<p>I've been accepted at: Colgate (as AMS Scholar), Dartmouth (likely letter), University of Notre Dame (ND Scholar and invite to apply to Honors Program), and University of Minnesota (my safety school- with a full tuition scholarship and honors program). I'm planning on majoring in biochemistry with a Chinese minor (possible double major) and going on to either medical or graduate school.</p>
<p>In case anyone was wondering, I'm still waiting to hear from Princeton, Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, and Connecticut College (another safety).</p>
<p>Also, before I get 34567654 responses asking for more information on what I'm looking for in a school- please eveluate these schools in terms of academics only for the moment. Thanks!</p>
<p>Lol, since we've already strayed from the academics only bit- I will add that I'm Catholic and that is part of why Notre Dame's environment appeals to me.</p>
<p>If you plan to drive, Notre Dame might be more convenient than Dartmouth or Colgate. If you're going to fly, it doesn't matter. I think it's a bit early, to be honest. If you applied for it, you need your financial aid offers in hand before you can really compare. I'm not sure what a ND scholar is, but if it's a mega scholarship, it sounds very attractive.</p>
<p>I think the flying/driving question will be answered by which college I choose to attend- although having the driving option available would be nice. Also- I won't have any financial aid offers to compare- I'm not eligible at all. ND scholar basically means I was in the top 20 of the admitted applicant pool and offers special events/class registration perks. It would also give me preference in finaid- if I were eligible. Thanks for the response!</p>
<p>Well since cost doesn't appear to be consideration in the choice, we can assume your parents plan on footing the bill. </p>
<p>Example: Go to Dartmouth over Minnesota, cost difference say $170K. If you're planning on going to Med school, maybe you should chose Minnesota and take the extra 170K in cost from your parents and put it in the bank. You appear smart enough I doubt going to Dartmouth over Minnesota will inprove your med school chances much.</p>
<p>Starting out your career with $170K in the bank can open up a world of options in the future.</p>
<p>Now if med school is the plan, a slightly stronger biochem undergrad program isn't that important either. Cripes, people go to med school majoring in english as an undergrad.</p>
<p>ok, I study neither bio nor chinese, but i have friends who do both, and the programs seem pretty good. Dartmouth is famous for its langauge programs, and, if you're a girl, the Women is Science Program (WISP) will get you a paid internship as early as your freshman year. </p>
<p>Also, not academics, but our Catholic student center (AQ) is a very nice community. They do a weekend retreat every spring term and lots of activities all throughout the year.</p>
<p>Dartmouth also has the most idyllic community out there - its cozy, LAC like but big enough, tons of grants, sophomore summer is amazing, and ample study abroad opportunities. Alums love it like crazy (so do ND alums in their benefit), but students are incredibly happy. Oh yeah and better placement than any of the other choices by a significant margin, and better academics. No brainer for me...but I went to Dartmouth. Not even close.</p>
<p>Dartmouth is alongside Columbia, Penn, Brown, Duke. Notre Dame is alongside Vanderbilt, Emory, etc. There is a legitimate gap between those two sets of schools.</p>
<p>OK, if money isn't an issue, I'd make a beeline for Dartmouth. I wouldn't be too worried about a Catholic atmosphere. Catholics tend to congregate and be very active at most schools, and you'd be surprised at how many there are (Duke is 20% Catholic, for example).</p>
<p>Actually dartmouth has Aquinas house which is very active and has an amazing facility. Its pretty active. But the overall Dartmouth culture in my opinion is just so much better, not to mention academics.</p>
<p>Assuming you don't qualify for need-based aid, do you have access to $200k+ for med school? If not, Minnesota is by far your best bet. If you are a top student at Minnesota, you will have more research opportunities, more mentoring, better advising than if you are a middling student at, say Dartmouth. (This would be true even if they were the same cost.)</p>
<p>If you have access to the $200k, you could check out what kinds of opportunities the AVERAGE student gets at each institution (at Minn., the average honors program student), and then make a better informed decision.</p>
<p>I disagree, they don't take your GPA into account when you line up to do research at Dartmouth, and your advising will be top notch regardless. Its simply not true that its based on GPA.</p>
<p>If you want a top med school and can do well at Dartmouth, its the ticket. An overwhelming majority of students at top med schools are from the top 25 undergrad schools. On the other hand if you just want to go to any med school, Minn would probably help you out as state med schools tend to prefer a 3.6 from Minn over a 3.0 from Dart. </p>
<p>The 200K matters, but you only get to go to college once. And Dartmouth is one of the best places in the world to attend college, intellectually, academically, and socially.</p>
<p>"I disagree, they don't take your GPA into account when you line up to do research at Dartmouth, and your advising will be top notch regardless. Its simply not true that its based on GPA."</p>
<p>The OP need not agree with either of us - just do his own research. Find out what happens to the average entering pre-med at Dartmouth vs. the average entering pre-med at the HONORS program at Minn. Does the average Dartmouth entering pre-med 1. remain premed, and 2. get the research opportunities that the top student at Minn does? (We have no information whatsoever regarding how a med. school would look at relative GPAs from Dartmouth and the Minn. Honors Program - but since it is likely to be more difficult to get an "A" at Minn....) Then add in that med school is already paid for....</p>
<p>Note: Dartmouth does not have a Chinese Department, and has only 3 faculty. I do not know about the situation at Minnesota (or Notre Dame, etc.)</p>