn't factor into my decision making at all.</p>
<p>I see a few warning flags here. First of all, you haven't spent a day in college and yet you're already looking past your college years to med school. College is just a stamp you need to get where you really want to be, am I right?</p>
<p>I suggest you talk to current med students if you know any, or post on the pre-med board (maybe even the parents forum, there are some doctors who frequent it). Ask their advice on how to spend your college years. I think you'll find that med school is challenging, the residency years are tough, and that after that the commitment to medicine soaks up more time than you could imagine. And that the advice you'll get is not to lose sight of the goal, but to also be sure to take full advantage of the college years -- make new friends, try new things, enjoy what may be the last time to do these things for many years. Furthermore while grades are critical, its not all med schools look at. They have a holistic approach, and kids that do nothing but study don't tend to do so well. </p>
<p>And let me add that even though you may be 100% sure you're going into medicine, no doubt whatsoever, the same can be said of many entering frosh. Something like 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 3 frosh are planning on med school, and quite obviously most of them don't make it. This isn't to say that you won't, but you have to admit there's at least a chance your plans may change. Making all your decisions around med school admissions (rather than influenced by med school considerations) may not be your best course of action.</p>
<p>One more thing I want to mention is the likelihood of Scranton screening med school applicants, although you didn't bring it up (perhaps didn't know to ask about it). The University of Scranton has a high acceptance rate into medical school, 81% according to their website. Rather than being good news, often a high rate is bad. It strongly hints that the college screens its applicants and discourages or prevents weaker kids from applying.</p>
<p>Scranton is a good school, but not among the top ranked in the country. It admits 70% of its applicants. The average HS GPA is 3.33, and only 25% of the frosh score better than 600 on the SAT verbal or math. (See U-CAN:</a> University of Scranton :: Page 1) At Penn State (with arguably a stronger student body) about 60-65% of those who apply to med school get in, and the nationwide average is around 40%. So how can Scranton do so well in med school admissions? Warning bells should be ringing at this time :( </p>
<p>Read some of the links at Health</a> Professions Organization - Advice and Info, where it says
[quote]
Mary F. Engel, Ph.D. (<a href="mailto:engelm1@scranton.edu">engelm1@scranton.edu</a>) is the HPO Faculty Advisor and Director of Health-Professional School Placement. It is to your advantage to meet with Dr. Engel on occasion for advice and feedback regarding where you stand as a pre-professional student.
[/quote]
Med schools require applicants to submit what is called a committee letter, which you obtain from your college. My suspicion is Scranton is a school that not only screens applicants (eg. tells them that they will write an unfavorable letter unless they judge them to be a strong applicant), they meet with them early and often to discourage those they see as weak from even getting that far. Even if you disregard advice that you give it up and make it to the the stage of applying to med school, it is pointless if your college tells you their letter will say they cannot recommend you. Hence only the strongest kids apply, and to nobody's surprise most of them get in.</p>
<p>Since you're keen on med school and are considering staying near home to attend this school, I'd suggest contacting their advisor (preferably in person) to find out how many kids start pre-med, how many end up applying, and whether they write unfavorable committee letters.</p>
<p>I don't think being far or close to home should be a factor at all. Instead, do some good research into your school choices as far as academics, as well as think hard about what is the best environmental fit for you in terms of size, student body, etc.</p>
<p>Being close to home means NOTHING in terms of college experience. It is an extremely immature point of view to equate being close to home with somehow "missing out" on becoming independent, meeting new people, etc. Here's my story as an example. I go to college 15 minutes away from my home, and yet I truly believe I have become more independent, and seen and experienced more - in terms of situations and people - than many of my friends who traveled out of state for just those purposes. Why? My college is massive and it's close to a nearby city. Many students don't take advantage of this, going home every weekend and hanging out with high school buddies. I, on the other hand, don't use the distance to home as a crutch or see my home university as something "cozy and familiar". Instead, I see the distance as a non-issue and my university and city as something to constantly explore and grow into. I shop for everything I need by myself, I strike up conversations with new people on campus every day, I find a new place to study every afternoon, I've learned how to navigate buses, trains, metros, I've travel on my own to different cities and for the first time I'm thoroughly exploring the one in my backyard, I party, I watch national choirs and wind ensembles perform, go to art exhibits and gallerys, saw my first college football game and smoked my first joint and drank my first beer and get up by myself every morning and do my hw without parents nagging over my shoulder; I've carved out a niche on this huge campus and taken advantage of so many of its services. And because of my attitude, I've had an amazingly positive college experience. </p>
<p>What really made my freshman year, though, is dorming - rent out that empty house for a year or two!</p>
<p>^ very well said, it doesnt matter how far away the college is to your home, but your own attitude and personality.</p>
<p>As a current freshman at a college 2,000 miles away from the home I lived in for the first 18 years of my life, I would say do not let distance be a factor in your decision. Find a school that fits you personally, and where you feel you'd be happiest. For me, it ultimately came down to either a school that was a 20 minute drive away or a school that was a five hour plane ride away. I'm very much a homebody and almost whimped out, but I chose the five hour plane ride and haven't looked back.</p>
<p>The problem is academically I fit into a unique catagory. For the past 2 years I've been pulling off GPAs no less then 3.9s consistently and my first quarter of my senior year I pulled off a 4.333. The thing is I'm learning a ton to; However my SAT scores do not reflect what I know. I do horrific on standardized tests. The sats have really discouraged me from looking at a ton of colleges because of the high standard alot of college place on them. But that not all, I'm outgoing in my school, participating in soccer, track, drama, and baseball. I don't really know where I fit in, close to home, far away, intellectual college. It's even harder because I don't really completely understand what dictates a good college for getting into medicial school. I guess I'm just overwhelmed and confused. No one can really give me a direct answer, which is kind of what I'm used to getting. It's hard to make a decision for sure.</p>
<p>In that case you should definitely consider liberal arts colleges (if you aren't already), since they tend to look at the applicant as a whole and not just at the statistics. Believe me, my sat scores were nothing to write home about but I was still accepted to Colorado College, which is a very selective school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It's even harder because I don't really completely understand what dictates a good college for getting into medicial school. I guess I'm just overwhelmed and confused. No one can really give me a direct answer, which is kind of what I'm used to getting. It's hard to make a decision for sure.
[/quote]
Use the search function on the top bar to look for posts by bigredmed, a current med student who posts lots of good advice.</p>
<p>My take is it isn't so much the college, but what you do that makes the difference in getting in. Med schools look at GPA (especially in the core science courses), your MCATs, your essays and interview, and your relevant experience. They like to see research experience, they expect to see some volunteer or paid work in a medical setting so you know what you're getting into.</p>
<p>There is no "pipeline" into med school, and schools that boast a high rate either start with very smart kids (who are going to get in no matter what), or screens and prevents/discourages those outside the top tier from applying. </p>
<p>It's not too early to get a book about med school admissions so you know you'll spend your college years doing the things that help you towards your goal. Simply locking yourself away and getting a great GPA, as you by now realize, is not the answer.</p>
<p>Finally, welcome to the real world :( Nobody can give you direct answers because there isn't one. There hasn't been one all along, its just that nobody ever told you that. Out of all the possible things you could have been taught, have you been taught the ones best for you in the best manner possible? Of course not. You took the standard HS curriculum, and got whatever teacher they gave you. You weren't offered a choice. Now you have a choice in what to learn and where to learn it, so it's no surprise the perceived certainty is gone. And the people that seemed so sure of themselves, that gave you those "direct" answers? Most of that was BS, even if they believed it themselves. The world is full of uncertainty and unpredictability, my friend. There are no simple and direct answers.</p>