Many doctors take on debt for med school because financial aid is hard to come by. They have no choice. How many future doctors would voluntarily take on $200,000+ of additional debt if someone dropped a full ride to med school in their laps?
The OP has only 50-55% chance to be accepted to a medical school. If the OP is not accepted to a medical school and has to pay back $200 K (not mentioning interests yet) then it’s a huge loss.
It’s NOT a huge loss. You’ve received a top quality education at one of if not the best public university in the US. And CA weather for 4 years and you’re right smack dab in the hot bed of the tech industry.
OP has a nearly free ride to Lehigh and would be full pay at UCB. Her parents earn less than $25k/year. Trying to take $200k of loans for undergrad at that income is financial suicide.
The idea that Berkeley is worth it to some people I have talked to, is what makes me consider it. If Berkeley is that much better than Lehigh to some people than that is something to consider. Ultimately, I realize that Lehigh is the better school for me. Many people would kill to get the opportunity to just attend Lehigh, and here I am getting the opportunity to attend for close to nothing in costs. The private school atmosphere academically and intellectually seem more ideal for me. I plan to attend an ivy or an east coast school like Johns Hopkins for med school so Lehigh should be under their radar given that Lehigh is one of the more highly-regarded schools located in the northeast. Like @robincorn said, no one will look down on a Lehigh education. A Lehigh education should be respectable to any med school admission officer. Btw I am a guy lol.
@kidfromoklahoma5 Do you have someone who is willing to co-sign 4 years worth of loans totaling $200k? Do you have strong evidence to believe they will qualify for those loans all 4 years?