I just graduated high school and am going to university of Arizona for pre med. I got accepted into more prestigious schools like Penn State and Indiana University, but they didn’t offer me any money. Many people have told me that I shouldn’t go to UofA because it’s a bad school. Should I regret my decision, and does college prestige really matter?
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UArizona is a fine university. Finances are an important part of the decision equation for most students. Stop second guessing yourself.
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Absolutely stop second guessing yourself. Med schools do not care about “prestige”; they care about GPA, MCAT and health related experience and volunteering.
It’s quite common for premed kids to attend the most affordable option for undergrad as med school is extremely expensive (some around $100k per year).
It sounds like you’ve made a wise choice for your financial circumstances. Dive in, get involved, work hard and enjoy your next four years!
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They are? hmmmm - i don’t think so. They are the same - solid, large, flagships.
And if you are going to medical school - you need to save money.
If you are in state or from out of state with a high GPA - congrats - because Arizona merit is almost second to none. And it’s why they attract so many out of staters.
Now - there are differences.
Penn State is larger and has Old Main - and it’s super cool - and has a dairy - yummy ice cream. It’s also in the middle of nowhere.
Indiana is a beautiful campus in a small, college town - known for many types of ethnic restaurants.
Arizona is in a big city, a few miles from downtown - but easy to access - with incredible Mexican food - and the Saguaro National Park - close by. And if you ski, not that it’s great but Mt. Lemon is better than you’ll find near the other two.
None of these three are better. All are great - and if there were three kids, each could pick a different one - and no one would second guess.
Not sure where you come to your conclusion that the other two are more prestigious - they’re not.
btw - for med school, your MCAT and your GPA will matter - regardless of any school name.
That you chose the most affordable, something many do, is great for your future - especially when you spend more on grad school.
PS - the Honors dorm - if you’re in Honors - is as nice as there is in the country at Tucson - with a dining area on the bottom floor and counseling center and gym adjacent. When I saw it, I thought of selling my house and moving in - but unfortunately, I wasn’t accepted.
Good luck
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@1135273 if this is your real name, I would urge you to change your screen name ASAP.
Here is how:
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I am just agreeing with others–saving on college in advance of med school is very smart, and Arizona is a fine choice.
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If your plan is premed, as long as you go to a 4 yr college and do well, the supposed ranking of the school is less important.
Meanwhile, only a few of the flagship state U’s have a reputation advantage over the others. Penn State and Indiana are not among them.
I think that the choice of your least expensive flagship state U for an intended premed is an excellent one. You will pay less, plus if you, as many, wind up dropping premed, a flagship state U will have many other majors.
Be happy. You’re going to a great school at the best price for you. Do well there, and the sky’s the limit on med schools.
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Just so you know, lots of kids panic this time of year and think they made the wrong choice. It’s normal.
You made a good choice. Now, stop second guessing yourself and get psyched for a great year.
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