Private school vs. state school for undergrad: med school in future

<p>I don't want to stay in state for college, I want to go out of state. I got accepted into Saint Xaiver university a private school, but it's 38k a year to attend compared to my state college 18k a year. They both have decent pre-med programs, as I plan to go off to medical school after undergrad. Is it worth going out to such a expensive college with almost the same education as my state one? But Saint Xaiver does possess smaller classes, as I favor that. I qualify for grants of up to 10k and some scholarships, but not many because of personal issues that dropped my gpa. I brought it back up to a 2.5 senior year. I am also taking IB exams and plan to score 5s so I can get more credits in the college I do decide to go to. As both these colleges accept SL and HL scores.</p>

<p>If I put this in the wrong thread my bad, I'm new to this. Thanks for looking.</p>

<p>In general, you want to save money and minimize debt because medical school is expensive. Also, if you skip pre-med courses with IB credit, you will likely need to substitute more advanced courses in the same pre-med subjects.</p>

<p>Thank you for the reply, the thing is with my state school, a big portion of graduates from my high school go there(I don’t really want to see them again, kind of want a freshstart), the lecture halls range from 20-200 students and the class sizes are 30:1. The classes of Saint Xaiver are 10-15:1. For med school, wouldn’t I need to know my professors to get strong recs and ask for more help on difficult subjects, organic chemistry is my area of weakness in chemistry and a B is needed in organics or med school is not possible.</p>

<p>What are your parents saying? Are they happily willing to pay the remaining costs at St. X? If so, then great. If not, then the question is moot.</p>

<p>While a lot of it is based on financial aid, another important part of the equation is how YOU feel about the school. I suggest visiting the colleges before you make your decision. I couldn’t make mine until I visited the campus, and then I fell in love. Good Luck!</p>

<p>You’re going to need a high GPA as well as a strong MCAT score for med school. Your GPA in high school brings up the question as to how you’re going to have a high GPA for med school.</p>

<p>I love the Saint X. campus more than my state campus, it will be a new start as I will not be known and will be able to continue to develop myself in different environment compared to my state campus. The only thing that worries me a bit is the costs. My mom will be paying the remaining the grants don’t cover and I will be doing work study to help pay too.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids I resolved my personal issues and I am a lot healthier now. I will be able to put my focus into my studies and I am extremely determined to become a cardiologist. It’s my dream, I won’t be drifting from it.</p>

<p>

This is an awful reason to choose a school. The state school is fairly large, right? So there will be lots of new people to meet. You are not going to hang out with people just because you are on the same campus or have a class or two together - college is very, very different from HS in that regard.</p>

<p>The class size issue is more complicated. We don’t know your personal style as well as you and your family do, so y’all will need to weigh this yourselves. Good luck.</p>

<p>Years ago, my sister and I were on the same big public U campus. We never saw each other except when we were swapping the car that we shared, and neither of us ever saw people from our hometown unless we were getting or giving rides.</p>

<p>Believe me. If you don’t want to see them, you won’t.</p>

<p>* The only thing that worries me a bit is the costs. My mom will be paying the remaining the grants don’t cover and I will be doing work study to help pay too.*</p>

<p>Have you gotten your FA award yet? If not, do you know how much the school will expect your mom to pay? </p>

<p>At this point, if you haven’t rec’d your FA pkg, then you don’t know if you’ll get work study. </p>

<p>Have you had your mom try the Net Price Calculator on the school’s website? If not, do so.</p>

<p>Do you know what your EFC is?</p>

<p>What are your SAT (breakdown) and/or ACT scores?</p>

<p>I got the FA award, the remaining that will be needed to pay is around 15k. Although I’m still waiting on a couple of 2k, 3k and a couple 1k scholarships, if I get them I will be paying around 10k or less per year. I got a 28(comp) stronger in math and science. I did not take the sat, but the subject tests, 740 chem and 720 math II.</p>

<p>If it was larger I wouldn’t mind, but it’s not. I take after school science and math courses there, I see a lot of graduates from my current high school most of the time.</p>