<p>D was accepted at Rice (no scholarships), Emory (15K/yr scholarship) and UT Dean's Scholar Honors Program (2K/yr scholarship). She will likely major in Biology, and follow a pre-med track. Her plans are to go on for an MD or MD/PhD.</p>
<p>We don't qualify for any financial aid, so taking into account the National Merit scholarship, the net COA is ~47K (Rice), ~36K (Emory) and ~20K (UT-Austin). </p>
<p>Any thoughts on how these stack up for undergraduate education, given D's intention to go to medical school? Thanks for your input.</p>
<p>I have a son at Emory (soph). I am on Faculty at Emory Med School. I cannot speak to the other two schools except by reputation. </p>
<p>You commented more on the financial cost than the quality of education so I would think this is a major concern. If med school is the ultimate aim for your daughter, cost is going to be a very important factor since you need to factor in another four years of tutition after undergrad. The differences in COA between the three schools is substantial. So, for that reason alone UT-Austin, a very good school, should be in the lead. I do not think Rice or Emory give a student that much more of an edge for Med School over a place like UT-Austin. </p>
<p>However, if you daughter is one where you are (or she is) concerned that a large school like UT-Austin may affect her ability to be successful, then consider one of the other two schools. Personnally, for the money you describe, I do not believe the additional $11,000 cost at Rice is worth it. But from what I have read, Rice and Emory have different ‘feels’ to the schools. So, again, it depends on your daughter. </p>
<p>As a parent, I have been very pleased with Emory for my son (I sent my daughter to Northwestern so I have seen other schools as a parent). </p>
<p>Wherever she goes, premed rigor at all these schools is high. But there is no reason to think she will have a major edge going to any one of these schools over any of the other two. Thus, cost and the ‘fit’ should be strongly considered. </p>
<p>Lastly, congrats to her. None of these schools are a breeze to get into.</p>
<p>The Dean’s Scholar Honors program at UT-Austin is highly selective, offers small class sizes, great research opportunities and a very high success rate for med school applicants. UT-Austin per se would not have been in the same mix as Rice and Emory.</p>
<p>My daughter’s roommate last year was in Dean’s Scholars at UT. It is a really great program, small, very highly selective. The kids in it have stats of ivy league caliber and bond with special programming. Has she talked to anyone who is doing UT Dean’s scholars? I’d really recommend it.</p>