College and medical school costs keep going up every year.
Harvard Medical School tuition and fees alone costs $75K this year.
Rutgers NJ Medical School tuition and fees (in-state) costs $48K this year.
I know residents who took out over $500K in loans.
When interest rates are low, it’s not as hard to pay off loans. When the interest rates are high, paying off the loans won’t be so easy.
1 Like
I am aware. Tuition was over $40k per yr for each of us plus loans for living expenses. It is still doable to payoff in 15yrs even with a primary care doc salary. We had total loans of over 300k and paid it off in 12-14yrs on half the starting salary that primary care makes now, and have had plenty for private K-12. We have no generational wealth. It has all been due to two primary care salaries. Maybe folks just spend a heck of a lot more than needed as young grads but it truly is not too difficult to cover those current tuition costs .
Let’s get back to the OP please.
I would suggest an in-state university. You can’t go wrong. Very few “premed” kids out of high school actually go into medicine, because they find other passions in college. If she chooses medicine, there’s minimized debt. If she doesn’t choose medicine, there’s minimized debt. You see where I’m going with this? 
3 Likes
In-state public schools would be cheapest and safest choices unless students receive large sum of merit awards. Personally, I like Rutgers and NJIT, where students can also try to get into honors and/or BS/MD programs.
The path to medicine is long and expensive. Keeping cost down and option for students to switch major if they choose other interests should be considered when apply to colleges.
3 Likes
We have been going through something similar with DS. I have two other kids in college as well that plan to go to grad school but not medical. For DS, he is interested in the medical field - he is certain Dentistry - but I myself started on the same trajectory and ended up being a lawyer.
In my culture, for generations past maybe a little less now, but still there - everyone is expected to become some sort of medical professional (MD/DO, DDS/DMD, PharmD) or engineer, and only recently has law been an acceptable career choice in our circles. I only bring this up because in my generation, when I went to college, we all started off in pre-medicine, but only about a third landed there in reality! Granted, it was probably only a third of those that wanted to be science majors to begin with, and it was also a lot easier to get into medical school 20 years ago - the numbers will show that many start on this trajectory but the majority don’t end up there.
Through this, I have learned that you are best going to where the most money back to your child is given (least expensive option) but also as prestigious as possible if it is a good fit for your child. I think prestige matters more if they don’t end up with a medical degree, but also matters, even if a little, in today’s competitive world in the medical field.
I know a lot of people say prestige is not important in the medical field - but when you are applying to medical school, residency, and fellowship, I have seen prestige be the door opener / deciding factor when applying to another prestigious grad school or practically any other grad school (most medical grad schools accept in the single digits). Some may say it does not matter as much in the medical field, but my life is full of anecdotes that demonstrate otherwise (in medical and other professional career choices that require grad school, but less so in medical). It may not matter as much as in other fields, but it could matter when it comes to AOs making the ultimate choice between candidates when applying for residency, fellowship, research opportunities, leadership positions in your field, etc.
I am seeing that it matters more each year as the opportunities become less and the acceptance rates to graduate professional schools also become less. Again, less so in the medical field, but still there. So, I find that money should be the primary factor - go where it is least expensive if your child does end up on this trajectory (or any trajectory that will lead to graduate school), but also, if possible, as prestigious as possible. For me btw, prestigious does not mean ONLY Ivy leagues - anything in the top 50-75 colleges if possible because if they end up NOT doing medical (where I still believe prestige is still a factor but FAR less), prestige will matter more.
1 Like
I would think about opportunities. Choose a college that is affordable, where the student can do well academically, opportunities to join clubs etc.
Keep in mind that it is becoming increasingly more common to take time off before applying to medical school. Students use this time to volunteer in underserved communities, shadow, take the mcats, work etc.
2 Likes
I’m hoping @WayOutWestMom will clarify this…because it absolutely is not true now. Medical schools, in particular, don’t use the name or prestige of your undergrad school as an admission criteria…at all.
This poster is looking for colleges to consider for a pre-med. I’ll say it again…one can take the required courses for medical school applicants at just about every four year college in this country, arts conservatories excluded. Students need to choose a college that they like, that is affordable, and where there can do well…and enjoy those undergrad years. Happy students do better than unhappy ones!
3 Likes
“Medical schools, in particular, don’t use the name or prestige of your undergrad school as an admission criteria…at all.” At all? That is definitely not the case. Yes, maybe it is of the least importance when compared to GPA, MCAT, LORs, etc. but where a child goes to school when compared to their peers and the schools are accepting in the single digits, most definitely matters. Will it make up for lower GPA or MCAT scores or less field experience or not as flattering LORs - absolutely NOT. But when schools are accepting in the single digits and if 2 candidates are virtually identical - school prestige could definitely be a factor.
My point is that the majority of kids who start off medical don’t end up medical. Even assuming prestige has NO IMPORT on medical school- if they change their mind and go into another field that requires graduate school - prestige may matter more.
Good fit is extremely important too!! DD who is a freshman in a smaller, private university, could never have thrived at a large public university. But if she had a choice between two smaller private schools that are equally affordable I would have (and did) definitely push for the most prestigious institute especially because she is undecided but knows she wants to go to grad school eventually.
This is just my opinion.
Academic undergraduate prestige has some beneficial advantage for medical school admissions but not at the expense of having a lower GPA or test score. Attending a less prestigious university will not prevent you from attending a top medical school.
Academic medical school prestige has a beneficial effect in helping you match at a very competitive residency. However, attending a less prestigious allopathic US medical school will not prevent you from matching into a competitive medical specialty. Residency program directors do not consider what college you attended.
Finally, in terms of getting your first job after your residency/fellowship, where you trained during your residency is most important. Hospitals and practices are most interested in the recommendation of your program director. They understand that some of the smartest people who attend elite schools may not be the best clinicians. If your residency is local to where you want to work, your prospective employers will have a good idea of the quality of the graduates from your program. Just like other professions, having connections is most important. For academic jobs, it is extremely important to train at an academic residency or fellowship. But at that point, they will also be interested in your research and the quantity of peer-reviewed articles that you have published. As you move up the academic ladder, it increasingly becomes more about what have you done while climbing that ladder and less about where you came from.
Physicians salaries are paid by insurance companies, the government, the patient, or the physician’s employer. These entities do not vary their payment based on what school the physician attended.
3 Likes
I agree that the name of the school isn’t of zero importance. It carries some weight, moreso with private med schools than public ones. But where a student attends undergrad is probably the LEAST important factor in all the factors that go into making a successful applicant. GPA, MCAT, LORs, ECs, personal statements, secondary essays, etc are all more important than where one attends undergrad. However, the name of the school on the diploma will not make up for any deficiencies in an application.
As for undergrad school, I am a big fan of state flagship universities since these schools offer a wide variety of options for pre-meds who change their minds and are “prestigious enough” for professional and grad school admissions and employers who are hiring
Finally, in terms of getting a job after your residency/fellowship, where you trained during your residency is most important.
This is quite true. But mostly for one’s first job.
I’ll also point out the the majority of physicians don’t go into academic medicine. Most go into community-based medicine at community hospitals or in large community-based practice groups. For those positions, publications and research are irrelevant. The recommendations of your medical directors are what get you your second, third and subsequent jobs, not where you did residency.
4 Likes
Completely different than many above but with excellent med school placement is Earlham in Indiana. Just tossing it out there as a option.
Union in Ny has an interesting track as well.
Bryn Mawr is another to consider
All offer merit.
SUNY Geneseo will match the cost of Rutgers. This might be something to consider as well as the NJ publics
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.