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Ask the Guru a question.Picking the Right School
What is the point of going to a very expensive Ivy leauge school to get your undergraduate degree when you know that you are going to get your masters degree when your done? I would like to go to Dartmouth but i have a full scholarship to the University of Florida so maybe I should go there and go to Dartmouth for my MBA. What is your opinion?
Ivy League schools offer students great education and prestige. Many students find these schools attractive because they are selective and because a degree from such a school is impressive on a job application. Yet, there are great schools all over the country that offer a wonderful education and are easier to get into. And, as you know, public schools such as the University of Florida are more affordable.
The best way to decide what school is best for you is to consider all the angles. Ask yourself: What schools offer strong programs in my major? How important is cost and will this scholarship make life easier for me in the future? Do I want to be close to home or further away on my own? What kind of college life is there? Do you prefer a large or small school? Would you be more comfortable in a traditional campus not close to a major city, or do you prefer to be in a large city? Are you looking for a certain student mix in terms of gender, religion, race, etc.? All of these questions play a major role in the college decision. You are right—if you choose to attend the University of Florida, you can always pursue a masters degree at Dartmouth or at another big-name school. But try not to think too far ahead. Base your decision on what each school can do for you right now as you pursue your bachelor’s degree.I'm interested in a lot of different colleges and don't know which one i want to choose. Please help.
The best way to narrow down which colleges are best for you is to first ask yourself several general questions about college:
-What am I interested in pursuing as a major?
-What schools offer strong programs in my major?
-How important is cost and will scholarships be available at this school?
-Do I want to live at home or on campus?
-Do I want to be close to home or further away on my own?
-Will I be more comfortable at a large university or a small private college?
-Are my grades and test scores sufficient for acceptance?
Once you’ve answered each of these questions, make a list of the colleges you are considering and decide which ones best fit the criteria set by your answers.
The next step is to get specific information from each school left on the list. You may contact the schools directly or visit their websites to request catalogs, viewbooks, brochures, and anything else you think might aid the decision making process.
Finally, once you’ve narrowed the list down again, schedule campus visits to the schools you are still interested in. You can schedule a tour, see a dorm room, and perhaps even sit on a class. Many students base their final decision on a really good a campus visit. Then, once you’ve chosen the perfect school, begin the admissions process.
Follow this process and you should have no trouble choosing the right school for you.
I am a junior. I eventually want to attend Harvard medical school and a friend of the family (a physician) said I should definitely try to get into Harvard for undergraduate work because those students have a better chance of being accepted into the med school. Is that true (not only for Harvard but for most med schools)? My high school counselor says if my grades, activities and MCAT scores are great in college, it won't matter where I get my undergrad degree.
To a certain degree, both your counselor and your family friend are correct. Schools like Harvard do always select a few of their own schools for their graduate programs, but to be one of the students their medical school takes, you’ll need to be one of the top students in your college class.
Your counselor is correct because if you work hard and excel at any school, medical schools will want you in their incoming class. So, if you want to be a doctor, don’t worry too much about whether you get into Harvard undergraduate. There are many fine schools, and in determining the right place for you, you should take into account not only academic reputation, but also factors such as financial aid availability, size, location, student body mix, social life and clubs and activities. Ultimately, the school where you are the happiest is the one that will give you the most satisfying college experience and will also be the one where you’re most likely to excel well enough to get into medical school.
Ultimately, both are correct because both are saying medical schools like Harvard want the best students. However, don’t get too hung up on going just to Harvard Medical School as there are many other excellent medical schools and you’ll become a doctor if you go through any of them. So apply to a wide range to colleges, Harvard included, and work really hard in college, and whether you go to Harvard or somewhere else, you should be in a good position to get into a great medical school. Good luck!
My son is awaiting the April 2007 decisions on colleges he has applied to. In addition, he has wanted to go on to medical school for years now. So far he has heard early from two schools: University of Connecticut where he has received a very nice scholarship, and Brandeis but with no scholarship. Assuming we may see a mix of acceptances, with and without scholarship, from other private and public schools of different rankings, is it worth the higher cost for the higher ranked schools vs accepting (happily on our part) the scholarship at the other schools? It has been my contention that one is better off doing well in whatever school you attend, including on the MCAT, and that the pressure may be less in some of the "less competitive" schools (the big fish, small pond theory), especially when we are talking about all respectable schools. Do you agree, or am I letting the dollars sway my thinking? Thanks very much for your thoughts!
First, congratulations on your son’s acceptances. You should be very proud.
Personal finances and your ability and willingness to pay more for a school are subjective and something I can’t fairly comment on. That said, while it probably isn’t worth going to the higher ranked school just to get your son into medical school (since that decision won’t be based necessarily on tougher competition), you should consider factors other than rankings when helping your son choose a school: among these: the school’s strength in your son’s intended major, the strength of the school’s premed program (if they have one, and if not, the quality of their science offerings), financial aid/scholarships (I know your son has gotten a scholarship from UConn, but he may get similar offers from other schools as well), student life (such as clubs, activities, athletics, etc.), the student mix (such as male/female ratio, religious and political leanings and socioeconomics of the student body), location, and size. Your son may also want to consider the breadth and quality of other majors offered at the school just in case he decides not to go to medical school or if he decides to major in something considered “nontraditional” for premed students.
So what you need to figure out is what, if anything, you’re willing and able to pay for your son’s education and finding a school within these financial means where your son is going to be happy. After all, if he’s happy, he’s more likely to do well in school. Good luck!