Hi, everyone-
I am admitted by Rice, Vanderbilt and Emory. I do not know which college is better for pre-med track. The financial aid is not the most important factor for me. The major concerns: 1) which is relatively easy to get good GPA; 2) if fail to keep a good GPA, which college is relatively better to switch to another good major. Please give me your suggestions. Thanks.
Honestly, even though these schools are quite different from each other in many ways, I don’t think there are any big differences for grades and majors and GPA. If you work hard and apply yourself, you will probably do well at any of these schools.
Have you visited all three? Do you have a feel for which is the best fit academically, personally, and socially? I don’t know too much about the culture of Emory. I think Vanderbilt and Rice are pretty different socially, in part because of Vanderbilt’s Greek life, and Rice’s residential college system (and no frats or sororities).
Rice is adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, the biggest medical center in the world. I have heard that there are many research and internship opportunities for Rice students at the Texas Medical Center, and the relationship was definitely emphasized at the Rice information session I attended recently.
I’d choose between Rice or Vanderbilt. See where you would be most comfortable.
Emory has the CDC onsite and a great med school, so presumably a great pre-med program. Both Rice and Emory are in major metro areas, compared to Vanderbilt which is in Nashville – a small town compared to Atlanta and Houston. Have you considered lifestyle issues, and what suits you best? Not only are the locations very different, but so are the student bodies. Emory and Vanderbilt are among the top 60 colleges for Jewish population, for example. Greek and residential options vary greatly as well. Also extracurricular options. Do you have hobbies you want to pursue both on and off campus? For example, my daughter is into indoor rock climbing, so for her it’s nice for a college to have a large climbing gym nearby. Other people are into crew and look for a river, etc. Are there any languages you want to study while you pursue your major? Language offerings can vary greatly at universities. Since these are all equally great choices, you can’t make a wrong decision academically. So look for the other aspects to make a decision. What do you think of the neighborhoods directly surrounding the universities? What about public transportation options? Have you compared the cost of airplane tickets home for holidays and visits (or other means of transportation)? Atlanta and Houston are more likely to have direct affordable flights than Nashville. If cost is not an issue for flights, then do consider the hassle factor – direct flights are faster and easier than those with connecting flights. Look at the club offerings at each university, as these can vary widely, and are very revealing about the interests of the students. Finally, go with your gut instinct, and where you get most excited about attending. Congrats on having these great options!