Just a reminder to all - Neuro is only part of the academic desires.
Here is info on their Neuroscience Institute as well.
Not questioning anyone’s guidance - just reminding all there is more to the academic picture.
Academics - Neuroscience Institute - Carnegie Mellon University (cmu.edu)
Thanks for your response!
By mental health concerns I’m speaking of Cornell’s reputation as a pressure cooker (yes, I know all schools mentioned are pressure cookers but this one exceptionally), along with their high depression/low student happiness scores on ranking sites.
I think you’re right about MD program admits being from ‘all over the place’ but there is some compelling evidence I’ve seen of undergraduate institution mattering for PhD and some MD programs - so I thought it would be better to be safe.
UNC and CMU would be debt free. Cornell will not be. I’ve had this discussion with my family. This is excluding RA benefits, it would just help save money if I got it.
So seems you can take Cornell off and be down to two!!!
What proof do you have that Pitt wouldn’t fulfill this.
It seems like you want a prestige undergrad name.
What about medical school? Who will pay for that? You…with loans?
I’m also in the why not Pitt, PSU or Temple camp.
You can apply to Pitt Honors after first year.
I’m surprised Pitt didn’t give you at least a little scholarship money unless you applied late.
Working to make 10-20k as a FT college student isn’t a guarantee. A lot of the better paying internships are filled by upperclassmen. RA jobs are also no guarantee.
Thank you for the information about UNC’s clinical opportunities! That’s about what I was expecting based off of friends who had gone there.
Yes, although it’s hard to turn down the ivy league, I do agree it is not the best decision. The reason why I am ‘underestimating’ Pitt is not because it is not a superior school, just that I do not feel like I would be particularly supported there.
Based off of my visits, info sessions, and research on CMU, Cornell, and UNC honors, it would be much easier to gain connections / laboratory positions.
CMU - smaller class sizes and higher lab to student ratio than all other school I’ve gotten into. Much techier which I’m interested in and still has a great neuroscience program. I also have some specific connections with the school’s faculty from past internships. They also have the best CS and BME program of the schools listed which I mentioned I am interested in; they also have a interdisciplinary focus which would make it very easy to dual major.
Cornell - although it has a larger class size, the research output of Cornell is still incredible, and the name can help me get into summer research programs if I have trouble on campus. Very well known for tech as well.
Honors Carolina - great ties to research triangle and I would be assigned to a 1 on 1 ‘coach’ who would help me gain the internships/summer program/clinical opportunities that I would want. Although not as ‘known’ for cs or bme, it has an interdisciplinary focus which can help me get the dual major.
Pitt has none of these opportunities despite having a superior neuroscience program. I don’t know much about their engineering programs. The cost is also 45k, one of the highest in-state tution in the country.
Based on what?
Pitt has none of these opportunities despite having a superior neuroscience program. I don’t know much about their engineering programs. The cost is also 45k, one of the highest in-state tution in the country.
But still $20,000 or more less costly than the choices you made.
Again, I have already had this conversation with my parents. They have ~200k in savings (they had some additional investments that they forgot about lol). Our agreed upon plan is to save 15k/yr, with a 50/50 split between my parents which is doable.
I explained below the message you replied to.
Okay, based on your explanations, I think Unc with Carolina Honors is the best choice.
I was a bit conflicted with PSU, since I got a big scholarship there. But my friends down there in the honors program said it was very difficult to get clinical opportunities (400 applicants for 12 volunteer positions).
My parents are a hard-no on temple. I personally liked it but someone from my school was murdered there, so they wouldn’t let me go (understandable).
I hope they included this forgotten money on your financial aid application forms.
Is this $200,000 to help fund undergrad? Are you still expected to earn $10k to $20k annually?
Hi, I’m interested in working in academic medicine, so thanks for the information.
Do you at all consider the prestige or name of the institution when you’re hiring? My mom hires for pharma and she always tells me that the name of the last institution they attended matters a lot.
200,000 is to help fund undergrad and I am expected to earn ~7k-15k per year.
As a heads up though, work-study typically pays $3,500 a year (and you have to find the position yourself - jobs in IT or where you’re “paid to study” are snapped up fast. )
I realize you don’t need work study but it’s useful to keep in mind.
Great. Sounds like undergrad would be covered…and IF you go to medical school you will fully fund yourself with loans…
I think you will find similar competition at every public. An average entering class is 20-25% premed wannabes, including Carolinia. Private schools have more money so they can offer a tad more for labs/research. Carolina-Honors is great, but if they don’t have your intended major, not sure it’s teh best fit. Since Pitt is out (which woudl have been my first choice), for the extra money, CMU offers the best value, IMO. And it just happens to have a top 15 med school down the street!
btw: CMU does have a lot of joint projects with Pitt.
UNC has my major
We do consider the undergraduate institution a little bit when hiring, but grades are more important (great grades > good grades > bad grades regardless of school). All the schools you’re considering are excellent, so it’s splitting hairs. What we really want to see when hiring is that a student has made an effort to use the opportunities available. In other words, if you want to do research after undergrad, you should find a way to do research as an undergrad.