Which one should I pick???

College Search & Selection
1

Hello,

I am transferring out of Seton Hall University’s nursing program into a pre-med program. I was accepted to the University of Pittsburgh, Tulane University, University of Delaware, Binghamton University, and James Madison University. I have narrowed down my selection to UPitt, UDel, and Binghamton. University of Pittsburgh has a good pre med program, an amazing medical school to go to for graduate school and I got a great financial aid package from them. University of Delaware is the school I love but is probably out of three the least sciencey and is also the most expensive. Binghamton has a great pre med program but no medical school, I have friends who go there already, and will be cheap since I am a NY state resident. I would be a biological sciences major at each one. What are your opinions on where I should go???

2

Pittsburgh is so much better, as a place to live, than most people know.

It’s really an amazing place and full of many kind people.

Pitt for the academics and the best value would be an excellent choice.

Not saying your other options aren’t great too.

It’s just the combo of your academic goals , price, high quality of the university and campus life that lead me to highly recommend PItt to you.

And no I’m not a grad. Lol.

3

How much in loans would you have from Pitt at graduation?

4

Assuming you still want nursing and/or premed, I’d look at the ratings of the hospitals that partner with each program or that are available for research experience. That should be a major consideration in terms of gaining some experience relevant to applying to med school. Opportunities are usually more plentiful in hospitals with higher ratings. Lastly, I’d select a program that provides opportunities for experience in in diverse types of hospitals or research programs, assuming all or most are highly rated. Schools in cities with strong medical complexes are likely to provide more opportunities and better training than those in more remote places.

5

@TomSrOfBoston I do not know but I would not say a lot

6

@lostaccount the only thing I know is that udel has had pre med students that were bio majors go to Thomas Jefferson med school, Philadelphia school of osteopathic medicine, university of Maryland, and university of Georgia med schools

7

If you want to go pre-med then think about:

  1. The cheapest reasonable college so you/your parents can use the money for med school
  2. The college needs to prepare you for MCATs but still allow you to get a good GPA
  3. Access to volunteering opportunities (e.g., near a hospital)
  4. Success in graduates getting into med school
  5. Options if you don’t go to med school. You think you are going to med school, but less than 20% of pre-med freshman actually do.
8

Pitt!! Great school, great city, nice kids, and for you, great price tag.

9

I’d disagree on UD being the least sciency - the decades of associations with Dupont and Gore and other companies have given it a strong foundation in chemistry and related areas. But if you’re in at Pitt at a lower cost, that’s a better bet for you in the long run - it’s a higher rated overall school and if you like access to a bigger city (not right on top of campus) it works. The area around that campus is good (Oakland, the botanical gardens), you’d have the CMU area right next door, and you have access to the Pitt Medical system for your medical work.