I have been accepted to both schools, and now I am forced to make a very difficult (yet very fortunate) decision. I have also been accepted to BU, but it is now off of my list since most of my credits do not transfer. Tuition is not my biggest concern, but I am very torn between the two.
I am a biology major with a public health minor (pre-med) and will be a junior in the fall.
A part of me wants to go to Rochester for the prestige and challenge, but another part of me wants to choose Tulane for its location and weather. I have had the chance to visit Tulane, and I thought the campus was very beautiful. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to visit Rochester.
My parents and some friends suggest going to Rochester for its higher ranking.
Both are great schools overall, and I really don’t know which school is best for me. Any sort of advice/comment would be greatly appreciated.
A classically arranged campus on the edge of a medium-sized, friendly city. The university itself is also nicely sized.
Excellent for science and pre-med. (Recognized in an online list: “The Experts’ Choice: Colleges With Great Pre-med Programs”). Has an open curriculum.
The area in general experiences four distinct seasons, with great fall foliage and real winter snow that is suitable for the adventurous.
@merc81 thank you for your response! Do you by any chance know if the professors are approachable/easily accessible? As a junior, I really need professors who are available during office hours and are willing to work with students.
As a very general opinion, I think you will find Rochester’s professors to be readily approachable. Not every student who attends a university – even a smaller, private one such as UR – takes advantage of the opportunities to consult regularly with their professors. If you take the initiative to do so, your efforts should be both appreciated and reciprocated. (Your question would be a great one for you to ask in the Rochester forum.)
I didn’t comment on rankings in my original reply, but I don’t think they should be a consideration in your final decision. The schools are simply too close to each other in some significant, measurable ways.
@merc81 I just posted the question in the UR forum– thank you for the suggestion!
I really wish the rankings didn’t matter too much when it comes to medical schools, but I have read that rankings is one of the important factors during the med school application process. That’s why I’m kind of hesitant to choose Tulane over UR– the only thing holding me back is UR’s ranking/prestige.
Regarding location: it’s possible that the city you would like to visit for a long weekend and the city you would appreciate living in for two years are not the same place.