<p>Hey guys, I have been accepted to some of my colleges recently, and I narrowed my choices down to Occidental and Creighton. However, I have no idea which of these I want to go to.</p>
<p>If this helps, I want to take a Pre-Med track(majoring in bio maybe), and I live in Hawaii(so Occidental would be closer for me). However, I just realized recently that Liberal Arts and a Small class size may not be something that I want, but because of Occidental's good factors--like location, weather, academics--I have not been able to easily choose Creighton. A lot of people from my school go to Creighton as well, so it's not like I would not know anybody; the same sort of holds true for Occidental: many of my classmates right now are attending schools near Occidental. </p>
<p>Price is not a factor in this decision because they both gave me identical aid packages.<br>
I am straight.
One of my main concerns is being able to get into a good medical school after I finish undergrad. Which one of these schools is best known for funneling students into better medical schools?</p>
<p>Which one would you choose for me?</p>
<p>wow, there are a lot of views but no replies…</p>
<p>If you want to go premed, this choice is simple. Go to Creighton! Creighton has its own med school (which is a huge plus for multiple reasons) and excellent premed advising.</p>
<p>thanks for the input pccool, anyone else? I heard Occidental offers excellent premed as well, so i’m not sure at this point</p>
<p>Oxy is a much better school than Creighton.</p>
<p>Occidental is considered to be a better school overall, but Creighton might be better for your interests</p>
<p>So your saying that Creighton is better for pre-med than occidental is? Note that I’m not planning on going to Creighton Med School after I finish undergrad.(don’t want to live in nebraska for 8 years lol)</p>
<p>I would disagree with that.</p>
<p>Hope this isn’t too late-- but I go to Creighton right now and I went as a pre-med student. I would say go for Oxy. I might be biased in saying this (I am transferring out of Creighton and my brother attends Oxy right now), but it depends on how you learn.</p>
<p>I would say if you’re a learner who thrives with competition, go to Creighton. The pre-med is VERY strong at Creighton, almost too hard. A lot of kids end up switching to an easier pre-professional track after the first semester. I was a pre-med student at Creighton, and realized very quickly that the science department is not shy about telling you whether or not you are fit for the pre-med track. Many of my friends have either dropped pre-med completely, or are clinging onto their last shreds of hope to enter the medical field. Make sure you can get really good grades in a highly competitive environment, because that’s what Creighton will provide you. Since I’m also from Hawaii, you DO have a strong Hawaii vibe to campus, but Creighton definitely was not a good fit for me. It all depends on what you’d like. Also, if you are pre-med and want to be a different major (other than the sciences), the core will hinder you from discovering what you’d like to do, and will make you take summer classes in order to keep you on track for a four-year graduation. I am a Psychology major, and with Pre-Med AND Core classes to take, it was nearly impossible without summer classes to stay on a four year track. With this core, it is also difficult to play around with what you want as a “pre-med” backup in case it doesn’t work for you. At the same time, Creighton does provide a LOT of pre-med opportunities with pre-med society and the PMED class. It is helpful if you don’t know a lot about it and they definitely help you get ready. </p>
<p>I also looked at Oxy (since my older brother goes there) as a choice, but ended up not liking the small feel of it, though the academics are excellent. I would say you have to be a lot more independent, and the classes are very rigorous, but the payoff is nice in the end. My brother spent a lot of time in classes that actually mattered for his major and minor-- instead of hauling his way through an unnecessary amount of gen eds/core classes like Creighton makes you go through. At the same time, in comparison to Creighton, Oxy’s premed path is very independent: you will have to be on top of your game because unless you seek the help, you’re not going to get it. My brother was left absolutely clueless of the timeframe to study and take MCATs and is now a semester behind because of it. In contrast, he is graduating a semester earlier than his class and he is using the extra time to do research and take some more classes to boost his resume. Oxy is a “smaller” feel and the premed is definitely not as competitive as Creighton’s. You will be able to feel comfortable in learning and thriving, even though the classes are harder. Oxy also has more prestige.</p>
<p>Trust me, no one knows about Creighton outside of the midwest and Hawaii. Oxy at least has some sort of a bearing as a very prestigious private LAC.</p>
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<p>Why do people say stuff like this? A much better school? Based on what? Data I’m looking at suggest the middle 50 ranges for SAT and ACT at Oxy are higher than at Creighton, but much higher? CR mid-50 for Oxy: 600-690. For Creighton: 520-640. So, yeah, that’s a difference in a certain measure of quality of admitted students, but does that measure alone spell “much better”? I would frankly hesitate to make a statement like that based on nothing other than these data. </p>
<p>SgtDonut, do you have other evidence for your statement? Experience with BOTH schools? Been to either one? On a visit or, better yet, as a student?</p>
<p>I should have probably edited my post, but here is my take, as a former pre-med student: It is not about the “best chances” of you getting in, nor is it really about the “prestige” of undergraduate schools: it is PRIMARILY about your GPA. Choose the school you would feel you would get the better GPA in. At Creighton, as with any other strong pre-med school, your teachers are purposefully attempting to weed the weak links out. As for a “good” medical school-- I can tell you, as well as a lot of other pre-med students, will be able to tell you right away that compared to other graduate and professional programs/paths, that for medicine, it is not about getting into a “good” medical school, it is about getting into medical school period. It doesn’t matter where you go, you just need to be able to have the grades to get you in. If you’re so concerned about getting into a medical school, try Creighton, only because they give their undergrads preference (With input from my roommate: “This is only if you have and will GET a good GPA. Otherwise you’re pretty much screwed.”) While Oxy has more “prestige,” I mentioned in my other post that they have limited guidance unless you’re willing to search for it and go off and ask your advisors. </p>
<p>My experience with Creighton has not been the best for me (hence why I’m, personally, transferring-- but you might find it different, it’s all about fit), but I can tell you that they are VERY strong in the sciences. If you’re willing to put yourself out there and fight for your classes (registration sucks for the first two years… trust me. You’ll have to put yourself out there and make friends with advisors ASAP. Only reason I got into a lot of my classes was because of my priority registration) and are willing to get out there and develop relationships with your teachers, and are willing to lay back and not party and study your ass off-- you will do well at Creighton and will be a serious contender for their medical school. Not only that, but you could also apply to any of the other Jesuit medical schools and have a strong chance of getting in, because the Jesuit medical schools will like the fact that you went to an undergraduate school that shares their beliefs and values.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about Creighton or Oxy, feel free to PM me and I can give you my personal info, or my brother’s information so you can talk to him about Oxy. Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>They asked which one I would choose for them… that’s what I would choose. I know two people at Oxy and one at Creighton, and based on what they’ve told me (whether you find that to be reliable or not), Oxy sounds like the better place to be. Not to mention Omaha vs. Los Angeles? Come on. Maybe I shouldn’t have said “much” better, both are surely good places to receive an education, but if given the choice, I can’t imagine picking Creighton. Again, just my opinion.</p>
<p>I’ve heard Occidental is great- extremely close, happy student body. It may be the same for Creighton, but I don’t know anyone who goes there, so I can’t say… I just have heard very positive things about Occidental</p>
<p>Right, SgtDonut, just your opinion. That’s different from a categorical statement such as, “Oxy is a much better school than Creighton.” </p>
<p>And Omaha vs. Los Angeles? Have you spent much time in either place? Any time? Lived in either place? I can imagine many reasons a person who actually spent time in either of these cities could choose Omaha over LA. Really. Lots of reasons, too, for a person not to prefer Omaha. But, guess what? I’m basing my opinion on having been to and spent a fair amount of time in both places. Are you?</p>
<p>I’ve visited them both, yes… Let’s not make assumptions. As a young person, I think it’s hard to say that Omaha is a more exciting (though perfectly decent) place. Don’t you agree? </p>
<p>And I apologize for making such an ignorant statement. Perhaps I should rephrase: I would much rather go to Oxy than Creighton. I personally love Oxy, and based on my limited knowledge of it, hold it to a higher caliber in almost all regards than Creighton, as do many people. That’s basically the essence of my stance on this topic. Thank you for policing the boards and making sure that everything is in order.</p>
<p>I’m not policing the boards, SgtDonut. And I do admit to being a bit of a pill. It just drives me batty when people (especially people whose experience is limited) make categorical statements as if they are matters of fact and not opinion. As far as the Omaha/LA comparison goes: I do know which of these cities most people would think is a more exciting place to be. But just because most people think something doesn’t mean it’s inarguably true. I can think of lots of good reasons to live in both places and lots of reasons I could prefer one location over the other.</p>
<p>Understood, sorry for being an insolent lil brat.</p>
<p>So what do you choose? Oxy or Creighton.</p>
<p>What would I choose? It depends. Seriously. They are two different kinds of schools. I think I’d kinda like to experience that whole Jesuit education thing they got going at Creighton. Cost of attendance at Oxy: $58K. At Creighton: $44K. But average indebtedness of students at Oxy is lower, so, hmm. Something to think about there. Location? I’d not dismiss Omaha before I did a bit more research on the burgeoning indie music scene there, and would look into why it ended up so high on Forbes magazine’s list of most livable cities. Livable=boring? Maybe, maybe not. I’d look into it, no matter what age I was. At the same time, LA? Yeah, that’s exciting. Could also be overwhelming, depending. </p>
<p>I would never call anyone an “insolent lil brat.” If I tried it at home I’d get my butt kicked.</p>
<p>OP says costs are equal. My dad is from Nebraska, while I don’t necessarily consider it (or any place, if you know how to make your own fun) boring, livable means raise your kids here.</p>