Emory Atlanta (65k/yr) vs UF PaCE (20k/yr) [statistics major + human health or microbiology; not pre-med]

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If you are a Benacquisto scholar at FSU why aren’t you one at the other Florida Schools? It’s a state program that is a full ride PLUS (books, stipend for study abroad). You also are part of a group that provides extra support.

If you only have that for FSU (or it looks like you have an NSF award at SFU, you should go to FSU. You’d have no need to have a relative pay, to depend on that. You’d be able to save money for a masters.

Make sure you’ve filed all the paperwork to get this award. I’d pick FSU or USF over Pace at UF, but if you really want UF, you have the path.

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80k UVA
80k UW Seattle
50k CWRU (30k/yr merit scholarship)
15k FSU
10k USF
55k UMD College Park

Post-graduation prospects (read: admission to PhD program) is of priority. I’m not fully decided on my career path.

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FSU (or USF) are no brainers give your grad school desires.

UF - is not a real admission and I wouldn’t consider but that’s me.

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24

As I said before looking at this list , I think it comes down to prestige or price

Prestige- Emory
Price- USF/FSU

Are you able to visit Emory or the other two?

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25

I am sorry but Emory for 65K when you have other great options is strange to me…Even Case is 15k*4=60k cheaper…Why would you pay so much for Emory? It is not Harvard…

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It’s true, Case checks a lot of boxes and is cheaper.
It’s like a mix of a wealthier/more flexible/private Pitt and a less intense CMU in the middle of an awseome neighborhood with major hospitals, research labs, and cultural places.

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And the student has FSU for $140K less than case.

The student wants an MPH - any on the list works for getting to PhD.

The only reason for the student to not go to a Florida public (and USF works well too as I believe it’s the highest ranked public health degree in Flrodia ):

  1. They want a medium sized school - as they said.

  2. Money doesn’t matter.

Best of luck to the student.

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28

Also, Emory is closer to Florida, closer to home. For many students, proximity to home is very important. That was why I asked if there was a specific reason why UMD was not on the short list. It’s cheaper than Emory and a better experience than U of FL given the online 1st year unguaranteed transfer-in second year. But if UMD (or Case) is not close enough to feel comfortable, it’s going to be a hard sell.

If the OP wants to stay close to home and save money, one of the Florida publics (not U of FL) should be the choice.

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Why do you think that?

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30

And Case is not Emory. Its only 15k less, but its not even a T50 school nor is it known for public health. All of the other options are distractions at best.

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I would not consider UF…why is this still on the table?

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Case is very good and stong school. I know it is considered very good for all premed and nursing.

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Among Florida students and parents, UF is the holy grail. Any difference in prestige between the schools I’m considering is IMO, negligible for undergrad. BOth Emory and UF are well known in the South and in certain industries, but that changes once you go to the west cost. I’m more concerned about getting into a top PhD program.

My family and I believe Emory’s location, climate, size, and prestige (in certain professions) justifies the price over UMD or CWRU. I believe a main advantage that Emory has is that it’s size and location would be better for getting research and internships, while UF would make me fight for limited remote and online positions.

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35

UF is an excellent school, but I do not understand why you would consider attending school online for a year.

If you want lower costs schools…you have other Florida publics.

FYI- one of my kids attended one of our small, instate public schools that many have never heard of before. She earned her masters at an Ivy League school that limits its cohort to 10. Her advisor told her she came in very well prepared.

I also have a family member who attended one of the smaller Florida publics and was accepted to a very competitive graduate school program.

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36

There are many kids who choose FSU over UF. There will be kids at most the Florida schools who could get into UF but choose their schools for other reasons - better scholarship, Honors, close to home. There have been students on this website and I have a friend whose kid studied art at FSU over UF - and FSU has some leading programs.

For Public Health, I believe USF is most well known or as well known as UF. But I’m not sure where you go undergrad will dictate the next level of studies.

As an example, pull up an MPH at Emory - I see American, Elon, F&M, Millersville, UCLA, Va Tech.

UF isn’t a legit acceptance - let’s be honest - so I’m not sure why you would consider it. Yes, you’ll graduate from there but you won’t have a pure, four year experience.

And you don’t need to go to a high fallutin school to do grad work at a great college. Many do as you see above but kids also come from non-prestigious or hard admit schools too.

If your family wants to send you to Emory for $65K or others - then fantastic - if they can afford it.

But I’m not sure it’s going to give you the leg up that you think. I think you have wonderful opportunities at some of these schools due to your status - and I don’t think you are looking holistically but rather a US News rank for top colleges. Great for selling magazines but not to determine of the four year experience you so richly deserve, especially after some of the fantastic acceptances to special programs you received.

As for research, it can be done at most schools - you seek it out. But in some ways, you might have less competition at schools where you stand tall. USF, as an example, with your NMF, offers you early research opportunities. As does FSU - so you’re worried about not getting something and yet you have schools that are going to feed it to you with a fire hose if you’re willing to take it. It’s this experience that will impress people - not a UF or UVA or Emory. It’s what you do - not where you do it!!

FSU offers you this: This scholarship guarantees admission into FSU’s distinguished University Honors Program once National Merit Finalist standing has been confirmed. In addition, all National Merit Finalists who apply to the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) during the first year, which connects high-achieving students with distinguished research mentors to work as research assistants, will be guaranteed admission to UROP.

I hope you make a decision based on the best experience for you - and not the one US News says is #24 or #28.

USF National Merit Scholar Benefits | University of South Florida

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37

The problem is that you’re not in UF Honors (where the best opportunities go first), not even UF “regular”. PaCE is the worst possible situation for s.o who is interested in a PhD, ie, who needs access to professors, labs, etc.
To reassure you, UF has prestige but in the Midatlantic and North it wouldn’t be considered anywhere as prestigious as Emory and roughly similar to Case Western. Giving up UF, even if it were regular, for FSU Honors, Emory, or a few others, wouldn’t be detrimental - and, due to PaCE, most other choices would actually help you toward your goal more than UF.
(I know that in Florida it’s considered what UCB is to California, but this is a regional perception- in the general public, outside the FL/GA/AL area, people may well confuse UF and FSU!)
Another point to consider is that, as a Floridian and due to UF being a powerhouse at the graduate level, you’d be better off attending UF for grad school - and, for cross pollination of ideas and new approaches, it’s highly recommended you complete your BA/BS and pHD at 2 different universities (unless you’re attending Harvard undergrad.)

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I am in the northeast and where I live, good students go to UF because they don’t want to attend our instate public. It has become a lot more competitive in recent years, but not like Emory.

Emory is not seen as a peer school to UF…where we live.

UF has a lot to offer, but in your case I do not see it as a great option.

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39

I know Emory because I used to live in Atlanta. In my area (DC) people are CRAZY about Ivies, MIT, Umich, and California schools. Maybe ok with CMU for CS.
Everything else is … ok…, almost failure…
Can you imagine my daughter who got into BME at GaTech and Umich had to explain numerous times why she decided to go to GaTech? People do not even understand that BME is stronger at Gatech and costs significantly less. The reaction was alway but Umich…
So what you are saying about prestige is very subjective. Do you know much about Williams? I have heard about it first time recently from my DD since her friend’s brother was going there. Apparently it is a top (#1) LAC.
Before my daughter was “shopping” for small schools I couldn’t mention any. My knowledge was limited to top engineering schools (since I am an engineer)…
This is how it is.
And Grad schools will know all schools they need to know and as @tsbna44 mentions what you do will have much more weight than what school you attend.

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Yes, I am in the Mid Atlantic/East Coast and I can’t think of anyone who would think of UF as more prestigious than Case, as an example. That’s for the general public, and graduate schools will care far more about what you did versus where you went.

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