University/College Decisions...

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Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 1:38 am

All right, I feel really young here, but, well, junior year of high school (Year 11 for you UKers) is winding down, and it's really time for me to focus on higher education.

That being said, I have no idea where I ought to go. I'm really up for any university (I mean, how many Americans do you know are looking at McGill and Queen's?). However, I'm considering the University of Chicago, but I could use some other choices.

So, my question to y'all is this:

What colleges and universities should I consider, with regards to a major in either psychology or pre-med?

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 1:49 am

^How are you fixed for scholarships, tuition money etc? McGill and Queens? Fine schools.

Just pick a good school in an area that you are interested in spending a few years . I attended good ol' St. Greg's in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders, you should do fine.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 1:58 am

Thanks for your vote of confidence, Justcold!

Eheh — haven't really put too much thought into scholarships and tuition money. I think it's time that I start doing that...

Anyway, thanks for your advice!

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 4:21 am

I'm an American and I looked at McGill when I was your age. At the time they were number 1 in Canada and in the top 20 in the world.

If its all about a pre-med program you should take a look at this but consider the entire picture. Did you want to go to a small school? Visit a large university and sit in on a lecture. You may want to plan on attending a local school for undergraduate and something on the other coast for postgraduate studies.

You can still major in psychology and take your med school prerequisites but I would suggest that you consider being a math major and electively taking bio, chem, organic, physics, and p chem if you want to be a medical doctor.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 4:37 am

Well, fine — I retract my earlier statement: few of us Americans look at McGill, then.

Good point, I ought to do that; thanks, Connie!

Uff. Math. Not my strongest suit, but, hey, why not?

And I do love the sciences...

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:33 am

I'm not convinced that it makes much difference where you get your bachelor's. As long as it is accredited that is.

Some schools accept more of their own graduates into graduate programs, but I don't think that holds for med school.

That said, a smaller college that focuses more on education can be a better deal than a larger research university.

Someone who aces the MCAT and has done a lot of volunteer work seems to me to be in a better position than someone who does just OK on the MCAT. Thus, my advice is to go where you think you'll get the best education. Smaller classes tend to give you more interaction with faculty.

Oh, and consider joining a research group in some capacity. The experience is good, you may get a publication out of it, and the chances for a good letter of recommendation increase.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:36 am

Justcold asked a few good questions.

Quote:

How are you fixed for scholarships, tuition money etc? McGill and Queens? Fine schools.

Research and visit the colleges. Narrow down your choices and make a visit with your parents.

Look how well your minor studies will get you in to a good graduate program.

Class size, who is teaching and availability of the Professor are good questions.

My children went to small private schools that had hands on.

A lot depends on what you from the college. I am not familiar with any of the colleges you mentioned.

What would be your desired degree?

Edit: Re-read.

I biased UNC Chapel Hill Razz

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:49 am

I'm afraid I'm a generation or more past being helpful, but I will say that McGill was my first choice when I applied for colleges eons ago. I'm still heartbroken that I was turned down. Great school, certainly worth trying to get in.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:58 am

^Their loss Juan... Wink

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 6:00 am

^^agree

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 3:53 pm

I am an American, but I will also add that McGill is a great school. One of our friend's son went there and received a top notch education.

I would like to suggest you consider class size and who is teaching pre-med. One of my daughters went to a university that only the professors taught the classes and not grad students. Find out who exactly is teaching the classes. This is where a visit to the university might be a very good idea.

Insofar as med schools, and having worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, I am slightly prejudiced about the quality of education at the Medical School. However, it is expensive.

I will second the advice of Loram insofar as getting volunteer work in at a local hospital or clinic -- that combined with good MCAT scores will go a long way in the med school reviewing your application.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 4:51 pm

An important link for financial aid-
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

To really boost SAT scores-
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/sat-test-preparation.aspx

The two items that undergraduate and graduate schools scrutinize during the admissions process are grades/class rank and test scores.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 5:26 pm

Yep, took the SAT already.

Scores are as follows:

CR: 760
M: 660
WR: 680

Yeah — not so good, but decent...

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

Are your grades good enough to apply to an ivy league, or "wannabe" ivy league?
Schools like that usually have need-blind admission policies. If you can get accepted, there is a lot more funding available to you. They'll find a way to meet whatever you can't pay. They can actually end up being cheaper than state universities.

One tip about majoring in psychology: A bachelor's in psychology, while extremely interesting, is pretty worthless in terms of marketability. Plan on going to graduate school to be able to do anything in the field.

Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 9:16 pm

^ I agree with Ima about marketability for psychology.

Being the other side of the pond, i would like to add that if you do not get the university of your choice, to go for the job you want.

Have at least 3-4 choices available to try for other jobs, at other universities or to put it in a nutshell, have more than one iron in the fire.

Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 12:25 am

A degree in psychology can be worth about as much as a degree in sociology, philosophy or English but with the proper additional courses could get a person into medical school. I'm going to someone's graduation on Tuesday with a degree in English, a minor in a critical language, course work in thermodynamics, three years of management, ethics, electrical engineering, physics, two years of calculus and chemistry. She starts work in July in management for a multibillion dollar organization running a multimillion dollar department.

If a degree in straight math seems to be too much I would suggest as an alternate quantitative economics with all of the pre-med prereqs. Minor in accounting. If you can't be a doctor, run the hospital, you will get paid more.

Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 1:18 am

Quote:

Are your grades good enough to apply to an ivy league, or "wannabe" ivy league?

Yeah, about that... Mostly As and Bs, but even with a GPA of 3.88, it's going to be an uphill struggle...

Quote:

One tip about majoring in psychology: A bachelor's in psychology, while extremely interesting, is pretty worthless in terms of marketability. Plan on going to graduate school to be able to do anything in the field.

Well aware of that, thanks. Planning on grad school, anyway, if I can't get into med school...

Quote:

If a degree in straight math seems to be too much I would suggest as an alternate quantitative economics with all of the pre-med prereqs. Minor in accounting. If you can't be a doctor, run the hospital, you will get paid more.

Yeah, that's not really my thing — I'd much rather be "on the ground", as it were, administering care, etc.

Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 2:31 pm

Think about what you might be interested in choosing as a major -- then look to see how strong a particular university is in that field.

Don't worry if you are not sure that "x" will ultimately be your major. If you change your mind after the first year or two, you can consider transferring if necessary.

Bruin

Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:27 pm

As always, some very good advice here. I'd just like to add, don't think you are restricted to universities in North America - there are universities worldwide with good reputations and high rankings, many of which teach in English. If you would prefer to remain based in America but are not averse to travel, many universities have developed international partnerships, and offer opportunities for overseas study, either as optional study or integrated as part of the programme.

Good luck!

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:08 am

^Yes I seem to have heard of an up and coming University in England that has a Rhodes something or the other.

I believe it was called Oxford... Laughing

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 6:27 am

^Surprised you have not heard about Cambridge which has a medical teaching hospital for doctors and is well known through out the world.

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 7:48 pm

http://bit.ly/JbeNgn

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 9:56 pm

Javert wrote:

I'm considering the University of Chicago,

While I was stumbling through my own education a generation ago Chicago was more oriented toward graduate education than undergraduate. I'm not sure if that is still the case. They are very strong in the social sciences, however.

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 10:23 pm

Slightlyoutofit wrote:

http://bit.ly/JbeNgn

That is awesome.

Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 11:39 pm

Slightlyoutofit wrote:

http://bit.ly/JbeNgn

Interesting that the first result is this posting. Razz

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