<p>When choosing between state schools (instate), will the flagship be better to attend because it is more established? I am deciding between two instate universities and they are complete opposites.</p>
<p>The flagship (nationally ranked "top 200", usnews)* is in an urban setting and is better known for premed than the smaller "less popular" school. This institution is known for sending a good amount of pre-meds to their affiliated medical school.
-15,000 undergrads</p>
<p>The second school (LAC "Rank not published", usnews)* is similar in structure to an LAC in a rural setting. They are not well known in getting students to medical school (~5 or less students per year).
-5,000 undergrads</p>
<p>I feel I will succeed at the smaller school because I am not used to city life. </p>
<p>I also feel I'm avoiding the flagship university because of "too much competition".
Although, I am realizing that the better academics/reputation at the flagship will help me in the long run. Thoughts?</p>
<ul>
<li>I'm aware that rank does not mean the world but I just thought I'd provide it to show the differences between the two.</li>
</ul>
<p>What kind of opportunities will you have at the smaller school? </p>
<p>Are there research labs you could get involved with? </p>
<p>Nearby hospitals where you could volunteer?</p>
<p>Doctors who would be willing to let you shadow? </p>
<p>Will you be sufficiently challenged academically so that you will be well prepared for the MCAT?</p>
<p>Will attending the smaller school put you at a strong disadvantage when it comes to LORs (letter of recommendation) at the state med school? (With the idea that the adcomms there are familiar with the letter writers at the flagship, but perhaps not at the smaller school.)</p>
<p>How is the health profession advising at the smaller school? (good? incompetent? adequate?) If the advising is inadequate or incompetent, are you savvy enough to find other sources to guide you thru the admission process?</p>
<p>Does the smaller school has a good academic reputation in your state? </p>
<p>It’s not the ranking necessarily that make one school better than another, but it’s the opportunities available and how well you utilize them.</p>
<p>How are your grades? Your test scores? Are you being offered any money at either? What is the cost of attendance? Can your family afford the differential? What is your state of residence? (The answer for Arkansas would be a lot different than for a California resident.)</p>
<p>The best choice is the one that you feel matches better to your personality and wide range of interests and the cheapest at the same time. I would advise to forget Med. School while choosing UG. The happy person will do better, and your college GPA will be one of the most important factors in Med. School admission.</p>
<p>Concerning opportunities, based on my limited research – I do not think it will be much different than the flagship. There are opportunities in both but I am not sure if it will be more difficult to get a spot with many more pre-med students at the flagship. There is a nearby hospital and doctors close to the smaller school as well, despite its rural setting.
The question of whether or not I will be challenged sufficiently to prep for the MCAT is something I have been considering. The smaller school does have a college of pharmacy and I just learned that there are many students there are on the “pre-pharm” path so I suspect their science department is decent. Their most popular major is biology. Not sure how they are academically as a whole. </p>
<p>I am almost positive that the med school is aware of the people who write the LOR’s at the small school. Because the smaller school is rural, frequent correspondence between the two have been common with the hope of increasing the number of doctors in the rural area.</p>
<p>I do not know much about the pre-med advising at the smaller school. There is practically no mention of “pre-med” on their website, which is a little worrisome to me.</p>
<p>Blue, I have a 3.75 UW gpa and my SAT 700/670/620 M/CR/W.
I have sent each of you a PM on the rest of your questions. (If anyone else wants to know the institutions, please send a note through PM.)</p>
<p>Miami, I have tried to keep medical school out of the picture for a while but the difference between the two is so vast. While I like some aspects of both, there are some things that are not my cup of tea. I have a difficult time weighing which one will be better for me. This is leading me to look at what they’ll offer in terms of the pre-med opportunities that have on/off campus.</p>
<p>I read your pm, but you are literally and figuratively far afield for what little knowledge I might have. With that said, I’d go with the flagship.</p>