It is still early in the year, but I am already getting accepted to universities so I would like to get an idea of where I see myself going so I won’t stress about it at the last minute.
College 1: A state university in my hometown located in Florida. It is a great school and I have taken classes there so I know I like the curriculum. I can continue to take classes in the summer while having medical experience for medical school so I like I can double up on that. I would be saving a lot of money for medical school and not be in debt.
College 2: A state university about 4-5 hours away from where I live and it is also located in Florida. I have done research in the area and I see myself being able to do the same activities I enjoy doing here in my hometown and I like that I am not so far away from home meaning I can come and visit often. The downside is that none of my credits that I took through dual enrollment would transfer so I would be starting off fresh and I wouldn’t being doing much in the summer because I plan on visiting home like some of my older friends do. I would also not be in debt so money would not be a problem.
College 3: This is a private university up in Ohio. I see myself being happy there because it has the perfect community I would be wanting in college. It has all the campus activities I want and it is better than what I expected. I like that being far away from home makes me experience something completely new such as seeing snow in the winters, having a small town feel compared to the big city I live in etc. My dual enrollment credits would not transfer and I am concerned about money. Tuition will be about $25,000 a year after scholarships including dorm. I should be able to pay at least half of it every year with no problem (still have to make exact calculations), but is this experience worth all that money?
Sounds like College 1 is the clear favorite because of credits being accepted and costs being low.
Grades, medical related ECs and MCAT score are the most important aspects for medical school.
You are also wise to keep debt low during undergrad.
For the Ohio college, would your parents be able to help out with the costs?
As to summer plans: don’t be afraid to stay the summer in the town of College 2 if you get a cool research position or job; being somewhere that isn’t your home town in the summer can be a refreshing experience, and if you’re getting relevant work/research experience in your field, that doesn’t hurt either. Or, you could get a job or research position in the university in your hometown (many students are able to get research positions for the summer at universities they do not attend). I would try to avoid doing nothing for an entire summer; that’s not that great when applying for future internships or jobs.
If I were you, at this point (pending future acceptances of course), here is what I would do. Try to find out if your parents can afford the half of the Ohio college’s costs. If they can, go there. If not, don’t, due to debt, and instead go to whichever of the Florida schools would be best for you as a student and person. Since you would be graduating from either one debt-free, I would take the “fit” criterium as the most important when deciding between those two.
What can your parents afford?
Can you name the universities as there’s a difference between your local university being usf and being fgcu, or the Ohio college being Denison or Youngstown State.
The first one is FIU, the second USF, and the third Franciscan University of Steubenville. My parents told me that the Florida schools they can afford but that Franciscan would be a reach. I’m trying to see if I should worry more about the money or experience. So stay in Florida and save money for medical school or go far away from home and have the college experience I want but add to the debt I would be getting from medical school and have to pay it off over many many years.
Honestly, unless you’re very deeply Catholic and can’t attend even a regular Catholic school, I would pick USF over Steubenville. Or FIU Honors.
What are your stats (ACT, GPA both weighted and unweighted)?
If you’re okay with a regular Catholic university, what about University of Scranton? It’s a really good Catholic school in Pennsylvania with superb facilities.
Or if you want Catholic + snow + thriving city, St Kate’s in Minneapolis St Paul is easily accessible.
If you want a conservative school, what about Wofford, or Hope?
I have a 4.3 weighted and 3.4 unweighted. 24 act. I’ll take a look at the school’s you suggested 
Retake the ACT, preparing very well. You can even use the material on khan academy, even if it’s meant for the SAT, just so that you get used to answering multiple choice tests quickly and accurately.
UScranton is also test-optional if you can’t get to a 25.
What type of college are you interested in?
Catholic?
Very conservative?
In an area with snow?
All of the above?
Lol probably all of the above. I love living here in Florida but sometimes I would like to escape the heat and the big city. The only thing I’m going back and forth with is if I want to go away. If I stay here and go to FIU I can continue doing activities I love doing everyday and not miss out on big events I always help out with and I can be in college year round while not leaving my job or volunteer work I do for medical school so I can visit my family. If I go away I get that college experience in a new environment and learn how to live on my own, but I’d be leaving a lot behind and my summers wouldn’t be how I would like them, taking classes and doing volunteer work because I’d be visiting my family. How was your college experience?
@elicoup14: look at UScranton, UDayton, St Michael’s, St Benedict/St John’s, DePaul, Loyola Chicago, John Carroll, St Thomas, Saint Louis University, Loyola Maryland, St Bonaventure, St Anselm, Siena. Christian but not Catholic: Muhlenberg, Luther, Illinois Wesleyan, Ohio Wesleyan, Augsburg, Concordia-Moorhead, Augustana.
If you want more conservative Christian, you have Hope, Grove City, Calvin.
All of these should have plenty of cold and snow
Growing up is leaving your childhood behind, yet retaining what is essential to who you are, and making it grow in another environment. That may happen for college, but it can happen when you take your first job.
In my opinion, it’s better to do it for college, because your first year at least you’ll be in a dorm with a meal plan, so your independance will go by steps, whereas if you’ve never left home when you get to your first job, there are so many new things to handle all at once! But people do it successfully too, so even if in my opinion it’s less optimal, it’s still an option. You don’t have to decide right now. Just apply, and trust yourself to know what you want when the time to decide actually comes. Give yourself six more months to grow and think about it.