Vanderbilt (full ride) vs. UMiami (full ride)

Faline2
Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:05:20 +0000

I am sure you can do well at UM and get into a med school, especially with the advantages you have re being an honors scholar. I think you should go where you feel you will be your very strongest self after four years. Do you feel that you need the maturation of changing cities and being far away from the familiar? Or would that actually dampen your spirits because of Miami’s unique multicultural life and vibrancy? These are personal questions that are intangibles. Do you feel you want a very ambitious high stat peer group in undergrad school? Or will you be just as inspired with the core group of top premeds at UM?

I agree that as much as I like Nashville for its artistic and academic offerings…it is not much like Miami…starting with its being in the heartland of America and far from the oceans.

The AXLE requirements at Vandy can be nice to mix in with your most challenging premed classes and some people want a strong liberal arts last hurrah before med school. Vanderbilt has a few large introductory courses but the majority of classes are amazingly small…does this matter to you? Our sons had Echols at UVA with no core curriculum as the perk as well but you do realize that you still will need to follow your premed advisor’s recommendations and you will be doing a lot of the core curriculum anyway?

You can read in Vanderbilt’s research juried publications just to get a gander at research opportunities for students who are so inclined. They are available online.

Perhaps you should be looking a bit at the med school placements from UM vs Vanderbilt. Clearly your peer group at Vanderbilt is going to be stellar academically speaking. Our Duke and Vandy sons learned a great deal from their peers…as much as from their teachers. However when you are math/science focused, I really think you can excel, ace the MCAT and learn at UM just as well. Vanderbilt is also a regional health care giant and a research center with a fine hospital on grounds. But you should have access to the best UM has to offer.

If you test very well (thinking MCAT prep), I don’t think you should go to Vandy just because of the higher ranking, although it is possible that in general Vanderbilt students get a harder looksee at some med schools. I think the very top UM students with the stats to back them up will do just as well at that juncture.

good luck with your happy problem