Not free - free tuition.
And it’s not assured per the website (it’s competitive entry) - and there’s no assurance they’d want a Masters in the same area.
But yes, Wes does have that.
I wish OP luck but I believe their initial gut was the right gut feel.
I might add that it was you that noted - since Wes is an easy app - that you thought it was a toss in.
That was before you made me mad.
ETA:
And, by the way. The OP should be angry too. Implying that Wesleyan only accepted them because they are full-pay is an insult to them.
Let’s move from the back and forth debate, please
New Brunswick is not urban. Neuroscience is mostly located on the Busch campus in New Brunswick. While the smaller downtown area can feel a little like parts of Queens, NY.. NB and the area surrounding Busch really has a suburban feel to it, with bike paths, suburban strip malls, wooded areas, etc.
Of course, this may depend on one’s frame of reference.
Wesleyan alum here. I was passing New Brunswick on my way to my law school reunion (Penn-Carey) and my first thought was, “Wow, Rutgers looks more and more like a city with each passing day!” If that’s your jam, Middletown will definitely feel a bit quiet. As a bona fide city kid, I found its relaxed pace a much appreciated break from - well, you know - everything: crowds, anonymity, rudeness. You name it. I think it’s also worth noting that it’s ethnically diverse in a way that is typical of southern New England; lots of second and third generation southern Europeans who who came here to work in stone quarries now head their own businesses, occupy City Hall and provide much of the civic backbone of the place.
If I had as stark a choice in front of me as you do, I would think - whatever the choice - the right environment would be worth the money
Is the cost worth it?
It is worth it if you love the school, your family can afford it without hardship, and you have a realistic and affordable plan in place to pay for medical school. Keep in mind that medical school will be about $100,000 a year.
Middletown is sort of a Goldilocks city; not too big and not too small. In terms of the clinical experience available, it’s impossible to exaggerate just how unusual it is to have a NESCAC (little ivy) school, other than Tufts, with a full-service, 24/7 hospital located a few blocks from campus; the host towns are usually too small:
College Student Volunteer Program // Middlesex Health
That looks like a great opportunity, but it should be mentioned that spots are limited and there is an interview process involved. Volunteering is not guaranteed (not uncommon).
Rutgers has a very large, very strong program in place for undergrads who wish to shadow and volunteer.
That being said, many college students shadow and volunteer at home during breaks and gap years.
The OP needs to decide which environment they prefer, and what their family can afford.
They have to really want the small college experience and all it entails; not everything is going to be presented in a big, splashy way. There will be a lot of interdisciplinary connecting of different parts making the whole. Some of it will be improvisatory. All of it will be personal.
They already had - and hence why they were leaning Rutgers.
From what I understand, the family can afford Wesleyan but there would not be money left for medical or graduate school. If this student attends Rutgers there would be money left to help fund post graduate plans.
I would choose Rutgers, as the financial issue would stress me too much and Rutgers is an excellent school.
As skimom often told her toddlers, “I wasn’t asking.”
Responses should be directed to the student and their question. The cafe exists for users to engage in stream of consciousness.
As a post ran contrary to my earlier instructions, I deleted, as well as the responses to that post.
Did you visit Wesleyan? I think your answer will be quite clear if you go see it. You’ll either vibe with what you see, and you’ll want that community for yourself for the next 4 years l, or you will prefer the size and scale of Rutgers.
If you can’t visit… you were happy with Rutgers when you made the decision, and I think sticking with it makes sense.
Wes alum here, with kid is going to Rutgers next year. Quality-wise and opportunity-wise, I think both schools are great. I agree though the financial factors tip the balance in favor of Rutgers. I also agree, strongly, with the comment above about the open curriculum being a double-edged sword. When I figured out during my first semester at Wes that my intended major (coincidentally, neuroscience) was not a good fit for me, I took a bunch of random classes with cool sounding names and ended up flailing and directionless - to the point where I almost did not graduate on time. This of course is just my own experience and won’t be true for everyone. Some of my (perhaps more mature) classmates loved it, but I would have fared better with more structure and more requirements to take different kinds of courses.
If at all possible, I would try to make it this week, or even next weekend because it will be your last chance to see what the place looks like when it’s somewhat populated. It empties out pretty quickly after Commencement (plenty of seats at the local restaurants, though.)
Just remember one thing.
Attending Wesleyan might mean using loans for all 4 years of medical school, while Rutgers will possibly mean having loans for 2 years. This is something to discuss with the family, and they should keep in mind the new federal loan limits…which only cover 2 years. The remaining years will require private loans or the family paying.
Unless they decide to go for a tuition-free masters in Neuroscience and Behavior.
I’m hoping my S26 Wes kid gets the tuition-free master’s degree in math!
Overall, in this conversation and others like it, I sometimes wonder if it’s an exercise in futility to plan for med school when you’re 17-18 years old. So many kids enter as pre-med and leave wanting to do something completely different. Or they decide to work for a couple of years as EMTs before applying. Or decide to do nursing or PA school. Or research. Or choose another field entirely. I can’t help but feel that choosing an undergrad school should be about helping you realize your potential over the next 4 years (after conditions of affordability are met).
Most of the OP’s pros and cons about Wes are related to the future rather than the present. To me, what makes Wesleyan special is the community you are a part of and how it shapes you over your 4 years. It’s not a means to an end.
How have you been making out, @sar4?