California isn’t hot all year round – not even in Southern California, and definitely not in the Bay area.
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Yup! I love our fog and cool temperatures.
Even in southern CA, though, the coastal regions don’t get too hot, and there are several schools on the coast (or very near).
@Kingo have you seen https://weatherspark.com/ ?
It has a nifty compare feature where you can overlap climate data for multiple locations.
Do not confuse “cheapest” and “most cost-effective”. As a premed, you’re going to have classes&labs, review sessions/office hours/study sessions, plus volunteering in clinical and non clinical settings, plus everything else college students deal with or enjoy. So you’re likely to be on campus or doing things from about 9 am till 11pm. There’s a reason the library closes at midnight or even later…
Getting into med school while having to commute wastes time and an opportunity to study; not being on campus for the study/review session puts you at a disadvantage in a competitive program. It’s not impossible, but it does add a hurdle to an already competitive situation.
Keeping in mind only about 16% would-be premeds even complete their pre-reqs at a level sufficient to apply to med school, and 60% of those don’t make it into Med school, you really want to avoid adding hurdles you can avoid.
In addition, it means you need a solid plan B since odds are overwhelming you won’t get into med school.
If you like not-hot&mostly cool/cold but not too cold weather, the VA/MD/NJ/DE/PA/part of NYS area is your perfect spot weather-wise 
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This is true.
My daughter often left her room at 6 am (the campus was already busy) to meet with profs, volunteer, attend clubs, classes, work in the lab, meet with her research group, library etc. Many nights she was home by 9-10. Premed requires the whole package- not just attending classes.
Note: This also applies if you change your mind about medical school, whether due to grades or discovering new interests.
Commuting will be tough.
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So you’re saying that while price is one factor, I would probably stay on campus for most of the time.
So I should be looking at schools with the idea of also living on campus too?
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Alright thank you, I’ll consider looking into it later
Yeah, Rutgers is the only one that makes sense for commuting. It’s only 15 minutes.
I am confused as to why you would be commuting to Rutgers, but you would not be commuting to any other school.
Its the closest to me, and I could realistically get their in time for my earlier classes (if I choose to).
The second closest school for me is 45 mins away.
A 15mn commute is doable although not ideal. Also keep in mind Rutgers has a split campus so you may be 15mn from one but 25mn to another.
But yes, at least for the first year you should live on campus if you can so that you figure out how to live a colleg schedule, optimize your time, firmly establish rhythms and patterns.
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Alright thank you, I’ll consider it.
You should be offered merit at some NJ schools, not Rutgers or TCNJ, one of my sons had similar stats and was offered merit from Stockton and Montclair.
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Don’t sleep on the NJIT/Honors application. (Honors is a reach but NJIT is a safety ,with excellent outcomes).
Not applying to either, but dyk why I can’t get merit at Rutgers?
Is it too competitive >=
Working on that app too.
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Yes, it is.
There will be students with very high grades and scores (not taking anything away from your accomplishments).
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Simply put, you are solid at Rutgers but not a stud.
If cost is a concern, set an actual budget figure - ie I need $30k and apply where you are a stud.
You are not even, in my opinion, safe to get in. You are likely to get in.
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Yeah, I understand that too, I thought those people though would go somewhere else though lol.
Understood, idk what colleges with my gpa and sat would be a stud though (not many I suppose).
I got into newark and camden though, so I thought I would get into Rutty also
Not necessarily.
Some cannot afford to go elsewhere, they recognize the local opportunities, want to save money for grad/med school, received merit, etc.
You will find very strong students at Rutgers, and they will be in your classes.
Camden and Newark are less competitive for admissions than the main campus.
I agree that Rutgers is a likely/target and you will get in, but it is not a safety. Rowan is a safety imo, but not the BSMD- that’s a reach.
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