BU is grade deflation school except for SMED students. what’s the cost difference between Pitt and Case?
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fyi, JHU is best premed school in country, yet #1.
@BSMDmom2021 - Go with Pitt Honors - Hands down! Cheapest for you. Top 20 public university. Excellent research. Bonus: stay close to home. IMO, UPitt Honors will be as challenging as the private universities
Pitt Honors total cost - 35K for instate, with merit - 24K/year
University of Rochester Total cost - 80K, with merit - 66K/yr
BU Total cost - 80K, with merit - 55K/yr
CSWRU total cost - 75K , with merit - 44K/yr
These private universities are totally not worth the extra cost IMO
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It may be better to share your total costs after merit aid.
Are any of these in-state?
Pitt’s pre-med class is not that huge.
~350 kids apply to med school each year from Pitt.
And if you the admissions office, they will happily share the stats of where their students landed.
Pitt is a good choice. With her stats, she will excel at any college.
Also, recommend, if possible, to visit the top 2 choices you have in mind and speak to students there.
@gracewins what is your rationale to pick BU SMED over UIC GPPA, when UIC would have cost you in state.
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You are underselling your D! Unless you claimed some dire circumstances, getting full ride from JHU for BME is a great achievement. Last I checked they have hand full of merit scholarships only.
@NoviceDad - She mentioned UPitt is instate for her
@BSMDmom2021 - For early assurance - see Upitt special programs
https://www.medadmissions.pitt.edu/applying-pitt/special-programs
Volunteering/Shadowing opportunities -
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I agree mostly, except private colleges may help little with GPA and sometimes easier to get research and volunteer opportunities given smaller class sizes. 20K difference is probably not worth it. Isn’t Pitt UG lower ranked than Case? so may be getting GPA is easier at Pitt over Case.
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Thanks, I missed that.
Agree with you, Pitt is no brainer.
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Pitt overall may be ranked lower but Pitt pre-med may be higher than or on par with Case.
Pitt pre-med track offers a lot to students who take initiative.
UPMC is next door and resources are available.
Oakland (where Pitt, CMU are located) is considered second downtown and is a safe area.
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Given that I am also voting for Pitt.
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You can still have hope until they explicitly decline. Last year they sent well into April.
They have a lot of kids on waitlist and then they move as the other kids decline seats. Many of the same kids get into multiple BSMD’s and only join one!
The following is just my opinion, and you are open to disagree. Match list for BUSM is stronger, I like the location of Boston more (really could not imagine myself in Chi for another 8 years, I want to go out and explore), and I really love the people at SMED. It’s also accelerated and working for an extra year could make up the money difference. Undergrad experience is also nicer imo. You only live once, so I’d want to make the most of it 
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Has your DD committed to VCU or still thinking?
My DD is still deciding between VCU and other options. Would be nice to get connected.
ofc, its your decision at this point, not an opinion. I can see how 1 year earning calc makes difference for you.
Very rationale thinking. Just curious, what’ the total cost difference (for 7 years vs 8 years).
Really- I didnt realize full potential of JHU and you are making me think. I had brushed it aside due to IVYs.
So if BME is tough for MD, go for less tough major such as Bio or Neuroscience- I actually prefer ChE that is broad ( self ChE) and JHU calls Chemical and Biomolecular Engg. ( dont think ranks as high as BME) and you can have some bio electives. $$$ is enticing. But it seems everyone at JHU is premed so competition in all majors ( perhaps not in ChE or CS???) for MD.
Now I am more confused and will drive my D more crazy!!!
It is a relative issue, one should examine what kind of high school activities have done and that provides some insight whether one would succeed in BME or not. To my knowledge you had shared very limited info about your D’s profile besides admissions/waitlists. So there is no right or wrong, just follow the passion.
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As I said without knowing HS achievements no one can give good advice. All you hear is so and so failing at JHU. I know why my nephews had to take gap years but I am not disclosing here. My sibling was upset about it but boys didn’t care about gap years. They got another degree and got one year industry experience.
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My colleague’s C went to Johns Hopkins. She was very hard working. Applied to 30+ MD programs after pre-med. Didn’t get in.
Not sure, about the details or if she properly selected safeties in her list or not… She is several years older than my kid, so didn’t understand much when her mom talked about how tough the application process was!
If BSMD cycle is tough/tiring, UG regular route MD is several times tougher and tiring!
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