Hi, I’m almost done receiving news from colleges (I’m only waiting for Emory, Harvard, and Brown.). So far I have been accepted to the following schools.
UVa (full pay OOS)
UMD-College Park + Gemstone Honors Program (2k a year scholarship , OOS)
Case Western Reserve University (32,500 a year scholarship)
The College of NJ+honors program (2k a year scholarship, In state)
Washington University in Saint Louis (full pay)
William and Mary (scholarship equivalent to instate tuition and fees; I only pay the OOS-IS difference)
Johns Hopkins (full pay)
Swarthmore (full pay)
My dilemma is this. I can, and pretty much have, already crossed UVa, UMD, TCNJ, WUSTL, and Swarthmore off the list. But, it is difficult for me to cross off JHU, as first, I’ve been dreaming about the school for years, and their premed program is arguably the best in the nation, and it’s the best ranked school I’ve gotten accepted to. The costs of attendance for William and Mary and Case differ by a small amount, about 30k. My parents have said “not to worry about money” and that they’ll “do everything they can”, even getting agitated when I brought up crossing off some of the more expensive options. What should I do??
(Obviously I’m not going to say no to a college until I have all my decisions)
Case and W&M are excellent schools, and personally, I cannot see the justification in paying $120K more to go to JHU (or any school) particularly if you plan to attend med school. That savings will go a long way to decreasing med school debt. But wait till all the decisions are in.
@mom2collegekids that’s what my head says, but it’s difficult to say no to jhu when my heart has been set on it for so long, and I actually got in. My parents are also reputation-crazy (but not so much that they won’t let me make my decision) and my mom conflates William and Mary with Franklin and Marshall, which was her safety back in the day, which is to say that William and Mary’s reputation is next to zero in my house.
Well then go to JHU, but realize that it’s a grind for premeds and you’ll be lucky to survive premed prereqs there. If you’re ok with then switching to another career path, then super!
That said, your mom needs to become more up to date…Wm & Mary is a top school!
@bbbaaa784, luckily for you, you are leaving your house and nobody who matters for your future will be consulting with your mother about W&M’s reputation.
W&M is one of the top publics in the country. I’ve never been to Cleveland but have heard conflicting reports about the area around Case (plenty of people saying it’s not that bad; quite good culture-wise, in fact).
I’d go with W&M too. A really top school.
Jhu is NOT 'tops for Premeds '. It’s a top MED SCHOOL… which is very different. Many premeds doesn’t mean many who survive and attend the med school. You actually increase your oddsnof going to jhu med NY going to a top school that isn’t jhu.
What would your major be?
It would be a lot easier for you and everyone else to assess the relative costs if you listed them in net price, rather than scholarship or FA awarded.
Pre-med is challenging no matter where you go. There isn’t a golden ticket. I think all of these would serve you well. William and Mary is one of the top publics and very, very good for pre-med.
