I have been accepted to UW and NEU, and I need help and more information to figure out which school is the best choice for me.
I got accepted into UW as a Pre-Physical Science Major, and if I go there, I want to apply and get into their Neurobiology major program my junior year. At NEU, I got in as a Behavioral Neuroscience major, and I believe it starts right away (without having to wait two years). I like UW but NEU is offering me better aid. Ultimately, however, I want to go to the college with the best program and pre-med track.
Can anyone please let me know the pros and cons for both schools, especially as they have to do with neuroscience and pre-med? Also, which one is better for my intended major and for creating a good foundation and competitive edge for medical school?
For pre-med, neither is going to offer a better track or a big leg up in medical school admissions over the other. For pre-med, you want to spend as little as possible.
What is the difference between UW and NEU in price exactly? Will any be loans from either?
If you do like UW better fit-wise, there’s something to be said for that. If the cost difference is minimal or you do not need to focus on financials for some other reason, I think it can be worth it.
If you do go NEU, make sure you’re good with co-op - it will benefit you well as a neuroscience major with the big medical hub that is Boston, but it’s not for everyone. I’m guessing that you prefer the traditional experience of UW based on your post, but if you haven’t checked out co-op thoroughly, do that before deciding either way. If that checks out, and the price difference isn’t minimal as mentioned above, I would say NEU is the best option.
As far as fit goes, what’s important to you to get out of a college? What factors do you consider important beyond academics and price?
I was a behavioral neuroscience major, so I could answer any specific questions you have about the program.
If you’re planning to go to medical school, you definitely want to keep costs down! Northeastern also has a solid pre-med advising program (I was pre-med for a couple of years before deciding to go into research instead), and the opportunities for experience in Boston are unparalleled - I volunteered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, two of the top in the country. I also had friends who co-oped at the hospitals, Harvard Medical School, MIT, biotech startups, and at pharmaceutical companies. I can’t really speak for University of Washington, but I do know that Northeastern can give you solid preparation for medical school (or research or industry, if you change your mind after you start) and give you a lot of opportunities to grow academically and personally.
What is it that appeals to you about Washington over Northeastern? That could help us figure out whether it’s something that can be remedied at Northeastern.