<p>I received the Stamps Leadership Scholarship (Full Tuition and $5,000 stipend) which I feel so honored to receive as only a few get it and puts me at about $15,000 a year in room and board. Since I live only an hour away from the campus, I grew up going to USC games (but never expected the financial support to make attendance a reality) and currently play in my school's marching band and would love to continue in college.</p>
<p>Then comes Yale which I instantly fell in love with. The opportunities and people are amazing, but it does seem to lack some of the spirit that USC thrives on. I am a biology major and plan on attending medical school. Yale gave me around $31,000 a year which means that with the $20,000 my family has saved for me, I will have about $100,000 of debt coming out (Yikes), but Yale's medical school acceptance rate is 96% to some top notch programs where I hope to be lucky enough to attend. Still, the debt that I will incur when compared to USC is substantial (my parents and me working could help me pay off my loans for USC almost right away), and I still have medical school costs to think about after.</p>
<p>I don't really care about the weather or moving away because I feel I can adapt to whatever conditions and will be lucky to accept either. Any opinion would greatly help!</p>
<p>Take the money and don’t look back!!!
You will incur enough debt with medical school.
Prestige of undergraduate institution means NOTHING for a career in medicine
From my own experience, I could also argue that going to a top medical school is not even critical for attaining your goals.</p>
<p>I matched at an ultra competitive, elite residency program that only took two students per year.
My counterpart went to Yale undergrad, was a Marshall scholar at Oxford, and attended Harvard Med. I went to large publics for both undergrad and med school. Clearly my lack of pedigree did not hurt me.</p>
<p>Success in medicine is more a function of the talent and motivation of the individual student than the label of the institution</p>
<p>If you are planning on med school, you do not want to take on burdensome undergraduate debt. Med schools care about what you do in college (GPA, sGPA, MCAT score, EC’s, research, LOR) MORE than where you went to college. You can get into any med school from USC depending on your performance at USC (as you can from Yale). </p>
<p>FWIW—Any reported medical school acceptance rate % is meaningless without context-- any school can calculate this rate any way they prefer. Most include alumni (several years out), most include DO schools, etc… Also, is this a committee letter school? Do they pre-screen candidates? If they pre-screen, then their % should be high (or they are not very good at screening).</p>
<p>Go to USC. Even if you are NOT planning on med school and even if you don’t go to med school, 100,000K is too much debt to leave undergrad. It’s insane when you have such an excellent option available.</p>
<p>If you go to Yale, that will be the acceptance rate of your fellow students. Your own chance of being admitted is about the same no matter where you go to college.</p>
<p>I think it may be time for you to take a sigh of relief. You must be an extraordinary student to have such excellent opportunities at Yale and USC with Stamps. This will not change. You are likely to do extremely well in college and it is that work plus great test scores (which you clearly are able to achieve) that will take you far.</p>
<p>The distinction of the Stamps Leadership scholarship is extremely prestigious, and the education/preparation you will receive at USC is truly top-rate. </p>
<p>Save your money for a top med school. No matter where you go for undergrad, I am confident you’ll make it to a great one and you won’t need Yale’s 96% rate to assure that. It is up to you.</p>
<p>I appreciate the allure of Yale; however, student loan debt can be crushing and literally impoverish even high paid doctors…I’ve met quite a few who are basically broke because of overwhelming debt.</p>
<p>If money is not an issue go to Yale, otherwise go to USC, which truly wants you and is willing to pay you to attend. If you are savvy you will do exceptionally well at USC, ace your MCAT, and coast into a top medical school with less debt.</p>
<p>There is no such thing 96% acceptance rate to med school from Yale. You are already an exceptional student. You will repeat yourself at USC top of your class again. Med school will weight your college GPA and MCAT, much more than which undergrad school you from.
Premed at any top public state school is good enough. Usc is even better, easier get your A’s at USC than Yale.
Anything else, I urge you go to Yale. good luck.</p>
<p>USC is very good to their merit scholars. The money you save will be invaluable in helping you start med school with minimal or NO debt. Show your intelligence by saving money with this tremendous opportunity. You may be able to do research at the USC Keck Medical Center.</p>
<p>I second BadDad. A HYPS degree really offers no advantage if you’re choosing any medical field. If you could attend either for free, I might consider Yale, but $100k debt plus what will likely be another $200k for med school, that’s a pretty big hole, especially when you’re choosing between two good options.</p>
<p>The ones I know we’re offered research opportunities. Some got increased merit funding over their years at USC. In general the merit scholars we know at USC were happy with their experiences there.</p>
<p>Since Yale does not package loans, I assume it means they have determined you only need 31k based on your parental income. So the expectation of loans is based on your parents not willing to pay the EFC?</p>
<p>There is absolutely no reason to turn down full ride at USC to take on loans to go to Yale. It is never a good idea to accumulate 100k in student debt when you have a free choice.</p>