Hi everyone! I would really appreciate any guidance you could offer here. I was accepted to UF, UM, Smith, and Northeastern. Rejected by everywhere else, but waitlisted at Harvard.
I want to eventually go to med school, and I’d probably major in Biology, Astronomy, or Art History.
I’m trying to decide between Northeastern, UF, and Smith, but I’m having a really hard time. I’m in state for Uf, so the tuition would be a lot cheaper, and I got a merit scholarship of 5,000 a year. I got a 10k/year scholarship to both Northeastern and Smith.
Ideally, I want to live in a city, but I also want to go to a well-respected college that isn’t too big and has lots of opportunities. I like NEU the most, but I’m not sure if I can justify the cost. I can afford it without loans, but I don’t know if it’s worth it compared to the low price of UF. As for Smith, I love the idea of going to a small women’s college, but I also don’t know if it is worth the cost, and I’m afraid it will be too isolated.
So I guess what I’m asking is, is it worth the extra cost to attend NEU/Smith over UF? And if not, why?
Also, what makes NEU more appealing than Smith? I feel like Smith is more prestigious, but I also think NEU’s reputation is getting better and better.
I appreciate all the help.
Those are three very, very different schools. I doubt you’ll find anyone with first hand knowledge of all three.
For med school the general advice is a high GPA and MCAT scores are most important and minimizing debt. Can your parent fund both undergrad and med school? Also if you decide you don’t want med school would each school still make you happy and challenged.
Northeastern has coop and research opportunities which also could give you a leg up for med school. UF would be more traditional, football games, Greek life.
If $$ is not a consideration, I would go where you think you will thrive and preserve your GPA. Not somewhere with a rep for grade deflation or killer premed weed out classes.
I think you might want to post on premed forums.
Northeastern is in the bustle of Boston with many, many world-renowned hospitals for internship possibilities. Smith is in Northhampton, a small town but from all accounts has the connections needed for good internships. Smith is all-girls as you know. These are two very different schools in two very different locations with two very different student bodies. I don’t think Smith is any more prestigious than NEU, maybe even less so as time goes on. My D was accepted early-write to Smith but declined to go elsewhere. Its one of those schools that you have to visit and research, it appeals to a certain group of women.