<p>I never thought I'd have to ask for public advice on my college choice but I'm so stuck it's unbelievable :P</p>
<p>I'm deciding between the 7-year HPME program at Northwestern University and doing my undergraduate at Brown (and then applying to medical school the usual way).</p>
<p>I visited both campuses and loved both. Northwestern is beautiful, as is Brown, and has the added bonus of being near Chicago (though frats are pretty heavy on campus). Every single Brown student I talked to was so insanely happy (even being pre-med!) that I could see myself going there and loving it.</p>
<p>I know that I would work hard regardless of where I go and regardless of a guarantee to medical school, but it would be nice to eliminate the stress of writing personal statements, applying to 20+ medical schools, interviewing, getting rejected...:( But that said, the goal for my undergraduate education is to have a great academic experience and explore my interests - I just don't know which school will be the best for me in that regard.</p>
<p>Any help or suggestions would be wonderful!</p>
<p>As I said on a PLME thread, it is extremely hard to justify turning down a guaranteed med school acceptance.</p>
<p>Northwestern is every bit as strong as Brown, and it has a very good quality of life. Personally, I’d toss the Brown offer in the recycling bin and head to Evanston without a second thought.</p>
<p>Have to agree with warbler. The two schools are obviously peers undergrad and you enjoyed your visits to both. Northwestern’s medical school is a wonderful institution - even at a #18 US News ranking, probably under-ranked. It is in a phenomenol location in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast, right on Lake Michigan. </p>
<p>Brown’s medical school is a smaller though high quality center servicing a much smaller city population. At least at the research level, it is a weaker institution than Northwestern.</p>
<p>Don’t see how you could turn down HPME under these circumstances. You’ll have the option to complete the program at Northwestern in 7 years saving on an entire year’s education cost if you so choose. You still have the option to delay med school entrance 1 year to pursue anything you could dream of - travel, research, work, etc. - as many do.</p>
<p>I would say Brown. What if during college you realize you don’t want to be a doctor? Also, I doubt that you’d have much of a problem getting into medical school coming out of Brown.</p>
Then you back out of the program, obviously. Students in the HPME program are allowed to declare any major regardless.</p>
<p>Northwestern is not in any way weaker than Brown. (In fact, it’s arguably stronger.) Should the OP decide medicine is not for him/her, Northwestern has considerable breadth and depth of academic offerings.</p>
<p>Brown is better than Northwestern (in my book at least). If they were to back out of the HPME program I would rather get a degree from Brown than Northwestern</p>
<p>^It’s “accelerated” only in the sense that they give you a <em>choice</em> to graduate from the college with 36 classes instead of 45 (and save a year of tuition). You can spend 4 years and take more classes at the Evanston campus if you want. Some people take a gap year doing <em>anything</em> they like, such as volunteering in foreign countries.</p>
<p>“the goal for my undergraduate education is to have a great academic experience and explore my interests”</p>
<p>Since you want to explore your interests, it is certainly possible you won’t want to go to medical school. Find the best fit for you “finding your passion” rather than assuming what it is.</p>
<p>Chicago
Broader selection of courses in almost all areas
Slightly more prestige than Brown (if this matters to you)</p>
<p>However, you seem to think students at Brown are happier. </p>
<p>May I suggest the happiness at Brown is related to the pass/no-pass option, and the 3.6 mean GPA. Wouldn’t you likely be as happy at NU not needing to worry about grades?</p>