Hi all!!! I’m writing this discussion pretty late in the game considering decision day is less than two days away. If anything maybe this thread will help some seniors in the future with their decisions. I’m undecided between Northeastern and Vassar. I’m from MA and would love to live in the city of Boston, I love Northeastern’s school spirit, and the co-op program is honestly unmatched. Vassar’s class size, professors, and ability to double major appeal to me, as well as their beautiful campus, but I’m worried about the “Vassar bubble.” I plan on going on the pre-med track as a (behavioral) neuroscience major, so I am really trying to consider what school will be better for me when applying to medical school. If anyone can touch on Vassar’s science programs that’d be wonderful. Also, discussing whether or not medical schools prefer a BA or BS from a LAC or an R1 research university would be very helpful. Socially, I can see myself at both schools, I’m pretty easygoing and a liberal person. They both also have new science buildings so not sure what to make of that either. please help!!!
These are two very different schools, and you seem to have a good sense about what each school offers. Medical schools do not have a preference for a degree type or even for the name of the undergrad school that you attend. Earn top grades. Do interesting things. Secure excellent recommendations. Ace the MCATs. There will be no boost for attending either Vassar or Northeastern. Thus, choose the school that is best for you, especially if medical school doesn’t become a reality (I have said often on these boards how the ground is littered with the bones of once-hopeful pre-med students). Where do you belong? These schools are so different that one must be calling to you more. Go to that school.
Vassar isn’t known for the sciences. It’s known more for arts that produced the likes of Meryl Streep, Lisa Kudrow… For an educational experience, however, I’d choose Vassar over a large university - 100% of the time, every time. You are less likely to find pre-med weeder classes at Vassar that are typically found in large colleges and universities. This should be an important consideration if you are thinking pre-med.
@StJohnny you said “Vassar isn’t known for the sciences” and “You are less likely to find pre-med weeder classes at Vassar that are typically found in large colleges and universities.” What do you base these statements on? Yes Meryl Streep and Lisa Kudrow attended Vassar. So have a lot of other people that have made their mark in all kinds of fields, including science. The Fiske guide says Biology and Neuroscience are two of Vassar’s strong programs. Biology is one of the most popular majors and the Biology department has two electron microscopes. I can’t find stats for Northeastern students’ acceptance to medical school. Vassar says in 2017, 75% of seniors who applied to medical school were accepted and that the national average was 46%. There may be other reasons to prefer Northeastern such as perhaps there are more opportunities to shadow or co-op in the Boston area hospitals - that I don’t know. But I think your statements about Vassar not being known for the sciences or having appropriate pre-med courses are not accurate.
I never said Vassar doesn’t have appropriate pre-med courses. I said Vassar is not likely to have weeder classes in pre-med. The proof is in the high percentage of Vassar students going on to med schools ( “75% of seniors who applied to medical school were accepted and that the national average was 46%.”)
@StJohnny sorry, I guess I misunderstood your comment about the pre-med. Didn’t realize that you were saying the lack of a certain kind of classes was actually a positive.