I recently heard back from the colleges I’ve applied to, and I’ve narrowed it down to Texas A&M (College Station, TX) and UCSC (Santa Cruz, CA). My applied major in UCSC is Developmental and Cell/Molecular Biology, and my major in A&M is Biomedical Sciences under the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
I’m not sure which would be a better pick for me, as I plan to continue the pre-medicine track and further apply to medical school after undergrad. I know this is farther ahead from now and I have plenty of time to worry about that, but which school would be a better choice to pursue for biology majors, and perhaps biology/medicine overall (if it even matters, I have heard undergrad isn’t as significant for med students)?
I am a California resident, so I have acknowledged the differences in tuition fees for both campuses. I also know the campuses vastly differ, but if anyone could provide a little more insight on A&M’s atmosphere as well? I’ve been to Texas on many occasions and am rather familiar with the surrounding area, but not enough of A&M’s.
I’d forgotten to type it (completely my mistake), but I received a scholarship from A&M, so that played into my dilemma a bit. But as I’ve already stated, I have acknowledged the tuition fee differences between both colleges, well aware of it.
I’ll most likely be committing to UCSC, but it would be nice to get some insight onto A&M’s atmosphere, since it hasn’t been addressed.
What scholarships? Will you get instate rates? What is the actual difference in cost? A&M, it seems to me, has a unique reputation and culture. Not comparable perhaps, to any other place LOL? Do those cultural aspects of TAMU appeal to you? Try the TAMU board. It has some very passionate aggies.
Biomedical studies are not TAMU’s real strengths. If you were looking to become a veterinarian for farm animals, TAMU would be better. But if you are looking to pre-med, go to UCSC. especially since it’s cheaper.
I’ve visited TAMU but do not have experience as a student. TAMU is a huge university located in a rural area with College Station being smaller in population than TAMU. School spirit is a huge deal. Of course, at a school this big, there are all types of people at TAMU. Due to state admissions policies, the majority of undergrads will be from Texas.
Thanks for letting me know what you think guys! Again, I have to reiterate that I was/am well aware of the cost difference. I’m planning on staying in-state now either way.
@ultimom , I definitely appreciate the more specific mention of it being in a rural location. Environment is always a heavy factor for making a decision.
(how can you close a discussion? sorry i’m fairly new to cc and i think i’ve gotten a helpful amount of input from everyone about my doubts)
Texas A&M has a huge, flat, spread-out campus. It is not especially pretty. It has a lot of unique traditions, many of which a coastal Californian might think are corny & old-fashioned. They take class rings very seriously, the military is generally held in high esteem, it’s common for males to hold a door open & let females preceed them, etc.
The students tend to be very happy & proud to go there, & they strongly support the sports teams. Lots of parties, tailgates, country music, Mexican food, & pickup trucks. There are huge apartment complexes all over town to house the tens of thousands of students who don’t live in dorms.
Although all political points of view are tolerated, conservatives find it refreshing because political correctness is considerably less prevalent than at most other big public universities of comparable quality.
