<p>Help me! I’m getting close to the date for SIRing and I can’t decide!</p>
<p>I got into the 6 year PharmD Program at Northeastern Uni. with a half-tuition scholarship that extends through the grad portion (turns out to be a cheaper deal for grad school education). And I may only have to do 5 years because of my AP credits.</p>
<p>I got into Berkeley as an Undecided College of Letters and Science Spring admit. I was thinking that I’d do community college in the fall as a GPA booster instead of the FPF extension program. If I go to UCB, I’d like to try for bio-engineering or mech-e (I know engineering is extremely difficult, and I will definitely have a back-up, but I’d like to try)</p>
<p>I’ve visited both schools and I like them both.</p>
<p>UCB Pro-Con
(+) great reputation
(+) great weather–I’m a N.California native
(+) active social scene/frats/parties/student life
(+) school spirit/football games
(+) more options for future
(-) I’ve visited a lot b/c of my sibling. Not a brand new experience
(-) extremely competitive
(-) may never get into the major I want/uncertain future job and salary
(-) less attractive people
(-?) spring admit + no FPF = harder to adapt/make friends?</p>
<p>Northeastern
(+ +) better deal- if I stay for the whole program
(+) great degree and salary
(+) co-op program is really lucrative - traveling/working opportunities - resume building
(+/-) in the city of Boston-- I heard there’s not much to do in Boston unless you’re over 21
(+) beautiful dorms
(+) brand new experience
(+) more attractive people
(-) cold winters
(-) lack of school spirit
(-) hard to find parties/less active social scene
(-) snobby people- according to online- I visited during my welcome day and it was a Sat. with not many people around
(-) I’m not 100% on pharmacy. I mean I’d do it, but what if I’m missing my calling because I don’t explore?</p>
<p>When I visited UCB for the very first time years ago, I fell in love at first sight. That has dulled over the years. When I visited NEU, I felt good but no love. It was kind of an empty campus.</p>
<p>NEU has more upper class people. At Berkeley 38% receive Pell Grant whereas the information is not available for NEU. I expect it to be below 10%. UCB is # 2 for economic diversity which is a great thing. </p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that its very hard to transfer into engineering at Berkeley if you don’t get admitted directly. I recommend NEU since you got admitted to the PharmD program.</p>
<p>if you are a spring admit to Cal, you likely have lower numbers. Thus, the odds of you transferring (from L&S) into engineering are slim – they are slim for everyone. If you really want Eng, the best route is a juco for two years and then apply for a transfer.</p>
<p>Personally, I would not commit to a 6 year program unless you knew with certainty that is what you wanted to do. (If so, you should have also applied to Pacific.)</p>
<p>btw: Boston is an awesome college town, and there is plenty to do for <21.</p>
<p>At Northeastern you would be in a Pharm program.
At Berkeley you would look to study Mech E or Bio Engineering.</p>
<p>These are completely different!! So, I think the question for you is do you want to be in a Pharm program. If the answer is Yes – Northeastern offers a wonderful opportunity. If not, Berkeley sounds better (though I’m sure if you go to Northeastern, you will have opportunities to transfer out – though I have no idea what it would do to our merit money).</p>
<p>On your idea of doing a semester in CC. Unless it was to save money (and credits would transfer) I’m not sure why. Though I suspect you’ll get a higher GPA at a CC, Grad Schools etc will be aware of the rigor of your courseload.</p>
<p>Make sure your AP credit does not disappear by enrolling in a CC and accumulating college credit. Congrats on getting into the Pharm D program. But if you do not want to be involved with Pharmacology, think twice. Its like getting an accounting degree and…</p>
<p>First and Foremost! Determine what happens to merit aid if you transfer out of the pharm program, and the odds of transferring into school of engineering. As a UC Grad and comparing both schools for months now. I found that although UCB is a much prettier campus, a more diverse student population, never a dull moment, a wider degree of major choices, a more collegiate environment, easy access to SF, a much higher Nobel Laureate count amongst professors, UCB holds a higher prestige for life but NEU is respectable, and I find NEU major choices to be of a more practical nature, similar to making a comparison between the Cal State System vs UC System . This list continues. BUT, it will be extremely difficult to transfer into the engineering school at UCB. We attended the UCB summer briefing and they said the same. Starting spring semester, always puts the newby behind the eight ball in terms of assimilating into campus life, but it will happen with time. You have missed 1/8 of the total experience. The largest lecture hall, holds 750 people. You are sharing it with 30,000 other students. You are in Boston :), a new experience, there are 250,000 college students spread over all the other campuses in town, and you’re worried about not having enough to do? Join a club. The ratio of instructor to student is much better at NEU. The co-op program puts you at an advantage for jobs (how valuable is this to you?) and it is your first job that sets you up for your second etc. Look at the advising and mentoring programs at NEU, they beat UCB hands down. And this is what won me over.</p>
<p>I have no doubt that it’ll be extremely hard to get into eng, but I’d like to try nonetheless. My hs stats are actually really good so I think that spring admit considering I applied for undecided wasn’t based on my lack of merit. I’ve had friends with even better stats get spring admit and those with worse get in fall. As for cc. I have some unfinished cc series that I started in hs. So going to cc would save money and make it easier to transfer classes. </p>
<p>I kind of don’t know what my goal is in life, so I feel very conflicted with committing to pharmacy.
At the same time I don’t want to pass up on such an opportunity.</p>
<p>As for narrowing down ny interests. I excel and enjoy math, physics, chemistry, and biology so its still a large range.</p>
<p>I will agree completely with zephyr, this situation is really more about what you want to do rather than the college. Both are very good and they will get you places, believe me…it’s just where you want to get to is most important.</p>
. This list continues. BUT, it will be extremely difficult to transfer into the engineering school at UCB. We attended the UCB summer briefing and they said the same. Starting spring semester, always puts the newby behind the eight ball in terms of assimilating into campus life, but it will happen with time. You have missed 1/8 of the total experience. The largest lecture hall, holds 750 people. You are sharing it with 30,000 other students. You are in Boston :), a new experience, there are 250,000 college students spread over all the other campuses in town, and you’re worried about not having enough to do? Join a club. The ratio of instructor to student is much better at NEU. The co-op program puts you at an advantage for jobs (how valuable is this to you?) and it is your first job that sets you up for your second etc. Look at the advising and mentoring programs at NEU, they beat UCB hands down. And this is what won me over.</p>