<p>I have been accepted at both these wonderful schools. If you guys could help make my decision process easier that would be great. Dartmouth is 7,000/year and minimal loans while chicago is basically free. I have heard about the intensity of chicago's workload, but I don't really mind. What worries me is the grade deflation there. Any average gpa stats on both schools?</p>
<p>If you go to either school and do well, you'll get into medical school. I think Chicago would be the better choice, in that they have a better medical school and are considerably more research oriented. Chicago has more, and better graduate programs and, in my opinion, a more distinguished faculty in the sciences.</p>
<p>Grade deflation does matter. I know a girl from the UofC who works her arse off just to get a 3.1. That isn't going to cut it for medical school no matter where you go. However, if you think you can get the 3.5+ from UofC, I'd say go there.</p>
<p>If you look at the graduate placement of UofC, its not nearly as strong as that of Dartmouth. Dartmouth has a multiple of times the number of students at the top law, med, and business schools. Dartmouth also goes out of its way to help pre-meds, with terrific advising (Nathan Smith society) and lots of undergrad focused research opportunities. Also Chicago is known for deflation, and getting a good GPA is critical to getting into med school. Socially these are very different places, so you should think about whether "intense" chicago is your thing or whether more "laid back, tightknit, LAC-like" Dartmouth is your think. From my perspective I'd much rather go to Dartmouth; in my eyes its a much better overall college experience with better grad placement.</p>
<p>^^^ I think you are absolutely right. It has been the experience of a lot of people my parents know as well.</p>
<p>OP.. I always hate to read other people's anecdotal experiences or share mine (cause one should not make a decision on the basis of that) but I have been exposed first hand to so many situations with U of C.. that here I go with one of them. A friend, last year got good money for U of C and none for Harvard. She visited both, and was turned off by the Harvard students she met and ended up going to U of C.... Well, she has been freaking out all freshman year because she has been getting Bs and Cs like a maniac; she already decided to give up her med school dream because of the low GPA and is quiet depressed about the whole thing. ( She is smart enuff to have been accepted to Harvard, U oc C and many others..!)</p>
<p>BTW, do not even bother to ask that question in the U of C forum. They are extremely defensive and in major denial...( which makes it more suspicious that the stereotype is true )</p>
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A friend, last year got good money for U of C and none for Harvard.
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<p>I'm assuming the money was merit-based, since Harvard's financial aid is way better than Chicago's. Am I correct? If so, then it seems strange that someone at the top of Chicago's applicant pool is getting such bad grades. After all, the average GPA there is around 3.3. Something about this doesn't seem right.</p>