As the title says, I have been lucky enough this application cycle to get into both vandy and jhu and am currently having a hard time deciding between the two.
Cost-wise, I got chancellors at Vanderbilt (making it 30k a year) and Hodson at JHU (making it 45k a year)
For some context, I am an aspiring pre-med student, so I just wanted to hear some thoughts on which choice would be better for pre-med (especially with all the grade-deflation reputation I have been hearing about JHU) and eventually getting into a top med school. Thanks!
Whether you end up applying to med school at all (most people entering college as premeds eventually decide not to), and how you do if you apply, is far, far more a function of how you do in your classes and on the MCAT, and to some extent other activities, than it is of which college you attend, not least when looking at such overall similar colleges.
So personally, I would take the cost difference into consideration, unless your family is wealthy enough for you not to be concerned about student loan debt after med school. I would then think seriously about where you would be happiest overall, including if you decide not to pursue med school. And then if you are happy and also do well in your classes and you end up deciding to apply to med school, you will be in good shape for that too.
Getting into any medical school in the US is a reach.
Also, note that medical school in the US typically costs $400k over four years (maybe a little less at an in-state public medical school), and probably more by the time you would attend medical school after college.
Both choices are fine for an aspiring medical school applicant.
JHU does committee letters. I don’t know about Vandy @WayOutWestMom probably can answer that.
At this point, my suggestion is that you take premed out of the equation since you can do that at either of these colleges. Pick the place where you feel you will be happiest for the next four years.
And keep in mind that more than half of freshmen premeds never actually complete the required courses for medical school admissions…or actually apply to medical school. They find other things that pique their interest more.
Vanderbilt uses a committee letter for its med school applicants.
And it’s more than 50% of freshmen premeds who don’t apply to med school. According to wide ranging study that included 130 different undergrads, only 17-18% of freshen premeds even finish their pre-reqs.
The area around Vandy will be much nicer - for getting out and about.
I don’t know what a top med school is - they all produce doctors I go to but Vandy is a top med school. I am a patient. I was looking at residents thinking - it must be all Harvard, Yale, JHU where they went. Far from it.
The point - pick the right school for you. Vandy gives you another $60K for grad school - if you need it (the savings) in addition to better weather and nicer area - those may or may not be important to you.
Undergrad colleges of Vandy Radiology first two year residents. It’s not going to matter is the point - so pick the right school - the one of these two where you want to be.
Auburn CWRU
Florida A&M
Florida State Fordham
Lipscomb
Luther
Murray State
Northern Illinois
Pitt
Princeton Tulane
Tuskegee
U North Carolina
U Puerto Rico
U Tennessee
Vandy (2)
Of course, only a subset of those actually apply to medical school. Of those who do apply, only about 40% get any admissions (and most of those get one out of dozens of applications).
Are you paying these schools on debt? First off, NEVER choose a school based on “premed prestige.” That’s a fast track to 4 years of complete misery, especially if you’re racking up piles of debt. The vast majority premed hopefuls out of high school choose not to go to medical school. College is a maturation process where true passions are found. I would advise going to an affordable in-state school. You seriously can’t go wrong. If you decide medical school, you have low debt. If you don’t decide medical school, you have low debt. Your best chance for medical school is in your home state. State schools give preference to in-state residents.
Go to admitted student days for both.
If you can see yourself at Vanderbilt, I’d pick it because it’s such an excellent university that is equally good if you persist with premed and if you find something that interests you more, and JHU is absolutely not worth more.
Money aside, you have to go with JHU based on the school’s US News ranking at #6 in the country. Vanderbilt is ranked #18 and (based on changes to the US News criteria) is trending lower. Graduating from a top 10 school will provide you with many more opportunities over the course of your career.
That said, attending Vanderbilt will be a far more enjoyable college experience. There’s no comparison between the neighborhoods surrounding Vanderbilt and JHU’s neighborhood or comparing Baltimore with Nashville.
The students at Vanderbilt love being in Nashville. I’m not so sure the students at JHU are thrilled about being in Baltimore.
When I went to grad school Indiana was #6. Now 20+
Other schools have changed. Schools like Wake and Tulane.
I’m not believing your statement. Both are great names. And what you are today doesn’t necessarily match tomorrow. Companies aren’t saying Vandy fell. Let’s not take their grads any more.
Having done the first part of that, I am way overdue for cashing in on the second part!
I do think my law school choice helped me get a few more opportunities straight out of law school. By that point, I don’t think anyone really cared where I went to college. And even so, I eventually ended up in a practice area where lots of people did not go to fancy colleges OR fancy law schools.
Obviously people have different experiences, but mine is not so uncommon among my friends from college. It was a good experience in itself, but for a long time now, what keeps mattering in terms of our professional careers is much more whatever we have done lately.
Please do not make your decision based on usnews rankings. These are both excellent schools and will prepare you well if you want to go to med school. As others have said, visit both if you can and see if you have a strong preference. Both scholarships are fabulous opportunities. Chancellors seems to offer a bit more, in terms of a summer study abroad, research projects, etc. And Vandy saves you $ for med school. It seems like a wise choice.
These 2 schools are not vastly different in perception at the undergrad level, and so I would suggest leaning towards the cheaper one. Also I heard that JHU is difficult at the pre-med undergrad level with significant grade deflation, but that is just the perception versus Vanderbilt and I would check that out. Finally, as another poster said upthread, if you actually do end up in medical school, the name and reputation of that institution will far outweigh your undergrad college.
but Vandy is a top med school. I am a patient. I was looking at residents thinking - it must be all Harvard, Yale, JHU where they went. Far from it.