<p>There’s no right answer to that question since it depends on your finances, individual motivation, and, most importantly, how much you like each school. You should never do premed at a school you don’t like. Premed is tough enough at a school you DO like.</p>
<p>But some considerations:
- Top schools do not necessarily cost more. Top privates have large endowment and provide excellent FA packages, particularly if you’re poor. If you make $150,000 and you don’t want to contribute to your kid’s college education, then, yes, your kid would be better off going to a state school.</p>
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<li><p>Despite it being a little harder to get good grades, top colleges provide many advantages that presumably balance that out such as a better academic environment, better advising, more support, small classes, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>If you aspire to attend a top med school, you really should be aiming to get a high GPA at a top college. The average GPA at my med school is 3.8 (which is high) but 75% of the students attended a top 25 college. It’s not a question of high GPA OR top college. It’s high GPA AND top college. Obviously, there are a few state schoolers who do get in but you better walk on water.</p></li>
</ol>