I am currently debating between Stanford, Columbia (as an Egleston Scholar), and Georgia Tech (as a full-ride Stamps Presidents Scholar) for either biomedical or chemical engineering. Any advice would be much appreciated.
After undergrad, I hope to get an MD/PhD and conduct research in drug development and delivery, either in academia or for a pharmaceutical company. During college, my biggest priority is research: I would like to work in a synthetic chemistry lab that works on drug synthesis. I am also interested in nationally competitive scholarships such as Rhodes and Gates-Cambridge, and am really interested in the Amgen Scholars Program as well as the NIH Summer Internship Program. I also think it would be cool to research abroad at Oxford or Cambridge. I really just want to go to the school that would best set-me-up to partake in such activities. Also, I did attend a dual-credit school for my junior and senior year, so it would be nice to attend a place that accepted transfer credit.
Pros and cons for each school within context would be great. Thanks so much!
Even though Georgia Tech is a great school and you will find wonderful opportunities there, Standford and Columbia are much better options. Diplomas from those schools are very respected and will help you get a job and be sucessful in the future. Good luck with what ever you choose!
What’s the cost difference? Georgia Tech for free is a great option, and the prestigious scholarship comes with its own benefits and can open doors. I can’t imagine you’d be at any disadvantage when looking for employment in the engineering field with a GT degree, especially as a Stamps Presidents scholar.
Another user wrote that “diplomas from [Stanford and Columbia] are very respected and will help you get a job and be successful in the future.” Besides the fact that engineering is not a prestige-focused field, the idea that a GT degree is not well-respected and helpful in getting a job and being successful is ridiculous.
I got pretty good need-based aid at Stanford, so the cost difference runs at about $80,000 over the four years.
Also, I agree that in terms of future career goals, both degrees are relatively equal. As with any school, it’s more about what I do then where I am.
Also, I’m not really considering Columbia anymore. I visited and the Core Curriculum, the lack of credit-transfer, and the environment aren’t really for me.
How much does 80k mean to your family? I think they’re both in pretty good locations with nice weather, but GT is obviously much larger, which could be a pro or a con, depending on your personality.
If you’re not sure of engineering (though it sounds like you are), Stanford definitely has more options.
I think it wouldn’t be too bad (especially since MD/PhDs are fully–funded programs), but I think I would be more pressured to do well academically if my education was being paid for. Also, I don’t really know how much financial aid packages change over the four years. I
I visited Georgia Tech for two days to interview for the scholarship, and I am at Stanford right now. I think visiting has made the decision harder because I was originally pretty (ish) set on going to Tech because i figured Stanford would really just offer me prestige. Now that I am actually here, I see how wrong I am; there are so many opportunities for me at Stanford, and I really like the community and the environment (I liked the community around the SPS program at Tech, but less so around the whole university. I also liked the environment at Tech).
Would you be able to comment on the difference between Stanford’s liberal arts education and Tech’s STEM-focused curriculum?
Assuming your financial situation stays the same, financial aid packages stay pretty much the same. Big changes in parent salary/employment or a sibling graduating/entering college are probably the main things that can have major impacts.
I don’t know much about either school’s specific curriculums. Does Stanford have heavy distribution requirements?
Not as much as Columbia, but definitely more than Georgia Tech (in terms of Stanford’s distribution requirements).
I think the opportunities I’m provided at both universities are about the same (in terms of research, internships, study-abroad, etc). Georgia Tech also accepts all two years of the dual credit I have, while Stanford only accepts 1 year. I spoke with the Office for Nationally Competitive Scholarships at both schools, and while I think Georgia Tech has better advising, Stanford has a much better track record for the scholarships I am interested in. I was also kind of worried about the fact that Stanford seems more industry-focused and less-graduate school focused, and I was wondering if that would be a disadvantage.
I am so torn…thanks for all of your help, by the way.
$80K in difference is huge and could impact your ability to do things in graduate school. Stamps is such a special program and very well recognized nation-wide. It presents many special opportunities for you. Plus accepting two years versus one year of your credit is also a cost factor for you that has to be greater than $80. Both universities will present you with many opportunities. My DD is a second year at GT and we are from California. She says one of her biggest problems is learning to say no because there are so many opportunities at GT. Since you like both campuses and you like both universities then I would let money control your decision. GT also has really good study abroad programs that are science and engineering based so that you do not fall behind in your course curriculum. I agree both are great colleges and I have known many of my children’s friends who have turned down Stanford for other schools and been very happy with their decisions. One thing to look at is if your goal is a national scholarship you will be just a “regular” student at Stanford but a Stamps Scholar at GT and that carries a lot of weight with it.
Good luck in making your decision. I know it is tough but look at it this way- you can’t go wrong either way.
