<p>Thank you guys. I am considering going into medicine, although I’m not 100% sure yet. Is NYU known for having a good pre-med program?</p>
<p>I am fairly certain NYU’s pre-med program is very competitive to other undergrad pre-med programs. 1) NYU has spent money on recruiting and hiring top-notch professors in all fields, some professors may have been enticed away from the Ivy Leagues. 2) NYU has a number of very strong academic departments. The science dept. is likely to be solid, though I base that more on anecdotal data gleaned from the NYU CC threads.</p>
<p>My concern would be that you are spending a lot of $ on an undergraduate degree in a pre-med program that you might be able to obtain in a less expensive school. For medical school applications, you must score higher than your peers in your college classes and do well in the MCATs. Many other universities can provide this kind of preparation without the cost of a NYU undergrad degree.</p>
<p>My concern is that medical training takes a long time and is a very expensive endeavor.
Why would you spend around $240,000 on a NYU pre-med degree and then another comparable amount if not greater for medical school (unless you get into a cheaper state medical school and not a private medical school). My thinking here is, for instance, SUNY Stony Brook is a very strong science/ health sciences school. You can get a pre-med degree there for around $10,000 annually (approximate cost, not sure of the latest #s but close enough). You ace your courses in a cheaper state school, study hard for your MCATS to do well, and your chances might be as strong as, if not stronger than a NYU pre-med student with less stellar GPA and scores.</p>
<p>So, the issue for you will be the financial cost of a NYU education unless you or your family are very rich and do not have to worry about the very high cost of a NYU undergrad education followed by expensive medical school training.</p>
<p>I correct myself. SUNY Stony Brook, a state university is $5270 annually for in-state students’ tuition. With room and board, that total cost jumps up to $18,000 annually. Out of state students’ tuition is $14,720 and with room and board the total annual cost would be approximately $27,000. </p>
<p>The point would be to choose a good state school in your own state. Then you can really realize the cost savings for an undergraduate education, especially if you can get some scholarships or financial aid. Regardless, state schools are a lot more reasonable in tuition than private colleges. That is why competition for state schools like the California State schools and the New York State schools have gotten much more stiff, with average SAT scores and GPAs on the rise in recent years.</p>
<p>If finances are of concern to you, and you do not want to graduate from college and medical school with a boatload of debt (not a good idea to have to spend many of your working years to pay off mega student loans), then going the route of attending a good state school for your undergraduate degree is very much worth considering.</p>
<p>thanks…I’ll consider it.</p>
<p>The pre med program is excellent. My daughter started out in the pre med program and changed after the first year. Opportunities are wonderful and they have a very good advising department. My D friends that she made the first year are still in the program. The chemistry, physics, etc very challenging. Some of her friends did leave the program and are pursuing other degrees at NYU. As far at NYU and its culture, my D loves it there and as a senior is in the process of going through withdrawl in anticipation of her graduation. She has grown, matured and very independent. All things that resulted from her time there. To me it was worth every penny.</p>
<p>thanks! that’s sounds awesome!</p>
<p>Question: Wouldn’t the experience of living in NYC be enough to outweigh not having a set campus?</p>
<p>^ I think that’s precisely why NYU is (along with USC) the most popular (by applications) private university.</p>
<p>I haven’t went to NYU yet but as a soon to be freshmen I dare say that I would relish my experience at NYU. </p>
<p>There are people who hate NYU and people who hate traditional colleges and I’m one of those people. I’m an international so I’m probably biased but I mean no offense when I say that most of us are brainwashed with a stereotyped concept of what university should be, like stanford or ucla, with frat parties, football teams and a secluded environment. Some people think that a traditional college experience is what university should be all about and so NYU being a college that contradicts all that would be rather hated. </p>
<p>But there are people who hate traditional colleges as well and I’m sure I’m not alone. A traditional college experience would mean excluding yourself from ‘real life’ in a ‘artificial’ environment meant for studying. Some think this is great, I think I don’t want to get detached from real life. It’s just that people who reject the traditional concept of college are the minority and so NYU is made out to be much worse than it is due to majority consensus. </p>
<p>Ultimately though, unless you plan to live in NYC after graduating from NYU, you shouldn’t be too concerned about the environment much, everything you do at NYC is as a student, there is a very good support system for you to avoid trouble if you choose to. If you’re worried about drugs and other substances there’s always the CHOICE dorms. As for hipsters…every school has its stereotype majorities, if you’re not mature enough to overlook that then I’d wonder how you’ll make it in life on a whole. And since you’re a student, if you really work to make your school life exciting, you wouldn’t even have time to be concerned about these petty issues. There are many things I dislike about NYC but I’m not there for the life but for the education so it shouldn’t matter. Unless you’re choosing university for its personal life VS education.</p>