<p>Think seriously about what you want to do after undergrad. </p>
<p>Most post grad and professional schools will admit students from almost any institution as long as their GPA and test scores are competitive and their SOP shows growth. If your major goal is to go to grad school or medical school and assuming money is an issue, why go to the top school if you need to take out massive loans? The admissions examine vague rankings based on how challenging some programs are (my friend who is applying and managed to get waitlisted at Tufts vet school informed me that our small commuter university scored a more challenging biology program than another more well known school of hers, U. Maryland BC according to Cornell’s vet school admissions which is harder to get in than most med schools) but they are NEVER alone deciding factors.</p>
<p>I also speak from experience because I got my undergrad in Biology at Umass Boston (commuter school/small program) but under the support of my advisor I managed to snag a prestigous grant plus a smaller one in my undergrad and have gone on to do a PhD at Big HUGE Midwestern Research University. My friend went on to Harvard and I know some who have easily gotten into med school. One more advantage of going to a university with a smaller science program: it is typically easier to get hands on undergrad research and to nudge your way into a network of famous scientists within your field. The first year may involve large classes but once you get into the 2nd/3rd year, it is relatively easy to find professors looking for eager undergrads to advise. If you go to school in a major city, it is not difficult to find medical-related internships and jobs outside of the university and there are career counselors as well as colleagues in the biology department that will help. Several students in my class got internships at Genzyme. One of them is going to med school. Also, even though I’m not too old, I took a bit of time off before doing undergrad and I found it motivating that many of my friends were my age or older and at Umass primarily to work and learn, so there weren’t typical distractions that came with being an undergrad at a major party university.</p>
<p>If your goal is to go into industrial research or to become a technician, it couldn’t hurt to have a name-brand degree under your belt. But if you want to go into graduate school/professional school, do what you’re most comfortable with and what will end you up with minimal debt.</p>
<p>Sorry for the ramble, what is right for one person isn’t right for another, so my major point is do what is right for YOU and not what the rankings say. They can factor in, but don’t discount your comfort and the opportunities other universities offer. You accomplish your goals so much easier and happier, and possibly with far less debt.</p>