<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>I am a high school senior who has been accepted to both UT and Baylor. I got my major of Biology at both schools and I want to apply to med-school after getting my bachelor's degree. Unfortunately, I did not get into any of the UT natural science honors programs :-< , but I could potentially get into the Baylor Honors program (am applying this weekend). As a National Merit Finalist, Baylor is about $14,000 per year with scholarship while UT Austin remains about $26,000.</p>
<p>I have heard many different things about both schools and I still have some questions. </p>
<p>UT is said too be big with not enough personalized attention from professors with students feeling like "just a number". It is also said that without the Dean Scholar's honors program, the natural science school at UT is not any better than Baylor's. If I got into the FRI program, would the UT natural sciences experience be better? Additionally, the advising center for pre-med is supposed to be good. What are the specific benefits that students receive from the advising center at UT? Does the city provide a lot of opportunities for internships and volunteering in hospitals? </p>
<p>Baylor is said to be small with a good student-to-faculty ratio. It is also said to have really good professors that are really medically inclined (more so than UT). Is that true? As Baylor is located in Waco, are there enough opportunities for research at the undergraduate level? Baylor is said to possibly be better for pre-med in comparison to UT. Why? Is it because of a better advising center?</p>
<p>I know these questions are really very specific, but I'm trying to make the best possible decision so I can get into med-school. Thanks for helping me out! :) </p>
<p>Baylor does have its own medical school.</p>
<p>Is the Southern Baptist affiliation of Baylor a plus, minus, or neutral for you?</p>
<p>For any scholarships, is there a GPA threshold to maintain to renew them?</p>
<p>Baylor is not that small at about 15,000 students, although UT Austin is much larger.</p>
<p>I think Baylor’s gpa to maintain the NMF scholarship is 3.5 which is a different thing to get in college than in high school - particularly if you have to hit the ground running.</p>
<p>It is a very pretty campus and privates do have a ‘luxury’ feel to them, and they do have a medical school that does research. </p>
<p>What are your parents saying? Will they pay for UT? How much will they pay?</p>
<p>Are you Southern Baptist? Are you serious about your faith? Because Bayor would be a poor fit for a casual Christian, an Jew, a Muslim, or an atheist. On the other hand it’s very nurturing for a serious Baptist.
So if Baylor is a good fit, no reason not to choose it, it’s a strong school.
No school delivers a magic entrance to med school - it really is about where YOU think you’ll do best. (Med schools don’t care where you got your degree, only your GPA and science classes matter, along with MCAT scores and letters of rec.)
Is UT Austin within budget for your parents?
Remember that you can only take on $5,500in loans your first year.</p>
<p>In 1969, Baylor Medical School became independent of Baylor University, though there are still some links. UT Austin is building its own medical school, which is expected to open in a couple of years.</p>
<p>That does not mean that I am telling you to choose UT. It is huge, and, without being in an Honors program, you are going to be pretty much on your own. I suspect it would be easier to find guidance at Baylor, though there is a pre-med advising office in the College of Natural Sciences at UT. I do not know how helpful it is.</p>
<p>As for the religious issue, my S is an atheist and he strongly considered Baylor after a positive experience on a campus visit. In his high school most of his friends are Christians, some of them quite devout, so maybe that is why he did not have any concerns about feeling unwelcome or out of place at Baylor. </p>
<p>I’d vote on Baylor. A much smaller school, easier to get good LOR. In UT Austion, you are only a number.</p>