Hi everyone!
I’m in a bit of a pickle here.
So let me preface by saying NYU was my dream school, but I didn’t even think I had the chance at ALL of getting into Berkeley ( in a way it was a fantasy dream school) I kind of just applied just because I wanted to try anyways.
So I was selected as a candidate for regents in Feb and then I interviewed in March and then I did not think I would get regents but I DID. Since my EFC is 0, regents is a full ride for me.
For NYU, I found out I was an MLK Scholar which means I get 45,000 before financial aid and some benefits that are pretty cool and similar to regents benefits.
I’m out of state, from Arizona so getting into Berkeley with regents was such a small chance thing! I’ve visited Cal before and enjoyed the campus, and I’m visiting NYU this weekend for scholars weekend.
I heard that Cal can be stressful especially for pre-med which I’m a little scared of, as well as the cut throat culture. Cal holds a lot of prestige and I heard at some med schools they’re the most represented undergrad. It might be better for pre med, but again, I’m super scared about the rigor/Grade deflation. NYU might be a little too far away but still it’s also a great school that holds prestige and. that’s giving me a great scholarship… I’m so confused lol PLS HELP.
Have you visited either campus before? Are you planning to come for Cal Day? Would NYU be free as well?
The MLK offers xx in merit aid. How much need based aid is NYU offering? In other words, what is your annual out of pocket/loans per year?
Regents at Cal is a big deal. In addition to money, first dibs for class registration and research. That being said, MLK does something similar plus offers money for undergrad internships and study abroad.
Going to the other coast for college is a growing experience, and if NYU’s offer is also a full ride (MLK+need based aid), I’d go there.
'Grats on your hard work.
P.S. Double check that the Regent’s also covers your OOS tuition/fees. (Normal finaid does not.)
@bluebayou Hi! Thank you for your reply… NYUs offer is not everything… but it’s close.
About the regents with OOS, I thought that it would not at first (just by the fact UCs don’t support oos financially) but my financial aid package is a total of about 65,000 which is full cost of attendance for an out of state student… I was going to ask financial aid dept when I went for my regents interview but they were busy, when my financial aid package came out I was pleasantly surprised
@ProfessorPlum168 Hi! I visited Berkeley when I went for my regents interview, I am not attending Cal Day as I am checking out NYU for scholars weekend at the same time! NYU’s aid is close to free but not quite!
@bluebayou Yep! So basically international and US domestic scholars are able to receive awards above the honorarium granted that they filled out the fafsa in time!
^^sounds awesome ruthless. Just to make sure its not a mistake, I’d e-mail financial aid so you have a response in writing!
Historically, the UCB Regents scholarship for OOS covered OOS tuition within the context of need relative to FAFSA EFC (and the OOS non-need honorarium was historically about what the extra OOS tuition was). Of course, the OP should verify that this is the case this year.
Here is last year’s UCB Regents scholarship for OOS terms and conditions:
https://financialaid.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/forms/RC_Terms_Conditions_OOS_2018-19.pdf
Cal pre-med is known to be a grind. NYU’s may not be easier, but it will offer an easier path to NYU’s med school, which is highly sought after since its tuition free policy.
@ucbalumnus yep! About the non-need honarium, a current Berkeley Regents Scholar did tell me the non need honoriaum was basically that we get to pay in state tution. But since I do have need, it covers tuition room and board.
@jzducol I did hear tho that NYU does not favor undergrad and post grad interbreeding.
Regarding pre-med and grades, http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/2074436-some-colleges-have-grade-distribution-information-available-by-course.html points to some grade distributions by course at some universities. UCB is included, but NYU does not appear to be available.
http://www.gradeinflation.com/ (list of colleges at the bottom) has overall average GPAs.
Remember that lots of frosh pre-meds do not end up applying to medical school (GPA too low, MCAT too low, not interested any more, etc.), and of those who apply, only about 40% get admitted to any medical schools (and most of those get admitted to only one, so they have no choice of which to attend, and typically need to take hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans for medical school).
@Ruthless16 it’s too bad NYU doesn’t have confidence in its own undergrads.
In some subjects, PhD programs tend to subscribe to the idea that students should do their BA/BS and PhD study in the subject at different schools. However, I have not heard of this with respect to medical schools.
Going from undergraduate to the same university’s medical school may be more common simply because of familiarity (and in-state preference for in-state students at public universities). But NYU medical school’s free tuition is likely to make it the most competitive medical school to get into, regardless of whether NYU prefers, avoids, or is indifferent to its own undergraduates going to medical school there.
IIRC the average GPA of an NYU med student on entry is 3.9. And with the free tuition policy they will attract a lot of stellar candidates, so it’s going to be tough to matriculate NYU undergrad->NYU Medical School.
@jzducol Funny I’ve heard Cal actually doesn’t even allow or highly discourages students in some disciplines from applying to their grad schools. So it’s not just NYU. Maybe @ucbalumnus can clarify this as I’m only basing this off of my recollection.
The chemical engineering department says this.
@ucbalumnus thanks.
OP. I think Cal would be my option. Both are incredible. I just think that any of the science disciplines are just at a different level. Med school will cost money. And if you don’t go down that path ultimately, the Cal science brand will go a long way towards other options. And it will cost you less.
If they didn’t think you could handle it -you wouldn’t be one of their top out of state recruits. That’s a tough ticket to receive.
Whatever you decide will be wonderful. But cal for free oos and the actual campus life, San Fran and pac 10 sports too. That would be my recommendation to a close friend or a family member.
That’s generally true at most UC disciplines, and has been true for a long time. They just want you to go and learn more somewhere else.
That is different than say, Carolina which loves to keep kids in the UNC family.