<p>I need some help making a decision on my future college. I have been accepted to Rutgers University, University of Toronto, Wake Forest University, Concordia University (Canada), University at Buffalo, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland (my top 3 choices being the first 3 listed)</p>
<p>Honestly I don't really know what I want to do one day, but my three favorite subjects in school are chemistry, physics, and economics. I applied to some of these places for engineering and some as arts and sciences.</p>
<p>Here are some potential tuition and room/board prices for the schools:</p>
<p>Rutgers- 27k per year (6 year, very competitive pharmacy program)
Toronto- 20k per year
Wake- 50k per year
Concordia- 20k per year
Buffalo- 16k per year
Delaware- 30k per year
Maryland- 35k per year</p>
<p>I feel like Rutgers and Toronto are the 2 best values. I want to get a great education, but I also really want to enjoy my college experience. Does anybody have any advice for me? Thank you all.</p>
<p>My opinion leans toward Toronto. It’s a great school, and it’s almost the cheapest. The city is also very nice. The 6 year program is cool at Rutgers but it’s too binding, what if you decide you don’t like being holed up in a single room , standing for long hours and putting pills in a bottle? </p>
<p>@TenMore, thanks for the response. I do kind of agree with you…the Rutgers program is extremely binding (hard to transfer into or out of). It’s an incredible program though, so it’s so appealing. I do want to get out of NJ though, and I agree that the pharmacy profession could get very boring.</p>
<p>If you don’t know what you want to major in, UT is a bad choice since you’d be admitted to a major and take classes only in that subject - if you were to want to switch majors, you’d have to start from scratch. In addition, UT suffers from very bad grade deflation, which makes it harder to transfer.
Same thing for Rutgers: check out how restrictive it is - you would still study physics, chemistry, and biology, so, on that account it’s good for your academic interests (except economics), ut it locks you into a major. If you’re undecided it’s a bit tough for you. You could always call Rutgers and ask if you could be switched from the Pharmacy Program to the Honors Program if you’re not sure about the pharmacy profession.
Were you admitted to an Honors Program anywhere?</p>
<p>No, I didn’t apply for any honors programs (didn’t think it was necessary for freshman year). For Wake Forest I know you don’t declare your major until sometime during sophomore year so that would be good for me (probably too expensive though). I’m not really sure what to do as far as Rutgers and UT. UT is nice and all but I’m not sure I really want to major in Biochemistry. Rutgers pharm just seems really difficult and something that I’d totally have to go through with if I enroll.</p>
<p>I’m surprised you ranked Maryland last…I probably would have put it first on the list. Is there some reason you don’t like it? If it is unaffordable, I get it… but it is only $8K more than Rutgers per year.</p>
<p>^yes, me too. Maryland has everything you want plus proximity to DC (unless the price difference makes it difficult for your parents.)</p>
<p>Since you’re undecided about your major, call Rutgers and see if they could switch you out of the selective Pharma program into the Honors Program/undeclared.</p>
<p>Honors are most useful for freshman and sophomore years. Honors would have meant better dorms, scholarships, early registration, smaller classes… not sure why you didn’t want that? </p>
<p>Sorry, those rankings weren’t in order. Just the first 3 are my top 3 choices (in no particular order). As for Maryland, there is really nothing wrong with it, I just didn’t love it when I visited and I just think that Rutgers, Toronto, and Wake are better options for me. My mom doesn’t want me committing to the 6 year program at Rutgers. My dad wants me to go to Toronto.</p>
<p>UToronto is tough for an undecided student since you have to declare your major right away and you take all your classes in that major. If you find you don’t like it, you have to start again.</p>
<p>Oh man, this is tough. I really don’t exactly know what I want to do. I would eventually like to go into the pharmaceutical industry. I like chemistry, physics, and economics, so pretty much any of the majors I applied for could work.</p>
<p>Email the physics and chemistry departments at each school, asking (after polite greetings and an introduction) what it takes at their university to double major in physics and chemistry.
Then email each economics dept and ask what it takes to major in economics and chemistry, and how many economics majors double major out of what number.
(you need “out of how many” otherwise the larger universities will have larger numbers but that wouldn’t indicate how feasible it is.)</p>
<p>Keep in mind that it’s very difficult to get As at the top Canadian universities. The grading standards are far less generous than even supposedly “grade deflated” schools in the US. If GPA matters for pre-pharm, Toronto may not end up being the most cost effective choice. </p>
<p>You guys are all bringing up good points. I would love to double major in physics and chemistry, physics and econ, or chem and econ. I’m also aware of the Canadian grade deflation which I’m kind of worried about in the long run. I’m awaiting my financial aid package from Wake Forest. If I do not get a decent amount of money I’ll be between Toronto and Rutgers, although I have some doubts about both of them.</p>
<p>I agree that Rutgers Pharm is an amazing option (I would try to do the Pharm/MBA program), but I just don’t know at this point if I want to commit to such a specialized major (pharmacy).</p>
<p>There’s not much else we can tell you. If you’re undecided, don’t go for a program where the major is locked when you’re not sure about it. Email Rutgers to see if you could switch from the Pharma program to the Honors program. Choose a college where you’ll have choices. Or try the Pharma program but have a plan B if you don’t like it. UToronto is probably the least favorable issue for you since you will ONLY have classes in your major and if you don’t like it, you will have to go back to square one, not to mention the great grade deflation that makes miserable even to Canadians used to 85’s being good (C+ at UToronto is actually good… half a class may get a D or F. You can see how that would be a problem for grad schools and transferring).</p>
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