I’m perfectly aware that Tufts is a better school than BU, but the reason I’m making this decision is for another reason. Basically my ultimate goal is to go to med school, where what college you go to doesn’t really matter and it’s all about that GPA and MCAT.
I like Tufts and feel that I can get in. I can’t say that with confidence, but I think I have a good shot. BU I’m almost certain I’ll get accepted.
However, my family (many of whom are doctors) want me to go to BU instead, saying that it’ll be easier to get a better GPA there, while in Tufts it’s significantly more competitive and difficult.
I’m definitely willing to put in the effort, but I’m only a high schooler, so I have no idea of the difficulty level of colleges and don’t know if I can the GPA I want despite my efforts.
I’ve known many people who are extremely smart and went off to Ivies and other great schools, but are struggling to perform academically, which is what makes me reluctant to go to Tufts. I mean, I want to go just for the sake of going to a good college, is that not reason enough? BU is a good school, but it feels like a waste putting effort into high school and not getting properly rewarded for it.
BU is an amazing school with amazing medicinal research abilities. Clearly you have some view on BU that does not paint the university in the kindest light, but it is one of the top research universities in the world with an amazing pre-med program. With that being said, Tufts is also a great school but they are very different. Which school do you feel most at home at? Also, if you plan on going to med school, finances should also be a large factor. I’m assuming you are a senior in high school and probably have not even finished submitting your college apps yet. Wait and see what schools you get into and how much merit/financial aid you are offered before trying to make a decision. I would also suggest looking into the pre med programs at these schools more and really researching them in the meantime and seeing what they have to offer.
I just want you to know that no curriculum is easy in any college especially if you are on a pre-med track.
I don’t know about Tufts, but getting a good grade at BU? Well, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. We are proud to say that we have various obstacles to prevent students from getting a good grade in the core courses required by the pre-med track. Among BU premed students, it is a popular belief that there are weed-out courses at BU.
However, this can and will be overcome by hard work. Just as in any college.
In my opinion you should choose your college based on the things that will make your college experience better because you’re going to have one hell of a time.
OP, late to this thread but glad I saw it. You may want to rethink your view of BU… it may be easier to get into than Tufts, but that doesn’t make it easier to excel at. Google “BU grade deflation” (or search for my posts here on CC!). It’s real, and as the poster above me mentions–there are notorious “weed out” courses at BU for pre-med/science kids that can be brutal.
To give you an idea: I had a 3.47 and graduated magna cum laude (right below the summa cut-off too). The highest summa kid I met got it with a 3.7. I once met a BU alum who graduated with a 3.9, but I’m still convinced they were a unicorn and I imagined it. I knew a LOT of BU kids in my time there and since graduating. My GPA was considered high. Now, many med schools are aware of the grading rigor at BU, but I usually advise anyone aiming to fluff up their GPA for graduate admissions to reconsider BU. Its not the right school for anyone with that mentality, or who will get overly anxious at not having a “perfect” GPA. But if you want a rigorous pre-med education that will prepare you for your MCAT and med school? BU is great.
