Major: Biological Sciences (Interest in Human Bio/Oncology concentration), potentially a minor in data-science or computational biology.
Goal: Build a strong foundation for medical school with emphasis on clinical/undergrad research. Prefer urban settings with high clinical/volunteering opportunities.
The Dilemma:
I do not qualify for financial aid, but I have received merit scholarships at several schools. I need to commit by May 1st. My “dream” is UCSD (Waitlisted, net-price $46K/yr), and I was offered Case Western for Spring 2027 (net-price $73K/yr), but I am focusing on the current acceptances below.
School
Net Price (Incl. Merit)
Notes
Univ. of Pittsburgh
$62K/yr
Great vibe, rigor, surrounded by UPMC hospitals.
Rutgers (Honors College)
$59K/yr
RWJMS on campus, but concerned about “bus culture” and size.
Baylor (Univ. Scholars)
$51K/yr
Strong merit, but no campus med school/clinic.
RPI
$46K/yr
High merit, technical focus, no campus med school/clinic.
UC Riverside(Honors)
$47K/yr
Has med school, but lacks on-campus clinic.
UC Merced
$43K/yr
Cheapest UC. No campus med school/clinic.
Santa Clara (Honors)
$57K/yr
Local (Bay Area), no campus med school/clinic.
U of Rochester
$75K/yr
Strong Med Center next door, but wary of weather.
Saint Louis Univ.(Honors)
$35K/yr
Cheapest OOS option.
San Jose State Univ.
$37K/yr
Cheapest in-state option, no med school/clinic on campus. Local Bay Area, potentially can commute
Key Preferences & Thoughts:
Top 3 Vibe-wise: Pitt, Rutgers, Santa Clara.
Research: I want access to med school labs and clinical research. Pitt and Rochester seem strongest here, but Rochester is expensive and cold.
Geography: Santa Clara is home, but I’m worried about the lack of an affiliated hospital/med school for research.
Financials: Since I am full-pay (minus merit), I want to ensure the “prestige” or “opportunity” justifies the $15k–$20k/year jump from the UCs.
Questions for the forum:
Is Pitt’s proximity to UPMC worth the $15K/year premium over UC Riverside for someone wanting strong biology research?
How does Rutgers Honors compare to Pitt for clinical placement and research access?
Does Santa Clara’s lack of a med school significantly hinder finding high-level clinical research compared to the others? Am I going to miss out undergrad research in Santa Clara when compared to UCs or other flagship research schools listed above?
Appreciate any insight in making me chose the school to commit by tomorrow! Unfortunately I’m confused and looking for advice.
You do not need a hospital on campus to do research. You need faculty who are getting grants and have labs and facilities and are willing to take you on. I think the hospital piece is a total red herring.
Some of the most valuable medical research going on today is taking place at a desk with a computer and a person who understands sophisticated models and regressions. Some of the biggest breakthroughs are coming out of Meta-Studies where patterns that weren’t evident in one study in Germany and another in Finland are starting to make sense when viewed in the context of 250 studies globally.
You don’t need a hospital, and in fact, competing with Med students will reduce your opportunities, not expand them.
Let that piece go…. and your choices will be a lot clearer.
I know young people working in complex roles in device companies, big pharma, medical and biotech startups who didn’t go near a hospital during undergrad.
I am currently concerned that I might miss out on great research opportunities at UC Riverside or Rutgers New Brunswick. I have visited both schools and noted that they offer massive undergraduate research opportunities. Rutgers has a med school and medical center on campus, which is an added benefit to avoid commute effort.
On the other hand, Santa Clara University is close to home in the SF Bay Area, where I can receive a lot of support from my family and existing software industry connections. Unfortunately, our family does not have connections in the medical or biotech industries, which is why I am hoping to get support from the SCU Health Professions Office and advisors. Additionally, I could commute to Santa Clara University or San Jose State University, potentially saving on-campus living expenses after my freshman year.
Given that my short-listed choices are UC Riverside, Rutgers NB, and Santa Clara University (local), which school would you advise me to join?
The bigger question is - if you are sure on med school, do you have $400K+ to pay for it? You can only get $200K in federally funded loans. Is even UCSD too expensive? That includes undergrad.
In theory, you could attend your local Cal State, save a bundle, and have just as good as odds.
So start with budget?
If it’s going to be an issue, then SLU is your best bet - and it has medical facilities adjacent. It’s all religious. SJSU is another.
If money is no issue, then choose what you want - of the three. But they’re another near $100K.
Just because a hospital is adjacent doesn’t mean you’ll have access to clinicals and other things you can do from home etc.
One can do research at most schools by the way (certainly all you listed - just ask), but if you listen to the med school experts on here, research is less a concern than clinicals, etc.
I think you need to start with a budget, and work your way from there. You are looking at 4 years of college and additional years for medical school or some type of grad school.
What can your family afford?
Congrats on these amazing choices!
Adding: you do not need a hospital on campus to shadow or do research.
Thank you @twogirls
My parents are ok paying approximately $50K/yr (partly with loans); therefore, I believe the more expensive private schools may be out of reach.
In terms of specific options, commuting to SCU or staying on campus at UC Riverside would likely result in a similar total cost. While Rutgers will be more expensive due to out-of-state tuition, I may be able to complete my undergraduate degree in three years to save on costs.
How would you do this? Be careful about using AP credits as medical schools and graduate programs have different policies in place.
I understand your desire to attend a college with a strong medical community such as Rutgers or Pitt, but at the same time I think it needs to be weighed against medical school costs. There should be a plan to cover costs beyond 4 years.
My DD is a SCU grad. She was a bioengineering student and did her research/scholars thing in bioengineering. It was required.
You really do need to keep costs in mind given that medical school will likely be over $100,000 a year should you get there. Federally funded loans are limited to $50,000 a year for med school.
I would be happy to share info about med school applicants from SCU vintage 2010 undergraduates via message, if you would like. Let me know.
I would suggest that you put medical school on the back burner for now. Close an undergrad where you can see yourself happy and thriving…that is affordable…for the next four years.
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve consulted advisors at most of my accepted schools, and the consensus is to retake biology and chemistry in college rather than using AP/CC credits. However, I’m hoping my non-science credits will still apply toward my degree.
My parents are willing to support my undergraduate studies if the higher tuition is worth securing access to research and clinical volunteering opportunities. I’ve heard from mentors that undergrad research is overrated, so I’m looking for help to understand its value better.
If I get into medical school, I presume my parents will contribute (partly), and I will have to explore loan options. I hope I would be able to earn and save some during gap year (if I have to take gap year).
Assuming my parents support, which school would you recommend to attend to have best premed/bio experience?
There are volunteer opportunities everywhere! Many groups working with less fortunate folks are looking for extra hands.
It’s nice to have done some research but it’s not at the top of things you need to apply to medical school. @DramaMama2021@WayOutWestMom could you please link the FAQ threads about med school applicants here.
You should budget for a full 8 years of university. You should avoid loans if this is reasonably possible for your bachelor’s degree, and minimize loans as much as you can.
Given how excellent UC Riverside is, plus its on-campus medical school, plus a $50,000 per year budget (but with loans, ugh), I do not think that you should spend more than the cost of UC Riverside for your bachelor’s degree. Spending less might be even better.
There are a LOT of universities that are very good for a premed students, and that are also very good for a wide range of biomedical research. You are comparing a long list of them. Students really do get very good opportunities to do biomedical research at a very wide range of universities.
It is indeed cold. It is too expensive.
My understanding is that some research experience is useful, but not necessary. A lot of medical shadowing experience is necessary. To me the primary benefit of research experience is in case you decide to not go to medical school at all, but instead go into biomedical research. I might be biased since one daughter is currently studying for a PhD in a biomedical field.
Between these three, I would save some money, attend an excellent university, and go with UC Riverside. To me St. Louis University might also be tempting, although this would require a lot of travel back and forth and is a long way from the Bay Area.
They said it was ok to retake the same class? Or do they mean taking a higher level?
Shadowing can be done during school breaks, and volunteering can be done everywhere.
As far as research, it is nice but not at the very top of the list for medical school. Also keep in mind that most research is not done in hospitals. My biology kid did research on fish, public health, and cancer research at an off campus summer position.
If you would like to consider your choices by medical school attainment, this analysis may be of interest:
The University of Rochester, for example, ranked 42nd nationally by medical school matriculation in normalized information. This places it higher than any UC by this method of evaluation.
Commuting to Santa Clara University (after sophomore year) or staying on campus at UC Riverside would likely result in a similar total cost.
Even after narrowing down my options to UC Riverside and Santa Clara University, I still need some advice to help me choose between the two.
On one hand, I really like the idea of small classes and a close-knit community. However, I am concerned that because Santa Clara is a smaller school, I may not find enough opportunities to participate in a wide variety of clubs or make a diverse range of new friends.
UC Riverside is a 6 hour drive from home; while the location may not be ideal, it is something I can live with.