I think I can have a say on this.
Paying both full price, I actually transferred from Chapel Hill to Notre Dame b/c it is very hard to get into class at large public universities. Class like intro to statistics have 50+ students waiting on the waitlist to get a seat, and it’s very hard to get them if you don’t try hard enough (i.e: check registar at 3:00 AM in the morning). Notre Dame, on the other hand, I had no difficulties to get in the class and all the professors are great at teaching.
Education resource is definitely very different. Notre Dame just spent 0.5 billion dollars to build a new Duncan student center, with brand new rock climbing wall and fitness studios. In my freshman at UNC, I always hated the classrooms because all the halls are sketchy and old.
Last and certainly the least, the student body is very different. There are a lot of peer pressure at ND, but in a good way. Students are way more hardworking, open-minded, and engaged. UNC has students from a diverse background and Greek life is tremendous there. ND does not have Greek life (which I like) but a dorm system that encourage you engage with your community.
That pretty much explains my experience at both schools. I never regret to transfer to ND even though UNC is much cheaper (my parents are paying both full price and not wealthy which I feel bad but becomes a motivation for me to work harder).
And lastly, ND is great for pre-med and even bio phds. You can easily get a lab or research founding given how rich the school is. UNC, on the other hand, does not have that many lab opportunities for undergraduate students.
Hope this helps.
I will add, that at my daughter’s white coat ceremony at the largest med school in the country, I noticed that every single student came from a “top tier” college, or a high end state flagship university… No exceptions. Coincidence? I don’t and won’t know, but it is interesting to note, that it is likely that the school you go to for college does indeed, make a huge difference!
Also, if, in the end, it’s all about money, I would say do not go to ND. ND’s culture isn’t about that and you would be better off taking the money at one of the other schools you mentioned.
“I will add, that at my daughter’s white coat ceremony at the largest med school in the country, I noticed that every single student came from a “top tier” college, or a high end state flagship university… No exceptions. Coincidence? I don’t and won’t know, but it is interesting to note, that it is likely that the school you go to for college does indeed, make a huge difference!”
A common perception that is logically flawed.
Actually attending ND (which does a truly excellent job with pre-meds) vs. UNC probably does not matter all that much to your chances of getting into med school. Being the type of person who can gain admission to a school like ND or UNC (i.e. smart, ambitious, hard-working, etc.) is what matters the most by far.
Good grades and good test scores get you into med school. Schools like ND and UNC are brimming with kids who are skilled at getting good grades and good test scores. Since that’s how you get into those type schools in the first place.
Northwesty…“logically flawed?”… Not really, just an observation from the largest medical school in the country, without one small/smaller liberal arts-type school represented… Let’s be real-the top schools are going to breed top students capable of getting in to medical school, and you are kidding yourself if you think that medical schools are NOT looking at rigor and reputation in evaluating potential students. My daughter also sat on the admissions committee for her med school and saw, first hand how some of it is done. My advice-go to the best school you can to give yourself every advantage.
@threebeans My son is now deciding between Notre Dame and Tulane. He’s not getting any aid from ND but he’s getting merit scholarship from Tulane. I know he’s emotionally attached to ND but he’s trying his best to accept the fact the Tulane is the smarter choice. He is taking neuroscience and would like to get to medical school after. Our main concern is to make sure he gets all the support he needs to get to medical school. We can afford ND but I find it too steep a price especially with Tulane’s scholarship. I’d like to know how’s your son’s experience been so far?
We are in the same position. My son also got a very generous merit scholarship from Tulane. We are both Notre Dame alumni and he’s worked his whole life to get into ND. Unfortunately, Notre Dame gives out so little in terms of Merit. I think we’re going to give in and pay full price for Notre Dame. It’s very tough to give up the scholarship. Good luck with your decision.
@aspen22 Thanks for sharing. I assume your decision is made easier by the fact the you are both ND alumni. I’m sure ND offers a lot of advantages. But is there anything that gave you some concern about sending your son to Tulane? I’m trying to find a compelling case why I should give up the scholarship and pay the full price at ND. Thanks in advance.
I’ve actually heard all good things from families in our town whose kids attend Tulane. It’s really about fit for our son. He attended the summer scholars program at Notre Dame last summer and immediately felt like he belonged there. He’s a huge ND sports fan and loves the golf courses on campus. Have you visited Notre Dame? It’s a very special place. You really just have to weigh the cost. We have two more kids coming up the line. That scholarship is tough to give up!
@aspen22 I hope my son doesn’t see your post. He was the varsity golf team captain this year, and golf courses in and around the campuses were on top of his lists to check when we visited schools. We’ve been to Notre Dame a couple of times but not on official campus visit. We’d probably drive there again before we make the final decision. And yes, this is a really tough decision. I have another kid going to college next year )-:
Tulane’s a great school with lots of smart kids. It works very well for pre-med with its nearby university hospital/med school (which ND does not have obviously).
For pre med, I think that ND has a higher touch, more resourced, more organized pre-med advising program than Tulane. But the differences in pre-med are probably not what should drive the decision (since most high school pre-meds never wind up applying to med school).
Mostly, the reason why you’d pay more for ND is if your kid really really digs the whole ND thing – Catholic, sporty, traditional, football, the stay hall system, milkshake Mass, etc. Tight knit community and great alumni network. Some people really dig that stuff and think it is a priceless experience. Others wouldn’t go there if it was free.
One of my kids loved both Tulane and ND for different reasons (but eventually enrolled somewhere else). Another kid graduated from Tulane and loved it. That kid (who loved the city experience of Nola) would have been lost and bored at ND. Just depends on what they like.
FYI, there’s a golf course literally right across the street from Tulane’s campus in Audubon Park.