Hi, I live in Ohio and I am trying to decide between Ohio State and Miami University. I will be majoring in bio, and eventually going to med school to become a pediatric surgeon. I would appreciate any help deciding between the two schools! I feel like if I had to chose right now, I would pick Miami, but my parents are really trying to convince me to go to Ohio State.
I will list my thoughts on a couple topics below
Internsips:
I know OSU is bigger and has more opportunities internship wise, but I am afraid that being so competitive I probably wont get what I want because I only have a 30 ACT, so while I am above their average, I am still not strong enough to be a top competitor. I feel like at Miami, there are less opportunities for internships at hospitals, but I am more likely to get the ones that I want. However, OSU has a great pediatric hospital right on campus, and in the city of Columbus there is bound to be tons of internsips near by, while at Miami, the nearest large hospital is in Cincinnati.
Finance:
Miami initially costs ~5k more a year, but they offered me 7500 more than OSU, so it would be cheaper to go to Miami.
“Feel” of Campus:
I loved both campuses, but I felt more at home at Miami. OSU was very impressive, but felt a little overwhelming, and not as homey
Education:
OSU has a stellar reputation for pre med and med school, while I am honestly not very informed about Miami’s. From what I have heard, it is not very good. However, this information could very well be biased.
I know I would get that more personal feel at Miami, I think my main concern is that I would have a better shot at top med schools with an undergrad from OSU than Miami. Is this true? Or does it not really matter where I go for my undergrad?
GPA seems to be the primary determining factor to getting into med school. (I’d imagine MCAT scores are a pretty close second. ) I’m not an expert on getting into med school, but from what I’ve read here on CC, it’s better to go to a school where you’re likely to high grades.
Med School admissions is numbers-based. You want the place where you will get the best grades and MCAT score at the cheapest price so that you have money left over for Med School. Having a Med School on campus is not a make-or-break advantage. You can get the required medical job shadow/volunteer hours at any facility.
Talk with the pre-med advisor at each place. Find out how the pre-meds who do take the MCAT are scoring, and how many of the pre-meds who do apply to Med School get in the first time they apply. Lots of folks start out pre-med but change their minds along the way, so the numbers you want are for those who actually stay with the program.
Knowing that many would-be pre-meds change direction once they get to college, it also is useful for you to think what you might do if you are one of those. That could be one of the reasons why your parents are pushing for OSU. They may believe that it offers more options and/or more flexibility.
Pre-med is a tough go wherever you study. Feeling comfortable and secure in your campus life can make a difference. Since you find Miami a better fit, that could be the angle you use when talking thigs over with your parents. Do verify the details of the scholarship. Do you need to maintain a certain GPA or major to keep it?
I agree with @happymomof1 Med schools are all about the numbers; GPA, MCAT and how many hours you have volunteered/shadowed and what research you have done.
If you want to go pre-med then think about:
The cheapest reasonable college so you/your parents can use the money for med school
The college needs to prepare you for MCATs but still allow you to get a good GPA
Access to volunteering opportunities (e.g., near a hospital)
Success in graduates getting into med school
Options if you don’t go to med school
Which college has hospitals nearby? You need those volunteer hours and the easier it is to get there the better.
Honestly I think either of these schools would prepare you for pre-med. Both seem affordable. Which has the best fit for you? Do you like football?
) I’m not an expert on getting into med school, but from what I’ve read here on CC, it’s better to go to a school where you’re likely to high grades.