If affordability is not an issue then pick the UG school where your child will be happy. College is a very important phase in your child’s life so making sure he is happy for the next four years should be a top priority. Visit both campus if possible and talk to your child. Based on my own research Medical school rankings are not that important beyond a certain point. Good luck!!
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Also, I don’t know how important is 8/7 years (UAB/Penn) for you. Our family tend to prefer 7 over 8. Penn UG is better ranked than UAB. Cost of Penn UG for 3 years would be $150k. Medical school cost seems to be same between UAB and SKMC.
Does anyone know when Rutgers Honors College invitations come out?
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Rutgers NB? According to their website sometime in March.
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Please do not withdraw until May 1, deadline. There is a reason for the official deadline set for all to make the decision. Make a thoughtful decision when all options are known out there. UAB may be a better option than PSU/SKMC, IMO. Do not let others make a decision on your behalf to withdraw now.
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@escorpi11 - I totally agree with this approach. You have until May 1st to think and consider before finally making the decision. You don’t want to give up on your options hastily and regret later!
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BSMD applicants do apply to way too many programs due to the nature and uncertainty of being shortlisted for interviews. But if one has a decision for their #1/#2 choice school that one would be happy to attend irrespective of other outcomes, there is nothing wrong in withdrawing from additional programs. I loved how @Herefortwo 's and @mom2boys1999 's kids able to make that call, once they know that they will not go to certain programs, based on what they have in hand.
It is not one shoe fits all approach. @mom2boys1999 has a Stanford UG bird-in-hand option , hence BSMD may not be a top priority anymore. Let others make their own decisions based on their unique circumstances and please stop asking others to withdraw now. Everyone has until May 1, decision date giving them a level playing field.
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whether it’s BSMD or UG or Medical school everyone is applying to lot of schools given the holistic process. Schools keep coming up with different merit awards every year.
My DD loved her PSU experience and is thrilled to have their bsmd admission offered. At the same time, after discussing with us, she decided to withdraw from some programs but not others because there are aspects she likes about those programs and she would like to compare and make a logical choice. I recommend everyone do this and only turn down options you are sure you will not choose over the admissions you already have.
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Don’t make decisions based on 7 year vs 8 year. One year is nothing when these kids are expected to work to 70+. Going to 8 years program may give option to apply out. Think about chance to get into NYU (free tuition) unless you are wealthy.
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Yes, of course it varies on what one has and one wants to consider further. No one is going to give-up anything that they even remotely considering into the mix of final decision making. If a particular schools is totally out of that mix, that’s the only situation I am after.
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Well done 
. And that’s the point I am trying to make from my earlier post on giving-up an accepted bsmd or declining future interviews.
As the parent of a kid in medical school, I can share that more kids are taking a research year nowadays, in addition to their 4 years of medical school, and a few add a year or two for MPH or PhD to their MD. +1 to @srk2017 ’s recommendation that 7 vs 8 should not factor heavily into decisions unless going by high costs that the student would rather not afford.
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Does anyone have info on what is Presidential Scholars. My D got invited to apply for it. Thanks
Agreed, D is doing a paid cancer related research during senior year at her University.
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Despite what you hear here, UG experience is very valuable which they will never get again.
UAB may have a UG experience similar to PSU. They have a strong college football team similar to Pitney Lions (PSU).
UAB is a large school too, though not as large as PSU. My older DD visited there (they paid for it I think), as they wanted her to consider their CS program and offered excellent aid and support beyond just $$. She came away very impressed but ultimately did not get invited to EAP and hence did not pursue further. The location of college does not necessarily define the college culture, so you should find out more before writing off UG life in UAB as sub-par. I met two kids going to UAB-EAP, one while hiking in Death Valley and other local, both during their undergrad at UAB, snd they seemed genuinely happy.
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thank you, yes i apologize for lying about where im from and yeah im really sorry. i Understand my chances are a ot worse now and regeardless of how i do in the interveiw im at a disadvantage