<p>I’ve applied to a few Ivies and Johns Hopkins. I’ve also applied to U Florida, Boston U, and NYU. Let’s assume that hypothetically I get rejected from the Ivies and JHU but get in to the last three. I’m a FL resident with 100% Bright Futures, so that means I would go to UF free spare the room and board. Financially, my dad is extremely wealthy, so I didn’t apply for need-based aid at any schools because his income and net worth (investor) would certainly get me nothing. The problem is, he doesn’t like to spend his money, and is only willing to pay for the Ivies and JHU. Aside from that, he doesn’t think it makes sense for me to go out of state when UF will cost him pennies. Merit-based scholarships are a slight possibility, but I wouldn’t expect much from that either. So my question is, do you think it’s worth it to go to NYU or BU for $50k a year when UF is almost free? For me, the main advantage is location. Boston and NY just can’t be compared to Gainesville - it sucks there. Other things that might matter are that I plan to be a science major (chem or biophysics) doing pre-med. I’m not insensitive to his concerns, and I think he might just be right about this. Opinions?</p>
<p>I’m in a similar situation and will probably go to UF. There’s really no point blowing 50k a year on pre-med.</p>
<p>i’d like to know the answer to your question as well.</p>
<p>I myself am thinking about UF and Emory for pre med…</p>
<p>This is a non-question. If your dad isn’t going to pay for NYU or BU, there is no bank on earth that is going to loan you $225k over four years.</p>
<p>(Even if did, med school will be an additional $225k. Does your dad have $450k set aside for you?)</p>
<p>BU has a formula for merit/financial aid. If you have the right numbers it is possible to get money even if your parents make "a lot " of money. Take a look at their matrix.</p>
<p>Im kind of in the same boat also, deciding if its worth going to NYU or even JHU instead of my state schools because im interested in med and undergraduate schools dont really matter. Im probably going to my state school because I cant justify the extra 150k</p>
<p>New York City is a great city, but Boston seems to be interesting as well. I wouldn’t attend a school in Florida at all ( due to climate etc…) although since thats where your a resident, it may do good to keep it in mind. I would choose New York University over those though.</p>
<p>all great choices. UF is my #1, but you can’t go wrong with a big city like NYC or Boston.</p>
<p>Is the pre-med in UF good at all?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t attend the school, although I’m sure they aren’t bad in pre-med. All the schools you’ve listed seems to be decent in each major.</p>
<p>Something about being a student in NYC I think is unparalleled if and only if thats your scene. If you’re not a city person, then what’s the point in even considering it.</p>
<p>I’m not a complete only want to be in the city person, due to prefering nature such as rolling hills, lakes, open land etc… Although I also like the city, and NYC offers a lot. Such as Central Park, Atlantic Ocean, and all the nature around NYC. So yeah NYC does have a few disadvantages, but many advantages.</p>
<p>Yes, I love cities, and I love NY most of all. Going to college there would be like a dream to me. And it IS a question, because my dad’s on the fence about this so I’m trying to gather some opinions. About having $450k set aside. Not “set aside,” but it wouldn’t hurt him at all to pay for that over 8 years, it’s just a matter of being a sensible thing to do.</p>
<p>So if there is so much money to burn (and you can convince your dad to burn it), the only outstanding question is where you will find yourself best motivated to do well so you can get into med school.</p>
<p>i’m making pretty much the exact same decision, but for me it’s between BU and UF. also being a fl resident and recieving bright futures my parents want me to go to UF. however, i’m in love with the city of boston and i feel thats where i will thrive.</p>
<p>my point, go for the one you ultimately want and not the easy or cheaper option.</p>
<p>University Of Florida</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>““It is often joked that we only pay tuition so we can have a football team,” one University of Florida student writes, but in fact UF provides “a quality education from the state’s oldest and most prestigious university” as well as top-flight football to its undergraduates. “The University of Florida is about finding out if you have what it takes to distinguish yourself from 35,000 other intelligent, talented people. It’s a reality check.” It also provides “tremendous” “networking opportunities.” A robust alumni network over 300,000 strong adds to the possibilities, and some undergrads to assert that, in addition to providing a top-notch education, UF delivers “a career in the future.” Stand-out programs include engineering, premed, and journalism. While the school “has its share of boring, unapproachable professors,” the “vast majority” are “available to help students throughout the week.” In fact, both professors and teaching assistants “are easy to access,” as they have “set office hours” that are “made very apparent to students.” UF’s administration “is not too bad, although there is so much red tape to get through that getting anything accomplished is likely to take half the semester.” Students appreciate that most administrative tasks can be accomplished “over the computer.””</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>“The UF student body conjures to mind the “Greek macho man” and the “Barbie blonde” for many, but with undergrad enrollment around 35,000, “it’s hard to define the typical student” here. While the “large, sprawling campus” is home to “more students than can be observed,” even a perfunctory glance reveals “all kinds—jocks, Greeks, religious, political, nonreligious, out-of-staters, international people, intense athletes, and everything in between.” Some here tell us that “the typical student falls into one of two categories. Either the student is a know-it-all who graduated with an IB diploma and had a 4.0, or [he or she] is a slacker who somehow got into UF and now doesn’t take anything seriously except partying.” Because of UF’s size, “There’s a place for everyone to fit in, whether your thing is knitting, rugby, or video games.””</p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"“You can tell that students at UF like to have fun,” undergrads here agree, and fortunately for them the opportunities are ample. There is “a lot of stuff to do on campus,” and if partying is your thing, there are “37 fraternity/sorority houses” and “an ample number of clubs to check out” in downtown Gainesville. The Student Union also hosts “a bunch of different activities” and “shows recent movies in [its] theater, long before they come out on DVD.” Then, of course, there’s Gator athletics. “Almost everybody here is crazy about our sports teams, and team spirit is really high,” students tell us. One writes, “Sports, both intramural and intercollegiate, are very important. This is one of the main reasons people are drawn to UF.” Greater Gainesville “offers enough things to do” that “not being Greek does not hamper one’s social life.” Indeed, Gainesville “is a true college town—everything is catered to the UF student.” For outdoor enthusiasts, “There is a recreational lake that is university-owned, [and] students can go swim, boat, fish, or BBQ [for free].” UF is also located “within 2 hours” of the beach and “under 2 hours” from “theme parks in Orlando.” Students here are “always willing to drive the distance” to “away football games within the SEC (Southeastern Conference).”</p>
<p>Boston University</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>“Boston University’s greatest strengths, students tell us, lie in “the choices students are granted. Do you want to be an alterna-teen or a jock? Do you want to drink or go to shows? Do you want to study ballet, bio, or film? Do you want a scenic riverside location or an energetic urban one? You can have all of the above at BU, which is both overwhelming and exciting.” A “top-notch educational institution in the middle of one of the best college cities in the world,” BU is the perfect place for independent students anxious to explore all options. As one student puts it, “BU not only allowed me access to over 65 majors in my school, the College of Arts and Sciences (I tried out astronomy, international relations, psychology, and anthropology before deciding on anthro/religion and French), but also majors in other schools (I took two drama classes in the College of Fine Arts).” Many are drawn here by the “top-notch pre-professional programs” that include “an excellent communications program,” a “great management program,” and “a great biology program.” Students note that “BU fosters independence: Students can do whatever they want; they just have to have the motivation.” Academics “are very, very rigorous,” with more than a few students hypothesizing the existence of an unwritten “grade deflation” policy, which, understandably, they regard as unfair.”</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>“The undergraduate student body at BU is 16,000 strong, so “there is no ‘typical’ BU student.” Students here “tend to be liberal and politically aware, but other than that, one of the most desirable aspects of BU is that there are no ‘types.’ Because BU has strong athletics, as well as strong programs in the arts, there is a nice mix . . . and everyone seems to get along well enough. This diversity . . . adds an amazing dynamic to class discussions. This is one of the most valuable aspects of a BU education.” That said, many here tell us that “a solid majority of people are very rich, well dressed, and reasonably snobby.” New England prep-school grads are well represented, but so, too, are a broad array of states and nations.”</p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"BU “doesn’t have a campus in a traditional sense, and that takes some getting used to. It also means that most of your social life isn’t centered on the university,” but more on the city itself. To many here, “Boston is the perfect city. Easy to walk around; not as big and crazy as NYC; and plenty to do on the weekends besides party,” such as “walking all the way downtown, passing through all the big entertainment areas, or walking over to Cambridge and Central Square or down the river and over the footbridge to Harvard Square . . . A short T-ride puts you in the North End with its Italian food heaven. If you can’t find what you’re looking for within 20 minutes of campus, you just haven’t looked hard enough.” Parties typically occur off campus “since the university has a fairly strict alcohol and drug policy which RAs monitor closely. The off-campus parties are typically big (100-plus) and, of course, have beer and cheap liquor more than accessible. The bar and club scene is also big, with Lansdowne Street only a few blocks away, so going out to drink and dance on the weekends is also pretty common. . . . Because cabs are everywhere, getting around the city, even when [you are] drunk and [it is] late at night, is pretty simple.” For those who prefer to stick with school activities, “The school makes a real effort to get students involved and to provide activities for us, albeit through our yearly undergraduate student fee. They have comedy clubs, student concerts, several interesting lectures for every interest imaginable, etc.”</p>
<p>New York University</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>“Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, New York University feeds off its great home city. The school’s layout reinforces this relationship; academic buildings and dormitories are scattered around Washington Square Park and are virtually indistinguishable from the private residences, hotels, and restaurants that are its neighbors. Asked to identify the school’s greatest asset, so many students respond “location, location, location” that one could be forgiven for thinking that NYU is a training school for real-estate agents. Nonetheless, the school’s location “attracts superb professors and well-known researchers and lecturers” and “It’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll have a couple good connections in your field when you leave NYU.” While at school, you’ll find opportunities for “amazing internship possibilities and real-life experiences,” and you’ll learn the “independence, maturity, and time-management skills” that come with living in an “expensive place where space is limited but you have access to the best of everything.” Students note that NYU “offers a great program for nearly anything you want to major in,” including a world-renowned arts school, and excellent programs in business, the humanities, and education. The school’s weak spot, undergrads agree, is the administration, where “too much red tape” creates an experience reminiscent of “a daily trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles.” A relatively small price to pay, most here agree, for the “endless cultural, culinary, musical, artistic, and academic opportunities” that NYU offers.”</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>“Students agree that “NYU is just a diverse as the city it is surrounded by,” noting that the campus “is a conglomeration of the atypical. If you are looking for a student body wearing J. Crew and discussing the next frat party, this isn’t the school for you.” Each college has a specific archetype—”The somewhat eccentric theater student in Tisch, the mostly international Stern business students, the Steinhardt musicians reminiscent of the band groups in high school”—but “The vast majority of students are really pretty average, just doing their own thing like everybody else.” The community “is known for its acceptance of students of any ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or race. We live in New York, so absolutely nothing shocks us, and virtually everything is accepted.” The lack of a traditional campus attracts students of an “independent” bent and, on occasion, drives away those who discover they crave a more conventional college experience.”</p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>“NYU isn’t merely located in “the city that never sleeps.” It is, in fact, located in one of the city’s hottest social and cultural areas, an agora of restaurants, clubs, concert venues, movie theaters, retail shops, and galleries. Village life ain’t cheap, however, and students warn that “money is always an issue. Kids are either worried about getting more money out of their parents or managing what money they have. But money seems to be considerably less of an issue when we’re all going out on a Friday night. There is any number of ways to entertain yourself—it’s New York City!” Inexpensive diversions include many of the city’s famous museums, cheap ethnic eats, and the ever-popular pastime of people-watching. There are also “many free/discounted events put on by the university (like concerts, plays, forums, etc).” Don’t expect a typical college party scene here, however, as “There are no frat parties at NYU, as Greek life is virtually nonexistent, even frowned upon by many students. Instead, students prefer to go out to bars and clubs on weekends.” Dorm and apartment parties also “aren’t too abundant, though pre-gaming is very popular.” In fact, “NYU doesn’t really provide much of an emphasis on campus activities, especially during the weekend. You’re basically left to find your own entertainment which, thankfully, is always possible.””</p>
<p>My daughter chose UF over BU a few years ago. Both her father and I went to college in Boston (BU/me, MIT/him) and loved our experiences. We lived in the area for awhile after college and visited the city (and all our college buddies) every year or two with our children. My daughter loves Boston but, since we used to visit in spring, summer or early fall, she did not realize just how cold it gets there until it was time for the BU/UF decision. She decided that she didn’t want to endure Boston winters and chose UF. We could fully afford BU and thought the Boston experience would be worth the money but were of course happy to send her to UF for free (Full tuition scholarship from Bright Futures plus prepaid tuition/dorm plan that we bought as “insurance” when she was 6 years old). She has never regretted her decision. She thought that Gainesville would be too boring for her but itsn’t. She loves everything about UF and is contemplating staying on for graduate school. </p>
<p>Visit both schools in January…then decide.</p>
<p>hmm thanks for all the advice. My dad hasn’t outright said no but we are waiting for decisions and all to decide for sure. I’m preparing a case for NYU though…</p>