<p>I will be going to college as a bio (bio related) major with a pre-med track. Which of the colleges in the title should I go to for the best quality of education? I am planing on driving to these schools (50 mins to 1.2 hours each) for my classes. I will also be applying for need based scholarships. In the net price calculator it said that Lehigh and F&M have the most need based scholarships for <$30k bracket for fam. of 3. My mom says Lehigh for prestige/reputation/gorgeous campus/20-30 min quicker commute, but I'm saying F&M for pre-med excellence/I can take train/gorgeous surrounding area/personal, great staff. So, which school do you think will be the best choice for my ED2?</p>
<p>“bump”</p>
<p>A friend’s daughter attended F&M and loved it. She was a math major and participated in a choral group, a sorority, and some volunteering activities. My daughter also applied to F&M and we visited 3x. The campus is lovely and the proximity to Lancaster is great, not far from things to do. She also applied to Lafayette, liked the feel of it, too. She got into both, but chose another school in the end, and is majoring in Biochemistry. We also visited Lehigh, but my daughter did not apply, didn’t love the hills, and thought the new science buildings were too far away from central campus.</p>
<p>Since you want F&M and your mom wants Lehigh, why don’t you just apply to both regular decision? Assuming that the deadlines haven’t passed, of course. You can apply to Lafayette too, but I wouldn’t suggest applying to Lafayette if you feel you have to do ED2 since it doesn’t seem affordable for you or is your favorite.</p>
<p>@minohi , my dad wants Villanova (legacy), so I might have to do all regular decision, unless we reach a consensus .</p>
<p>It’s now Lehigh vs. Franklin & Marshall. I think they’re polar opposites, but I like both of them, a lot. The only reasons that might pick F&M over Lehigh is because I didn’t have an interview at Lehigh and F&M’s rigorous, prestigious (but not well known) Pre-Med program.</p>
<p>I went to school nearby in the sciences and know all these schools. EVERY academic in the northeast knows all these schools and their reputation in the sciences. I can tell you that medical schools won’t care a lick which you choose but will pay close attention to how well you did there: GPA, research opps, letters of rec, ECs, etc. </p>
<p>Strategy-wise, the less time you spend in transit the more time you’ll spend studying. Commuting to college just plain sucks (I did it and nodded out more than once on the way home), and you should try to avoid it before you find yourself looking to create a Tuesday-Thursday course schedule to get out from beneath the commutes and fuel costs.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 I did hear about the Med School business, which is why I’m applying to top 100 schools-I don’t mind going to my safety school Muhlenberg, and Ursinus being a <10 min drive from my house, but I don’t like Ursinus). I would have to drive 1hr 20mins for F&M (no traffic, but I can take train for same time, and I might be able to live on campus on weekdays) vs. 50mins (no traffic) to Lehigh.</p>
<p>I’ve made that trip up 29 or the northeast extension many many times. I don’t envy you the drive. </p>
<p>Is there a reason why you’d have to commute? Both schools meet need, which means that if you get in, they’ll look at full cost of attendance for financial aid (ie., your financial aid will look at housing, food, books, transportation costs IF you live on campus; if you check that you won’t be living on campus, your financial aid will be offered strictly on the basis of tuition). In addition, you may well be required to live on campus your first year.
I would suggest applying as a residential student at either F&M or Lehigh; if the financial aid is insufficient then you can switch to commuter. The reverse (applying as a commuter and trying to switch in order to get more financial aid) is impossible.
Note: I think a premed would be better off at F&M. There won’t be a difference for med school purposes (both schools are well-known) so it’ll rest on your GPA.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 Thanks. I just had an interview at F&M today and its pre med program is solid. They are even starting a new MCAT program (to aid students w/ multiple choice). I’m 75-85% sure that my ED2 will be F&M. Plus the commute won’t be as bad since I can take the train to F&M. The commute to Lehigh might be shorter, but there are a lot of hills. Even though I love the campus and its setting, it’ll be a pain to commute to everyday, since my mom won’t let me live on the #3 party school’s campus (unless I have to). Also, I didn’t go the the Lehigh interview, and that’s a big no-no, apparently. At the interview at F&M I got a ton of connections with financial aid, pre-med, etc (cards, pamphlets, emails. etc). Thank y’all for all of your help.</p>
<p>Driving or taking the train will get very tiring very quickly. You’ll end up spending your time and class schedule working around a train schedule. Glad you Like F&M. My sister graduated from there many years ago. I am very familiar with the area and lived only 40 mins from there. I would not have driven. Traffic adds about another 15minutes to the commute at rush hour.</p>
<p>Currently, I’m a hop skip and a jump from Ursinus. I can’t even imagine taking the train and doing what you plan. Have you figured out your daily cost, weekly or monthly cost for travel? I would take into consideration before deciding on becoming a commuter.</p>
<p>@PERplexD, If I take the toll roads, I would have to pay $10 in tolls round trip (this doesn’t include gas, other car expenses, car depreciation, insurance, etc). For the train it would cost about $270/month if I take it 5 days a week @$9 each way. It only take 1 hour with train (including drive to amtrak station). I am willing to do this, but I might have to stay on campus. This wouldn’t be a problem for my parents, since F&M is apparently strict on drugs and alcohol on campus (unlike top party school Lehigh, apparently). Ursinus seems like a slacker school to me; tuition will cost about the same because of needs based. Still didn’t apply yet, but I’m very close.</p>
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<p>I thought the train ticket was double that cost, but I’m not train savvy and could have read the price and route incorrectly.</p>
<p>Sadly, I lived here 14 years and never gave any thought to Ursinus. My curiousity got the best of me last year when my son was applying to schools. I was pretty surprised with the COA to Ursinus. Our kids aren’t interested…too close to home. I’m not because we would be full pay.</p>
<p>You should apply. However, if cost were the same I’d pick F&M, even with the transportation ordeal.
Good luck!</p>
<p>@PERplex , thank you. I overestimated the commute to Ursinus, it’s only 5mins away from my house. I don’t like Ursinus because a lot of the kids from my high school go there, and I don’t want to college feeling like it’s high school 2.0. Now that I think of it, if I can get a full scholarship to Ursinus vs. $15k/year tuition @ F&M, I might just pick Ursinus for ease of travel. Lehigh still interests me A LOT, but I never had the chance to have an interview or campus tour, so…yeah.</p>
<p>Most campuses are strict with alcohol and drugs on campus! Believe me, back in the day I partied at F&M. It was most likely off campus, but that is where the most partying goes on at any college. Just saying don’t rule out Lehigh b/c your parents think it is a party school. You really have to go looking for it at ANY school.</p>
<p>@PERplexD it feels like I’m very skeptical about applying to Lehigh ED2 because I never did a campus tour or had an interview, so I feel like my chances are much lower there because of this.</p>
<p>You’re right - Lehigh weighs interest heavily and not going to an interview would be close to automatic deny, don’t waste your ED2 on it.
And you’re right, F&M is less of a party school than Lehigh.
Are your parents placing restrictions on you, hence the commuting?
You know there are “substance free” housing options - where anybody who comes near drugs or alcohol in their dorm room loses housing automatically, ensuring those are very “clean” places? If you’re recovering from an addiction or live in a family where it’s a moral/religious concern/your parents are concerned, it would be a possibility.
I strongly advise you to apply as a residential student, not a commuter - in addition, you may get more financial aid this way and you may not even be allowed to commute.
But I agree taking the train is better - driving home in the snow at 11pm after Math study group will get old very fast. </p>
<p>in some ways, what your mother is asking you to do, to commute to college, is significantly more dangerous than living on campus without a car, esp. considering the length of your commute and condition of PA roads.</p>
<p>I hope she will consider this while she’s worrying about the kind of partying you’ll do. Your mom needs to get her head out of the sand. </p>
<p>@jkeil911 My mom really wants me to go to Ursinus. If anyones head is in the sand it’s me because I’m the one that gave her the idea. I know the risks, and that is why I [sadly] removed lehigh and muhlenberg from my list. Now I’m focusing in F&M (<20 min drive + train ride) and Lafayette (live on campus). </p>