Hello everyone! I would like to major in either English or Anthropology and pursue a career in medicine. If anyone has any insight into premed acceptance rates, volunteer/research opportunities, how hard it is to obtain a 3.7+ GPA, and the overall experience at these schools, that would be great! Here are some of my current thoughts:
Rice: I have just gotten off their waitlist and have until May 8th to commit. Throughout the process, it has been my first choice (although I never thought it would ever actually be an option). However, there are a few caveats. First of all, I won’t know what my aid package will be until after the deadline due to some complications my family had when filing. I am a bit afraid that I won’t get a good deal since my parents’ salary is over $200,000 (the cutoff for the Rice Investment). Plus, a huge reason why I am even getting aid is because a) my older sister will be a senior in college next year, and b) my father’s salary was lowered significantly last year since he decided to pursue more training (which he has just finished). I am worried that the next three years will cost 70k. Secondly, it is pretty far from where I live (though there is a direct flight).However, given the times, drivability has become a little more important to me.
Macalester: I know they have a lot of nearby opportunities for premed students which is good. Plus, it is a drivable distance from where I live which gives my family less anxiety. We had requested for more aid, and they were able to give us an additional $15,000 per year. This, combined with the $22,000 DeWitt scholarship means I am guaranteed a solid amount of aid every year, which is comforting. The cost of attendance for me would be about $34,500 next year. However, I would like to learn more about the overall student vibe and whether I would fit it. On a darker note, I am concerned about the number of recent suicides that have occurred in a relatively short amount of time. How caring is Macalester, especially in regards to mental illness? Is the campus safe?
Grinnell: From what I can discern, I really love the vibe of the students here! I have already made a friend from the Facebook group who I text/call regularly now. It is also a drivable distance from where I live. Financially, I was able to get enough aid for the first year so that the cost of attendance would be $27,300 at most. However, the only money I am guaranteed to get every year is a $28,000 merit scholarship which means that it might end up costing $44,000+ in subsequent years. I am a bit concerned about the workload. I consistently see Grinnell ranked highly in lists like “colleges where students study the most”. I am not afraid of rigorous academics; however, I am someone who functions very poorly without at least 8.5 hours of sleep per night. I am worried that at Grinnell I will not be able to do so with extracurriculars. Plus, it seems like Grinnell has a lower proportion of students who make the dean’s list when compared to Macalester (both require a GPA>3.75). Why is this?
I’m sorry that this post was so long, thanks for making it through.