UT Austin vs Case Western spring semester (pre med)

I recently got accepted to case western’s spring semester off of the waitlist, but I’m not sure if I should accept the offer.

intended major: biology or cellular biology (thinking about also adding sociology or a major that’s diversity, equity, inclusion related)

  • pre-med track

I’ll list the pros and cons of each school below:

Case Western (i haven’t toured the campus in person yet)
pros:

  • great for pre-meds (smaller school; small class sizes; 64% acceptance rate)
  • easy to switch majors
  • tons of opportunities
  • not many distractions (academics focused)
  • has a great medical school close to campus
    cons
  • financially more expensive (50k)
  • duller social life compared to UT
  • weather
  • classes are rigorous so might be harder to get a good gpa
  • spring semester: might be hard to make friends (I’m a little shy) and can’t join organizations if their membership date has already passed

UT Austin
pros:

  • lots of money; so more funding for research → lots of opportunities
  • I love the campus and atmosphere
  • great weather
  • save 50k once I get in-state tuition
  • social advantage since I’d start in the fall
  • tons of medical schools
    cons:
  • can’t switch majors easily
  • pre-med (compared to case) isn’t that great (54% acceptance rate, larger class, pre-med advising office isn’t too helpful)
  • tons of distractions (football games, Austin, etc.)

any advice/ insight would be greatly appreciated

How is it you will get Texas in-state tuition? Are you:

  1. reside in Texas for one year prior to enrollment and 2) establish a domicile in Texas prior to enrollment.

There’s a lot to like about Case in regards to the smaller classes, etc. On the flip side, there’s a lot to like about in-state tuition and saving $50K a year - or is $50K total.

Many who go to CWRU are on merit aid. I assume as a Sprint admit you are full pay?

You clearly love UT and you were obviously headed there til you got of the waitlist. In some ways, I wonder why you were on the waitlist as you love UT.

Are you ok starting, a semester after everyone else where they’ve already met everyone, etc. Socially, it’s a huge risk.

I’d stick with your plan - let CWRU find another person to gouge full cost and stick with UT. Spring start…is just not good.

Congrats on getting into some great schoolsl

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My family is planning on moving to Texas to get me in state tuition (after my freshman year). I’ll save 50k at UT in total.

Case surprisingly gave me a decent amount of aid and an 8k scholarship each semester, but UT is still better financially.

Thank you so much for your advice!!!

OK - so you have need. Yes, I’m surprised on Spring Pay they’d give.

I’m not so sure your parents moving (and you don’t know for sure) will get you in-state. Even if so, you’d not get it til your Junior year.

There’s a lot to like about Case. People will tell you for pre-med to spend less and I get it. But at the same time, you may be in much smaller classes vs. huge ones at UT.

I’m more concerned with the Spring start - i don’t see how that could be good at all. And from what people on the CC say, if you went to a community college for first semester, many med schools won’t accept the classes. You may look into that. Socially, starting after everyone is established - just stinks. And then there’s housing, etc.

They and you need to pay attention to any waiting period (12 months).

https://admissions.utexas.edu/residency#fndtn-residency-establishing-domicile-requirements
https://www.tmdsas.com/PLAN/medical/before-you-apply/residency.html

If you do gain Texas residency, note that Texas medical schools are less expensive than most other medical schools. Being at UT Austin for undergraduate can make getting to medical school interviews less difficult.

wouldn’t I get in-state my sophomore year? We’re planning on moving by July so I think we would meet the 12-month criteria by my sophomore year.

I’m definitely concerned about the spring start as well. I am still on the fall semester waitlist but I was just informed that Case won’t tell us until May 28 since they’re “relatively full”. I’m guessing they’re predicting some possible waitlist movement for people who are currently enrolled.

Plus, I’m worried that declining the spring offer would somehow show lower demonstrated interest.

Socially, I would definitely be taking a huge risk. As for classes, I won’t be missing a semester since I would graduate in December. I think I would find an internship or something like that during the five months before the spring semester starts.

oh sorry! I just realized I worded that horribly. We are hoping to get in-state tuition for my sophomore year and onwards. We are moving this July

I would check with UT. It may not be as easy as you’re moving. There may need to be financial and other yardsticks your parents need to achieve - i.e. they want to make sure they’re not just getting an apartment, but not really living there. They will have a residency coordinator.

Yes, they will have someone who gets plucked off an Ivy waitlist - and who bails. So you may still get in to Fall.

If you don’t want to go to Spring, you shouldn’t just tell them yes - just to get Fall. You’d lose a deposit and it’s wrong.

How would you find an internship? That’s not easy. A job at Subway - yes, that’s easy.

So - UT Austin is a huge school, sports, in the city, etc.

Case is in a cold city, a nice city although most don’t think, and it’s a few miles from downtown. It’s also much smaller. The campus is “unusual”…have you been?

Where feels more comfortable? Were you giddy about UT Austin b4 all this went down?