<p>I just have a concern about how to begin narrowing down colleges. I can't decide if it's better to go to a school ranked very high overall (Cornell, Stanford, Columbia, Brown, etc.) or a school that's ranked very high in the program or major you're interested in. I want to be a premed with a major in Biomedical Engineering. UC San Diego is amazing at medicine, biomedical engineering, and even neuroscience(another major I'm considering), but it's not ranked that high in comparison to my other schools. Which is better?</p>
<p>JHU is also amazing in medicine, best in BME, and quite good in neuroscience as well (top 3 in the nation).</p>
<p>Which is better? I liken going to a school for overall prestige is kinda a waste since their overall rank is kinda a reflection of the combined 42 (or more) majors represented at that school. Its like...why does the other 41 majors matter when your just going to major in just one, and if that one is the among the best, thats great. Its even better to have a school with all around best majors, overall high rank, and especially truly exceptional academics in the neuroscience, medicine, bme, premed, those specific fields you are looking for. JHU seems to be a perfect match...because its ranked pretty high and its the among the best that those field has got to offer.</p>
<p>I mean, give JHU consideration. UCSD and possibly Duke fits many of those criterias you mentioned right there...although I believe Duke only offers a certificate program in neuroscience...if that matters.</p>
<p>haha, JHU is in my top 3 schools. I did a summer program there in preventative medicine. Great place!</p>
<p>Then again, I would absolutely love to go to Brown, and it's a liberal arts school</p>
<p>If you want to work on Wall Street, I'd say reputation matters. You want to be a doctor; any decent 1st tier school will give you a great education and help you on your way. Go to the school that feels right.</p>
<p>i think that you have to see which school/program fits the best with you and your personality. Set prestige and rank aside and see which school you will feel most at home, the most comfortable with. Prestige and rank doesn't matter as long as you do the best you possibly can and enjoy your years at the school you pick</p>
<p>always go for the school with the better program. your dream could be basketweaving and you could go to yale because, well, it's yale, but if they have a lousy basketweaving department, there's really no point. i chose a school with a 70%+ acceptance rate that isn't even in the top 100 on US news over a school with a 35% acceptance rate that is well-ranked. i don't regret it.</p>
<p>That's what I thought. I just can't imagine what I would do if I was accepted into Stanford and then accepted into UC San Diego or Case Western. </p>
<p>Would I really choose those over Stanford? Gah.</p>
<p>If only I had a chance at JHU.</p>
<p>A majority of pre-med students change their majors/minds about that career. It's a long, tough road and many are either discouraged by the necessary time/effort/expense -- or simply find other interesting fields. Odds are, you too may change your mind. Pick the school that offers the best overall education (and all the schools you're interested in do) to give you a wider variety of options besides pre-med. </p>
<p>And the reality is, that for pre-med, what matters is not so much the school, as your GPA, MCAT results and med-related internship/jobs/volunteer stints.</p>