Hey guys. I’m starting to make final decisions and my final two choices are between Pitt and Northeastern. I got a full ride to Pitt and full tuition at Northeatern and will be studying pharmacy. Any advice?
If by full ride at Pitt you mean tuition, room and board that is a great offer.
If you got a full tuition scholarship at Northeastern you were invited to the Scholars program. Scholars is far more than just free tuition. You should definitely hold off any decision until you attend the Scholars event at NU.
You have until May 1st to decide (unless Pitt has an earlier deadline).
If pharmacy is something that you really want to pursue, I would suggest Northeastern. The accelerated 6 year program chops off a few years rather than having to go undergraduate then re-applying to pharmacy school. I’m in my 3rd year of that program now actually.
Pitt’s pharmacy program is also 6 years. 2 year prerequisites in Arts and Sciences and then 4 year pharmacy school. If you qualified for conditional acceptance to Pitt’s pharmacy school you should be fine as long as you have a 3.25 gpa and 80 % on PCAT I believe.
Both cities have world-class medical facilities. Going to be a tough choice. Flip a coin, perhaps?
Flip a coin, really? I guess if you or your family don’t care that you can save tens of thousands of dollars in loans that you have to pay back for 10 years.
With Pitt you only have to pay for year 5 and 6 and housing costs are lower than in Boston.
With Northeastern you have to pay almost $15,000 for four years for room, board plus tuition and housing for year 5 and 6.
Pitt all the way. It is much higher ranked than NEU Pharmacy, both by domestic and international ranking agencies.
Pitt Pharmacy is strongly associated with Pitt Med (sharing of teachers, etc.) and Pitt Med is world renowned. Also, UPMC is the 5th largest medical system in the US and provides internship opportunities to the Pitt med and health subject students.
The only area I would give NEU an edge is that it is located in a “happening” area of Boston and Boston is a great college city. I have lived in the Kenmore Sq area (close to BU, NEU and Fenway) for a few years and my D1 goes to Pitt Med now.
I must add that even if you have conditional acceptance to the Pitt Pharmacy school, you will need at least a 3.25 GPA in the math and science subjects to make to the Pharmacy school.
@mommdc Of course we care about tens of thousands in loans. I’m talking about quality of the experience. OP hasn’t disclosed his/her financial situation. For all we know he/she may have thousands saved in a 529. And the title of the thread is “2 Near Full Rides,” which implies a substantial similarity between the two offers, at least in the OP’s mind.
@MidwestDad3, ok we don’t know the financial situation, but academically and internshipwise and even culturally she should have similar experiences in either city. But the fact remains that both offers are not close when NEU involves almost $15,000 a year for 4 years just for room and board over Pitt. Unless the full tuition scholarship was for all 6 years at NEU then it might be close.
@mommdc As you say, the offers are not close. Unless, of course, they really are close. OP hasn’t provided details. Whatever her situation, she is to be congratulated on two outstanding offers.
@MidwestDad3, yes I agree, she has done very well with two outstanding offers on the table.