Hi all! I apologize for the long post, and would greatly appreciate any suggestions!
I have currently finished my first year at USC (Southern California) as a human biology major. I am planning on finishing my premed requirements and applying directly to medical school out of college. Thus far I have done well and have been able to get straight A’s, though of course I’m not expecting to have a perfect 4.0 GPA. I have made some really amazing connections with professors, received amazing research opportunities, and added a special minor that USC offers through the Keck School of Medicine that gives you some direct medical experience. Yet, I don’t feel as though USC is the perfect social fit for me. I have made friends, but I am not interested in the greek life, football, or (wealthy) party culture at USC, so I would not feel as though I’m missing out on that. Also, I’ve realized that I don’t really love living in LA - I grew up in the country and miss being able to go for a run through the mountains, without constantly having to watch my safety.
I am considering transferring back home to my local university, SUNY Albany. I come from a low income family, so I am taking out loans. USC was extremely generous and gave me almost $50k in a combination of scholarships and grants, but with the remaining tuition and living costs (dealing with the extreme cost of living in LA), I am taking out $12-15k in loans a year. For this upcoming semester I am on medical leave so I have some time to decide what to do, but I am seriously considering staying back home, living with my parents, and taking advantage of New York State’s new free tuition. Finishing college at UAlbany would allow me to finish the following 6 semesters without taking out any loans, pay back the ~$13k that I have already taken out, and graduate college debt-free.
What would you do?
I really want to go to a top, research oriented medical school, and I am willing to put every ounce of my heart and soul into it to make it happen. I don’t want to make the wrong choice and hurt my chances. I know that though USC isn’t a social paradise for me, but it does provide its students with incredible opportunities. At the same time, I don’t want to take on $60,000 of loans before I even start medical school and then have to limit my choice of specialty due to financial need.
“Finishing college at UAlbany would allow me to finish the following 6 semesters without taking out any loans, pay back the ~$13k that I have already taken out, and graduate college debt-free.”
Good plan.
For med school admissions, where you study doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you do while you are studying. You can get into research-oriented med schools from SUNY Albany. $60k is more debt than anyone in their right mind would recommend someone take on for an undergrad degree - let alone a person who is headed to med school.
Just wanted to pitch in, as I’m on the pre-med track as well.
@happymomof1 is totally right. Where you go is pretty irrelevant. Medical schools want to see a high GPA, high MCAT, and extensive community involvement (and if you want to get to the top medical schools, you’ll need research experience).
AAMC / AMCAS have published how much medical colleges care about where a student goes. IIRC, it is one of the last things they look at.