<p>Let her go to MIT. They also have one of the best biology departments in the country. She can go to Yale for med school if she wants.</p>
<p>This decision tree can only be messed up if you forget the kid needs a life.</p>
<p>She is not planning to study biology. But I don’t understand all the angst. Just let her apply to Yale. She may not get in and if she does then she has more options.</p>
<p>Actually, MIT has a huge research program. It’s called UROP (undergraduate research opportunity program). Anybody can get one, all you have to do is ask. Plus most of them are paid, so it’s not a bad deal. If you like labs, MIT is definitely a good place as well.</p>
<p>Physician here. Your D should not plan her major based on what she anticipates physicians of the future will need to know. She should major in something she actively likes for its sake, at the school she feels most comfortable at (ie the best fit school). Physicians can learn what they need to know to utilize the most current technologies long after being in private practice- I have seen it in many different fields over the years. Medical school gives a good foundation in diagnosing and treating diseases, but just as importantly, one is taught how to learn, and that things will change- today’s facts may be out tomorrow, and so will procedures. Anticipating the future of medical practice is not the way to plan for a career in medicine, she can trust she will get what she needs in her medical training and doesn’t need to get it as an undergrad.</p>
<p>wis75: She is not planning her major because of what physician may need in future but because of her interests. She is really interested in computer science and its application to medicine. That is why she would prefer to do computer science as major during her undergrad and go for MD later.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their suggestion D decided to turn in the Yale application yesterday. She has also decided to not do Brown PLME as she thinks she might not like to spend 8 years in Providence (RI).</p>
<p>Good luck to her! You are very fortunate in that cost is not an issue either way.</p>
<p>If she gets Yale, will she choose Yale > MIT? If so, I wonder why she didn’t go SCEA at Yale in the first place?</p>
<p>If she gets Yale and still chooses MIT, then I think it’s unfortunate to take the initial acceptance away from someone who really wants to go to Yale. Yes, I realize a slot will still open up on a waitlist, but nonetheless, it’s not nice to rack up acceptances if your first choice is already a bird in the hand.</p>
<p>I personally think POIH has the right strategy regarding not applying to Yale SCEA, especially when his daughter is not 100% sure about Yale. Having EA offers from MIT/CalTech eliminate a lot of safety schools very early in the application process.</p>
<p>It sounds as though she liked the idea of Yale, but not the actual experience of New Haven, etc. If that’s the case, what’s going to change about that between now and the spring? Either she’s willing to go to Yale or she’s not. She should only apply to Yale if she knows that if she gets in, she’ll choose it over MIT. Otherwise, why bother?</p>
<p>Sometimes a students perception of a school change between December and April, especially if they know one better than the other. My kid liked Harvard a lot better in April than he did in the fall - though in the end he still turned them down. I don’t have a problem with hedging your bets a bit.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, for the OP applying to Yale makes the most sense, if only so she doesn’t regret never applying to her original first choice. Yes, it may take a spot away from someone else until April; so what? So did applying to both MIT and Caltech. So does applying to any other school. Choices are good; in college admissions, sometimes choices are worth being a little selfish (in purely theoretical terms, since no one knows who the spot would or wouldn’t have gone to).</p>
<p>If she’s serious about the MD, go where she has the best chance to get the highest possible gpa. In my opinion, MIT comp sci would grade a lot harsher than Yale comp sci…and in terms of med schools, it doesn’t matter where you do undergrad at. They’re all great schools with seemingly equal opportunities for research and volunteering, both of which are crucial to getting into med school. So then it just comes down to gpa.</p>
<p>You can also attend classes at Harvard if you enroll at MIT through cross registration.</p>
<p>[MIT</a> Cross-Registration Home Page](<a href=“Homepage | MIT Registrar”>Homepage | MIT Registrar)</p>
<p>Is applying to Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard necessary? It seems like a way to gather as many name-brand acceptances as possible, without any sort of thought to actually attend. But your username says it al.</p>
<p>Also, you should help out MIT and Caltech by telling one of them now that your D isn’t attending. That way, a spot is open in the RD pool.</p>