I have been accepted to CMU in H&SS and I plan on majoring in Psychology on a health professions track (I intend on attending physician assistant school after college). My main issue with CMU is the workload and competitiveness of the school. I feel as if it would be more beneficial to get a higher gpa at a less prestigious school as opposed to an average gpa at a prestigious school. I hear that prestige is not considered when applying to PA and even med school. I thoroughly enjoy the location, atmosphere, and small size of Occidental. I know that I would be most comfortable at Occidental, but I am not sure if I should take the plunge and challenge myself at CMU and risk getting a lower GPA.
Money is not an issue because both schools offered me generous financial aid. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Any chance of doing grad studies in psychology? Have you visited CMU? What state are you from?
The higher gpa at less selective school theory doesn’t always pan out. Happiness might be a more reliable predictor of gpa.
I do not plan on doing grad studies in psychology because I will be going to physician assistant school after college. Do you feel that majoring in psych as an undergrad is not a wise choice? I have visited CMU and Occidental, I didn’t like the atmosphere of CMU. Many of the students I talked to emphasized the stress/workload of attending the college. I am from Pennsylvania, I know that I will be happier at Occidental but the academics/prestige of CMU seems like something I can’t pass up.
Psych is fine. If you end up really enjoying the subject matter and want to pursue grad studies, then CMU might be preferred because of course selection, research opportunities, department ranking, etc.
Contact each school for med school stats.
Why did you apply to CMU? Was it only the academics/prestige?
The two schools are quite different in terms of selectivity, so what are your stats like (GPA, SAT/ACT)?
Well I applied to many schools, 15 actually. I applied because my brother attends and he received very good financial aid. I honestly didn’t think that I wasn’t going to get accepted (my gpa is 3.7/4.0 and my ACT score is 28).
CMU’s 25th percentile ACT is 31. Oxy’s is 28. A standardized test score doesn’t indicate everything about whether a student can succeed here or there, but in your case, the fact that you’re close to the lower decile at CMU would be a concern regarding your gpa. Plus CMU is considered a more intense school than Oxy.
How important is gpa for a PA program? I’m aware that gpa for med school is paramount, but what is the situation for PA school?
Admission process is similar to med school. Where you went for undergrad is usually not considered. The GPA & GRE score is most important.
It’s a concern for me that I’m not at the academic caliber of most CMU students.
Then don’t go. Why walk into stress?
Occidental seems the better fit. It takes courage to move away from home and choose the less “prestigious” school, but you like Oxy better, and it’s certainly capable of helping you reach your goals. You’re anticipating a rough time at CMU; you want to set foot on campus with confidence, not a sense of dread.