I am a current high school senior who is deciding between 2 colleges with just a little more than a week left to decide, so any quick answers would be much appreciated I have been accepted by Vanderbilt University as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, which means tuition is covered, I receive a 6K stipend for research/studying abroad, around 2K as a National Merit Finalist, and automatic admission into the Honors College. I have also been accepted by Brown University, who gave me around 10K.
Currently, I am torn between these two options. I am thinking about going pre-med (majoring in Chem/Bio/or Neuro) and going off to medical school in the future, so I am aware of the massive amount of costs in the future. However, I love just about everything about Brown, and I feel that its Open Curriculum is much more suited for me and my career goals. I want to double major in Applied Math/Econ so I have something to fall back on, which is much more achievable at Brown. The only reason why I am considering Vandy at this point is money. Brown’s acceptance rate to med school is consistently 85-90%, while Vanderbilt’s is around 66-70%. I am completely torn. Anyone have any advice? Thank you so much
What’s the acceptance rate to med school for Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholars?
Seriously, I’m sure you applied to Vanderbilt because you liked aspects of the school BEFORE the money was on the table. While you may prefer Brown, it would be foolish to pass up 200K to go there, IMO. Vanderbilt has a gorgeous campus and there will be plenty of research and internship opportunities there. Especially if med school or some other advanced degree is in your future.
Congrats on your acceptances and your scholarship!
Unfortunately, I do not know the acceptance rate to med school as a CV scholar. Although Vanderbilt seems like an amazing place, it was not one of the original schools I was planning on applying to–it was sort of on the whim, which is why I am hesitant on attending Vandy over Brown.
Unless you absolutely love Brown and don’t like Vanderbilt, the $200,000 advantage in FA makes Vanderbilt the better choice. Coming out of undergrad debt-free is a huge plus, and Vanderbilt has more than enough quality and prestige to help you get to where you want to go.
Currently the difference between the 2 schools for 4 years is about $140K. I think I want to go to med school after graduation, but I’m not completely sure, and I feel that Brown can provide me with so much more opportunities to discover what I truly want to do. As you can probably tell, I am completely torn haha
They would have to take out some loans, and but my mom said that with what we got from Brown, they would be able to afford it. However, if I decide to go to med school, I am on my own.
I’m sorry but as fine a school as it is, Brown is not $140K better than Vanderbilt (in fact, I don’t think it’s necessarily a superior school to Vanderbilt, even if the cost is equal). Undergraduate school is only 4 years; spending $140K more on one based on ephemeral “feelings” is silly, IMO.
Unless you or your parents have unlimited financial resources, Vandy is clearly the best choice for you. Your chances of getting into medical school are not going to be better at Brown than and Vanderbilt in spite of the statistics you cite. Your gpa and medcat scores are the result of what you do, not your school.
ROI stands for return on investment. Investing an extra $140K in Brown over Vanderbilt will not bring a tangible return on your investment. If you received $10K from Brown I assume it was need-based aid, correct? If so, turning down Vanderbilt would be crazy, IMO.
I can pretty much guarantee to you the medical school acceptance rate you got from Brown is based on a GPA of 3.5 and MCAT of 30 give or take. Vanderbilt has the same 90% acceptance at this level. Vandys rate includes all that applied, not just the ones selected by the medical school committee.
If you want to go to med school, graduating debt free is crucial. Even if you wouldn’t need to take out loans to go to Brown, you would probably be better off putting the $140k you’d save by going to Vandy towards med school costs.
Hey @peterson97 I actually committed to Vanderbilt today! I just came back from visiting Vandy, and I loved it. I realized if I wanted to do pre-med it would make more sense choosing the cheaper option. Plus, Vandy’s entire atmosphere is much nicer than Brown’s imo. Lemme know what you choose and feel free to msg me with any questions!
I have been accepted by Vanderbilt University as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, which means tuition is covered, I receive a 6K stipend for research/studying abroad, around 2K as a National Merit Finalist, and automatic admission into the Honors College. I have also been accepted by Brown University, who gave me around 10K.