I got into UConn, Baylor, and UMiami. I am looking to go pre-med. Here’s what I’m looking at for each:
UConn:
10k per yr.
Accepted into STEM Honors Program
In-state for me (so tuition is roughly 25k with my scholarship applied)
Financial aid - 10k in loans
Baylor:
84k over 4 yr period
Financial aid - none
Rough cost of tuition is 40k per yr
UMiami:
Said I was guaranteed admission into SPRING class of 2020
Hasn’t sent financial aid packet out yet but I’m assuming I’m getting nothing
No merit $
I’m majoring in biology on the pre-med track. Really stressed out about making a decision. While my parents encourage me to go where I want to go, we still consider money to be a huge factor since I will be attending med school afterwards. I heard it is very difficult to get good grades at UConn which is concerning for me. I know some of my friends at UConn on the pre-med track struggle to maintain a really high GPA. I’m just really not sure what to do, I’m attending open houses for all of the schools except for UConn because one of the other tours falls on the same day. I do not have anything against any of these schools, I feel like I’m just trying to pick the best out of the better here. I know I originally wanted to go out of state and maybe deep down still do a little, but I also know that it could definitely work to my benefit to know upperclassmen and underclassmen as well, which is something I’d get out of UConn and UConn only. I hope to go to a school where I’m able to have a clean slate and build new relationships with different people and practice independence. It’d be great to hear anyone’s knowledge of these schools or advice as I work towards making a decision over the next month.
What’s your parents budget (what can they pay from income and savings, NO parent loans)?
What’s your GPA/SAT? Have you taken AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Calc?
Were you admitted anywhere else?
Can you list net cost* for each college that admitted you?
*to calculate net cost:
(tuition, fees, room, board) - (grants, scholarship) = NET COST
Can you consider another major than Biology? There’s an oversupply of them so the ROI is pretty low.
Look into Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Biophysics for instance - check out whether Uconn offers those and whether you’d be allowed to switch into one of these.
Right now, the best choice seems to be UConn, but with more information the CC community will be able to provide you with better advice.
Have you visited Baylor? The travel expenses back and forth need to be considered.
I personally don’t think Baylor would be worth the extra money over UConn.
I don’t think I completely follow the numbers you gave, but looking things up I see this: Yearly tuition and fees–UConn instate $17K, Baylor $47K, Miami $50K. So I don’t see how anywhere other than UConn makes sense for a premed unless they are extremely well-off or have a substantial merit scholarship from Baylor or Miami. Which doesn’t seem to be the case.
“I heard it is very difficult to get good grades at UConn which is concerning for me.”
This is true of any good premed program. A lot of universities are very good for premed, but it is not easy anywhere.
UConn, Baylor, and Miami will all be very difficult. Especially premed.
Does UConn feel comfortable? Do you like the size and student body?
Baylor is out. That is way too expensive, especially since you have plans to attend med school.
I know you don’t want to consider this right now, but is community college an option? It may be the best transition for you. You will save lots of money and you can possibly get a higher GPA. Then you can transfer to Miami, UConn, or any school you want.
You need to pick the school you feel is the best bet and won’t break the bank. Best of luck.
^CC is bad for a premed since med schools frown on classes taken at community college.