<p>Hi, I am a current senior in Florida and I have gotten admitted to the University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University at University Park, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. I am really trying to decide which university I want to attend this fall. I want to major in psychology while following the pre-med track to become a psychiatrist. Any suggestions on which of the three universities I should attend for my undergrad?</p>
<p>They are all good schools. All things being equal, if you plan on going to medical school, I’d save my $$$, stay in state, and attend Florida. You can’t deny the value of paying in-state tuition rates, as opposed to very high out-of-state rates (at least for Colorado, that’s what I familiar with), for what would be close to the same education. </p>
<p>Now I do admit that the “college experience” would be different at all three. But you can certainly get to medical school from any one of these universities.</p>
<p>Good luck in your decision.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your advice</p>
<p>You’re welcome, and a piece of advice since my son has walked in the path before you: some medical/dental schools will NOT accept AP credits for prerequisite work. You have to take the course in college. Happened to our son with AP Biology. So while you’re still a long way out, if this applies to you, you may want to do some investigation on the admissions websites of medical schools you might be interested in.</p>
<p>And I forgot to say earlier, Congratulations on all those acceptances. :)</p>
<p>Thank you 
& that’s really great to know, I will definitely do my research.</p>
<p>I do know that at Colorado, they have some kind of program like a mentoring or specialized guidance with the pre-med kids. They really help them stay on track for future med school applicants. I agree, if money is a consideration, stay local for undergraduate. If it is not, then choose the school with the best fit for you and location. What kind of environment do you want to live in, urban, rural, what activities do you like, etc?</p>
<p>Despite the fact that larger cities will offer more opportunities in research, I prefer a smaller town that’s centralized around the college. I believe that is why I really like UF and PSU. At the same time I am so drawn to CU due to the fact that it offers the lifestyle I rather live. I love skiing, snowboarding, hiking, all of that. I love living a very healthy and active lifestyle, and Boulder, CO is the perfect location for it. The only difference is both price and ranking I guess. UF nationally was ranked as a more prestigious school then CU since it’s more selective, and it’s pretty much free for me. It seems like a no brainer, but for me it’s actually still a pretty hard decision.</p>
<p>Yes, tough decision for you then. My son is attending CU as a freshman this year, and loving it. He loves snowboarding and being so close to the Rockies. He chose CU over a more prestigious university in-state since we all felt it was a better place for his major. Boulder is not exactly a big city,more like a large college town. It does also offer a lot of culture, and its proximity to Denver is ideal. He actually will be rooming with someone next year in a place off campus who is from Miami. One thing you might consider is how easy it is to get to PSU. Are there airports close by? Is it easy for a student to get to the airport to fly home?</p>
<p>Both my H and I attended CU many years ago and loved it!! My H was pre-med at CU, but at the time, he did not get good support from the school. Based on how he was doing at the time, they told him he should look into something else! Fortunately, he did not let that stop him! He did medical research for a couple of years and brought up his MCAT scores and did eventually get into medical school and today he is a successful surgeon. That being said, pick the school that interests you most and do well and then do well on your MCAT and you will get into medical school. Drive is the most important attribute that will carry you through!!</p>
<p>Gosh what a wonderful problem! And such varied options! Congrats to you! All wonderful schools. UF is top nitch academically and Penn State is just jumping up the USNWR list and apparently becoming very competitive. In addition to cost (which Colo Mom) brought up I guess you have to weigh how important things like experiencing a different environment/area would be and the different programs’ reputation for pre-med and distance you want to be from home. Do you ski? Winter sports are a big draw to UCB from the east coast as are the beautiful vistas. All schools have that big school spirit thing…WEATHER is obviously better in Florida and maybe you can bring home laundry occasionally or if you get the flu get taken care of by the folks! Well done and good luck!</p>
<p>Rousse54: what major is your son studying? That’s great to hear that he loves it there. Do you live in Colorado, or is your son an out of state student? & for PSU the airport is about an hour an half away, which of course is very discouraging. I read somewhere that PSU has a shuttle bus that transports students to the airport, so it seems easy despite its lengthy travel time. </p>
<p>drumbonemom: What you wrote is very inspiring thank you. I can honestly tell you that after visiting the campus, I fell in love with CU and Boulder, CO itself as well. I guess right now I’m just scared to make what feels like the biggest decision of my life. </p>
<p>imanicollegehelp: Thanks for your advice. Those are all factors I have been contemplating over since I’ve gotten my acceptance letters. I’ve skied ever since I was six during my family vacations in Colorado, which is a major reason why I love Colorado so much and decided to apply there. But as the days get closer to decision day, other factors such as academic rankings, tuition costs, travel costs, etc has left me in complete turmoil.</p>
<p>futuredoctor02: Well, you seem like a very intelligent young man. You will make a great doctor one day! My son is from Los Angeles, another warm climate so it was a change for him to go to Colorado. But it was one he wanted to make. He very much wanted to experience living away from home, and by that I mean far enough away that his parents wouldn’t just casually be dropping by…I am the one who gave him the idea to apply to CU as my sister had done her graduate work there. We visited and he liked it. He was admitted to UCLA, which is very hard to get into, but since it is only about ten miles from home, he decided it was too close. Plus, we really, all of us, my husband and my son and myself, really felt like although UCLA had the better overall reputation than CU, for his major, CU was way better. He is an aerospace engineering major and CU as you may know has tons of funding from NASA and so many connections to that kind of thing. As a freshman this semester he is already working on a SpaceGrant, which is something he would never have gotten to do at UCLA. He likes the change of the climate, LOVES SNOWBOARDING, has just had a really good experience so far…He joined a coed engineering fraternity, played on two intramural club teams, has season tickets to basketball and football, gone hiking up to 14,000 feet twice with his dorm, etc…Just overall is doing all that CU has to offer, plus is enjoying his classes and doing very well academically. The airport shuttle at PSU sounds similiar to what they have at CU. You catch the airport bus at two spots near campus, takes about an hour to an hour and a half also, depends on the time of day, but it is free for the students. The airport is only about 27 miles away from campus.</p>
<p>Rousse54: Your son sounds like he is having an amazing college experience so far. That is exactly what I love about CU, all the activities and resources they offer their students. Thanks for the earlier complement, I am a female though. I know my screen name is vague and unclear about my gender. When I went on the campus tour at CU I did notice that their university’s biggest strength was focused on engineering and how large of an influence NASA was for their research. Since the school is centered predominately around majors similar to your son, it seems as though CU doesn’t academically offer as much for my intended major, psychology and pre-med track.</p>
<p>Actually, psychology is one of their most popular majors, and I have heard (neither of my kids majored in psychology) that it’s a good program. As far as the pre-med track, they offer plenty of challenging course and support. My son is interested in post-graduate science work, maybe medical/dental school. He’s taking Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus 3 this semester, with the accompanying labs. Believe me, if you come to Boulder, you will be MORE than academically challenged!! ;)</p>
<p>Speaking as someone in the field, CU’s Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology is head and shoulders above comparable depts at UF and PSU.</p>
<p>It is a misperception that CU is “centered predominantly” around the engineering majors. I have never had that impression even with direct University involvement and I’ve been a paying customer for almost five years now (whew). My kids are/were both in the College of Arts and Sciences and have had solid curriculum, good instruction, and plenty of attention and support. drb talks about the MCDB program, which is very well known. As an additional example - I also know the Business School is quite good too.</p>
<p>Congrats<br>
My son also has been accepted Cu. We are from Cali. This weekend are going to visit the schoool.
Does any one know how University of Washington/Bothell is for med students</p>
<p>MCDB is not the same as psychology. My impression is that clinical psych is not well supported at CU and MCDB is well funded with a lot of research labs (but my girlfriend graduated with psych degree…I’m an engineer so take with a grain of salt).</p>
<p>Is the MCDB department really quite respected at CU? Do you have any personal experience with it? My younger son will apply there next year for a molecular biology major, and since he is definitely intending to go to grad school, he wants an undergraduate exeperience where he will have the opportunity to do some research. Anything anyone could tell me about the department would be greatly appreciated…</p>
<p>Speaking as a professional in the field, MCDB is an excellent department, in which a motivated undergraduate will have plenty of opportunities to pursue state-of-the-art research. The department is highly supportive of undergrad participation, and there are yearly student symposiums. It would be an excellent place to do an honors thesis, and the experience would prepare a student well for graduate or professional school.</p>