<p>I’m an incoming freshman too, but I remember how torn I was, up to May 1, about choosing between Duke and JHU because I heard about how competitive JHU was and how there weren’t as many safety nets in terms of professor-student help and advising. And even though I didn’t like Duke that much, I was willing to go and be unhappy because I wanted to guarantee my success.</p>
<p>But now I feel (hope) I’ve made the right choice. Nothing will guarantee your success, not even a college known for getting people into med school. Columbia and Penn are excellent schools that I’m sure have good pre-med programs and, being in cities, will open up tons of opportunities for you to achieve your career goals. But happiness isn’t something you can get everywhere, so if you’re unhappy, don’t stay.</p>