I’m currently deciding between the TCNJ/NJMS 7 year BS/MD Program, Rice, and UCLA.
I think I’m probably leaning more towards TCNJ/NJMS vs. Rice. Rice’s office said about 85% of their applicants get accepted into medical school, and I would want to feel pretty confident in my ability to get into medical school if I were to give up a BS/MD.
When I went to TCNJ, I didn’t feel that kind of awe and excitement I had hoped I would feel. I’ve always dreamed about the undergraduate experience, and I feel like it’s such a big transition/milestone in life. But I acknowledge that may be my young and naive idealism talking; I know I would eventually come to appreciate TCNJ.
But on the other hand, medical school is ridiculously hard to get into, and I didn’t get into any Ivies or any other BS/MD programs. I don’t know how to gauge my ability to get in.
The medical program would be significantly cheaper though. TCNJ tuition equals UCLA’s right now.
I feel it is a bit of idealism vs. practicality. I’m not sure what to do…
An “applicant” is not the same as a high school senior who wants to go the premed route. Lots of winnowing occurs. If you really want to be a doctor, given the tough odds these days and manufactured shortages of positions, then I would go the TCNJ/NJMS route.
If you go to Rice, for example, you will be surrounded by competitive ACT 33+ kids who want to go to med school, of which some fraction drop the intention, and then 15% of the remainder don’t make the cut. If you truly want to be a doctor, why risk it? if you end up being a doctor, nobody cares where to went to undergrad. If you become a doctor, debt is a huge concern that affects your job choices usually adversely. If you end up being a doctor, forget about the hope for “feeling awed.” That passes quickly.
TCNJ is NOT so remote. You can drive up to Philadelphia easily or take train to both NYC/Philly. It is a kind of rural.
@grtd2010 I don’t necessarily agree with the last part of your statement. Living 45 minutes away from the TCNJ Campus, driving past it a few times gives you a sense that although the campus itself is somewhat isolated, there’s definitely a lot of residential areas surrounding it. I don’t believe you can really classify any area of central NJ as being rural, due to the sky high population density and convenient public transportation(local airport, bus/train stations, etc.).
Rural may be a relative term to describe it, let’s say compared to Edison in central NJ . The airport is at Newark, NJ or Philadelphia, PA. The train station is at Trenton, NJ.
@WISdad23 I visited Rice Sunday and Monday, and I realize that I absolutely love it. I hear Rice is pretty good for pre-med, with its 87% acceptance and vicinity to the Texas Medical Center. I agree though that the 87% comes from top applicants after the winnowing.
I’m just scared that if I go to TCNJ I’ll miss out on the undergraduate experience I had always expected and dreamed of (again, idealism perhaps) and will always wonder what it would have been like to go to Rice.
Thanks for all the advice!
Also, I am as sure as I can be that I want to become a doctor, but isn’t the future unclear? I can’t say right now that I’m 100% sure I will end up being a doctor even if that’s the future I see for myself at this moment.
Will it matter to me where I go for undergrad, in terms of how much I grow (the people I meet, academic rigor, etc.)?
@ccuser00 Most students will pick TCNJ/NJMS option NOT TCNJ UG only. For UG experience, RICE is much better. If you want to be a doctor, no one will ask your UG school. Only your professional credential as a doctor matters. It seems that you are NOT 100% committed to being a future doctor.