I just found out I got off the waitlist for Vanderbilt and I have to decide if I intend on enrolling by tomorrow (yikes!). I had already committed to Michigan, but I wanted to know which school would be a better fit for me (I haven’t been able to visit either because of the pandemic) and I’m OOS for Michigan btw. Here are a few questions I have:
At which school would it be easier for me to maintain a high GPA as a biology major? Do any of the schools have cutthroat competition?
Is there grade deflation?
Which school does a better job with med school placement?
I’m not into Greek life so would I still be able to have a social life at Vandy? (I have heard greek life is pretty dominant there)
Any other input into any of these schools would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time
You are misunderstanding the agency here. Colleges don’t “place” anyone in med school. Students that work hard to get a good gpa and MCAT score, get to know some profs for strong recs, get exposure to the health care profession – these students have a good success rate. Vanderbilt or Michigan didn’t do those things, the applicants did. And if you want to go to med school, so will you.
Both will be difficult to keep a high gpa, pre-med courses are hard no matter where you go. Both will give you ample opportunities to get patient facing and research experience.
Make sure you have a plan b should the med school thing not work out…what type of job would you get with a bio major if you don’t go to med school?
What are the relative costs of each? Are they both affordable, meaning not a burden on your family, and no loans necessary beyond the $27K max student loans?
My sister is pre-med at Duke, and all pre-meds think like this. If you attend a school with grade deflation, and your peers from smaller schools have more hand holding and grade inflation, you will be at a disadvantage. You are right to think of these factors.
Thank you for the input! I understand that it is mainly up to the students to get a good gpa and mcat; I guess my question is one school easier to do better at/get a good GPA? I know I will definitely have to put the work in regardless of the school I pick.
They cost around the same for me so I’m not really considering cost. My back up plan would be to become a scientific researcher.
There’s no doubt going to be at least some grade deflation at UMich. But if you’re a top student, which I assume you are since you got into both schools, then it’s not going to be all that much.
To achieve at 3.7+ at UMich, which I’ve found here on CC to be the “demarcation line” for premeds, then you’re going to work hard. I realize students with lower GPA’s have gone to med school, but in any case, UMich isn’t going to be a “walk in the park.”
UMich has weeder courses. The Intro Bio sequence 171/172/173 isn’t easy. Maybe you have AP credits to get the sequence waived. But advisors, professors, GSI’s and free tutors are available to help.
I don’t know much about Vandy, but it’s an outstanding school by reputation. If the money is the same, then maybe a smaller private school is the best choice for you.
Personally, I wouldn’t worry about Greek life at either school. No one forces you to participate in the process. And at least at UMich, only about 15-20% (male vs. female) actually do.
I have a family friend that is currently at Vandy studying bio for premed, and it doesn’t seem that hard to keep a 3.7 gpa. Keep in mind that people that attend Vanderbilt are good at school or they wouldn’t be there.
I don’t know anything about UofM that isn’t in the engineering school, but I would think there is less hand holding.
If everything else is equal, I’d pick Vandy.
Unless you have a passion for biology, I’d strongly suggest a different major. It’s tough to find a job with that degree, and it’s not a bump for med school. There are a lot of history majors in med school…
I think you should consider the overall experience you will receive at either school. Ann Arbor, MI beautiful suburban feel vs. Vanderbilt in Nashville. 46K students overall at UMich with 30K undergraduates vs. just 13K students overall and under 7K undergraduates at Vanderbilt. These are BIG differences. State flagship vs. elite private. There is no right or wrong answer here as both are great schools. The football stadium will be full at UMich and not full at Vandy except when top SEC schools bring all their fans. There are fraternities at both schools for those that are interested. Vandy has a really awesome freshman commons that includes all the freshman dormitories, various freshman quads/greens, and freshman dining hall with pool tables and meeting spaces. It is outstanding. The food offerings are almost too much. The program even allows meal “swipes” to be used at participating local restaurants so you can eat out nearby and still be on the meal plan. The residential college system of dormitories through 4 years of school are terrific at Vandy. I don’t know about such things at UMich but suspect that they won’t be at quite the same level. But not everything is make or break. It is up to you. I have a kid at Vandy (not pre-med) and she loves the school and the opportunities it has provided so far (she will be a senior in the fall). Good luck with a tough but wonderful decision!
Wow thank you all for your responses & insight!
I have a few questions about STEM classes (esp bio and chem) at both schools which will probably the deciding factor for me:
1)How are they usually taught? Is it mostly lecture? Are they interactive?
2)Do the tests focus more on memorization & regurgitation or is it mostly application/high-level thinking?
How are the professors? Do they teach well or do you mostly have to learn the material on your own?
Not sure. But I know all schools publish data on class sizes and you may wish to run that data down. Introductory chem, bio and physics classes are likely to be very large with smaller breakout sessions taught by T.A.s in addition to laboratory sessions. Focus on how large. You cannot avoid having to memorize and you have to be ready to apply knowledge. Pursue that line of inquiry but I think responses may be subjective and unreliable. Track down the objective data on class size but if you got into both schools, you are prepared to adapt to however you will be taught. That is why I recommend considering the overall college experience that you seek. Academically these two schools are on par with each other.
Vandy 7:1
UMich 15:1
Cal (Berkeley) 20:1 (local example to me)
At UMich, the lower division Bio/Chem lectures will have 200-300 students and they use those remote clickers and smart classroom for responses to the professor. The labs and discussion groups will have 50 students and often less. Study groups for these classes are established by class coordinators and they’re usually 5-10 students.
As one example, the Orgo professor would run optional Friday night sessions for students, which were extra beyond all the classes, labs and discussions. The professor would review the answers in detail to the course packs and help students through a really difficult course.
Now, this type of additional help isn’t always available at UMich, but professors have office hours and often students just don’t use them. In fact, my kid attended them regularly, because the professor would give the answers to the homework during the meeting.
Vandy probably has this “on steroids,” since it’s a smaller private school, but I do believe UMich can seem, at times, closer to a big private school (think USC) rather than a large state flagship. But that’s JMHO.
I agree with the advice given above. Choose based on atmosphere, weather and fit. Academics are excellent at both.
