Prestige public schools VS Ivy League

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

Ok so I’m undecided about whether I want to transfer to UVA or VTech!

But in relation to the Ivy League is that I want to go to Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Chicago or UPENN medical school/ grad school!

The reason I’m so indecisive is because UVA I feel I’ll be a little outcast and I really wanna enjoy my college life experience and I’ve heard that it’s a serious environment up at UVA and I know it’s going to be competition 24/7 which is fine but I’m gonna be in school for another 7 years and I wanna enjoy a little. BUT I know that theirs a high percentage of a lot of graduates who get into Ivy League schools for grad and medical school!

VS

At tech (not saying it’s not competitive ) the people are happy and it’s a social big campus. I would be in the honors program and deans list which makes me a little outstanding/competitive from every one else while still being able to have that college experience (also not saying UVA I wouldn’t but you can see the difference) BUT I can’t find any percentage/rate of VTech grads getting into Ivy League schools for medical or grad! If anything they just get into VTech or UVA medical school.

Can I have some light / advice on all of this information?

Can I still get into the top medical schools if I go to VTech?

Should I just take my chances with UVA instead?

All is good :slight_smile:

2

Go to VA Tech or cheaper school.

3

Aren’t you a part time college student who took eight credits this semester?

I don’t believe Ivy schools are in your future.

4

ClarinetDad16, that is not necessarily true at all. I want to say that really emphatically.

prepinit, apply to both schools, and if you get into both, come back. For undergrad transfer, you should go to the school that best meets your needs for undergrad.

You do not have to go to a top med school to be a doctor, obviously. Worry about that later anyway.

And remember you can major in anything and still go to med school, so do what you like and are good at.

5

He said he did poorly in high school. And now is only taking 8 credits on purpose to have 24 credits at transfer.

I don’t believe that’s the recipe for an Ivy League transfer.

6

I don’t see where he says he did poorly in high school. I do see that he says he would be in the honors program at VTech.

And he or she was not asking about an Ivy League transfer, but about whether a transfer to VTech or UVA would be more helpful in ultimately attending an Ivy League medical/grad school.

But I was not responding concerning this one student. Your post said "Aren’t you a part time college student who took eight credits this semester? I don’t believe Ivy schools are in your future. "

I just don’t want other students who started out in a non-traditional way for college, for money reasons or other reasons, to be discouraged by a blanket statement like that. Whether true or not for this particular student.

That said, this poster’s premature focus on getting into top medical schools is misguided at best.

7

@clarinetdad16 I never said I wanted to transfer to Ivy League this year as undergrad school so Ivy leagues are in my future thank you very much :slight_smile: and I’m taking 8 credits because I can afford to based off of the credits I took last semester and I got into tech under honors just waiting for UVA just because someone did bad in hs does not mean anything I’ve been to a total of 8 hs so that plays a big roll under my academics and yes @compmom is right you should never discourage a student who went to a community college there’s actually ALOT of kids who started of at CC and had bad grades and went to Ivy League

8

This post is in regards to medical school and going to Ivy League FOR grad school. Even if it wasn’t please don’t be rude not only to me but to everyone and discourage them this website is to build confidence and guidance @ClarinetDad16 and I’m a female

9

I think you should visit both and transfer to where you feel most comfortable.

10

@ClarinetDad16 that’s pretty rude… do you go to an Ivy League school yourself? Because you said you don’t “believe” that’s a true recipe. Anyone can get into Ivy League if they try their hardest.

As for prepinit whatever school you go to and get good grades in which from the sounds of it you’re on the right track you can get into the medical school such as Harvard. It seems like you’re leaning more towards tech anyways and if you’re on the honors list that’s pretty great to write on your resume !

11

Read the OPs other post she said he was a C/D Student in HS. Accordingly a few months later with a semester of community college under his belt she doesn’t become an Ivy Admit for undergrad.

If now the end goal is grad or med school, that is a long shot as it is for anyone. Work hard and go where it fits for you, rather than the name on the shirt. Best of luck.

12

@prepinit: Medical school admissions is a whole 'nother ball game. My daughter just went through the medical school admissions process and let me share with you her experience.

My daughter graduated with honors from Harvard College (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude) with a humanities degree, then enrolled in her local state college (City College of NY) as a second degree student for her premed requirements. She applied to medical school through Harvard’s Pre-med Advising Program, with a 4.0 GPA in pre-med sciences from CCNY, and a score of 523 on her MCAT (100th percentile). She was rejected from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Baylor, Vanderbilt, UCLA medical schools (among others), waitlisted at UPenn and accepted to WashU in St. Louis. Now, granted she was applying as a non-traditional applicant without any research or volunteering experience on her resume (which medical schools seem to love), but medical school applications are a very tough road no matter where you go to school.

My recommendation: Go to a college where you will be able to graduate with a 4.0 GPA.

FWIW: Just as course rigor varies among high schools, there are also varying levels of course rigor at different colleges. Harvard (and the rest of the ivies) – rightly, or wrongly – believe they are teaching to the gifted and talented students of this world, so to challenge those “best of the best” students, professors are encouraged to pour on the work. For example, some courses normally taught over an entire year at another college are taught during one semester at Harvard. Let’s take LS2 (Evolutionary Human Physiology and Anatomy), which is the Bio course recommended for students interested in pursing medical school: http://scholar.harvard.edu/adamfrange/files/life_sciences_2_evolutionary_human_physiology_and_anatomy_syllabus_2012.pdf

The course is jammed packed with things you wouldn’t be asked to do at another college, like identifying every bone in the human body by week two in the course, something my wife didn’t have to do until medical school! Yes, it’s a fabulous experience, but because ivy league professors have higher expectations of their student’s, few students actually get A’s in the course. So, another student coming out of a flagship state college, which doesn’t have as high expectations may have a higher GPA and be in a better position for medical school than a student coming out of an ivy league school with a B+ or A- in their pre-med courses.

Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

13

@gibby thanks for the amazing detailed feedback! If I go to tech under the honors program they have this neuroscience clinical major program where i will be able to get clinical hours and volunteering done! Maybe even get some research to add on my resume. I’ve also heard from a fellow VTech pre med student that they make a folder for the pre med students to add volunteer and clinical hours so it can be sent to the medical school I apply for! I definitely will be trying to make sure to do research because I heard that’s a big plus. I also plan on minoring in philosophy because my pre med advisor said it’s good to try to be diverse as possible and philosophy is a good pick for that.

14

Again, prepinit asked about transfer to UVA or VTech, for undergrad. Not Ivy League. But hopes to apply to Ivy League grad or medical schools.

Prepinit, I think that we want to balance encouraging you to dream, and certain realities. Go to one of these two schools (f you have techie interests consider VTech I guess, but UVA is some students’ dream school for sure). Work hard. But live in the present in the sense that you should major in what you are good at, and what you enjoy.

The reality is that many young people think they want to become doctors, but change their minds as they acquire a more sophisticated view of the workplace and career options. And you can practice medicine after graduating from any medical school. No need for an Ivy. Why are you dreaming of Harvard et al?

It may be that you would feel validated in the eyes of others by having a prestigious name on your diploma and resume, but it really doesn’t make any difference in the long run for med school.

Please try to focus on the present and don’t gear your life to some distant idealized goal of Harvard Medical School- yet. Maybe you will discover some area of study or work that you love along the way. Stay open to possibiliites.

I do understand that these ambitions are energizing you. Keep that energy and know that anything can happen. Just don’t worry about it so much yet.

In the meantime, choose the school that suits you best NOW without regard to elite med schools, please. Not because you cannot go but because that kind of premature focus can really distort your experience of the present.

15

@compmom I really appreciate it and yes I definitely will consider that!

I just get excited about being a doctor and medical school and the future to come but I’m definitely going to just live in the now and being in college etc. because once the time comes I know I’ll probably be wishing to be back in undergrad

@ClarinetDad16 I don’t have just a semester of college under my belt I went to the university’s of Vermont last semester but decided it wasn’t for me so I amback home to be closer to my family which is in Virginia and plus I like the schools in Virginia better. I did not have to go to a community college but decided to because I did not want to take a semester off I wanted to stay productive and yes uva recommends atleast 24 credits which is also another reason why I went to CC but admissions told me it wasn’t a deal breaker if I didn’t. I had epilepsy so it was a challenge for me to learn and am a military child who constantly moved around a lot. So my first two years of hs where rocky but my last two years were solid. Since then I have overcame that and found techniques that work best to keep my grades up. I appreciate for the feedback tho but you can see why someone like myself would be slightly offended .

16

OP you are getting lots of good advice here. When the 4.0 at Harvard has admissions challenges at the schools you aspire to coming from Vermont, CC and a third school… perhaps there are other doors that are more likely to open for you. Work hard, stay healthy, enjoy college, get the best grades possible. Do everything you can to follow your passion, pursue your dream.

Dream big. And if plan A is off the table, kick the crap out of Plan B!

17

Very true @ClarinetDad16 thanks again!:slight_smile:

18

If you have epilepsy (one of mine does) make sure you register with the Office for Disabilities wherever you are. You need to have some accommodations. Examples: single room if needed, extra time on assignments, separate exam room, excused absences, reduced course load. You don’t have to use them. Seizures compromise cognitive skills for a few hours or even days, and also the brain requires rest, so it’s not like some other health challenges where you can jump right back in and make things up. If you push it, you won’t recover as well. Also, make sure to get tuition refund insurance.

My kid got through an Ivy but could not have done it without a lot of support from the school. Get your neurologist to write a letter, have your medical records ready, have the doctor sign a list of accommodations requested, and meet with the Office for Disabilities. Also let a dean know. The O of D will give you letters to give to your teachers. You do not have to reveal your disability unless you want to

UVM. UVA and VT are all great schools so I am sure you will do well. But go easy on yourself by getting the support you need.