<p>D has decided it's down to these two schools but has received a 20k out of state scholarship to U-M. WUSTL is full price. She will major in Biomedical Engineering.</p>
<p>If she took full advantage of all the things U-M has to offer: research (UROP) and clinical and volunteer opportunities, how would her med school options compare vs. those at WUSTL? This would be assuming her profile (GPA, MCAT) would be similar at both schools upon graduation. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance for opinions!</p>
<p>Both schools are excellent, UM will be less expensive. Both schools will open doors wide for her future, so I would go for fit. Where she feels the most comfortable, and where she feels at home.</p>
<p>With that being said, I was under the impression that UM is ranked higher in undergraduate biochem engineering that Washington, but not by much. </p>
<p>Biochemical engineering can impair GPA, to a degree, and for med school applications, it is important to maintain a high GPA ( there is also a GPA requirement for your daughter’s scholarship, I believe). She needs to decide where the best fit and academic load for her will be. I think you mentioned elsewhere she was going for the preview at UM, and I think that is a fantastic idea. </p>
<p>Good luck to your family as you make these decisions! She has excellent opportunities ahead, no matter where she chooses. </p>
<p>Both are excellent in this area. I would recommend that she get out of town and go to Michigan. It seems that Michigan will cost at least 80K less over the four years. That is a lot of money for a mostly comparable education. </p>
<p>Thanks @Decorative22 for the comments.</p>
<p>I guess more specifically my question targets the “prestige” of med schools that would be available/attainable. Would a graduate of U-M be viewed in the same light (assuming similar stats) as a graduate of WUSTL? </p>
<p>Yes @rjkofnovi agreed! She would definitely like to get out of town. So, it’s agreed that they are mostly comparable? 
I’m trying to understand how the schools are viewed and can’t seem to find anything negative (academically) about either of them. </p>
<p>I know fit is a concern, but so is $80k!! I think she’ll be fine at either but it may be more of a transition at U-M. </p>
<p>I would gently argue that it would, especially in the field of engineering, stand her in a better light. </p>
<p>Although? You should know- for med schools? Prestige isn’t the name of the game. Getting in, getting the education, and then residency and certification are the name of the game. It’s fascinating- but med schools are not the same the kind of prestige game that other graduate schools are. </p>
<p>You can check out the med school forums here to glean part of this information. 
</p>
<p>Thank you for your comments! I know that the medical school process is complicated.</p>
<p>It feels odd to be concerned about med school when she is making her undergraduate decision. But it also feels foolish not to look ahead.</p>
<p>Your daughter is obviously very bright. Michigan will not hold her back from going to any top medical school in the country, including the ones in Ann Arbor and St. Louis. Congrats!</p>
<p>One of the things I’ve learned about applying to medical school is that clinical exposure and research are good things to have.</p>
<p>I know that U-M offers these types of opportunities but is it difficult because of the size of the school to actually obtain these experiences? That is my fear and I do not know if it is reality based!</p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/mdphd-program/um-smart-undergrad-summer-program”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/mdphd-program/um-smart-undergrad-summer-program</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://med.umich.edu/medschool/diversity/research-academy.htm”>http://med.umich.edu/medschool/diversity/research-academy.htm</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/phd-programs/about-pibs/undergrad-summer-research”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/phd-programs/about-pibs/undergrad-summer-research</a></p>
<p>Thank you for the links @rjkofnovi !</p>
<p><a href=“Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) | U-M LSA”>http://www.lsa.umich.edu/urop/</a></p>
<p>Completely dependent on family finances. $80k is a lot of money in loans to a middle class family if your home is only with $250k. If the entire $80k has to be loans, which is 2x avg loan total for Wash U, then I’d send her to UM. If Dad makes $300k a year and is writing a check then the decision should be hers to make.</p>
<p>Once you are in the school and your major- the school shrinks because of your programs and major. If that makes sense? </p>
<p>Both are excellent options. Each year, WUSTL Medical School enrolls 15 or so WUSTL alums. Michigan Medical School enrolls 50 or so Michigan alums. At most other top medical school, I would estimate that Michigan alums are as well represented as WUSTL alums (when you adjust for size). For example, there are currently 6 WUSTL alums at JHU Medical School compared to 12 Michigan alums. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sebin/u/p/SOMCatalog0910.pdf”>http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sebin/u/p/SOMCatalog0910.pdf</a> (page 461)</p>
<p><a href=“http://medadmissions.wustl.edu/HowtoApply/selectionprocess/Pages/WhoChoosesWU.aspx”>http://medadmissions.wustl.edu/HowtoApply/selectionprocess/Pages/WhoChoosesWU.aspx</a> (click on “Undergraduate Institutions Represented”)</p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2012”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2012</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2011”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2011</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2010”>http://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-program/people-places/class-profiles/2010</a></p>
<p>By the way, if you are receiving $20k in scholarship money from Michigan, you will save more than $80k over four years. Even at full cost, Michigan is roughly $6k per year cheaper than WUSTL. So you would be saving over $100k over four years. Unless that’s insignificant to your family, I think Michigan makes better sense.</p>
<p>What do you keep posting raw numbers in attempt to make UM undergrad look like more of a feeder to UM medical school, than Wash U college is to their medical school? UM’s undergrad is 4x larger than Wash U. Furthermore, Wash U’s medical school is 500 students, UM’s is almost 700.</p>
<p>“Once you are in the school and your major- the school shrinks because of your programs and major. If that makes sense?”</p>
<p>Correct, if you make it out of the 500 student lectures that serve as weed out courses. I’d say Wash U’s 8:1 stu faculty ratio makes those early weed out courses much cozier to deal with, but what do I know.</p>